Darker Path

By Rhetta Wingler

Category: What If?/Alternate Universe

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. I'm just borrowing them for a spell. Don't worry, I'll return them all safe and sound to Mr. Moore when I 'm done.

Feedback: I crave it. It's a sickness really. I'm planning on buying some of those self-help books for it. Until I do my e-mail addy is [email protected]

Summary: This is my first fan fiction.  Well, besides a poem.  It's an alternate storyline from the last part of T10k when the Evil Queen attempts to kill Virginia in front of one of her mirrors.  I always thought it would be interesting to try to write a 'what if she had succeeded in killing her' story.  This picks up right after she kills her.  It's the very next scene in fact.

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Wolf walked from the kitchen in a decidedly reluctant clip. The Queen had requested his presence at once. But he was annoyed at having to leave the preparations at such a crucial time. And he didn't trust that chef either. Too eager to do the Queen's bidding. He had been the same when he first met her. Of course, he'd been trapped in that prison so long he'd have agreed to practically anything to get out. But still, he wasn't proud of what he'd done. Of how close he'd come to succeeding. All because of a little late-night sheep worrying. And whatever the Queen wanted him to do now would certainly be just as bad. It might even have something to do with Virginia. He scratched his brow in frustration. Virginia. Every time he thought of her his mind jumped back to the last time he had seen her. Back when he had pretended to betray her and Tony to the Queen. She had hardly said anything, had barely even reacted in fact.

He stopped and started to pace back and forth in front of the door to the Queen's chamber. All she'd asked was what he had done. Not `how could he' or `why did you betray me.' It was strange. Like she knew that it would happen that way. He stared at the door as a slow smile spread across his face. Maybe she had guessed he was just acting. Yes. That was it. She knew and was playing along. Oh huff puff, my Virginia is one smart lady. Quick on her feet too. As soon as this Coronation is over I'll think of some romantic way to thank her properly. His smile broadened and he opened the door.

The room was dark and it appeared to be empty. He frowned and entered the room slowly. Then he noticed the smell. He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed it at first. It was definitely his Virginia's but...it was different somehow. It almost smelled like...he trailed off realizing the obvious place his thoughts were heading. All of the sudden it got very cold.

"Virginia, are you here? Answer me." Even he could hear the panic in his voice. He walked across the bedchamber and into the Queen's mirror room.

"Virginia..." His voice froze. She was crumpled on the floor in front of one of the Queen's mirrors. It looked like there had been a struggle and she had been on the losing end.

"NOOOO!!" He ran and dropped down beside her. His hands shook as he stroked her cheek tenderly. It was cooler than he remembered it. "Please Virginia, please don't be dead." He let out a soft mournful howl and rocked her back and forth in his arms.

"She's dead all right. No mistaking that." A calm voice said beside him. How she'd gotten so close, so fast, he wasn't sure.

Wolf looked down at Virginia's lifeless body then at the Queen. A low growl began in the back of his throat.

The Queen smiled sweetly. It was an eerie effect. Like an uneasy mixture of goodwill and malice. "Now, now Wolf. You knew it would have to end this way, didn't you? A dog, a fool, and a little girl with delusions of grandeur? You knew they didn't stand a chance of defeating me." She looked at Virginia with a frown then over at Wolf. "Playtime is over. What happens now was meant to happen. Remember that." She leaned down and looked into his eyes. "We are so near success and you are part of it. A very important part. Never forget that. Mourn the silly child if you must but don't die with her."

Wolf stared at the Queen with an expression of cold fury. It would be so simple to lunge forward and end this now. So simple. His muscles were even tensed in anticipation. But his time with Virginia had taught him how to choose his moments. And this was not the moment to choose. Best to bid his time and get them all at once. The Queen, the Huntsman, even those annoying Trolls. Everyone had a price to pay here. He watched her walk over to one of the mirrors and slide an intricate comb into her hair. She was actually primping as her daughter lay on the floor dead. His eyes flashed yellow and he fought back a growl. How could THAT have produced someone as glorious as his Virginia?

She smiled sweetly. Again. She obviously thought it was charming. "So you're not going to avenge her then? Not going to tear me limb from limb?" She laughed. "Good. I knew I was right to choose you. Now get up. It's almost time for you to take out the royal toast. Remember what I told you..."

Wolf ignored her and gently kissed Virginia's cool lips. He could care less what the Queen had to say. When his parents were killed his grief had been so painful he'd almost lost his grip on sanity. But this, this was different. He'd never felt so angry and so empty at the same time. And oh cripes, he'd forgotten how bad it had hurt. It was as if someone had ripped out his heart but it still continued to beat.

"...and as soon as those blasted Trolls find that idiot I can begin the next part of the plan."

Now that grabbed Wolf's attention. There was only one person she could be referring to and if that was the case his plan needed a minor revision. He'd have to figure out a way to Tony-proof it. The man was an accident waiting to happen and he usually didn't have that long to wait. He scratched his brow nervously.

The Queen glanced at him with a look of exasperation. "Leave her here and you can return later."

"I don't think that's a good idea." A female voice said from behind the traveling mirror.

Wolf looked up sharply and the Queen turned quickly around to face the new visitor as she walked out from behind the mirror. She was about Virginia's height, with short brown hair and had a long emerald green cloak draped over her shoulders. She smiled calmly at them. "I waited as long as I could. I can't wait forever." She laughed to herself. "Well I could, but there's a time limit here."

Wolf eyed the new arrival warily. There was something about her he couldn't quite put his finger on. Something familiar almost.

He looked over at the Queen. It didn't look like she recognized her. That might be a good thing. He scratched his brow nervously and glanced at the girl. She was smiling calmly at the Queen. Cripes! Then again it might not.

"Who are you?" The Queen said imperiously.

"That's not important," the young woman said. She crouched down next to Virginia and looked at Wolf. "Move please. I need as much space as possible for this."

"For what?" Wolf asked, not budging. He held Virginia closer to him.

She groaned. "Cripes, do I have the time to explain every little thing to you? I believe not." She waved her hands at him. "Shoo."

He stared at her for a moment and then looked down at Virginia. Even though she was gone he didn't want to let go just yet. It was too soon.

The woman sighed. "You don't trust nobody, do you?"

Wolf's head snapped up and he caught the hint of a smile pass over her lips. That was what he'd said to Virginia. Something strange was happening here. It was too odd to be a coincidence. The question was, was he going to let whatever it was happen? Or was he going to stay exactly where he was? His mother had always taught him to follow his instinct. Right now it was telling him to move.

He gently laid Virginia down and moved just out the girl's way. He made sure he was close enough to intervene if his instinct was proved wrong

"Do you have a name?" The Queen said. He could hear the irritation in her voice. She obviously wasn't very fond of being ignored.

The woman looked up at her and frowned. "Course I have a name. What do I look like to you, a non-entity?" She looked the Queen up and down and clucked her tongue. "Honestly."

"Well?" The Queen practically hissed.

The woman sighed and took off her cloak. "I'm called Tala. Now can I finish this or do you require a brief bio as well? I can tell you right now I have no idea how I spent my summer vacation."

Wolf and the Queen stared at her strangely. She grimaced. "Sorry. I gotta learn to choose my audiences. Only three people here would have gotten that. One's crazy, one's dead, and the other's..." She looked behind her. "James, you there?"

A man stepped out of the shadow. "Yeah. I got it." He looked at the group behind Tala and then back at her. "It wasn't funny."

"How did you two get in here? My Huntsman..."The Queen began.

"Is busy somewhere else." Tala finished than gave her a cold smile. "Don't worry Christine, nothing will happen that wasn't supposed to happen."

To Be Continued...