AUTHORES NOTE I had hoped to get the entire story written and posted before the holidays,didn't make it. I really didn't do as well with this as I had hoped. Maybe between now and NEXT Christmas I'll be able to revise it.

As quickly as it had come upon the unsuspecting city, the light was gone, leaving the entire population of St. Canard to a traumatic awakening.Through out St. Canard, people found themselves in a living nightmare. Those who were in town, driving cars, shopping were now standing in a vast wasteland of ruin and rubble.The once magnificent buildings were now condemned, boarded up, deserted. The earth was scorched and barren, no trees, birds, no beauty.
Those who had been asleep awoke to find themselves in shattered homes.
The Mayers mansion was now only a decaying structure, windows broken, everything falling in around it. most people stood dumfound, expecting to awake in their beds from what had to be a bad dream. Finally, the Mayer spoke up "What is this! What's going on! What happened to our city?!"
Again, a voice spoke out of the thin air, heard by all "Citizens of St. Canard,you are so certain that your city would be better off without Darkwing Duck...Behold then your city, your world as it would be, as it IS without him." Then the voice was silent.
In the St. Canard mall, that was now a barren habitat. The mother searches for her child "Katie! Katie where are you. She was right here next to me only a few seconds ago!" She dashed about the ruins of the mall looking for her daughter. "Has anybody seen my little girl?" Then something caught her eye, in a rickety old paper stand, the paper dated that day, the headlines read "Four young girls lost in tragic school fire on Christmas Eve." The girls pictures were on the front. "Oh, oh no," the woman gasped as she saw the picture of the first girl "Katie", she sank to her knees sobbing uncontrollably. "This can't be. They saved you. Darkwing Duck saved you" Then realization dawned on her "DARKWING saved you. But the voice said that this was how things would be without him..."
Slowly, a few people began to make there way around the city, noting the abandoned homes, children's toys broken and scattered.
The central park that had always been the main attraction the beautiful cityscape was now in ruin. In the center of the park stood a solitary statue, no longer tended, now all but forgotten. The tarnished old statue was of a figure dressed in a full hi-tech armor, the caption below read "In memory of Gizmoduck. He lived and died a true hero."

On the outskirts of the city, an eerie dark mansion stood alone. Inside a woman dressed in red stood staring out the window over the ravaged city. Her green eyes reflected the emptiness that she felt in her heart. The phone rang, she answered it "Hello....Oh, Negaduck, tonight? I..I really don't feel like terrorizing people tonight..maybe some other.....Oh, all right Negaduck dear, if you insist. I'll see you tonight then." She hung up the phone and stepped back to the widow. Drawing a ragged breath she cast her gaze over the ruins of St. Canard knowing too well, her own roll in it's destruction. She really hated what she was doing but Negaduck had picked her up out of the dust when she was a nobody, a second rate crook until he made her something to fear. But striking fear into the hearts of the innocent - she never wanted that. If only she had somebody who cared for her, who didn't want her to do bad things. She again looked out over the city, if only there was somebody who cared enough about this city to fight for it, protect it. But there was no such person, nobody had the courage to stand up to the likes of Negaduck. The last person to ever try to save St. Canard was that Gizmoduck from Duckburg but the fearsome five had made short work of him. If only there was somebody out there who could stop all this madness.

The Mayer shook his head in disbelief "I don't believe this for a second! No way had that clown in a mask and cape made such a difference. He's completely incompetent!"
"Is he really Mr. Mayer?", The fire chief spoke up "You know all to well that Darkwing Duck was the one who got those kids out of the burning school, not the fire department."
The Mayer retorted "He didn't make it out with the girls chief. You said yourself that you and your men had to pull him and the girls ALL out of the fire! He blew it like he always has!"
"Mr. Mayer," the fire chief raised his voice defensively "He was the one who got the girls down to the front of the school where we COULD reach them. The fire department couldn't get to those children.We had already given up on saving them, it WAS Darkwing Duck who saved them and you know it."
Before the Mayer could make a reply there was a loud commotion outside the mansion. Everybody rushed outside to see what was going on.
On the street in front of the mansion set Negaduck astride his cycle, Morgana seated next to him in the side car. "Hello boys and girls. We were bored so we came out to see if you wanted to play?" Negaduck said with an evil smirk.
"Negaduck!" The Mayer exclaimed "you have a lot of nerve. Get out of here before I call the cops!"
Negaduck and Morgana both looked at the Mayer in shock, then Negaduck burst out laughing. "Oh, I get it. That was a joke. GOOD one Mr. Mayer. For a moment I thought you were serious."
"I am serious. Leave while you still can!", The Mayer shouted. Negaduck stopped laughing though a wicked smirk still spread across his beak "Do you mean to tell me that the entire police department found its way back from Iceland? And they STILL want to oppose me?" Negaduck glanced down at Morgana "I guess I'll just have to have you teleport them someplace even farther away this time. Like Mars maybe." Again he broke into a evil laugh.
Morgana listened to the laughter of the madman with contempt, then lowered her head in shame.
The Mayer attempted to sound brave "what about Darkwing Duck, he's always stopped you before. I'm sure he's on his way even as we speak!'
Negaducks face went completely blank "Darkwing Duck? Who is he?"
"What do you mean 'who is he'" the Mayer exclaimed "Darkwing Duck." The Mayer saw the look of confusion in Negaducks eye "Darkwing Duck. 'I am the terror that flaps in the night!I am the nightmare that all criminals have!' That Darkwing Duck."
Again his words were met with a look of disarray the Negaduck shook his head ALMOST pityingly. "You really have lost it haven't you?" He said flatly. Heaving a sigh of frustration he revved up his bike "Well, I guess we'll just look elsewhere for or FUN tonight. You're to pathetic to be any sport." He cast a glance at the face of the Mayer "To bad there isn't really a Darkwing Duck . some body to actually oppose ME. huh, that would be good for a laugh."
In the sidecar Morgana felt her heart tearing apart, if only there were such a person. Maybe SHE would have the courage to stand up to Negaduck then.
The Mayer watched as Negaduck sped off to find other victims to PLAY with. He turned to those who stood around him. His face ashen white as he spoke "I understand what the voice was saying now. All this isn't a dream or illusion. This is an alternate reality." He paused and added softly "One without Darkwing Duck." There was a dead silence among the people as each one surveyed the city of St. Canard as it would have been without Darkwing to guard it.
At the mall the woman who had lost her daughter stood with so many others, still shaken by the events that had taken placed. Her thoughts turned to her precious daughter, who was in this reality, no longer with them. Tears welled up in her eyes again "oh please" she cried out, her eyes lifted to the dark starless heavens "please don't leave things like this. My little girl doesn't deserve to die for my ignorance! I'm sorry I didn't credit Darkwing for saving her when I KNEW he was the one who REALLY had saved her. Can't you give us a second chance?" She paused then added in a hoarse whisper "please."
For a moment the entire city was silent as everybody admitted, though only to their own hearts, that they needed Darkwing. That they owed him so much. As if hearing the unspoken words of a repented people the voice spoke again from the emptiness. "Perhaps your eyes have been opened in this small moment. Perhaps there is hope for you."
Incased in a bight light for but a moment, then it was gone.The citizens found themselves standing once again in their own reality. Looking around they saw the familiar glow of Christmas light, gold and silver decorations, Christmas music echoing though the golden streets of St. Canard.There was a long moment of silence then everybody began to cheer, jumping for joy, hugging each other and laughing. Suddenely the voice again range out, heard by everybody "Be warned people of St. Canard, the reality you have just experienced may yet come to pass. A Hero is not made by powers or by a title but by what courage and compassion that lies in his heart. You would do well to remember this. Your future may well depend on it." The voice was gone leaving the people to ponder it's last words with deep remorse.

In the hospital. Quiverwing had fallen asleep on the side of her fathers hospital bed, still holding his hand. Launchpad and Morgana were there as well, keeping a vigil guard over the unconscious Darkwing. Launchpad and Morgana had both fallen asleep in their chairs. The three of them had spent the night at Darkwings side. The three of them alone had been unaffected by the strange phenomenon that had touched everybody else around them. Morgana stirred awake as the first light of Christmas morning shined down through the window. Rising, she moved to the window, looking out over the city. The sky was clear blue, not a cloud in sight. The sun was bright, it's light reflecting off Audobond Bay river. Morgana sighed softly. She was glad the day was starting out so bright. This was one time she just wasn't in the mood for a white Christmas. Though she had been unaware of the events that had taken place with the rest of the city, she felt a deep since of gratitude for Darkwing. She gazed down at his masked face, the thought played through her mind for just a moment of what her life might have been like if she had not met him.
She was distracted from that thought by brightly wrap packages on the stand table next to the bed. She looked at them with curiosity then noticed other wrapped gifts around the room, and flowers everywhere. The small hospital room was full of presents and flowers. It was Christmas , but where had they come from. Who had sent them. She looked at a card on one of the presents 'to Darkwing from the Mayer' "THE MAYER", Morgana said unintentionally out loud. Quiverwing stirred awake as did Launchpad. Quiverwing rubbed the sleep from her eyes only allowing Morgana a quick glance before turning to her father. He had made it through the night.
"Where did all these presents come from?" Launchpad asked walking over to Morgana.
She held up the card for him to read "The Mayer?" Launchpad said with surprise. "Boy talk about getting the Christmas Spirit."
He looked at a card on one of the bequest "to Darkwing Duck form the St. Canard police Department. Get well soon", he read aloud. Quiverwing turned from her father for the first time "let me see that", she said extending her hand for the card. Launchpad handed it to her. She looked at it for a long moment then got up quietly and began to read some of the other cards. All the card wished Darkwing Duck the best, some saying they would keep him in their prayers other wished him the Merriest of Christmases. All of them were unbelievable to the trio. Since when did St. Canard appreciate Darkwing Duck. They hadn't even given him credit for the things he had done.
Quiverwing sighed as tears threatened to surface again"I wish dad could see all this".
"", came a weak dry voice. One that all three recognized immediately. They all turned to see Darkwing watching them through tired
Eyes. "Dad" Quiverwing exclaimed rushing to his side. She started to embrace him but remembered his physical state. Darkwing saw the hesitation in her eyes and smiled weakly, opening his arms (the best that he could) for her to come into them. She moved gently into his arms , resting her head on his shoulder and hugged him softly.
"DW your awake " another deduction of the obvious from Launchpad.
"Oh Dark", was all Morgana could say as tears of joy flowed down her cheeks. Darkwing smiled and lifted a hand which she took. Darkwing smiled up at her and Launchpad then allowed his eyes to fall on the presents and flowers that were about the room. Morgana announced with a smile "From the grateful people of St. Canard."
Darkwing eyes immediately met hers with a look that said "You're kidding!"
Morgana couldn't help but grin "Honestly.We've been looking at the cards. It seems everybody in the city has suddenly become fans of the Masked Mallard!"
There was a moment of silence then Darkwing said in a coarse whisper "I'm dead"
"What", all three replied in chime. Quiverwing sat up straight and looked at her dad in shock. "What do you meen.You're alive,you're right here with us."
"I'm dead," Darkwing repeated almost to himself. "I have to be, that's the only logical explanation." He looked at the three of them "and THIS must be heaven" he blinked then added "I always new the ones up here understood me."
Quiverwing rolled her eyes "Give me a break already. If you died then what are we doing here? We ain't dead."
Darkwing stared at her blankly for a moment then blinked "Good point. Besides if YOU'RE here, this CAN'T be heaven!" A definite hint of tease in his weary voice
"Thanks a heap dad!", Quiverwing retorted. But smiled and added "welcome back." She reached down to hug him again and added "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas Sweetheart." Darkwing returned with a shaky voice. Though his body was frail his spirit was as strong as ever. He glances down at his daughter who lay with her head on his shoulder and smiled. This was not the Christmas he had imagined spending with her, but he should be thankful to be spending ANY Christmas with her. Again he looked up at the gifts piled up around the room. Strangly his ego didn't surface. Rather he felt a strange peace having a since that things were about to change for him. He had no idea how right he was.

From a place outside of time and space a onlooker observed Darkwing
And his family with interest.
"you have no idea Darkwing Duck of just what you mean to the future of this world, but you will... and you're right we do understand you up here."