a/n: I love Once Upon a Time without reservation or regret, but really it's Charming that keeps me coming back and Mary Margaret's interaction with David. This was just a small thing that came from watching "Snow Falls."

Warnings & Disclaimers: I own nothing more than my computer and imagination. Please excuse any & all mistakes and tense shifts. Title & quote come from Taylor Swift.

–

'elevator buttons and morning air'

'The jury's out, my choice is you.
So don't you worry your pretty little mind,

people throw rocks at things that shine
And life makes love look hard,

the stakes are high, the water's rough
But this love is ours.'

–

Mary Margaret pressed the familiar second floor button in the elevator, the two was rubbing off from the amount of times it was pushed on a daily basis, mostly by her when she carried up the flowers to the ill patients. Storybrooke wasn't a large town, so the hospital was quaint, two floors that were hardly needed. The only patient to ever stay longer than a few days was John Doe, or David, as she knew now.

Her slender fingers were shaking as she flattened her pale blue skirt, trying to summon the courage that so often failed her. She breathed in the scent of sterile bed pans and bleach before taking the first step towards that familiar room. She could see David sitting up in bed, looking out at the clear blue sky, his arms crossed. She felt that it would be miserable to have to stay in this place another few days to make sure there was no relapse when all he wanted was to be outside.

Cautiously, she pulled the door handle to the isolated room, causing his gaze to refocus on her with such an intensity that she momentarily lost her breath. He sat up a little straighter and gazed down at the simple while rose she had brought for his bedside table. She offered her customary kind smile as she sat the flower down next to him.

"I thought... well, I wanted to make sure you were okay this morning." She said quietly, glancing up at his vital signs on the beeping machine next to him. For so long the numbers had been the same that it seemed odd to see a fluctuation now.

"Thank you. If it weren't for you... I'd be in much worse shape than I am now." He chuckled a little, looking down at the various scrapes he'd received from his trek through the forest. She smiled softly, wondering why this man was so familiar to her.

"You know, it's kind of embarrassing," He broke the silence, looking sheepish, "but when you found me, I thought you were an angel." His words wrapped themselves around her heart and wouldn't let go. She smiled sadly over at him from her seat near the window.

Looking at her knees so as to not cry she sighed, "Nope, just your average school teacher, I'm afraid." She caught a look at his face and broke out a grin, "Though a superhero by night job would be pretty incredible." He flashed his smile at her, causing her chest to constrict, pretending that she didn't know he was married.

They fell into an awkward silence for a moment before she looked back at his night table and noticed a photo of Katherine, propped against the alarm clock. His gaze followed hers and he stretched out a hand to lift the small picture up. Mary Margaret felt like a hole had just been punched through her chest.

"I know she's my wife, but I don't remember anything about her." He muttered, his brow constricting as he continued to look at the picture, "I just feel like I've never even seen her before." The frustration in his tone made her frown before reaching a small hand over to him, laying her palm against the hand resting on the sheets still.

"Well, she is very beautiful... she looks like a princess." Mary said sadly causing David's eyes to flick back up to her face instantly. He shook his head slowly, "No, she is ordinary, just look at her," He held up the picture to face her, "You're the only true princess I think I've met." He said honestly causing a deep blush to lace it's way up her cheeks.

He look down at her hand still laying across his and after placing the picture back on his table, he lay his other hand across hers. "I feel like I've known you forever and I don't know why." He spoke softly, looking at her in earnest with his wide eyes.

"Same here." She said quietly, her body still tingling from the warmth seeping into her from his hand. She looked up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears and brushed her unoccupied hand across his cheek.

"Thank you, for finding me." He said kindly, his voice low, lifting his hand to grab the slender fingers resting against his cheek.

She didn't know what compelled her to say it but she found herself uttering, "Always."

A sharp knock on the door signified that the doctor had returned to check on David and the two promptly dropped their contact and straightened themselves. Mary rose to her feet in order to leave, wishing she had any reason to stay.

"I hope we meet again." She said, smiling sadly back at the handsome man laying in front of her. He smiled back and nodded.

"I'll find you." He whispered, as the doctor leaned over to check his heart beat.

And she didn't doubt that he would.