Changes in the Enchanted Forest
Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time.
This is another one of my "Snowing and Abirick" missing scenes one – shots. It takes place in the same universe as the others, including "A Royal Wedding," "An Interesting Double Date," "A Walk to the Mines," and "Enjoying Life?".
You don't necessarily have to read the others to understand this one, although it might help. All you need to know is that Snowing and Abricik became friends in the Enchanted Forest after they were both married. They were also able to talk things over about what happened in the Curse between the two couple in season two. So they became friends in Storybrooke as well.
And XXXXXXXXXX is POV change
OOOOOOOOOO is time change
"We received a message from Abigail and Fredrick today," Charming told Snow as he sorted through their mail. "They want us to come to a feast at their castle this weekend. Do you think we could go?"
Snow's eyes lit up at the thought of seeing more of their friends again. "That sounds like a marvelous idea! Of course we should go."
Charming smiled at her and rubbed her stomach. She was five months pregnant and beginning to show a little. "It would be nice to see them again; I agree. And I know they wanted to invite us to their castle once we came back here. I talked about it with them right before we left Storybrooke. But Snow…are you sure it's a good idea for you to leave our home? It could be dangerous, after all. What about those monkeys we keep seeing? And that witch. We still don't know what she wants….With your pregnancy, it might be better for you to stay here until our baby is born."
Snow shook her head and put her hands onto of his. "Exactly, Charming. 'We still don't know what she wants.' She seemed more interested in Regina than me, actually. So why should it be dangerous for me to leave our castle? Of course, I worry about Regina, too," she added. She did. Living with Regina allowed Snow to see Regina's more vulnerable side. A side she hadn't seen in years.
"I know you do," Charming told her, sighing as he kissed softly her. He had a harder time interacting with Regina than Snow did. It wasn't that he could see her changing. Snow knew it was just that he had a harder time forgetting what Regina had done. Especially considering Regina targeted Snow more than the rest in the past. But Charming knew Regina's wellbeing was important to Snow, so he tried to accept her.
"But Regina should be fine if we visit Abigail and Fredrick for the weekend. We should see our friends, Charming."
"But what about the flying monkeys?" They seem to carry off anyone in the forest…"
Snow smiled and patted his arm. "We'll bring our weapons, just in case. But we just had a picnic in the forest a few weeks ago and we had no trouble with the monkeys. We can't spend all our time worrying about what might happen, Charming."
Charming nodded. He rubbed her stomach again. "'There's more to life than waiting for the next fight.' I told that to Emma, on one of our last days in Storybrooke. I guess I should listen to myself, right?"
Snow nodded. "Exactly. So let's accept Abigail and Fredrick's invitation."
Charming nodded and wrote a response. Snow signaled for a bird to carry the message.
OOOOOOOOOOO
So that Friday, Snow and Charming set out for Abigail and Fredrick's castle. Snow wore one of her traditional white gowns (sans corset) while Charming wore his red suit. He made sure to pack a few extra weapons, just in case, but they did not encounter any flying monkeys, or any other trouble.
Abigail came out of the castle and greeted them with a hug, much the same as she had done on her wedding day. She was wearing a pale green gown. Fredrick stood nearby, in one of his formal suits, greeting them each with a handshake. "It is good to see you again," he told them.
"You, too," Snow and Charming told their friends. Then they took a look at the castle. It was still the same gold that it always had been, but it appeared different. Smaller maybe?
"We had to do some extensive repairs on our castle," Fredrick explained, when he saw them looking at it.
"It's just about finished, actually," Abigail commented.
"It looks nice," Snow said as they were escorted inside. "It must have been quite a bit of work, though." She hadn't really thought how much easier it was for her and her family to live in a castle that was still intact. Another proof that Regina was a good person now.
"Yes, but I think it's better that we had to repair it so much, in a way. It's more our castle this way," Fredrick smiled as he said that.
Abigail nodded. "Definitely. Living in the same castle I grew up in is nice, but it makes me miss my father. Renovating gave me a better perspective."
Snow nodded in understanding. Living in her childhood home was nice for her as well, but it cause her to miss her mother and father. It was probably a good thing Regina had renovated the castle years earlier, or it could be worse.
"You both like wild boar? With Yelding fruit?" Abigail asked as they entered the dinning hall.
"Of course," Snow and Charming replied immediately.
"Wonderful," Fredrick replied as he pushed a chair out for Abigail and then sat down himself.
"Good evening," the kitchen staff said as they brought out the food. They bowed to their employers and to Snow and Charming. "I hope the food is to your liking, sires."
"Christopher!" Abigail called up the stairs. She paused and rang a dinner bell a couple of times.
To Snow's surprise a boy about Henry's age came into the dining room a few minutes later, dressed in a suit similar to Fredrick's.
"Christopher, you were told we were having company for dinner tonight," Fredrick scolded the boy. He sounded…like a father?
"Sorry, sir," Christopher replied.
"These our friends from the neighboring kingdom, Queen Snow White and King David," Abigail said to Christopher.
Christopher nodded. "We've met before actually, although I'm not surprised you don't recognize me."
Charming smiled. "Oh?"
Snow wondered if this child was someone she taught in Storybrooke. "Were you in my class, in the old world?" she asked him.
Christopher shook his head. "No. We met in Neverland. I was –
" – One of the Lost Boys," Charming finished, nodding. "Well, it's nice to see you in more pleasant circumstances, Christopher."
Christophe nodded. "I'm sorry we tried to kill you at one time. Pan…he told us that Henry needed to stay in Neverland. For all of us. And we all believed he'd grow to love it there, too."
Snow smiled. "I'm just happy to see you got a second chance, Christopher."
Abigail nodded. "We found Christopher wandering around the forest nearby when we finally returned to our castle. He didn't seem like he really had a place to be. I asked him if he wanted me to help find his family, but he said he hadn't had a family in a long time."
"I'm pretty sure they're all dead now," Christopher shrugged. Of course. He'd been Neverland for a long time. Poor kid.
"Abigail and I have been trying to have a baby for a few years now, between the first Curse, and in Storybrooke. We haven't been blessed with a baby yet." Snow looked down at her growing stomach and thanked her blessings. She'd been given two babies, although one was unavailable now. "We looked at this boy outside our home and thought, 'why not give him a home?'"
Abigail's eye's shown with motherly love for Christopher. "We've been so happy since Christopher has lived with us."
Christopher smiled. "I had a hard time believing they wanted me at first. I thought I was better off in the forest. It was what I knew."
Snow nodded. She knew the feeling.
"But we'd go see him every day. Talk to him. Offer him food. We told him we'd love it if he'd live with us, but it was up to him," Fredrick continued. Snow nodded. It sounded similar to the way Snow and Charming had to win over Emma.
"Then one day, our staff was renovating the west wing of the castle, and Christopher just showed up at the door!" Abigail finished with a bright smile. It appeared she might have tears as well, but Snow couldn't be sure.
"I'm glad you were able to find a home here, Christopher," Charming smiled.
"I am, too." Snow knew someone else who would be happy to see Christopher find a home and parents. Emma. It was too bad that was impossible. She and Charming shared a look as they thought of how their missing daughter would feel seeing Christopher.
Christopher looked at them for a second, like he was unsure if he should say what was on his mind. Then he asked, "What happened to Henry? He seemed alright when we left Neverland, but then in Storybrooke I heard there was some more trouble with Pan…"
Snow and Charming looked at each other for a second and sighed. Henry.
"He's fine now," Snow replied to Christopher. That was the important thing. Henry was fine.
Christopher nodded. "That's good. Maybe he'll come with you next time?"
Snow shook her head sadly, and Charming replied, "I'm sure he'd love to see you, but he's not with us anymore. When we all went back to the Enchanted Forest, he and Emma had to go somewhere else."
"Oh," Christopher looked at the table, not saying anything else.
Abigail and Fredrick nodded, not sure what to say, either.
"Our family is growing as well," Charming continued, moving onto happier topics. "We will be having a baby in about four or five months." He rubbed Snow's stomach as he said that.
Abigail and Fredrick smiled at the news. "That's wonderful, Snow. Eat all you want," the pointed to all the food in front of them. Christopher brightened as well. Some changes in the Enchanted Forest were good.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
OOOOOOO
"See, I told you visiting Abigail and Fredrick would be fine," Snow told him as they arrived home. "No monkeys."
David nodded as he guided her into the castle. "You were right, Snow."
Snow smirked. "I'm always right."
"Oh, I don't know about always…" David teased, shaking his head.
"Let's make sure everyone is all right in the castle, shall we?"
OOOOOOOOOO
Regina, Red, and the dwarves all assured them they were fine and there was no news from the Wicked Witch. After that, Snow and David headed for the privacy of their chambers.
"It was nice to see things with Abigail and Fredrick were going well. I'm happy for Christopher," Snow commented as she began undressing.
David nodded as he tried to concentrate on the conversation instead of Snow's body. "Yes. I wish Henry was here, though. He and Christopher could have been great friends." An image of Henry and Christopher laughing as they ran through the castle appeared in his mind before he could stop it.
Snow nodded as she walked over to him. "Yes, but I'm sure Henry has friends were he is now, too. Just like we have friends here."
David nodded as he caressed her bare stomach. "And family, too. New family members." He kissed her belly and pulled her onto their bed.
"Yes," Snow replied. She began taking off his pants. Yes, some of the changes in the Enchanted Forest were very good.