Summary: David Nolan woke up from a coma 20 years early and remembers two things. His name and his daughter, Emma. He goes to the towns lawyer for a little help in tracking his baby down. (No fake marriage between Kathryn and David.)

Chapter 1

He heard a voice. It was familiar, too familiar. "The bandit took off on her horse. "I will find you." The prince called after the bandit. "I will always find you." He said more to himself than anything." The familiar voice said to him. "Well. I think that's enough for today Mr. Doe."

Before he knew it, his eyes fluttered open and his hand moved to rest atop hers.

She jumped up. "Oh my God! You're awake!" She turned to the doorway. "Somebody page Dr. Whale!"

"Emma." He croaked out. "Emma." He repeated.

She leaned down. "I can't hear you sir. Can you say that again?"

"Emma."

Just then the doctor came rushing in and started poking and prodding at him. "Sir! Can you hear me?" He nodded. "Good. Can you tell me your name?"

"David Nolan." He rasped out. His throat hurt. The woman from before helped him to drink a glass of water. "Emma." He said. "My daughter. I have a daughter. Where's Emma?" He asked. "How long have I been here?"

"8 years."

David's eyes widened. "8 years? Emma. I need to find Emma."

Ignoring the urgency in his patients voice, the doctor went on telling him about recovery. "I'm going to keep you here for a few days."

The woman could tell David was about to object, so she stepped in. "I could talk to a lawyer, he's like the only one in town. He might be able to help you." She said rolling her eyes at Dr. Whale's rudeness.

"Thank you..."

"Mary Margaret." She finished. "My name's Mary Margaret."

He smiled weakly. "Thank you Mary Margaret. I'd appreciate that."

XXX

Mary Margaret left the hospital and went straight to Mr. Gold's Pawn shop. "Be with you in a moment!" She waited patiently and within minutes Mr. Gold greeted her with a tight smile. "Ah, Miss Blanchard. What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you'd mind swinging by the hospital to see a patient. I'm assuming you heard that the John Doe that woke up earlier today."

Mr. Gold nodded. "You'd assume correctly. What does he need from me?"

"The patient- Mr. Nolan- he has a daughter and he needs help locating her. So, if you could just stop by and talk with him…?"

After some convincing, Mr. Gold agreed to go talk with David. He closed the shop a little early and stopped by before visiting hours were over.

"Mr. Nolan?"

David looked up from his laptop- he'd been researching the name Emma from 8 years ago. "That's me."

"I'm Mr. Gold, a lawyer. I got a very convincing visit today to come see you."

David smiled weakly. "I have a daughter. I don't remember much. Just her name and that I love her. Her name's Emma."

"Emma." The man breathed out. "What a lovely name." He said with a glint in his eye. "Tell you what, Mr Nolan. I'll look into it, free of charge."

His head snapped up. "Really?! I… I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

"Let's just say… you owe me one, in the future." Mr Gold said with a bit of a creepy smirk.

XXX
It took a few weeks, but Mr Gold finally had a lead on David's daughter. 8 years ago, a baby was found on the side of the road with a hand-knitted blanket, with the name Emma sewn into it.

By this time, David had a job and went back to living in the farmhouse that Regina had set up with the curse.

Gold dug a little deeper and and found Emma's social worker, right here in Maine. He found a phone number and made a call to a certain Cassandra Stone. She's been Emma's social worker since she was found all those years ago.

"Cassandra Stone of Maine Social Services." She answered.

"Hello Miss Stone. My name is Robert Gold. I'm the lawyer of a David Nolan. I'm aware that you've been with a certain child since she was an infant. Emma Swan?"

"Yes, yes. Such a sweet girl… if you get to know her. She's had a bit of a hard life. Are you looking into fostering her?"

"No. There's a chance that I know who her biological father is. He's been in a coma for 8 years. When he woke up, he was demanding to see his daughter Emma. I did some looking around and Emma Swan was found on the side of the road on the same day that Mr. Nolan was."

"How could that have happened?" The social worker questioned. "Would they not have been found together?"

"I'm unsure of that. The only explanation I could come up with is the woman that found him somehow missed the child. I believe my suspicions are right, but I'd like to send you a sample of Mr. Nolan's DNA to confirm it."

"Of course! Of course!"

Later that day Mr Gold went to go tell David the news. David happily got his blood drawn to be sent out so it could be tested.

XXX

Emma Swan sat in her room trying ignore her foster brother going on and on about her not really being a part of the family. "You know, my mom doesn't love you. We just need extra money so they could buy me more stuff. That what my dad told us."

She rolled her eyes and laid back on the flat in her room, trying to block out his voice, pretending it doesn't bother her. "Shut up Jake. I get it. I'm not your sister."

"I will not tolerate such rudeness in my house young lady!" Mrs. Thomas said from the doorway.

Emma shot up in her bed. "Uh. I-I'm sorry. It won't happen again." She promised.

"It better not!" She turned to her son. "Jakey, my prince. Are you treating Emma with the respect she deserve?"

Jake nodded. "I told her mom! I told her! She knows you love me more and than her! She's orphan always has been! Always will be! Right Emma!"

She was biting her lip, if she didn't get a hold of herself, she'd either cry or say something she'd regret.

Luckily she didn't have to answer as the doorbell rang. Emma sat on her bed, doing her best not to cry when her social worker came in. "Cassie!" Emma said relief all over her face.

"Grab your things. I'll explain on the way sweetie."

Emma nodded and grabbed her book bag that contained her baby blanket and 2 books- her ugly duckling book and her storybook that she's had for as long as she could remember. "What's going on?" She asked after buckling herself up in the backseat.

"I'm taking you to crossmatch your DNA. Do you know what that means?" Emma shook her head. "It's a blood test. We're going to check it against someone else's. I don't want you getting your hopes up though."

XXX

"It's a match?" Cassandra asked the lab technician in disbelief. "He's her father? The blood I gave you… belongs to her father?"

The technician nodded. "Yes ma'am. Should I tell her? Or do you wanna do the honors?"

"I'll do it." She left the techie and went over to the 8 year old swinging her feet back and forth, sitting on a chair in the waiting room. "I need to tell you something."

"You can tell me. I can handle it."

Cassandra smiled at her. "I'm not gonna be your social worker for much longer."

Emma's face fell. "What? Why? You can't- why are you smiling?"

"Because Emma. You're going home." She could see that Emma was still confused. "Your dad's been looking for you. He wants you Emma. He loves you."

Emma's eyes widened. "What? You're lying." She whispered. "Nobody wants me." She looked into her social workers eyes and saw nothing but honesty. "Why didn't he come looking for me before?"

"He's been in the hospital since you were a baby. He was in something called a coma. It means that he's asleep for-"

Emma nodded. "I know what it means. Rihanna at my last group home was there because her grampa was in a coma. That's why I've been here? Because my dad's been asleep since I was a baby?"

"Yes. I think it's high time you go home."

XXX

Mr Gold just got off the phone with Cassandra Stone. The DNA was a match. Emma is on her way to Storybrooke. The cure is well on it's way to breaking. He left his shop and went to the sheriff's station to see a certain deputy.

"Sheriff Humbert. Is deputy Nolan here?" Gold asked, walking into the station.

The sheriff nodded. "David! Gold is here to see you!" He yelled into the back filing room.

Seconds later David was standing in front of Gold. "Are the test results in? Is it a match?" He asked anxiously.

"Emma will be here nearing 7 o'clock tonight."

David smiled brightly and held his hand out to shake with Mr Gold. "Thank you Gold. I don't know how to thank you enough."

"Just keep in mind Mr. Nolan, you owe me a favor." And with that, he left.

David turned to his boss. "Graham. My daughter's coming home." He said with all the joy in the world.

Graham smiled at him. "Go ahead and go home David. She'll be here in less than 3 hours."

XXX

He was nervous. So freaking nervous. He was meeting his daughter, for the second time. He didn't even remember much of the first time. He was holding his baby, then he woke up to the beautiful woman reading to him.

What if she hates him? What if she wants to leave? What if he's a terrible father? He doesn't even know who her mother is! "Hold yourself together Nolan." He told himself.

The doorbell rang. He made his way over to the door and answered it, with a smile on his face, which only widened when he was his beautiful 8-year old daughter.

Please Review...