AN: And here is Chapter 3. Sorry for the longer wait. I just finished writing my last exam Tuesday and I've been working the past two days, so there hasn't been much time to take a breather. But I'm back with another chapter. I'm hesitant to call it the penultimate one, though I'm not quite sure I'll have time to write two more. Anyways, it shall be seen, and there will be at least one more chapter.
Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed and added me on favourites and alerts. It's much appreciated, and is always inspiring. Hope this chapter lives up to your expectations.
Chapter Three:
Mary Margaret made it a point to take the long way around, eradicating any chance encounters with a certain married couple. The snow was still falling without cease around her, but in the moment, she could thoroughly enjoy it for what it was—a sign of innocence and rebirth of a kind. Free of worry, she let herself whistle a merry tune, as her booted feet sank into the white ground.
Reaching the apartment, a smile beamed on her face. Perhaps it was overkill, but if she was to inspire any holiday cheer in Emma's life, she would have to put on the pretense of being content and joyful and all that stuff, too. They would fight this together, starting today. Life was waiting for them. Whatever cruel hand fate had dealt them so far, she would leave it all behind. A new year, a fresh start. They both deserved that.
Pushing open the door, she could hear the faint sound of Zooey Deschanel singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town echoing from the small TV she owned. Wandering into the even smaller living room, her eyes widened in surprise.
Emma was sitting on the couch, watching the television set with raised eyebrows while Henry lay across her lap, his eyes closed. Hearing Mary Margaret's approach, Emma tilted her head in her direction, her finger falling on her lip. He's sleeping, she mouthed.
"I can see that," Mary Margaret replied in a low whisper. "I feel like I should ask."
Emma pointed firmly at his head. Treading forward carefully, she glanced down, able to see the faint imprint of a hand, red upon his cheek. Horrified by its meaning, she glanced up to Emma's eyes. "Regina?"
She nodded. "Yep."
"Why?"
Emma shrugged. "He wouldn't tell me." She glanced back down at the sleeping boy, her face pulled back in a frown. "He didn't say anything, really; just sat down with me and put on ELF and ten minutes later he was asleep. I didn't know what to do." Her eyes were imploring as they glanced back up.
"She'll come looking for him, won't she? She'll come here first. And when she finds him…" She dreaded to finish the sentence. With everything else that had happened, this could end up being the final straw. She'd hit Henry for some reason. Whatever he'd done or said, must have flicked some switch. As much as she was aware of the lack of love between the mother and son, she'd never seen Regina harm Henry physically. And even if he had said something terrible, nothing could condone this abuse.
Emma was grimacing outwardly. "I'd rather not think about it. I want to bring him home, but I don't know if I trust him in that bitch's house. Sorry," she added as an afterthought as Mary Margaret cringed noticeably.
"It's okay." Mary Margaret was carefully pondering the situation, considering all possibilities. "I don't think Madame Mayor would be too happy to see you arrive in Henry in tow. Maybe if I brought him back, she'd feel less threatened."
"I don't care how she feels," Emma retorted briskly, her voice rising suddenly. She flinched and glanced quickly down at Henry. He was still sleeping, impervious to their discussion.
Mary Margaret bit her lip. Emma was being defensive, not that she could blame her. Unavailable as she'd been during the majority of Henry's life, it was hard to ignore the obvious care and love she possessed for the boy. "I don't care about her, either. I'm just trying to devise a plan that will work better in Henry's favour. Chances are that if she realized he ran to you, he'll be in even more trouble than before. I can say he found me in the stores or something."
"Take me out of the equation." Emma nodded hopefully. "It's a good idea."
Sighing inwardly, Mary Margaret glanced out the window. It was already so much darker than when she'd arrived. "I should go now, before it gets too late and she has a chance to worry. Maybe she doesn't even know yet."
"There's not much she doesn't know. That woman has the whole town on strings. Like some sort of puppet master."
She didn't care to admit it, but Mary Margaret wholeheartedly agreed. Sometimes, in the darkest crevices of her mind she would wonder how the town would be without that horrible woman leading them through their lives. Sometimes, she couldn't help but feel that their fates rested in her hands.
1 2 D A Y S O F S N O W F A L L
"If you're more than a hallucination or illusion of my mind, than this day has completely surpassed my idea of strange."
Staring at her, he could hardly believe fate's idea of a joke. Of all the people to meet, on this day of all days, he would never have thought that she would find him.
"Welcome to strangeness, then," she replied, taking his extended hand and pulling herself up. Brushing the snow off her clothes, she laughed heartily, the sound melodic in all senses of the word. "You know, I was just thinking about you."
"Were you?" He sounded excited. He shouldn't have sounded so excited, even if he too spent most days wondering about her. "I mean…it's strange to think that you were thinking about me and then suddenly here I was."
She raised a questioning eyebrow, as if trying to read into the meaning of his words. He wished she wouldn't. "Stranger still to wonder why you're here to begin with, alone, crouching over a pond. Are you lost in the forest, Charming?"
He smiled at the use of his nickname, one she had created. "Not lost, no." He paused, reflecting on the events that had led him here. It all seemed rather ironic and a discussion he'd rather not jump into. "Just stranded."
"Trouble with the Mrs.?" She was laughing at him, but she didn't know the half of it.
"Not married, actually," he revealed generously. "Christmas Day's the date." He wondered why he was telling her all this, especially when her smile faltered slightly. What he would give to let her know that his heart was heavy with the thought too. But he could tell no one that truth, loathed as he was with the thought of giving his heart to a woman he loved not. Even after months of getting to know her, he could not find it within himself to feel anything but friendship for her. She was kind enough to be sure, but he needed more than kindness.
Which made bumping into the maiden named Snow that much more disconcerting.
"Well, happy wishes to you, then. And good luck finding your way home." She stuck out her hand, the smile on her face seeming forced.
He did not take it. "You're going to abandon me to my troubles?"
"Yes." He frowned, while a true smile returned to her face. "Unless you need to find a ring, I can be of no help."
"Then you'll love this."
Her eyes grew wider in shock. "You didn't."
He shook his head, patting his breast pocket. "No. But I have been robbed." Deciding finally to let her know his plight, he began his description of the day's events. "I've been away for a few days, searching for something." He remained vague on that. Truth was, he'd snuck away to see his mother—it was better that it remain secret. "I started back early this morning and only a few hours into my trek, I was attacked by a most peculiar pack of bandits who robbed me of my horse and a satchel of valuables." He paused, watching the amused expression on her face. The glee in her eyes made them sparkle like gems, mesmerizing. They caught him off guard, and for a few seconds, he stared vacantly into their captivating beauty.
"It seems you have no luck in these parts," she commented, blinking quickly, bringing him back to reality.
"So it seems," he agreed, hopeful that she had not caught onto his prolonged regard. "I would not complain, except I have a ways to go and only five days to make the journey. On foot, I'll be lucky to make it back the eve before." He shook his head as he relived the moments, forced to remember that he was stuck in a most troublesome spot. "There were seven of them in all."
"Seven?"
"Yes. Dwarves. Feisty little things. They must be friends of yours." He said it teasingly, but she did not laugh. "Are they friends of yours?"
She hesitated for a few seconds, caught in pensive thought, and then a smile fell upon her lips once more. "Perhaps I can be of help after all."
1 2 D A Y S O F S N O W F A L L
Henry stood at the steps to his own house, flanked by Mary Margaret. She was staring at him expectantly. "Go ahead, Henry. I'm right up here."
He wanted to tell her it didn't matter, that she could line up half of the town, and still he wouldn't be protected. All that would bring was the Mayor's wrath and the demise of half the town. He didn't want any more of that. "Maybe it's best if you go."
"I don't think so," she replied stoutly, her frown deepening. She was concerned, he could tell by the shadows in her eyes. His fear was evident to her, and as she recognized the depth of his discomfort, her own resolve was shaking. He could not have her follow through with that sort of mindset. If she tried to reason with his mother, the consequences could be dire. "Do you want me to knock for you?"
"NO!" he exclaimed. "It's fine. Thank you." Putting on a façade, he eagerly reached for the doorbell, his fingers meeting it while a smile lit his features. Inside, turmoil and panic raged with a vengeance. The mark on his face stung as he waited, imagining that another slap would come for him when she learned of his disobedience.
The door opened a moment later. The slowness of her reaction, made it evident to Henry that she was not aware of his disappearance. How typical.
Her arrival confirmed his suspicions, as confusion lit the lines of her expression, though anger was swift to follow with dawning realization. "Henry, what have you…oh! Ms. Blanchard?" Her tone descended to resentment as she took note of the school teacher standing, hands clasped, in the background. "I do hope you can offer me some explanation, Henry." Her attention returned to her boy, her eyes dark with accusation.
"It's my fault, Madam Mayor," Mary Margaret blurted out before Henry could utter even a syllable. "My car stopped a few streets down and as I was walking by, Henry noticed my distraught expression. He came down to see if he could offer me any help. When I heard that he'd been grounded, I decided that I should return him and make sure he wasn't punished for trying to be a good citizen."
It was a terrible lie. Henry cringed as she finished, knowing the mayor would never believe it. Surely Mary Margaret was aware of that. Yet she stood there, determined that it be accepted as truth.
"Is that so?" Regina was not willing to believe. "Well, thank you, Mary Margaret. I'm so sorry to hear about your car. Should I call you a tow?" Her voice seeped with condescending cruelty.
Mary Margaret hardly flinched. "That won't be necessary."
"I thought no." Her façade of a smile vanished. "Come in, Henry."
Henry glanced back at Mary Margaret. "Thanks, Ms. Blanchard." Trying to sound content, he ended up failing miserably.
"Bye, Henry." He walked past his mother, dreading what would happen next. And then, Mary Margaret's voice broke through again. "I was actually hoping to talk to you, Madam Mayor."
Turning in surprise, Henry could sense Regina's own ire as Mary Margaret held back the closing door. Looking fierce in the falling snow, Henry could almost envision her as she had been in her life among the fables.
"Henry, go upstairs."
He had wanted to stay, to listen to their words. "But…"
"Now. That's an order." With no more words, Regina slammed the door. Fine, he would go upstairs. The window would prove an ally once again.
1 2 D A Y S O F S N O W F A L L
She had not intended to talk to the mayor. Her original plan had focused on getting Henry home safely. Yet, standing in the shadow of that haughty woman, she'd felt the sudden urge to voice her contempt and confront Regina's questionable behaviour. Ready to speak, she was abruptly cut off by the mayor before a word could be uttered.
"I must say, Ms. Blanchard, that I really don't appreciate you lying to me so candidly." Cold as the night wind, Regina's voice lashed at her, trying—most futilely—to inflict her with guilt. "Henry must learn to take responsibility for his actions."
"Is that why you slapped him?" Mary Margaret's voice was just as chilled. On the brink of frustration, she could not care that the woman before her could easily destroy what was left of her life.
"Who are you to question me? To judge me?" Regina's rage was sharp. "I do not abuse my son, if that is your accusation. Not that you would take my side in the matter. Tell me, did he go to that woman?"
"I told you what happened," Mary Margaret's fortitude was breaking as she was met by the fiery anger of the mayor. With every passing second, she was growing ever more disappointed with her choice to remain behind and enter into argument.
"Please. Do you think I'm stupid?" Like a whip, her voice cracked down in the night, louder than necessary. Taking a deep breath, she sighed heavily. "She's playing a dangerous game, Ms. Blanchard. You should warn her not to take it lightly. Henry is my son, not hers. She gave up that right a long time ago."
She only wants a chance to get to know him. She doesn't want to take him away from you. You forget that Henry went looking for her and not vice versa."
"It's something I can't forget."
Mary Margaret paused at the sound of defeat in Regina's voice. She sounded as if she genuinely cared; she sounded human. "Give them a chance to get to know each other."
"Like you wanted a chance to get to know, David?"
Mary Margaret's cheeks burned red as the mayor brought in that sore point in her present. "That's not…"
"The same?" Regina laughed with clear tones of disdain. "Oh, please. The way you threw yourself at that married man was pathetic. Like a lost puppy. It's a blessing that he remembered in time to prevent anything disastrous." She paused, waiting for a retort. There was none as Mary Margaret focused all her energy on holding back the tears. "You pretend to be so righteous, but you're no better than the rest of us. It's no wonder you and Ms. Swan have bonded so well. Both of you are intent on destroying lives for your own purposes."
Her words resounded painfully in Mary Margaret's mind. Liar. Adulteress. Slut. "How can you be so cruel?" She whispered finally, her eyes brimming.
"I think, dear, you should be less concerned about Henry's life with me, and more concerned about what destructive path you're travelling down." Leaving it at that, the mayor turned on her hell, fleeing into the house.
Mary Margaret could only stare as the falling snow suddenly turned to rain.
1 2 D A Y S O F S N O W F A L L
Henry quickly shut the window as his mother came into the house, slamming the door with echoing force. As her feet marched up the stairs, he sat in expected wait of her approach. She did not come to him, though, her footsteps storming past his room without stopping.
Sighing in relief, he jumped back to stare at the window, dismally staring out as raindrops crashed against his window.
Through the blurring of the fallen droplets, he could see Mary Margaret standing frozen in the downpour, her face downcast.
For a minute he watched her, and then she was walking—no, running—down their steps, her form disappearing into the surrounding darkness of the street.
Sadness filtered in to Henry's heart as he turned back to face his room. It was time for some holiday intervention.
AN: Okay, so there really wasn't so much Charming/Snow action. I wasn't sure if I should add the rest in this chapter, or let it sit for the next. You can obvious see what my ultimate decision was. In any case, I promise that the next chapter will be mostly devoted to Charming/Snow as well as some David/Mary Margaret and Henry/Emma/Mary Margaretness too. I'm sorry if the story seems depressing. Happiness will come to the front in the next few…PROMISE!
And remember, reviews make the world go round :)
Love,
Faith
