"I'm alright" she finally says and opens her eyes to look at him."I'm alright, really I am." He helps her put her cape on and her hood then he puts his cape on, he takes her hand and together they step out into the darkness.
They haven't walked more than a few blocks when it starts raining really hard. David pulls Snow under the awning of the fish market.
"What do you want to do? Do you want to go to a tavern, get some food and hope that the storm blows over or should we just get a room for the night?" he asks.
Snow is just staring at Emma's blanket and doesn't reply.
"Snow?" David asks again.
Snow looks up at him and says "yes."
"Yes to what?" he asks all confused.
Snow doesn't respond.
David looks at her really concerned. Clearly she is not alright.
"Snow?" he tries again. She just stands there staring at the rain.
"Come on," he says. They walk together to the nearest tavern.
Snow just sits at the table. She stares at her food and doesn't eat anything. She takes two sips of her drink and then she shakes her head when David asks her to drink more. He helps her up and they walk to the nearest inn.
The innkeeper stares at Snow from top to bottom and asks "how many hours? One, two?"
David glares at him and says "for the whole night."
The innkeeper licks his lips and says "ambitious aren't we?"
David shakes his head. "Do you really want to get punched?" he asks.
The innkeeper hands him a key, "end of the hall to the left," and then he adds "did you drug her up?"
David glances at Snow. She does look like she has no idea what is happening around her.
He gently pulls her along. He gets in the room and he locks the door behind him. It is a tiny little room with no window, no chairs. Just a bed in between four walls, a melted candle on a candlestick on the ground lighting the room. David sighs. He can't stand Longbourn. He wishes they were back in the woods already. If she wasn't depressed already this room would definitely do it, he thinks.
"Snow?" he tries again. She doesn't seem to hear him. He takes off his cape and spreads it on the bed, then he takes off his sword. Snow is just standing there not moving. He walks up to her and slowly takes her cape off. He helps her sit down. He takes off her vest. He kneels down and pulls off her boots. He waits for her to make eye contact. She finally looks at him.
"David,"she whispers.
"Tell me what to do," he replies."What can I do Snow?"
She reaches for his hand and just sits there holding his hand.
"Snow." That's all he says. That's all he needs to say. He helps her lay down then he lays next to her and pulls her in his arms.
He is trying so hard to stay up and watch over her but he's really tired. He is the first one to fall asleep. Snow lays in the dark listening to his breathing. She lifts his hand to her mouth and kisses it.
He wakes up first in the morning. She is still asleep. He sits upon the bed and waits. She stirs in her sleep and then she opens her eyes.
"Charming! Good morning," she smiles.
"Snow!" he replies and leans in to kiss her.
"Is the weather better yet?" she asks.
"I'll go check." he says. He is so relieved she seems to be feeling better.
"Don't bother," she replies. "Let's just get out of here. This place is...-"
"Awful?" he offers.
"A little bit like my room in Regina's castle." she replies. "Maybe a couple of more rats."
"Rats?" he replies and his eyes get wider.
She shrugs. "I'm used to it."
"Snow, you should have woken me up."
"No, you were tired. Besides it was the first night we actually slept together."
He looks at her and he shakes his head.
"I was so worried last night."
"I know, I'm sorry."
"I didn't know what else to do."
"What do you mean?"
"I didn't know how to make you feel better."
"But you did," she replies softly, "you did make me feel better. David if you weren't here last night I probably would have...-" she says and lets her voice trail off.
"Would have what?"
Snow looks at him and doesn't reply.
"No!" he says and he shakes his head. "You can't. You have to promise me!"
She looks at him. "I won't, ever, I promise."
He is teary eyed now."I need you Snow."
"I'm right here," she replies then she leans in to hold him. He pulls her in closer and he closes his eyes.
"I don't know what I'do without you!" he says quietly.
"I love you David."
"I love you Snow," he replies and he's surprised when she bursts into tears.
He pulls back and looks at her really worried and she shakes her head and wipes her eyes.
"I'm fine. It's just that it's the first time you said you...-"she says and she tries to smile. "I have no memories, I don't remember ever hearing it before..."
David's eyes grow bigger and he pulls her in his arms. "I haven't said it yet? I love you, I love you so much, I really do!" he says and then he adds, "I didn't think to say it sooner but it's all I've been thinking about this last few days. How much I love you and how hard it was trying not to fall in love with you..."
"Really? Me too," she nods, "me too. At least you tried not to. I didn't even try."
"Yes, you did."
"Maybe just a little. Mainly because I knew you were too noble to cheat on your wife."
'Really?" he asks and he leans in to kiss her.
"Really."
He smiles.
"Sorry?" she says hesitantly.
"For what?"
"I wasn't trying too hard to stay faithful to you..."
He chuckles. "Anytime you want to have an affair with me, I'm right here.
Her eyes fall on Emma's blanket. She tries to look away."What are we doing next?"she asks.
"We have to find someone to cast a locator spell," he replies."There are no good options here."
"It was either a witch," she recounts
"Do you know of any witches?" he asks.
"Other than Regina? I don't remember anybody" she asks.
"Right, me either."
"Or a fairy..."she continues.
"Which we can't trust because the Black fairy is in charge of them. The Black fairy who enabled Regina to cast her memory curse," he adds.
"Right, so the last option is the Dark One, also known as Rumpelstiltskin."
"A guy named the Dark One. What could possibly go wrong?" David asks and she nods.
"We are out of options. We have to try the Dark One," she replies.
"You are right. I feel like I've dealt with him before. Maybe we both have."
"And did it go badly?" she asks.
He shakes his head. "I wish I knew."
She nods."How do we do this? Do we summon him or do we go to his castle?"
"I don't want to summon him. I'd rather go there if you are up for it."
"I'm fine. Any idea where the forbidden forest is?"
"It's not an actual forest. It's a small valley next to the infinite forest. If we start now we can be there before sundown."
"Why do they call it a forest if it's just a valley..."she wonders.
"I always thought they did that to keep people from accidentally entering the infinite forest."
"Alright," she replies. "Let's get out of here." She looks at Emma's blanket on the bed. She reaches for it then she pauses and looks at David.
"Would you carry that for me please?" she asks, her voice barely audible,"I can't..."
David looks at her and gives her a sad smile. He picks the blanket up slowly, he folds it and he wraps it carefully. He reaches for her hand.
"Are you ready?" he asks.
She nods. "Thank you," she says quietly.
"I love you Snow," he replies.
Snow and David are heading towards Rumpelstiltskin's castle. Snow is walking a bit slower today but other than that she seems fine. David keeps glancing at her, slowing down his pace, trying to take breaks frequently. She smiles. She loves how he is constantly trying to take care of her.
"Should we at least try to summon the Blue Fairy before we actually visit Rumpelstiltskin?" she asks.
"Yes. we should," he agrees.
Snow looks around and says quietly "Blue Fairy can you here me? We really need your help." There's a small rustling of leaves, but nothing happens.
"Try one more time," David says.
"Blue Fairy!"she tries a bit louder this time, "can you hear me?"
"She can't hear you dearie, don't you know? There's a new fairy in town and she is in charge. Perhaps I can help you."
"Who on earth are you?" David asks because the man that has appeared before him has a weird unearthly tone of skin and he is wearing a coat made of crocodile skins.
"Rumpelstiltskin is the name," the man replies, "and I certainly know who you are, prince Charming," and he says Charming in a real high pitched sort of voice."We've done business before dearie."
'What do you want with us?"David asks.
"Nothing much dearie, just having a friendly conversation. Besides you seem to be on your way to my castle."
"Have you been watching us?" Snow wants to know.
Rumpelstiltskin laughs."I don't need to watch you dearie, to know what you are up to."
"We want a locator spell..." David starts explaining.
"Yes yes yes I know what you want."Rumpelstiltskin replies and all of a sudden he looks darker and more sinister. "What you should be asking is what do I want. What I want in return, for your little locator spell."
"What do you want?" David asks and all of a sudden he has this clear understanding that this was a terrible idea.
"Why, someone to cast a curse of course!" Rumpelstiltskin replies and he raises his hands in a very theatrical way as if he's about to take a few dance steps.
"A curse? We don't cast curses," David replies.
"Oh, I wasn't talking to you dear," he replies,"I was talking to her. Do you want to see your daughter dearie? Do you? Do you want to fix the series of bad choices that landed you in this predicament?"
Snow is looking at him, not knowing what to make of him. David looks at Rumpelstiltskin getting closer to Snow and he has this very intense image in his mind of a slithering snake getting ready to attack a lamb.
"How do you mean?" she asks.
"You've made so many bad choices, too numerous to count, the most important of which was to exile Regina the Queen rather than execute her."
David steps in front of Snow. "You can't do that. You can't bring up acts of our past and accuse us, we have no memories, we can neither trust you nor defend our actions."
"I'm not accusing you dearie, I'm accusing her. She got up in front of the whole kingdom and defied you, cancelled Regina's execution. She is the real reason you have no child, she's the reason you have no memories. Everything is her fault!"
David yells ''No, don't!" Then he turns to Sow and says "don't listen to him Snow, just don't"
Snow looks at Rumpelstiltskin and asks quietly "What did I do?"
"Snow," David pleads, "you can't listen to him, you can't."
Snow turns slowly and is looking at him now. He can tell that she is doing her very best, trying not to fall apart.
"How touching! He is defending you even though he knows I'm probably right."
"I know no such thing," David replies. "But you could show me you are right. Show us. Give us our memories back!"
"I would if I could dearie, but I'm afraid I cannot. The Black Fairy's memory curse is irreversible. Nice try though!" Rumpelstiltskin replies. "You think I'll give you your memories without asking for something in return just to prove that I'm right? Are you trying to trick the Dark One?"
"Irreversible?" David asks.
"Well if your true love's kiss didn't fix it, which it clearly hasn't, there must be one of two reasons. You no longer love each other or the curse is irreversible. Take your pick dearie, it really makes no difference to me."
"You are just guessing! You really don't know!" David replies. "The Black fairy's power is beyond you understanding isn't it?" he asks.
"The only reason you are not paying with your life dearie, for uttering those words, is because I still need you alive. Now, enough talking," he says and he shakes his hand. David finds himself gagged and bound to the trunk of a tree, struggling with his ropes.
Snow looks at him terrified.
"Let him go," she yells.
"Not until we have a nice long talk dearie, not until I give you a chance to rectify your mistakes. Look at this, look at your daughters blanket,"he replies and somehow Emma's blanket is now in his hands "your poor baby wondering where her mother is, why doesn't her mother love her. Why do mothers always abandon their children, is beyond me." He says and then he just stands there watching Snow struggle to find words, her mind overwhelmed with longing and pain as he holds the only token she has of her child. Rumpelstiltskin has a teasing smile on his face.
"Give me that! That's mine!" she begs.
"Yours? How did you figure that? Did you not abandon Emma on the very first day she was born?"
"I didn't," Snow replies.
"Didn't you?" Rumpelstiltskin asks. "Did you not have a chance to escape with Red, Granny and Emma and you chose to stay behind to be with him?" he asks and points at David.
"I couldn't move! I didn't have a choice!" Snow replies tears streaming sown her cheeks,"I was in pain I really couldn't move."
"Tell that to Emma dearie, when you see her again. She dreams every night of the moment her mother decided to stay behind with her husband rather than make an effort to get up and ran away with her child. The moment you decided to let her go. But you can tell her you didn't have a choice. If you see her again. She might understand. She might even forgive you. I've been told that nothing messes with a child's mind more than the sight of his own mother rejecting them. But I'm sure that she will be different. If you explain things to her she will understand. Oh right, when will it be? Twenty eight years from now? How long has it been already? Two years? Twenty six years to go? You can wait that long can't you?"
Snow is sobbing now. "I really couldn't move." she is saying.
"You chose him over your own flesh and blood, your defenseless child. And that's the truth," he yells. "You chose him!"
Snow shakes her head, grabs her knife from her boot and walks towards David to cut his ropes off.
"Take another step and the blanket burns!" Rumpelstiltskin says."Any chance to ever locate your daughter will be gone." A small sizzling fire appears out of nowhere and he looks ready to toss the blanket in it.
Snow freezes in her tracks. She looks at David who is trying hard to loosen up the ropes around his hands. She is trying hard to breathe. She has no idea what to do.
"Let's discuss the locator spell shall we? I will cast a locator spell right this instance and you can have your daughter in your arms by tonight, if you do this one thing for me."
"What do you need me to do?' She asks and she already knows the answer isn't going to be good.
"I need you to cast a curse for me," he says and his eyes glow with anticipation. He really needs her to do that.
David shakes his head now, trying to yell.
"What kind of curse?" she asks.
"It's a simple curse really," Rumpelstiltskin says " I have everything you need right here," he says and a large cauldron appears on top of the fire. "All you need to add is the heart of the thing you love most."
Snow looks at him all confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Listen Snow, there is really no point in getting your daughter back as long as Regina wants her. You sent your daughter away to keep Regina from getting her hands on her. You see, once Regina gave up on casting the Dark curse, she set her eyes on the next best thing, your child. She knows that Emma is powerful, she realizes that Emma is the Savior and she plans on getting her hands on her and training her. If Regina has Emma on her side her magic will be unbeatable unlike no other magic ever born. The purity of a Savior combined with the ruthlessness of the Evil Queen. And if Regina can raise Emma and pretend to be her mother then the lightest purest magic will love the darkness and there's no telling what these two forces combined can do. Probably even something as impossible as to bring up the dead. I'm guessing that's what Regina is after. So its simple, if you want Emma back you have to go to a land without magic. Even if Regina follows you there, she will be nothing but a common woman there, she will have no powers, you will be able to defeat her with a simple sword or a single arrow. Do you understand why you must cast this curse now?"
Snow nods. "Why didn't Regina just kill me?" she asks. "She had plenty of opportunities. Why not just kill me and take Emma?"
"Two reasons. Because dearie, years ago when you decided to cancel Regina's execution you came to me for help and I used a protection spell to ensure that neither of you could ever die by the hand of the evil queen. She could go as far as pull out your hearts, but she couldn't fully control you or kill you. Second, she needs you alive to locate your daughter. If you don't locate her, how is she going to find her?"
"She is using me to find Emma?" Snow asks.
"It's all his fault really," Rumpelstiltskin replies, "If he hadn't dragged you along in his ridiculous quest Regina wouldn't be hot on your trail about to get her hands on your daughter. You didn't escape the evil Queen. She let you think you did."
Snow feels both dizzy and sick to her stomach. She needs to talk this over with David, but David is tied up and if she tries to free him she will loose the only thing she has that connects her to Emma, her only chance of finding her.
"If I were to agree to do this for you, what exactly would you need me to do?" she asks.
"Finally you are asking the right questions dearie. I'd ask you to show your daughter that you are ready to be her mother by giving up the the heart of the thing you love most."
"What does that mean?" she asks.
"His heart," Rumpelstiltskin replies pointing at David who is listening intently now. "His heart for your daughter. You can be with your daughter tonight if you want," he replies.
"His heart?" she gasps. "You want me to kill David?"
"It's the only way to get to Emma," he replies.
Snow turns and looks at David her eyes streaming with tears.
"Sure you love him but does he really love you back dearie? If he loved you, true love's kiss would have worked. You would have your memories back. What kind of husband leaves his wife trapped by the evil Queen for two years and doesn't even try to save her?"
David stops struggling and stops to look at her. Why did he stop fighting she wonders. Why is he no longer trying to set himself free? He stands still his gaze fixed firmly on her. And when she looks at him she realizes that he is willing to go along with this. He is willing to give up his heart so that she can get to Emma. Her David. Her David, her James, her Charming. Always stepping up, always thinking of others, always behaving more noble and more like a prince than any man born royal ever did. Rumpelstiltskin is still trying to convince her that David doesn't love her and he's standing there completely at peace, full of love, ready to hand her his life and his heart.
"Make up your mind dearie, the clock is ticking," he says. "You let the Queen go free, you chose him over your daughter on the day she was born. You've made so many terrible choices. Let's fix everything. You could have your daughter in your arms by tonight in a land where magic could never hurt you again. Are you ready to do this?"
Snow's hands are shaking. She glances at Emma's blanket on Rumpelstiltskin's hand and then she looks at David. She walks towards him slowly her knife still in her hand.
Rumpelstiltskin smiles. "Now we are talking dearie," he says. "You don't have to do this yourself, I can pull his heart out if you like. Much less gruesome if you use magic," he says and he materializes right next to David.
Snow shakes her head.
"As you wish dearie, just trying to be helpful," Rumpelstiltskin says and takes a few steps backwards.
David doesn't move, his eyes focused solely on Snow. His Snow. Knowing that his wife and his daughter and will be together tonight is enough. He so wishes they had more time. If he knew they'd have nothing but a few days together he wouldn't have hesitated. He would have grabbed her in his arms the very minute she'd admitted that she could communicate with birds.
She is standing in front of David.
She reaches for him. She holds his hands, then she reaches for his face, she removes the gag from is mouth.
'Snow," he says. Nothing else. Nothing more. He just nods.
She hesitates, her hands shaking.
"Go ahead, do it," he says and his voice catches. "You should be with Emma tonight."
Snow cups his face and kisses him slowly. She loves him, she loves him so much. He is standing perfectly still. Don't get emotional, he tells himself. This is difficult enough for her as it is. Then she raises the knife and he takes a deep breath, stands perfectly still and closes his eyes. He sees Snow at the ball twirling around as he holds her hand, the fairest of them all, Snow running away to the forest right after they made love, Snow kissing him, Snow loving him, Snow throwing her head back laughing. How he wishes he'd had more time.
Rumpelstiltskin flashes a smile, the smile of a man who is confident that all his pawns will do exactly as they are told. The smile of a man who just succeeded at putting a complicated puzzle together and he is finally ready to enjoy the results.
Snow smiles sadly and cuts the rope off his hands. He can feel her hands setting him free. He opens his eyes and looks at her both surprised and overwhelmed with emotion. She kneels and cuts off the rope binding his legs. He kneels right next to her. Are you absolutely sure, he wants to ask, but he says nothing, he reaches to hold her instead.
"Never!" she whispers back, "we will find Emma together." She gets up and faces Rumpelstiltskin. "We don't need your help. Keep your locator spell. Keep your deals and your curses. Steal the blanket if you must. We will get to Emma on our own."
Rumpelstiltskin seems to be in pain. "You are going to regret this dearie!" he hisses. "I bet the Evil Queen could find a use for this blanket!" he says and he disappears taking Emma's blanket with him.
Snow doesn't pay any attention to him. She turns and pulls David, who is still on his knees, closer in her arms, leans down and kisses his face.
"Were you really giving up your heart? Did you really think I'd cut your heart out to find Emma?" she asks almost sobbing. "David! I'm not letting go of you! Never!"
He doesn't reply at first, he just gets up and buries his face in her neck, tears streaming down his face. He hears Horace's 's voice in his head She loves you as much as you love her, maybe even more...
"Snow," he whispers, "what if this was the only way to get to her?"
"There has to be another way," she replies, "love can't just loose, and I love you David."
"I love you Snow."
She smiles and squeezes him tighter. "Let's go," she replies.
"Where are we going?" he asks.
"Home," she replies.
He gets up, puts his arm around her shoulders and they slowly head back to their forest, back to their tree stump, back to their familiar understanding of faith and trust, a place where they are together, protecting each other, a place where love can't just loose.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. Another especially big thank you to those of you who took the time to review. I sooooo appreiate your input. Please keep it going. I'm here for reviews, questions. concerns, complaints, quibbles, yelling and anything you want to share.
mry23 chapter 9 Yay update. Oh this was wonderful and interesting. I love that you've delved into theories of Prince James from the kingdom's view. The rumors and theories were hilarious and pretty much accurate. Also the show was suppose to be about the unknown I feel like you're giving a better view of that since no one knew he wasn't James. Oh Rumple, should I worry? Would belle make an appearance or she still under Regina's care? Again loved it and I'm excited.
Thank you so much. Also yes, I think a Rumpelstiltskin in an enchanted forest where his mother was winning would be terrifying.
Guest chapter 9 I hope you realize that you have created an addict. I have followed all of your stories and anxiously await every update. Every time you start a story I get twitchy when I think it might end. Enough of the obsequiousness and slavish praise. First, I thought Clara might be the mole in Mida's court. Wait don't tell me she is the mole! I love the way Snowing get her to tell them their own story. Second, who will cast the locator spell to lead them to Emma? If it is the Dark One then what will be his price? Is he searching for Bae? Inquiring minds want to know and addicts just need their next Mia Story fix.
Oh ! Thank you so so much. I'm soooo glad you like my story. Also you are hilarious. Not to worry, it's not over yet. If Clara was the mole then the fact that she was left alone and trusted with baby Emma would be horrifying so I sure hope she wasn't.
Guest chapter 9 This chapter was much more gentle on my heart which I approve of. Now when there's no jealousy between them they can actually puzzle the pieces back together and find emma. Davids heavy sorrow of not remembering emma and also feeling guilty that it's somehow his fault makes me wanna hug him.
:'( yes. Me too.
SecretLoveCara chapter 9 Love the update! Loved they back story before the curse and how it worked! They have the blanket. Now to find a locater spell! Are they gonna go up against Regina?
Thank you so much. If Regina is trying to find Emma so she can raise her they are going to have to go against her. It's inevitable.
Austenphile chapter 9 .So another stellar chapter. We start with David comforting Snow after her nightmare then switch to her comforting him about being a good father. And we finish with David comforting Snow agaib. I love how they always pick each other up. And how great that Snow's memories are starting to leak through.
I liked hearing the nanny tell them their story. The rumors about "James" were so funny. It makes sense that the kingdom would think he completely changed after fighting the dragon.
Thank you so much! My favorite thing about Snowing is how balanced they are. They take turns being strong and vulnerable, they are kind and respectful but they do not shy away from a fight, even with each other. And together they make such an unbeatable team.
Now if I were an enchanted forester my money would be on James being the shape shifting son of a witch...I wish the foresters were a bit more technologically advance so that we could introduce alien abduction theories.
Guest chapter 9 I'm so glad that they got a break there in the middle of everything falling apart. I had so many fluffy and also many happy feels during the Emma part but also feeling heartbroken for their situation. Let's just say that my emotions are very confused right now.
Yeah my feels are broken too...