Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or the characters. This is just one of the

many sandboxes I like to play in. :)

AN:Hello everyone! I just want to say thanks for the great feedback, favorites, and follows. Personal thanks to SexyStarWarslover, Emworm, Emma, ForeignLolly, Rukia's Reflection, Limax25, Misscam, Emmamme, Baretta Jennifer, Wishing for Dragons, TrueLovesTacos, Featherdusterpixie,ouat-forevs, and the guest reviewers.

I'm so grateful to hear that so many are enjoying this story. There is much ahead, including lots of Snowing romance and Charming Family Feels among the drama and danger.

Currently Emma is 10 in the story.

As you would guess by now, this story is AU, though I will be including many canon events, I will also be including new elements.

Pairings: Primarily Snowing - With eventual OutlawQueen.

Lots of Charming Family feels ;)

Finding You Always

Chapter 21: Survival

As Snow and Emma got closer to the station, Snow became aware of a man following them. Thinking quickly, she tugged Emma into an alleyway and waited for him to pass by. Sure enough he did, intending to follow them into the alley. But Snow was ready and kneed him in the groin. He doubled over in pain and she grabbed Emma's hand, as they started running.

But the exit to the alleyway at the other end was blocked by two more thugs and behind them stood Sidney Glass with a gun.

"Mommy…" Emma whimpered, as Snow pushed her behind her as much as she could.

"What the hell are you doing out of jail?" she spat. He chuckled.

"For a semi-small town, Storybrooke has quite a collection of shady individuals willing to do any job for the right price," he said.

"Regina...she did this," Snow hissed.

"I think you'll actually be surprised to know, Miss Blanchard, that the Mayor knows nothing about this. Someone else has quite the interest in you and little Emma," Sidney said.

"You're not touching Emma…" she growled.

"Then you'll come quietly, unless you wish to see if this bunch is above hitting a woman and child, because I have a feeling they're not," Sidney warned. There were four of them, plus Sidney, who had a gun. It was too risky...even if she didn't have Emma to think about. She knelt down and picked her daughter up.

"Good girl," Sidney goaded, as one of his hired goons roughly grabbed her arm. They were shoved into the back of a van and it sped away, as their captors climbed in.

"He'll find us," Mary Margaret promised. Sidney smirked.

"Oh...I'm counting on it," he goaded.

David was overwhelmed with relief when he spotted Mary Margaret's station wagon parked near the ice cream shop. But his relief was quickly replaced with dread, as he smelled the strong stench of gasoline. He knelt down and looked under the car, finding a cut fuel line. He shot up and scanned the streets, but they were nowhere to be found. If the car wouldn't have started, then Snow would have likely headed to the station in hopes of finding him. But that's when he felt it. He put a hand on the car to brace himself, as a spike of dread filled him. He had felt this before.

"Snow…" he whispered. She was in danger, which meant Emma was too.

"David...are you okay?" Sean asked, as he passed by.

"No...S...Mary Margaret and Emma are in danger," he said.

"How do you know?" Sean asked.

"Someone broke Sidney out of jail last night and the fuel line on her car was deliberately cut," he explained. He couldn't very well tell him that he was feeling it through his unbreakable bond with Snow.

"You think he's gone after them?" Sean asked.

"I have to go!" David cried, as he hurried toward the woods. Sean watched him in confusion for a moment. If it were Ashley in trouble, he knew David would help him, Sheriff or not, so without another thought, Sean hurried after him.

Regina pounded on the mansion door and Jefferson took his sweet time answering.

"Your majesty," he drawled, as she barged inside.

"We need to talk," she barked.

"Do come in," he replied sarcastically.

"You know...I forgave the blunder when you couldn't manage to keep the Charmings here under your thumb, so the way I see it...you owe me," Regina spat. Jefferson rolled his eyes.

"You're unhappy...oh wait, you're always unhappy," Jefferson joked.

"Save it Hatter...I need that hat to work!" she hissed.

"Don't you think I would have made it work already if I could!" he snapped.

"No...you don't have your daughter," Regina goaded.

"I soon will. Sheriff Nolan got her family to agree to meet with me soon," he goaded. Regina frowned.

"How the hell…" Regina swore. He smirked.

"Well...he is quite Charming. He's very convincing," he said.

"Your daughter doesn't have her memories though. She won't want to leave the only parents she's ever known for you," Regina replied. He frowned.

"I can give her memories back," Regina tempted.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"We get the hat to work and banish the Charmings to some horrible realm to their certain doom. Without their memories, they won't survive," Regina said. He smirked.

"Causing you too much trouble, are they?" he teased.

"Shut up. Will you help me or not?" she snapped. He contemplated telling her that they actually did have their memories back, but he knew it was best to keep one up on the Queen if he could.

"Fine...but you better come through this time," Jefferson said.

"Excellent...see that you find a way to invite our Charming little family here as soon as possible," she replied, as he stormed out.

"Where are you taking us?" Snow demanded to know, as their captors marched them into the woods. But she was ignored. Their hands were both bound with zip ties and Emma sniffed, her face stained with tear tracks. She was trying to be brave like her mother, but as any child would be, she was really scared.

When they reached the toll bridge, Snow noticed a scraggly, dirty looking man waiting for them with a scowl on his face. He glared at Snow and she studied him for a moment, trying to determine who he might have been in their land.

"It's a good thing I've been paid well to let you lot tromp around my woods," Ned spat.

"Once you lead us up to the bluff, you can collect and be on your way," Sidney said.

"You got guts for a reporter. That Sheriff'll be on our tails in no time," he warned, as they trekked deeper into the woods. Snow felt the ground start to take a slight incline, as they got closer to the cliffs above the river.

"This should do it," Sidney said, as they stopped near a tall tree with a low hanging branch and a rocky alcove near the cliff. Their captors pressed them against the trunk of the tree and tied them to it with a harsh rope, releasing the zip ties once they were secured against the tree..

"I'll ask you again...what do you want?" Mary Margaret demanded fiercely.

"Don't worry, no harm will come to you or Emma. I just want my freedom and I've found someone to help me," Sidney said.

"If you wanted your freedom, then why didn't you just go? Why all this? I'm just a teacher...and not even that right now. How much do you think I'm actually worth?" Mary Margaret asked. Sidney chuckled.

"I'd say the two of you are worth absolutely everything to the Sheriff," he replied.

"David can't drop the charges. It's out of his hands. Why don't you ask your precious Mayor to get you out," she spat.

"She can't help me...I've found someone else that can. Someone that help me escape this blasted place," Sidney said.

"Fine...then what do they want with me and Emma?" Mary Margaret demanded.

"Enough chit chatting, Your Highness," he snapped and her eyes widened.

"Yes, you can drop the act or lack thereof. With the danger to your daughter, you've completely forgotten to hide behind your Mary Margaret persona. It was quite a surprise when I realized that you had your memories. Regina would be furious if she knew. Does he remember too?" Sidney asked in a goading voice. Snow was silent, but the fire in her eyes didn't lessen, as she glared at him. He chuckled.

"Of course he does. He should be here soon, I'm sure. Then we can proceed with my plan," Sidney said, as he turned away. Snow started struggling with the ropes that bound them.

"Mommy...I'm scared," Emma whimpered. Though they were bound around their arms and midsections, Snow managed to reach her hand toward her little girl's and squeezed it comfortingly.

"I know baby, but daddy will find us. He will always find us…" Snow whispered.

David reached the toll bridge and stopped for a moment, spotting that the sets of multiple tracks stopped here and only a few sets continued on. He was just mere seconds too late in drawing his firearm, as a large thug knocked it from his hand and grabbed him, attempting to crush him in his brawny arms. He felt his feet leave the ground and knocked his head back. The man cried out, as his skull cracked his nose. David's feet found the ground again and he growled, as he managed to grab the brute's shoulders and flipped him over, flat on his back.

"Is that all?" he called. He wasn't surprised to see three more emerge from the shadows. He knelt down and grabbed his gun, holstering it as the first charged. He grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and kneed him in the chest, before shoving him head first into a tree. Something cracked and he slumped unconscious to the ground. He pulled his weapon on the other two and they stopped in their tracks.

"Get up against the tree!" he ordered. They obeyed and he was glad he had grabbed several pairs of extra handcuffs, before leaving the station. He cuffed them and then the unconscious thugs as well.

"Where did Glass take them?" he demanded to know. They only smirked at him.

"No idea what you're talking about, Sheriff," the larger of the two hissed.

"Sure you do, Tony. He's talking about the brat and that fine little teacher," he goaded.

"Oh yeah...a sweet piece of ass, that one. I'd let her teach me anything," the other goaded. David growled and punched them both, before before starting off further into the woods.

He saw something white in the leaves and knelt down. It was a string from Mary Margaret's scarf. He recognized it instantly and smirked. She was leaving him a trail. His Snow never ceased to amaze him. He found another string several yards from the last one and felt the slight incline in the ground. Wasting no more time, he sprinted up the hilly terrain.

The ropes rubbed against her skin, as she discreetly tried to wriggle an arm free. Rope burns were a given at this point and she was sure was bleeding now, but she tried to work through the pain, as much as possible. She had to get free and get Emma out of here. Charming would come, but it seemed that Sidney and his foul smelling friend were ready for him. And that would not bode well for them.

She heard a twig snap and their captors jumped to attention. Sidney pulled his gun out and cocked it. Snow shuddered, as he pressed the barrel to her temple.

"Come out Sheriff...or this might get messy," Sidney called. David crept slowly from the shadows, weapon drawn.

"Drop it. My bullet will be faster than yours," Sidney threatened. David tossed the gun away.

"Now the other," he ordered. David took the other firearm from his holster and tossed it away too.

"Good…" Sidney said, as he motioned to Ned, who marched him to the tree. The dirty man tied a rope to his wrist, then tossed it up over the low hanging branch and then tied the other end to his other wrist, effectively suspending his arms above his head.

"Daddy…" Emma whimpered.

"It'll be okay princess," he tried to assure her.

"You shouldn't lie to your brat," Ned spat. Snow bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out in pain, as she tried to free her arms.

"What do you want?" David demanded to know.

"Been waitin' a long time to make you pay...Prince Charming," Ned hissed, as he punched him in the jaw.

"NO!" Snow cried.

"Looks like his intense hatred of your husband brought his memories back," Sidney drawled.

"Goren…" David spat, now recognizing the troll in human form. He grunted in pain, as he was backhanded this time.

"STOP!" Snow screamed fiercely, as Emma started to cry. Their intense love had restored their memories and it seemed intense hatred had restored Goren's. What had restored Sidney's was still a mystery though. But it didn't matter. She had to get free and stop that horrible troll in human form from torturing the man she loved.

Goren produced a dagger from his jacket.

"Let's see how charming you are after I carve up that handsome face," Goren growled. Snow freed her arms at last and stepped out of the rope. She kneed Sidney in the groin and the gun in his hand went flying. He tackled her and she cried out fiercely, as she clawed at his arms, wrenching herself free and she grabbed the gun and pointed it at Goren.

"Drop the dagger and step away from my husband!" she demanded fiercely. She'd never fired a gun before and she didn't seem to have the curse given knowledge of the specifics, but they seemed to be taking her seriously. They should, she decided. Her aim with an arrow was impeccable, so she had a decent chance with a gun too. But she was wary of the crazed look in Goren's eyes.

"I said drop the dagger and get away from him!" she shouted.

"You think you scare me, princess?" Goren hissed.

"She should...but then you never were very smart," Charming retorted.

"I'll cut out your tongue, boy!" he growled, as he poised the dagger to stab her husband. She squeezed the trigger and shot him in the hand. He screamed and the dagger fell to the ground. Her breathing came in ragged gasps, as he stared at her with rage. He growled maniacally and threw all his weight into her. She screamed, as they went tumbling to the ground.

"SNOW!" David cried, as he pulled as hard as he could on the ropes. Emma was tucked behind his legs, as she watched in horror. The gun fired again, hitting a tree, before he was able to knock it from her hand. David pulled on his ropes with all his might, dragging them in a sawing motion on the branch, hoping to fray the rope. Snow punched Goren and kicked her feet into him, throwing him off. She scrambled for the gun, but he tackled her again.

"I believe it's time I make my get away. You're going to come with me, little one. You'll be a nice parting gift to the Queen on my way out of town," Sidney said.

"The hell she is!" Charming growled, as he picked his feet up, grasping the ropes and kicked Sidney in the chest. He went flying and rolled toward the edge of the cliff. David inched his way up on the slack of the ropes and finally managed to swing himself up on to the low hanging branch. He jumped down and started undoing the knots. Emma offered her tiny fingers and he soon tossed the ropes away.

About that time, Snow kicked her legs into Goren again, throwing him off. David tackled him and they went rolling to the ground, exchanging punches.

Snow reached Emma, but Sidney cocked the pistol and she stopped.

"Don't move," he warned. But his threats were cut off by a growling. Sidney jumped back, as a wolf emerged, one that had two different colored eyes and snarled at Sidney. Snow was concerned by his proximity to Emma and knelt down beside her. But she was awed to find him turn to them with a gentle stare. There was something very familiar about this wolf. The animal sniffed them both and the minute Sidney even moved a millimeter, it was hunched protectively in front of them, snarling at him.

Meanwhile, Goren had managed to get his hands around David's neck and was attempting to strangle him. Snow's hands shook, as she gripped the gun. But Goren was ready for that. He put David in a headlock and held him from behind, using him as a human shield.

"Put the weapon down, princess. I know you won't risk shooting your precious prince," Goren spat. The wolf growled at him, but kept his attention on Sidney, staying firmly on guard of Emma in particular. Snow lowered her weapon.

"Snow...get Emma and get out of here," David choked out.

"I'm not leaving you," she refused. Goren chuckled.

"Predictable," he spat. David gasped for air, as Goren squeezed harder.

"Just a little tighter and I'll snap his neck," he goaded.

"Stop...please stop…" she pleaded. But then there was a hard thwacking noise, as Goren roared in pain and his hands went to hold his head in pain. David gasped for air, as he fell to his knees and Snow rushed to him. They found Sean there holding a large stick. Goren stumbled over to where Sidney was standing, gun still poised to shoot.

"Thanks...you saved my life," David said gratefully.

"You'd do the same for me," Sean replied. The wolf snarled angrily and Sidney's hands shook, as he fired at the animal. Snow screamed and pulled Emma back. The bullet missed and the wolf lunged, biting his leg. Sidney screamed and started to fall over the edge of the cliff. He grabbed Goren to try and stop himself, but this only caused them both to fall over the edge. Snow covered her mouth in horror and hugged their daughter close, as Charming's arms went around them both.

Sean glanced over the edge, but it was too dark to see anything. The wolf stared at the small family with gentle eyes and David cautiously put his hand out, gently stroking his fur.

"You're Graham's wolf, aren't you?" he whispered.

"Thank you," Snow whispered. The wolf stalked off, before Sean turned back to face them.

"Man...I hope this isn't a normal night for you two," Sean joked. They shared a laugh. They knew if Sean had his memories as Thomas, he would know that trouble like this seemed to plague them.

"Let's get back to the station. We have four thugs that I left handcuffed to lock up and then we'll call Dr. Sakura. He needs to look at those rope burns," David said. She nodded and they followed Sean with Emma between them.

Sidney and Goren clung to the sharp rocks of the side of the cliff and both managed to find the ropes that had been strategically placed there, complete with climbing harnesses. The plan had been risky at best, but Mako had insisted that they must believe them dead to ensure a clean escape from Storybrooke. Once attached to the harness, the two of them scaled down the cliff side, eventually landing on the river bank below.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were coming," Mako said, as she emerged from the forest.

"And you failed to mention that Snow and Charming have their memories back," Sidney retorted. Mako frowned and Sidney smirked. It was the first crack in her mask of superior indifference that she had allowed.

"You didn't know. At any rate, the pair of them is formidable. My Queen cast a curse to defeat them, after all," he reminded.

"Yes...I'd say you're both lucky to have escaped," Mako replied, quickly regaining her composure, as another figure emerged from the shadows of the forest.

"Who is this?" Sidney asked defensively, as the large man came into view. His squared shoulders spoke of powerful upper body strength and his handsome, chiseled features suggested he used them to get what he wanted. His hair was dark, like his eyes, which were cold and calculating.

"This is Clayton. He's going to assist in transporting you out of Storybrooke," Mako explained.

"Then you're not coming with us?" Sidney asked.

"My work here is far from done. But before you go, you must each drink this," she said, holding up two vials with a blue liquid inside.

"And just what the hell is that?" Goren spat.

"A memory potion. You don't want to lose your memories when crossing out of town, do you?" she asked.

"The Prince isn't dead. He and I have unfinished business. I want his blood on my dagger!" Goren shouted.

"And you'll have another chance someday. But unless you're interested in jail, escape is the best option today," Clayton reasoned. The two each took a vial and drank the potion, failing to notice the devious smirk on Clayton's face.

The moment it passed his lips, Sidney knew something was wrong. The magic consumed them both, transforming them. Goren's screams could be heard. as his human form was ripped apart and in its place stood the troll he had once been. Clayton had men waiting with special manacles to hold even the strength of a troll and he was subdued into captivity.

Sidney could only watch in horror, as his body vaporized and Mako captured his essence in a mirror.

"NO! NOOOO!" he screamed, as he gazed out at them from behind glass, his familiar prison.

"A troll and the Queen's magic mirror...that's a pretty good addition to my collection, especially in one day," Clayton said.

"Then you'll be on your way," Mako suggested.

"I'd really like to meet them. I thought I'd stay at Granny's for a couple days and explore, just take it all in. They'll be none the wiser," Clayton replied.

"Father said it's not time for that yet. Do not disobey his orders," she hissed. He sighed.

"Fine...you win for now. Let's go boys," he ordered, as they followed in tow with his new possessions...