Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time.

AN: This is a sequel to chapter 16, Captivation. Snow may be much older than David now, but a love like theirs never fades and when she learns about the tragedy that is David's loveless marriage to Kathryn, she sets out to awaken their love inside him.

Please also note that Kathryn is also cursed and has been made to be this way by Regina's curse.

Once Upon a Snowing

Fate

"David…" Kathryn said for the third time to her dazed husband.

"DAVID!" she yelled, finally snapping him out of his daydream.

"Huh...oh sorry," he said, giving her a small smile.

"You haven't touched your food," she complained.

"I know, I'm sorry," he apologized again. He did a lot of that with Kathryn. He was used to her barbs by now, but it didn't make them hurt any less. He knew what people said behind his back. He was Kathryn's trophy husband. She ran her father's bank and was extremely successful.. He worked at the animal shelter and considered a screw up. He actually loved his job though, but playing with animals all day was not something that Kathryn considered to be a real job.

He was the pretty face she expected to be on her arm at every town event for appearance purposes. He was expected to perform his husbandly duties and never complain. She was cold and never had a loving word for him. He was a possession and she made sure he knew it.

He wanted to leave so badly, but every time he tried, he ended up sleeping in his beat up old truck. Kathryn was friends with the Mayor and she made Granny refuse to board him at the inn. He knew it wasn't the kind old woman's fault. He knew she wanted to help him...but Regina had a stranglehold on this entire town.

"It's a good thing you're so pretty, because you don't have many brains," she said, tossing her napkin down. That stung more than anything. Being lauded as her boy toy or called soft was one thing. But he wasn't stupid...far from it.

"You've been distracted like this for days," she mentioned. He had and it was all because of the woman he had ran into at the diner a few days ago. Mary...he couldn't stop thinking about her. She was older than him...but so beautiful and warm...and there was just something so familiar about her. She had a daughter his age and he knew it was improper to have such thoughts...but he couldn't help it. She sure didn't look that old to him anyway and she was so beautiful. It was more than just outward beauty too.

"Yeah…" he replied lamely. He didn't share his feelings with Kathryn. It only got him mocked and called names. She sighed.

"I don't have time for your nonsense tonight. My garden club will be here soon. Make sure the kitchen is spotless and then make yourself scarce," she snapped, as she went upstairs. He clenched his teeth and started clearing the table. He was so angry with himself. Why did he take this? Why didn't he just get in his truck and leave this stupid town? But then he knew why. He had tried that once and ended up wrapping his truck around a tree at the town line. That had been humiliating. When Kathryn stormed into the hospital, she had screamed at him for being so stupid. She didn't once ask if he was okay or about his injuries. She didn't care. He was trapped and she knew it. He had no money; she controlled all of that too.

He finished cleaning and left the house. He didn't know where he was going and wandered aimlessly toward the woods. He wasn't sure why, but he had always been drawn to the Toll bridge and somehow always ended up out here. Kathryn didn't know...she would have a fit. Maybe that was part of the reason it was so appealing.

But tonight he wasn't alone and his heart nearly stopped, as he saw her.

She jumped slightly, as she turned and he started to back away.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to startle you. I'll...I'll go," he stammered.

"No...please stay!" she called. He turned back and despite the cold air, her smile made him feel warm. He found himself walking toward her and joining her at the railing, finding himself staring at her. She caught him and smiled, as he looked away shyly.

"I'm sorry...I don't mean to stare," he apologized. She smiled and felt her heart swell. Twenty-eight years without this wonderful, adorable man in her life had been far too long.

"Don't be...I'm flattered. Gorgeous young men don't usually give a woman my age a second look," she mentioned.

"They're complete idiots then," he blurted out and then blushed at his forwardness.

"So...what brings a man like you out here alone tonight?" she asked.

"A man like me?" he asked. She smirked.

"If I had a man like you, I certainly wouldn't be spending my evening anywhere but by his side, preferably with his arms around me," she replied.

"My...Kathryn doesn't really want me around when she's entertaining her friends," he said sadly. She frowned. She had learned that Kathryn was Abigail and thanks to Emma, she had already hacked into the town's records to find out all she could. And Snow had not liked what they had found. Regina hadn't just trapped her husband in a loveless marriage...she had trapped him in an abusive one. Abigail had been cursed into being a mean, spiteful bitch, who treated David like property. Ruby had spilled that much, but Snow wasn't prepared to find the hospital records. David had been treated for a lot of mysterious injuries that he had passed off as accidents and one time was treated for frostbite. The excuse in the hospital report had been an obvious lie and she had heard Granny comment off handedly that such might happen if one slept in his truck on a winter night in Maine. She nearly had a breakdown when she learned what Charming's curse like had been like. Then that sorrow turned to anger and rage. She was going to kill Regina. But first, she was going to steal her husband back from that spiteful bitch and remind him of what it was like to be loved.

"Well...I'm glad you're here. You should be around people that want you," she said. He snorted.

"Yeah, well in this town...that's no one," he said bitterly. Her heart almost couldn't take the broken look on his face. Oh, she was going to fix this...and she was going fix it tonight.

"That's where you're wrong, because I definitely want you around," she replied. He shook his head.

"I'm a screw up. Trust me, I'm not worth your time," he said sadly. She touched his hand and he looked at her in surprise, as he felt that spark again.

"You are...you have to believe that. Your wife has no idea how lucky she is to have you," she said. He shook his head.

"You don't even know me," he refuted. She took a deep breath. Time to go for broke.

"But I feel like I do," she said, as he looked at her.

"I've felt it since the moment we met and I know you have too. I know this is crazy and fast and I'm sure the whole town will probably call me a tramp, but it's pretty obvious there's something between us," she said boldly.

"Do...do you think it's coincidence that we met here tonight?" he asked.

"No...I don't believe in coincidences. I believe in fate," she replied, as she stepped closer to him.

"I...I would never want to do anything that might sully your reputation," he stammered, as he tried not to react to the feel of her hands on his neck.

"Oh I don't give a damn about what the people of this town think, but your concern for my virtue is charming," she said. His eyes widened and he looked at her.

"What did you say?" he asked. She smirked.

"You...you're very charming. Has anyone ever told you that?" she asked, smiling coyly.

"I...I don't think so," he said, confused for a moment.

"Aren't you a real Prince Charming," he heard vaguely in the back of his mind. Great, he was hearing voices now. One too many smacks to his head, thanks to Kathryn, he supposed. How he hated his life with her.

"I...I want to kiss you so badly," he admitted.

"Then you should kiss me," she urged.

"But...I'm married," he said sadly.

"And something tells me you'd rather not be," she replied.

"She...she won't let me have a divorce. Her father is friends with Albert Spencer. He's the only lawyer in town," he said.

"She doesn't deserve you," she purred, as she held his handsome face in her hands. He closed his eyes, losing himself in her touch. Why did she feel so familiar? He finally gave in, pressing his lips to hers. Snow mewled into his kiss and threaded her fingers in his hair, as they slowly deepened the kiss. Finally, after so many long years without him, he was in her arms and kissing her. It quickly turned passionate and feverish, as he pressed her against the railing. It was a very Charming thing to do. More and more tiny glimpses of her Charming were appearing simply thanks to her presence. It was only a matter of time now.

When their lips finally parted, they were breathless and she smiled at him, before taking his hand.

"Where are we going?" he asked. Such innocence...he was too adorable.

"Somewhere a little warmer where we can be alone," she revealed.

"Um...Granny's not allowed to give me a room. The bank owns the inn," he said.

"We're not going to the inn. We're going to my place, which is owned by Mr. Gold. And as long as I pay my rent, he doesn't care who I bring home with me," she replied.

"What about your daughter? I wouldn't want to cause trouble between the two of you," he said. She smiled.

"Emma's not really the judgy type. She just wants me to be happy," she replied, as she led him back to Emma's yellow bug that she had borrowed.

"Emma has an early shift at the station, so she and little David are probably already in bed. But if you don't want to come, I certainly would never pressure you into anything you're not ready for. But I'm also going to be honest with you," she said.

"I've heard enough gossip in this town already to know that the way your wife treats you is wrong. I think you're an amazing man that deserves to be loved and I know I want to be the one to show you what that feels like. I know that I want you and I'm not someone who likes to give up," she said. He swallowed the lump in his throat, as he gazed at her.

"I want you too…" he admitted, as he opened the passenger door and got in. She smiled and got into the driver's side. She was one step closer to getting back everything that had been so unjustly taken from her.

There will definitely be a sequel to this one. ;)