See previous chapters for summaries and warnings.
Thanks for the incredible response to this fic! Keep the reviews coming.
Once more, it is important to remember that Cora has cursed Kathryn to be this way and she is the Evil Queen here. She married Leopold. Regina and Snow are step-sisters and love each other. Thanks for all the reviews. Except the negative troll reviews. I delete those and respond to them accordingly. Seriously, I don't tolerate bullshit very well, especially not the negative garbage that was left in the last chapter. I have an inkling that I know who the Snowing troll is. They were critical of this story in the beginning with the age thing and have since deleted their account so they can go leaving their negative crap against true Snowing fans anonymously. But like I said, now I just delete you. I actually can't delete signed reviews. But anonymous ones, I can so you're wasting your time, troll.
The curse has lasted 20 years in this verse until they found Storybrooke.
Here are individual responses:
Number Ten: I'm glad you like the head cradle. Someone else had a problem with it since he didn't get to hold Emma here, but they're probably an idiot. They are a family again. Some people can't get around the age difference, but again, they're close minded idiots. Yeah, I really liked Regina figuring out the changes in her brother-in-law without words here too. I actually answer the question of who Cora used in a flashback in this chapter so stay tuned. :)
Grace5231973: Yep, Sidney isn't getting out of this one unscathed probably. Hmm...yep, we'll see, but I'd say Regina's chances are pretty good here. Glad you're enjoying!
Sweefwaterbutter: The curse is broken for David, but not the rest of the town. That's still up to Emma to break. But the sapling provided a way to wake David up, similar to the way the poppy did in 6x17. Yes, this new dynamic between Snowing will be fun to explore. :)
Nice Guest: I'm glad they're safe too. I know, me and my cliffhangers. You find out very shortly if Regina won or not, but it's looking good. :)
AnonSnowing: yeah, it makes sense that August is the theoretical one, being the author and all. Me too, I love the sapling. If Emma touched it, then it might. But that would be a little too easy so I have something else in mind. Yeah, he knows how much she loves August so there was no question to him accepting him. Yep, Emma understands here and glad you liked how Regina figured it out. Thanks, I'm glad you liked the head cradle. Honestly, I can't even believe someone found a way to be critical about that, but they managed. I guess trolls will be trolls though. :)
Rude idiot Guest: Really? You're not sure how together they can be? Well, whether or not you can wrap your tiny pea sized mind around it or not, Snowing is together and it is a Snowing story, as much as you can't fathom that a little age difference won't get in their way. See that's what makes you a fake Snowing fan troll. Because a true Snowing fan would see their love as capable of overcoming anything. As always, I deleted your stupid review so just go away and F the hell off. I'm done with your negativity.
Sexystarwarslover: I know, cliffhanger. But I promise you find out who won almost immediately into this chapter. I know, I'm so happy that Charming has his memory back too. I don't blame Snow either for not being able to get enough. Yep, Cora is 100% to blame for everything. Glad you liked the reunion too. Yep, he's already in Daddy mode. He's such a natural father and I am excited to explore that. :)
Guest 2: You can ask, but don't you think it's a little hard for me to answer you when you leave an anonymous review? It makes me think you're just a troll. If you really want an answer though, just because Josh states the reason he does the head cradle is that it reminds him of holding her doesn't mean that the character might not still do it even in a different situation like this. Charming probably imagined holding her a million times before she was born. So cradling her head is just something that brings him back to those feelings when Snow was still pregnant with her. At least that's my take, but if you want to be a negative about it, then fine. Just keep it away from me.
A Darker Curse
Chapter 17: And the Winner is...
"We should get that cut on your head looked at before it gets much later," Regina said. Snow reluctantly agreed and Archie came in, just as they were getting ready to leave.
"The election results are in…" he announced, as everyone in the room stopped whatever conversations they were having.
"Well...you have a captive audience, so let's have it," Granny said, as he had indeed captured the attention of everyone in the diner. He smiled.
"You won…" he announced, as he looked at Regina. There were cheers all around, as Snow hugged her sister.
"You did it…" she said. Regina smiled.
"We did it," she corrected.
"That's great...but seriously Mom, we need to get that cut on your head looked at," Emma said insistently.
"She's right," David agreed. She sighed.
"Okay fine...but you two worry too much. I feel fine," she assured.
"No...they're worrying the right amount. My mother tried to kill you," Regina said.
"Hey yeah...do you think you could identify the guys that did this?" Emma asked.
"Well, Sidney was involved for one and I didn't get a really good look at the thugs with him, but if they were in a line up, I might be able to pick them out," Snow replied.
"Sidney will never turn on my mother. He's too afraid of her to go against her," Regina said.
"You think? Even now?" David asked quietly. She nodded.
"I may have just unseated my mother, but we know she still has a lot of power," Regina reminded.
"Yeah...she's probably meeting with Midas and her cohorts right now. He bankrolled her campaign so I'd hate to be in his shoes right about now," August mentioned, as they went out to the Bug.
"Yeah and Sidney has to come out of hiding sometime though and when he does, I'm arresting him," Emma replied.
"You know...I'm feeling fine. I'm not dizzy or anything. Let's just go home," Snow said.
"Nice try Mom...you're getting that cut checked out, even if it has to be by that douche, Whale," August replied.
"Yeah, who is he by the way, Mr. Author? Of all the people here, I haven't been able to figure him out," Emma replied. August smirked.
"He's not in the book and I know who he is, but I'm not telling. If I do, you'll never want to go near him," he replied.
"Well, that's encouraging," David quipped.
"Still...he is a real doctor so I'm afraid he's all Storybrooke has," August said. Snow sighed.
"Fine...let's get this over with then," she relented, as they piled into the bug and Regina waved to them, just as Ethan approached in a sprint. He had gone to the Rabbit Hole to check in with his employees briefly after it was determined that David and Mary Margaret were found safe.
"I just heard the news," he said, as he kissed her soundly.
"Congratulations, Madam Mayor...I hope you'll allow me to buy you your first drink," he added. She smiled and hooked her hand on his elbow.
"Well, I was going to go to my new office and rub it in my mother's face, but perhaps a drink is better advised. She's probably throwing a fit as we speak and as fun as that would be to witness, I think I'll pass on that for a drink with you," she replied.
"Her meltdown probably would be entertaining though," he agreed. Regina smirked.
"Don't worry...I'm sure we'll get witness plenty of tantrums from her. She's not going to leave that office quietly," she said, as they headed for the Rabbit Hole.
The glass vase shattered against the wall the moment they revealed the news.
"How...did this happen?!" Cora screamed and everyone in the room coward before her. But they seemed to be the only ones lately. The rest of the town had grown a backbone and suddenly felt strong enough to revolt against her, even after years of bowing in fear before her. She expected this kind of rebellion from Snow White, but she was truly hurt that Regina was leading the charge on this one. She and her daughter had been long at odds, but she had never expected such thorough betrayal.
Regina had always struggled in the past to stand up to her and truly do whatever possible to stop her. It was the reason the curse was cast, after all. Because when it came down to it, Regina showed her mercy, while Cora was merciless.
Flashback
Minutes before the curse
"Mother please...don't do this…" Regina cried, as she begged at her mother's feet and the cauldron that she had just magicked into the atrium of Snow and Charming's palace bubbled with magenta smoke.
"Do this Regina...and I'll let them live. It will even be a fairly good life with his little boy," Cora promised. Regina looked at her husband and her step-son, as her mother's soldiers held their swords on Robin and Roland.
"Regina...it's okay," Henry said, as tears poured down his beloved daughter's face.
"But Daddy…" she pleaded.
"You must save your family...there is still hope," he promised and she cried out in anguish, as Regina thrust her hand into her own father's chest. She extracted it and glared at her mother.
"Regina...what are you doing?" Cora asked in trepidation.
"I love you Daddy," she said. He smiled.
"And I love you...everything will be okay. Someday," he promised.
"Making sure you cannot cast this curse," Regina said and she sobbed, as she crushed her own father's heart, letting the diamond dust fall harmlessly to the floor. Cora cried out in frustration.
"Oh you foolish girl…" she chided, as she looked at her step-daughter.
"But there is one other way I can still have what I need," she said, as she looked at Snow and Charming.
"If Regina will not cast my curse, than you will, dear Snow," she said, as her soldiers surrounded them.
Cora started toward them and then was surprised when her own daughter struck her with her own magic, momentarily freezing her in place and the other soldiers in place.
"Go!" she called to her brother-in-law.
"I can't hold her long...get Snow to the wardrobe!" Regina cried. David didn't hesitate and gently pulled his wife along, as they ascended the winding staircase toward the nursery.
Once they reached the top of the stairs though, Leopold and several soldiers stood in their way. David brandished his sword and began to duel the men, while guarding a very pregnant Snow. She put her hands to her swollen belly, as her father's eyes skated over her.
"It pains me deeply that you've been reduced to this, daughter. From the fair and pure princess I raised...to a Shepherd's whore," he said, with disappointment lacing his voice.
"Oh...we both know I am neither of those. I am rightful Queen of two Kingdoms and wife to a wonderful, loving husband. A husband that will be a greater King than you ever were. He's my true love and I'm happier than I ever thought possible. But instead of being happy for me, like a real father, you let evil destroy your soul. And for that, I pity you, father," she responded. But he only smirked.
"Your time as Queen is about to end, my dear daughter. In this new land, you will be put in your rightful place by my side, while he will return to being the lowly, insignificant peasant that he is," Leopold threatened. But as his last soldier fell, he grabbed her arm and used her to threaten Charming.
"It's over, shepherd scum...the curse is upon us and my pregnant whore of a daughter won't give birth to your spawn," he hissed.
"Do you hear yourself? Cora's evil has so thoroughly twisted you that you are someone your own daughter doesn't even recognize!" David cried.
"You use her as a human shield...your own daughter and grandchild! End this madness now! Giving Cora control of our lives is insane!" he added.
"Some of us will be rewarded in this new land...others, like you, will be lowly peasants, who spend their days mucking up after the farm animals, while people like me will have power again," Leopold countered, but then he seized in pain. Snow gasped, as she hurried into her husband's arms and they looked upon her father in surprise. He fell to the floor, as Rumpelstiltskin stood there with Leopold's heart in his hand.
"What...what are you doing?" Charming asked in trepidation.
"This curse must happen...and there was a time when Cora actually loved his...monster of man," Rumple stated simply.
"Why...why do you need this curse?" Snow cried.
"It's complicated...but I sense that someday, you will understand. You are not my enemies...Cora is," he said.
"That doesn't make any damn sense!" David shouted in frustration.
"It will one day. She will have her curse, but then your daughter will save us all. Know that this is for all for our children," Rumple stated cryptically.
"Our?" Snow questioned.
"There is no time to lose. Go...she must go through the wardrobe or none of this matters. Cora will lose...but only if the Savior is born," he said.
"You better be right. What you're asking of us…" David started to say in anguish.
"I know...it's unthinkable, but your daughter will save us all and then the final battle will begin," he responded.
"And Cora will lose," he added. David shook his head in frustration and then took Snow's hand, as he hurriedly led her to the nursery. If the curse was happening after all, then he had to get Snow and their baby to safety...even if it meant staying behind.
Rumple had presented her with Leopold's heart at the last moment. She really had to dig deep inside her to remember a time where she actually did love him, before Eva ruined it all. Back before she had turned her heart completely black, she had loved him and crushed his heart with ease. Surprisingly...it had worked and the curse was wrought. But by the time she had gotten to the nursery, Snow had escaped with her unborn spawn that could ruin everything. So in a moment of sheer revenge and cruelty, she had punished Charming in the place of Snow, cursing him into an abusive marriage.
But as the curse weakened, so did her twisting of Princess Abigail. She had once been as cold and cruel as Cora herself, but now she was just a simpering mess that was almost of no use to Cora.
"You've all done a great disservice to our cause and there will be consequences," she warned.
"What can we do?" Kathryn asked in a helpless tone.
"We make this entire town regret crossing us," Cora replied ominously.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Whale said, as he entered the exam room.
"It's okay...because I feel fine. I don't think this is necessary," Mary Margaret protested, but the three of them gave her looks that said she wasn't going to get out of this.
"Head injuries must be treated and checked out, no matter how minor they seem, Ms. Swan," Whale said, as he looked at her chart and then at the man standing next to her.
"I'm going to have to ask anyone except immediate family to leave," he stated. But she clutched his hand.
"Everyone in this room is immediate family," Mary Margaret said.
"Ms. Swan…" Whale started to protest.
"Actually...I think it's Deputy Mayor Swan, right Auggie?" Emma asked.
"That's right...I've already wrote up the piece for the morning paper on it," August replied.
"You can break a few rules for the Mayor...or Deputy Mayor, as it were, right?" Emma asked, as she shifted her son on her hip.
"Yeah, cause according to my...research, you've broken plenty of rules for the former Mayor. Man, I'd hate for those dirty little secrets to end up on the front page of the mirror," August added. Whale rolled his eyes and sighed, as Snow and David shared an amused smile.
"Fine, stay...like I care," he grumbled, as he went about checking the cut on Mary Margaret's head, which he proceeded to put a butterfly bandage on.
"I don't see any signs of major trauma or concussion. Keep it bandaged for a few days and take acetaminophen as needed for any pain," Whale said, as he scribbled on her chart and left.
"Well, his bedside manner could use some work," David said.
"Yeah...who is he? I don't remember meeting him back in our land. Which, I know doesn't really mean anything, but I also don't remember a lot of actual doctors either," Mary Margaret said, as she looked at her son.
"Yeah, most of them were witch doctors or healers, which believe me is a whole different world," David added.
"I'm...not sure you're ready to know that," August replied.
"Auggie...just tell me already or I'll ask Regina. She'll tell me," Snow said. He rolled his eyes.
"Fine...he's actually not from the Enchanted Forest, but rather the Land Without Color. And his name is Dr. Frankenstein," August revealed, making Emma chuckle.
"Whatever...who is he seriously?" she asked.
"I'm being serious," August replied. Snow shuddered.
"Like the monster doctor that experimented with dead bodies?" she asked.
"I told you that you probably didn't want to know," August replied.
"Okay...on that disturbing note, maybe we should go home. If I act like I don't know Sidney is involved, maybe he'll take the bait and surface," Emma quipped.
"Home sounds like a great idea," David agreed, as he put his arm around his wife, his true wife, and she rested her head against his shoulder, as they followed Emma and August out.
Cora swirled the amber liquid in her glass that evening, as she stewed in her office. Former office, for in the morning, she was sure her daughter and that insipid Princess that was ruining everything would be here to kick her out.
"You really think you have won, don't you Snow…" she muttered, as she took a sip. Her plan to get rid of her Snow and Charming problem hadn't worked out. It didn't seem to matter what she did to those two. She had separated them with a curse, forced Snow to raise a baby on her own, and even reduced her beloved husband to a shell of his former self. But then she came to town and all that began to unravel. Raising a child on her own had made Snow strong and forcing David into an abusive relationship had not made him weak in the way she had hoped. In fact, it had made him stronger and desperate to act. So when the right people came along to help him, he had finally stood up and taken control of his life, all while making one of her staunches allies in Kathryn Nolan all but useless. She was beginning to think she really screwed up there. Had she cursed him into a happy marriage or at the very least a normal one, she might have caused more problems between them. But she had been so focused on making Snow pay that she had concocted the dilemma for her husband and would unknowingly drive him right back into the arms of his true wife, despite their age difference now.
But there was one thing she hadn't really done to hurt them and that was to go after their child.
As Mayor, it would have been easy for her to force Graham to fire Emma without giving any reason for her decision, but now that she had been ousted, she would need to be a little more creative. There was always the baby. She could easily have the child taken and hold the entire family, including her daughter, hostage, but she felt that something like that would only further rally them and the entire town against her. But if she came up with something else that would force them to focus on their daughter, rather than the town, she could find a way to take control again. Sidney slithered into her office at that point, wearing a ridiculous hat to conceal his identity.
"Sidney...do you still have the information I asked you to dig up on Emma Swan and Neal Cassidy?" she questioned.
"Yes Ma'am," he responded, as she finished her drink.
"Bring me the files. Revenge might not be completely out of our reach, after all," she mused.
Lacey looked up at the sign and she started to wonder why she was even here. She had a coffee in hand and slowly walked into the station. Since that night at the Rabbit Hole when the mysterious Mr. Gold had rescued her from being accosted by that creep, Keith, she hadn't been able to stop thinking about it. Which was really odd for her. Normally, she didn't really pay other people any mind, let alone actually care about anyone. Lacey was always someone that looked out for number one, but she also had never really had anyone try to stand up for her or defend her. And if she was being honest with herself, she actually liked it the other night. And it was not because it was some good guy that had stepped in. The man that had stepped in was not that type at all. She had found his savagery against the other man thrilling and had decided that she needed to thank him in person, which still felt like a foreign concept to her, but here she was.
And it seemed foreign to him as well, judging by the surprise on his face once she walked in.
"Hi," she said. He seemed unable to find his voice at first, but then finally cleared his throat.
"Hello," he answered back, as she handed him the coffee through the bars.
"I just wanted to say thank you...you know for the other night. I didn't need you to beat the crap out of that guy, because I had it under control...but I did enjoy watching it happen," she said.
"Well, he deserved it," Gold agreed, as he sipped at the coffee.
"And thank you…" he said, as he took another sip.
"So...when do you think they'll be letting you out of this place?" she asked curiously.
"Hopefully soon...sooner if the election tonight went a certain way," he replied.
"Oh, well Regina beat her mother if that helps," she offered. He smirked.
"Indeed it does," he replied. She nodded.
"Well...I should go, but maybe if you get out of here, I'll see you around?" she asked. He nodded.
"I think that's very likely," he replied, as he watched her go. With Regina in office, he was all but ready to declare war on Cora when he got out of this cell.
They arrived home that evening and after helping their daughter put her son to bed, they bid her goodnight as well and descended the stairs, hand in hand, though Snow was heavily leaning on him. The events of the day were really catching up to her and he helped her to the bed behind the curtain. She sat down and as he turned away, to take the couch, she assumed, she grabbed his arm.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"You need your rest," he replied.
"And I'm pretty sure I'll rest better with your arms around me," she said.
"Unless you're not ready, which I completely understand," she added. But he shook his head.
"It's not that at all...I'm always going to want you," he promised.
"But I would get it if you wanted nothing to do with sex...after what happened," she said, as he sat down beside her.
"Maybe...if it wasn't you. But it is you and like I said, I'm always going to want you," he replied. She smiled and swooned, as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"But tonight, you need your rest, because you can barely keep your eyes open," he said, as she unbuttoned her cardigan.
"I can leave if you want me to while you change," he offered.
"Oh, I don't want you to go anywhere," she replied. He smiled softly.
"Good...because I never want to leave your side again," he said, as she lifted her arms and he pulled her camisole over her head. They had a lot of intimate time to catch up on and they were both eager to rekindle that part of their relationship. But for tonight, the simpleness of undressing together and redressing into their sleep clothes was enough. Once they did so, they climbed into bed and she relished his arms around her.
"Sleep, my darling...I'm here again and I promise that nothing is going to separate us again," he whispered to her, as he pressed his lips against her hair.
"Mmm...I love you, Charming," she whispered in a sleepy voice. She fell asleep in his arms almost instantly and though sleep had often eluded him in the past, he was right behind her, as he was finally where he belonged again, by her side.