Snow stumbles blindly out of the magic bean portal into her front yard. She is sobbing. Rowan's song hit her harder today.
"Snow!" David opens the front door widely and rushes towards her. "You are here! Snow! What's wrong? What happened?" He is so relieved she is back.
Snow lets him engulf her in his arms.
"Are you alright? Are you hurt? What happened?" he asks again, his hands cupping her face, searching for answers.
She wants to tell him of course, but the song has left her feeling spent, empty. She wraps her arms around his neck instead.
"It's okay," he whispers. "it is going to be okay, you are safe now..."
"There are no holes in my protections spells, no rips, nothing. Your house is safe, she couldn't have possibly been taken...- But you are not helping the situation by leaving your front door wide open..." Tink steps out in the front porch looking for David. "Oh! Snow is back..." she says more quietly now, looking at David holding Snow, "and you are going to make out now," she continues, at this point mainly talking to herself, "I better go..."
Evidently David called Tink the moment he thought Snow was taken again.
"Wait!" Snow mumbles.
"What is it?" David is looking so concerned.
"Tink!" Snow takes a step back, looking for the green fairy.
"Yes?" Tink is still looking dubiously at David's hand still on Snow's shoulder, like she would rather be anywhere but here. She doesn't care for intimate loving moments.
"I need your help," Snow continues wiping her eyes. She takes a deep breath. "Is there such a thing as a male siren?"
"A male siren?" David frowns.
"I wasn't kidnapped," Snow explains. "At least not in the traditional sense of the word. The clock struck nine and I had to go listen to Rowan's song again..."
David looks at her incredulously.
"You left? On your own free will? Snow I was worried sick, I thought you were taken again...-"
Snow is shaking her head. "No, that's just it. I didn't want to go. It was all so sudden. One minute we are talking and the next the clock struck nine and all I could think of was the song...-"
"Sounds like a siren's call alright," Tink nods.
"But I've only heard of women sirens," Snow is so confused.
"It's incredibly rare, but once ins a while, a man who is a half siren will have that effect on people," Tink explains. "Extremely rare, as in, it hasn't happened within my lifetime, but I heard stories in Neverland..."
Snow is looking lost.
"What is the song like?" Tink asks.
"I... I don't even know how to explain it. It's some kind of lullaby, in a language I don't recognize. It is the saddest song I have ever heard, it makes me weep, but while he is singing, all I can think of is that I don't want the song to end..." Snow has tears streaming down her cheeks as she is describing it.
"Come on," David interrupts. "You are freezing cold, let's get you inside..."
Emma is in bed, Snow is sitting by the fireplace wrapped in three different blankets. David might have gotten a little overboard in trying to get her warmed up. Her hands are still trembling.
David hands Snow a cup of steaming hot tea.
Tink is standing, her back against the wall, looking like she could bolt any minute. "Contrary to popular opinion, a siren cannot entrance just anyone. In order for the song to lure you, it needs to find a seed of truth in your heart..."
"What does that mean?" David frowns, crossing his arms to his chest.
"Something inside your heart, is recognizing the truth in his song..." Tink struggles to explain.
"What truth?" Snow is feeling so frustrated. "I can't make out any of the words!"
"The truth is in the song, the essence of it. Not the actual words," Tink shrugs. "I doubt there are many lyrics to the song..."
"How do we break this?" David needs a practical solution now. "How do we keep the song from affecting Snow?"
Tink looks away. There is no easy answer for this. "The longer she stays away from the song, the easier it is going to get... Now that you know what's happening, make sure you are with her at nine... no matter what she says, do not let her go... everytime she hears the song, its hold on her will get stronger."
"There is no way to just break this?" Snow asks. The thought of having to resist such a powerful need like the siren's song, is quite scary.
"You could ask him to stop singing..." Tink replies. "Maybe he can stop. Most sirens can't, but if he is a half siren he may be able to control this... but that doesn't guarantee you will not need to hear the song when the time comes"
"Does he know he is doing this to Snow?" David is looking murderous.
"Did he sing just for you?" Tink asks hesitantly.
"Who? Rowan? No, he didn't even know I was there. I haven't actually met the guy. He sings for his daughter and I happened to be outside his house. People from the palace know he sings every night and they show up to listen."
Tink nods. "No, he must be singing for someone else. And Snow just happened to be there... A siren song is like a mating call..." she adds.
"A mating call? I'm pretty sure he is singing to his child," Snow tries to argue.
"A song of loss, a mating call, it's all the same when you are dealing with sirens. He is singing to his missing mate, and somehow his loss speaks to you," Tink concludes. "You've experienced a similar loss before..."
David's expression softens.
Snow turns to look at him, her eyes welling up. Things are beginning to make sense. David ends up siting next to Snow, his arm around her shoulders. She leans her forehead against his cheek, letting out a soft guttural noise, without meaning to.
Tink lets out a long suffering sigh."And now you are going to make out. I knew this was coming... I'm going to go."
"We are not going to make out! Tink! Stay! Have some tea!" Snow protests.
But Tink has already raised her hand in the air and in the next breath she's disappeared.
"Sorry Tink!" David mumbles, his hand already tangled in Snow's hair. "But we are going to do a lot more than just make out..."
David wakes up bright and early, ready to tackle the siren issue.
Snow is feeling calm and content, so much better than she felt last night.
"I'm alright, Charming," she says when she catches David stealing glances at her direction for the tenth time.
"I know," he replies, though he doesn't sound certain at all.
A couple of hours and one magic bean later they are standing at Rowan's door. David raises his hand to knock on the door but the door opens before he gets a chance to knock. A shirtless man is standing there, tall and broad shouldered, dark skin, bright eyes, hair in dreadlocks.
"Can I help you?" he asks.
And David doesn't say a word, he just stands there gaping. This man who accidentally trapped Snow in his song... did he have to be a perfectly chiseled specimen of manliness?
"Hello," Snow smiles, noting that David isn't talking. "You must be Rowan. My name is Snow, this is David Nolan, and we are in the middle of an investigation. I was wondering if we can have a minute of your time..."
"Snow? Snow White? The investigator? " the man is looking at her wide eyed. "Please come in! Excuse me for a moment!"
David and Snow hesitate in the doorway while the man rushes inside and puts a shirt on in a hurry. Doesn't make much of a difference, David notes bitterly. Shirt or no shirt the man is still striking.
When he comes back he offers a bright smile. "Please have a seat. I am a big fan. I've been reading your books... And I have to tell you I love detective stories but your adventures are by far my favorite..."
"My books?" Snow is looking confused.
"I mean they are unauthorized dramatizations of your cases. You're called Snow Brite in the books but I always thought they captured you perfectly..." he points to the book shelf behind him that is stacked with paperback detective novels.
"A fan. How delightful!" David says dryly.
"You must be the knight," the man turns sizing up David. "Richard Knight, the assistant, the 'will they won't they' character... I'm always wondering if you'll ever get together in the books... What do you think? Will you get together?"
David is looking at the man incredulously.
Rowan continues completely oblivious to David's annoyance. "You are taller than the book describes you... can I offer you guys some coffee?"
Rowan's living quarters are small and cozy. Snow and David sit next to each other on the couch. Rowan sits across from them in a small stool, which makes him look even bigger than he actually is, a giant among men.
"What can I do for you guys?" he looks so incredibly excited. "Was there a crime in the palace? Do you need me to spy on anyone? I am very observant..."
"Oh, no, nothing like that," Snow can't help but smile at his enthusiasm. "We just have a few questions about you..."
"Me? How exciting. Wait, did I commit any crimes I do not know about?"
David tries not to glare at the man.
Snow laughs. "No, of course not. Let me just get to the point. Is your mother a siren?"
"A siren?" Rowan frowns. " No, she wasn't. My father was a centaur that could shapeshift to a man. My mother was a mortal woman..." Rowan lets out a bitter laugh. "There is no way my father would ever marry a siren, he was very old fashioned, you know, how old timers where. He was very anti-siren..."
"Do you have any pictures of them I can look at?" Snow is not at all convinced.
Rowans rummages through a stack of papers in a driwer and comes up with a small photograph. A man that looks just like him, dark tall and handsome, holding a petite woman with white blond hair.
"There," Snow shows the picture to David, pointing to the tips of the woman's ears. They are a lot pointier than human ears. "Maybe she colored her hair... You don't mind if I make a copy of this, do you?"
She scans the picture with the magic mirror before Rowan gets a chance to protest.
David nods in agreement.
Rowan looks stricken. "What are you saying?"
Snow hesitates.
"Have you ever noticed how people stop and listen to you sing?"
Rowan looks towards the closed door to his left. "I don't sing much anymore...- Not since my wife passed..."
"I'm so sorry for you loss," Snow says softly. "But Rowan, did you notice?"
Rowan shrugs. "Maybe. That still doesn't make my mother a siren..."
"Listen, based on the evidence, I have reason to believe that you might have some siren blood in you... "
Rowan is looking at her, trying to come to terms with what she is saying. "Based on what evidence?"
"Your goodnight song, it really effects people..." Snow struggles to explain. "What do the words mean?"
Rowan hums the song softly.
Snow sucks in a breath and tenses up.
"Can you just tell us the meaning of the words?" David intervenes. "Without singing it?"
"Yeah, something like, 'don't say a word, rest in my love, let me sing you to sleep, rest in my love...' it's just a simple lullaby..."
But Snow is already holding back tears.
"Have you noticed how your lullaby moves people?" she asks.
Rowan glances towards the window. "I mean, there is this woman who comes to listen to it every night," he admits. "She hides under the tree..."
"Sometimes, love songs can be mating calls when you are part siren..." Snow explains.
"Mating calls! I am just singing a lullaby to my child! What kind of creep do you take me for!" his voice gets louder. He covers his mouth with his hand. "Forgive me..." he says, looking incredibly annoyed with himself. "I don't want to wake up Lia."
"Is Lia your daughter?" Snow asks.
He nods. "The princess left the castle last night with the babies. She is going on vacation. My Lia was devastated. She spends all her time after school with them, she didn't want them to go. She cried herself to sleep last night... I kept her home from school..."
"How old is she?"
"She is nine years old."
"Oh, that is such a sweet age," Snow smiles. "My daughter is ten..."
"You have a daughter," Rowan muses. "That's not in the books."
Snow shrugs. "I haven't read the books. Listen Rowan, I was wondering if I could ask you for a favor..."
"Anything," Rowan is quick to offer.
"Tonight, is there any way you can skip singing your song? Can you read her a bedtime story instead?"
"Skip singing my song? Why?"
Snow looks away. "Because if I am right, your song could be hurting people..."
"Hurting people!" Rowan is looking shocked. "It's just a lullaby!"
"I know, I know you think that, I know you have no ill intent. But a lullaby sung by a man who may have siren's blood in his veins, can be a powerful thing..."
"I don't even know if I can stop singing it!" Rowan admits.
"Then it may be more than just a lullaby?" Snow asks quietly. "Because if it was just a lullaby, you wouldn't have a problem not singing it for just one night..."
Rowan is looking at Snow all confused. "I suppose you are right. It's just that I can sense her listening to me, hiding under the tree..." he admits. And when Snow doesn't reply he adds "Noreen... the princess' nanny..."
Snow nods. "Did she leave with the princess?"
Rowan nods.
"Rowan, if she is used to listening to your song every night for years and she doesn't hear it... if I'm right about your song, this will be incredible painful for her," Snow explains.
Rowans face blanches. "I don't want to hurt her!"
"I know," Snow replies. "Do you think maybe you can try not singing tonight?"
Rowan nods. "I am going to try."
"Thank you," Snow stands up. "And maybe, when Noreen comes back, maybe tell her how you feel..."
Rowan looks away. "Oh, I don't...- I doubt she'd want to be with someone like me... she could do a lot better..."
Once again David looks at Rowan incredulously. "Go ahead and talk to her anyway," he suggests.
"Do you really think I should? It was very nice meeting you both!' Rowan offers his hand.
"Well, I hope this works," Snow mumbles as they walk away from Rowan's house.
David reaches for her hand. "There are books written about you?"
Snow shakes her head. "I've heard that before, but it's the first time I've met someone who's read them. I don't think they are very popular...-"
"You are back!" neither Snow nor David had noticed Thomas waiting for them around the corner.
"Thomas!" Snow hesitates.
"Thomas!" David gets straight to the point. "We had a terrifying and very instructive meeting with the Dark One yesterday."
"Did you?" Thomas looks down.
"I don't understand," David continues. "If the child was taken due to a contract Ella made with the Dark One before she even met you... why are you letting her think this is all your fault?"
Thomas shakes his head. "It doesn't matter."
"Of course it matters," Snow intervenes. "How do you think she is going to feel, when I tell her what I found? When she realizes she blamed you even thought you were innocent?"
"Am I innocent?" Thomas shrugs. "What sort of father, doesn't find a way to release his wife and his daughter from the Dark One's hold?"
"What was her name?" Snow tries. "The baby's name?"
"Alexandra," Thomas voice cracks. "And I tried, I tried everything. I offered everything I could think of, including myself. I'd serve the Dark One for the rest of my days if he'd let the baby stay with Ella... All I got back was silence."
"Thomas I am really sorry this happened to you," Snow places her hand on his shoulder. "But I don't think any of this was your fault. And I think it's time!"
"Time for what?" Thomas is looking doubtful.
"Time to talk to Ella. We are on our way to see Ella and tell her what we found. But I think it'd be a lot easier if it was coming from you..."
Thomas shakes his head. "You don't understand," he gasps. "After the baby was taken Ella was devastated. She couldn't function, couldn't speak, could barely get out of bed. She couldn't forgive herself for what happened. I couldn't leave her alone at all. I seriously thought she would harm herself. And then one day she got out of bed and begged me to find a forgetting potion and erase the memory... And it worked. She was calm again. Carefree even. Five years later she got pregnant and she was so so happy. She loves being a mother. And I thought we were out of the woods. But I think the pain of childbirth brought a hint of a memory back. Because she'd hear a baby crying in her dreams. And she knows this cry is different... she knows it's not the triplets crying."
"Her solution worked for a while. She got better. But now it's not working anymore," Snow says quietly. "Now you need to tell her the truth. And it has to be you, Thomas. Please. It needs to come form you!"
Thomas sighs. "One more day," he pleads. "Give Ella one more day when she is not crushed by guilt for what happened... I'll come with you tomorrow and I'll tell her everything. I promise."
Snow looks ready to argue. She doesn't want to keep Ella in the dark any longer.
"One more day," David agrees. "We'll do it tomorrow. And then we will look for Alexandra, together. We'll help you find her."
And Thomas raises his head to finally face them. "Do you think that's possible?"
"I have to," David replies. "I have to believe that we live in a world where second chances are possible, where we all get a chance at grace..."
And Thomas nods, tears streaming down his face. "Tomorrow," he says taking in a deep breath.
There isn't much left to do today so Snow and David head home early. They arrive to find Ruby watching Emma, Hansel and Gretel play sword-fighting in the back yard.
"You are holding the sword all wrong," David notes.
"How?" Hansel challenges.
For the next two hours, David shows Emma, Hansel and Gretel, how to properly hold their toy swords, how to parry, how to place their feet firmly on the ground so an opponent cannot just knock them over.
"I will destroy you!" Emma quips, jumping from a back yard chair, brandishing her toys sword.
"You will not!" David parries and jumps out of Emma's way.
"Yes we will!" Hansel, clearly on Emma's side, swings his word.
"Good form," David notes.
And then Gretel chimes in holding a toy dagger.
"Come on, Snow Brite" David says to Snow who is watching them, sitting comfortably on a chair, sipping her coffee. "Let's see what you got! I need reinforcements!"
Snow laughs. "How do you even know whether I can sword fight?" she lies. "It's not in the book..."
"You've never even read the book," he protests, as he falls on the ground clasping an imaginary chest wound.
"Are you okay Dad?" Emma is the first to break character, and check on him.
"I don't know," he pretends he can barely talk. Then he sit up. "Good swordsmanship by the way," he says sounding completely normal.
Emma is looking quite relieved.
"Can we come back for another sword fighting lesson tomorrow?" Hansel asks.
The kids are long gone, Emma is in bed early and Ruby has been asked to stay longer.
Snow shifts uncomfortably in her chair. She keeps glancing at the cuckoo clock. Rowan's song is already playing in her mind.
"Is it almost time?" David asks.
Snow nods.
"I am going to ask you to hand me the magic beans you have on you, for now. "
Snow goes through her pockets hands him two magic beans. The song is now blaring in her head, completely overwhelming her, making it harder for her to think straight.
"I thought it'd be a good idea if we went to the cabin for the next few hours," David suggests.
Snow is having a hard time forming coherent thoughts. All she can think of is the song and her overwhelming need for it. She just nods and follows David out of the room. They go together in their back yard and step on the magical stepping stone Tink gave them as a wedding present. The stone that transports them straight to their cabin in the heart of the Enchanted Forest instantly.
Snow smiles at the strong scent of mint, there is so much wild mint growing around the cabin. A short moment of pleasure, before the song picks up again. She can think clearly again.
"Let's go inside," David tugs on her arm.
"Hold on," she whispers. She reaches in her back pocket and pulls out one more magic bean. "You better take this too. I'm sorry..."
David looks at her confused.
"Sorry," she says again, looking away.
He shakes his head in a hurry. "Not your fault," he replies.
But it's hard for Snow to believe his words when the song is already gaining ground in her mind and her muddled brain is already plotting ways, coming up with arguments on why he should let her listen to Rowan's song.
She needs to get to the song, she absolutely needs to, and David is the only one standing in her way. Why does he think this is bad anyway, it is just a song, why does he want to keep her form it?
It's nine'o clock.
Snow bends over and is gasping for air. "David!"
"I'm here," he rasps. "Tell me what you need me to do..."
"Just hand me the bean back," she pleads, "just this once. One last time, please... I'll stay away from the song tomorrow, I promise, but I have to hear it one last time!"
It kills him, having to say no to her, but he shakes his head anyway. "Can't do that..."
"Please," she says and she has tears streaming down her cheeks. "It hurts too much, David, I can't do this, it hurts too much, please! Just one bean, just this once, please!"
He tries hard to stay calm. "This will be over soon," he tries to reason with her.
"Not soon enough," she gasps, her whole body shaking. "Please!"
"Snow, I can't!" he tries not to let his exasperation show. "If you hear it again, it's only going to get harder to get away from it the next day!"
And even though he is making perfect sense, all she can feel is pain. She needs the pain to stop, she needs that song, she needs that song more that the air in her lungs or the beats of her heart. She needs that song more than anything. More than anyone. He doesn't understand. Or maybe he doesn't care.
"You don't get it. I can see that. But if you loved me you'd do this for me!" she blurts out, hating the words as they come out of her mouth, hating him for not being able to disguise the hurt in his eyes.
But the song is twisting the thoughts in her mind, the pain and the need is greater than anything else.
"You know I love you!" he tries to stay calm, he tries not to let her words touch him.
"No, I don't, I don't know anything! If you loved me, you'd let me do this one thing, if you loved me you'd listen to me. All I'm asking is for one song! If you loved me you'd understand..." Snow bends over, dry heaving, her heart beating erratically, her thoughts a dark river of anger and despair. She can't take this anymore, he has to give in. She has to make him.
"If you aren't going to help me then won't you just leave! What's the point of you even being here? Clearly you don't care, so leave! You left ten years ago, go ahead, just go!" she says and then she covers her mouth with her hand.
"Snow!" is all his says and she can't tell if he is tense or angry. But by now she knows she can't trust her mouth or her mind not to do anymore damage.
David is standing there, absolutely bewildered as his wife stares at him, her face a mask of anger and regret and fear.
All that matters is the song, the song he is not letting her get to and she hates him for it; and she hates him for not being able to hide the hurt in his eyes. At the same time she horrified with herself and the intensity of her feelings. So she closes her eyes and lets out a scream. She is sobbing and screaming, screaming, screaming so loud. Until her anger is spent, and she can't barely scream anymore. David wraps his arms around her, her back on his chest and holds her as tight as he can. Pretty soon her screams have dissolved into just sobs. She feels like her knees are going to buckle. If he weren't holding her up, she'd already have collapsed on the ground.
David is humming. It isn't a conscious choice, he just started doing it without thinking, to block out Snow's screams and she's gotten silent, listening to him, breathing fast. So he adds a few words and he keeps on humming.
And then she is finally silent, wiping her eyes.
"Is it over?" he asks.
She shrugs, unable to reply, her voice hoarse from all the screaming.
David pulls her towards the bed in the corner. She feels so awful, she can barely look at him.
He places a blanket around her shoulders, because her hands are still trembling, he hands her a glass of water all the while saying calm reassuring things.
He sits next to her, his arm around her shoulders until she is not trembling anymore. She is so exhausted, she doesn't have anything left inside her. And she is barely listening, unable to comprehend how he can stand to be near her at the moment. She opens her eyes just in time to see David walk out of the cabin.
Snow stares at the door. He walked out. He left. She managed to push him away. She asked him to leave and he left. Snow hasn't felt this miserable since... she can't even remember the last time she felt this guilty. She looks at the wall where she carved the word " Charming" again and again ten hears ago, fighting her own memory loss when they took him away. Except this time there is no one else she can blame, she drove him away on her own. She curls up on the bed and she let's herself dissolve into sobs. Her eyes are closed, her shoulders shaking.
"Snow!" she hears David rush back in, he sounds really worried. "Snow what's wrong? Is it happening again?"
She opens her eyes, she is now crying tears of relief. "You are here," she whispers. "I though you left!"
"What do you mean I left? Left to go where?" he frowns. "Told you I'd be right back."
"After all the horrible things I said to you, I wouldn't blame you if you did! David I am so so sorry, I wasn't thinking straight, I didn't mean any of it!"
"I know. I know that was the siren curse talking. And I'm certainly not going anywhere," he says plopping on the bed next to her, lacing her fingers with his. "I realized that I dropped something outside, when we used the stepping stone. I had to go find it."
"What did you drop?"
"A book. My plan on how we are going to spend the rest of our evening," he replies cryptically. He meant to save this for later but she looks so upset that now may be the perfect time. He pulls out a small paperback novel from his back pocket. "I thought once you felt a little better we could read this," he says, showing her the book cover. A woman in a skimpy outfit is brandishing a bow and arrow, standing proudly in the middle of a snowstorm.
"Snow Brite Fury" she reads the title out loud. Snow gapes at him. "Where did you even get this?"
"Bashful works at the library," he smirks. "He hunted one down for me. Well? What do you say? Are you ready?" he opens to the first chapter. " Snow Brite is sitting in her office, late in the afternoon, her long shapely legs leaning on top of her desk. The sweltering heat is getting to her...-"
"Sweltering heat?" Snow interrupts. "Isn't it snowing in the book cover?"
"Maybe her fireplace is too hot," David shrugs.
"Is this even real snow? Because she is wearing a mini skirt and no jacket..." Snow tilts her head, examining the book cover again.
"Come on, let me read, I want to know what's going on" David protests.
"If she is a brilliant detective, you'd thinks she'd be smart enough not to wear stiletto heels in the snow," Snow continues undaunted.
"How dare you question the Snow Brite cover! You are not a real fan!" he tries to keep a straight face as he reads on.
Turns out that Snow Brite is a beautiful and genius private eye, who solves crimes with minimal assistance from her handsome yet underdeveloped and unappreciated assistant, Richard Knight, who pines for her, while she ignores him and dates several powerful royals in the story.
"Richard Knight pulls Snow out of the arrows trajectory and they tumble together on the floor. His heart is thumping.
Snow Brite shakes her head. She reaches to the arrow, now lodged on the wall of her office. There is a coded message tied on it.
"Would you translate this for me?" she asks.
"Yes, but first, I need to say...-" He has finally mastered enough courage to speak up.
"No," Snow interrupts shaking her head. "Don't. Just file this in the cases that will remain forever unresolved..."
"Forever?" Richard Knight gasps. "Perhaps we could try...-" he hesitates, straightening his glasses, his hand grasping hers, his eyes filled with longing.
She places the tip of her finger on his lips, silencing him with a look. "Not tonight, kid" she says. "You and I both know this could never work between us!"
Richard leans his head against the wall. Outside, Blake Dark honks the horn of his pumpkin twice. He is here to pick up Snow for their date. Richard Knight closes his eyes. He cannot bear to watch her walk away.
David clasps his heart, closing the book. "I really don't like this story!" he exclaims.
Snow smirks. "Reading this was your idea!" she protests "Come on! What happens next?"
"Next, you no doubt stomp on my heart with your high heels and laugh about it with your very rich royal boyfriend until you dump him for the next very rich royal boyfriend, because your first royal boyfriend turned out to be the murderer!" he exclaims.
Snow laughs. "Yeah, Blake Dark is definitely the murderer," she shrugs. "Too bad Snow Bright hasn't figured it out yet..."
"Yeah, not reading any more," he mumbles under his breath.
"It isn't us!" she argues. "It's just a goofy story. It's not me and it certainly isn't you. It's just a 'will they, won't they' trope... when was this book even written?" Snow checks the publication date. "Two years ago. You weren't even around back then..."
"Yes, easy for you to say. It's not your heart laying shattered on the floor," he replies dramatically.
"Aw," Snow props her head with her arm and places her hand on his heart. "Snow Bright is a terrible terrible detective if has someone as handsome and as wonderful as Richard Knight next to her, day in and day out and she still goes on to date all the murder suspects..."
"You think he is handsome?"
"The handsomest. And the brightest. And the best..."
David is smiling brightly, thoroughly relieved he managed to get Snow's mind away from the awful side affects of missing the siren's song. "Keep going," he tries to look sad again, "I'm not entirely convinced you fully appreciate Richard Knight's qualities..."
"Oh, stop it," Snow silences him with a kiss. And as she cups his face with her hands, she whispers "thank you..."
"For what?" he asks.
"This is a really good distraction..."
Hello! Thank you for reading, thank you for reviewing, I really enjoy your input!
Bwayrox chapter 28I love Emma wanting to be a princess! These are exactly the things I would want if I were a princess. I'm so angry that Thomas won't help David and Snow get his child back. What is this hold that the lullaby has on Snow? Next week should be interesting.
:) Thank you!
Jennifer Baratta chapter 28 Outstanding chapter
Thanks Jennifer!
Guest chapter 28 Interesting development. Snow better be cursed to explain why she would become so obsessed with another man that she would abandon her husband and child just to hear him.
Yes! Absolutely.
Alexa chapter 28 Oh my! Just when I think I'm figuring things out there is another twist! Good to know Thomas didn't give their child away, he was just trying to protect Ellla. Taking the triplets and going to Belle's might not have been her best idea. Why is Snow obsessed with that song? It's like she's under a spell or hypnotized?!
Three three year olds in a library-castle. What's the worst thing that could happen? (Poor Belle)
mry23 chapter 28 Oh no this is getting serious for Snow, I wonder why that song has such a strong pull to her and I hope she can't get herself situated again. Interesting so Thomas knows and Rumple is involved. But now she's going to Belle's hmm quite interesting. I can't wait to see what i happens and I hope nothing bad happens to Snow.
:) we'll see...
Bella1296 chapter 28 Great chapter
Thanks!
Guest chapter 28 Well well well.. What an exciting chapter full of emotions and story changers. Because wow. Emma wanting to be a princess and have her knights be Star and Wilby, that's the best entourage. But I don't see Crimson fairy allowing Emma being the Emma we love magic and all. He doesn't seem like the type of fairy who will just allow Emma to talk or act the way she wants or even use magic. I would love princess Emma but I want her to be herself and to have to change like Snow had to. I understand Snow wants to protect Emma from that type of negativity. Oh that Ella / Thomas confrontation didn't go as planed.. If Ella is truly pregnant it makes sense why she would want to find her oldest child too. "There are worse things than Ella leaving me" I wonder if that's about the consequence of the deal they made with Rumple. That Ella would die if Thomas ever told her about their child? But that doesn't make sense either.. This case is so sad and confusing and it's getting more complicated by the minute. And what is the deal with the song and what is happening with Snow? Is she cursed or is the song brainwashing and is that why Thomas refuses to listen to it and Ella listens to it every night? I hope she's alright or that David can help her snap out of it.
:) Yes! And thank you!