Snow White wakes up really early and sneaks quietly into the kitchen to make breakfast. The bacon is sizzling as she scrambles five eggs. This isn't something she normally does. The fact that she still feels incredibly guilty about the way she talked to David last night, might have something to do with why she is even up this early. She walks back in their bedroom and kisses David on the cheek at first, and when he opens his eyes she smiles.

"You are up early," he mumbles, sitting up, stretching, and then he notices the breakfast tray on her hands. "Wait, what's the occasion? Do we have an anniversary or something?"

Snow shakes her head. "No occasion. Just me saying good morning..."

"Oh, well, in that case," he smirks playfully, taking the tray from her hands and placing it aside. Snow's heart is already beating faster as he pulls her in closer, his lips finding hers, his hand already under her pajama top, on her skin.

"Good morning," he whispers.

There is a reason she shouldn't go along with this, a very good reason, except she is not thinking clearly at the moment, his lips touching her neck and all she wants is to get even closer.

"What are you guys doing?" Emma's voice at the door. Emma. Emma is the reason.

Snow freezes and her eyes open wide, truly grateful that her pajamas are still on. David pulls back, and his hand is now smoothing Snow's top, as if that's what he meant to do all along.

"I was just waking your father up," Snow's voice sounding as innocent as possible.

"I was very... sleepy?" David tries to play along, but the uncertainty in his tone makes him sound unconvincing.

"Oh," Emma doesn't question their answer, "well, I'm hungry!"

Snow follows her into the kitchen. "As it happens, I already made breakfast" she exclaims, all too happy to change the subject.

Emma sits at the rustic table, stuffing a large bite of scrambled eggs in her mouth. David joins her, bringing his breakfast tray along, Snow fills herself a plate. Wilby walls over to them, wagging his tail enthusiastically.

"This is good," Emma mumbles, way too much food in her mouth.

David laughs.

Snow is at her living room window, sipping her coffee, watching Emma, now all dressed and ready, hair in a ponytail, her wand in her backpack, walking with David towards the squash stop. Emma is clearly old enough to walk to the squash stop on her own, but she her dad to walk her every morning. And it warms Snow's heart to see them walk away together.

"He is coming back, right?" Tink's voice startles Snow so bad, she almost drops her coffee cup.

"Tink!" She tries to smile, turning around to face her. "I didn't hear you come in!"

Well, Tink didn't come in exactly. She materialized on Snow's couch, which isn't exactly the same thing as coming through the front door. Snow is used to Tink showing up in their office all the time, but she's never just appeared in her living room before.

Tink looks so worried, she barely hears Snow. "He is coming back, right?" she asks. "You guys are okay?"

"Of course he is coming back, why do you ask-" Snow lets her words hang mid sentence as she realizes what Tink means. "Are you talking about last night?" she asks. Because last night, Snow under the effects of Rowan's siren song yelled at David and she accused him of terrible things she'd rather forget. "Oh... You knew it was going to be brutal, didn't you?"

Tink looks away and doesn't reply.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Snow demands. "I said awful, horrible things... I really wish you'd warned me!"

"Yeah, awful things come with the siren curse territory. Would you have let David stay with you and help you if you knew you were going to be like this?" Tink counters.

"No, of course not!" Snow's response is automatic.

"That's why I didn't tell you," Tink shrugs. "You would have tried to deal with it on your own, and you would have caved and ran back to listen to the song..."

"Is it going to be that bad every night?" Snow is almost too afraid to ask.

"Fist night is the worst," Tink explains. "A siren song is more addictive than dream-shade. The side effects are very real, and incredibly painful, but once you resist it... it should get easier overtime..."

"Oh," Snow looks relieved, even though Tink didn't give her a clear answer. Then her eyes open wide. "Wait! What about the nanny?" she exclaims. "What happens to a person that hears the song every day for a couple of years and then one day she travels far and she can't hear it?"

"I honestly don't know," Tink replies. "I imagine it would be excruciating..."

"I better call Ella," Snow reaches for her magic mirror. But Ella doesn't answer her call no matter how many times Snow tries. Snow gives up with a sigh. She walks over to Tink and shows her the picture of Rowan's parents.

"This is a picture of Rowan's mother and father," she explains. "Apparently his father was a centaur, very old fashioned, very anti siren. Rowan was certain that his mother couldn't have possibly been a siren. His father would have never married her if she was. But I'm thinking that she was a siren and hid it from him... I mean, she kind of looks like she could be a siren that died her hair... Does she look like a siren to you?"

Tink doesn't reply right away. She enlarges the picture and points to the pendant Rowan's mom is wearing.

"This looks like a dark amulet," she states matter of factly, as if Snow already knows what that means.

"A dark amulet? What does it do?" Snow leans in to look even closer.

"It's used in dark magic. In her case, I'm assuming it is changing her appearance."

"Like a glamour?"

Tink shakes her head."Not quite. A glamour just changes your appearance, with minimal side effects. A dark amulet is supposed to do one ting, while it really does something else, completely different. Usually the wearer has no idea. I bet his mom thought all her necklace did was change her appearance. But what it's really doing is siphoning all her fear and insecurity. If she married Rowan's father under false pretenses she might have worried that one day he would find out. Or maybe the amulet feeds in her deception... Whoever gave this to her, probably intended to take it back. Gather all her fear, or all her deception, trap it in the amulet for future use, no doubt for something sinister..."

"Like what?"

"If I told you all the things a dark amulet could be used for, you wouldn't sleep at night," Tink replies. That's all the information she is willing to offer. "Does his mother still have it?"

Snow shakes her head. "Both his parents have passed..."

David opens the door to see Snow and Tink deep in thought, both staring in Snow's magic mirror.

"Tink!" he smiles."What are you doing here this early?"

"I was in the neighborhood. How are you holding up?" Tink is looking worried.

"I'm fine, why?"

"No reason," Tink looks away.

"Tink forgot to mention that siren song withdrawals are brutal. She is here to make sure you are alright," Snow explains.

"Oh, that's sweet. Thanks Tink. It was fine," David shrugs.

"It was certainly not fine. I haven't been this and angry and this loud with anyone since... well, ever," Snow says shaking her head.

"It wasn't that bad," David insists.

"First night is the worse," Tink replies. "Whats the plan for today? Doing anything exciting?"

"A family reunion," Snow replies.

"Oh," Tink is already looking ready to bolt. "Tears, hugs, regret, that sort of thing?" she says.

"Pretty much," David replies. "Do you want to come along?"

"Oh, no, I'll pass," Tink's hand is up in the air, she is ready to leave. "But I do want to meet the siren, so let me know before you go and I'll tag along if you don't mind. If he has that amulet, it certainly needs to be contained..."

Tink has already faded away.

"The amulet? What amulet?" David turns to Snow.

"I'll explain on the way," Snow is putting on her daggers and her jacket. "We need to hurry. We need to make sure the nanny is alright..."

Belle's castle is a beautiful yet impenetrable fortress. It is nestled on top of a steep hill, surrounded by a moat, whose water is pouring out endlessly in a waterfall spilling down a cliff.

"I'm guessing that princess Belle really doesn't like visitors," David notes.

"Not anymore," says Thomas, who true to his word, has joined them.

Snow pulls out her magic mirror. "I need to talk to Ella," she tries again.

"Don't bother," Thomas replies. "Pretty sure Belle has a scrambler of sorts. I already tried calling..."

David is staring at the moat. There is no drawbridge in sight. "How do we get inside?"

"We are going to have to do this the old fashioned way," Thomas intervenes.

"Which is?"

"Find the castle gate that is not always on the same spot, then answer the chimera guardian's questions."

"A chimera guardian?" David frowns.

"Yes, and please don't kill this one," Thomas adds in a hurry. "Belle loves him, she will never let you in, if you do!"

"I am NOT a chimera killer!" David throws his hands up in the air. "That was my brother James..."

"Sorry, it's hard to keep up with who did what, since you are both supposed to be the same person," Thomas mumbles.

"Right," David sighs.

Snow has already walked off, walking the perimeter of the moat. It takes them a while to find the castle gate. The most exotic vegetation is growing around Belle's moat, bright green vines and prickly branches springing up in their path, tangling around their feet. Little green frogs are piling up in their path, almost trying to block their way. Why, even a lizard that has bright purple scales stares at them intently before she steps aside.

"There it is!" Snow points to the castle gate, right before she lets out a gasp. She's stepped inside a rope she didn't see. She thought it was just another vine, only this was a trap and she is now dangling five feet up in the air over the moat in a net.

"David!"

"Hold on," David cries out, pulling out his sword, ready to cut the rope down.

"Wait!" Thomas intervenes. "If you cut her down now, she is going to fall into the moat. Who knows what kind of creatures are lurking in the water..."

"What do you suggest, we leave her dangling there?" David asks incredulously.

"I cut down the rope, you pull out your sword and jump in the water. It doesn't look too deep," Thomas argues. Make sure there is nothing there..."

"Not so fast!"

They turn around to see a furry creature that looks down at them across from the moat. It is a rather strange hybrid, the head of a llama resting on a dragon's body, covered up in white shimmering fair. Under any other circumstances they'd think this chimera is cute. Why, Snow might even consider petting it.

"Are you the guardian of this castle?" David asks.

"Are you the chimera killer's brother?" the creature retorts.

"Yes, that's me! Now release my wife and let us through! We mean princess Belle no harm!" David is trying not to let the agitation show in his voice.

"First you must answer one riddle," the chimera sounds very formal. "What is green on the outside and red on the inside?"

"That's your riddle?" Snow asks from her net. "You are not going to ask about the meaning of life, or something like that?"

"Why? Do you know the meaning of life?" The chimera's ears perk up.

"Well... not exactly, but I figured it has to do with love...-" Snow frowns.

"Didn't think so," the chimera interrupts. "Well? What is green on the outside and red on the inside?"

"A watermelon! Now please, let us through!" David is feeling quite impatient.

"No! That's not it," the chimera is shaking his head.

"What is it then?" David argues.

"A tomato I dropped in green paint," the chimera snorts, laughing at his own joke.

David just stares.

"Fine, fine, fine. I suppose you answered the riddle correctly. State your purpose!"

"Here to see my wife, Ella" Thomas explains, "tell her the truth about everything..."

"Do some groveling?" The chimera raises one eyebrow.

"Certainly," Thomas replies.

"I'll be back," the chimera walks through the portcullis that raises long enough for him to pass, and into the castle walls.

"Come on," David is already waist deep in the water, his dagger drawn. "Cut the rope down!"

Three seconds later and Snow splashes in the water and David untangles her from the net.

"Thank you!" she says and then she makes a face.

"What's wrong?"

"The water is sweet!" Snow wipes her mouth. "I think we can just walk through the moat and climb up to the other side..."

"I don't know about this!" David pulls her back out of the water in a hurry.

"Why? What's behind me?" she asks trying to get out of the water as fast as possible.

"Just about twenty blue water snakes," David is doing his best to stay calm, "hopefully harmless, nothing you need to concern yourself about..."

Thomas extends his hand and helps Snow first and then David out of the water.

"I see you met some of my friends!" a woman calls out from the castle gate.

"Belle!" Snow replies. "Please let us in! Forgive us for dropping by uninvited, but we need to talk to Ella, and then we'll be out of your way... It is incredibly important..."

Belle places her arms on her waist. She doesn't look at all convinced. She is wearing a dark green dress, that is climbing around her shoulders, giving the illusion of tree bark. Why, if she hadn't met her before, Snow would think she was a definitely a tree nymph.

"Belle!" Snow tries again.

"I might consider letting you in, Snow White, but there is a strict no men policy in my castle at the moment," Belle shrugs.

Just then Robbie, one of the triplets shows up from behind Belle's skirts. "Daddy!" he yells locating Thomas and he dives straight into the moat.

"Robbie!" Thomas cries out and then all three of them Thomas, David and Snow have jumped into the moat, and are rushing as fast as possible to rescue Robbie.

The chimera beats them to it. He lifts up Robbie from the back of his pants and deposits him into his father's arms.

Thomas holds on to the child tight. Robbie doesn't quite understand what all the fuss is about, why, he likes the sweet water of the moat, so he protests his father's tight grip. And when Thomas pulls back to look at him, Robbie smiles brightly at him.

"Wanna go swimming daddy?"

"This isn't a pool buddy," Thomas tries to explain and once again he holds his boy even tighter.

"Where were you last night?" Robbie wants to know. "You didn't come say goodnight..."

"Oh, I...- I'm so sorry. I'm here now," Thomas replies.

"Do you want to see my room? There is a fort we made out of books, and there is a swing and a hammock. And we tried to make staircases out of all the books, and there is a ladder that slides to get all the books on top...-" Robbie is all too excited to tell all about Belle's castle to his father. "The llama's name is Bert!"

"I am a chimera, thank you very much," Bert mumbles under his breath.

"You saved my son," Thomas sounds so royal as he turns to thank the creature, even as he is dripping wet and disheveled. "I am forever in your debt!"

"Auntie Belle, I'm going to show dad the tree house," Robbie declares and with that, the issue of the castle entry is settled. Belle doesn't seem able to deny Robbie anything. Besides, her heart would have to be made out of stone not to be moved by their reunion.

David helps Snow out of the moat. She is actually shivering.

"Welcome!" Belle's voice is slow. She's been alone and quite for a long time and not quite sure she is interested in spending time with other humans yet.

"Hello, Belle," Snow smiles. "This is my husband David, I don't think you've ever met..."

"No, I suppose not," Belle looks inquisitively at David. "I did meet your brother once. I gave him a speech about killing innocent creatures... he wasn't very receptive."

David isn't quite sure what to say to that. He is grateful she is making the distinction though, not calling him a chimera killer outright.

Bert sticks his head closer to David, scenting him. "Definitely not him. They don't even smell the same," he notes.

"Alright," David takes a step back.

"Forgive me," Belle says looking at then trying to wring the water off their clothes. "Bert is a bit hyper vigilant when it comes to security. I certainly didn't mean for anyone to fall in the moat..."

They are all following Robbie into the courtyard and then Thomas stops walking. Because Ella is sitting under a pear tree, playing with Celia and Cedric. She looks so beautiful, a soft smile playing on her lips. Celia hands her a daisy and then Ella looks up and her smile freezes.

"Robbie! You are all wet! Did you fall in the moat?" she says rushing to pick up Robbie. "Are you okay?"

"Daddy!" Celia yells and then both kids run and crush into Thomas holding hims tight. "You came!"

Thomas is holding them tight, kissing both of them.

"Do you want to see the book room?" Celia asks.

"I have a frog under my bed," Robbie adds, squirming in his mother's arms, trying to get free.

"Noreen is sick," Celia informs him. "She fell on the ground and was not talking!"

"Do you want to see the books?" Cedric asks.

"Yes, I want to see everything, if its alright with Belle, but I need to talk to your mother first," Thomas tries. "Can you guys go play for a while?"

"I can take them," says Bert.

Thomas releases the two children who run towards Bert with squeals of delight.

"Wait for me! Can I climb on your back?" Robbie asks first.

"Me too," Celia is bouncing up and down.

"Robbie needs to change clothes first!" Ella stands up slowly.

"I'll help you," Thomas offers.

Ella stops him with a stern look. "We've got it," she says and she disappears through one of the tower's many doors.

"What's going on with the nanny?" David asks.

"She fell on the ground on the first night here and passed out. We had to call a healing fairy. She is unresponsive, at the hospital, they don't know what's wrong with her..." Belle explains.

"Oh, we should probably go see her next," Snow nods.

It takes about thirty minutes to get the children situated and playing. Bert is watching over the. Inside Belle's vast library, Ella is finally ready to listen. Snow really wants to walk away and give Thomas and Ella privacy, but Ella shakes her head.

"I need you here," she says including David and Belle in her request.

Ella is sitting on the window seat, watching Thomas who is standing next to her, shifting uncomfortably from one leg to the other.

"Well?" Ella frowns. "Are you ready to talk?"

And as Snow looks on the scene unfolding in front of her, she thinks she is looking at a sad queen holding court, about to banish her trusted knight who feels his fate is already sealed and there is no point to defending his honor.

"I missed you Ellie," Thomas blurts out, moving towards her, his hand reaching for her. This isn't how he meant to start of course, he has a whole speech prepared. Why, he woke up this morning, he put on his best jacket and polished his daggers, he put on his shiniest boots and he came here prepared. Calm, ready. His words in perfect reasonable order in his mind. But he already jumped in the moat, and he is looking disheveled and feeling wet and miserable, while Ella is the very picture of grace and poise, and now the words are tumbling around in his mind, and he is not certain where to start. This all feels so hopeless.

Ella purses her lips, looking away.

Thomas sighs. "Forgive me... that's not what I'm here for...I got carried away. Alright," he starts. " No matter what, you deserve to know..." he looks like he is trying to convince himself. "This all started twelve years ago... when my father decided we needed to be more open, get closer to the people. He organized several open events, where everyone was welcome. One of the events was a ball. You'd saved money and bought a gown, and you planned on coming. You were very excited about it, you'd spent all your savings on your gown. And then your stepmother found your dress in the back of your closet and returned it to the store. She kept your money. Told you this was to teach you your place, there was no point in wasting money in frivolities, you weren't going to the ball anyway, you were needed to stay at home, you weren't done with your chores. Of course she added a lot of chores to your weekly duties, ensuring you would never be done. Which was evil and abusive and manipulative and incredibly unfair... You were devastated and asked your fairy godmother for help. Except she didn't come. The Dark One came instead."

Ella is looking confused. "Yes, Thomas, I know all this, but I don't remember the Dark One coming," she protests.

"Wait, just, hear me out," Thomas pleads. "The Dark One showed up, offered you a new gown and glass slippers. Once you were all dressed up, he asked for payment. You had nothing of value to pay him with, you barely had any clothes that weren't rags. You thought he'd take back the gown, your hopes of going to the ball dashed not once but twice. Except he didn't. He said you could pay him in the future, once you had something of value to offer. He asked you to sign a contract."

Ella's eyes open wide. Belle, standing alone in the darkest library corner is holding her breath.

"You were young," Thomas is quick to add. "You spent your whole life cleaning after your stepmother and our sisters, you didn't know much about the Dark One. He tricked you... You came to the ball. And we danced together... I'd never met anyone like you. You were raw and honest and amazing. You didn't try to act all proper and royal I loved that about you... I was in love with you the moment you took off your shoes and slipped your feet in the water fountain. You know the rest. We got engaged, you moved in the castle, then we got married, you got pregnant... And then the Dark One came and informed you he was ready to call in your bargain. He wanted our first child!"

Ella gasps standing up. "What?"

Belle closes her eyes, leaning against the wall. She is not surprised.

"You were horrified, you didn't know what to do. You packed up your bags. You were ready to run away. Except you decided to trust me and told me the truth instead. And I made you a promise. I'd find a way out, I'd change the bargain, I'd get you out of this. I am a prince, I have infinite resources, you'd think I'd be able to do this," Thomas voice cracks.

Ella has tears streaming down her face.

"There was nothing I could do. I sent official envoys, I sent letters, I hired lawyers and contract experts, I summoned the Dark One outright. When he didn't come I knocked on his door and I offered my life, I offered my service. I never got a response. I might as well have been talking to myself. And then the baby was born..." Thomas' voice is hoarse. "And we named her Alexandra." he says. He pulls out a faded photograph and hands it to her. His hands are trembling.

Ella covers her mouth with her hand. She doesn't want to make any noise, she doesn't want to interrupt. She needs to know more.

"We didn't know what to do. We expected the Dark One to show up in the delivery room and take the child. We kept the pregnancy a secret. No point in announcing to the kingdom a child was coming, if she wasn't ours to keep..."

Thomas leans against the wall and continues with his harrowing story. "We slept every night with the baby laying in between us. We thought maybe if we held her tight...- I didn't really sleep much. I was watching over her, I was watching over you... And after the first few nights, when nothing happened, we began to hope. Maybe he'd changed his mind. Maybe he wasn't coming... On the seventh night, we woke up and the space in between us was empty. The baby had vanished into thin air. No one had entered our room. But the baby was gone... And we knew... The Dark One had come to collect."

Ella nods, wiping her eyes.

"Ellie, you were not well. You wouldn't talk, you wouldn't eat, I thought I was losing you too. And then you suggested I give you a memory potion. I knew it was illegal, and I could get in trouble but the thought of losing you too was horrifying. And it's what you wanted. So I got a forgetting potion from Queen Regina. She was very accommodating..."

Snow tenses up at the mention of her stepmother.

Ella is just sitting there staring at the baby's picture.

"I have no idea if erasing your memory was the right thing to do. I have no idea if telling you the truth now is right either. Ellie, I just don't know..." Thomas slumps against the wall, hopeless.

Ella is silent for a long time, staring at the baby's picture..

Thomas buries his face in his hands. She is probably going to order him out of Belle's castle and out of her life anyway. There is no fixing this. After talking to David yesterday, he dared to have hope. But now that he told the truth he feels more lost than ever.

He is so shocked when he feels Ella's hand on his shoulder, when she stands in front of him and raises his face with her fingers to look in his eyes. When she wipes his tears away, even though she is crying too.

"You are so cold," she whispers. "Tommie, your clothes are still wet, you are going to get sick..."

And Thomas is so relieved, he clasps her hand in his, kissing it. "I'm so sorry," Ella says softly and he leans against her and buries his face in the nape of her neck, his shoulders shaking.

"Forgive me," Ella continues, caressing his back, letting him cry. "I should have never asked you to bear this burden alone..."

"Ellie, I don't know what else to do," he whispers through his sobs. "I don't know how to find her!"

Ella doesn't reply, she just keeps holding him tight.

Hi! How are you guys? Thanks for being here, thanks for reading, thanks for reviewing. I appreciate your thoughts and ideas.

Jennifer Baratta chapter 29 Awesome chapter and your welcome

Thank you!

Alexa chapter 29 LOL! David Benning jealous of Rowan's looks and manliness! Finding out about the Snow Brite books was an interesting twist.. wonder who wrote them? Someone who knew about David and them not being able to be together?!

Glad they convinced Thomas to talk to Ella and tell her everything. Hopefully nothing bad happened when the nanny wasn't able to hear the siren song?

:) Thank you!

Bwayrox chapter 29 Wow, I didn't expect Snow to be that strongly affected by the song with David thereto help. Good writing! Lol that David is jealous over the Snow Brite stories.

:)

Bella1296 chapter 29 Wonderful chapter!

Thanks Bella!

Guest chapter 29 Wow. This chapter was a big one and so powerful but not in a way you expect, like I'm in shock over everything that happened during it. It was truly the world wind of a chapter wrapped up in an angsty bow, which I love. The emotions was so high and loud and chaotic. And I think I've mentioned this before, that you write these heavily emotional scenes so perfectly that readers can feel everything that's going on in these tense scenes and it's so good. I don't know if I can say I'm glad Snow came home safely because she was not? Like she's caught in a trance that's hurting her. But I'm glad that no psychical harm was done to her. Also poor David who really thought Snow was kidnapped again under his protection and in their own backyard. I can only imagine the panic he had when he called Tink for an emergency help. I don't blame Tinks reaction, I wouldn't want to be the third wheel to a lovey and emotional Snow and David either. Of course Rowan is a hunk, he's so funny and the fact that he's a fan of Snow "Brite", hilarious. David was so jealous that he seemed to forget that he's hunk but more importantly he has Snows whole heart in his hands, so there's no contest who would win. We got a important puzzle piece in the where's Ella's baby mystery. Thomas reveal was very shocking yet it makes sense but he should still come clean, and tell Ella everything. It was a good plan but it's clearly not working anymore. The sword fighting was a cute scene to lead up to what's to come. Oh Snow.. that whole scene shocked me so much. Like the fact that she was so affected and possessed by this was scary. I wouldn't wanna trade places with David either, because he had to take all those horrific and bad things she said and then listen to all her screaming. Hopefully that was the worst time and it doesn't have to get that bad again. I wonder writes the Snow brite books and what do they have against Richard. I'm glad the chapter got a very cute ending. Where do we go from here? I'm sorry for such a long review. I clearly got some feelings along the way.

Wait, who did write the Snow Brite books? I didn't think to come up with who the writer is. :) Also thank you!

thescturn chapter 29 i loved this!

Thank you!