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. This story is for true Snowing fans that know something like an age gap would never hinder their love.

The curse has lasted 20 years in this verse until they found Storybrooke.

Here are individual responses:

MerlockVonBaron: Yep Tink is posing as a Detective and Regina questions her in this chapter. Yep, it will be interesting to see how Neal gets out of this.

Grace5231973: Yeah, Cora may soon regret the can of worms she just opened. The reason why Tink may be working for Pan is revealed a bit in this chapter as Regina confronts her. I like this Snowing too. They're ready to fight and it comes out in David in a big way in this chapter. :)

Jennifer Baratta: Yep, Snowing and Rumple are going to make Cora pay. Glad you're enjoying it so much!

Number Ten: The reasons Tink may be working for Pan is revealed in this chapter when Regina confronts her. Michael is just a normal person so he's about to get very confused. Greg is interested in exposing the secrets of the town. Yeah, in real life, Neal's deal isn't too bad, but Papa Rumple isn't going to let it happen. And as the detective turns his attention to Emma, we're about to see Daddy bear Charming wake up in a big way. :)

AnonSnowing: Yeah, it's possible that Midas may have done that to Frederick if he wasn't keen on him marrying Abigail. It would have been the way to go without making himself look like the villain. Yeah, I could see their friends making a bet like that, lol. Yeah, remember, everyone that runs in Kathryn's circle, including Johanna in this curse, thinks Kathryn is wonderful and David is meant to be in the place he was. That's how those people think. Yep, Johanna might not be what she seems. I have some theories on that. Unfortunately, Cora dying will not break the curse, but I can't tell you more than that. Yeah, Emma is up for interrogation and I think you'll enjoy protective Snowing in this chapter. Yes, this Snowing is ready to fight. I know, David was breaking my heart too. You'll really enjoy the Daddy Charming in this chapter. Yes, there might be some past fears Snow has about that. I may get into it in a later chapter. Yeah, Cora is the worst and she gets worse in this chapter if that's even possible. Yep, another twist with throwing Tink in here. Glad you enjoyed it! :)

sexystarwarslover: I know, Emma going to jail would be the absolute worst. But Snowing is ready to fight and I think you will love the protective Daddy Charming in this chapter. Lacey is attracted to him and she has ulterior motives, but we know those will disappear once she's Belle again. Yeah, Kathryn's socialite crowd thinks she's good and that it's okay to treat David that way. Yep, a sleeper agent. I have some head canons about Johanna that I'll be exploring here later on. I know, Charming was breaking my heart too. Yeah, Cora might regret the can of worms she just opened by bringing them to town. She wasn't expecting Tinkerbell. Yeah, poor Kathryn. It really isn't her fault. Glad you're enjoying it! :)

A Darker Curse

Chapter 23: Whatever It Takes

Snow gazed through the window to the interrogation room and tried to calm her racing heart. She was trying to clamp down on her panic, as she refused to break down with Cora in the room. She wouldn't give her the satisfaction, but she was finding it increasingly difficult to stay calm as the moments passed.

Slowly, she felt a bit of it ebb away, as he put his arms around her waist.

"They're not taking Emma from us. If I have to move us into the woods or we have to live on the run, then that's what we'll do," he said. She sniffed.

"Never again Snow...she's not separating this family again," he promised, as he pressed a kiss to her hair. She turned in his arms and hugged him tightly, almost afraid that he was going to disappear. They looked at Gold, as he came out of the interrogation room with Neal.

"What happened?" Snow asked with bated breath.

"They offered me a deal. Three years with the possibility of early parole. It's not a bad deal for the charges," Neal said.

"You're taking it?" Snow asked in surprise.

"Of course he's not taking it," Gold answered for him.

"Papa…" Neal said with a sigh.

"No Bae...I told you that I am not losing you again," he snapped, as hobbled toward Cora.

"If he is taken away...there will be no where you can hide from me," he warned. She smirked.

"I look forward to any battle with you, Rumple...you always lose against me," she cooed.

"Not this time," he hissed, as he went back inside the interrogation room to represent Emma.


Emma sat in the interrogation room and waited for the Detective to start asking questions.

"Miss Swan...we have several surveillance tapes on record that show Mr. Cassidy pocketing goods, while it appears you are distracting the store proprietor," the detective said.

"That's what you're going with? Because in this video, it appears that Miss Swan is actually purchasing goods from the store clerk," Gold objected.

"That's a well known tactic with teams of thieves. One actually makes a purchase, while the other is stealing them blind," Michael argued.

"Hardly much to go to a jury with. Especially when the young woman you are attacking is just a young, single mother that has moved to a small town to raise her baby. A young mother who is now our town's deputy," Gold countered.

"Yes...a young, single mother. Raised by another single mother. I pulled your mother's file, Miss Swan," Michael said.

"You leave my mother out of this. She has nothing to do with any of it," Emma snapped, which made the detective smirk and Gold put his hand up to silence her.

"You know...it's not often in the digital age that I run across someone that hasn't left a digital footprint, but before 1983, there's no real record of your mother and when I ran her in the system, her papers came up as fake. Your brother's too. That makes them undocumented persons in this country and forged identities is also a criminal offense," detective Bishop said. Emma looked like a deer in the headlights at that information. She had never anticipated that this detective would have dug so deep into her mother's background.

"Miss Swan's mother is not on trial here," Gold interjected.

"But she could be," Michael warned.

"Mary Margaret Swan is not an undocumented person," Regina interjected, as she walked through the door.


Outside the room at the same time

"Oh Gods…" Mary uttered, as she realized that the documents she had managed to get for herself and August all those years ago were now in question.

"Dammit...this could be bad," August muttered to David.

"He's not taking Emma and he sure as hell isn't going to take you or Snow either," David hissed, as he pressed a kiss to his wife's head.

"Stay with her," he said, as he went over to talk to Regina, who was talking to Graham at the same time.

"We have to do something…" he blurted out.

"And I am getting ready to go in there now. I have a plan and part of it is this," Regina said, as Graham handed a badge to him. He was stunned for a moment and took the star in his hand.

"While Emma is embroiled in this calamity, I need help and Regina tells me that there is no one better to deputize than you to help protect this town," Graham said. David swallowed thickly, as the insecurities he still had from the abuse he had suffered gnawed at him and told him there was no way he was good enough for this. But he banished those thoughts and clipped the star to his belt. If wearing this badge meant finally getting to protect the people he loved, then he was eager.

"You can count on me and I think I might know of something that will help get rid of them. It's a bit outrageous, but if it sends them running for the town line, because it's too crazy for them to handle, then I'm good with that," he said. Regina smirked and walked past him to go into the room, but not before leaning close.

"Welcome back, Prince Charming," she said, as she burst into the room.

"Mary Margaret Swan is not an undocumented person," Regina interjected.

"Oh?" he asked.

"She's my step-sister and she escaped our town with Emma when she was a baby to save her life. She took August too and adopted him to protect him as well," Regina explained.

"And what exactly was she running from?" Michael inquired.

"My mother...the very woman that called you here. She's the real villain in all this and once again, she's trying to destroy my sister and her family. But now that I'm older and finally in a position of power...I'm not going to let her do it. Or you," Regina said.

"If she's an undocumented person in this country, one call to the correct government agency, and it will be out of all our hands," Michael replied.

"Really? You're going to call the Feds and get yourself kicked off your own case?" Regina questioned skeptically and he looked a little startled by that, as she had clearly called his bluff.

"Fine...give me one good reason why I should believe this story?" he questioned, as the door opened again and David stood in the doorway.

"Because...I was there for all of it. Emma's best chance was leaving this place, even if it killed me to see her and her mother go," David interjected. The detective looked confused.

"I'm sorry...who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Mary Margaret's husband...and Emma's father," he announced.


Outside the room at the same time

Snow gasped, as her husband dropped information that the people from outside their world wouldn't be able to understand.

"Charming...what are you doing?" she said in a worried tone. August chuckled.

"Yeah...we're not going anywhere, mom, because your husband is about to go all Prince Charming on their asses," he quipped.

"But...they'll never believe it," she replied.

"Oh, I don't think they'll have any choice," August said, as she listened to the spectacle.

"I'm sorry...you want me to believe that you're this young woman's father?" Michael asked, almost laughing at the idea of it.

"I don't care what you believe," David said, as he plucked a hair from his head and put it in an evidence bag that Regina handed to him.

"Take it and a sample from Emma. Have the hospital run it and I'm guarantee that it will prove it," David said.

"And even if I were to go test your DNA against hers...how does that change the fact that your supposed daughter is a potential suspect in several thefts?" Michael asked.

"It would definitely prove that there is obviously more going on here than you know and things you don't understand. And as for your case against Emma...if I had to guess, it's circumstantial at best. You just want to question her to see if you can get her to admit anything. I'm no stranger to interrogation tactics," David replied. He was bluffing a bit there, but he had a good amount of confidence in his ability to at least intimidate even the seasoned detective before him. And he could tell that his mind was doing gymnastics, as he looked between them. Emma was the perfect mixture of himself and Snow and the resemblance was obvious. No one bothered to look for it before, but now that it was on the table...it was hard to deny.

Greg studied the man with scrutiny and could see the resemblance between them. It was really weird, but then...that's why he was here. This town had popped into existence twenty-eight years ago and he knew that meant strange things were going on here. This might be the start of exposing it all.

"I'll take you up on that test," Greg spoke up and Michael looked at him in surprise. Emma shrugged and plucked a hair from her head

"Can we please get back to my questions for Miss Swan?" Michael interjected.

"Is my client under arrest?" Gold questioned. Michael gave him a hard look.

"Not at this time," he said reluctantly.

"Which means you really have only conjecture against her so without any hard evidence, then we are done here," Gold stated.

"Your son is still very much under arrest and he's spending the night in that holding cell. Then tomorrow morning, he's leaving for Portland with us," Michael hissed.

"I do have some questions for your mother, Miss Swan," he said.

"No...you don't. My sister-in-law, our new Mayor, just told you that she's native to this town," David responded.

"He's right...I can get the town Census if you'd like and I can assure you that my mother, the former Mayor who had a stranglehold on this town until now, is the real evil. She's ripped out more hearts than you can imagine," Regina added.

"Fine...but this isn't over. There is something rotten in this town and we're going to find out what it is," Greg said, as he and Detective Bishop left the room. Tia was about to follow them, but Gold and Regina cut her off.

"Not so fast...fairy," Gold growled. The blonde smirked.

"So you know," she said.

"Did you really think I wouldn't recognize you?" Regina asked.

"It doesn't matter," Tinkerbell replied.

"It does!" Regina exclaimed.

"Your mother ruined my life," she spat.

"Look around...she's ruined everyone's lives! But we're finally making progress against her. She's going down, so I'd like to know why you of all people would do anything to help her," Regina hissed.

"I'm not doing any of this to help her...believe me," Tinkerbell answered.

"Then why are you here, Tink? Cause I'd really like to know. I really thought we were friends," Neal interjected, as he stepped back into the room.

"You know Tinkerbell?" Emma asked.

"I was in Neverland for almost two hundred years. It's how I'm still alive," Neal replied. Emma's mind was a little blown at that, but then there was a lot she had never known about him before he came back into her life.

"Bae...I'm glad you're okay and that you got away," she said.

"Looks like you got away too," he mentioned and she frowned.

"Not exactly," she said, as Emma turned to her father. Emma wanted to listen in on that, but she took a moment to turn her attention to her father.

"Dad...are you sure that was a good idea? The DNA is going to match and it's not going to make any sense to them," Emma said.

"No...but it distracted them enough, especially that district attorney. He seemed pretty interested, which begs the question as to why. Seems like he might not be the only one that isn't what he seems," David replied. Emma had never thought about that and felt relief, as he hugged her.

"No one's taking you and your mother from me again," he promised, as he pressed a kiss to her hair, just as Snow came rushing into the room. She practically tackled him to the ground and he took her in his arms, as she crushed her lips against his.

As their lips parted, they started to hear things get pretty heated between Regina and the blonde detective that was really Tinkerbell, a former fairy.

"What do you mean...not exactly?" Neal asked. But his eyes widened, as he saw his father swing his cane at her. She dodged and David jumped in to diffuse the situation.

"Whoa...whoa...what are you doing?" he asked, but Rumple ignored the Prince.

"You're working for him," he growled in an accusatory manner.

"Not by choice...but it was the only way to get out of that hellhole," Tink replied.

"Working for who?" Regina questioned.

"Shit...please tell me you're not working for him," Neal said in exasperation.

"Someone better tell me who the hell you're talking about," Regina interjected.

"Pan…" Rumple hissed.

"Well...isn't that kind of obvious? I mean in the story I always heard...Tinkerbell kind of worked for Pan," Emma chimed in.

"Em...you of all people know that this world's quote, official story, is rarely on point," August reminded her and she shrugged.

"But nothing on Pan is in your book," Snow interjected.

"No...but I'm still the author and the pen tells me things," August said, as he met Gold's gaze and he sighed.

"Tell them...or I have to," he prodded. Gold glared at him and he shrugged.

"They're my family and every time I lie, it seems to come with more consequences than it does for a normal person," August added.

"Papa...do you know Pan?" Neal asked.

"Yes...he's my father," Gold announced, shocking them all.

"Your father?" Regina asked in disbelief.

"Isn't Pan a kid?" Emma wondered.

"Not really...he just looks like one," August answered, as they looked at Neal, whose mouth was ajar.

"I take it you didn't know that," Emma said.

"That...psycho is my grandfather?" Neal questioned.

"No...he stopped being my father when he abandoned me, so he's no grandfather to you. He's the worst...even worse than Cora," Gold said.

"Why would you work for Pan?" Neal asked in disbelief.

"Isn't it obvious?" Tinkerbell asked.

"Your freedom. The question is...what does he want in return? Because not even my pen is telling me what that is," August replied, as their eyes met, before hers finally flicked back to Neal.

"You should say your goodbyes, Baelfire. We'll be leaving for Portland in the morning," she said, as she prepared to leave. Rumple blocked her path and she glared at him.

"Out of my way, Dark One…" she hissed.

"You're not going anywhere, flea," he hissed back.

"Move...or I'll make sure you join your son in a jail cell," she threatened.

"If you think this is over...you have another thing coming," Gold replied, as he stepped aside and let her leave.

"What now?" Emma wondered.

"We work on a plan to make sure those detectives don't take either of you away," David replied.


Cora stared at the blonde detective through the glass and their eyes met, as she walked out into the office part of the station.

"Well, well...long time no see, Madam Mayor," Tink said smugly.

"Oh that's right...former Mayor. Unfortunately, you look none the worse for wear after your fall from power, but I'd say if the lynch mob in there has anything to do with it, you're going to be burning at the stake when they're done," she added, as Cora glared at the former fairy.

"That's definitely a bonfire that I'd bring marshmallows to," she joked, as Kathryn looked confused by the whole thing.

"Excuse me...who are you? And why would David claim that he's Emma's father? That's insane. And he keeps saying he's that little tramp's husband when he's really mine," Kathryn complained. Tink rolled her eyes.

"Whoa...you really did a number on this one I see," the blonde commented, as she brushed past her.

"Watch your back, Madam Mayor...you have made a lot of enemies and you might find a knife in it," Tink said, as she left the station.

"Cora…" Kathryn started to say.

"Shut up and follow me," Cora snapped, as the blonde obeyed.

"Where are we going?" Kathryn asked.

"I have something I must do to ensure that all my enemies will be destroyed," Cora answered darkly.


"So...what's our next move?" David muttered to Rumple.

"I think the real question is...how far are you willing to go to protect our families, deputy?" Rumple countered. David glanced over at Emma, Snow, and August, as they both exchanged hugs with his wife.

"Too far doesn't exist when it comes to them. What do we need to do?" David asked. Rumple smirked.

"Your little stunt with the DNA was a nice touch and it might be just the distraction we need. Depending upon how that goes, I'll know what we need to do next. For now...take your family home," he instructed. David nodded and put his arm around Snow. They exited the interrogation room, just as Cora was leaving with Kathryn following her like a puppy. By the way they were walking, it was clear they were off somewhere with purpose.

"What do you think they're going to try next?" Snow asked, with a slight quiver in her voice. Her normally strong exterior had been deeply shaken by these people's attempts to take her daughter away. But unlike so many times in the last twenty years, she wasn't facing adversity alone this time.

"I don't know and I don't care, because they can't tear this family apart again. She may have succeeded once before, but her time in power is over. She's going to lose this time," he promised. Snow turned and he pulled her into his arms, as she rested her head against his shoulder. His words, as always, gave her hope and comfort. But she also knew Cora. She knew she was desperate again and feared what it may drive her to do now.

"Let me take you home," he suggested and she nodded.

"Honey...are you coming?" she asked their daughter.

"Uh...I'll be along later. I think Neal and I are going to take little David to the park and spend some time with him, you know, just in case," Emma replied.

"We're not letting you go, princess...and if I know Gold like I think I do...he won't be letting his son go either," David promised. She nodded, as a few tears escaped down her cheeks and they hugged her between them.

"I love you guys," she said, as she felt her mom press a kiss to her forehead.

"We love you too, baby and we're finally a family," she said, as she took her daughter's hands in her own.

"Your father is right...there is no way in hell we are letting you go and that goes for Neal too," she promised. Emma nodded, as she watched him put their son in his stroller and then went to join him, as they left the station. The detective and the district attorney would be upset to find that they didn't put Neal in a cell when they returned to the station, but she couldn't be bothered to give a damn.

"How about you, sweetheart?" Snow asked, as she noticed her son's preoccupation.

"Yeah...I'll be home later too. I think there's a story to chase here," August replied.

"You mean with Tinkerbell," Snow deduced.

"There is a long, sordid story there and it stops at the point when Blue banished her," he said, as he scoffed.

"Another person screwed over by the benevolent Blue Fairy. I think she needs to know she's in good company," he said.

"You think you can find some common ground with her?" David asked.

"It's worth a shot. You know, I don't know a lot about Pan, but I do know that he's known to prey on lost people. Maybe she just needs someone to offer her a home, like you did for me, Mom," August said, as he looked at her.

"Me?" Snow asked. He smiled and gently hugged her.

"You once told me that all you wanted when you were on the run as a bandit was a home and that you found it when you met David," he reminded her.

"And then I found it with you," he added.

"I mean...I know I had Geppetto for a while and he was a good papa, but to be honest, I don't remember a lot of that. I was too young and the trauma of the night the curse was cast and what he did will always overshadow it all," he continued.

"He was scared, honey...don't be too hard on him," Snow admonished.

"You're kind for saying that, Mom...but regardless, I would have been a very lost little boy without you. I honestly don't know how I would have turned out if you hadn't come through the wardrobe after me," he said.

"What was taken from you...from you both was so unfair. You lost almost everything, but you gave everything to me," he replied, as Snow melted and hugged him tightly.

"I love you so much sweetheart," she gushed.

"I love you too, Mom and we were always okay, because you fought and worked so hard for us," he said, as he gazed down at her.

"But now...we no longer have to worry ourselves about you," he said, as he looked at David with a smile. Snow smiled shyly, as David slid his arms around her.

"No...you don't," she said.

"Anyway, maybe Tinkerbell just needs to know that Pan's way isn't the only way and that maybe she can find a home, instead of doing his bidding. Either way, there is a story here and I think it needs to be in the book," he said, as he left the station as well.

"Do you think all that is really about a story?" David asked her and she smiled.

"Definitely not, but I think I'll take you up on that offer to take me home," she replied. He smiled and kissed her tenderly, before leading her out to his truck.


As Gold stormed back to his shop, he was surprised when he ran into Lacey.

"Oh...there you are. I was actually on my way to the station. I...I heard about your son," she said.

"Well...whatever you heard isn't happening," he growled, as he brushed past her.

"You mean they're not taking him out of town?" she asked curiously.

"Oh, they're going to try and if they do...I will make sure it is the last thing any of them do," he said darkly.

"Let me help," she offered and he looked at her skeptically.

"You want to help me?" he questioned. She shrugged.

"You helped me by putting Keith in his place and I'd like to help you with whatever you need," she replied.

"I'm not a good man. If you want to work with me, you might see some very dark things," he warned. She smirked.

"Oh I'm counting on it," she replied. He wasn't sure whether to be excited by her attitude or sad. On one hand, Lacey being attracted to his darkness was inviting. But Belle had always been the opposite of that and therein kept him tied to his humanity. Either way though, he didn't have time for any of it.

"Come along if you so wish," he said, as she followed him with a smirk.


The more this day went on, the more confused Kathryn grew. Everything David had said and done at the station had confused her to her very core. He had told that detective that he was Mary Margaret's husband and Emma's father. It was absolutely ludicrous, but then he had gone and given them a DNA sample like it would be some sort of proof. It was impossible though. Complete and utter lunacy and yet no one else around him was treating it as such. Instead, the new Mayor Mills and Sheriff Humbert had rewarded his idiocy by giving him a deputy badge of all things. And if she hadn't felt like she was in the Twilight Zone before...she did now.

She had followed Cora to the old library, which had been locked and boarded up for years. Cora had pulled out an astonishingly large ring of more keys than Kathryn had ever seen and let them into the old building. Sidney Glass was there too and she had gotten into a hand cranked elevator with the former Mayor.

Now she was confused and terrified, for they had been lowered into a cavern beneath the library and it was pitch black.

"What...what are we doing down here?" Kathryn asked, as she finally found her voice.

"I need something," Cora replied vaguely, as she watched the woman look and stopped, as she leaned up against something.

"This...this doesn't feel like a wall. It...it feels scaly…" Kathryn said in a frightened tone, as she walked back from the mass that lay in the cavern.

"What...what is that?" she asked, as her eyes refused to believe what they were seeing.

"Never mind that! Get over here!" Cora hissed, as the other woman stumbled around the rocky outcroppings in the cavern, until she finally found Cora and stared at the object before them.

"A coffin?" Kathryn squeaked with a quiver in her voice. Cora smirked and gently ran a gloved hand along the dirty glass covering.

"A glass coffin," she corrected.

"This was once the answer to me getting everything I ever wanted," she continued.

"She was never supposed to be such a problem...but she rallied more love and support around her than even her distasteful mother ever could. But this was supposed to be her end," she said.

"She was supposed to sleep here eternally, her own body as her tomb. And he was supposed to be executed so he could never press the kiss of true love to her red lips," she continued.

"Then her suffering would have been eternal. She would never awaken, yet never die...she'd never be allowed to reunite with her true love and then my revenge would have been complete," she growled, as she thrust her hand through the glass and pulled out a small, velvet pouch.

"But they ruined it...they ruined my perfect revenge and now my perfect curse," she said, as she pulled a large black diamond out of the pouch and cruel smile curled on her lips.

"What is that?" Kathryn asked. Cora looked at her.

"The only way I'm ever going to get rid of all my enemies," Cora replied darkly.