See previous chapters for summaries and warnings.
Thanks for the incredible response to this fic! Keep the reviews coming.
The curse has lasted 20 years in this verse until they found Storybrooke.
Here are individual responses:
MerlockVonBaron: Yep, Blue has pissed everyone off once again and hopefully, she'll eventually get what's coming to her.
Ghostwriter: Thanks! Glad you're enjoying it. Yeah, I used the phrase child's play, but it had nothing to do with Chucky, lol. Just a saying. :)
Jennifer Baratta: Yep, Geppetto really stepped in it this time. :)
Number Ten: Yep, Geppetto and Blue just put him in serious danger, on top of taking away his free will. Yeah, Geppetto can't hear anything except his point of view and what he wants. But you're right, August is still in there. Me too, I'm ready for Snowing baby #2 as well. He was turned back to a boy in season 2 after he turned completely wood to save his life. Then he was turned back by Rumple in season 4.
Sexystarwarslover: Yep, Geppetto made a huge mistake. He and Blue not only took away his free will, but unknowingly put him in mortal danger. I know, Snow is so kind, even though it often backfires. August will always have the Charmings. Yep, Snowing had to have a little conversation before sex this time. Yes, Geppetto is being very selfish and refuses to listen to what August wants. And he and Blue pushed it and went through with it. Bad things will probably happen because of them. But Snowing will rescue him. Glad you're enjoying it. :)
Grace5231973: Yes, they made a huge mistake! They took away August's free will and put him in mortal danger. They will definitely pay! :)
AnonSnowing: Yeah, I agree. Even if David was alone(which he will never be), he wouldn't be hurting others to get what he wants. Geppetto has gone off the deep end. He is fighting for his son in all the wrong ways. If he'd just accept the other people in his life, August would come to him. Yeah, head injuries have a way of knocking things loose. I think it works for David, because he was never fully cursed. He had those memories of Snow in Heart of Darkness and unfortunately just misinterpreted them. Yeah, that would be hard for Snowing. I'd rather not talk about that.
Yeah, the printing press he's using is 1980's tech so probably not the best. Yeah, I like to get my history in there when I can. Yes, David would know about protective mothers. Yeah, her attire was definitely driving David wild. Yep, she's walking on air having him back. Menopause did happen early for her. It can happen early and it probably would have been a gut punch, because she thought that was it. Fortunately, she's getting a another chance to raise a baby with David.
I love the brother-sister relationship Emma and August have too. Having a big brother was probably a lot of help growing up. And having a little sister probably helped keep August grounded. Unfortunately, Geppetto is being very selfish and can only think about what he wants. Yeah, the outside world was not kind. Yep, Geppetto doesn't care at this point. He only wants what he wants. Yes, if Tamara made him kill himself, then she probably had something on him or threatened some other horrible fate and he took the less painful way out. We will see if it eventually comes out. Yes, he somehow got what he wanted from Blue and he is very rude to the Charmings. Yep, they actually did it and it's going to have bad consequences. Regina is right and you're right, true love will win in the end. Yeah, Blue is enjoying making Tink miserable. Yep, I think Pinocchio felt something familiar. Yep, their little display made them lose track of Tamara and that will lead to disaster. Glad you enjoyed it! :)
A Darker Curse
Chapter 32: Abduction
David sighed and pulled the curtain closed around the bed. He had taken Snow home after the celebration was ruined by the debacle created by Geppetto and Blue. He could scarcely believe that had happened right before their eyes. The door opened and Emma came in, before closing it behind her.
"Hey...how's Mom?" she asked quietly.
"She finally cried herself to sleep. I held her...feeling helpless, because I can't spare her any of this pain," he replied. Emma took his hands.
"Just you being here for her makes it easier, Dad," she assured him.
"I just wish I realized that he was that desperate," David lamented.
"Dad...none of us knew he would go to those lengths or that Blue would even agree to help him. That's what really gets me...she's supposed to be good," Emma said.
"She lied to us about the wardrobe to help Geppetto. I should have known she wouldn't refuse him again," he replied, as he looked at her.
"How are you doing? He's your brother," he mentioned. Tears filled Emma's eyes.
"I miss him…" she said quietly. He took her in his arms and cradled her head.
"I miss him, Daddy," she cried, as he held her.
"I know, princess...and I'm going to do whatever I can to get him back," he promised. She shook her head.
"Even if Gold can come up with a way to turn him back...the only way we'd ever get to him is if we kidnap him," she said.
"And your mother would never go for that if it meant traumatizing him," David realized.
"He still seemed to know her though...even though he called her Princess Snow," Emma recalled.
"Even back in our land...he loved Snow. but you're right, she'd never stoop to the lows that Geppetto did," he agreed. She nodded.
"And our perfectly laid trap for Tamara was ruined at the same time," she said.
"Hey...we'll get her. Are you sure you don't need me at the station today?" he asked. She shook her head.
"Things are pretty quiet...and I'd rather you stay with Mom," Emma said. He nodded.
"Though we still need to figure out what to do with Detective Bishop," she said.
"Keeping him locked up is unlawful, but we can't just release him back into the Land Without Magic with everything he saw," she added.
"I think a memory potion will be the best solution for that. I'm sure Gold can help and then we can help the Detective over the town line," he replied. She nodded.
"Time for lunch?" he asked. She smirked.
"I won't say no to grilled cheese," she replied. He smiled and went to the kitchen.
"Coming right up," he said.
Tink sat at the bar at the Rabbit Hole, staring at the glass of amber colored liquid in front of her.
"You know that stuff isn't going to help," Regina said, as she sat down next to her. She scoffed.
"I suppose I should have seen this coming," Tink said.
"I've spent most of my life not letting anyone get close. It worked and I didn't get hurt," she added.
"Yes...but it's very lonely. I know what it's like. I may have been cursed to forget Robin...but cursed life was very lonely," Regina said.
"Oh I think we can toast to your mother's demise for sure," Tink agreed.
"Don't give up...we're going to get him back. I'm not going to let them get away with doing this to my sister...or you," Regina replied.
"Even if we can reverse...what are we going to do? Kidnap a little boy?" she asked. Regina's brow furrowed.
"Well...we need to avoid the kidnapping part, but we're going to figure this out," she promised.
"I don't know...maybe this is for the best. Maybe I should just go back to Portland," Tink said.
"No...you don't belong there. You belong here with people that care about you. With friends," Regina said, as she put her hand on the blonde's. She smiled thinly.
"How is Snow?" Tink asked.
"David said she finally fell asleep crying. He's staying home with her today," Regina replied.
"Damn…I knew Blue was the worst, but never pegged the old man to be so cruel," Tink said.
"None of us did. We all kept thinking he'd calm down and that it was just going to take him time to adjust to the aftermath of the curse," Regina replied.
"On top of that, we're nowhere with Tamara. She slipped away and it was the perfect distraction for her," Tink said.
"We'll figure out another way to draw her out," Regina replied.
"I hope so...let's just hope she didn't get their little magical display on film," Tink said.
"You think she'd release it on the Internet or something?" Regina asked.
"It's hard to say. She hates magic. If she got others to believe in and hate it as much as she does…" she replied.
"Then she could bring others here," Regina said.
"Yes...an angry mob entering town is just what we don't need, because I guarantee their weapons will not be pitchforks and torches," Tink replied.
"Then we find her and see that she and Detective Bishop find their way out of town. Then we put up a barrier, because I know from talking to Snow that this world isn't kind, especially to people that are different," Regina said.
"Yeah...and people like us end up in government labs or internment camps," she muttered.
"Not happening...not on my watch. My mother may have brought us here, but I'll actually protect us," Regina vowed. Tink smiled.
"I'll toast to that," she said, as she finished her drink.
"Okay...that's enough of that for today," Regina said, as she paid her tab and they left the bar.
Geppetto smiled at his little boy, as they sat in his workshop. He was working on repairing an appliance, while Pinocchio pretended to repair his own item with his wooden play tools. It was almost like nothing had changed and he knew this was truly their new beginning.
"Papa?" Pinocchio asked.
"Yes, my boy?" he asked in return.
"Why was Princess Snow crying so much?" he inquired innocently. Geppetto frowned and a flash of guilt filled him. He knew what he had done was underhanded at best, but just as Snow White would have done anything for her family, he had done the same.
"I'm not sure, my boy...but I know that the Prince will surely take care of her," he answered simply.
"She has her daughter too...and I have you. That's how it should be," he added.
"Princess Snow had her baby?" he asked with interest.
"Um...yes, my boy. She escaped the curse and had her a long time ago. She is grown now," he explained.
"How come I don't remember the curse?" Pinocchio questioned.
"Err...well, I don't know, my boy. The curse was a confusing time and no one was themselves," he answered vaguely. Thankfully, someone walked into the shop and Geppetto smiled at the young woman.
"Can I help you?" he asked.
"I hope so...I have this antique clock and I was hoping you could fix it. I think it needs new works," she said. Geppetto took it and examined the insides of the clock.
"Ah yes...I have what you need in back. Give me just a moment," Geppetto said, as he went in back, leaving Pinocchio at the workbench.
"Hello there," the woman said.
"Hi," the boy said shyly.
"My name is Tamara...what's your name?" she asked.
"Pinocchio," he replied and she smirked at that.
"That's a very unique name," she said.
"Would you like to see my puppy?" she asked.
"You have a puppy?" he asked, as his interest peaked.
"In my car...it's right outside," she said, as she took his hand and led him outside.
"Here we go...it should be good as new now," Geppetto said, as he returned, but frowned when he noticed she was gone. Then he became alarmed when he realized Pinocchio was too. He dropped the clock and ran outside, just as the woman sped away in her car with his boy in the backseat.
"My boy!" he exclaimed in fear.
"Okay little man...let's add the chocolate chips now," David said, as he had his grandson sitting on the counter beside him. Neal had dropped him off and was covering his patrol to help Emma out since she was pretty insistent that he stay with Snow today.
"There…" David said, as the little boy poured the bag in.
"Good job," he praised and he clapped his hands at the praise.
"Nana is pretty sad right now, but I know cookies from her littlest man will help her feel a little better," he said, as he stirred the batter, while his grandson watched him intently. He then handed one stray chocolate chip to the little boy and watched him immediately eat it.
"Nummy…" he cooed.
"Yeah...nummy is right," he agreed, as he put the first batch in the oven.
"Okay...let's put you in the high chair," he said, as he did so.
"Nana!" little David called and he looked up to see Snow there with a small smile on her face.
"I love watching you with him," she mentioned, as she approached and then lifted up on her toes so she could kiss him tenderly. He kissed her back and slipped his arm around her waist.
"Hey…I'm glad you're awake," he said.
"Mmm...thanks for not asking if I'm okay," she mused. He kissed her forehead.
"Well, I know you're not and it's okay not to be," he replied. She leaned against his arm.
"I almost forgot what it was like to have someone understand me so completely," she mentioned.
"Well, then I guess I'll just have to keep reminding you," he whispered, as the timer dinged.
"Cookies!" little David called, making him chuckle.
"You are definitely our Emma's, little man," Snow said with amusement. David took them out of the oven, just as Emma walked in.
"Ooohh...cookies," she said, sounding just like her son. Her parents chuckled and Emma hugged her mother.
"Hey Mom…" she said, as Snow hugged her back and Emma rested her head on her shoulder. David smiled at them, as he put the cookies on a plate to cool.
"Everything quiet?" David asked.
"Uh yeah...Gold is working on a memory potion for Detective Cranky. He is getting really loud about not being let out or getting a phone call," Emma said.
"The sooner we get him out of town, without his memory, the better," Snow agreed.
"Mmm...yeah, bringing a bunch of cops with guns in here, or worse, the feds, would be really bad," Emma said, as she munched on a cookie and started breaking off cooled pieces for the baby. Little David shoveled the pieces into his mouth with chubby hands.
"Good...then maybe things will stay calm around here and we can convince Geppetto what he did was wrong," David said.
"I love you baby...but he's never going to see that. He has his son back...and he'll never give him up again," Snow said sadly.
"He's your son too...he had no right to take him away, especially since we know August didn't want this," David said, as he put his hands on her shoulders.
"I know...but I don't want him to go through anymore trauma. If he's happy...then I'll find a way to accept that," Snow said bravely.
"You are way too good, Mom. You should want Geppetto's guts on a stick," Emma replied. Snow smiled thinly.
"Deep down, I'm really angry, but if my son can still be happy...then I can accept that," she said.
"Emma's right...you are a much better person than him," David agreed, as there was an urgent knock on the door. Emma answered it and was surprised to see a frantic Geppetto there.
"You must help me!" he cried.
"Why the hell would I help you with anything after what you did to my mother?" Emma asked sternly.
"Because my boy...he's gone!" Geppetto cried.
"Gone? What do you mean gone?" Snow asked, with trepidation in her voice.
"A woman...she took him! She came into the shop with a clock for repair. I went into the back room to get works for the clock. I was only gone a moment and she was gone! She drove off with my boy!" he cried, as he paced the room.
"You left him alone?" Snow asked in alarm.
"It was just for a moment!" he shouted back at her.
"Hey...don't yell at her," David warned.
"What did she look like?" Emma asked.
"She had dark hair and skin...I've never seen her before," Geppetto tried to explain.
"Was it this woman?" Emma asked, as she showed him a photo on her phone.
"Yes...that's her!" he exclaimed.
"Tamara took him…" David realized.
"Who is this woman?" Geppetto demanded to know.
"She is an outsider and we were going to corner her this morning. But then you pulled your little stunt and she got away," Emma told him and he looked down in shame.
"Please...help me find my boy," he pleaded.
"Oh we'll find August," she assured, as she dialed a number.
"Tink...it's Emma. We have a huge problem with Tamara. Can you meet us at Gold's shop?" she asked.
"I'll be right there," Tink replied, as Emma hung up the phone. She plucked her son out of his high chair and Snow ran to get his diaper bag.
"Please...let me come. Let me help!" Geppetto begged. They looked at him and then nodded.
"Let's go," David said, as they hurried out of the loft.
Pinocchio sniffed and continued to cry, as the woman drove across the town line.
"I wanna go home…" he whined.
"Sorry kid...I have my orders and they are to bring you to Portland," she replied.
"But I want to go home," he repeated, as he suddenly had a flash of memory.
"Auggie…" Princess Snow called, as she awoke. He was crying again, but trying to be really quiet. They only had a one bedroom apartment and they slept in the same room, with baby Emma in the bassinet and them on a mattress.
"I'm sorry…" he said.
"You have nothing to be sorry for, sweetheart," Snow said, as she pulled him into her arms.
"The Prince should be here with you...not me. My Papa lied to you," he said.
"Oh sweetie...none of that is your fault," she assured him.
"I miss my husband...but I love you and I know that he would be glad that I found you and made sure you weren't alone," she said.
"He would?" August asked. She nodded and kissed his forehead.
"He would...and he's here with us in spirit. I see him every time I look at Emma," she replied.
"You're my little boy now...and we're a family. And someday, we'll find everyone and Emma will break the curse," she added.
"When we do...can I keep staying with you?" August asked.
"Of course...I would love that," Snow replied, as she tucked him in again.
"Now...no more tears. Go back to sleep," she said, as she rubbed his back.
"Okay…Mom," he muttered and closed his eyes, missing the look of joy on her face.
Pinocchio blinked in confusion. That was odd...why was he having memories with Princess Snow as his mother? None of that could have happened...could it? He didn't have a mother. It was just him and his Papa. Then again...his papa had been unable to tell him what had happened to him during the curse. Had Papa lied? He looked at the woman in the front seat of the strange, fast moving carriage. He didn't know what this place was that she was taking him, but he knew it was bad. Princess Snow and the Prince were really good at finding people though. Would they find him?
"Oh my gosh…" Belle said, as she rushed to greet them once they entered the shop. Emma had called Gold on the way and gave him a short rundown of what had happened. She hugged Snow and the other woman welcomed the embrace. She and Belle had a budding friendship and Snow was grateful for that. She hadn't been able to make many friends in the last twenty years. She had found out quickly that she couldn't let anyone get close out of fear of the questions that would inevitably come.
"You must be so terrified," she said worriedly.
"I am...he must be so scared," Snow cried, as Belle hugged her.
"He is my son...I'm terrified too," Geppetto insisted, as Belle glared at him.
"You're the reason this is happening at all," the brunette retorted.
"Yes...if not for you, August would be the grown man he is and Tamara would have had no interest in him," Rumple added.
"You don't know that! He was the author...that could have put him in danger too!" Geppetto insisted.
"Perhaps...but your display in the park showed her the thing she hates most. Magic..." Tink interjected.
"Do you have any idea where she would take him and why?" David asked.
"I don't know exactly why, but I'm fairly certain she would have taken him back to Portland. It's her base of operation right now," Tink replied.
"Then Portland is where we're going," Neal said.
"You can't...you're wanted in Portland," Emma reminded him.
"I don't care...I'm not letting you go alone," he said.
"My parents are going with me...and I was hoping you'd stay with our son. If you go...you could be arrested," she replied. He sighed and nodded.
"I don't like it...but going to jail wouldn't do us any good," he agreed, as he took their son.
"Belle and I will be going as well," Rumple announced, as he presented four potions, one for himself, David, Geppetto, and Belle.
"Me as well...you'll need me for sure," Tink said.
"Those of us that were cursed must ingest the potion to keep our memories," he said, as the four of them took the potions.
"I will secure seven plane tickets to Portland, Oregon, but we'll still have to drive to a large airport," he added.
"We can follow you in the bug. Boston is probably the best bet. They'll have direct flights without any layovers," Emma suggested.
"Then that's the plan. Pack and we'll meet at the town line in an hour," David said, as they dispersed temporarily.
Snow frantically packed a duffle bag with their clothes, while he gathered their toiletries and helped her pack everything.
"Snow…" he said, as he stopped her for a moment and pulled her into a hug.
"What if she hurts my little boy?" she feared.
"No...we can't think like that and we'll find him. I won't rest until we do," he promised.
"Besides...if she just wanted to hurt him, I think she would have just done that here. He's going to be okay...have faith," he implored. Tears filled her eyes and she hugged him tightly.
"Come on...let's go," he said, as she sniffed and wiped her tears away. He kissed her tenderly and grabbed their bag, as they joined hands and left the loft with Emma.
They arrived at the town line shortly and Geppetto opted to ride in the backseat of Gold's car, which was uncomfortable at best with the tension between them.
Emma and Tink took the front seat of the bug, while her parents climbed into the back of the bug. It was a bit snug, but they didn't seem to mind, as her father seemed content to hold her mother as close as possible.
"Be careful...I wish you'd let us come with you," Regina fretted, as she leaned into the bug window.
"We will...and someone needs to protect Storybrooke while we're gone in case there is trouble and there's no one better," Snow told her sister. Regina smiled and squeezed her hand.
"Don't worry...we'll find August and I won't let anything happen to any of us," David promised. She smiled.
"I know...call me when you land," Regina said.
"We will," Snow promised. With that, the two cars rolled over the town line and took to the highway. Robin put his arms around her, as they watched the cars, until they couldn't see them anymore.
"They'll be okay…" he promised.
"I know...in the meantime, I need to go to my mother's vault and work on a barrier spell. The minute they get back, we put that Detective over the town line and wall the town off from this world," she said. He nodded in agreement, as they got back into her car and returned to town.