AN: Thanks for the incredible response to this Snowing story! See previous chapter for important authors notes on characters and story notes.
Important note: Milah is not Neal's father in this universe. Cora is I've taken some liberties again with characters and back stories. :)
Special Note: The character of TJ Morrison is a Manifest character. The characters of Nick and Greta Branson are based on Hansel(also known as Jack and Nick Branson) and Gretel from Once season 7.
Another Note: As we get further into season 2 and season 3, I will be focusing more on the major Manifest plotlines and not so much the minor ones that involve one offs with passengers, in addition to the original plots I have created for this story. Season 4 will be premiering soon and once I see what I'm working with, I'll make a decision if this story will be going with a Manifest type ending or if I have to move to more of a Once ending. Most of you that watch Manifest know that (spoiler alert) that Margaret's counterpart character in the series, Grace, dies at the end of season 3. I will not be doing that with Margaret. Either way, when the time comes, I will give this story a satisfying ending that may or may not match the series. :)
This one will update bi-weekly on Sunday nights now. Please consider leaving a review, it is much appreciated. Here are individual responses to reviews:
Ghostwriter: Yeah, it was a rough thing for them and this chapter is pretty rough for everyone. Glad you're enjoying!
AnonSnowing: Yeah, Olive and TJ are adorable. I know, I love those David and MM bedroom scenes. Nope, no breaks from the Callings. Something is coming. I love protective Daddy Charming too. Hopefully Olive will see reason soon. Cora is the worst. Yep, Samdi is about to find out just what he has cultivated with the believers. Glad you're enjoying!
Jennifer Baratta: Yeah, Cora is extremely dangerous.
Grace5231973: I hope they get Cora too and I think Olive will come around eventually. Buckle up for this chapter. Glad you're enjoying it!
Sexystarwarslover: Yeah, Olive and TJ are very cute. And David and Margaret are very cute and hot too. Yep, Cora is cold blooded. Hopefully, they get her soon. Yeah, that was a sad moment for TJ. Yep, Baron Samdi is getting dangerous and about to find out what he has cultivated. Things are about to get even crazier. Glad you're enjoying!
Lightning in a Bottle
Chapter 67: Emergency Exit, Pt 2
"Regina!" Margaret called, as she and David parked and hurried toward her. The city medical van had arrived and they were already putting her father's body in the coroner's van.
"They insist it was a heart attack…but I'm still having an autopsy done," she said, as Margaret hugged her.
"Of course…now that we know about the trail of bodies, none of us can take any chances," David said.
"He's right…you need to come stay with us," Margaret insisted.
"I don't know if that's necessary…" she said.
"It is…until she's caught," David insisted too. She sighed.
"Okay…" she agreed, as she got into the car with them so they could take her to her place to get a few things.
David and Margaret waited for Regina while she packed a few things for a day or so.
"You know, I really should be continuing my research. The Death Date isn't going away," she mentioned.
"We know…and hopefully Cora will be caught sooner rather than later," David said, as there was a knock at the door. Regina sighed and answered and she was stunned by who was behind the door.
"Robin…" she uttered.
"Regina…I didn't know you had company," he said.
"Um…we can give you a few minutes. We'll be in the car," Margaret said, as she pulled her confused husband along and out the door. Regina let him in and she closed it.
"I…I just wanted to check on you. I heard the story on the news about your mother," he said.
"I'm fine," she replied stiffly.
"Yeah…you sound fine," he mentioned.
"What exactly do you expect me to say?" she asked.
"Nothing…I thought about coming to see you the day the plane came back. But I didn't know what to say either…except that I'm sorry," he replied.
"Sorry for what? Standing me up?" she asked.
"Regina…" he started to say, as he paused for a moment.
"I was on my way…and then I just became terrified…" he said, as he trailed off.
"That Marian would find out?" Regina asked.
"That I was destroying my family for a fling in Jamaica," he confessed and she was taken aback for a moment.
"Is that all I was to you?" she asked, with a narrow gaze.
"No…not at all! I loved…love you. I…I just had to think about Roland," he replied and she softened a little when she thought of his little boy.
"You're right…you need to be with your family and I will be with mine," she said. He nodded, as he realized they weren't going to get anywhere. He left and Regina grabbed her bag, before heading out as well.
The next morning
Emma returned to her desk with more coffee and saw her desk phone blinking. She picked it up and listened to the voicemail. It was from dispatch with a callback number for her and she dialed the number from the message.
"Hi, this is Detective Nolan, returning your call," she said.
"Thank you for returning my call," the man said, but Emma recognized the voice.
"Isaiah?" she asked.
"I remembered a few things about my attack, I think might be helpful," he said.
"Well, I'm here. Come on in," Emma suggested.
"That's the thing. I…I got called in to work. Any way you can come to me?" he asked. Emma got a pen.
"Where are you at?" she asked.
"I'll be at Schimanski in Williamsburg," he replied. Emma recognized the name. It was a nightclub.
"Alright, see you then," Emma replied, as she hung up the phone and grabbed her coat, before heading out. She arrived home at her brother's and came into the kitchen.
"Hey…I'm gonna need all the research you have on the Xers before I interview Isaiah," she requested, as he made cocoa, definitely for MM.
"Well, if he wouldn't talk after the church attack, why now?" he asked. She shrugged.
"I don't know. Maybe he had a change of heart," she answered.
"Oh, could you have that church shut down, please? Olive's threatening to join it full-time," he complained. Emma gave him a look. He knew she didn't really have that kind of power.
"Em, she wants to drop out of school," he said.
"I threatened to drop out once, remember?" she asked. He rolled his eyes and sighed.
"Lily and I were going to run off and be roadies with a punk band. You flipped your shit," she teased. He chuckled.
"Oh, yeah, trust me, I remember the rebellious punk phase. I was barely an adult myself and I'm still surprised you didn't give me premature gray hairs," he complained.
"Do you remember what you did?" she asked. He thought for a moment and nodded.
"Yeah…I got drunk with him. MM was not impressed," he replied, with a chuckle.
"It was more that she wasn't impressed when you spent the night on the bathroom floor, but she totally knew why you did it," she said.
"Because, hand to God. I came home, and my tatted-up boyfriend was chugging beers...with my big brother. I kind of lost interest in him after that one.
"So you're saying, if I have a beer with Baron Samdi, it'll fix this?" he questioned. She shrugged.
"There's no harm in keeping your enemies close," she answered. He sighed.
"So, how are things going with Neal?" he asked.
"I don't know…weird. His Dad had all that stuff on Cora and he couldn't tell me. I mean, I get it…I couldn't be involved or it would compromise the information, but still…" she said with unease.
"I know…but Neal is a good guy. For that matter, so is Killian," David mentioned. She sighed.
"This again?" she complained. He shrugged.
"MM and I just want you to be happy…and we have noticed a pattern," he mentioned, making her huff.
"Come on. You get to a point, and you pull away. Am I wrong?" he asked, but she took the files and started out.
"Thank you for the files," she called.
"Love you too," he called back. Emma loved denial and avoidance, but he knew her. She loved Neal. He felt bad for Killian, because he knew Killian still loved his sister, but from everything he could see…Emma was moving on and Neal Cassidy was the man she was falling for.
Henry sat at his desk in his room, drawing when the Calling suddenly hit him again.
"Henry, where are you?"
"Zeke?" he asked in confusion. They were on the plane again.
"What's happening?" Henry asked.
"Save the passengers! It's now!" Zeke called, as the Calling abruptly ended. Henry gasped and went to find his parents.
"Hey baby," Margaret said, as saw him come downstairs. Regina had gone into work, but his wife was making the basement space all ready for her when she returned. He smiled and kissed her tenderly.
"So Emma had this idea and I hate it," he said. She smirked.
"So you came to me to see if I agree with her," she replied.
"Remember when she was dating that horrible punk rocker?" he asked. She laughed.
"Oh…I remember. I was secretly horrified and seriously questioning her taste in men," she replied, as she fondly caressed his cheek.
"Remember how I got her to lose interest in him?" he asked. She chuckled again.
"Oh, I'd never forget that. You got smashed with him and you so miserably hung over afterward. I felt so bad for you, but I nursed my baby back to health," she replied. He smiled.
"You did…I am very lucky. But Emma just suggested that I do the same with Baron Samdi. She thinks if I take an interest, Olive might be horrified and lose interest in the church," he said.
"I hate to tell you this, handsome, but it's not the worst plan," she replied, with a wince. He wrinkled his nose.
"I was afraid of that," he said, as he sent a text and then sighed when he got one right back.
"Surprisingly, he took my texts. I asked if we could meet for a drink and discuss things and he said yes. Some place called the Schimanski in Williamsburg," he said, with a sigh.
"You and Henry are okay here for a bit?" he asked.
"Of course…do what you need to for our daughter. I'd come…but it's no place for kids," she replied. He nodded and kissed her tenderly.
"You know you're amazing, right?" he asked. She smiled dreamily at him.
"You're pretty great yourself and also my hero," she replied, as he went upstairs.
Olive sighed, as they waited in the long line and she huffed.
"We are never gonna be getting in this way," she complained.
"Well, we could do something else," TJ suggested. She looked at him.
"Okay, so, do you not want to go in?" she asked.
"No, I-I said I did," he stammered.
"Well, you also said you wanted to go to the church, so…" Olive pointed out.
"You're right. I'm sorry. I just didn't want to blow it with you. Did I blow it?" he asked. She chuckled.
"No," she answered.
"Olive!" her friend Chloe called, as she joined them in line.
Emma walked in the back way to the club, failing to notice that her niece was in line out front and it seemed a little busy for a weeknight.
"Are you always this busy?" Emma asked and Isaiah smiled.
"Oh…we're doing a free champagne night. It's my job to keep it flowing," he replied.
"Gotcha. Is there anywhere we can talk?" Emma asked over the music.
"Look, I know you didn't want to come forward, but I promise you, we'll keep this under wraps. This is your chance to help the passengers you revere so much," Emma said. He looked at her.
"I want that more than you know. But I'm the only manager tonight, and we're running low on stock. How about a glass while I run back and get some more?" he asked.
"I'm on duty," she reminded him. He nodded.
"Of course. I'll... I'll be right back," he stammered, as he seemingly went in back for more champagne. Emma looked around, as people poured in and the music played, while the drinks flowed.
Olive swayed with TJ, as he looked at her fondly.
"What?" she asked.
I have a confession to make. I do believe in miracles," he confessed. She scoffed.
"Oh, really?" she asked skeptically. He sighed.
When we first came back, I wasn't sure why. It all felt pointless. But meeting your dad and... and then you, I...I'm happy for the first time since then. I feel like I finally have something to live for. So I wanted to say I do believe. Just not in the way Baron said," he explained, as he opened his hand to show her something.
I want you to have this," he said, and her mouth dropped open in surprise, as she looked at the bracelet in his hand.
"What? TJ, wow, this is beautiful," Olive said in awe.
"I thought I lost everything of my mom's, but a neighbor held onto called it her Buddha bracelet. This one was her favorite…" he said, showing her one of the charms.
"The dharma wheel. It symbolizes life is circular, that there's no beginning or end," he said, as he put it around her wrist. She slipped her arms around his neck.
"Well, I have something for you, too," she said, as she kissed him.
Emma sighed, as she waited for Isaiah and looked around. Her eyes widened when she saw her brother come in and begin looking around. She instantly went to him.
"David…What are you doing here?" Baron Samdi asked, as he found him at the bar. David looked confused.
"What do you mean? I came for that drink," he replied. But Baron looked as though he had no idea what he was talking about.
"With me? I said all I need to say to you," Baron replied.
"You texted me to meet you here," David said. Baron shook his head.
"Couldn't scare me with the lawsuit, so now you're trying to gaslight me?" Baron said, as he stood up to leave.
"Well, I'm done," he said, as he tried to walk away.
"Hold on, hold on. You're not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on," David said, as he grabbed his arm.
"Get your hands off me. I didn't text you. I didn't even know I'd be here till an hour ago," Baron said, which further confused David, as he looked around, trying to figure out what was really going on. And that's when he saw it. Passengers. The place was filled with passengers and across the room, he saw Emma talking to Bethany.
"Emma…" he said, as he made a beeline for her.
"Mom! Mom!" Henry called, as he hurried downstairs.
"Honey…what's wrong?" she asked.
"The passengers…they're all in danger! Where's Dad?" he asked, as dread filled her stomach.
"He went to meet with Baron Samdi…to try and reason with him," she replied.
"We have to find him! And Olive! And Aunt Emma!" he cried. She nodded.
"Okay…let's go," she said, as she pulled up the club on her phone where her husband said he was going. They got in the car and sped off, as she dialed a number.
"Hello?" Neal answered.
"Neal…it's Margaret. Henry had a Calling and there's danger to the passengers," she said.
"Yeah…I had it too. It was pretty intense," he replied.
"Do you know where Emma is?" she asked.
"I don't…" he replied.
"That's okay. David went to try and talk to Baron Samdi at a club in Williamsburg called the Schimanski. I have a bad feeling that's where everyone is," Margaret said.
"I'll meet you there," Neal replied, as he hung up and looked at his father.
"I need you to drive me," he said, but his father was already getting his keys.
"Say no more, my boy," he replied, as they hurried out.
As he realized that all of this was one giant trap, he grabbed Baron Samdi by his shirt.
"Why the hell did you bring these passengers here?" David demanded to know.
"I didn't!" Baron refuted.
"I don't... I don't even know what you're talking about!" Samdi cried.
"Look around you!" David said, as Baron did and saw what he was seeing. It could be no coincidence.
David, what are you doing here?" Emma asked, but he continued on.
"What the hell is with all these passengers?" he shouted.
"I'm trying to figure that out, too," Emma answered.
"I contacted Samdi like you said to meet him for a drink," David explained.
"He texted me to meet him here," David said, glaring at the other man.
"Only it wasn't me! Isaiah, my assistant, works here. Said he needed to fill the place for some promotion. I thought I misplaced my phone, but he must have taken it," Samdi insisted, as David let him go and scanned the place for Isaiah, but he was nowhere to be found.
"It's a trap. He lured us here!" David said.
"But why?" Emma questioned, but her brother focused his attention on Samdi again.
"You were in that Calling. You lied to me! You knew!" David accused.
"I just... I didn't want to believe it could happen!" Baron said.
"This is what the Calling was warning us about…saving the passengers. It wasn't from the plane," Emma realized, as she saw all the champagne bottles and remembered the exact kind from the Calling.
"You didn't want to believe?! You hypocritical son of a bitch!" David cried, but Emma interrupted her brother's tirade, which was probably a lucky break for Baron Samdi.
"David! The champagne bottles!" she called, as he saw them and saw people enjoying glass after glass.
"From the Calling…" he cried, as he released Samdi and started going around the room.
"Don't drink the champagne!" he called, but it fell on deaf ears. Emma tried too, but her pleas went unheard, until a woman fell over and passed out, followed by a few more people. David pulled out his phone, but found no signal.
"No reception…" he uttered, as he looked at his sister.
"Same…signal is being blocked," she deduced, as they hurried for the door to start getting people out. Baron followed them and David turned to him again. He turned back to find a way out and that's when he saw it.
"Olive…" he uttered. Emma followed his line of sight and saw them too.
"Go…" she urged.
"Go…I got this!" she said, as he turned back to Samdi.
"You can still fix this. Find Isaiah!" he called, as Samdi hurried away into the back, while David ran after Olive, who left the main room of the club for another room in the establishment.
"Hey!" Chloe called, as they entered a back room with a few less people.
"Aren't you glad you came, after all?" she asked. They smiled.
"Yeah…guess so," TJ replied.
"We're celebrating…I'll see if I can get us a bottle," she said, but found that the door wouldn't open. She saw Isaiah there, as he put chains around the handles.
"Hey…open the door!" she called, but he disappeared.
"Hey…let us out!" she called. TJ looked confused and tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge.
"Hey! HEY!" he started calling and banging on the door.
"Is…is that smoke?" Olive cried, as they saw smoke coming through the crack beneath the door.
"HEY!" TJ called rigorously.
"Emma…I can't find her!" David called, through the smoke that was now filling the club.
"I can't lose her again!" he cried, as he frantically checked all the rooms.
"You won't…you can do this. It's a Calling…I'll get everyone out. Now go!" she called, as she led people toward an exit in the back. But it was chained too. She grabbed a fire extinguisher and started to pound on the handles, hoping to get it loose, while people behind her screamed and panicked.
Margaret growled in frustration, as her husband's phone went straight to voicemail. Emma's, Olive's and even TJ's phones were doing the same. She made a sharp turn and saw fire trucks outside the club and smoke billowing from the building.
"Oh my God…" she uttered, as she and Henry flew out of the vehicle and ran toward the police tape.
"Killian!" she called. He looked confused, as she arrived.
"They're in there!" Emma, David, and Olive!" she cried. His eyes widened, as Neal arrived too and saw the scene.
"Holy hell…" he uttered.
"This was the Calling…" Henry said, as he looked up at him.
"Don't worry kid, if they're in there, they'll get out and save everyone," Neal insisted, as Killian went to assist the first responders.
"NYPD!" he called.
"Killian?" Emma called.
"Emma…what's going on inside?" he asked.
"The whole thing was a trap for passengers. I think the champagne was spiked with something. We've got several people passed out and chains on the doors from the inside," she said, as she coughed.
"There's a fire somewhere and the place is filling with smoke. We think Isaiah did this and lured us all here!" she called.
"Okay…we've got a battering ram. Get everyone back!" he called.
"Everyone back!" she called, as they moved back and the door was pulverized. People began to frantically exit the building, but Emma hung back.
"David and Olive are still in here!" Emma called, as she went back and Neal hurried after her.
"Wait!" Killian called, frustrated that Neal had managed to slip past the cops outside and he followed them.
"HELP! HELP!" TJ called, as he tried to get the attention of the people passing by the door.
"The door is locked! HELP!" he cried, as they started to lose hope with the more smoke that filled the room. Until they saw Olive's father.
"DAVID!" TJ called.
"TJ!" he cried.
"DAD?" Olive cried.
"Hang on!" David called, as he tried to kick his way in.
"David!" Emma called, as she came with reinforcements.
"Here!" Neal called, as he tossed him some cutters and he cut through the chains. Everyone spilled out of the room and Killian led them out.
"Dad…what are you doing here?" Olive called.
"Saving you," he replied, as he led them through the smoky hallways and they were knocked down by a stampede of escaping people.
"Damn…" David said, as he and TJ got up, but Olive cried out in pain.
"Olive…come on, we have to go," David said.
"Dad…it's my ankle," she cried, as she struggled to stand and her father didn't hesitate to sweep her into his arms, before carrying her toward the exit.
Emma coughed, as she and Neal made their way toward the exit, but stopped when they saw Bethany calling for help. She was pinned beneath some debris.
"Help! I'm trapped!" she cried. Emma ran over to try and move the beam, but recoiled in pain, as the beam was smoldering. Neal stepped in and started to lift it.
"It's too hot!" she cried, fearing that he was burning the skin off his hands.
"Just get her," he grunted. Emma pulled her out and Neal dropped the beam, as they made their way out. But it was too smoky and she couldn't see, until a hand came through the haze.
"Come on," Killian said, as he found them and pulled them out. They coughed and took in fresh air, as she looked around. She ran to Margaret and Henry, as they waited frantically behind the police tape.
"David and Olive?" she asked. Margaret cried, as she shook her head and Emma turned back.
"No…you can't go back in there!" Killian called.
"I have to," she cried, as she and Neal headed back in. He growled and followed them.
"This way!" TJ called, as he led them through the main room and to the exit. But it was now blocked by debris.
"No…this was our only way out!" TJ cried. David set Olive down.
"Then let's clear a path," he said, as they worked to clear the debris. Once they had a path cleared, David turned back to get Olive, but she wasn't there.
"Dad!" Olive called, as they saw that Isaiah was holding her hostage with a knife.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!" David said, as he put his hands up.
"You can't leave. The miracle is upon us, but only if passengers are among the fallen," he said.
Let her go. She's not a passenger. Please, Isaiah, we still have time to get out of here," Davld pleaded.
"No, we'll be okay. We believe. We'll step into the light together. Isaiah, let her go, or we'll all be dead!" he begged.
"No! We will all be miracles and transcend death just like you did!" Isaiah said, but TJ tackled him to the ground and punched him, releasing Olive.
"TJ!" she cried, as David scooped her up.
"Get her out! Go!" TJ urged.
"No! TJ, I'm not leaving you!" David said.
"David, go, now!" he called. Olive screamed, as her father ran out of the building with her and she cried, as he set her down next to her mother.
"Oh my God…" Margaret cried, as she put her arms around them and cried.
"TJ…" Olive whimpered.
"I'll get him," David said, as Margaret watched him in fear and he started back toward the building. But he was thrown back to the ground, as the whole place went up in a firestorm. Olive screamed and David climbed to his feet, as he watched the place burn. He ran back to his family and helped his wife attempt to comfort their inconsolable daughter.
As Regina finished her tests, she picked up her phone and found dozens of messages. She was confused and she became worried when she heard the message on the intercom.
"Mass-casualty incident. Incoming wounded. All trauma and emergency personnel, report to E.R," he woman on the intercom said. She rushed out of her lab.
"Wait. Incident where? Where, where, where?!" she called, trying to get information.
"Mass casualty incident. Incoming wounded," the intercom said again and she saw her family pour into the Emergency Room.
"Hey, hey, what happened? This was it... this is what we were trying to stop," David said.
"Oh, my God. You were there? How?" she asked.
We had a Calling. Wait...You didn't?" he asked. She shook her head. She had been so focused on her research that she tuned everything out. Even a Calling this time. She noticed how upset Olive was and looked at her step-sister.
"TJ didn't make it," Margaret whispered and Regina gently brushed a hand through her niece's hair.
"There you are. I appreciate what you did in there," Emma said, as she waited in the lobby. Regina was looking at Neal's hands.
"We're cops, Em. That's what we do," Killian said.
"Hey. I'm glad you're okay," Regina said, as she came into the exam room. He smiled.
"Thanks…me too. It's hard to believe that this is all the work of a Believer," Neal replied.
"One lunatic is all it takes, I guess," he added.
"Yeah, well, it makes me sick that I wasn't there to help," Regina said.
"You're helping me now," he said, as she examined his hands.
"Wait, something's odd. These aren't burns," she said.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"This looks like frostbite," she replied.
"Like from the cold? Like what I had when I woke up in the cave?" he asked. She nodded.
"Griffin drowned on dry land. Is that what's happening to me? I'm freezing to death?" he asked.
"I don't know. You might be," she replied, with trepidation.
"Well, I got Henry to bed," Margaret said quietly, as she came into their bedroom where David sat with Olive, who was in their bed.
"I don't understand," David said.
"None of us do," Margaret soothed.
"We couldn't see this coming. Not me. Not anyone," David said.
"He was so happy working with you, Dad. Just today, he found a journal. He thinks it's about the Death Date. He had the library send it to your office, Dad. You have to go get it," Olive pleaded.
"I will, I promise," he said.
"What a night," Emma said, as they got home and she flopped down on the couch.
"Yeah…crazy, though still not quite the craziest for us," he replied.
"We keep getting stuff thrown at us, yet here we are," she said.
"So, what's it gonna take, Em?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"I mean, I love you. I'm all in. I don't know if you have room for me, but I love you," he confessed.
"Crap," she muttered.
"What?" he asked.
"I love you, too…" she confessed in return.