AN: See chapter 1 for story notes and summaries.
Ships: Snowing, Rumbelle, Swan Believer, eventual
Swanfire, and a delightful Golden Mad Charming BroT3. :)
Thanks for the reviews. Here are individual responses:
Barratta Jennifer: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Booksinmydreams: Thanks!
Saberius Prime: Yeah, they're okay. I know, it was a close one! Glad you enjoyed it!
Guest: Yeah, it was intense for sure. Things are changing, albeit slowly. Snow is brimming to the surface, but I wasn't quite ready for her to get all her memories back yet. I have a very specific instance planned for that moment. ;)
Guest 2: I'm glad you like the story and yes, I love both Snow and Charming. I really don't like to disparage any other fans though. To me, if they don't like Charming, then they can't really say they're "Snowing" fans. The Snowing fandom is a place of love and hope. Please don't spread hate. True Snowing fans do love him just as much as Snow. What other fans do, I have no control over. I am glad you like the story though and hope you continue to do so.
ragsweas: Glad I kept you on the edge of your seat! That's what a writer likes to hear. Yeah, Regina's not very sympathetic here and that's not going to change any time soon. Glad you liked Zelena/Hades. They will definitely be seen again. Glad you enjoyed!
Beth1980: It was very intense! Yeah something really bad almost happened. I like to walk along that edge between bad but with recovery possible and really devastatingly bad. Yeah, Zelena and Hades are a trip. Yeah, David should know Emma and MM aren't leaving him at the hospital. Yeah, Persephone probably should kill him, but that doesn't fit my plot, lol. Glad you liked Regina and Persephone's face off. And Wilby is okay!
AshGreg: Thanks! Glad you liked the fight between Snowing and Damon. It was pretty intense. It almost brought Snow out, but I'm not quite ready for that yet, as I have a different plan for that moment. For now, Persephone isn't going to do anything, though she's tempted. As for Zelena and Hades, I don't know the exact path they will take yet, but they will come into the story much earlier here. I'm anxious for Snow to find out about her heritage too. It's not this chapter, but in chapter 20, I start to lay the groundwork for that to happen so enjoy!
Sara K M: Glad you liked that they kept fighting even with injuries, which is totally Snowing. Actually, we know Oz had to be frozen, because Zelena didn't age either. We know Arendelle was frozen over before the curse. I think it was implied in season 2 that the curse froze most of the realms. Obviously, I figured not the Underworld or Olympus. And probably not the Land of Untold Stories, because time is already kind of frozen there anyway. Wonderland is hard to say, because Will Scarlet ended up in Storybrooke and that was never explained. Obviously if you get into season 7 territory where we have an EF 2, time probably wasn't frozen there. I think curse logic is tricky so yes for the purpose of this story, these were all frozen except the Underworld, Olympus, and LoUS. Yes, Zelena and Hades are scary, though I have to admit that scene was fun to write. They're so twisted so it's not hard to see why they are interested in each other, I agree. I know, MM and Emma were very in character when they refused to leave his side. Glad you liked the Regina/Persephone confrontation. She probably should have killed Damon to spare her family, but that's not the direction I wanted her character to go. Glad you agree. Enjoy this latest chapter!
Dreaming Out Loud
Chapter 19: True North
David shifted uncomfortably with the IV's, while Mary fussed over him.
"David please…" she pleaded. He sighed.
"I'm fine...I don't need to stay the night here," he complained.
"You were hurt...please, I'm going to be right here with you," she pleaded.
"You shouldn't have to stay here," he protested.
"Do you really think I'm going anywhere?" she asked rhetorically.
"I almost lost you," she said, choking back a sob. He softened.
"You are not going to lose me, I promise," he whispered. She sniffed and pulled back, as he pressed his lips to hers in a tender kiss, just as Emma peaked in.
"Hey...are you up for a couple visitors?" she asked, as their lips parted.
"Always," he said, as she and Henry came in.
"Are you going to be okay, Gr...Mr. Nolan?" he asked worriedly, barely catching himself. David smiled at the boy.
"Yeah, I'm fine kid. Dr. Whale is just making me stay here tonight so he can feel important," David joked and they all chuckled.
"Henry Daniel Mills...we are leaving now," Henry's shoulders slumped, but he turned back.
"I gotta go," he said in disappointment.
"But Archie says Emma's gonna win the election!" he said, as he hurried out.
"Is that true?" Mary asked with hope in her voice.
"It's not official yet, but yeah, I have a pretty significant lead. He also said Wilby's fine and he's coming around. He's going to keep him overnight for us," she answered. Mary jumped up and hugged her.
"Tell him I said thank you," David replied.
"I knew people would make the right decision," Mary said, referring to Emma's victory.
"I could have never done it without both of you," Emma replied.
"So...not to sour the celebration, but is Damon locked up?" David asked. She sighed.
"He will be, but he's in surgery now for that bite on this leg and probably will need more with the burns," she replied.
"Well, this is probably makes me sound like a bad person, but I hope he's in excruciating pain," David said.
"Yeah, no one is shedding any tears over his predicament," Emma replied.
"Trust me...as Sheriff, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure Damon goes to jail for this," she added.
"And Albert Spencer will do everything in his power to make sure he walks," Mary muttered and David squeezed her hand.
"Hey...we'll fight him," he assured.
"He's right. In fact, I might be a bit premature on this, but if you really want to join the fight with me, I think I know the perfect way," Emma mentioned.
"How?" he asked.
"Well, I know you have a couple weeks recovery ahead of you, but after that, I'm going to need a deputy and I can think of no one better," Emma replied. Mary smiled and David looked surprised.
"Me? You...want me to be your deputy?" he asked in awe.
"There's no one I'd trust watching my back more than you," Emma replied.
"Me either," Mary agreed, smiling at him.
"Emma...I'd be honored," he answered.
"Good...I'm gonna go grab a coffee. Hot chocolate, Mare?" she asked. The raven haired beauty smiled.
"That would be great. Thanks," she answered.
"Deputy Nolan...I really like the sound of that," Mary purred. He chuckled and laced his fingers with hers ,as Mary leaned down and kissed him tenderly.
Before going to the cafeteria, Emma made a detour and slipped into the recovery room unknowingly. Normally, she tried to operate by the book, but with this guy, all bets were off. To her surprise, the piece of garbage that was the target of her tirade was half awake and still managed to smirk smugly.
"I hear congratulations are in order, Sheriff Swan," he rasped.
"Looks like you made it through surgery," she replied.
"Don't sound so disappointed," he goaded.
"Can't do that, but I can soothe my disappointment by making it my mission to see that you go to prison for a very long time," she retorted, as she cuffed one of his wrists to the bed.
"Kinky...I like that in a woman. I wonder if Mary is as kinky as you," he hissed and Emma responded by smacking a hand down on his tender leg wound. He grimaced and jerked in pain.
"Listen you disgusting pig, I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure you never get near Mary or David again, even if it means putting you in a body bag. Feel lucky that prison is your alternative," Emma growled, as she removed her hand and stalked out of the room.
The Dreamscape
27 ½ years ago
The dreamscape was an interesting plane of existence. The days weren't as lonely as he knew they eventually would be. Right now, with Emma being a baby, she was with him a few times during the day. He played with her and held her, relishing every moment. In the evenings, they usually awaited Snow in the garden. He always put a blanket down and this night, he watched with great joy, as Emma crawled around, having just learned this skill. She had also long since discovered her voice and babbled in baby speak, as he talked to her. In this strange place, it seemed to know what they needed for all occasions, so Emma always had plenty of toys to play with. At the moment, she became disinterested with her brightly colored blocks and crawled her way over to him. He eagerly picked her up and then stood up, intending to take her for a walk. He walked along the path by the lake and as they usually did, a few ducks and a couple swans appeared, much to Emma's delight.
But they weren't the only thing that appeared. He felt her presence before he saw her and turned, seeing Snow hurrying toward them in a long, flowing white dress. And she was breathtaking to him. He opened his free arm and folded her into his embrace, as their lips met passionately, as they did every night. Then, with great joy, he watched Emma reach for her mother and Snow tearfully took their baby in her arms. The glow in her face was one he would never tire of seeing. Inevitably, he would hold her and let her cry against his chest when Emma awoke before her, leaving them behind. He would soothe his wife as much as he could until she too disappeared from him and he would loathe the solitude until his girls returned to him.
The next day, it was official and Emma was declared the winner of the election. David was discharged from the hospital with explicit instructions of no strenuous activity for a month. He obeyed the doctor's orders, mostly due to Mary's fussing and put in his notice at the shelter.
On the second week, he began light duties at the station, as Emma taught him the ins and outs of the paperwork side of the job. On the third week, she began teaching him to drive and finally during the fourth week, she taught him how to use a firearm. He was learning driving well enough, but as expected, he took to weapons training like second nature.
During that time, Thanksgiving came and went. It was the first holiday Mary Margaret remembered spending with anyone in a very long time. And what started out as just the three of them, grew into a large gathering, including Stephanie, Jefferson, Belle, Gold, Ruby, Granny, Marco and Archie. Even Henry managed to sneak out to the loft for a while since Regina quote "didn't do" Thanksgiving.
The holiday gave way to December and the Christmas season. By that time, Doctor Whale okayed David for full duty and he was officially instated as Deputy, despite Regina's protest. Damon was still in the hospital burn ward, but Emma was fighting to ensure when he walked from the hospital, it was straight into a jail cell.
On David's first week, they caught a case that hit Emma particularly close to home. Two orphans by the name of Ava and Nicholas Zimmer were discovered to be homeless and had been hiding the fact until recently. Emma guessed that they had been technically homeless the entire length of the curse, but now that time was moving again, attention was being drawn to them now. She could relate to their predicament. She had been homeless off and on when she had run away from group homes as a kid and a teen. And then Henry got mixed up with them, which drew Regina's attention.
"Mr. Clark, is Henry okay?" Emma asked. The store owner nodded and she saw her son sitting behind the counter, looking sad and fearful next to the two children he was currently mixed up with.
"He's fine. The other two already admitted that they were using Henry to smuggle this stuff," Mr. Clark said, gesturing to the assortment of prepackaged food on the counter. It took her back to her own past like a gut punch. These weren't just kleptos or spoiled brats, seeing what they could get away with. These were hungry children.
"I'm Sheriff Swan and this is Deputy Nolan. Can you tell me your names?" Emma asked.
"I'm Ava and this is Nicholas. And before you ask about our parents...don't. We don't have any," Ava said.
"Yeah, I guessed that by the food you were trying to take," Emma replied, as they looked at her curiously.
"Mom is dead and we got separated from our Dad," Nicholas blurted out.
"Nicholas…" Ava hissed.
"So...you're Dad might still be around?" Emma asked, as she looked at her son, who nodded.
"Hey kid...why don't you and I talk over here," David gestured, as he pulled Henry aside.
"They're in the book, Gramps," Henry insisted, as he opened it to show him.
"Hansel and Gretel?" he asked. Henry nodded.
"They got separated from their Dad back in the Enchanted Forest, but their Dad is here. I know it," Henry insisted. David put a hand on his shoulder.
"Okay...I believe you. We're going to help them," he assured.
"You know, if you think your father is in town, I'm pretty good at finding people. Do you have something that belonged to him?" Emma asked. The children exchanged a glance and Ava took an object out of her pocket.
"A compass?" Emma asked, as she looked at it and then at her father.
"Gold," he said, as he took it, intending to head to the pawn shop when Regina came storming in.
"Henry Daniel Mills," she said sternly.
"Whoa...take it down a notch, Mayorzilla," Emma said, cutting her off.
"Step aside, Sheriff Swan, while I deal with my son," she snapped.
"Henry didn't mean to steal anything. It was a misunderstanding," David interjected.
"Thank you Deputy, but I already know it was these two urchins that caused all this. Luckily, I've handled the situation," Regina stated. Emma got a bad feeling in her gut at that.
"I've called social services in Boston. Tonight, you'll take these two delinquents to a pair of group homes. All the arraignments are made," Regina stated.
"Wait...a pair of group homes? You're separating them?" David asked.
"The system is overloaded with unwanted urchins, Mr. Nolan. Each home only has so many beds. Miss Swan, you should be familiar with how the system works," she goaded. David clenched his fist and Emma swallowed thickly.
"More than familiar. But we have reason to believe their father is still in town. If we can find him..." Emma said. But she was cut off.
"The decision is final, Miss Swan. Tonight, you'll drive them to Boston," Regina said coldly.
"Henry...let's go," she snapped, as he followed sadly, but not before casting a glance back at them.
"I'll run by Gold's shop and see what he knows," David said.
"Okay...I'll take these two to the diner and get them something to eat," Emma decided, as she noticed her father's troubled gaze on the children.
"Dad…" she said quietly.
"Every time I think about what you went through...I want to put my fist through a wall," he lamented.
"Dad…" she soothed.
"I know, we don't have time for this right now," he replied.
"No, I meant that I know how hard it was for us all to be apart. You and Mom suffered too," she said.
"It wasn't supposed to be like this," he said.
"I know and that's one person's fault," she reminded.
"We have to stop her," he said.
"We will," she added, as they parted ways briefly, as David headed to the pawn shop.
"Well...Deputy Chisel Chin," Jefferson joked, as he came in the back way.
"We have a problem," David stated.
"I'm afraid in this town, you'll have to be more specific," Gold replied.
"It's Regina...doing what she does best. Separating children from their parents," he clarified. Jefferson frowned, as a chord was instantly struck in him.
"Do you have names?" Gold asked.
"In this land, they are Ava and Nicholas Zimmer. But in ours, according to Henry, they were Hansel and Gretel. He's sure their father is in town and they had this, which belonged to him," David said, as he put the compass on the counter. Gold started leafing through his records, as David sighed.
"If we can't find him, Regina is going to force Emma to take them to Boston tonight and put them in separate group homes," he added. Jefferson scoffed.
"She's a piece of work. She's never satisfied...she just wants to inflict as much misery as she can," he growled.
"We'll stop her...we have to," David stated, as Gold extracted a card.
"This compass was purchased by Michael Tillman," Gold stated.
"There's no address," David replied.
"No, but Michael Tillman runs the repair garage, just off Main street," Gold replied.
"Thanks," David said, as he hurried out and pulled his phone out to call Emma.
Mary entered the diner that afternoon with Stephanie. She was surprised at how well she and the new teacher hit it off. Before Emma had come along, it seemed that most had always avoided her. She had colleagues and acquaintances, but until Emma, Belle, and Stephanie, Mary had never really had friends. They were already discussing Christmas plans and while Mary had always loved the season, she was absolutely brimming with excitement this year at the prospect of actually having a loft full of friends and spending it with them and her boyfriend.
They ordered hot chocolate with cinnamon and noticed Emma was there in a booth with two children, who were eating hungrily and the blonde waved them over.
"Hey Emma…" Mary greeted, her eyes gesturing to the children.
"Mary, this is Ava and Nicholas Zimmer. I'm helping them out today," Emma said.
"Which is a waste of time. Our Mom is dead and our Dad doesn't want us," Ava added, as she swallowed.
"We don't know that. We'll find him. Why don't you two go ask Granny for refills," Emma suggested, as they went to the counter.
"Emma...what's going on?" Mary asked.
"They're orphans and they've been living on the streets. They got caught shoplifting today," Emma explained.
"That's awful," Mary said.
"It gets worse. If we can't find their father, Mayorzilla is forcing me to take them to Boston tonight. And they'll be put in separate homes," Emma added. Mary's heart sank. Emma had told her enough about the system to know that this was tragic for two young children.
"Oh Emma…" she lamented.
"David is actually at the pawn shop now, trying to track down information on the dad. I...I just have to stop her from doing this to them," Emma said. Mary squeezed her hand.
"We will," Mary soothed, as she wondered how much luck David was having in the search.
David parked in front of the garage on Main and cautiously went into the building, looking around.
"Can I help you, deputy?" a man asked, as he poked his head out from under the hood of the vehicle.
"Are you Michael Tillman?" David asked.
"Yes...is there a problem?" he questioned.
"Well, there's no easy way to say this really, Mr. Tillman, but we found your children," David replied. Michael blanched and stared at him for a moment, before sobering.
"I'm sorry deputy, I think you've made a mistake. I don't have any children," he stated. David sighed and pulled out the compass.
"I think you do, Mr. Tillman. Ava and Nicholas had this with them," David said. The man stared longingly at the compass, remembering the sentimental value the item had.
"Deputy…" he started to say.
"Nolan...David Nolan," he said.
"Deputy Nolan...I can barely keep the doors open on my garage and feed myself. I...I can't care for them," he replied shamefully. David had to remind himself that this was the curse; that whoever this man had been back in their land would never willingly have given up his children. It scared him to think about what he might have been like if he had been given curse memories. What kind of person would he have been?
"Mr. Tillman...if a parent or guardian doesn't take custody of them, Mayor Mills is forcing Emma...Sheriff Swan to take them to Boston tonight. They'll be put into the foster system and separated," David informed. Mr. Tillman looked sad, but he shook his head.
"And I hate that...but I can't. I'm not able to care for them," he said regrettably.
"I wish I could say that I understand...but I don't. I...I'd love to have children and I know that if I did, I would do anything for them," David replied, looking the man in the eyes, before turning away.
"Have a good day, Mr. Tillman," he said, as he got back in the car and drove away, with Michael watching him go with a torn expression.
As David walked into the diner a few minutes later, he saw the expectant faces of his wife and daughter, but his expression probably told them everything.
"What happened?" Emma asked.
"He said he was sorry, but he can barely keep his shop open. He says he can't take them," David told them and the expression on Emma's face broke his heart.
"I knew it...he doesn't want us. I told you, Nicholas," Ava spat, as her brother lowered his head sadly, just as the Mayor walked in.
"Well, Miss Swan, Boston is a four hour drive and the homes are expecting these two around eight pm, so I suggest you be off," Regina said, with a smug smirk.
"Regina...their father is in town. Just give us a few more days," Emma replied.
"Their father is unfit to provide for them, Miss Swan. Now, do your job and drive them to Boston...now," Regina snapped.
"What...what if someone else took them in until Mr. Tillman got on his feet?" Mary asked, as she looked at David and he smiled at her with a nod.
"If you're thinking that someone is going to be you, Miss Blanchard, then you're going to be sorely disappointed," Regina replied.
"Why? Mary and I more than capable physically and financially to take them in," David countered and Emma looked at her parents in awe. But the smug smile on Regina's face wanted to make her punch her.
"The state of Maine prefers to foster children to married couples and you two aren't married. Trust me, a teacher and her formerly comatose lover aren't exactly what they look for in potential foster parents," she said. David clenched his fist in anger. They were married and she knew damn well they were. But in his world, her world, she had stolen that from them too.
"Thanks for trying, guys," Emma said quietly, as Mary hugged her.
"Please drive carefully and call us when you get there," she requested. Emma smiled thinly.
"I will. I'll probably grab a motel room and then head back in the morning," she said, as she put the two saddened children into her car and drove away. David wrapped his arms around Mary from behind, folding her in his embrace, as they watched her go.
"Well, now that's taken care of, we won't have to worry about those two urchins running a muck in this town," Regina said, glaring at them both.
"Come on Mary...let's go home," he said, as he put his arm around her waist and they walked away, leaving the smug Mayor behind.
Emma was as distraught as she had been in a long time. As the bug rolled near the town line, with two saddened children in the back. She lamented about everything. Not only was she sick about separating these children. She was uneasy about leaving her parents behind in this town without her. Regina was relentless and wouldn't stop until her family and every other one was destroyed. She had been thinking about this for a while. More than once, she had wished there was a way to get her parents over the town line safely. She knew it was selfish, but she had thought about it more than once. Putting Henry and her parents in the bug and leaving this town behind. She knew a life on the run was no life. Her parents had done that kind of life back in their land. But at least they'd be together. She knew it was selfish and her parents would never abandon their people, even if her mother wasn't her mother right now.
But she would do almost anything right now to get her son and her parents away from Regina and Damon Tromera. She knew running away wasn't the answer though and she would have to face this head on, just as she was now facing separating these two children.
As she neared the town line, she heard a loud clunk from under the hood and the car started to smoke.
"What the hell…" she cursed, as she pulled onto the shoulder. Sighing deeply, she got out and raised the hood, coughing, as she waved her hand through the smoke. She was about to make a call when she saw Michael Tillman's tow truck, rolling toward them. She hadn't even managed to call him yet.
"Car trouble?" he asked.
"Yeah...guess we won't be making it to Boston tonight," Emma told the children. She was about to call Mary Margaret to ask if they could camp out in the loft for the night when she saw Michael staring at them. Ava held the compass, noticing it was suddenly working again. Emma opened the door and the children got out. Michael knelt down and looked at them longingly.
"I was wrong...abandoning you. It was...it is wrong," he choked out.
"I...I don't know if I know how to be a father, but I'm willing to give it a try if you'll have me. If you can forgive me," he pleaded. The two children hugged him and Emma felt a weight lift off her shoulders. Regina had failed again in the end and she couldn't wait to get home to her own parents.
"Taking them to Boston won't be necessary, Sheriff. They're my children," Michael said.
"That's good to hear. Think you can give me a tow back to your garage?" Emma asked.
"Absolutely, I think I can fix this heap tomorrow. We'll even drop you at home," he agreed. She smiled.
"You're hired," she replied...