AN: See chapter 1 for story notes and summaries.
Ships: Snowing, Rumbelle, Swan Believer, eventual Swanfire, and a delightful Golden Mad Charming BroT3. :)
Please consider leaving a review. Feedback is much appreciated.
Also, feel free to follow me on Tumblr lilacmoon83. In an effort to grow my Snowing fanfiction blog on Tumblr and get more visibility for my writing, I invite anyone following my stories here on to follow me on Tumblr. I have a sizable following here on , but that hasn't really transferred over to Tumblr. I've been considering doing face claims for all original characters in this story too. So if you're interested, give me a follow on Tumblr and help my stories get a bit more visibility through reblogs and shares!
For one face claim reveal, I will tell that I chose Gal Gadot as the face claim for Persephone...cause she's perfect as Persephone!
Please consider leaving a review if you're reading. It is very much appreciated!
Thanks for awesome the reviews. Here are individual responses:
Sara K M: You know, I remember that commentary from Gosh now that you mention it, but I wasn't actively thinking about it when I wrote that scene. It must be where it came from though.
Yeah, Whale is just a jerk. Using his status as a doctor to skate by, but actively not caring about anyone else is very in character. The punch was well deserved, indeed. Yeah, David really doesn't like giving him a pass on this one, but I think he got his point across that he better not think he's untouchable. Team Snowing all the way. :)
I know, I love that Snowing gives zero you know whats about what other's think about their PDA. I love writing it and how they never stop, no matter what setting they're in. Yes, that's a big difference between Persephone and Snow. She's less able to see the good in people and want to give them so many chances. Snow is the opposite of that. Both ways definitely have pros and cons. Glad you're still enjoying!
Saberius Prime: I know, poor Red. And Johanna might not like the path she's choosing. As for Neal, it's finally here. He and Emma come face to face. As to what he'll think about his father's more relaxed attitude, that will definitely be interesting. I can tell you that it starts the same way as in the show, but the conversation in the bar takes an obviously different turn between Emma and Neal. I like how it turned out so I hope you will too :)
Number Ten: Yes, Regina is very conflicted about her mother. I know, Whale is a jackass. Yeah, Johanna might regret her choice. As for Hook, nah, he was a great villain. I liked Rogers as a hero, but Hook version 1.0 belongs in the what I call the gray area. Sometimes bad, but not completely evil and has his moments. That's just my opinion though. Yeah, what Cora did does warp the concept of Frankenstein, but remember this is Cora we're talking about. Everything she touches pretty much is ruined. And the people around her are always the collateral damage. She's just one that I thought wasn't really redeemable.
Paulaa90: I'm glad you liked the dreamscape flashbacks. I feel those are really important in showing how Emma got to the good place she is now with her parents. Yes, Persephone knowing about Cora might change things a bit and Moe is awful, but fortunately Belle is okay. Yep, Rumple is a double agent here. Who will pay the price, that remains to be seen. Yep, Hermes is still around, which is worrisome. I felt bad for Regina too. I think she's just in denial about her mother right now. Hopefully that will change. And you're right, Johanna probably will regret her decision. Yes, it will be interesting when they realize the dagger is gone. Glad you're still enjoying! :)
Izzypirelli: I know, I can just imagine a scene with Snow running behind Charming, who is walking. Glad you like a little role reversal here. Most of the time, Charming is more patient than Snow, except when it comes to his family. And you can never have enough flirty Snowing.
Glad you liked the sexy Snowing scene too. I really had fun writing that one. Glad you liked the addition that the harsh winter was brought on by Persephone's grief and not just a random bad winter. Yes, Johanna can't get past her own grief long enough to see things as they really are. Cora is a master manipulator. The right people are running the town now thankfully and it's a good thing, especially for Red.
Dreaming Out Loud
Chapter 52: Manhattan
"Red...we don't know that it was you," Snow pleaded.
"She's right...we know you didn't do this," David agreed.
"I appreciate your confidence, but we all know that I did!" she insisted, as she stood in the cell.
"His body was ripped in half. What else could cause that kind of carnage?" she questioned.
"Plenty of things...you're not a killer," David admonished.
"I am David...I've killed dozens, including my own boyfriend," Red retorted.
"But that was before you learned to control it," Snow reminded.
"But I haven't turned in twenty-eight years and I have no memory of last night. That tells me that I don't have control! Now close the cell door!" Red pleaded. David sighed.
"Okay…" he agreed.
"David!" Snow admonished.
"No...maybe this good, because after I conduct my investigation today, I'll find out who the real killer is and then release you in the morning," he said. Snow smiled at him, as George stormed into the station.
"Get out…" David growled.
"Well...I see you've actually done your job and locked that thing up," the former King spat.
"She is not a thing!" Snow replied hotly. But she was ignored.
"Whatever issues you have with me...they don't extend to her. We have no proof that Red had anything to do with what happened," David stated. George shook his head.
"As usual, Shepherd, you're allowing your emotions to cloud your judgement," George hissed.
"Leave him alone," Snow snapped.
"You two are really something...protecting your friend at the peril of everyone else. I shouldn't be surprised. I am talking to the pair that spared the Evil Queen from execution and then got us all cursed," he spat.
"Why the hell are you here? What do you want?" David demanded to know.
"Justice. Hand that over to me and let the town decide her fate," George answered.
"Like hell...never, because I know exactly what kind of justice you have in mind," David refused.
"This town is bigger than you think. I start telling people that you're putting their lives in danger to protect your own interests? You'll have a mutiny on your hands," George warned.
"Yeah, we'll see. You want her, you have to go through us," David hissed back. George smirked.
"I look forward to that," he replied, as he stormed out. Snow put her hand on her husband's arm.
"David...what are we going to do? If he rallies enough people, they might try to kill her," Snow feared. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked at them both.
"I'm not going to let that happen," he promised, as he unlocked the cell.
"What are you doing?" Red exclaimed.
"The station isn't safe, but Belle left me the keys to the library while she's gone. We can hide you there until we figure this out," David suggested. Snow smiled and kissed his cheek.
That morning, after breakfast, they pulled up to the third apartment building in the SoHo district. At the last two buildings, they turned up empty, but they pressed on, even as impatient as Gold was getting. So when he hesitated to enter the building, again for the third time, Emma called him on it.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing," he lied.
"This could be the place, you know," she reminded. He nodded curtly.
"Yes…" he agreed.
"He's not expecting you I'm guessing," she stated. He remained silent and Belle squeezed his hand.
"All right...well, who doesn't like a surprise?" Emma said, as she entered the building with Henry. Belle and Gold followed hesitantly.
Outside the Sheriff's station that afternoon was quite a scene, as George rallied an angry mob.
"We won't cower in fear to this creature any long! We know who she is...we know where she's hiding! So why is she still alive?!" he shouted, as the mob cheered. It was sickening, as Persephone watched the former King manipulate these people and she had words for ever single one of them that was willing to follow this evil man and so quick condemn a possibly innocent woman for something she couldn't control.
"She's being harbored by two people. Snow White and Prince David. How many more people have to die, before our Prince and Princess decide to act?" he called. Persephone glared daggers at him and was ready to zap him to dust. But she refrained from that, while they waited to hear from Bashful on the forensics from the crime scene. She was worried though. She wondered how long it would be before they found out where Red really was and she didn't like this unruly mob. She was afraid that they wouldn't let anyone stand in their way and would be more apt to go through her daughter and son-in-law to get to Red rather than around them.
"If they won't protect you...then I will!" George claimed. She had heard enough and disappeared in a puff of lavender smoke.
"These should work," Red stated, as she held up a set of iron shackles.
"I hate this," Snow protested.
"I know...but you have to chain me up," she insisted.
"Thanks for letting us hide her here, Belle. The station isn't safe," David said into his phone.
"Of course...keep us informed of the situation," she said from the other end.
"We will," David agreed, as he hung up the phone.
"Okay...let's get you settled for the night. Bashful should have forensics back on the scene soon and then I'm going to find the real killer," David said. Red was about to protest, but then just sighed in defeat.
"You two really have to start thinking about what happens if I am the real killer," Red warned.
"You're not," Snow insisted.
"The crowd is about six blocks from here," Granny informed them with her wolf hearing, just as Persephone appeared.
"George has rallied a huge mob," Persephone warned.
"The only way we're going to get the mob to stand down, is if we prove Red had nothing to do with Billy's death. Can you stay with her? Because we need to go out there and find the real killer," David asked. Persephone nodded.
"They aren't getting in here," she agreed. David took Snow's hand and led her out the back way, with Granny trailing them, as they set off, determined to prove Red's innocence. As they rounded the corner, David's phone rang.
"What you have, Bashful?" he asked, as he answered.
"There's a hair on the body that doesn't belong to Red or Billy. But I need a little more time to run it against everyone in town," he reported.
"Okay...that's something anyway. Let me know when you have an ID," David said, as he hung up the phone.
"There was a hair on Billy's body that doesn't belong to him or Red. He needs more time to get an identification though," David explained, as Granny stopped for a moment.
"What is it?" Snow asked.
"I...I think I've got a scent on something...blood," she said. Snow and David turned and followed Granny.
Emma looked around the small lobby and approached the switchboard. Henry stood next to her, as they tried to decipher which apartment might be a good bet.
"No Baelfire again," Henry chimed in.
"Yeah, that wouldn't fly as an alias," Emma replied.
"Do any of these names mean anything to you?" Henry asked Mr. Gold.
"Well, names are what I traffic in, but sadly, no," Gold responded. Emma pointed to apartment 407 and it was the only apartment with no name.
"Here's you boy," she said.
"Or it could be vacant like in the last building where there was an apartment with no name," Gold refuted.
"Except those buildings were advertising apartments for rent. This one isn't, which means it's full," Emma reasoned. He looked at her skeptically.
"You may traffic in names and magic, but I traffic in finding people that don't want to be found. And those sort of people don't advertise their whereabouts," she added, as she pressed the button.
"UPS package for 407," she stated. The line disconnected immediately.
"Maybe you should have said FedEx," Henry quipped, as they heard a crash from somewhere above.
"He's running," Emma said, as the four of them hurried out into the streets. A man in a gray hoodie was climbing down the fire escape and took off running the moment his feet hit the ground.
"That favor you owe me. This is it. Get him to talk to me...I can't run," he pleaded.
"Stay with Belle and Mr. Gold," she told her son, as she began chasing the man trying to evade them through the streets. Thanks to years of running, though her boots didn't help, Emma was fast and quickly gained on him. Finally after running almost six blocks, she caught up and tackled him near an alleyway. They crashed to the ground and both started to get up. For the first time, she finally got a look at his face and her heart dropped into her stomach.
"No...Neal?" she asked in disbelief. He smiled.
"Emma?" he asked in surprise. Her mouth still hung ajar and she repeated his name.
"Neal?" she asked again, as they got to their feet.
"I don't understand...what are you doing here?" he asked.
"What am I doing here?" she asked in return.
"Yeah," he said.
"I'm not answering anything until you tell me the truth. Are you Gold's son?" she questioned.
"What are you talking about? Who's Gold?" he asked.
"You played me...you're from there…" she realized.
"Whoa Emma, slow down! What are you talking about? Who's Gold?" he repeated.
"Your father! Rumpelstiltskin!" she cried.
"He's here?" Neal asked wearily.
"Why else would I be in New York?" she shouted.
"You brought him to me? Why the hell would you do that?!" he cried.
"Hey! I am the only one allowed to be angry here! Did you know who I was? Where I was from the whole time? August said you didn't know until he told you, but why the hell should I believe that?" she screamed.
"Emma…" he started to say.
"Tell me the truth! Because Gods knows August is really bad at it!" she snapped.
"Fine! We...we just need to get off the street. We can't talk about this stuff in the open. There's a bar down the street," he suggested.
"I'm not getting a drink with you! Tell me now!" she demanded.
"The bar is better...we can't talk about there in the open. Don't worry, you can keep yelling at me when we get there," Neal replied. Reluctantly, Emma followed him. As much as she hated it, he was right. The street was no place for this discussion.
"You need to leave. The moon's going to be up soon," Red warned.
"I'll be fine, Red. You forget I have magic. I'm the best person you could be around right now," Persephone replied. But Red's expression was forlorn.
"What's wrong?" Persephone asked.
"I know Snow and David want to believe the best in me, but I've killed before and I'll do it again. Everyone in this town is right to be afraid of me," she replied.
"Well, I'm not...and I'm as convinced as they are that you didn't do anything. Trust me, George is up to something," Persephone refuted.
"You should be afraid," Red warned.
"The past does not define us if we do not let it. Snow and David see the good in you and that tells me one thing," Persephone said.
"What?" Red asked.
"That it's in there. So if we can see it, why can't you?" Persephone questioned.
"You really think so?" Red asked.
"Trust me...I'm the Queen of the Underworld. I know good and I know bad when I see it. And you Red...are good," Persephone answered.
"Maybe. Maybe you're right. But the town's right too. I am a monster. And that's why I need to make sure I don't ever hurt anyone again," Red replied, as she surprised the other woman and put the chains on her.
"What?" Persephone asked, as she tried to magic her way out of them, but found she couldn't.
"They're magic proof...I'm sorry, but I have to do this," Red told her, as she started toward the door.
"Red...don't do this!" Persephone cried.
"I can't let you stop me. The mob wants a wolf and I'm going to give them one. I need to pay for all I've done," Red responded.
"And they'll kill you!" Persephone cried.
"Isn't that what I deserve?" Red asked, as she ran out, leaving Persephone chained up.
"This way," Granny called, as they approached a parked car.
"The trunk," Granny instructed, as she followed the scent. David popped the trunk and they looked inside, finding an ax and Red's cloak.
"The wolf didn't kill Billy," David stated.
"Red's hood," Granny said, as she picked it up.
"If someone had her cloak, then she'd be forced to change into a wolf," Snow realized.
"So whoever killed Billy could pin the murder on her," David finished.
"Who would want to hurt my Red?" Granny asked.
"This isn't about Red...it's about me. It's George," David said, as he went to the front of the car and searched the glove box. He pulled out the registration.
"This car is registered to Albert Spencer," he confirmed.
"I bet he's the hair Bashful found on Billy," Snow deduced.
"He needed a reason to wrestle power away from us, so he created one," David said, as they heard a howling in the distance.
"The mob…" Snow fretted.
"They're going to kill her," David said, as he took her hand and they started running.
Belle smiled, as she watched Rumple interact with Henry and buy him a hot dog.
"Don't worry, Emma's really good at catching people. I think she gets it from Gramps...cause he found and caught Grams a bunch of times," Henry chattered.
"Yes...but my son has been running away for a very long time now, much longer than your grandmother was running. And I have a feeling he is very adept at it," Rumple replied, as Belle put a gentle hand on his arm.
"But we did find him. That's something, right?" the boy asked. Belle smiled.
"That is definitely something," she agreed.
"Oh and uh, thanks for the hot dog. I forgot to say that," Henry replied.
"You are quite welcome and thank you, my boy," Gold replied, as they strolled away from the stand and found a bench.
"For what?" Henry chirped.
"Well, if it wasn't for you finding Emma and bringing her to Storybrooke, none of this would have come to pass. You...are a remarkable young man," he said.
"You know...I forgave her. Emma...for giving me up. She thought it was best for me then. That's why she did it. I'm sure your son will get it too," Henry said innocently.
"Alas, the circumstances surrounding our separation weren't quite so noble," Gold replied.
"But you're here now and you want him back, right?" Henry asked.
"More than anything," Gold confirmed.
"Then that's all that matters," Henry said. Gold didn't look so sure, but Belle squeezed the boy's shoulder.
"You are quite the miniature Charming, aren't you?" she teased. He beamed.
"Gramps says that love is all that matters and family is really important. Maybe I can tell your son all the stuff Gramps tells me about love and family," Henry suggested. Belle smiled.
"It definitely couldn't hurt," she said, glancing warmly at Rumple.
"Love is definitely special, especially when it comes to family and who better to teach that than a little boy that comes from such a loving family," she agreed. She could tell he wanted to believe it too, but couldn't quite. She hoped with all her heart that things would work out in their favor.
"She's close!" George called, as he and the mob entered an alley. The wolf growled from behind a dumpster.
"There you are," George growled, as he drew his gun and prepared to fire. But suddenly, the weapon was shot out of his hand by an arrow from Granny's crossbow.
"The next one goes between your eyes!" the old woman threatened.
"Red!" Snow called, as the mob grew angrier.
"Why are you protecting her?"
"You're supposed to be our Mayor!"
"We're not sheep, David. We don't need to led by a Shepherd and a runaway Princess!"
The people shouted angrily at them.
"Listen to me! Red did not kill Billy and I can prove it!" David shouted, as he pointed to George.
"He did. He stole Red's cloak and killed Billy in cold blood to make it look like the wolf; to get you to think we weren't leading his town as we should," David revealed. The wolf growled and the mob started to move toward her, even as his wife still cautiously approached her.
"Hold on! Someone already died because of what this man did. Let's not spill more blood. She won't hurt anyone. She's just scared," David said, as he followed his wife with Red's cloak.
"Red? I know you're in there, so listen to me. George did it...not you," Snow pleaded.
"She's right, so don't let him trick you into thinking you're a monster," David added and she growled at that. Snow gave him a look. Honestly, she loved him more than her own life, but he really needed some tact sometimes.
"All right, all right, poor choice of words," he admonished.
"Please Red, we know you...the real you. We know you can control the wolf," Snow whispered.
"Red...it's us…Snow and David," he added. She stopped growling and sat back on her haunches, allowing David to throw her cloak over her. Red transformed back into her human form and looked at them in grateful awe.
"You saved me," she uttered.
"No...you saved yourself. We just reminded you of what you already knew," David replied. Snow nodded and hugged her friend fiercely then. David turned and didn't see George anywhere.
"Where is he?" he asked.
"He's gone. Go…" Granny urged, as David took off running after the cold blooded killer.
"David! Be careful!" she called, fearing what George might do to her husband.
"Let's go...I don't trust George," Red called. Snow nodded, as they took off after him.
The bar was quiet, being that it was the middle of the day and Emma sat across from him, glaring daggers.
"Well, what do you want to know, Emma? You want the truth? Ask away," Neal said.
"Did you know who I was when we met? August said no, but he's a liar," Emma replied. He took a breath.
"So...you've met August. No, I didn't know, Emma. He was telling the truth about that. Wonders never cease, right?" Neal joked, but her glare remained and he looked down at his hands again.
"If I had, I wouldn't have gone near you," he offered.
"Really?" she asked skeptically.
"Yeah really...I was in hiding. I came here to get away from...all that crap!" he spat.
"So if you didn't know...then you were just using me? You just needed someone to take the fall for all the watches you stole," she deduced.
"I wasn't using you! When we met, that was all real. I didn't know…" he implored.
"Then August found you and told you," she deduced. He nodded.
"He said that I was going to keep you from getting home," Neal replied. Emma's anger nearly boiled over at that.
"So you left me...let me go to prison, because Pinocchio told you to!" she hissed.
"Emma…" he started to say.
"I loved you," she confessed and his heart nearly broke at that.
"I love you too...you have to believe that. I loved you enough to let you go," he pleaded.
"That's crap! If you had been honest with me about who you really were, then things would have been so different!" she cried.
"How? Are you really going to sit there and tell me that you would have believed me if I told you I was the son of Rumpelstiltskin and was from a magical Enchanted Forest?" he hissed quietly. She looked him straight in the eye and he was shocked to see absolute belief behind them.
"Yes…" she responded.
"I...I don't understand," he stammered. She took a stifled breath.
"What August didn't know was that I already knew everything...I've known my whole life," she confessed. His eyes widened slightly.
"You mean...you knew you were from there too?" he asked in disbelief.
"I knew my parents too…" she murmured.
"How is that possible? August told me they were cursed with everyone else," he stated in disbelief.
"They were...but what he nor anyone else, including your father, didn't know was that every night when I went to sleep, I visited a dreamscape where my parents joined me. My mother appeared there at night too and my father was there all the time, since he spent most of the curse in a coma," she revealed. His mouth was ajar in shock.
"My mother's biological mother is Persephone. She gave her daughter up to keep Hades from killing her. That's why my mother was raised by King Leopold and Queen Eva, though my mother's biological father was mortal," Emma continued.
"Your grandmother is the Queen of the Underworld?" he hissed. She nodded.
"Persephone couldn't stop the curse, so she asked Morpheus to create the dreamscape for us. She wanted me to know my parents, even if it was only in my dreams. And it made all the difference in my life," she explained.
"But when you met me you...you were just as angry as I was. Hell, that's how we bonded! Over our crappy childhoods and parents that weren't there!" he exclaimed.
"I know!" she snapped.
"I was angry at them in my teens years! They were there...but not there. It wasn't their fault, but at that point in my life, I didn't give a damn. For like two years, I did nothing but scream at them and tell them that I hated them!" she said, still ashamed of her behavior during that time.
"Wow…" he mumbled.
"When I met you, I told them that I didn't need them anymore and that I didn't care if I ever found them. I decided that the curse wasn't my problem and wanted nothing to do with them. They tried to remain strong in front of me, but I'll never forget the sound of my mom crying. Dad never let me see or hear him cry, but I know he did," she confessed. Neal swallowed thickly.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked. She scoffed.
"For the same reason you didn't tell me!" she countered.
"When I was a little girl, I use to tell people that every night, I visited a magical dream world where my real parents were. And that they were Snow White and Prince Charming," she drawled and he nodded.
"They thought it was cute when I was five...but not so cute when I was eight. And then by the time I was twelve, they thought I was downright delusional. If I hadn't started keeping it to myself, I probably would have ended up institutionalized," she added.
"Damn...I guess me letting you go was for the best though," he said. She looked at him sharply.
"Sending me to prison was for the best?" she growled.
"No!" he cried.
"Not that part...but you obviously found your parents and things are better between you, right?" he asked. She softened.
"Yeah...really good actually. But still doesn't change the fact that what you and August did to me sucked," she spat. He nodded.
"I know...I'm sorry, really I am. He said it was the only way to get you to break the curse and if I stayed with you...then I'd have to face my father. I wasn't ready for that...still not," he replied.
"Do you really think us meeting was coincidence? That this wasn't somehow part of your father's plan?" she asked.
"As many sucky things as he's done, actually no," Neal replied. She looked at him skeptically.
"Really?" she questioned.
"Think about it...he wanted the curse broken. Us meeting and staying together could have jeopardized that," he reasoned and she realized he was right. If Gold really didn't know, then he was in for one hell of a surprise. And then there was Henry...God, she had to tell him about Henry. There was the option of not telling him, but she could already hear her mother in her head. Not telling him would be a mistake if the secret came out later.
"Yeah...you know I'd like to give a big fuck you to fate right about now," she mentioned and he chuckled.
"Yeah...it can be a bitch," he agreed, as he noticed her wearing the swan key chain he had gotten her years ago.
"You still have it…" he mentioned. She glared at him
"To remind myself to never trust anyone again...outside my parents," she retorted. He frowned, as she stood up.
"So, I promised your father that I'd get you to talk to him, so let's go. I made a deal with him," she urged. His eyes widened.
"You made a deal with him?" Neal hissed.
"Yeah and I'm upholding my end. Let's go," she insisted.
"No...you don't have to. Just tell him you lost me," Neal replied.
"Yeah...except there's one more thing you need to know and I think seeing it is the only way to do it justice," she said.
"Emma…" he protested, but she slapped her hand down on the table.
"You sent me to jail…" she hissed.
"You owe me this much...now let's go. Trust me...you won't regret it, at least, I don't think you will," she added. He looked at her curiously, wondering what she could possibly mean by that. But he realized suddenly that he had to know, so with great reluctance...he followed her.