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:
Baratta Jennifer: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
Naomi Blue: I don't like Tamara either and this story won't change that for you. In fact, I'd wager that you will end up hating her more. Can't say why, but you'll know in a couple chapters from now.
Grace5231973: Yep, there's no love for Tamara in this story. In fact, you'll probably hate her more in this story since I'm doing a few different things. Lol, Henry is cute and yep, he's going to get kissing in just a few years. Hook...not sure if he'll die in this, but he's definitely going to remain a side character. Yes, Neal is in for some surprises!
Sara K M: Mmm...me too! I eat low carb so I put cinnamon in both my low carb pancake and waffle recipes, especially since sugar free syrups are terrible. I agree, no need for syrup with cinnamon! It is very Charming for him to make them for her. Yes, I liked the way the showdown between Johanna and Persephone came out. I wanted Snow in the middle of it, but it won't last long as this chapter comes to a climax in that regard. I like including Belle here on the New York trip and Emma has a lot more understanding in this version for obvious reasons. Yep, definitely some awkwardness ahead with this new dynamic with Neal and the complication of Tamara. I couldn't skip Tiny. It's one of my favorite episodes. I knew I had to tweak it a bit, but wanted to keep it as close as possible to canon. Glad you're still enjoying!
Saberius Prime: Yeah, it was quite a chapter and this one is much the same. You're welcome on the info!
Guest: Walter is Sleepy's curse name. Like Leroy and Sneezy, Sleepy also had a curse identity.
Number Ten: Yep, Tamara is big trouble. I know, I wish Snow would believe Persephone. I can tell you that she will, but it will probably be too late.
TheInferno1536: Hook will likely remain a side character since this is Swanfire.
Beth1980: I feel bad for Snow too. As for Johanna's true intentions, that becomes frighteningly clear in this chapter. And you're right about the trap. Yeah, I thought Leroy and Happy should be useful. I loved writing the part about Henry's observations about how much Snowing kiss. You're right, poor Emma. I do love torturing her though with her parents PDA. Yep, I enjoyed Emma knocking Hook out too. Hook is probably going to get a lot of that in this. Because I'm a big fan of the ship Captain Floor, lol. Yes, I always assumed Tiny stayed with the dwarfs so that will probably be the same here. Ha, yeah Neal was not thinking on that one. Tamara is trouble for sure. Glad you enjoyed it!
Izzypirelli: Yep, a nice quiet morning means non-stop drama. I wish I could say that this chapter isn't like that, but it's full on drama. Persephone did raise good points, keep that in mind for what's ahead. Yeah, that punch would have hurt bad and I got to use one of my favorite Snow lines. Yeah, Johanna is seriously going to regret taking Cora's side. Yeah, Neal not mentioning Tamara was not cool. This is Swanfire, but Neal's got some work to do. Glad you're enjoying!
Dreaming Out Loud
Chapter 55: Jar of Hearts
Neal hit the brakes on the van and parked it, as they jumped out of the front seat.
"You gonna tell me how the hell you think you can sail a pirate ship?" Emma asked, as they opened the side door on the van.
"Later," Neal replied, as Belle cradled his father in her arms and he gazed up at her. It was clear the poison was already taking a toll.
"Bae…" he rasped.
"Don't talk...you need to save your strength or you won't make it to Storybrooke," he snapped bluntly, as he peered out to see where the Harbor security guards were.
"We need a distraction," he mentioned.
"I can help with that!" Henry called, as he hopped out and ran toward the dock before Emma could stop him.
"Henry!" she called, as she hurried after him.
"Hey kid, no running along the dock!" the guard cried, as he stopped him with a firm hand on him.
"Sorry…" Henry said, as he started running again, ensuing chase from the guard.
"Hey! Stop, you little brat!" he called, as another guard intercepted him, just as Emma caught up to him.
"Is this your kid?" he asked.
"Yeah...sorry about that," Emma answered, as she put her arm around her wayward child.
"The Harbor isn't a playground! Keep a better eye on your kid," the guard warned and Emma nodded.
"Don't worry...it won't happen again," she assured, as they turned around and returned to the van.
"Am I in trouble?" Henry asked.
"No...because your diversion worked," Emma replied, as she noticed Neal and Belle had managed to get him on board the Jolly Roger.
"Do it again...and totally. New York is not a place I need you running off," she chided, as the slipped aboard the ship too and it set sail. The ship stood out like a sore thumb so the sooner they were out of patrolled waters, the better.
Snow hurried along the sidewalk with her hand in David's and he looked at her with his peripheral vision. He stopped and got in front of her, blocking her path. She gave him an indignant look and tried to go around him, but he stopped her again.
"Snow...give me a minute," he requested and she sighed.
"We don't have time. Johanna said she has information on Cora," she said.
"I know, but I think you need to take a breath, my darling and entertain the possibility that your mother might be right," he said. She looked at him incredulously.
"You can't possibly be taking her side?" Snow cried. He put his hands on her shoulders.
"You know that I am always on your side," he admonished.
"I just think that I'm in a position here to be a little more objective and the last thing I want is to see you get hurt," he said. She nodded.
"I know and I love you for that. But I'm telling you...my mother is wrong about this. Johanna may hate her, but it doesn't extend to me. She was there for me when Eva died," Snow reminded. He nodded. He wanted that for her. He wanted to believe that Johanna didn't hold any of the ill will she had for Persephone for Snow too. But Cora was a master manipulator. Essentially, she was the reason for Regina's unhappiness and her subsequent hatred for his wife. Cora had manipulated Snow when she was a grieving and vulnerable little girl. Knowing that she had also manipulated Johanna when she was at the height of her grief made him wary of her. Her husband had been killed on the day Snow was born in service to her adopted parents. He wanted to think her anger at Persephone inadvertently creating the blizzard that had killed him didn't extend to Snow. But he knew better and was seeing things a bit more clearly than his wife at the moment.
"I know that you're worried, but that's why I'm not going alone. You'll be there and then maybe you'll see that Johanna is genuine. With time, maybe she can accept that my mother is part of my life now too," Snow said, with hope in her voice.
"I want that for you more than anything, my darling," he said. He only hoped that they weren't walking into a situation that would see her hurt. He couldn't stand it when she was hurting, especially when there was really nothing he could do to stop it.
They continued on, hand in hand, arriving at the library shortly.
"Johanna?" Snow called, as they went inside and upstairs into the clock tower.
"You came…" Johanna said, as she waited there. Snow smiled and took her hands in her own.
"You said it was urgent...that you had information about Cora," she said.
"Cora wants the dagger. She figures if she can get it, then she won't have to lift a finger to do away with her enemies," Johanna replied. Charming crossed his arms over his chest.
"She wants to make Gold do her dirty work then," he deduced. Snow looked at him.
"Or so she says," Snow added and he looked at her.
"You think that's not it?" he asked.
"It sounds like a ruse to me...I know her manipulations. Regina knows that if she lifts a finger to hurt us that she would lose Henry forever. But if Cora told her that they could get the job done without Regina having to touch us, then Henry wouldn't blame her," Snow replied. His brow furrowed.
"So she does want to control Gold," he said, confused a bit.
"No, that's just what she told Regina. Cora always wants power...she won't be satisfied with just using Gold. She wants it for herself," Snow realized. His eyes widened.
"She wants to kill him and become the Dark One herself," he said. Snow nodded, as Johanna looked at them both silently. Snow smiled at her.
"I knew you'd never betray me...this is what you brought us here to tell us, isn't it?" she asked. Johanna smiled, as they hugged.
"Of course dear…" she replied.
"Well...then Gold taking the dagger with him when he left was a good thing then. It's powerless outside town," he mentioned.
"We need to warn Emma," Snow said, as his phone started ringing.
"That's her," he said, as he answered.
"Emma…" he said and then listened, as his daughter frantically told him what was going on.
"Okay...okay...we'll be ready. But there's something you need to know too. Cora wants the dagger...and if Gold is hurt, she'll have a really good shot at it," he said, looking into Snow's eyes.
"Great...just what we need. I think the best person to take it when we get there would be Persephone. She can at least keep Cora at bay," Emma said. He nodded.
"That's a good idea...we'll be waiting at the dock," he replied, as he hung up.
"What's happened?" Snow asked.
"Apparently Cora isn't the only one that wants Gold dead. A pirate by the name of, get this, Hook, sailed his ship to New York and stabbed him with some kind of poison," he replied. She gasped.
"Magic is his only chance so they're on their way here on Hook's ship," he added.
"A ship...that's how Tiny got here! It has to be!" Snow exclaimed. He nodded.
"Which is probably how Cora got here too," he said. But Snow's brow furrowed.
"But why would Cora send Hook to New York to kill Gold if she wants to do that herself?" Snow wondered. He shrugged.
"He's a pirate...maybe she didn't. Gold has a lot of enemies; maybe this Captain Hook is one of them. Except…" David said, as he realized something suddenly.
"What is it?" she asked.
"How did he know that Gold would be powerless outside Storybrooke?" David wondered. She shrugged.
"Well, it is the Land Without Magic," she reminded.
"Or someone told him," David said, as he looked past her at Johanna.
"David...not you too…" she admonished.
"Regina could have mentioned it. She would have told her mother there was no magic outside of town. Hook could have easily picked that up if he's in league with them," Snow said.
"Yeah, I suppose so. Is that all you came to tell us? That Cora wants the dagger?" David asked the woman.
"Yes, of course," she answered. Snow smiled.
"I knew you weren't still in league with her...that you wouldn't betray me," the raven haired beauty repeated, as she hugged the woman.
"I know that you and my mother don't get along...but I think that with time, you can both put your differences aside. I know it won't be easy, but I have hope," Snow said. Johanna frowned.
"I don't think so…" the woman replied. Snow frowned and pulled back.
"She killed my husband and you want me to forgive her? I can't stand even co-existing with her and you want me to be friends with her?" Johanna asked incredulously.
"She...she didn't do it on purpose. She was just sad and her grief made her magic spiral out of control. She never meant to hurt anyone," Snow replied, defending her mother.
"Like you didn't mean to hurt anyone when you couldn't keep your mouth shut?" Johanna retorted. Snow recoiled from her at that point and David was there to put his arms around her.
"Snow was a child! She was young and Cora manipulated her, just like she manipulated you," David hissed.
"She didn't have to manipulate me into hating that Goddess when I learned she was the reason my husband was killed," Johanna countered.
"That's what Snow and Persephone do...they destroy everything," Cora said, as she and Regina appeared in a puff of magenta smoke. Snow looked at Johanna, who gazed back at her coldly. David closed his eyes, realizing what was coming and that it was exactly what he had feared. His wife being hurt.
"Johanna…" she uttered.
"Did you really think I could ever really be okay with that woman? Not even you are that naive, my dear Snow," Johanna replied.
"You were kind to me when my...Eva died. You tried to help me by giving me the idea to summon the Blue Fairy to save her," Snow said.
"But I couldn't do it. That candle would have traded her life for another...it was dark magic," she continued, as her eyes widened in realization and she looked over at Cora.
"I see you're finally figuring it out, dear," the witch mused.
"That...wasn't really the Blue Fairy, was it?" Snow asked, as Regina was also looking at her mother now. Cora shrugged.
"I wanted to see if you would actually do it. You see, I could have easily staged another accident for you like I did that day your horse was spooked by that snake and it almost threw you off. But I decided that was much too easy. After all, if you were killed, you would just join your mother in the Underworld," Cora said, as she slithered toward her. Charming tightened his arms around her and held her protectively.
"I decided that if I could turn your heart black as coal that it would be the one thing that could truly destroy your mother and Eva's entire legacy. But alas...you didn't take the bait and remained weak," Cora hissed. Tears slipped down Snow's cheeks.
"My mother...Eva wasn't really sick, was she?" Snow questioned. Cora smirked.
"Poison looked good on her...truly," the woman responded and Snow almost felt her knees give out at that. The raven haired beauty looked over at Johanna with stormy eyes.
"Did you know?" she squeaked, but the woman was silent and could only swallow thickly.
"Did. You. Know?!" Snow screamed at her through her tears.
"Yes...I knew she would be poisoned," Johanna admitted. Snow took a sharp breath.
"Why? She was kind to you…" Snow reminded.
"Your mother Persephone was the reason my husband was killed in that blizzard, but Eva was the reason he was out in it at all!" she cried back in vehemence.
"She had him traveling to deliver the news of your birth to her family in the north! All because of you! Always you, Princess Snow, fairest of them all, and to hell with anyone else!" she added.
"Shut the hell up! None of this is Snow's fault!" David roared protectively.
"From the moment she drew breath and her life began...mine ended. That's all I know," Johanna admitted. Snow sniffed and looked at Cora.
"But I'm not even Eva's daughter...if you knew that back then, then why do you still hate me so much? My real mother never did anything to you," Snow inquired. Cora smirked, relishing that she could further twist the knife in the Princess.
"Oh, it's true that at first I hated you because you were Eva's. She cost me Leopold and the crown. And then you stood in Regina's path to the crown. The people loved you and not her. But when I learned of your true origins, I realized that you were an even bigger abomination than I had imagined," Cora replied. David clenched his teeth at that.
"You were the Princess of the Underworld...Persephone's bastard child and you would still sit on the Throne meant for my daughter! Meant for me!" the bitter woman continued, as they stared at her in disbelief.
"So why do I hate you, Snow White?" Cora purred and then smirked sweetly.
"Because you exist, dear," she breathed. David glared daggers at her, briefly glancing at Regina, who remained as stunned as them and strangely silent, as he cradled his distraught wife protectively against his chest.
"And once I force your daughter to give me the dagger in exchange for your lives, I can finally rectify that and kill you all," Cora said.
"Like hell…" Persephone growled, as the library doors burst open and she strode in and up the stairs, her eyes dangerous lit with lavender magic. Cora raised her hand, firing her magenta magic and her stream was met with Persephone's, as they dueled. The Goddess had the edge and canceled Cora's attack, before stepping in front of Snow and David.
"You shall never harm my daughter and my family…" she hissed, as she glanced at Johanna.
"You know, if it made Snow happy, I could have learned to accept you as part of her life. I was hoping that I was wrong about you and Cora's manipulation didn't run so deep. Snow loves you and I am to blame for your pain, not her," Persephone reasoned. Johanna looked Snow.
"I know and part of me will always care for you, Snow...but you're still a part of this woman and I will always hate that," Johanna replied. Snow sniffed and closed her eyes.
"I don't care if part of you does hate me, Johanna, because I will always love you and I forgive you," Snow said, as she held out her. Johanna reached to take it, but before she could, Cora used her magic to pick the woman up and flung her through the glass face of the clock, plunging her to her death. Persephone was caught completely off guard and unable to stop the attack until it was too late and she gazed at Cora in disbelief.
"Her usefulness had run out," Cora stated, as Snow looked down onto the sidewalk below, before her knees gave out and she collapsed into violent sobs. Charming held her tightly, rocking her back and forth. Regina was stunned too, but then looked at Snow and felt the need to tell her that she had this coming. Her naivete and belief in goodness was futile and this only proved it.
"Maybe you'll finally see what I've known since Daniel died," she hissed, as her step-daughter looked up at her brokenly.
"This is what good gets you…" Regina continued.
"Shut up," Persephone growled, getting in front of her little girl.
"You know it like I do...you were right, we're not so different. Good gets the people we love killed. You lost your daughter and I lost Daniel!" Regina spat at the Goddess.
"Good saw us married off to men we didn't love, because we were too weak to do what was necessary until it was too late," the former Queen continued.
"Teach your daughter that good will just make her lose that perfect little family she loves so much, because once my mother manages to get the dagger...it's all over for good," Regina said ominously, sounding more like a warning than a statement, as she and Cora disappeared in a puff of smoke. To Persephone, it almost sounded like Regina was pleading for them to stop her mother in a way. Then she thought about her great-grandson and realized that perhaps that was indeed what Regina was asking for. For now, she turned to her daughter and son-in-law, hugging her baby tightly and letting her cry.
As Emma saw the Storybrooke Harbor in the distance, she felt a sense of home. It wasn't a feeling she was used to, especially in her childhood. In fact, the only time she felt home before coming to Storybrooke was in the dreamscape. But after being away from Storybrooke for the first time since she came here, she realized that she had truly found the place she belonged. She spotted her father's truck parked near the docks and felt as anxious as ever to see her parents.
"How is he?" she asked, turning to Neal.
"Not good...we need to figure out what magic we need to heal this," he said.
"If anyone knows, Persephone will…" Emma offered, as she put her hands on Henry's shoulders. Neal docked the ship and she was still curious about how he even knew how to sail a ship like this. Not to mention the obvious history he had with that Hook guy. She was definitely going to hold him to telling that story later.
Her father was waiting and helped Neal lift Gold into the back of his truck, before helping Belle into the box as well. But Emma was a bit surprised not to see her Mother anywhere.
"Where's Mom?" she asked.
"Persephone is with her...something happened just after you called and it wasn't good. I'll tell you on the way to the shop," David replied, as he ushered Henry into the cab of the truck, while Neal hopped into the back with his father. They would be dropping the kid off with Ruby on the way.
"You must be Baelfire," David said sternly and Emma saw him actually gulp. She smirked. Oh, she was going to enjoy Neal being afraid of her father way too much.
"Uh...yeah, but I go by Neal," he replied.
"So I've been told," Charming said with an icy gaze.
"Dad...is Mom okay?" Emma interjected. It was probably best at the moment to distract her father away from Neal Cassidy. He sighed.
"Physically she's fine...emotionally, yeah that's a whole other story," he replied, as they got into the truck. She would get the full story on the way.
Back at the loft, Persephone made her daughter some tea, as Snow curled up on her bed. The tears had stopped and dried on her beautiful face, as she grieved for a woman she cared about; a woman she thought cared about her. But she was wrong and the betrayal of that stung too.
"You were right…" Snow sniffed.
"Shh...my sweet girl," Persephone cooed, as she put a soothing hand on her daughter's back.
"I wanted to be wrong, baby...so much. Because I knew if I was right that you would get hurt and you must know that that is the last thing I would ever want," she told her, as her phone chimed. Snow sniffed and sat up.
"Is it Charming?" she asked. Persephone nodded.
"They're on the way to the shop. I need to go make sure Cora stays out so I can figure out how to save him," she replied.
"I know exactly how to save him," Snow said. Persephone's brow furrowed in confusion.
"What do you mean, sweetie?" she asked.
"The candle…" Snow said.
"Oh Snow...no, that candle cannot be used. You know what has to be done to make that work," Persephone replied.
"How else are we going to stop her and save Gold? If she gets that dagger...my family is dead!" Snow cried. Persephone looked at her and realized she was right. There were other ways she could save Gold from that poison, but they all required time; time they did not have. But she would be damned if she allowed Snow to darken her heart. She'd rather go back to Hades than watch her sweet Snow take that burden.
"That is not a burden I can allow you to bare, my sweet girl," she said, as she caressed her daughter's beautiful face, which was marred with confusion, not noticing the tiny sprinkle of poppy dust that came from her mother's hand.
"Mother...what do you mean?" Snow asked and then felt very drowsy, before falling back asleep on the bed. Persephone put her legs up on the bed and kissed her forehead.
"Please forgive me Snow, but I cannot let you use that candle. This will be my burden and I will stop Cora, once and for all. Your heart is good and pure whereas mine is not untouched. Yours will remain pure, for I shall never allow Cora to get her way and darken your heart," she said, as she disappeared and reappeared at Regina's vault. She bypassed any of the former Queen's protections with ease and moved the coffin aside, before descending into the vault. She walked along the wall, as it breathed red and the beating thundered in her ears. She found the one she was looking for and determination lined her face.
"You will not be the one to do this, Snow. As Queen of the Underworld, this will be my task," Persephone said, as she disappeared again.
"We need some kind of protection spell to keep them out," Emma said, as they put Gold on the cot in the back room.
"I have invisible chalk to create a barrier...but it would be much stronger if the magic came from you, Ms. Swan," Gold rasped. Neal looked at her in surprise.
"You have magic?" he asked in disbelief. She looked uncomfortable, but nodded.
"I'm a novice though. I've barely even begun to learn anything," Emma replied.
"You didn't mention that. I think we need to work on our communication," Neal muttered and she rolled her eyes at his saltiness.
"Magic is emotion though...keeping them out means protecting those you love," Belle surmised, earning a surprised look from Gold. She smiled.
"You don't spend time with you and not learn a lot about magic," she said and he gave her a soft smile. The dynamic between them surprised Neal greatly. He never expected that his father would ever be able to love anything but power ever again. But clearly he was starting to see that wasn't exactly the case. Emma sighed and went into the front of the shop with Neal and her father behind her.
"You know how to use a sword?" David asked the other man. He nodded.
"Yeah, I'm a bit rusty, but I can hold my own," he replied, as Charming pulled an extra sword from one of Gold's weapon holders, handing it to him by the hilt, while readying his own weapon. Emma took a deep breath and reached out with her magic. A pulse of light burst forth from her and washed over the entrance to the shop.
"I have no idea if that can keep her out," Emma said, as she turned to them. She would soon have her answer, as Cora's magic hit the door and it rattled. David stood ready for battle and it wasn't long, before the mother and daughter team broke through her novice level shield. Cora launched a fireball and David jumped in front of Emma and Neal, deflecting it with his blade. But Cora used her magic to pick him up and toss him out of the shop. The door slammed shut and David was unable to get back inside.
"Dad!" Emma cried.
"I'd worry about yourself, Miss Swan," Cora warned, as Emma fired a pulse of magic at her. But Regina canceled it with one of her fireballs. Neal charged them, but Cora simply batted him away.
"Enough of this," she said, as she poofed them away. They reappeared in the woods and Emma cursed.
"Dammit...let's go!" she cried, as they started running back toward the shop.
Persephone strode into the shop from the back way, observing Belle cradling Gold.
"The candle...where it is?" she asked. Belle looked at her in confusion.
"Candle?" she asked, but Gold simply pointed to the shelf on their right. Persephone opened a box on the second shelf and took out the dark artifact.
"What are you going to do?" Belle asked.
"I'm going to save him and kill Cora," Persephone replied bluntly, as the candle was lit by her magic and she opened the box. Belle watched her take a heart from him it and let the wax drip onto it.
"Cora…" she breathed and then saw the two women burst into the backroom. She concealed the heart, as she watched her target approach the Dark One.
"Oh Rumple...this pains me greatly," Cora said.
"You stay away from him!" Belle cried, as she got up to stand in front of him. But Cora flung her away and she fell unconscious. Persephone clenched her teeth. Yes...this was the only way. Cora could not find the dagger. She had to be stopped and sending her to the Underworld was the only way.
"I'm sorry for this, Regina...I truly am. But she's given me no choice," Persephone told the former Queen, who looked confused.
"This ends today, Cora. You have proved that as long as you are alive that my family is in danger," Persephone said. Cora raised her hand and Persephone began to choke. The Goddess allowed herself to be thrust back against the wall and held there by the Sorceress.
"The only one going to visit your husband today is you. In fact, I'd say he would probably reward me for returning his wayward whore of a wife to him," Cora hissed, as Persephone coughed.
"I'm sorry...truly I am...that it must be this way," the raven haired Goddess replied.
"Why do you keep saying that?" Cora asked, but then felt something thrust into her chest. Persephone fell to her feet, as Cora stumbled away and then fell to the floor.
"Mother?!" Regina cried, as she cradled her.
"What. Did. You. Do?!" Regina shouted.
"I'm sorry...but you know as well as I do how dangerous she was to everyone, including Henry!" she replied.
"No, I don't know! How dare you?! Mother…" Regina cried, as Cora passed away in her arms. Regina's eyes darkened, as she glared at the Goddess.
"I'll make you pay for this...I swear it!" Regina cried.
"You go after Snow and the same will happen to you. Do not make me do that," Persephone warned, as she helped Belle up, just as Gold got to his feet, healed from the poison now. He stood over Regina and gazed down at Cora.
"Come to gloat?" Regina hissed.
"She once meant a lot to me. I'm simply paying my respects, dearie," he retorted, as David burst into the shop from the back entrance. He saw the scene and sided up to his mother-in-law.
"You should call the hospital and have them send the morgue van," she whispered.
"Yeah...did you?" he asked, without actually saying it. She nodded.
"It had to be done and I wasn't about to let Snow be involved," she replied.
"What do you mean by that?" he asked.
"I used dark magic to take Cora down...that candle she mentioned earlier. Cora finally pushed her far enough that she wanted to use it herself. I took that decision away from her and she won't be happy with me. But I refused to allow her to darken her heart," Persephone replied. He sighed.
"I get it…" he said and she knew he would.
"Where is she?" he asked.
"Safe back at the loft," she replied. He nodded and made the call, just as Emma arrived. He gave her a brief description of what had happened and she took over the scene, allowing him to go to the loft and be there for Snow…