AN: Here's part four in this little min-fic to celebrate Snowing and Valentines Day. This is a little modern AU I came up with a while ago, so I hope you enjoy. Please review and let me know what you think.

Responses to individual reviews:

Number Ten: Glad you like the Canada mentions. As for what Gold might want, you find out in this chapter and it's not bad at all. :)

Sexystarwarslover: Yep, they should be safe in Canada. Yep, even in a modern AU, David can't even escape the rock to the face, lol. You'll find out what the deal is in this chapter. :)

Sweeter Than Fiction

Chapter 4: Heartstrings

Mr. Gold picked up that morning's edition of the Storybrooke Mirror and looked pleased by the headline.

Heiress to Blanchard Estate Innocent of Any Crime

It had finally happened. Almost ten years later to the day. He had pulled the right strings and had once lone tracker and private investigator, Graham Humbert appointed as Sheriff a few years ago. Cora, who had claimed the Mayorship after Mary Margaret escaped police custody, fought him all the way. But in the end, he got what he wanted, as usual, and Sheriff Graham had finally proven young Miss Blanchard's innocence.

Of course, she wasn't Miss Blanchard anymore. He had made sure she and her then fiance, farm boy and shepherd, David Nolan had escaped to Canada. They had been living peacefully in Toronto as David and Mary Swan. But now, they would return, especially since the Mayor was now under investigation for Leopold Blanchard's murder. There was no proof yet, but he knew that charming little family would now return to see that justice was served. And then, they would help him get what he wanted.

The little yellow bug rolled into Storybrooke a few weeks later. Mary felt immediate nostalgia take over her, as she gazed at home. It hadn't changed at all and she felt many emotions threaten to overtake her. She wasn't surprised when her husband reached over and clutched her hand, squeezing it gently. She looked over and smiled at him and then looked in the backseat where their precious girl sat, gazing out the window.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently. She nodded.

"I'm fine," she assured, as he parked the bug outside an apartment building.

Shortly after they left, they learned that Ruth had taken a generous offer and sold the farm. She moved to town and into a small loft apartment that Mr. Gold agreed to rent to her very reasonably. She worked in the library with Belle French, the young owner of it. They had managed over the years to get her letters and pictures through a friend that agreed to allow them to mail them to Ruth under their address and name. But now that Mary was cleared of any charges, there was no need for that and no need to hide any longer. They were home.

Curiously enough, they would not be without jobs either. Cora had just been arrested for Leopold's murder and her deputy Mayor had taken over. Cora was out on bail for now and awaiting trial. Mary had the task of running against her cohort. Like Cora though, he wasn't well liked and David knew his wife would win the election in a landslide.

They had managed to keep up on most things through David's mother and it wasn't good. Cora had a stranglehold on the town and had appointed corrupt people in positions of power. Graham's election as Sheriff a few years later had been a turning point and huge upset for Cora. And now that she was ousted, her cronies would be soon as well.

When the Sheriff had learned they were coming home, he had offered David a job as his deputy. Humbled and honored, David accepted.

David got out of the driver's side and grinned, as his mother stood on the steps of the apartment building, tears already streaming down her face.

"Mother," he said, as she threw her arms around him.

"Oh my boy…" she cried.

"We're home, Mother. We're home at last," he whispered, as she put a hand to his face.

"Hello Ruth," Mary said, as she came beside David, holding their daughter's hand.

"Oh Mary…" Ruth gushed, as she hugged the girl that she had once found in her sleeping in her barn. The woman that her son had found true love with. Finally, the tears came harder, as she looked at the small blonde girl beside Mary. She took in her features, seeing a perfect mix of both David and Mary in her.

"Hi Grandma," Emma said.

"Hello Emma," she replied tearfully, as Emma threw her little arms around the elderly woman. David and Mary smiled at each other and slipped their arms around each other's waists.

"Well...isn't this the perfect family portrait," a cool, unwelcome voice said. Mary stiffened and David squeezed her hip, letting her know that he was there.

"Cora," Mary greeted frigidly.

"I see you've finally come crawling out of hiding," Cora said.

"The truth always wins out and you're going to pay for what you've done to my Mary," David spat. But Cora simply smirked coldly at him.

"Don't involve yourself in things above your head, Shepherd," she spat.

"Actually former Madam Mayor, you're looking at my new deputy. It would only be proper to address him as such," Graham said, as he arrived and handed the badge to David. Cora frowned. She didn't like this at all.

"I warn you both. You'll regret the day you stepped back into this town," she growled.

"We're not afraid of you and you'll soon go to prison for everything you've done. In the meantime, I'm running for Mayor against your cronie, so I'd get ready for a fight," Mary growled back. Cora smirked and raised her hand, wanting so badly to wrap it around her step-daughter's fair neck.

"I'm going to destroy you...and your perfect little family," she hissed. But Mary only smirked. Cora could never destroy the love she and David had.

"Do your worst. In the meantime, I'm going to go visit Granny's and have dinner with my loving husband, our beautiful daughter, and my wonderful mother-in-law. You should run along home to your empty mansion," Mary spat.

"She's right mother...run along. Back to your empty mansion with your empty heart," Regina cooed, as she approached.

Cora glowered at them both, trying to not to seem like those words affected her and stormed off in the other direction. Mary smiled and hugged her step-sister.

"I've missed you," Regina said.

"I've missed you too...you'll join us?" Mary asked. She nodded with a smile, as a man approached and put his arm around her waist. He also had a little boy with him. It did her heart good to see that her step-sister had also found love and was looking forward to introductions. She sighed and leaned into David's embrace.

"Are you okay?" he asked. She nodded and smiled.

"I will be, after a wonderful evening spent with my family," she replied. He smiled and kissed her tenderly.

"Come on...let's go to Granny's," he suggested, as the six of them piled into the little bug. Cora was worrisome, but they knew that nothing could face anything as long as they were together.

"So...are you going to formally introduce us?" Mary said excitedly. The man chuckled and extended his hand.

"Robin Locksley and this is my son Roland," he said, as he shook their hands.

"It's nice to meet you. This is our daughter Emma," he said, as he motioned to the blonde child next to him.

"She's beautiful...she looks just like a perfect mix of you both," Regina mentioned. Mary smiled.

"She's our baby," Mary gushed, as the diner bell rang.

"Well...welcome home, Swan family," Mr. Gold said, as he limped toward them with a brunette woman on his arm.

"Mr. Gold…" Mary said timidly, but the woman with him smiled warmly.

"Hello...I'm Belle French," she said, as she shook their hands.

"Oh...you're the woman that mother works with," David recalled and she nodded.

"We will let you enjoy your evening meal now, but we have much to discuss," Gold said cryptically.

"The deal...I wonder what he's going to want," Mary said worriedly, but her husband squeezed her hand.

"Whatever it is...everything will be okay. I'll make sure of it, my love," David assured, as he kissed her tenderly.

Later that night, after Mary and Emma were asleep, David sneaked out and made his way to the pawnshop. There was a dim light on and the new deputy wasn't surprised to find Mr. Gold there, even at this late hour. As he entered, the pawnbroker smirked knowingly, like he had been expecting this, which only unnerved David.

"Good evening, Deputy Swan. This must be an important matter to draw you away from your fair Mary and young Emma," he said.

"When you helped us escape to Canada...you said that Mary would owe you a favor, but I'm here to find out whatever it is that you think my wife owes you," he replied protectively. Gold smirked.

"And what makes you think that you have what I need?" Gold asked.

"I don't...but I won't let you extort favors from the Mayor's office once my wife wins the election," David replied. He smirked and took something out of the wall safe behind him.

"I require no such favors from the Mayor's office and knew you would be the one to help me find what I need. You always have had that particular talent," he said.

"Talent?" David asked.

"Finding people, Mr. Nolan. Oh, I'm sorry...Mr. Swan," he corrected.

"And what exactly do you need me to find?" David asked, as the other man opened a folder.

"This woman is Milah Cassidy and she is my ex-wife. When she left me, with Cora's help, despite the fact that I was awarded custody of our son, they conspired to steel him from me. I have it on good authority that she settled in Portland, Oregon, but she is the definition of an unfit mother," he explained.

"Did you contact the Portland police department?" David asked.

"Of course, but social services and the police department alike are overworked and unable to help me find my son. His mother works in an unsavory bar and spies tell me that my son is often left to his own devices. I want my son back before that woman ruins him or gets him killed by one of the drunken slobs she brings home," he replied.

"That's it? I bring your son home and we're good?" he asked.

"More than good, Mr. Nolan. My son was but a toddler the last I saw him. He will know me though and I want nothing more to have my little Neal back. You will also need to keep the authorities out of it so as not to get tangled up in red legal tape," he instructed. David nodded.

"I'll talk to Mary and leave right away," he said. Gold quirked an eyebrow.

"Just like that? No arguments or warnings?" he asked. David smiled back.

"I'm a father...I get it. I can't imagine any time away from my child, let alone ten years," he replied. Gold smirked.

"You are a good man, David...I was right to put my support behind you and your wife all those years ago," he said. David nodded and left with the folder of information. Now Gold could only wait with bated breath and hope that he would soon have his beloved son back in his arms.