Five years later, and Storybrooke had moved on to a happier time, without constant threats to everyone's lives. One of the fallen heroes has returned, and their prospects look even brighter than ever. Nothing could change that, could it?
Five Years Later…
The last years had been kind to the residents of the little magical town in Maine.
After nearly a decade spent fighting everything from monsters to witches, ghouls, invaders and all manner of creatures trying to bring harm or gain power over them, the last four years had been unbelievably settled, and most residents hoped they were finally on the path to gaining their Happy Ever After.
Four years ago, Regina Mills, the reformed former Evil Queen of Misthaven, had been elected Queen of the United Realms, a title in name only, although she was also now known as The Good Queen. Six months later, her true love and soulmate, Robin Hood, far from having his soul obliterated by Hades, was restored to life by powerful magic from Merlin himself. The Sorcerer, who it was revealed had multiple 'doppelgängers ' to protect himself from ultimate harm, had somehow contacted Zeus himself to help undo the damage caused by the god's malicious brother, Hades, now vanquished by the same crystal used to end Robin. The soul of the hero was traced, and her legendary outlaw had been returned to a stunned Regina, before he set about recovering his missing son Roland. Regina had immediately asked him to move in to her home. And within three months he'd proposed to her and they were now happily married. One of the most successful and romantic partnerships the town had ever seen.
After overcoming all manner of adversary in their long courtship, Emma Swan, the Saviour, had married Killian Jones, the former villain and feared pirate Captain Hook. Within the year she'd given birth to a daughter, Hope, now three years old. And like Regina, Emma too was getting her long-deserved happiness after a lifetime of trauma, with the love of her life.
The marriage of Emma's legendary parents, Snow White and Prince Charming, continued to be an example to all. Their son Neal, named after their daughter's former love, and father of Henry their grandson, was now almost eight years old, and it was only a few month's ago that Blue discovered that the boy, like his older sister, almost certainly held powerful magic within him, which would appear in the fullness of time.
Three years ago, Ruby Lucas returned home from Oz, where she'd met and fallen in love with Dorothy Gale, another legendary hero. They married shortly after she returned, in a wedding attended by most of the town.
Henry Mills, Regina's adopted, and Emma's biological son, was now twenty years old. Having done well in his exams, the bright young man had won a place in Harvard University, and was due to head there for his first term after the summer.
The four Storybrooke families thrived, and their future appeared to be bright.
How wrong they were.
Storybrooke
It was the most astonishing change the residents had ever seen in one of their heroes. And It all started the day the Sheriff's Office had received an alarm, from one of the dwarves, that the Black Fairy had been sighted in the middle of the forest, about two miles out of Storybrooke.
It proved to be false. Just some teenage girls playing tricks using Halloween costumes, which somehow got out of hand.
But the mere twitchiness of some the Heroes, having thought there was even the possibility that Fiona, the Black Fairy, long believed dead, had somehow returned to wreak havoc, had been enough for them to insist a major search be undertaken throughout the entire town and surrounding area. At the time, Rumpelstiltskin, the Dark One himself, had dismissed the rumour as stuff and nonsense. He should know, he killed her himself!
But some refused to believe him, given his history. So an extensive search was instigated, most of the heroes working in pairs to find the evil fairy, taking up almost an entire day. However, within hours, a sixteen-year-old girl, who did bear a striking resemblance to the dreaded malevolent fairy, had come forward, admitting she had been playing an elaborate hoax on her friends. The embarrassed girl, in front of her furious parents, had gone on to show David and Mulan the costume she'd used.
So the search was called off. However, what followed next was a chain of unconnected events, that would change everything.
The Nolan Farm
The following afternoon, David Nolan had returned to the farm from the search, earlier than expected. It had been a quiet afternoon at the Sheriff's Office, like so many others more recently. Walking into the, as he assumed, empty farmhouse, he went straight into the kitchen, dropping his keys on the worktop.
That's when he heard noises. Noises upstairs.
Some sort of deep groaning? And it certainly didn't sound like Snow!
Now on full alert, drawing his gun from its holster, he took his shoes off, before tiptoeing up the stairs, and onto the landing. The noise seemed to be coming from their own bedroom? Carefully releasing the safety catch on his gun, he braced, before violently kicking open the door with his foot, then launching himself inside the doorway, crouching down, raising the weapon, ready to fire.
"FREEZE!" He bellowed.
However, David's jaw dropped in shock at the sight before him!
On their bed, lying on her back and completely naked, lay Ruby Lucas, who opened her eyes, jerking her head up, equally stunned at the sight of a figure standing in the doorway pointing a gun directly at her!
And lower down, with her head between the waitress's thighs, lay the figure of an equally naked woman. His own wife!
"STOP!" The astonished half-wolf screamed, Snow's head quickly lifting and turning to face him. "DON'T SHOOT!"
"DAVID?" Snow wiped her wet mouth with her hand, shocked at being caught.
~oOo~
Too devastated by the betrayal to react at first, David had stormed out the room, heading downstairs, his mind a blur, not having believed his eyes. Somehow, he found himself in the lounge, staring out of the large bay window overlooking the farm, as he heard further noises upstairs, presumably the two women getting changed. Worse still, when Snow reappeared minutes later, Ruby now standing alongside her, she seemed an awful lot calmer than expected, as she held the other woman's hand.
"I'm sorry you had to see that, David." Snow's cheeks were rosier than normal, but she didn't seem embarrassed. More…irritated? "You shouldn't have found out that way."
"Found out? So that wasn't the first time?"
"No. Well...not exactly." She pulled Ruby closer into her side. "But we finally decided to act on feelings that have been there a long time."
Snow's manner seemed a hell of a lot cooler than he expected.
"Your feelings? Since when? You're a married woman, for god's sake! Married to me!" He looked at the taller woman who seemed unbelievably calm, given what had just happened. "Married, with a child! We're supposed to be true loves? We even share a split heart!" There was a part of David that wanted to get angry. To bellow. To lash out, and even hit one of them. But he was still too stunned to comprehend what had happened.
His gaze turned to Ruby. And the first thing he noticed was how she didn't seem unduly concerned. Maybe even blasé? That's when his anger started to build. "And you?" He said it with disgust in his voice, stepping closer, about to get right into her face. "I thought you were my friend? How could you do this to Dot? Your wife! Have you no shame?" He raised an arm to grab her sweater.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Snow suddenly bellowed, stepping between them, her eyes now showing instant anger as she tried to push him back. "DON'T YOU TOUCH HER!"
"TOUCH HER? I'LL BLOODY KILL HER! YOU CHEATED ON ME!" David's anger was now directed straight back at his wife, as spittle rained down from his lips. "You fucked her in our bed!"
"What can I say?" Ruby, unbelievably, grinned back at him. "I guess she traded up?" She spotted his clenched fist, and that he was now shaking with rage. "You can try taking me on, Charming. But we both know how that'll go, don't we?" She sneered, a smile starting to grow. Ruby knew that, even in human form, her wolf strength would be more than capable of handling any human. Even him.
That was it! Even though David had never willingly hurt a woman in his life, this was too much!
In the swiftest of movements, his left palm flew against Snow's cheek, not hitting her but roughly shoving her aside, so he could get his hands on his target. As he did so, in the sudden violent rush, Ruby looked to her left to see Snow fall away. And in that distraction, even her reactions hadn't noticed David had already unholstered his gun with his right hand, clicking the safety catch off again, before jamming the barrel hard under her chin, burying into the soft flesh, his free left hand now pulling her tightly against him.
"Yeah? You so sure about that?" He drew his face right into hers. "Because I'm betting that though you're quick, my bullet's an awful lot quicker! What do you think…bitch?"
Snow, having been thrown aside, almost falling to the floor, now staggered back up, looking up to the unbelievable sight of Charming now holding her lover tightly against him, a gun wedged under her head, bristling in fury. Her lover's sneer had disappeared in a heartbeat, and Snow knew that, with any sudden move, Ruby would surely be dead!
"David," she tried to sound calm, but the tremble in her voice betrayed her. "Don't do anything rash. Please just…lower the gun."
"Not a chance." His eyes never left Ruby's. "The moment I do that, this bitch'll attack."
"Oh, you can count on it, Nolan." Ruby countered, grinning, trying to appear brave, but inside she was terrified. But unfortunately, she realised her supposed courage had the opposite effect, the barrel of the gun pushing in even harder, forcing her head back as she heard the first click of the trigger against his finger.
She wasn't stupid. She knew there was nothing she could do in this position.
"David…please?" Snow tried again. "She won't do that, I swear. Just lower the gun before someone gets hurt. Please?"
Although furious, there was a small part of David that was pleased he could see fear in the wolf's eyes. He leant in, whispering in her ear.
"Not nice is it, being threatened? Now you know what it's like."
"David, please?" Snow persisted. "What do I have to say to make you release her?"
"You've said more than enough." There was a long pause before he answered. David knew his advantage would be gone the moment he lowered the weapon. "But this one, on the other hand…" He had difficulty controlling his own voice now, his finger still taught on the trigger. "I never want to see her anywhere near this house, or my son, or me, ever again! You can take her away, but need her to stay away from the rest of my family."
"We agree!" Snow immediately answered for her. "Now, David, please put the gun down."
"I need to hear it from her!" He pressed the barrel in even harder, Ruby's head pushed back against her shoulder, knowing full well that if he released her, he could easily be slaughtered if he wasn't quick enough. "I need to her to vow on Lycaon!"
Unknown to Snow, years ago David had done some research on werewolves, when trying to stop the town mob trying to kill the waitress. He'd found out about their beliefs, their gods, and some of the sacred vows the creatures held. How breaking a sworn vow to one particular god was punishable by death from their own community. Even the she-wolf before him was surprised by hearing the name of their most precious god.
"You heard me! Lycaon! Swear!"
"Okay, okay!" Ruby had difficulty speaking with the barrel so tight under her chin. "I swear! I swear on Lycaon! I won't ever come back here again."
"And apart from my cheating shit of my wife..." Charming's voice was just an angry snarl, and Ruby could swear she felt the trigger tighten even more. "You'll never come anywhere near me, or harm me or my family, especially my son, ever again! Swear it! Swear under your god! Now!"
"I swear under Lycaon. I will never harm you, or your family!"
Now she sounded genuinely frightened, all trace of her former brazenness gone. With a look of contempt, David slowly lowered the gun, holding it against him, his finger still on the trigger, just in case. "Get out of my house and never come back! Now!"
Visibly shaken, Ruby immediately obeyed, turning and calling back to her lover. "Snow, grab my shoes from upstairs? I'll wait outside."
As she turned and fled, Snow was straight back in front of him, eyes blazing.
"How dare you? I don't know what the hell you did just then Charming, but I also swear that I'm never coming back to you! I'm moving back into the loft, and she's coming with me. I'll send someone to get my things."
"And what about Neal? Our son, remember? Did you think of him when you cheated on me?"
"Don't bring my son into this! He'll understand what's happened, given time. Broken marriages happen all the time. He'll realise his mother just-"
"What the hell happened to you?" He interrupted her, shaking his head. "This isn't you talking! I hardly recognise you. What makes you throw away a great marriage? For what, sex?"
"Sex?" She sneered. "You really think that's what all this is about? Sex? I've wanted to be with Ruby for years! We were together before I even met you. She was my first love, in all ways. And now she'll be my last. As it should be."
He should his head in sheer disbelief. "You told me I was your first."
Unbelievably, she actually laughed? "Yeah, the first man! I never said anything about any woman though, did I?" She saw the disbelieving frown and the hurt, and it just encouraged her to twist the knife even further. To her, after the way he'd treated Ruby, he deserved everything she could throw at him. "Ooh, did I hurt your feelings? Has my big brave prince finally discovered his little princess wasn't quite the virgin bride he thought she was on his wedding night?"
"So you lied to me about that, too?" Somehow the revelation seemed to make it even worse.
"Of course I lied! How would you think Misthaven would've taken to the heir to their throne being with another woman? A lesbian queen? No chance! I would've been thrown out of the kingdom, even without Regina's help! Can you imagine how she would've used that against me?"
"So our entire marriage was also built on a lie? A sham? You pretended to love me, just so you could keep the throne?"
"Stupidly enough, no. Being the young idiot I was back then, I told myself I was in love with you. My true love, just because you woke me up from that stupid curse? Ruby and I held back from each other after that, just remaining friends until two days ago. When I realised her feelings were still just as strong as mine!"
He felt like he'd been punched in the guts. Everything he'd built his life on, with the woman he'd woken up with a kiss, subsequently losing his own heart for, had been founded on falsehood and deceit.
"I honestly thought you loved me, as much as I loved you. I never imagined for a moment you could give it all up…for another woman."
"So that's why you treated her so abominably? Because she's another woman?" His obvious hurt seemed to spur Snow even further, smiling cruelly as she taunted him. "Did it hurt your pathetic little male pride, Prince Charming? I love her. And as for sex, well let me tell you, that girl can bring out feelings in me you couldn't imagine! Why'd I want to be with you, when I can be with her?"
He shook his head. "So this is what you want?"
"For the last few years I've been living a lie, but I won't do so any longer. I love her, and I always have. You may not like it, but this is who I am. People grow apart and split up all the time. Get over it."
The woman standing in front of him seemed nothing like the woman he'd fallen in love with, courted, romanced, and married all those years ago. The woman with whom he'd produced two children with true love magic. The woman who'd held his heart in the palm of her hand, as he told her to crush it to get back to Emma. This Snow White was somebody totally different. Cold. Hard. What's really happened to make her do this? To destroy everything they had? But he was too shocked to keep arguing.
"Go. Go, before I lose my temper again."
And that was it. One of the most successful, most romantic partnerships that had ever been written about, was over. The story of Snow White and Prince Charming had come to a close, in a matter of minutes.
Later that day, David collected his son from school. Over dinner, when Neal had asked him where his mother was, he avoided the question completely, merely saying she was busy and tonight she'd be staying in town. He never mentioned the other woman. He knew he should say something, but decided it was best to do so tomorrow, after he'd had time to think about how to do it. And how to life the rest of his life. Alone.
And later, after Neal had gone to bed, as he sat by the large bay window overlooking the farm, the sadness replaced the shock, finally overwhelming him. Then the tears came. And as he openly wept for what he'd lost, he felt empty.
~oOo~
He was into his fifth, or maybe it was his sixth large scotch, when the knocker sounded on the farmhouse door.
"Ten at night? Who the hell visits an isolated farmhouse at ten at night?"
David definitely didn't want to face anyone, but he answered it, to find himself confronted by the pitiful image of someone he hadn't expected. Outside the front door, standing in the drizzling rain under the moonlight poking through the clouds, stood a sodden woman who had clearly just walked there rather than driven. She looked miserable, downcast, and as bad as he felt.
"Dorothy? What are you doing here this time of night?"
"Sorry. I figured this was the one place where they wouldn't be."
"You'd better come in."
~oOo~
Dorothy Gale, the former Hero of Oz, was in just as bad a state as him. Although he'd already had far too much to drink, he offered her a large scotch which she readily accepted, and wound up sitting with him on the covered porch out the back, overlooking the farm in the moonlight, now that the rain had passed. He opened up, telling her all about what happened that afternoon, and Dorothy had been shocked at just how blatant they'd been with him.
She'd been emotional at first, not surprisingly. But when she'd finally calmed, having cried her last tears (for now), she told him about what happened in her mother-in-law's diner, when Ruby had broken the news to her that their marriage had run its course.
"I didn't recognise her! It's like she's a completely different woman from the one I married. Does that sound crazy? She just stood there, brazen as day, telling me she was leaving to live with Snow, as though it was nothing? She was just so…so, cold! I had no idea they even cared about each other that way. Did you?"
"I felt the same. It wasn't Snow either. I can't explain it. What did you do when she told you?"
"I lost my temper completely! I screamed and shouted. I even slapped her. As for Snow, I'm sorry, I know she's your wife David, but I really wanted to beat the living crap out of her! They were just so blasé about it? Like they hadn't done anything wrong? They're both married, and doing this to us? Granny was livid!"
"So Granny already knows?"
"Most of the town does by now, I reckon. She heard me screaming at her and came in, wondering what the fuss was about. Once she heard what they'd done, she kicked her out."
"Kicked her out?"
"Sacked her on the spot! She said she'd brought shame to their family and her forebears, and told her to collect her things and get out. Of course, Snow then got into argument with her, telling her she was overreacting and not to be so horrible to her only granddaughter. But that just made Granny go even more ballistic! She told her the pair of them were a disgrace to their marriage vows, and banned them both for life! I thought she was going to have a heart attack!"
"So, what are you going to do now?"
"I've no idea. I've still got the shoes so I may go back to Oz, or home, towards Kansas, or whatever. I haven't decided."
"Stay here until you decide? I can pretty much guarantee they won't be coming back here. And I've got spare rooms and everything. If you don't mind waking up to birdsong and lambs bleating?"
"Sounds like where I grew up. Thanks for the offer, David. Perhaps if I stay here just for tonight, then see in the morning? If that's okay? I don't want to go anywhere near the town. I might pack up and leave Storybrooke over the next day or so. What about you?"
"Like you, it's all come as a complete shock. But unlike you, I've got a son who still needs me here. I'm just going to come out with it tomorrow and tell him what's happened. Then there's Emma. I'm not even sure she knows. I haven't really given it much thought since I found them upstairs."
"I'd be surprised if She doesn't know. After all, Leroy was listening when we were arguing, so I guess most of the town knows by now."
Within hours, news of the shockingly adulterous affair between Snow White and Ruby Lucas spread around most of Storybrooke, along with Dorothy's and Granny's reactions in the Diner. It had become the biggest topic of conversation in that normally staid little town.
But theirs weren't going to be the only marriages to be broken that day!
~oOo~