AN: Thanks for the incredible response to this new Snowing story! I'm really excited about this one and blending the worlds of Once and Manifest. And it seems my readers are too. I did not classify this as a crossover, because that's not really what it is. This is a Manifest type story with mostly Once characters. I have kept a couple Manifest characters and a few minor ones may pop up. The notable Manifest characters I have kept so far are Vance and Olive as Snowing's daughter. You also do not have to worry about any love triangles for Snowing. That's not my thing and this will always be a Snowing story.

Another thing to note is that I've taken some liberties with the relationships as well. Most notably, Emma and David are siblings and they grew up with Mary Margaret, so Emma and Mary Margaret are very close as well. Due to Robert being a drunk after Ruth dies, David and Mary Margaret pretty much raised Emma while raising themselves. Another thing to note, Henry is in the place of Cal here as Snowing's son and Emma's nephew. Most everything else will become clear as you read. I hope you enjoy this new story and join me on another journey. This one will update bi-weekly on Monday nights. It is much appreciated and here are individual responses to reviews:

Ghostwriter: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! :)

Jennifer Baratta: Thanks, glad you liked it! :)

Number Ten: Yeah, Henry and Olive have a great bond, despite now being five years apart. Yeah, Vance is really honing his attention on the Charmings. Yep, Gold has been watching the Nolans all these years, definitely like Rumple did with the Charmings. Glad you're enjoying the story. :)

Grace5231973: I know, poor Tisbe. She was actually trying to do the right thing and died for it probably. Yeah, I hate it too. Glad you like the balance between all the angst and family moments. I think it's really important to get those family moments in there, despite everything going on. Yep, Gold is their financial adviser. Time will tell as to why, if he even knows. :)

Guest: Thanks, glad you love it! I can't really promise Swan Queen though as I have a bit of a different direction in mind(not CS), but I'm glad you will continue to read. :)

Guest 2 that's not actually reading this story: Sigh...I'm going to try not to lose my cool with you, but your demand that I return to writing Star Wars is rude and insensitive. It would be different if you PM'd me maybe, but leaving a review on a story you're clearly not reading to bug me about writing SW(which I haven't written in years) is suckish on your part. Oh and by the way, you're wrong. I did finish the Forever Destined series. Might want to check that again. I'm glad you like them, but I just can't snap my fingers and regain my inspiration for writing SW again. It doesn't work that way. You act like writing is easy and not a ton of work, which it is, by the way. It's a ton of work. I spend a ton of my free time doing it, because I enjoy it. But I don't enjoy writing SW anymore and don't have any inspiration for it anymore. I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is. I can't just do it, because you want me to.

Sexystarwarslover: Ha yep, David will definitely pay for that later, but in a good way. Yeah, Killian doesn't blame her for Lily's death. Yeah, Henry thinks of them as family already. And Henry is responding to his treatment. Yep, Vance did some digging on Gold. Yeah, for now, Olive is dating Henry's friend. No, Emma didn't have a good track record with men. Emma and David do make a good team, just like Henry and Olive do too. I loved Graham defending her too. So glad you're loving it! :)

AnonSnowing: Yeah, Emma has to still get over Lily's death and her guilt. Yeah, her denial isn't the healthiest move, but that's Emma. I'm glad Robert managed to hold it together too after the plane went missing. I'm sure he hid his grief as best he could. Yeah, mysterious blood marker could definitely be something of concern. Yep, it's Gold and it could be a picture of his son. Yeah, way awkward for Henry. Yeah, hopefully he can make some new friends, but it won't be easy. Yep, protective Daddy David of course. Yeah, Emma doesn't have the best taste in men sometimes and MM got lucky from the beginning. Glad you like their sibling relationship too. Yep, Emma is a very skilled detective and good at finding people for sure. I love Snowing banter too and David wants dessert, and he's not talking about ice cream ;)

Lightning in a Bottle

Chapter 12: Unburdened

Emma gazed through the interrogation window at Jacob Taylor with scrutinizing eyes. Killian exited the room with his file and looked at her.

"He's definitely guilty of blackmail, extortion, and harassment...but not murder," he said. She blanched.

"Are you kidding? If his wife had gone public with all his dirty deeds, it would have ruined him. If that's not a motive for murder, then I don't know what is," Emma argued.

"He has an alibi, Emma. Tisbe's sister Clorinda says they were together when Tisbe was murdered and we have a suspect," he reminded her. But she shook her head. Her gut was telling her that Jacob Taylor was guilty as sin.

"I need to talk to Walsh," she said, referring to the suspect.

"Fine...I'll get you in, but you're on a short leash. The Captain wants this case closed," Killian urged. She looked at him suspiciously.

"No…I know Graham, better than you. He doesn't care how long it takes to close a case and taught me himself to follow your gut. No...the NSA wants this closed, right?" she asked. He sighed.

"Vance seems to have an interest in it," he mentioned. She shook her head.

"I'm sure...too much attention on the passengers. Makes it harder for them to spy on all of us," she scoffed.

"Just be quick," he said, as he led her to the holding cells where they were keeping Walsh Ozwald. He looked at her with reverence, as she entered and she sighed.

"You have returned," he said in awe.

"I hear that you refuse to talk to anyone, so I thought I'd give it a try," she replied. He smiled.

"You...you I'll talk to," he agreed.

"Did you kill Tisbe Taylor?" Emma asked. He looked almost offended by the question.

"No...she is one of the returned! Like you and your brother," he replied and she had to suppress an eye roll.

"I saw you there," he added.

"Yeah...and you had Tisbe's blood on your clothes. If you didn't kill her, then why were you covered in her blood?" Emma questioned.

"I came in after...I held her until she died," Walsh answered.

"And why haven't you told the arresting officers that? If you didn't kill her, then you need to tell us and mount a defense," she argued. But he shook his head.

"No...I must pay the penance of this life, so I can come back as pure as you," he said reverently.

"I am anything but pure, I assure you," Emma replied.

"Only because you haven't unburdened yourself from whatever fear or guilt is holding you back," he said and she glared at him, before stepping back.

"Whatever happened on that plane...none of us had any control over it. We're people, just like anyone else, so if I were you, I'd think again about getting a public defender," Emma advised.

"But you are! You are different now and you know it! You have returned from the brink of death! You have returned to save us all!" he ranted and she backed away, before hurrying out.

"Sounds like he'd have a good shot at an insanity defense if he wanted it," Killian mentioned.

"Yeah...no doubt," she said pensively.

"Emma...are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she snapped.

"I...I just need to go see someone," she replied, as she ran out and he looked on in concern.

David watched fondly from the door, as his wife tucked their son in. Olive had gone to bed already, promising not to stay up talking online with her friends for too long, and he missed the days where she needed tucked in as well. But he knew one thing for sure. His wife was absolutely the best mother on the face of the earth. She handled Olive and her teenage girl mood swings like a pro and satisfied their son's inquisitive nature and insatiable appetite for stories.

"Can you tell me another story, Mom?" Henry asked.

"I suppose we can do one more. Which comic book hero do you want to hear about this time?" she asked.

"I know all their stories. Can you tell me one about you and Dad?" he asked.

"What kind of story would you like to hear about us?" she asked.

"What about the time you met Aunt Emma's boss? Mr. Humbert," Henry replied. She and her husband shared a smile

"You love the adventures, don't you?" she said fondly, as she recalled that day very clearly.

Flashback

Senior Year - 1997

David parked the truck at school and they got out. Lily was waiting for Emma and she waved to them, as she headed into school, while they lingered back for a moment.

"You need to relax...everything is going to work out," he promised.

"What if we don't get into the same college and if we did get in, then what is taking so long with our acceptance letters?" she complained. He chuckled and kissed her tenderly.

"We're both going to get in together to one of our choices and whichever one that is...that's where we'll go, because we're going to college together," he promised, as he took her hands in his own and kissed her passionately again.

"You better hurry if you're going to make it to the gym before the first bell," she urged. He kissed her again and then headed off toward the gym in the opposite direction, while she headed toward the main building. As she passed through some other cars, a door opened though and blocked her path.

"Excuse me," she said, as a man stepped out. He wasn't much older than her, but definitely not in high school.

"Mary Margaret Blanchard?" he asked in an accented voice.

"Who are you?" she demanded to know.

"You need to come with me," he said.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not going anywhere with you," she said, as she attempted to walk around him. But he blocked her path again.

"Your father has requested your presence at his home and since you will not come...he sent me to force the issue," he said. She scoffed.

"Typical. When my father doesn't get what he wants, he pays someone to force people to do what he wants instead," she replied.

"Well, not this time. My father can go to hell," she spat, but he refused to let her pass.

"Your father loves you and wants to make amends," he insisted.

"No he doesn't! He doesn't love me. He wants to control my life after he has ignored me all these years," she spat.

"But David does love me...more than anything and I will not let anyone, let alone my father, keep us apart," she said hotly, as she tried to walk away. He grabbed her arm though and she screamed as he shoved her against the car and handcuffed her, before tossing her into the backseat.

"Sorry...but I have my orders," he said, as he got in. She screamed, but he peeled away out of the parking lot.

David was about halfway to the gym when the feeling of dread filled him. He turned back and looked behind him. He turned back and kept walking, but couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. He ran back toward the parking lot and just in time to see Margaret be shoved into a car.

"Margaret!" he cried, as the car peeled out of the parking lot. He ran at breakneck speed toward his truck and followed. When he saw the direction that the car was going, he immediately knew it was headed toward his girlfriend's old gated community and that meant her father was behind the whole thing. It wouldn't be easy to get past all the security, but he was determined to do so. He parked his truck a couple blocks away, in a less conspicuous neighborhood and then ran toward the Blanchard estate the rest of the way.

Margaret struggled and screamed, as her father's security team dragged her into the house. Graham, the man that had picked her up, trailed behind. She had learned in the drive that he was a private investigator that had been hired to keep tabs on her by her father. One of the men yelped in pain, as she stomped on his foot and the other doubled over, as she kneed him in the groin. Two bigger men descended upon her, but Leopold put his hand up to stop them.

"Mary Margaret, please calm down," he pleaded.

"Calm down? You had me kidnapped!" she shouted in outrage.

"Only because you refuse to come see me," he replied.

"You disowned me after I got emancipated! After you tried to rip me away from my family!" she cried.

"I am your family," he corrected, but she shook her head in vehemence.

"No...you have ignored me my entire life until now and that's because you don't want me with David," she refuted.

"He is beneath your station, Mary Margaret," he replied.

"I love him and he is twice the man you are!" she hissed, as she glared daggers at him.

"Well…I was hoping to have a civil conversation, but it appears that's not going to be possible," he replied.

"You're right...so I'll be going now," she said, as she started to walk out, but his security blocked her way.

"You can't keep me here against my will!" she shouted.

"I am a powerful man, my dear daughter and I assure you that I can," he replied.

"I am having a dinner party tonight and you are to be my guest of honor. Many of the richest and most influential people in my circle will be here, along with their own children," he said. She shook her head in dismay.

"You are unbelievable!" she shouted.

"Please Mary Margaret...I ask for one evening. One party and that you for once be my dutiful daughter. You never know...you might meet someone you like," he said.

"Your dutiful daughter...so this is about repairing your reputation in your circle. I've sullied it," she said, a bit smug at that.

"You have...and you're going to help me repair it," he replied.

"And if I don't?" she asked. He paused for a moment.

"Mr. Humbert...I want you to pay a visit to Mr. Nolan as he comes out of school later today and give him a small taste of what will happen to him if he continues to date my daughter," he replied, making her gasp.

"Wait...you said this was about bringing your daughter to see you. You never mentioned harming anyone," Graham protested.

"Oh look...the bounty hunter has a conscience, after all," she spat snidely.

"I hired you to do a job and the job isn't over until I have my daughter back," Leopold responded, as the window shattered when something was thrown through it. Leopold's security team quickly rushed outside to find the culprit. But once they were all gone, David climbed through the broken window.

"David!" Margaret cried, as a smile spread across her face.

"That worked better than I thought," he said, as she tackled him with a hug and kissed him passionately.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"I...was on my way to gym class when I got a bad feeling. I turned around and saw this guy shove you in a car so I followed," he replied.

"Always my hero…" she gushed, as she cuddled against him, just as Leopold's security returned.

"Security...toss this riff-raff out of my house!" he demanded.

"You don't want to do that," David warned and Leopold looked at him incredulously.

"Oh I don't?" he challenged.

"Sir…I love your daughter with every fiber of my being and I have since we were just children," he confessed.

"I know I don't measure up to your standards, but no one will ever love her the way I do," he added.

"He's right, father...no one could ever make me happy the way he does," she confirmed.

"Love is not something that is afforded in this world if you expect to get anywhere and if Margaret does not marry within our circle, it may cost me many lucrative business deals," Leopold refuted.

"You make me sick...she's your daughter and you'd rather sell her off to the highest bidder than let her be happy," David spat.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand this world, boy," Leopold retorted.

"And I never want to understand this world...we're leaving," David said, as he took her hand and led her to the door, despite the security guards blocking their way.

"Let us go, father!" Margaret demanded.

"You need to let us go or everyone in the world is going to know that you just kidnapped your own daughter," David warned.

"What are you talking about?" Leopold demanded to know, as a man walked through the door.

"My name is Jefferson and I work for someone that represents these two. A financial adviser, among other things," Jefferson said.

"Other things?" Leopold questioned. Jefferson smirked.

"Like me...he wears many hats. You've probably heard of him," Jefferson said, as he handed a card to Leopold.

"You work for…" Leopold started to say, but then stopped, as Jefferson raised his hand.

"Don't say his name...that won't bode well for you," he warned.

"Why are you here?" Leopold questioned.

"Let's just say my employer is...invested in their future. A future that doesn't include the likes of you. Now...you've disowned your daughter and you'll keep it that way or he is prepared to destroy you," Jefferson warned.

"Not in the judicial court, as we know that you have enough money to buy your way out of that. But in the court of public opinion," he said.

"I only ever wanted what was best for her," he claimed.

"Then you'll let her go, because she is where she belongs," Jefferson replied.

"Stand down," Leopold said reluctantly. Graham sighed and turned to them.

"I'm sorry...I didn't know the full story or that he meant to harm anyone," he told them. They nodded in acceptance, as he tore Leopold's check up and tossed it away.

"Keep your filthy money," he said, as he turned to leave. Margaret gave her father one last cold stare, before leaving with David.

"And that's how we became friends with Graham and he decided to put his skills to better use by going to the police academy," David concluded.

"Yeah...and as always, your Daddy was my hero that day and still is," she said, looking at him fondly.

"Then how come we have to go to Leopold's house tomorrow night?" Henry asked. She smiled.

"Well...we're not really excited about it either, but…" she said.

"You and Dad think he's up to something, so we're going to go spy," Henry said knowingly, making David laugh.

"He knows us well," he replied, as he leaned down and kissed him on the forehead.

"Well...this family does love its adventures. Goodnight sweetheart," Margaret said, as she leaned down and kissed his forehead too, before joining hands with her husband and gently closing his door.

"I love him so much…" she said, as she put her hand on his door and David put his arms around her.

"Me too...and we're going to save him, my darling. The treatment is working," he said with hope in his voice.

"Do I dare hope? I haven't had hope since the plane disappeared and before that, I had very little when we were facing the reality that his cancer was terminal," she said sadly.

"I know...but the plane came back and now his cancer has a viable treatment. I know how hard it must be for you to hope now after all that you've been through...but whatever this is...I'd like to think it brought us back for a reason and that is reason is not just to have us lose our son anyway," he reasoned. She smiled.

"You're right...and it feels so good to have hope again," she said. He smiled and kissed her passionately.

"Come on...let's go to bed," she said, giving him a look that told him that sleep was not on her mind and she took his hand, leading him to their bedroom.

Emma got out of the cab in front of Lily's parents house and rushed up to the door, prepared to unburden her soul to Lily's mother with all her truth and guilt she still had about the night Lily died. But she saw Mal come out onto the porch urgently with a frantic look on her face.

"He's gone…" she said.

"What?" Emma asked.

"Zoran...he's missing. He must have wandered off. He gets so confused…" Mal fretted, as she handed Emma her car keys.

"I can't leave, in case he comes back. Please...help me find him," she said desperately. Emma looked at the car keys, but couldn't refuse. She owed this to Mal and got into the car. At that moment, the memories of that fateful night flooded her.

Lily stumbled out of the bar and cheered into the night air.

"Whoa...happy birthday to me!" she slurred, as she almost fell over, but caught herself on the car, with keys in hand.

"Whoa...no way, you're way too drunk to drive. I've got this," Emma replied.

"Whatever you say…" Lily said, as they got into the car and Emma proceeded to drive them home. Except five minutes later, they had crashed and Lily lay dead against the dashboard.

Emma burst into tears at the memories, before quickly getting her bearings and starting the vehicle. She had to find Mal's husband...she couldn't let her lose him too. She faced her fear of driving and put the car in gear, before driving off. It was only a few blocks later that she found Zoran in the middle of traffic, looking scared and confused. She saw a car trying to swerve to avoid hitting him and without thinking, she blocked the car with her own, saving him. She jumped out of the car and ran to Zoran, who recognized her.

"Emma...I can't find Lily. I have to find Lily…" he said in confusion.

"It's okay...I'm going to take you home. We'll find Lily together," she promised, as she put him in her car, before going over to see if the other driver was okay.

"Hey…" she said, as the words died on her lips. It was Clorinda Taylor, Tisbe's sister, and spied a golden necklace in the passenger seat. She met Clorinda's eyes and before the other woman could move, Emma pulled her gun.

"Hands on the wheel," she ordered.

"Dr. Mills?" a lab assistant called, as he poked his head into her lab.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Here are your test results," he said, as he delivered the envelope to her. She smiled her gratitude.

"Thank you," she said, as he left and she tore the envelope open. They were results of her MRI and the blood test results from David.

"David has the protein too…" she said, as she then examined the results of her MRI brain scan and a bit of dread filled her. The protein had been identified and it only raised more questions, as well as fears.

"Ischemic stroke…" she muttered, as millions of things began to run through her mind.