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! :)

Baratta Jennifer: Thanks!

Grace5231973: I know, Leopold is the worst, as usual. He's pure scum here though. I hope he is done causing trouble too.

Number Ten: Yep, Leopold is a scumbag. He definitely did it for publicity and Cora was likely involved. I like Gold here too. He's got a fun little role to write here. :)

Sexystarwarslover: Unfortunately, we probably have not seen the last of Leopold. Yeah, thankfully, Killian only got suspended. I'm not sure if he would understand, but we will probably find out soon. Yeah, poor Olive. David loves her no matter what though. Yep, ice cream is becoming a tradition for this family. I know, I love their relationship with Emma here as her parents, but not her parents. Yeah, I would definitely listen to Gold. He seems to be in the know when it comes to the Nolans. He's been following their lives for a long time. Yep, he's always speaking in riddles. Yes, that was a very fun type of shower for Snowing. Yep, a guy's day for Henry and David should be fun. Yep, Leopold is scum. And the worst father ever. Leopold is probably not done, but Snowing will overcome everything for sure. Glad you're enjoying. :)

AnonSnowing: You're welcome! :) Yeah, ice cream definitely seems like a tradition for this family. Probably something they used for comfort after Ruth died. Yeah, Emma should probably level with Killian if they're going to have to work together. I can see that too. I'm sure David and Margaret had all kinds of secrets between them. I know, I love their relationship with Emma here and how unique it is. Yeah, a nice, sweet moment between David and Olive. Yep, Gold is very mysterious. As of now, I'm mostly following what happened to the plane according to the show. It everything else around this that will have my twists. Yeah, that was a fun shower. Yes, I'm sure Margaret was lonely during that time. Yep, Leopold is pure scum. Definitely worst father ever. Yep, The Nolans against the world. Yeah, David and Henry's adventure should be fun. Yeah, something definitely might happen. Glad you're enjoying it! :)

Lightning in a Bottle

Chapter 18: It's All Connected

Five and a half years ago

Ten-year-old Olive stared at the flight board, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the plane her twin was on board, with her father and aunt.

"Hey sweetie...it might be a few more minutes. Are you hungry?" Margaret asked. She shook her head.

"Not really...I'll wait for Henry. Then can we get Cinnabon?" she asked.

"That's a lot of sugar for eight-o'clock at night," Margaret replied.

"Please?" she asked and Margaret put her arm around her shoulder.

"Oh okay...but you are going to split one with your brother," she conceded, before looking at the board. David's plane should have been landing any moment now and she had to admit that she was just as anxious as her daughter.

"The plane is taking its sweet time I see," Killian said, as he arrived and she smiled at the man she was certain would soon be her brother-in-law.

"Yeah it's weird...though there was a storm on the radar. Maybe the pilot had to go around it," she mentioned, as the status of flight eight-two-eight changed suddenly.

"Mom...what does that mean?" Olive asked. Margaret's smile faded into a frown, as she saw the red words, check with desk, on the screen.

"I'll see what's going on," Killian said, as he flashed his badge to the desk clerk and they followed him.

"Killian Rogers...NYPD. Is there something wrong with flight eight-two-eight?" he asked. The desk clerk exchanged a nervous glance with one of the other clerks.

"Is something wrong? My husband and my son are on that flight," Margaret said, as a knot formed in her stomach and the dread filled her once she saw one of the air traffic controllers approach them.

"NYPD...can you tell me what's going on?" Killian asked, with urgency in his voice.

"I'm afraid that...that flight eight-two-eight has disappeared from our radar," he replied. Those words were a punch to her gut and she suddenly felt like she was falling into an abyss of darkness.

"What...what does that mean?" Margaret asked, as her voice was close to hysterical.

"I'm sorry...but we can't find the plane. It's gone…" he said. Margaret's gut wrenching scream followed that and echoed throughout the terminal, chilling anyone that heard it to the bone.

Margaret shivered, as she remembered that terrible day. The day that she thought half her soul died. The day her true love disappeared, along with her son and sister-in-law, seemingly shattering her family forever. Her phone chimed and she looked at it, a smile immediately eclipsing her face. It was a selfie that her husband snapped for her of him and their son, having fun at Coney Island.

Somehow, her five and half year nightmare had come to an end and she got her true love back. Her son, who hadn't been expected to survive his cancer, was responding to the new treatment and was in remission. Her family was whole again and she swiped a tear away from her cheek.

"I don't know what you are...or why you had to take them for those years, but thank you for giving them back," she said softly, speaking to the mysterious force that was behind the Callings.

David and Henry high five, as the worker behind the whack-a-mole game handed Henry his prize, a rainbow stuffed monkey. It had been a great day of rides, pizza, and games, but as the sun began to wane in the sky, David knew it was time to head home.

"It's all connected," he heard in his head, making him pause for a moment. He shook his head and turned his attention to his son.

"Can we take the subway home?" Henry asked.

"Sure," David agreed, as they headed that way and boarded one of the cars.

"Thanks Dad...this was the best day," Henry said. David smiled at him.

"You're welcome...and it was. Next time, we'll bring Mom, Ollie and Aunt Emma," he replied, as he suddenly noticed some of the other passengers focusing on them. He realized that they were being recognized and was alarmed when a couple of them took some pictures. He put a firm hand on Henry's shoulder, as the subway slowed.

"Let's get off here!" Henry called, as he made a beeline for the exit.

"Hey Henry...this isn't our stop!" he called, as he followed his son through the winding back tunnels

"Henry! Henry slow down!" he called, as he tried to frantically keep up.

"We have to go this way!" Henry called back, as he kept running through tight crevices and into the bowels of the subway system.

"Henry stop!" David called, trying to figure out what had suddenly gotten into his normally docile son.

"I can't...it's all connected!" Henry called back. David's eyes widened and that almost stopped him cold. The Calling...Henry was having it too, just not in the way he apparently was. With more understanding now, he ran as fast as he could to keep up with his son and was surprised when they found their way into a boiler room where Thomas was hiding out.

David looked at his son in awe, as he caught his breath and knelt down in front of him.

"Hi," Henry said to the other man. Thomas smiled.

"Hello...you were on the plane too," he said and Henry nodded.

"Henry...how did you know where this place was and that Thomas was here?" David asked. Henry shrugged.

"I don't know...I just knew," he replied and David sighed.

"Okay...buddy, I think you had a Calling, but just differently than the rest of us are having them," he said.

"Next time, just tell me and we'll follow it together. You can't run off like that," he said sternly.

"Okay...sorry Dad," he apologized. David smiled and hugged him, as he cradled his head.

"It's okay buddy," he replied, as they sat down with Thomas.

"I guess we better figure out why we got a Calling to come down here though," David said.

"I think I might know," Thomas said nervously and David urged him to continue.

"Bethany...she was supposed to come get me today and take me some place where they can't find me. But she's late…" he said. David understood now and took out his phone.

"Hello…" Emma answered.

"Em...I think something might be wrong with Bethany. She was supposed to come get Thomas, but she's not here and she's late," he said.

"I'll check it out," Emma replied, as he hung up.

"Thank you," Thomas said. David smiled.

"No problem," he replied, as Henry spied a chess set.

"You play chess?" he asked.

"Yes...would you like to play?" Thomas asked.

"Sure," Henry replied, as they sat down to a game while they waited. David smiled and texted Margaret that they might be home a little late.

Bethany packed her SUV with all the things that Thomas would need to get by at the cabin she planned to take him to, but as she was about to get in her car, two sedans pulled up, blocking her path. Vance got out of one of the cars and placed her in cuffs.

"Bethany Collins, you're under arrest for conspiracy to commit a felony and aiding and abetting a fugitive," he said, as he proceeded to read the rest of her Miranda rights, before putting her in the vehicle and driving away. From the window, her wife watched fearfully and wondered who would help Thomas now, as well as her wife.

Margaret smiled at the text, as she parked in their driveway. She got out of the car and rolled her eyes at the reporters that were still camped outside their house. She grabbed the bag of groceries from the trunk and headed inside. While she was putting things away, she heard the door open and Olive's voice, along with Lance's.

Truthfully, she had told her daughter she was fine with her still spending time with Lance and for the most part, she was. Still...there was a part of her that hoped that relationship faded now that David was back. Her husband was very understanding of the whole thing; more understanding than most men would be. But she just wanted their little family back to the way it was and away from interlopers. If the dinner disaster at her father's was anything to go by, outsiders could prove to be very dangerous to them now.

She trusted Lance for the most part and knew he cared about her daughter. But ultimately, she trusted her husband more and wanted her daughter to rebuild her relationship with him. They were well on their way and at the first inkling that Lance might be hindering that, she would be ready to quash it.

"Hey Mom," Olive said, as she came into the kitchen.

"Hi sweetie...did you have a good time?" Margaret asked.

"Yeah, it was great," Olive said, as she grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge.

"She did excellent...she'll be ready for that climb in no time," he replied. Margaret smiled.

"That's wonderful...thank you Lance," she said.

"Any time...I'll get going now. See you later, Ollie," he called, as he left.

"Wow...that was a little cold," Olive mentioned, as she took a sip of water.

"It was not cold. It was congenial," Margaret replied.

"He was a really good friend to you, Mom...you can still be friends," Olive said. Margaret sighed.

"I know that honey, but that was still a very sad time in my life. It's not him really...it's just that his friendship represents that time when I thought I had lost your father forever," she explained. Olive smiled in understanding.

"I get that," Olive said, as she put her arms around her mother's shoulders and hugged her.

"He's just a friend...I only have one Dad," Olive promised her. Margaret smiled at that.

"Where is he anyway? And Henry?" she asked.

"Oh he texted and said they'll be home a little later," she replied, as she started cutting lettuce for dinner.

"Okay...I'm going to go do my homework," Olive called, as she went upstairs. While cutting lettuce, Margaret turned on some music through her phone. And immediately and unexpectedly, a song came on that flooded her with memories.

Henry concentrated and made his next move, which made Thomas smile.

"You're very good for one so young," he complimented.

"But...you still have a lot to learn," Thomas said, as he captured Henry's Queen.

"Checkmate...aw, how didn't I see that?" Henry asked.

"Like I said...you're good, but you're still learning," Thomas replied, as David smiled at his son. Suddenly, Henry looked up at the vent and hurried over to it.

"Someone is coming…" he said, alarming David a bit.

"Henry…" he said.

"Someone is coming, Dad!" he cried. David looked at Thomas, as he stood up.

"We need to go…" David said.

"No wait…" Henry interjected, as they heard footsteps getting closer.

"Henry...we need to go," he insisted.

"No Dad...I don't think the person coming is bad! I think it's Aunt Emma and she's with someone!" Henry called, as the vent opened and Emma climbed through.

"Hey kid...what are you doing here?" she asked, as she cast a look at her brother. He shrugged.

"Henry brought me here...somehow he knew where it was," David told her, which surprised her further. Another woman followed her through the vent and David stiffened.

"Relax...this is Bethany's wife, Georgia," she said, as the other woman hugged Thomas.

"Where is Bethany?" he asked.

"Director Vance arrested her and took her in for questioning. But I know the plan and I'm going to take you to the cabin upstate. You'll be safe there," Georgia replied.

"Vance has Bethany?" David asked. Emma nodded.

"After you called, I headed over there and arrived just after Vance left," she replied. Georgia nodded.

"I knew that Bethany would want me to make sure Thomas gets out of the city," she said.

"If he's busy interrogating Bethany...then you have a small window to escape," David agreed. She nodded.

"After I get Thomas settled, I'll be back and see what I can do for my wife. I've already called an attorney for her," she said.

"I'll see if I can find anything out through my contacts," Emma offered. She nodded.

"Thank you," Georgia said, as the Nolans helped see them off, before getting in Emma's car to go home themselves.

"Ms. Collins," Vance said, as he came into the interrogation room.

"Why am I here?" she asked.

"I have some questions for you...like what you know about this man," Vance replied, as he put a photo of Thomas in front of her.

"Never seen him before," she fibbed. He smirked.

"So you say...but I think you know exactly who he is and I also think that you smuggled him on the plane," Vance accused.

"I have no idea what you're talking about and I'm done answering questions. I want my lawyer," she demanded. Vance closed the folder and stood up.

"You'll have your attorney, but this isn't going away, Ms. Collins. You need to tell me what you know about that plane," Vance said.

"I know the same as everyone else. We took off from Jamaica, there was turbulence, and then we landed. Just hours passed for us, while years passed for the world," she stated.

"Do you really think we would have chosen to be away from the people we love for five and a half years?" she asked. Vance was quiet for a moment and realized that these people wouldn't have chosen that. All he had to do was look at the Nolan family, who was as tight knit as he had ever seen. There was a love between David and his wife that seemed far from run of the mill.

"Maybe not...but it doesn't mean you don't know anything," Vance countered.

"If I knew what had taken me away from my wife for all these years...trust me, I wouldn't be covering for them. Now, I want my attorney. I know my rights and you have to give me one when I ask," she replied.

"Like I said, you'll have your attorney. It's getting late though so I doubt you'll be going anywhere tonight," Vance replied, as he left the room.

Flashback

Margaret knew she shouldn't torture herself like this, but she couldn't help but go through the box of photos. Her playlist played on her phone softly in the room and their song began to play. She immediately burst into tears, as she heard the words.

Oh, my love, my darling

I've hungered for your touch

A long, lonely time

She remembered dancing slowly with him to this song, being kissed by him while it played, and being made fun of when they requested such an old song be played at dances for them, not that they ever cared. It described them perfectly, especially now.

"Oh David…" she cried, as she looked at a picture of them together and could still hear him singing the words to her in her ear, as they swayed.

Time goes by so slowly

And time can do so much

Are you still mine?

I need your love

"I need you…" she called out.

That had been a year to the date before the plane returned. She wondered now, if somehow, he had heard her from wherever they were or trapped. They had no memory of the place they had been while they were gone and that was fine with her. She knew they needed answers, but she imagined that it was hell for David too, being separated from her, so she was happy to spare him from that for as long as possible. She could finally hear this song again and not burst into tears. She could smile again and that smile widened, as she felt him put his arms around her waist and sing the lyrics into her ear, giving her goosebumps.

Lonely rivers flow

To the sea, to the sea

To the open arms of the sea

Lonely rivers sigh

"Wait for me, wait for me"

I'll be coming home, wait for me

She turned in his arms and he kissed her passionately.

"And you did...you came home," she gushed. He smiled.

"And you waited for me," he said, as he brushed a tear away from her cheek.

"I'd wait a thousand years if I had to," she whispered to him, as their lips met again.

"Did you and Henry have a good day?" she asked, as their lips parted.

"We did, with an unexpected little adventure at the end that I have to tell you about," he replied, as he swept her into his arms.

"But first...I'm going to dance with my wife in our kitchen," he said, as he started the song over and they swayed together.

"Do you remember the first time we danced to this song?" he asked. She smiled.

"I could never forget...it was in a kitchen as well, the morning after the first time we made love," she replied, as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Flashback

Margaret was wearing a permanent smile, as she whisked some eggs that morning, wearing only her love's shirt and felt giddy when she felt his arms go around her waist.

"Good morning…" she purred.

"Morning…" he said in a husky tone, as a song came on the radio and he pulled her into his arms.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"This is an old love song...Mom loved it. We should dance, since we're in love," he replied, as they proceeded to become lost in each other once again, embroiled in a love so powerful, that it was far beyond their tender years.

"That was an amazing morning...but then we've had many amazing times," she gushed, as they shared another kiss.

"So...how was Coney Island?" she asked, as he took her hand and they sat down together.

"It was great...and then our son proceeded to lead me on a wild goose chase throughout New York City's subway tunnels," he replied.

"What?" she asked with a furrowed brow.

"I...I think he's getting Callings, MM...just not like we are," he said, as he proceeded to explain the whole story and she was stunned when he was done.

"Oh baby...it's going to be okay. We'll protect Henry as much as we can from this," she insisted.

"I know...I think I need to see it all spread out though," he said, as he took her hand and led her to the garage. She knew this look he had and knew it was going to be a long night, as he started pinning up photos, news articles and doing math.

"I think I'll order takeout," she said, as she found a chair and dialed the Chinese place, while she watched him work.

A while later, Emma found all four of them in the garage with takeout cartons. Olive and Henry were playing a game at the card table, Margaret was watching David work, no surprise there, and her eyes widened at the sheer mania that seemed to overtake him. As usual though, this family seemed to do everything together.

"Whoa...he's in the zone again, isn't he?" Emma asked, as she looked at his spiderweb of events he had created.

"Mmm...it's really something to watch," Margaret mused.

"Ugh...it's really weird that this turns you on," Emma complained, as her sister-in-law wore a naughty smirk that she didn't want to think about.

"Oh good...you're here," David said, as he motioned her over.

"I'm also hungry. Did you save me anything?" she asked.

"I ordered you sesame chicken. It's in the fridge," Margaret replied. She could always count on Margaret to have food for her, no matter the time of day.

"Okay…I'm gonna get food and you can explain all this to me," she replied.

"Our family is weird," Henry commented.

"Uh yeah...but in a good way," Olive agreed, as they continued their game.

Flashback

Henry awoke and saw that they were still on the plane, though everyone else seemed to be sleeping. That was a bit odd and he noticed a brightness coming from the window. He opened the shade and saw a bright light in the sky with widened eyes.

"It's all connected…"