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: Yep, Vance is on it. In that case, I won't tell you where Vance falls. Glad you're enjoying it. :)
Jennifer Baratta: Thanks!
Grace5231973: I know, it's awful for those people and Henry. Hopefully they find them soon and Henry stays okay. :)
Number Ten: Yep, we don't know what they hope to accomplish yet with these experiments, but definitely not over. Glad you're enjoying. :)
Sexystarwarslover: So glad you're loving it! Yes, this doctor is a true monster. Yeah, at least Henry is out of the woods for now. Yep, time for Emma to come clean. Lol, I hear Colin every time he says that too. Yeah, David's a hero. Yeah, he is, even though he's married. Yep, David finally meets Gold, their mysterious financial advisor. Yeah, Henry's in the clear for now, but now David knows he may have an ally in Gold. Glad you're enjoying it!
AnonSnowing: Dr. Monster works. He's definitely Jekyll, just not sure what to call him here yet. It does happen in real life. Yeah, at least Killian believes Emma for the most part. Yeah, David is his family's hero. Yeah, I think he did meet him briefly, but I don't remember if he made the connection. I'd have to go back and look. A minor thing though. David is definitely a super hero to Margaret. Yeah, unfortunately they moved before Vance could catch them. Henry seems to be out of the woods for now though. I don't remember enough Spanish from high school so I'd have to look stuff up, but maybe I can try to work something like that in. I'm sure he did say those things to her in French though. Glad you enjoyed it! :)
Lightning in a Bottle
Chapter 21: Snafu, Pt 1
Margaret looked in on Henry one more time that evening, finally satisfied that he was safe and out of danger for the moment. But she knew that might not hold for long and so she wasn't surprised to see her husband at the kitchen table, pouring over information on his laptop in an effort to find the missing passengers. He had his glasses on and was typing away, deep in his research. But that didn't mean he didn't sense her presence and he looked up, as she gently put a soothing hand on the back of his neck. He sighed and a bit of the stress ebbed away, just at that small gesture. He gently pulled her down into his lap and she kissed him tenderly.
"He's asleep and I'm surprised I haven't disturbed him by constantly checking his forehead for fever," she mentioned.
"I'm sure he wouldn't blame you after all we just went through," he said.
"Have you found anything?" she asked curiously.
"Actually…I think I might have," he replied, as he showed her a website on his laptop.
"JP Williamson?" she asked.
"They are the accounting firm that handles the finances for Unified Dynamic Systems," he clarified, as he pulled up a screen that said the application was accepted.
"You applied for a job?" she asked. He nodded and clicked to another page to show her the job description.
"It's entry level, but it will get me in the door and from there, I can improvise on how to gather more information," he explained.
"Oh baby...you are way overqualified for this position," she said. He chuckled.
"I know...but with me being a passenger, I'd never get anything with any level of security clearance in a company like this. If I get in though, I can find a way to access the information that could lead us to the missing passengers," he replied.
"It's a good plan...but it's risky. If you get caught...it could be really bad," she said worriedly.
"I know...but if it means saving our son, then I don't think I have much choice," he said. She nodded.
"I know...and I know you'd do anything for me or one of our babies," she replied, as she kissed him passionately.
"I'll be careful...I promise," he said, as they heard his e-mail chime. He clicked on the pop-up and found that he already had a response from the company.
"That was fast...I have an interview tomorrow morning," he said.
"Well...your resume is really impressive," she replied.
"Or they saw the name and are interviewing me out of sheer curiosity," he said.
"Maybe...either way, you might be in," she replied.
"Let's just hope this goes somewhere," he said, as he continued to hold her.
"I'm so glad you came for dinner tonight. I'm just sorry that Lily was a no show," Zoran mentioned, as they moved to the living room, following dinner.
"Me too...and that's okay. Lily and I can catch up later," Emma said, as she and Mal shared a glance.
"Don't worry honey...Lily will be home soon. You know our girl," Mal soothed, as she served some coffee.
"So...are you seeing anyone?" Zoran asked. Emma smiled and Mal chuckled.
"There used to be someone...but we're not together anymore," she replied. He frowned.
"Oh...that's too bad. You'll find someone," he assured.
"Maybe someday," she said, as her phone chimed and she saw that it was Killian. They had a case.
"Um...it's work. I'm afraid I have to go," she said, as she hugged Zoran and then she and Mal shared a hug.
"Don't be a stranger...come back soon," she said.
"You sure about that?" Emma asked.
"Positive. It helps him...a lot," she replied.
"And me too," she admitted. Emma managed a smile and a nod, before getting her coat.
"I'll see you soon," she promised, before leaving.
David rolled onto his back, as their breathing came in ragged gasps, following an intense bout of lovemaking. Margaret cuddled against his side and rested her head on his chest.
"That was a very...well conducted lesson, Professor Nolan," she said in a teasing tone, as she nuzzled his nose with her own.
"Well...you are a very good student," he teased back, as they shared a tender kiss.
"And you are going to do amazing at your interview in the morning," she promised.
"I don't know...what if I don't? You said it...I am overqualified for an entry level accounting clerk," he mentioned.
"Mmm...very true, because you are so skilled, but you are also very charming. I know you'll charm your way in the door," she said, while still nuzzling his chin.
"You think?" he asked.
"Mmm...oh I know, especially since you're doing this to save our son. I know that when it comes to protecting this family that you will always find a way," she replied. He looked at her in awe, humbled and amazed by her love and support.
"I won't let you or Henry down," he promised. She smiled gently.
"Letting us down isn't possible, my love, no matter what happens. You're our hero," she replied, as they shared a passionate kiss. They settled down then, thoroughly wrapped in each other's arms, and let sleep take them.
Emma got out of the car and met Killian outside the car repair shop where the crime had occurred. The Dark Star Pharmacy. Her mother had been killed on the other side of town, in a store not unlike this one and as she did a quick scan of the report, she knew why Killian had wanted her in on this. The victim had just lost his brother to senseless violence and probably needed an easy touch. They nodded to each other and went inside.
"Tom Clark?" she called to the middle aged man behind the counter.
"Yes…" he answered, as they approached.
"We're...here to talk to you about what happened to your brother," she said.
"I take it that you haven't caught the guy yet," Tom replied.
"Unfortunately no...that's why we're here. We're hoping any details you can provide will help lead us to the perpetrator," Killian said.
"Uh…I didn't see anything and the guy obviously knew what he was doing," Tom said.
"How so?" Emma asked.
"Because Stealthy was in charge of the security system and his murder happened just outside the range of the cameras," Tom replied.
"Stealthy?" Killian asked. Tom sighed.
"Sorry...that was his nickname, because he was so good at setting up security and exposing the vulnerabilities. So much so that me and our other brothers called him Stealthy," Tom explained. They nodded.
"Sometimes...even the smallest details are important, so even if you think it's not important, it might be," Emma said. He shook his head.
"I'm sorry...he was wearing a red hooded sweatshirt and didn't have a driver's license. Stealthy…" he said and then paused to correct himself.
"It's okay...you can call him by his nickname. Remember him how he was," Emma replied. Tom swallowed thickly.
"Stealthy was covering the register for me while I took a deposit to the bank. The guy didn't have a driver's license, so he wouldn't sell him a bottle of whiskey," Tom said.
"So...the guy just stabbed him and all I saw was a red blur rushing out of my store," he added. Emma nodded and then heard a heartbeat very loudly in her head. She stared at Tom for a moment, as she tried to discern why she was hearing this. Was it another calling?
"Emma...are you okay?" Killian asked. She snapped free of the sound and nodded to him.
"We actually think we have the guy, but we don't have a murder weapon. It appears to be missing. If you can give a positive ID, we can put him away though," Killian replied.
"I...I don't think I can," Tom said.
"If you don't, he may walk if we can't find a murder weapon," Emma warned, as their eyes locked and she gauged his reaction.
"I'm sorry...I wish I could," he replied.
We'll keep you posted on our investigation, Mr. Clark," Killian said, as they walked toward the door.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I don't think he's telling the truth," she replied.
"Why would he lie about knowing the killer?" Killian asked.
"I'm not sure...maybe he's scared," she replied, as she noticed the look of determination on the man's face. She heard the heartbeat again and then exited the store.
"Come on...we have a killer to find," she said, as they returned to their cars.
David, dressed in a suit and tie, with glasses on, walked into the headquarters for JP Williamson that morning. He was about to check in with the desk when he heard a voice.
"Ah…David Nolan, flight 828, back from the dead!" a shorter man, also with glasses, called, as he immediately shook David's hand with vigor and slapped him on the back.
"Uh...you must be Mister Brooks," David said.
"Samuel Brooks...your Supervisor, but everyone calls me Doc," he replied.
"Doc?" David asked, thinking that was a bit of an odd nickname for an accountant.
"Yeah...cause I'm kind of a numbers doctor," he boasted. David suppressed an eye roll. He was certain, though he never liked to boast himself, that he could run circles around this guy when it came to numbers.
"Right...cool nickname," he said instead. He had to turn on the charm, because he needed to get his foot in the door. Henry's life might depend on it, after all. His potential new supervisor scanned his badge and they got into the elevator, where Doc proceeded to hit the button for one of the top floors.
"So...was it aliens?" Doc asked. David looked at him and he started laughing, leading to David joining him in a chuckle.
"I'm afraid there were no aliens...that I was aware of anyway," David answered.
"Man...what a trip. Five years just gone like that," Doc said, as they exited the elevator and David followed him to an office.
David sat down across from him, while Doc seemed to peruse his resume.
"Wow...a master's in mathematics," Doc mentioned and David detected a slight hint that his potential new boss might be threatened by that.
"Uh...yeah, guess I'm kind of a numbers nerd," he mentioned, as the other man gave him a skeptical stare.
"This position you're applying for...I'm not sure it will be very challenging for someone like you," Doc mentioned.
"I realize that it's not my normal gig, but being the middle of the semester, I'm needing something to fill my time until a teaching position opens up at one of the Universities," David said.
"And since I'm up for the challenge, if there's extra work that you need done, then I'd be your guy," he added. This was exactly what he had been worried about, but then Doc smiled.
"Since you're the plane guy...let's give it a shot!" he said.
"Thank you...you won't regret this," David replied.
"Can you start today?" Doc asked.
"Of course," he replied.
"Okay...let's get you settled in," Doc said, as he led him to human resources to go through the rest of the onboarding process.
Margaret walked to the teacher's lounge to grab her lunch from the fridge that afternoon, while her class was at recess. But the moment she walked in and the chatter between a few of the other teachers stopped, she knew exactly what they were discussing. All eyes were on her and she could see the judgement in those eyes. They had seen her father's ludicrous grandstanding to the media and his version of her teenage years presented to the world. She steeled herself and ignored them, as she retrieved her lunch and then stormed back toward her classroom. She knew she shouldn't let what they thought bother her and for the most part, she didn't.
She knew what she and David had was special and when they were young, no one understood them and to this day, few still did. She opened her lunch sack and smiled, as she found a note. He had been leaving her love notes since high school and was still doing so. One of many hard things about the last five years had been the absence of those notes. Just one note from him could brighten even the worst day. She remembered High School and how she had been looked at by some of the teachers and counselors. It was reminiscent of the looks she had just gotten, even though she was a happily married woman. It was odd how things hadn't changed much for them in that respect. People either mistook their closeness for something weird, were jealous of their closeness and hated them for it, or just didn't understand it in general.
Flashback
Margaret sat down in the guidance counselor's office, as she closed the door and took a seat at her desk.
"Margaret...some of your teachers are concerned about you and have asked me to speak to you," Ruel Ghorm, the guidance counselor, said with a piercing gaze. Margaret rolled her eyes, knowing where this was going.
"Well…I can save you the time. I'm perfectly fine...and happy. My grades are good and I don't need your judgement, nor theirs," she replied defiantly.
"Margaret...I know what it's like to be young and think you're in love," the woman said.
"I don't think I'm in love, Ms Ghorm...I know I am. I know that none of you can seem to understand that, but I assure you that David and I are not just some ordinary teen couple," she said hotly.
"Margaret…" she started to chide.
"No...you may not believe in true love or soul mates, but we do. What we have is that once in a lifetime love that many only dream of finding. We may be young, but we're much more mature than most our age," she added, before standing up.
"And seeing that I am emancipated, you can give guidance, but you cannot make me give David up. No one can or will...and anyone that doesn't like that can go to hell," Margaret said, as she stormed out and ran right into someone. Fortunately, it was the man she loved.
"Whoa...where the fire, beautiful?" he asked playfully.
"No fire...just a stupid blue raincloud named Ms. Ghorm," she complained and he chuckled, as he put his arm around her shoulder.
"I know...I just got a talking to from Mr. Jones about teenage boys and hormones," he replied.
"They just don't understand...but I think I'm okay with that. I don't want people like that in our world anyway," she said. He smiled at her and kissed her tenderly.
"Me either...let's go home. It's Friday night so Em is spending the night at Lily's...so it's just us," he said, as she smiled at him.
"So I thought we could get a pizza and a movie or something," he mentioned, but she smiled slyly.
"Mmm...let's skip the movie and go straight to bed. Then we can order the pizza later," she whispered to him with a giggle.
"I love the way you think," he replied, as they left together, arms around each other, intent on shutting out the world for the weekend.
Margaret smiled at the memory and went about eating her lunch, while thinking about the man she loved.
David worked diligently on the work he had been given on his first day. Upon completion of the onboarding process, he was given an access badge and a cubicle. The work was easy and he completed it in much less time than someone else might have. He looked around to make sure no one was really paying attention and then pulled up the account search. He typed in Unified Dynamic System and wasn't surprised when a red banner popped up, denying his access. It simply stated that he didn't have the security clearance for that particular account. That meant he had to find a way to get access to a badge with a higher security clearance. That gave him an idea and he got up from his seat with his mug. He made his way into the kitchenette nearby and filled his mug with coffee. Seeing that he was alone, he microwaved his badge and then approached his boss' office.
"For some reason, my badge isn't working when I try to input my findings into the system for these accounts," David said to him. Doc's brow furrowed and he took the badge from him and tried scanning it on one of the door panels, finding it dead.
"That's odd...I'll take it down to human resources to get you a new one," Doc said.
"Is there something else you want me to do in the meantime?" David asked. Doc paused for a moment and David could tell he was trying to decide whether or not he trusted him.
"Here...use mine until we get yours fixed," he said.
"Thanks," David replied, flashing a charming smile.
"Only cause you're the 828 guy...don't tell anyone," Doc said, as he slapped him on the back. David smirked and hurried back to his cubicle. He was granted access this time and began to speed read what he could. That's when a name caught his eye. It was a name from the plane and he clicked on that. Glinda Good...he remembered that she was in just across the aisle from Regina. He saw his boss coming and quickly took a screenshot of the information on his phone, before closing the page and logging out.
"Here you go," Doc said, as he nodded and exchanged badges.
"I think I'll take my break," David said, as he made his way outside to call his wife.
"Hey…" he said, as she answered.
"Hey you...I've been thinking about you all day. I got your note," she said. He smiled.
"I'm glad...I hope it made your day better," he replied.
"It did, but I really want to know how your day is going," she said.
"Well…I microwaved my badge so it wouldn't work and conned my boss into letting me use his while he got me a new one," he explained.
"Wow...that's impressive on your first day," she mentioned.
"Well...he just happens to be obsessed with the flight. It's probably the only reason I got the job, but I found something. I'm going to send you a screenshot," he said, as he sent the photo.
"Glinda Good...should I know that name?" she asked.
"No...but she was on the plane and it turns out that she's involved with something called the Singularity project, which is funded by United Dynamic Systems," he replied.
"It says that she was nearly laughed out of the scientific community as a loon, but became a hit in the spiritual realm for her research into mirror neurons and human brain connectivity," Margaret said, reading from the photo.
"Sound familiar?" he asked.
"Do you think she's behind everything?" Margaret asked.
"I don't know...but she is hosting a conference tonight. Are you up for it?" he asked.
"Are you kidding? Of course! Though we should probably ask Regina to come too," she replied.
"I was thinking the same thing. I'm going to call her next," David said.
"I'll tell Ollie we need her to watch Henry and then I'll be ready when you get home," Margaret replied.
"I love you...especially for following along with all this craziness and going with me to some boring conference," he said.
"I love you too and we're doing this craziness together. Plus…I don't care what we're doing in our evenings, as long as we're together," she replied.
"I'll see you soon," he said, as he hung up his phone and turned back to the building. He sighed and went back inside. The work was mind numbing for him, but hopefully, he would only have to put up with it for a short time.