AN: Thanks for the incredible response to this Snowing story! See previous chapter for important authors notes on characters and story notes.
Just a couple of notes for the last chapter and the next few. The Characters of Aaron Glover, the podcaster and Paul and Helen Santino are from Manifest and not Once characters. Another note: In this universe, Killian and Liam are not related, nor do they know one another.
Special Note: By now, those who watch Manifest, will have seen the season 3 finale. I won't say anything else in case someone hasn't seen it, but I can assure you that there will be certain changes. No decisions yet, as I'm kind of waiting to see what happens in season 4, if we get one. But yeah, I'm already gaming out how to get around a certain major character death. Just FYI.
This one will update bi-weekly on Monday nights. Please consider leaving a review, it is much appreciated. Here are individual responses to reviews:
Ghostwriter: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Jennifer Baratta: Actually, I think you'll be surprised by Regina's reaction. Glad you're enjoying it!
Number Ten: Considering that you haven't seen Manifest, that's a good guess as to what he is going to do. It's what his counterpart, Adrian, does in Manifest. It likely will not end well at all. Yeah, it's sad about Helen and best that Paul doesn't remember. Yeah, most abusers never change. This one may get a chance at redemption. Glad you're enjoying it.
Grace5231973: Yeah, Paul and Helen were a very small part of it. That's why I didn't cast Once characters for them. Didn't have any that really fit that small role. Emma did make the right decision. Let's hope it sticks. I know, Sidney is the worst kind of reporter. Yes, I'm glad to see Olive breaking away from Lance.
Sexystarwarslover: Yeah, it was a packed chapter. Yep, Baron is in the place of Adrian so you probably can guess where this is going. Yep, Emma is determined for sure. Yeah, I wouldn't count on Emma and Killian being fixed. Yep, the blizzard calling. Yes, David will do anything to protect his family. Yep, Olive is pulling away from Lance and toward her Dad. Sidney is the worst kind of reporter. Yeah, they had sleepovers as kids. It is adorable. No, Eva never wanted MM to have this life. I think she would be happy that MM has such a warm family. Yeah, it's looking like Cora had something to do with Eva's death. Yep, Paul was abusive before he lost his memory. No, Arthur doesn't want to listen. Hopefully, he'll come around. Nope, not good. Baron sees an opportunity take advantage of people. Yep, it should be an interesting chat with Regina. Glad you enjoyed it!
AnonSnowing: Yeah, Margaret wants to fix things for Emma. Yep, Henry just may be the Holy Grail. Yeah, they need to protect Henry from the Major. Yeah, it's hard for Lance not to love Olive. I get that. Yeah, Sidney is the worst and going to write some terrible hit piece. Yep, they had sleepovers! It's adorable. I'm glad Eva had the foresight to make sure MM didn't get swept into that world. She was right to want her out of it. Yeah, it's awkward at best. I think people will be surprised by Regina's reaction here though. Regina definitely knows what a nightmare her mother is and can be. Yeah, Olive wants to spend more time with her Dad. Yeah, Helen is scared of Paul and ran when the plane came back. Paul was abusive, but now he's a blank slate and Helen is free. Yeah, Killian needs to do right by his marriage. Yes, Emma is very lucky to have a job now. Yep, Baron Samdi is in the place of Adrian here. Yeah, I think MM is rubbing off on Regina. You're welcome, glad you enjoyed it!
Lightning in a Bottle
Chapter 32: Crosswinds, Pt 4
David arrived home with pizza in tow and found his two favorite girls together, on the couch, with the laptop.
"Hey baby…" Margaret greeted him, as he put the food in the kitchen and she got up to kiss him.
"Hey…" he said, as he put his arms around her.
"Any luck with Agent King?" she asked.
"Well...he let me explain what I knew about the Major for a minute and then left without a word, so I'm not sure he even believes me, let alone wants to help," he replied. She frowned and rested her head against his chest, as they hugged.
"I'm sorry...he's an idiot not to believe you," she said. He winced.
"He thinks I got his boss and mentor killed," he reminded her.
"But you didn't...that wasn't your fault. In fact, you saved lives. If he wants to know who really killed Vance, then he needs to listen to you about the Major," she replied.
"Maybe...but I'm afraid we're not going to get any help from him," he said.
"Then you think you're going to do that podcast?" she asked. He sighed.
"Aaron did help me out and has come through so far. I think I'm going to talk to him," he decided.
"What about you? Did you find anything about Johanna?" he asked.
"Uh...not really about Johanna, but our very talented daughter found a ton of archived articles online about my parents. Apparently, they lived a very public life back then," she replied, as she showed him some of the articles.
"Wow…Cora is in a lot of these too. There was no way they didn't know each other," he said.
"I know," she said.
"So...are you going to ask Regina about your mother's medical records?" he asked, as they started getting plates and drinks out for dinner.
"I don't know...I'm torn. I love having a sister and we're just getting to know each other. I don't want to sour our relationship by basically accusing her mother of murder," Margaret fretted.
"You know, Aunt Regina knows her mother isn't an angel. She might not be too surprised," Olive said.
"Olive's right...my mother is no angel," Regina said, as she arrived to their surprise.
"I hope I'm not intruding? I thought I'd stop by and see...my family," she said. They shared a smile.
"You're never intruding and we're happy you're here. There's plenty of pizza and salad if you'd like to join us," Margaret said. She nodded.
"I'd love to...but I'm intrigued now. Did my mother do something?" Regina asked.
"I'm not sure...and I don't want to upset you with what I have, because it's only conjecture at this point," Margaret replied.
"When it comes to my mother...nothing she does shocks me. I know the kind of person she is," Regina
"Okay...then we'll tell you everything," David said.
"Does this have to do with that reporter that was following you?" Regina asked.
"That's where it started," Margaret said, as they started explaining everything to her.
Emma opened the door of her new apartment. She hadn't even unpacked yet and was sort of already missing home. Despite David and Margaret being perfectly content with her living with them forever if she wanted to, she had decided to get her own place. She wasn't too pleased to find that her first visitor was Killian.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"We need to talk," he replied, as he let himself in. She sighed.
"You shouldn't be here," she warned.
"Stop," he snapped, as she relented and closed the door.
"Stop telling me what to do or how I'm supposed to feel, Emma. Look, you asked me why I didn't go to the hangar. I didn't go because I knew if I saw you, I would've never gone home. Emma, you're not a wrecking ball, you're my soulmate," he said.
"No, Killian, I'm not," she protested.
"Yes, you are. I still wake up expecting to find you next to me. Emma, I still look at you, and the rest of the world just goes away. I love you. It's always been you. I didn't cheat death to live half a life. Neither did you," Killian insisted. Emma stared at him for a long moment and they rushed to each other, finally giving into their feelings. They stumbled to her bedroom, leaving a trail of clothing behind.
"And...that's what we've got so far," Margaret said, as she finished telling Regina about everything, including the articles they had found, the reporter, and even Johanna being on the plane and then being cagey about Cora's involvement. Margaret met her eyes and expected to see fury there. But she didn't.
"Figures," Regina commented.
"What?" Margaret asked.
"If your mother was the only thing standing in her way to Leopold and riches...I don't doubt that she took care of her," Regina replied.
"Wait…I basically just told you that I think your mother had something to do with my mother's death and you agree?" Margaret asked. Regina smirked.
"No one knows better than me what my mother is capable of," she replied.
"And maybe before the plane, I would have been offended by the suggestion, even if I knew it to be true. But not now. When I was gone, instead of taking care of my father, she dumped him in an assisted living facility and divorced him without a second thought, even though she knew how important he was to me," she said.
"And the first thing she did to my new family was try to exploit them," she added.
"No...my mother is a monster and I know that. I couldn't own that before the plane, but I can now. I'll get those records and if she did...then she's going down," Regina promised. Margaret smiled and hugged her.
"You'll really help?" she asked.
"Of course...and your old nanny being on the plane is suspicious as hell too," Regina replied.
"I know...what are the chances?" Margaret asked.
"I'm not the math genius, but I'm going to guess it's not good," Regina replied, as she looked at David.
"Yeah...the odds are up there," he said, as Margaret looked between them.
"Wait...you think Johanna was purposely on the plane?" she asked.
"I'm not sure...but she's right about the odds being astronomical and coincidences happen, but this one is striking," David replied.
"Well...we did a dig on Cora. We should do one on Johanna too," Olive suggested.
"That is a great idea...we can start that one tomorrow," David agreed.
"I'll see what I can do about digging up those medical records and I'll see you both for Henry's treatment tomorrow," Regina said, as she stood up.
"Thank you...for not hating me," Margaret replied. Regina smiled.
"You're welcome," she replied, as they saw her out for the evening and then tucked Henry in, while Olive went onto bed herself.
"I guess I was worrying for nothing," Margaret said, as they started to undress for bed.
"Yeah...she definitely took that better than expected," he agreed, as he took her in his arms, as they were stripped down to their undergarments. His phone chimed, just as he leaned in to kiss her and he grabbed it in annoyance, even as her hands continued to roam his bare torso.
"Who is it?" she asked, a little annoyed at being interrupted this late in the evening.
"Aaron...he wants to do the recording tomorrow," he said, as he sent a quick response.
"Then you're going to do it?" she asked.
"Yes...I'll help him out, but right now, all I want to do is focus on you," he replied. She smiled, as their lips met again and they moved toward their bed.
Johanna Mason arrived at the corner coffee shop late that night, after being summoned. She was very nervous, but the woman was very insistent that they meet and you just didn't say no to Cora Blanchard, nee Mills.
"You're late…" Cora said in a measured tone from the corner table. Johanna turned to her and walked toward her table to sit down.
"According to the reporter I have following my step-daughter and her charming husband...they paid you a visit," Cora said.
"Yes...but I didn't tell them anything," Johanna replied.
"For your sake, I would hope not. Either way...even if they do find out what we did, they can never prove it," Cora said.
"We? I didn't do anything," Johanna protested. Cora smirked.
"But you knew...that makes you an accessory," she reminded her.
"Fine...but why do you want to hurt Mary Margaret? Eva is gone and you married Leopold. Please...just leave Mary Margaret alone," Johanna pleaded.
"I left her alone when she was a widow and only had one child left. She was all but destroyed...but now she has her happiness back and that just won't do for me," Cora replied.
"She's never done anything to you…" Johanna hissed.
"She exists...but for now, I'll settle for her humiliation in the press. If she keeps digging though...bad things might happen," Cora said.
"I want no part of this," Johanna replied.
"Oh, but you're already a part of this. If it comes out...I can easily point the police in your direction and you know it," Cora threatened. Johanna was silent.
"If she contacts you again...call me immediately. Now go," Cora said, as she shooed the woman away, just before Sidney Glass sat down with a smirk on his face.
"I do hope you have more than the pictures you sent me earlier of the little bitch and her husband making out," Cora said crossly.
"The Nolans are a hot item. The fairytale romance thing with the husband coming back from the dead is selling tabloids like hotcakes. I made a cool ten grand on those photos alone," Sidney replied. Cora rolled her eyes.
"I'm not interested in their little fairytale. I want dirt," she demanded.
"Then dirt you shall have," Sidney said, as he showed her his latest photos on his tablet.
"The daughter...and who is this man again?" Cora asked.
"Lance Knight...he's a volunteer for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program and has been Olive Nolan's big brother for two years now," Sidney explained.
"And she's still visiting him even though her father is back?" Cora asked. He nodded.
"That's not all. It's well documented that he was a frequent visitor to the Nolan house for dinner before the plane came back," Sidney replied.
"Was there something going on between him and Margaret?" Cora asked with interest.
"Unfortunately no...he was never an overnight guest. I'm afraid this attraction is one sided on his part…" Sidney said.
"Unrequited love...that's almost better. David Nolan's return dashed his hopes...I can use that," Cora replied.
"I'm not so sure...he's the noble type and he never got anywhere with her," Sidney said. Cora smirked.
"Doesn't matter...write it. This is better anyway. The daughter still spending time with this other man just looks out of place," she said.
"That will definitely get a reaction if you go after one of the children," Sidney replied. Cora smirked again.
"Exactly," she said, as she got up and took her cup with her, leaving him to continue the job she had hired him to do.
David held her sleeping form in his arms, as he spooned her against him. She had fallen asleep after their lovemaking, but he had too many thoughts running through his head. He heard his phone buzz on the nightstand and he kissed her shoulder, before rolling away to answer it.
"Hello," he said.
"It's Agent King...I've found your Black Hawk. The one assigned to this mysterious Major," Arthur said.
"Really?" David asked.
"It's assigned for personal use; a VIP transpo. The name is classified though," Arthur replied.
"Well...that's something at least. We know she was there for sure now," David said.
"That's not all though. It left Langley Air Force Base in Virginia ten minutes ago and it's headed for New York City," Arthur replied.
"Thank you...but why did you decide to help me?" David asked.
"Because it's what Vance would want. But you need to be careful." Arthur warned.
"Thanks again," David said, as he hung up and texted Emma about the development, before rolling back over and cuddling close to his wife. He didn't know who this woman was, but he was determined to protect his family from her.
Emma laid in bed next to a sleeping Killian, as regret slowly began to set in. Everything that had always been between them had come slamming back in the moment, but now that it was over, she realized that, while she loved him, he was still married and destroying his marriage was the wrong way to restart their relationship. Her brother and MM might have been meant to be, no matter what. But she suddenly wasn't feeling that way about her and Killian. The feelings, the emotion, and the passion were all there, but he was right. She was different now. She had been making bad decisions and screwing up before the plane, but she had a second chance and as much as it hurt, she knew this wasn't the way to begin that new life. Her phone chimed and she looked at it, finding that it was David.
"The Major is coming…" she read the text and sighed. Whatever this was...it was far from over and if this mysterious Major really was after this Holy Grail, which could easily turn out to be her nephew, Emma could afford no distractions. She had to protect her family and let Killian return to his own family, which wasn't her now. She just didn't know how to tell him that…
The Next Day
"I don't know what the Major is after, but I will protect my family and the other passengers. We're not going to be her lab rats to poke and prod as she pleases. We're people, just like anyone else," David said, as they were finishing up the podcast.
"I know some think we're different since we came back. Some think in good ways, others in bad ways. But I can tell you that we're just people that want to be with their families and go back to our lives," he finished, as Aaron paused the stream.
"That was great...my listeners are going to go wild," he said.
"You can't air this yet," David replied. He frowned.
"Why not? This is gold…" he said.
"But we don't have all the information yet and we still know very little about the Major. Who knows how high this goes...keep digging and then if we get the smoking gun, you can go live with it," David said. Aaron sighed and knew he was right.
"Showing our hand this soon to the Major could be a detriment...but if something happens to me, blow this wide open," David replied. Aaron smirked.
"This is your insurance policy," he said. David nodded.
"I'm not saying don't air this at all...just not yet," he advised.
"Okay...we'll do this your way, for now," Aaron replied, as they shook hands and David was on his way. He met up with Emma and Margaret outside, as they headed up to the beach house.
"Hi...I wasn't expecting to see you today," Glinda said, as she let them in.
"We have it on good authority that the Major was on her way to New York last night," David said.
"We're not sure the passengers are safe here," Emma added.
"I'm sorry...but we can't really move them. That would be a major setback," Glinda said.
"I still think we need to risk it and move them deeper into hiding," David lamented. But the blonde shook her head.
"We're making progress. Paul has helped us to understand how to help them better. All that work is gone if we move them now," Glinda said. David didn't like it, but didn't argue further.
"I appreciate your concern, but the way I see it...these passengers are of no use to her any longer," Glinda said.
"Why do you say that?" Margaret asked.
"Because if they were the Holy Grail she was looking for...then she'd still have them. She doesn't seem like the type to just let things go. If she hasn't come after them before now...then they aren't her focus anymore," Glinda reasoned. David considered her point and decided it was a good one. That made his thoughts return to their son and knew that Henry was what she wanted, even if she didn't know it yet. He just had to keep it that way. Suddenly, Emma was caught up in a Calling again and he grabbed her arm to steady her.
"You had it again," David said, as she came out of it.
"The same one?" Margaret asked. Emma nodded.
"Same...the blizzard and a man's hand falling to the snow. The voice was clearer too...definitely a man," she replied.
"It's not my voice...maybe this isn't my Calling," Emma suggested.
"But what could that mean?" Margaret wondered.
"To hell if I know...I usually leave the puzzle cracking to you," Emma said, looking at her brother.
"I wish I knew...but it's definitely a new game I think," David said, as he sought Margaret's hand and she met his eyes with the same worried look.
"Well...if no one else is going to say it, I will," Regina said.
"I think we all know that the Holy Grail isn't a what...but a who," she added, as their eyes met.
"Henry…" Margaret fretted, as David put his arms around her.
"She will not get him...she will not," he insisted, as he kissed her forehead.
As Killian got home that evening, he felt the guilt eating at him the moment he saw Milah and his heart sank when she kissed him.
"Hey...dinner's almost ready. You okay?" she asked, noticing the forlorn look on his face. He forced a smile.
"I'm good now…" he lied.
"Smells great," he said, as he followed her into the kitchen, wondering how he was going to get through the evening. But he knew one thing; he was going to end up hurting her, but he held back on telling her anything for now. He had to talk to Emma first. She had left before he woke up and they had to talk about what happened the night before.
Across town, Agent Arthur King arrived home that evening, only for black SUV's to suddenly surround him in the street where he was quickly ushered into one of the vehicles and taken away.
On another side of town, Aurora Rose got her coffee and bumped into someone at the condiments station.
"Oh…I'm so sorry," she apologized, but the man brushed past without a word, until he was behind her.
"Oh…I think you dropped your phone," the man said, as she turned and saw the flip phone in his hand.
"No...that's not…" but she trailed off when he gave her a stern look.
"The Major would like a word," he said, as she followed him to the SUV waiting outside and got in.
Later that night, after being tucked in by his parents, a Calling startled Henry from his sleep. He saw a flash of light and then heard the words in a man's voice.
"Find her!" the voice pleaded. Henry saw the man's hand fall to the snow, but also saw something else in his hand. It looked like a piece of torn paper from a magazine and on the page was an old photo of his Aunt Emma. Henry winced, as his hand started hurting and he looked at the snow on it and the purpling of frostbite on his fingers...just like the man's hand in the Calling...