AN: Thanks for the incredible response to this Snowing story! See previous chapter for important authors notes on characters and story notes.

Important note: Milah is not Neal's father in this universe. Cora is I've taken some liberties again with characters and back stories. :)

Special Note: By now, most of you know that NBC made the horrible decision to cancel Manifest, despite ending season 3 on a terrible cliffhanger. Thankfully, Netflix has saved Manifest and is giving us a final super sized season 4 with 20 episodes!

Another Special Note: The character of Cody Webber is from Manifest and not a Once character, FYI. The character of Alice is also a Manifest character, not the Alice from Once. Just to be clear.

This one will update bi-weekly on Monday nights. Please consider leaving a review, it is much appreciated. Here are individual responses to reviews:

Jennifer Baratta: Glad you enjoyed it!

Ghostwriter: Yep, Killian screwed up badly. Yeah, I think he can do better and yes, this will likely be Swanfire. Yep, Regina is in serious danger. Yeah, I feel for Alice a little, but that's not the way to deal with loss. That's why Samdi's cult is so dangerous. Glad you're enjoying.

Number Ten: Yep, exploitation at its worst for sure. Yeah, I feel bad for her, but I think Samdi putting these ideas in her head exacerbated her grief with false hope. You'll know what the wolf means soon. And eventually the peacock. Yep, Killian and Milah are over. And Emma and Killian as well. Glad you're enjoying.

Sexystarwarslover: Yep, David and Emma need to save Regina. She's in danger. Yep, Emma should be impressed that David didn't track that guy down and get himself arrested. Yep, Cody was hoping David would confront him. Yep, his church is really a cult and won't end well at all. Yep, Killian needs to come clean and it's not going to be pretty. Yep, a Calling with a wolf. Something is definitely coming. Yep, Regina is trying to help, but will find herself in a lot of danger. And it's Samdi's fault. Yep, he's really playing the culty thing and David is not having it. Yep, they're going to find her and hopefully diffuse the situation. Glad you're enjoying!

AnonSnowing: Yeah, hopefully, they can hide Neal from people for a little while at least. Yeah, I thought Baron Samdi was a good replacement for Adrian. He is exactly the type to run a ponzi scheme and deceive people. Yep, perfect cult leader. Yep, the wolf means something is coming. Or someone. Yeah, Alice has been deceived into delusion and Regina is in real danger. I feel bad for her husband too. Fortunately, David, Margaret and Emma are on the way to rescue her. Glad you enjoyed it!

Lighting in a Bottle

Chapter 42: Upgrade, Pt 2

"Hey Aunt Emma...how come you're picking me up today?" Henry asked.

"Your Mom and Dad are helping your Aunt Regina with something," Emma replied.

"Hey buddy," Neal greeted.

"Hi Neal," he said, as Emma drove them home to the Nolan house.

"Oh, here's your sketchbook, kid. Thanks for letting me borrow it," Neal said.

"You're welcome," Henry replied.

"Listen...can I ask you about one of your drawings?" Neal asked. Henry shrugged, while Emma grabbed him a snack in the kitchen. Neal turned the page to the one with the wolf and Henry stiffened.

"I had this Calling too," Neal said.

"I...I don't want to do this. Can I go to my room?" Henry asked abruptly, surprising them.

"Sure kid," Emma said, as they watched him go.

"What was that about?" Neal asked.

"I don't know," she replied, as her phone rang.

"Hey," she answered, seeing that it was her brother.

"Emma...we think Regina is some kind of danger. I'm texting you an address and I need you to meet us there," David said, as she received the text.

"Okay…I'm on my way," she replied, as she hung up.

"Do you think you can hang here with the kid? I have to go help them with something," she said. Neal nodded.

"We'll be fine...go," he urged, as she grabbed her jacket and headed out.

Regina held her hands up in surrender, as Alice pointed a gun at her.

"Alice...what the other doctors concluded is correct. I'm afraid that the cancer has run its course. The most we can do for Jacob now is make him comfortable," Regina reasoned. Tears slipped down Alice's face, as she unraveled further.

"No...you need to heal him! You did it for that boy on the plane!" she said.

"That boy's case was very different and it was not me, but a treatment developed from my research. It took years to bring to fruition," Regina replied.

"No...you're one of the returned! You can bring a miracle to us. You have to!" she pleaded.

"Alice...I don't know who has told you that we have that kind of power, but they were lying to you. We're just normal people," Regina said.

"No...you're lying!" Alice exclaimed, as she continued to point the gun at Regina.

"Alice please…" Jacob pleaded. The woman slowly walked toward her husband's bedside, while continuing to aim the weapon at the doctor.

"I brought her here to help you," she said.

"No one can help me now...you know that," he reasoned. She sobbed at that.

"No…I can't lose you," she said, as she jumped up again.

"Help him!" Alice ordered, as Regina came to his bedside and proceeded to buy time and examined him again.

David and Margaret arrived at the address and approached the apartment building cautiously, hand in hand, just as Emma pulled up. She got out and they observed Regina in the second floor window and watched her put her hands up in surrender.

"She's in trouble…" Margaret realized, as Emma pulled her weapon.

"I'm going in...after I call the hostage negotiators," Emma said, as she prepared to call for backup.

"I think that will make it worse," David called. She sighed.

"David...they're trained for this," she argued.

"And this woman wants nothing to do with anyone that wasn't on the plane," David argued back, as he handed her the pamphlet.

"Oh...you gotta be kidding," she said.

"I wish I was...but this is how this woman found Regina. Baron Samdi is putting ideas in vulnerable people's heads and making them think passengers are miracle workers of some kind," he explained.

"So...you think I should go in there as a passenger?" she asked.

"No…you're still a cop. I need to go in there and gain her trust," David replied.

"David...that sounds way too dangerous," Margaret fretted.

"I know, my love...but if this woman is brainwashed to believe that we can perform miracles, then she won't talk to any negotiators. I need to do this if we're going to save Regina," he said, as he kissed her tenderly.

"For the record, I hate this too," Emma said.

"I know...but you also know this is the only way we get her out of there in one piece," David replied, as he went into the building, with Emma trailing him moments later.

Regina pretended to examine him further and he looked her in the eyes.

"I'm sorry about her...this isn't the real her," Jacob apologized. Regina managed a small smile.

"I know...that church, nee cult, seems to have put some very questionable ideas in her head," Regina whispered.

"That's probably my fault...I told her to find a church community. I thought it might help give her a support system for when...when the time came," he said.

"It's not your fault...and unfortunately, what she found is not a real and healthy church," Regina replied.

"Can't...can't you just lie and say you healed me?" he asked.

"Jacob...she's expecting a genuine miracle and I don't think that's going to sell," Regina replied.

"Besides...someone lied to me once and it happened to be the reason I was on that plane," she revealed.

"I don't understand?" he asked.

"I was supposed to go to Jamaica with someone I loved...but they backed out at the last minute and stood me up," she replied, wondering why she was telling him when she hadn't even told her new family about the lover she had been running off with almost six years ago.

"I'm sorry," he said. She smiled gently.

"It's okay...what you and Alice found is special. I envy yours...as much as I envy what my step-sister has with her husband. Because it doesn't happen for everyone," Regina replied.

"I don't want to die," he confessed.

"I know...and I wish I could keep you from dying," she said, as there was a knock at the door.

"Don't move," Alice warned, as she slowly went to the door while keeping the gun trained on Regina.

"Go away," she said quickly.

"Alice...my name is David Nolan," he said and he saw recognition in her eyes.

"Baron told me that you might be in need of my kind of help. May I come in?" David asked. She hesitated and looked back at the scene in the bedroom.

"Alice...I can help your husband. I just need to see him," David requested. He felt bad about the deception, but this woman had become a danger due to her delusions. She nodded and kept the gun on him momentarily.

"You can heal him?" she asked hopefully. He nodded.

"I think I can," he lied, as he closed the door and then without her seeing, left it closed, but unlatched, as he followed her into the bedroom.

"Hi Jacob...I'm David Nolan. I was on the plane too," he explained, as his eyes locked with Regina's.

"Heal him!" Alice pleaded. David knew Emma was sneaking in and put on a good show to keep Alice distracted. He held up his hand in front of Jacob.

"Blessed are those of Flight 828 and their miracle. May we pass our miracle onto others, the true believers," David said, as Emma crept up behind Alice and disarmed her, before she could react.

"Don't hurt her!" Jacob pleaded, as Emma forced her face down on the bed and cuffed her. She was gentle after that though, as she led the crying woman out of the apartment. Jacob was crying and Regina breathed a sigh of relief, as David gave her a hug.

"I...I need to call a hospice care facility and get him admitted," Regina said.

"Okay...but we need to get that cut on your face looked at too," he said, as Emma's back up arrived to secure the scene. After Regina made a quick call, David led her outside and Margaret rushed to embrace her sister. Regina returned her hug and accepted the invitation to stay with them when Margaret offered.

"I need to tell my father though. We were supposed to have dinner tonight," Regina said.

"Maybe he can come over? Are you allowed to get him a day pass?" Margaret asked.

"You'd be okay with that?" Regina asked.

"Of course...he's your father and you speak so highly of him. Don't you think we should finally meet? I bet he'll love the kids," Margaret replied. Regina smiled.

"I know he will," she said, as they hugged again.

Emma returned to the station, as two officers escorted Alice into the station. She was about to follow when she saw Milah stalking toward her. She had gotten Killian's text earlier that the cat was out of the bag, but hadn't had a chance to process that yet.

"Oh crap…" Emma muttered, as the irate woman made a beeline for her.

"If you're looking for Killian, he's overseeing a retrieval job of a van full of money that went into the water," Emma said.

"Shut up...I'm here to see you, bitch," Milah growled. Emma sighed.

"Look...what happened was a mistake, but I distanced myself and you have nothing more to worry about," she said. That's when the slap came and Emma clamped down on her instinct to punch the woman in the face in return.

"You slept with my husband!" she shouted.

"Yep...and I'd do anything to take it back. But I can't," Emma said, as she started to walk away.

"You ruined our marriage!" she cried.

"No…I didn't. I tried to stay away, but he didn't. I am sorry for what happened, but feelings are feelings. I've got mine under control now though. I can't speak for him or make him stop feeling the way he feels," Emma explained.

"You bitch…" Milah growled.

"Oh back off! I know I made a mistake, but you haven't even considered what this was like for me!" Emma shouted and Milah was taken aback.

"Maybe it's been almost six years for you, but when I stepped off that plane, it had been just two weeks since he proposed to me! And I was going to say yes," Emma said.

"So hate me or hate him or get a divorce, I don't care...but if your marriage was as solid as you think, then me coming back shouldn't have mattered," she said, as she walked away. Hopefully, she'd never see the woman again.

They arrived home that evening and even though she was trying to hide it, Margaret could tell that Regina was still really shaken.

"I'm going to make cocoa for the kids...can I get you some?" she asked. Regina smiled slightly.

"Thanks...but I think I need something a bit harder than cocoa," she replied. Margaret smiled back.

"I figured...so I picked this up the other day. It's not my taste, but I thought you'd like it since you mentioned you love apples," Margaret said, as she got a glass and set down a bottle of hard apple cider in front of her.

"Now that will hit the spot...thanks," Regina said, as she took a sip and they soon heard the doorbell ring and Olive answered.

"Hi Mr. Gold," she said, as she invited him in.

"Thank you, young one," he said, as he hung up his coat. Regina went to the door, as she saw the car service arrive with her father.

"Hello Daddy," she greeted him with a hug.

"Regina...I heard it all over the news. Are you all right, my child?" Henry senior asked. She forced a smile.

"I'm fine...thanks to my new family. Our new family...and it's time you meet them," she said, as she led him inside. She noticed young Henry and Neal coming downstairs as well and her new half brother gave her a curt nod. She recalled her encounter with her mother earlier that day and wondered just how many things she was truly lying about. She had a son she abandoned and never gave another thought and now she had possibly had a hand in the death of Margaret's mother. It made Regina wonder how many other lives that she and Leopold had ruined or tried to ruin. Fortunately, with Margaret, they didn't ruin her and she was hoping that her brother could stay clean and make a life for himself with his second chance.

"Daddy...this is Margaret Nolan. My step-sister," she introduced.

"Of course...little Margaret, I remember. You are as beautiful as your mother and from what I've been told, as kind as she was as well," Henry senior said.

"You knew my mother?" Margaret asked. He smiled.

"Not well...but we spoke a few times. She was always very kind and had many charities. She tried to do good with her fortune," he replied.

"Thank you...I'm glad you came. This is my husband David and our children, Olive and Henry," she said.

"It's nice to meet you both," he said.

"You too," Olive replied.

"We have the same name," Henry mentioned.

"That we do, young one," he said fondly.

"Daddy...there is someone else you need to meet. Someone mother didn't tell us about," Regina replied, as they approached Neal.

"This is Neal...my half brother and his father, Mr. Gold," she said. Henry senior looked at her in surprise.

"Yeah…I was surprised too. I never met her, but it doesn't sound like I'm missing much," Neal said.

"No...you are certainly not," Henry senior agreed, as he and Gold shook hands.

"Were you on the plane with Regina and David?" Henry senior asked.

"Uh no...but I disappeared for a while too and we're not sure how, but we think it's related to the plane somehow," he explained.

"It's all very extraordinary," Henry senior said, as he sat down on the couch and Regina sat next to him.

"Daddy...there is something else I want to ask you," Regina said.

"Of course," he replied.

"Do you remember any details about the time when Margaret's mother died?" she asked.

"Not really...other than it was quite sudden," Henry senior replied. Regina and Margaret exchanged a glance.

"Then you don't remember talking about a cancer diagnosis or anything?" Regina asked.

"Not that I'm aware...though I was never really kept in the loop, you know. Your mother and I would go to Leopold's events and parties so she could mingle with the affluent people and inject herself into the culture. I...I knew she was not a faithful woman and would eventually leave me," he confessed.

"Then you think she and Leopold may have been together before my mother died?" Margaret interjected and he looked at her.

"I...I don't call him father. I emancipated myself when I was sixteen after he tried to send me away to separate me from David," she added. He nodded.

"That sounds like him and I do not blame you," Henry senior replied.

"I...I cannot be sure, but yes, there were whispers of a romance between them before Eva died. And if I suspected, then I'm sure she did too. She was very clever," he answered. Margaret closed her eyes and David put his hand on her shoulder.

"Regina...why all these questions about that time?" he asked.

"Well...we're not sure, but we suspect there was foul play with Eva's death. Margaret was told that it was cancer when she was a little girl, but I found her medical records the other day and there was no illness in them. Leopold also didn't have an autopsy done and the death was ruled inconclusive," Regina explained.

"Since he was the husband, a judge would neve agree to exhume without his approval, unless we can build a plausible case that there may have been foul play. Then that would put the power in Margaret's hands," she said.

"I...I am afraid exhumation would be impossible," Henry senior replied.

"Why?" Margaret asked.

"Because I remember overhearing a conversation at the wake. He told Cora and a few others that Eva was cremated," Henry senior replied.

"No...no, we buried her. I remember," Margaret stammered.

"I know...the coffin was for show. Inside that coffin is just an urn of ashes, I'm afraid," he revealed. Margaret turned away and David put his hands on her shoulders.

"They killed her…" she muttered.

"I'm so sorry, my darling…" he said, as he hugged her gently.

"They killed her...and I'll never be able to prove it," Snow said, with a sniff. He hugged her gently.

"I am so deeply sorry to bring you such sorrow, dear Margaret," Henry senior said. But she shook her head.

"It's not your fault...I'm actually glad to know. Now there is no question that my mother was murdered and even if I can't prove it, I know," Margaret said, as she gently gave him a hug.

"I hope you'll be a frequent visitor in our home," she said. He smiled.

"I would truly love that," he said.

"Wanna play a game with us before dinner?" Henry asked. The old man nodded and was overjoyed to be around children again.

"So...there's no way to get Cora to admit anything?" Neal asked his father. He snorted derisively.

"Not directly...and she is notoriously difficult to trick. As horrible as she is...she is also formidable and cunning," Gold replied.

"And Johanna is too scared to admit anything," David said.

"Pressing on that front would only endanger Johanna," Gold warned.

"What about that reporter?" Margaret asked.

"Sidney Glass? You mean the one that was practically stalking us?" David questioned.

"I'm sure he'd be more than happy to write some hit piece about my suspicions. We don't have proof, but casting the doubt of public opinion could bring my father and his whole empire into question," she replied.

"I don't know MM...I don't want a target on your back. Your father was willing to send you across the country to boarding school to separate us. But this...if you make him look bad, I fear his retaliation against you," he said. Her shoulders sank. He was right.

"It wouldn't be against me...he'd go after you," she realized.

"We just can't trust Sidney Glass...but we will try the legal way. Emma knows a lot of cops, some that work cold cases, right?" he asked. She nodded.

"It's a long shot...but I can make some inquiries," she replied. Margaret nodded and hugged her.

"Thanks," she said. Emma smiled.

"You know I'd do anything for you guys, because you'd do anything for me and have all my life," she replied. David nodded.

"Count on it," he said, as Neal suddenly experienced a Calling, the same one from earlier.

"What is it? That same Calling?" Emma asked. He nodded.

"The wolf again...the one from Henry's drawing," he replied. Henry looked at him and then scampered off to his room.

"I don't want to play anymore," he said, as he ran up and slammed his door shut.

"Something about this one has him freaked out," Neal said. David and Margaret joined hands and went upstairs.

"We'll talk to him...and we'll figure this out," David said.