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:
Ghostwriter: Glad you like it! Thanks!
Jennifer Baratta: Yep, Baron Samdi is a con-artist. Glad you're enjoying!
Grace5231973: I know, that was a shocking moment! Glad you're enjoying! :)
Number Ten: Yep, a wolf and not a good one. Yeah, it's a lot for a little boy. Yeah, Robert got himself into a lot of trouble. The guy in the truck is from the show and this becomes a bit of a pivotal moment. Glad you're enjoying!
Sexystarwarslover: Yeah, Henry finally opened up to his parents and Neal. Yeah, he's afraid he is causing the Callings. Yeah, he loves Emma, but she's not in the right place to be with him now. Yeah, Margaret went through hell while they were gone. Yep, if Robert can do it, then so can Neal. Yeah, David with a baseball bat is very hot. Yep, a bit of a harrowing flashback. Yep, Gold stepped in back then to help so hopefully Neal can find a way to forgive his father. Yep, the wolf is metaphorical and it's very big. Yep, Samdi is a con-artist. Yep, David is a hero and yes everyone will soon be shocked. Glad you enjoyed it!
AnonSnowing: Yeah, the drawings are scaring Henry and he thinks he's causing the Callings. Fortunately, they showed him that he is not. Yep, Robert caused a lot of problems when he was a drunk. Yep, the wolf and it's a big thing. Yep, Samdi is a con-artist. Yep, Griffin...yikes. Yeah, Robert made really bad decisions. Yeah, David is truly a hero. No, no sleep...just Snowing lovin! You're welcome, glad you enjoyed it!
Lightning in a Bottle
Chapter 44: Hard Landing, Pt 1
"That was amazing...but then it always is. It always has been," she swooned, as she lay atop his chest. He kissed her hair and heard his phone chiming. He grabbed it off the bedside table and answered.
"Hey Em...is everything okay?" he asked.
"Not really...remember that armored truck that went into the water?" Emma replied.
"Uh yeah...we saw it on the news," he said.
"Well...the guy inside that has been there for three days that should be dead just woke up and lunged at me! He's alive!" she said.
"Lunged at you...like the wolf," he said, as Margaret's eyes widened.
"The Wolf?" she asked.
"Uh…I'll explain when we see you. You're at the hospital?" he asked.
"Yeah...I don't know much yet, but Regina is here. Maybe you two should come too and bring Neal," she replied.
"We're on our way," he said, as they got up and got dressed.
"David…" Margaret said, as he took her hand.
"I'll explain on the way," he replied, as they went to wake Neal and Gold.
Flashback - 3 days ago
Two workers loaded the bank's cash into an armored vehicle. Suddenly, another truck pulled up and three armed, masked men got out. One raised his gun and shot the two men, before his accomplices finished loading the cash into the armored vehicle. In response, the first man then shot his accomplices and got into the armored vehicle, before driving off with the cops chasing him furiously. This would end with him jumping an embankment and plunging the vehicle into the Harbor. That should have been the end of the man...but strangely it would be just the opposite.
That same man was now being wheeled into the emergency room, with an oxygen mask and barely aware of his surroundings. To say that Emma was close to freaking out was an understatement. This man had been submerged for a little more than three days and was not only alive, but seemed relatively unharmed. So when David arrived, she didn't fight his inserting himself into an investigation for once and welcomed his help.
"Hey...we got here as soon as we could," he said, as he hugged her and then Margaret. She saw Neal there as well.
"I thought I better come too," Neal replied. She nodded.
"So you're sure he was in the water?" David asked.
"Uh yeah...really sure. He was in the truck when it was pulled out of the water. The door fell open and water came gushing out of it. Then so did he...only he lunged at me and scared the living crap out of me," Emma explained. The other three exchanged a glance.
"What?" she asked.
"Lunged at her...like the wolf," Neal reasoned.
"What wolf?" Emma asked.
"Henry had a Calling...he drew a wolf lunging at you," Margaret explained.
"I sort of had it too. I heard a growling earlier today at your apartment and I opened the door and saw a wolf there. Obviously it wasn't really there, but it definitely seemed like a warning," Neal added.
"Okay...but clearly this guy isn't a wolf," Emma said. David looked at her.
"Are you sure? Didn't he rob an armored truck and then shoot his accomplices point blank?" her brother asked. She looked at him.
"Okay...you might have a point. He's clearly not a good guy," Emma replied.
"Do we know who he is yet?" David asked.
"His name is James Griffin. He's about what you'd expect from someone who robs an armored truck. He's got a pretty good rap sheet," Killian answered, as he approached. A cool look passed between him and Neal.
"Uh…Neal," he said, as he put his hand out. But Killian didn't bother to return the gesture.
"You're the man that kept Emma from coming back to New York?" Killian asked.
"He's the man that Henry saved when he ran off. He was lost and freezing to death up in the mountains," Margaret explained. But Killian acted like he hadn't heard her and kept staring at him with an accusing gaze.
"Neal...Neal what?" he asked, fishing for a last name. Neal smirked.
"Not telling you since I know you're just itching to run my name," he said.
"Then you do have something to hide?" Killian accused.
"No…Emma and her family know all about me. I'm actually family...turns out I'm Regina's half brother," Neal said.
"What? How the bloody hell is that possible?" Killian asked.
"Long story...but it's true. They just didn't know about each other. Cora apparently has gotten around over the years," Margaret said.
"So if you don't want me running your name...that means you do have a rap sheet," Killian replied.
"Okay...we're not doing this right now," Emma interjected.
"Emma's right...we need to focus on the real problem here and it's that man, who I think we all know is not good," Margaret fretted. David put his arm around her.
"Hey...it's going to be okay," he assured her.
"Is it?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"He's a very bad man...a murderer. Why does he get to come back?" she asked.
"I...I'm not sure," he replied, hating that he didn't have an answer.
"I'm not saying that everyone on the plane is good...but no cold blooded murderers that we know about. Baron Samdi himself may not be a moral character, but he's no murderer. So why would this man be brought back?" she asked.
"I don't know...but something tells me we'll soon find out," he replied, as he held her, as Regina approached.
"Did you find out anything?" he asked.
"Not much yet...he's still only semi-conscious. I was able to calculate how long he was under water though...and it's a doozy," she replied.
"How long?" Margaret asked.
"Exactly eighty two hours and eight minutes," Regina replied.
"828…" David uttered. Before they could contemplate further, they heard a commotion and Regina rushed back to see what was going on.
The nurses moved around the patient, checking vitals and trying to determine if there was any lasting damage. But looking at the man, it was hard to believe that he had been in the water for three days. It was impossible, but then so was a plane coming back full of people that had been presumed dead for almost six years. The man started to moan though, as his eyes opened.
"Help...there's fire everywhere…" he uttered.
"They're dying...they're all dying!" he cried, as he started to thrash.
"Whose dying?" Regina asked, as she burst in and tried to get close, but the nurses kept her back.
"We need to sedate him, Dr. Mills…" one nurse said.
"I need to speak with him," she insisted.
"He's not your patient, Dr. Mills," the nurse refuted, as his cries stopped and he slipped into unconsciousness. But one thing was clear to her. This man had what appeared to be a Calling and a dangerous one at that. She needed to figure out a way to draw some blood from him. If he was having Callings, it meant he likely had the same blood marker that the passengers did. What it all meant, she was uncertain, but if this man was like them, then it added a new and uncomfortable element to all this. This man was a murderer and it would only fuel the conspiracy that they were all dangerous and sinister. Because she was certain that those people that were fueling fear of them might actually be right about this James Griffin.
"What's going on?" Margaret asked, as Regina came back out into the Emergency waiting area.
"I...I think he had a Calling," Regina replied.
"What?" David asked. She nodded.
"A violent one...he said there was fire everywhere and people were dying, but they sedated him before I could garner more information," she said.
"He's having Callings…" Emma realized.
"Then he's one of us," David added.
"No…" Margaret said.
"MM…" he started to say.
"No...that man is not like you at all...any of you," she refuted, as she put her arms around his neck.
"You're a good man...a wonderful man. You're an amazing husband and an incredible father. You're a hero that has helped so many people...he is nothing like you. He is a monster and I won't let people start comparing that...that wolf in sheep's clothing to the people that I know and love," she said fiercely. He gave her a gentle smile and pecked her on the lips.
"Okay...in character, he's nothing like us. But...for some reason, he was brought back. Maybe he's getting a second chance to do the right thing...maybe he is getting that Calling for a reason," David surmised.
"Then we need to help him and find out what he just saw...and what's coming," Emma said, as she approached the room.
"I need to talk to him when he wakes up," she said, as she flashed her badge. The nurse looked like she wanted to refuse her, but nodded reluctantly, because she knew that this man was technically under arrest when he was well enough to be released. Now all they could do was wait.
"Can we talk?" Killian asked. She sighed and let him pull her away so they could have a private conversation.
"Who is this guy really?" he asked. She scoffed.
"You need to curb your jealousy...like right now," she replied.
"So you didn't just spend days up in some cabin with him alone?" he asked.
"It's not like that...and even if it was, it's none of your business. You're married," she argued.
"Not anymore...and it is my business, because I care about you and something tells me that he has a shady past," Killian said.
"He used to...but he's clean now and he's like us," Emma replied.
"I knew it...drugs," he said. She rolled her eyes.
"Did you miss the part where I said he's like us or do you just not care? You're ready to convict him...but trust me, that won't go well," Emma replied.
"Fine...what do you mean he's like you?" he asked.
"I mean that he went up on that mountain a little over a year ago and disappeared…" she explained. He looked at her skeptically.
"What do you mean disappeared...like the plane?" he asked. She nodded.
"He almost froze to death...in a cave and then he came out. A year later," she whispered.
"And we're not ready for that to be public yet," she warned.
"And the part where he's Regina's brother?" he asked. She nodded.
"Apparently so...Neal's father is Mr. Gold and he apparently had a relationship years ago with Cora. She walked out on them when Neal was a baby, because Gold was really poor back then," she added.
"Still doesn't mean we shouldn't be leery of him," he argued. She rolled her eyes.
"That's just your jealousy talking...and it's not like that between us. He has...Callings like me. We had the same one...and now he's had another, maybe about this guy. So if you want to focus on a bad guy...then I think you should focus on Griffin," Emma argued.
"Fine...not like I have a choice. Can't really run him through the system without a last name and I'm guessing he doesn't use his father's last name?" Killian asked.
"He doesn't and if Neal was bad, there was no way a Calling would have led Henry upstate to save him," Emma replied.
"We can't be certain of that, especially if this guy, a murderer, is having Callings too," he hissed.
"So now he's like all of us?" Emma asked.
"Yeah…MM's right. This is exactly what everyone is going to do now. Compare the passengers to this monster," she added. He sighed.
"I'm not comparing him to you...or your brother," he said.
"Just to Neal," she argued. He suppressed the urge to let out a growl. He had forgotten how maddening she could be at times. But he loved it...and her still.
"Fine…I'll focus on this Griffin guy for now," he relented.
"Detective Nolan...Mr. Griffin is awake again," the nurse said. She nodded and stepped behind the curtain, noticing that they had already handcuffed him to his bed.
"I'm Detective Emma Nolan…" she said.
"Detective," he stated in greeting.
"Do...do you remember earlier when you were crying out?" she questioned.
"About the flames and people dying?" he asked. She nodded.
"Yeah...hallucinations, thanks to all the drugs, I guess," he replied.
"Except...that it wasn't a hallucination," she said.
"What do you mean?" he asked. She took a deep breath.
"Wait...you're from that plane. The one that came back," he realized. She nodded and blew out a breath.
"And you're aware that you should be dead too...you were in the water for three days," she replied.
"That's what they say...but how is that possible? How is any of this possible?" he questioned.
"We don't know...but sometimes we have visions. We refer to them as Callings and sometimes they are warnings of bad things that could happen in the future if we don't stop them," she explained, knowing that it sounded insane.
"So…I had a vision of the future?" he asked.
"Possibly," she replied. He smirked and she suddenly realized her mistake of revealing too much to him too early.
"So…if I can remember the details in this vision or Calling...I can stop it?" he asked.
"Well...they're not always clear, but if we work together, then it's possible," she stammered. He smirked.
"Or maybe...I just found my golden ticket out of jail," he said.
"Griffin...that's not how this works. Callings have to be followed and manipulating them for your own purposes could have untold consequences," she argued.
"Sounds like I'm a man on borrowed time as it is. I don't have a lot to lose...have a good evening, Detective," he said, as the nurses returned.
"No...wait…" she said, as they ushered her out.
"Sorry...but Mr. Griffin needs his rest. You can question him again once he's transferred to the Police station," the nurse said, as she was forced out.
"What's going on?" David asked.
"I...I think I just blew it," she replied, almost in tears. He took her in his arms and hugged her.
"He's going to use what he knows...he's going to use it to get a deal," she said.
"Hey...we don't know that yet. There is no way they're going to let a cold blooded killer walk free, no matter what," he said. But she shook her head.
"If it saves hundreds...maybe thousands...they won't have a choice. I can see it...he's going to reveal the Callings to the world and I walked him right into it," she said.
"Oh honey...this isn't your fault," MM said, as she hugged her.
"You were right...he's a monster and I didn't listen. I was so focused on telling him that he has a second chance to make a difference, but he doesn't care. How did I not see that? I'm a cop...I know scum like him," Emma fretted.
"You've seen the good the Callings have done...you've seen them change people. This isn't your fault...some people are just bad. But most aren't and you took a chance on me. It paid off...this one might not, but we'll figure it out," Neal assured her. She nodded and kept letting MM hug her.
"I'll get us some coffee...real coffee. I saw a kiosk just down the block," Neal offered. David nodded gratefully, as he joined their hug and cupped the back of her head, like he always did. All her life, no matter what they were facing or the mistakes their father made, David and MM had always been there to dry her tears and keep the monsters away. It was part of the reason she became a cop. She wanted to help keep the monsters away from other people that needed help and protection. So the fact that she may have just inadvertently helped unleash a monster back into the public made her sick to her stomach. David and MM had chased all the monsters away as kids and she had vowed to keep the monsters away from them as an adult. But now this wolf loomed over her family like a dark shadow and she didn't know if she would be able to protect those she loved most from him...and soon more public scrutiny.
Regina approached, just as Neal returned with coffee for all of them.
"I managed to get a vial of blood and I'm running it now to see if it has the marker," Regina said.
"Even if it does...this man is not like any of you," Margaret insisted again. Regina smiled.
"We know...and we'll figure this out. Maybe no one will believe him anyway," she suggested.
"It's possible…" David said.
"Except I opened my big mouth and told him everything. He'll use it...he's a wolf and he smells blood. He knows this is his ticket out of jail...and he won't care who gets hurt," Emma replied.
"If that's true, then he would have done all of this regardless of what you told him. He would have figured it out, because we know this won't be his last Calling," David said.
"He's right Em...he's a career criminal and a monster. He'll do anything to get out of the hard time he's facing," Margaret reasoned.
"Then why?" she asked, as she looked at all of them.
"Why was he brought back? Why are the Callings speaking to him?" Emma asked.
"We...we don't know yet, but there must be a reason we don't see yet," David replied.
"Or maybe the Callings aren't good, like we thought," she argued.
"That can't be...they've done so much good," Margaret argued back.
"If we follow them...but what happens when we fail one? What if others have failed them already and we don't know about it? What if this guy coming back is punishment? Or what if we're not as good as we think. What if we were brought back for nefarious purposes, just like Griffin?" she rambled. Margaret shook her head with vehemence.
"No…I refuse to believe that!" she said adamantly.
"Whatever the Callings are brought my family back to me! There is nothing sinister about that," she added.
"But we know that there are two sides. There's good and evil. Good brought my family back to me, but maybe it's evil that has brought Griffin back and this is our fight. Our battle...good against evil, because make no mistake, Emma Ruth Nolan, you are good. All of you are...there is nothing I have ever been more certain of," Margaret said passionately. David smiled and kissed her tenderly, as he cupped her beautiful face in his hands.
"She's right...there is always two sides to everything. This could be good versus evil...and Griffin is working for the other side. Which means we'll do whatever we have to in order to stop whatever evil he might bring," David said, giving Emma perspective that only he and MM could and a new resolve to stop Griffin from using and manipulating the Callings for his own evil purposes...