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: The character of TJ Morrison is a Manifest character.
This one will update bi-weekly on Wednesday nights now. Please consider leaving a review, it is much appreciated. Here are individual responses to reviews:
Jennifer Baratta: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! Yep, Killian should stop.
Ghostwriter: Actually no, Vance has been doing some smart things. You'll see. Killian on the other hand is being a jerk. Fiona is very evil. Glad you're enjoying it!
Grace5231973: Yeah, it was definitely a nail biter. Glad you're enjoying!
Sexystarwarslover: Yep, Vance is back! It's a good surprise. Yeah, being on leave is not going to stop Emma from finding some missing people. Yeah, the Callings are getting dangerous, but we know they have to follow them. I know, David always being her Prince Charming. Yes, David's wall is impressive. Yep, some alone time for David and Margaret. Regina is very happy to be a family. Unfortunately, she has no idea who her therapist really is. Yep, Neal turned himself in. Not a good idea. Yeah, if anyone can figure out the death date, it's David. Yep, Margaret had a Calling! It's probably because of the baby for sure. Yeah, that was kind of a Harry Potter moment. Glad you're enjoying it! :)
AnonSnowing: Yeah, Killian should go away. Yep, David is such a Prince Charming. Yeah, I think his obsessiveness is just protectiveness for his family. No, Fiona is definitely bad. Yep, another anxiety inducing Calling. Yeah, we still don't really know what happened, though it's looking like they did die and were resurrected. Yeah, they had a lot of screw ups, but casting him as Charming was perfection. Yes, and he's the perfect Ben Stone too. Me either. Yeah, it seems like the Vasiks are interpreting the Callings wrong, which would be easy to do. It would be very hard coming back to a world that moved on without you. Only Margaret is the one that never moved on. Yep, Margaret had a Calling. Probably cause of the baby. Yeah, they are treating passengers very badly. Protective David is so hot and yep, Vance is alive! You're welcome!
Lightning in a Bottle
Chapter 52: Grounded, Pt 1
Emma climbed the stairs from her room in the basement to get a snack before bed, but unexpectedly, a Calling came to her. She was back on the plane, just like before, with Henry when he had told her to save the passengers. But this time was different. She looked at her nephew and they saw Neal there with them.
"Neal?" she called, but he couldn't hear them. It made no sense. Neal wasn't on the plane, so why was she having a Calling with him on flight 828?
"Neal!" she shouted. But there was no response or indication that he could hear her. Suddenly, the plane door broke open and Neal was sucked out, as she screamed for him.
She came out of the Calling and knew Henry had the same one too. She had no idea though what it meant and wouldn't have time to think about it at the moment, as she heard Margaret come running back in frantically.
"David is gone!" she cried.
"Wait…what do you mean he's gone?" Emma asked.
"I just saw him a while ago when he was taking the garbage out," she added.
"He never came back in! That was half an hour ago!" she cried frantically.
"Okay…let's calm down and call him," Emma said.
"I did Emma…straight to voicemail," Margaret answered, as her hands began to shake and she was on the verge of a panic attack. Fortunately, her phone rang at that moment and she answered it.
"David?!" she cried and the next few minutes were spent getting dressed quickly and hurrying out to their car.
An hour later, Margaret could barely contain herself and was already opening the car door, as Emma parked. She undid her seatbelt and practically flew out of the car, as they arrived at the location David gave them over the phone. Mr. Gold got out of the back seat of the SUV and Emma waited for him, while her sister-in-law ran inside. David had requested they bring him too.
"David?" she called, as she sailed past the front desk and into the back, searching frantically. He stood up from the room he was sitting in with Vance and caught her in his arms, as she tackled him with a hug.
"Oof…it's okay, I'm okay," he promised, as he gently caressed her face and hugged her tightly.
"It's just when…you didn't come back inside, I guess I went a little crazy," she said, feeling a little silly at the moment. He smiled.
"It's understandable," he assured her, as she finally saw the other man in the room.
"So…you're alive," she said. He nodded.
"Did you come back too? I mean…like Griffin?" she asked both of them, as Emma and Gold arrived.
"No…I never died. I just let people, most importantly, the Major think I was dead," Vance answered.
"What about your family?" she asked. He smiled slightly.
"Don't worry…my wife and boys know I'm alive. But just them and a few select others that helped me that day," he said, as he explained what had happened after he was put in the ambulance following the explosion in Red Hook a few months ago.
Flashback
Vance laid on the gurney with the oxygen mask on, until they started to move. He sat up and removed the mask, revealing that he wasn't seriously injured.
"Are you sure about this?" one of his agent's asked.
"Yes…if the Major thinks I'm dead, she and her people won't give me another thought. It's a lot easier to investigate that way," he said, as a plan was formed.
"We set up this Travel Agency as a front and a base of operations. We've done our homework and it seems that the Major's funding has greatly increased since the explosion in Red Hook," he explained.
"Do you know her identity?" Emma asked.
"Not yet…but we will," Vance replied.
"Do you need me to start doing some digging?" David asked.
"I think that's best left to us. For now, go home and I'll be in touch," Vance instructed. Margaret smiled.
"I'm glad you're alive and on our side," she said. He smiled.
"Thank you Margaret," he replied, as Gold stayed behind for a moment.
"Faking your death…even I didn't see that coming," he said, obviously impressed.
"I'll be in touch with you as well, Mr. Gold. I'd like to know what this situation with your son is," he said. Gold nodded curtly, as he left as well, following the Nolans back to the car.
After leaving the travel agency, Mr. Gold went to the prison for visitation with Neal. He had turned himself in, much to Gold's chagrin, and was insisting that it was the right thing to do.
He waited at the glass window and his son was brought in, complete with manacles, and sat down at the glass window. They each picked up the receiver so they could talk.
"You shouldn't have turned yourself in," Gold said.
"It's the right thing to do, Dad," he insisted.
"No…it's not, but now that it's done, I'll be sparing no expense in getting you the best legal council money can buy," he promised.
"No need…I'm representing myself and pleading guilty," Neal replied. Gold was shocked by that.
"What?" he asked.
"We can get you out of this. Detective Rogers abused his power and we both know it. It will be child's play for even a decent lawyer to rip his story apart on the stand and I'm going to get you one that will shred him," Gold insisted.
"No…I've made my decision and you need to respect it," Neal refuted, as he hung up the receiver and asked to be taken back to his cell, leaving his father stunned…
Margaret pressed her forehead against his and their lips parted, as they came down from the exertion of lovemaking. He stared at her with the usual reverence and awe that he did, before kissing her again. He could never get enough and it had been that way since they were very young. At eight, when they first met, it started with her smile making his heart skip a beat. Then as preteens, he started realizing how attracted he was to her. Thankfully, she was attracted to him too, even as young as they were. It had been very frowned upon that they were holding hands and giving chaste kisses to each other at thirteen, but they hardly cared. Under normal circumstances, it might have been concerning, especially since they were sleeping together by sixteen. But he had always known that they were far from normal. He knew she was the one and only for him and they only waited to get married until college to appease societal norms. If it had been up to them, they would have married at sixteen. That's when he had put his mother's ring on her finger and they had confessed their undying love to each other. They had made love for the first time that night and promised each other eternity. She had lost him for five and a half years and now he feared losing her.
"I love you so much…" he murmured, as he kissed her neck. She smiled and caressed his face.
"And I love you…so what's bothering you?" she asked. He sighed.
"No hiding it from you, I guess," he replied.
"I've been able to read you since we were kids," she said.
"I can't help but wonder if maybe the Callings weren't all that I passed on to the baby," he confessed.
"You mean the death date?" she asked. He nodded.
"Baby…we don't know that. We don't even know if that's what this is. You and I have always had a connection. What if I'm just feeling them through you?" she asked.
"Maybe…but I think we should have Regina do some tests, you know, secretly," he replied.
"You want to see if the baby has the blood marker," she realized.
"I'm going to figure out how to stop the death date…but I have to know," he said. She nodded.
"Okay…since it's Regina. We trust her implicitly," she agreed, as he kissed her forehead and settled down into bed, arms still around each other.
"It's going to be okay, you know," she promised.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"Yes…because I'm not losing you again and we're having another baby. If something tries to take you away again, they are going to have to go through me this time," she replied. He smiled and kissed her passionately. She gazed up at him with a dreamy stare and lost herself in him again, as he made love to her again. He had always been her Prince Charming. Since the time they met when they were little, he would pick her flowers, hold her hand, and stand up for her any time someone dared to try to bully her or disparage her. He had almost come to blows with plenty of the jocks in High School. Because of her father and who she was, they were always digging at her for dates when she had less than zero interest in any of those jerks. She had managed to keep him out of the fights though, knowing he would have been the one that ended up in trouble. Still he never shied away from protecting her and she knew he never would. As they came down from another bout of lovemaking, she felt his hand resting on her stomach and smiled blissfully. With their third child on the way, nothing would separate them again. She wouldn't let something or someone take him away again.
The next morning, Emma came up from the basement, as she was still staying at their house. She was going to go home in a few days to her own place, since she was going back to work today, but it was easy and comfortable to just stay at David and Margaret's place. Plus, she knew they loved having her and she loved spending time with the kids.
"Hey kid…" Emma said, as he sat at the breakfast table eating some cereal. She grabbed the box and poured a bowl for herself and then put some milk on it.
"Hey…" he said quietly and she knew something was definitely bothering him.
"All right…out with it. What's going on?" she asked.
"It's Neal," he replied, as he showed her his ipad. It was a headline from the Times with a story detailing Neal's arrest.
"I know buddy…" she said sadly.
"You need to visit him…this says he's going to plead guilty!" he cried.
"Okay…I'll try, but this is his choice and there may be nothing we can do about it," she admonished. He looked down glumly.
"He's supposed to be with us," he said.
"And I'll do everything I can," she promised.
"Okay…are you going back to your apartment tonight?" he asked.
"Yeah…I think it's time, buddy," she replied.
"I'll miss you," he said. She smiled.
"I'll miss you too…but I'll see you all the time," she replied.
"Promise?" he asked.
"Promise…now finish your breakfast," she replied, as Margaret and David came into the kitchen and he grabbed a quick protein bar.
"Where are you off to this early?" she asked.
"I got a text from a student that was on the plane. He attends Astoria and he asked for my help with something, so I'm going to see him," David replied, as he kissed Margaret.
"Have a good day…and be safe," she said.
"You too," he replied, as he kissed Henry on the head and Olive on the forehead on his way out, as she came down the stairs.
"Hey sweetie…I'm going to pick up a few things. You want to come?" Margaret asked.
"Sure," she answered, as she sat down to eat breakfast.
"Well, I gotta go. I'll see you all later," Emma said, as she put her bowl in the sink.
"You be careful too," Margaret called, as Emma waved to them and headed out.
Johanna answered her door and her heart sank, as she saw Cora Mills-Blanchard standing on her stoop.
"I have nothing to say to you," she said, as she tried closing the door, but Cora put her gloved hand on it and made her way inside.
"Turning me away could have serious consequences," she warned.
"For now, I believe my daughter is too distracted with other things than to keep digging on Eva Blanchard's death, but she will get back to it, I assure you and if you don't want to be implicated in any foul play, you will do what I ask," Cora said.
"I had nothing to do with Eva's death…that was all you," Johanna hissed. Cora smirked.
"You knew…that makes you an accessory and I can hire the best lawyers in the country to cast reasonable doubt upon any case. Can you?" she cooed. Johanna went silent. She was right. Cora had the power to get out of it, even if she was implicated, and turn any evidence that might still exist, if any, on her. Johanna would easily go down for the crime.
"What do you want?" she asked. Cora smirked.
"The little retch is knocked up again and something is odd with the passengers. This is the first baby conceived by a passenger of that plane and I want to know what is going on. You're going to insert yourself back into Margaret's life," she said.
"What if she doesn't want me?" Johanna asked.
"Oh she will…the little sap still loves and cares for you. Apologize for being short with her and make up something about why. Then find out everything you can about them," Cora replied.
"Why do you care about Margaret now? You have what you want…you married her father. Her mother is dead. Just leave her and her family alone," Johanna pleaded.
"No…for five and half years, she was destroyed. She had but one daughter left and I enjoyed her pain…so much so that I miss her pain, which means she must be destroyed or rather, her family," Cora said.
"How did you get like this?" Johanna questioned in abject horror. The other woman smirked.
"You wouldn't understand," Cora replied vaguely.
"Now…do we have an agreement or should I go tell Margaret all about your part in her mother's death?" she questioned. Johanna shook her head.
"I'll…I'll go to her house today," she said. Cora smirked.
"No…she and her daughter are out and about. It's more coincidental if you run into her in public," she said. Johanna nodded in defeat. She would do as she was told to save herself.
Emma arrived at the station, extremely frustrated, for her first official day back. She had attempted to visit Neal in lockup first, but was told that he was refusing any visitors. She then made her way to work and actually received applause upon her return, except from Killian, who was clearly still angry with her. A cool look passed between them, as Graham called them into his office.
"What's up?" Emma asked, wondering if he was going to assign them a new case.
"I've made a decision and I think it's best to assign you both new partners," Graham said.
"What?" Killian hissed. Emma sighed.
"Maybe that's for the best," she agreed.
"How can you say that?" he asked and she rolled her eyes.
"Oh come on…clearly we are not working as a partnership. You don't trust me…not anymore and I'm not sure I can trust you either," she confessed.
"Then my decision was the correct one," Graham replied, as showed them out of his office and they parted ways.
David arrived at the University and found the young man in the campus courtyard. He had looked him up online so he knew what he looked like.
"TJ Morrison?" David questioned, as the young man turned and offered his hand.
"David Nolan," he said, as they shook hands.
"Thanks for coming…I've heard you're the one to talk to if you have questions about…" TJ said and then trailed.
"Weird stuff that's probably happening, because of the plane?" David asked. TJ relaxed a little and nodded.
"So if I tell you I've been having visions, you promise not to commit me?" he asked. David chuckled.
"I'd have to commit myself…" he said, as he nodded.
"We like to refer to them as Callings," he added.
"Wow…they have a name," TJ said.
"Yeah…so tell me about it," David replied.
"It was pretty freaky…I think I saw my own grave," TJ admitted, stunning David. He instantly remembered his son's drawings of the three gravestones with his, Emma's and Henry's names on them. Was TJ having a Calling about the death date too?
"Okay…tell me everything," David said, as he was about to find out…