7:15 AM AU - Things go a bit differently in the cabin during 7:15 AM. With memories returned, how will this change things?
Welcome to my newest fic. I'm not sure how long this one will be yet, but I will be updating this one bi-weekly on Sunday nights(opposite FYA). Please enjoy and let me know what you think! Also, there is a love scene in this chapter. It's marked and can be skipped if that's not your thing. :)
Thanks to the great reviews and response to this new fic! Here are individual responses to reviews:
Ghostwriter: Yep, Regina is out for blood here. Yeah, she truly loves Henry, but even he is going to have a hard time changing her mind. Regina will be evil for a while here. Glad you're enjoying it.
Grace5231973: No, Henry will not forget and she's doing a lot of damage here. I hope they find Snow fast too!
Number Ten: Yeah, Jefferson is dumb to think that Regina won't go back on her promise. He knows better. Yep, Emma will be off to find her, but there might be a way for David to go too. :)
Sexystarwarslover: Yeah, Jefferson should know better and should know that Regina will renege on the deal. Yeah, Snow is very unhappy at the prospect of him living outside. Yep, now Emma knows, but will it change her mind? Sounds like she might be willing to tolerate David living at the loft. Except someone got the drop on Snow and she's in big trouble. Yep, Regina is really out for blood. Now they have to save her. Glad you're enjoying it!
AnonSnowing: Yeah, Snow is not okay with him sleeping outside. I know, that scene was heart melting and heart breaking at the same time. Yep, it was Emma watching them and now she knows that David is homeless. I know, the feels...Snowing is the best and so is Daddy Charming. Yep, they're willing to be apart, because they love Emma so much. Yep, Snow wanted to come clean, but knew it was backfire. Finally Emma gave in...but was it too late. Snow is in big trouble now. But if anyone can find her, it's Emma and David together. Yep, Regina is really out for blood and Jefferson should know better. He's desperate, but should realize that Regina will renege on their deal. Yep, the adventure is on! Glad you're enjoying!
Clarity
Chapter 5: Revision
Emma watched David scour the woods in front of her with scrutiny. For a guy that used to seem so confused, he certainly seemed really put together now.
"Oh my God…" she heard him call, as she started running out of the woods and she hurried after him. That's when they saw her car in a ditch on the side of the rural road.
"Mary Margaret!" he cried, as he searched the car and all around it.
"She's not here…" he said, as his hopes were dashed.
"No...but there are footprints and none of them are hers. Look," Emma called, as she pointed to a set of tracks.
"You're right...those are too big to be hers, which means someone carried her off," he growled and it was an intensity she had never heard from him. They began to follow the set of tracks and a car passed them going the opposite direction, which they didn't think anything of at the moment. Until they came upon a large house on the rural road.
"Any idea who lives here?" Emma asked.
"No...but I know who will and whoever it is...they were probably in that car," he said.
"There is someone that will know," he said.
"Gold?" Emma asked.
"Trust me...he knows everything about this damn town," David replied, as they headed back to town.
He saw them coming before they did and normally, he would refuse to help. But now that Regina had made such a foolish move, things had drastically changed in his visions and helping was in his best interest. As he always did, when his vision changed, he made the necessary revision.
"Dammit Jefferson...this was not part of my plan," he growled, as he went to the picture on the wall and opened the wall safe behind it. Fortunately, he had planned for everything and though he loathed traveling beyond Storybrooke's borders, he knew the time would come when he needed to. It just wasn't supposed to be to retrieve Snow White. However, her absence in Storybrooke seriously jeopardized the curse being broken and that would sully everything he had worked for. He grabbed two bluish potions, just as David and Emma stormed into the pawn shop.
"Charming," Gold addressed the Prince. Emma didn't miss it and momentarily narrowed her gaze, before pushing that aside for the task at hand.
"Who lives in the mansion near the outskirts of town on Misthaven Road?" David questioned.
"His name is Jefferson and he is a former employee of mine," Gold revealed.
"We think he kidnapped Mary Margaret. Did you have anything to do with that?" Emma questioned.
"No...if he was working for me, I would have never given an order like that. I'd never want any harm to come to the fair Mary Margaret," he replied, as his eyes locked with David's.
"Then Regina did this...didn't she?" he asked.
"Most likely and Jefferson has left town," he revealed.
"How do you know that?" Emma asked.
"Because Regina doesn't want you two together and what better way than to take her somewhere where she thinks you cannot follow without consequences," Gold replied.
"Then I need your help. I'll make whatever deal you want, but I have to find her," David said.
"Agreed," Gold said.
"So what do we need to know about this Jefferson?" Emma asked.
"Well, he hates Regina for one thing," Gold replied.
"Then why the hell would he do anything for her?" David asked.
"The only way he would is if she promised him what he wants most," Gold replied.
"And what is that?" Emma asked.
"His daughter," Gold said. Emma raised an eyebrow.
"He has a daughter?" she asked.
"Yes...but she lives with her adopted family. It's complicated, but I know Jefferson well," he replied.
"If I offer him a better deal for the release of Mary Margaret, then he'll comply," Gold said.
"Fine...then we need to figure out where he went," David replied.
"New York," Gold replied.
"How the hell could you know that?" Emma asked. David's eyes locked with Gold's again.
"Because he just does," David answered for her. Emma opened her mouth to ask more questions, but Gold put up his hand.
"Miss Swan...time is of the essence and we must find the fair Mary Margaret, correct?" he asked. Emma closed her mouth.
"Fine...let's go," she said crossly.
"Oh, not so fast, dearie. You'll need me to come with you if you expect to barter a new deal with Jefferson," Gold said, as he limped out from behind the counter.
"Can you really get him to agree to a deal with you instead of the one he has with Regina?" Emma questioned. Gold smirked.
"Jefferson would betray Regina for a Klondike bar," he quipped.
"Trust me...if he thinks I can get him his daughter, he'll switch sides in a heartbeat," he said.
"Fine...your car is bigger than the bug, so you're driving," Emma said impatiently, as she walked out.
"Take this...we both will need it to get over the town line without losing our memories," Gold said.
"What's in this for you?" David asked, as they both drank the sour liquid.
"My son," he said.
"Your son?" David asked.
"No time to explain, dearie, but Regina has nearly destroyed everything I have worked for by kidnapping Mary Margaret and sending her over the town line. She wins if we don't find her," Rumple replied.
"I still don't know what that has to do with your son, but you're right. Emma will never believe anything or stick around this town without Snow...Mary Margaret," he corrected himself. Gold smirked.
"Welcome back, Prince Charming," he said, as he hobbled out and David followed him, with determination lining his face.
"I'll find you, Snow...I will always find you," he promised.
She sniffed and took solace in his arms, as he held her.
"It shouldn't bother me. I mean, it would have bothered Mary Margaret, but I'm not her anymore. At least...I don't want to be. But it does," she confessed.
"Of course it does and I want to throttle whoever did that. And I'm going to fix it. I have some time on my hands, since no one will hire me. I'll scrub it off your car," he said.
"Thanks...but I'm more sad that you're punishing you too for all this. You're homeless and I can't stand it!" she lamented.
"Hey...it's okay. I'm okay out here. You know living in the woods is like second nature for us," he reminded her.
"That was a long time ago," she murmured.
"It was...but I remember it all. We lived in the woods and still took back an entire Kingdom. Our wedding night was in the woods...our first time was under the stars," he said and she smiled at the memory.
"Well…I guess when you put it like that," she purred, as their lips met passionately and she giggled, as he pulled her into the tent.
Snow's emerald eyes fluttered open and she looked around, finding herself in an unfamiliar bedroom. She shot up off the bed and immediately went for the door, but found it locked. She went to the window next and opened the blinds. She guessed it was some kind of apartment building and she saw a fire escape. She tried opening the window, but found that it wouldn't budge, even when she unlocked it. She looked around the room for something hard and grabbed the lamp off the bedside table.
"I wouldn't do that…" Jefferson warned, as he walked into the room and closed the door.
"Why are you doing this!?" she demanded to know.
"You know why...I do this and I get my daughter back," he answered.
"So I have to lose mine again?" Snow questioned.
"That's not my problem. Besides, none of this would be happening if your daughter would just believe and break the curse already!" he snapped and she recoiled slightly.
"Emma...she's had a hard life," Snow said, choking a little bit at that.
"Because of Regina," Jefferson replied.
"If you know that, then why would you help her!?" Snow snapped.
"I told you why, dammit!" he snapped in return.
"She'll betray you...I know her, better than most," Snow warned.
"It's a chance I have to take...for Grace," he argued.
"Grace…" she said, trying to place the girl.
"She's Paige under the curse…" he told her.
"Paige...she's in my class!" Snow recalled.
"She's with a good family," she added and he glared at her.
"She's my daughter!" he shouted.
"I know...but at least she's safe! My daughter wasn't! My daughter was alone and thought she was unwanted," Snow cried, as tears slipped down her cheeks.
"But nothing could be further from the truth...please, I have to get back to Emma and Charming. I just found them again...we'll help you get Grace back!" she pleaded.
"You don't have that kind of power. The whole town thinks you're a tramp and your husband is living in a tent by a bridge," he retorted.
"But we're awake now and we can fight Regina," she added.
"You've been awake for weeks and you've done nothing," he spat.
"Because we didn't have any other allies. But if you joined us...we could fight her," Snow argued. But he shook his head.
"I can't risk Grace. I'm sorry...truly. I don't know who Regina is sending to pick you up, but I'm sorry for whatever horror awaits you," he apologized.
"I'm sorry too…" Snow said.
"For what?" he asked, but his answer came with a lamp over the head. He growled and cried out in pain, as she kicked him down and ran to the apartment door. He gave chase and she ran down the hallway, looking to escape the building.
David looked out the window from the backseat, as Gold drove. They were about halfway to New York and he was, not quite for the first time, realizing that all of his memories of going anywhere outside Storybrooke were curse memories. He had never been anywhere else in this land, except Storybrooke and neither had Snow for that matter. He knew his wife was a strong, capable woman, but there was still a lot of evil out in this world too. He was deeply worried and incredibly anxious. He couldn't lose her again, not when he had finally found her and they were themselves again. He heard something beside him and his eyes widened, as part of the backseat unfolded from the trunk of the car and Henry climbed through.
"Henry…" he uttered, catching Emma's attention and she turned her head. The blonde's eyes widened in surprise and horror.
"Henry!?" she cried.
"Kid...what the hell?" she shouted in a panic.
"I followed my mom and saw what she did to Mary Margaret," he explained.
"So you decided to stowaway in the car!?" she questioned. He shrugged.
"What she did was wrong and I knew David was going to find her. I want to help," Henry said, as he got into the seat and put his seatbelt on.
"Welcome to the mission, kid," David said.
"David…" Emma hissed.
"He's not coming with us! We have to take him back!" Emma insisted.
"Emma...we can't go back now. Mary Margaret is in danger," David reminded her and she couldn't deny that.
"Regina is gonna kill me...and then all of you...and then me again," she complained. But Gold kept driving without a hiccup and a smirk on his face at the prospect of Regina getting a taste of her own medicine.