7:15 AM AU - Things go a bit differently in the cabin during 7:15 AM. With memories returned, how will this change things?
Wow! Such a great response to this fic, which has turned out to be even more amazing than I thought it would. The idea for this fic actually started as an idea in my head on a drive to work, way back in January or February when I actually still drove to work. I work from home now like most and am glad this idea came to fruition. I'm glad everyone is enjoying the twists and turns. Season 1 can be very fun to play with. Enjoy this latest and keep reviewing! Here are individual responses to reviews:
Ghostwriter: Thanks, glad you're enjoying it! :)
Baratta Jennifer: Yep, lots of trouble on multiple fronts. Glad you're enjoying! :)
Number Ten: Yeah, Regina is definitely seeing red and only red. Sorry, but this story is going to be a bit different. She's not going to be the good guy, at least not for a while. Hope you can continue to enjoy.
Grace5231973: Yeah, Neal has a blind spot when it comes to Tamara and she is definitely up to no good. You'll be happy to know that Neal and Rumple will be making some progress soon. Yeah, Regina is pretty bad in this fic. Glad you're enjoying. :)
Sexystarwarslover: Yeah, whatever Regina is up to, we know it isn't good and calling Snow that was very rude for sure. Ha, yep, Neal has some 'splainin' to do. Yep, it keeps getting messier and messier. Yep, Emma wants Tamara no where near Henry and with good reason. Yep, Gold knows that she would have needed some sort of help to find Storybrooke. Yep, Emma knows she is lying too. I know, David is so sweet. Regina is on the warpath now for sure. Glad you're enjoying it! :)
AnonSnowing: Very awkward! Yep, Tamara is a liar and Emma definitely still carries a torch for Neal. She also knows Tamara is a liar. Yeah, that was so heartbreaking for Snow. She missed Emma. Yeah, Neal is in denial about Tamara, just like Emma is in denial about her parents. I know, David is so sweet and charming. Yeah, Emma is claiming Henry is the only reason, but we all know better than that. I love that they are each other's firsts too. Yep, Regina can't frame her, but now she'll come up with something else dastardly, I'm sure. Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! :)
Clarity
Chapter 14: Sparks Fly, Pt 1
David winced, as Snow helped him gently put his shirt on and then began buttoning it. He smiled at her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. She looked up at him and their lips met in a passionate kiss. Snow mewled into his kiss, as she slipped her arms around his neck. He cradled her head and moved his lips over hers, deepening their kiss and she felt her knees almost give out. He usually had that effect on her, but always held her up and kept her from falling. Their bliss was interrupted by someone clearing their throat and she was almost lightheaded, in a good way, as their lips parted.
"I have your discharge papers," Whale said sourly.
"Thanks," David said, not even hiding his smugness, as Snow cuddled against him.
"You'll want to keep the bandage on the wound for a few days. You can bathe, but be careful not to get it too wet for a while. The stitches are dissolvable, so you won't need to come back unless you notice any swelling or the pain doesn't subside within a week or so," he advised, as he scribbled on David's chart.
"Did you change his emergency contact information?" Snow asked, as he looked up.
"Yes...the nurse took care of that," he replied, as he watched him kiss her hair.
"Anything else?" David asked.
"No...you're free to go, but I hope you know that you need to refrain from any vigorous activity for a while until that wound heals a bit," Whale replied. David smirked.
"Yeah...you'd like that, wouldn't you?" he said, as they walked out of the room, arms around each other, and headed for the elevator.
"He doesn't look happy about you possibly disobeying his orders," she mentioned, as they got into the elevator.
"Yeah...that's not why he's pissed," David said.
"Why do you say that?" she asked, as the elevator door closed.
"He's pissed because you're with me and not him," he replied. But she shook her head, as she hooked her hand on his elbow.
"I doubt that...Whale has a reputation. I was just another notch on his bedpost," she said sourly.
"I'm sure that's what he tells people, which infuriates me, but I don't think so," he replied. She cocked her head to the side.
"Why?" she asked.
"Because I know what it's like to be with you. It's not something you forget and it's not something you want to lose...ever," he replied simply, which made her blush.
"Charming…" she murmured, as she leaned her head against his arm. He could still give her butterflies in her stomach. He smiled and kissed her tenderly, as the elevator door opened into the first floor lobby of the hospital. People gawked at them, as they walked toward the exit, arms around each other, but neither noticed.
"Let's go home…" he whispered to her. She smiled.
"Let's...but you know we really can't do anything yet," she whispered back. He smirked.
"I've had worse than this and we managed," he reminded her. She grinned.
"We did...didn't we?" she realized, as they hurried to her car.
Neal rolled over in bed and found Tamara's side empty. She wasn't far though, as she came back into the room with coffee and donuts.
"Morning…I went to that little bakery down the street. The bagels didn't look at all like New York bagels though, so I opted for the donuts," she replied. He smirked.
"Yeah...you're not going to find good bagels here," he said, as he took a sip of the coffee and checked his phone. He smiled, as he saw texts from Henry.
"So...when do I get to meet your son?" she asked.
"Uh...well, he's in school right now, but maybe we can meet him after. His adoptive mom is doing her best to keep him away from us, but Dad says he's going to file an emergency injunction this morning," Neal replied.
"For what exactly?" she asked.
"Well...the custody battle might take months and will get ugly. He thinks it's unfair that Emma and I don't even have visitation in the interim, so he's going to argue before the judge today," he replied.
"That's great...you better get cleaned up and I hope you'll let me go with you," she said.
"Sure…" he replied, as he saw her reading the paper.
"If you're looking for Pulitzer type journalism in that paper...you're going to be disappointed," he warned with a snort.
"Yeah, most of it is pretty bland, but there is one story here that is fascinating. By August W. Booth," she said. He paused on his way to the bathroom at that and took the paper from her.
"What? Do you know him?" she asked, as he skimmed the story.
"Uh no...just sounds like a new guy," he lied.
"Do you really think the Mayor and this other woman lied and forged a marriage certificate for a comatose patient to keep him away from this other woman...Mary Margaret? It sounds like daytime soap opera stuff," she scoffed.
"It does...but Mary Margaret was Henry's teacher, until Regina got her fired. Henry loves her and she and David are really good people. Regina on the other hand...the woman we're going to be fighting in court, is as vengeful as they come," Neal replied.
"I wonder what Mary Margaret did to piss Regina off so much," Tamara asked curiously.
"I don't know...but I guarantee it was nothing that warrants anything she's done," he said, as he went into the bathroom to clean up. Tamara smirked and kept reading. She dialed a number.
"There's an event coming up...it's called Miner's Day. It looks like a big deal and most of the town will be gathered in one place," she reported, before hanging up and she went back to waiting on Neal.
Regina stormed into the courthouse and into Albert Spencer's office. She slapped the court papers down on his desk and looked at him.
"Care to tell me how the hell you're allowing this to happen?" she hissed, as he looked at the order.
"Contrary to popular belief and much to my own dismay, I don't control everything that goes on in the judicial system in this town," he said.
"Mr. Gold filed the correct paperwork and now a Judge will hear the case," he added.
"Then you had better be good at what you do and convince the Judge to rule in my favor," she hissed.
"I will do my best, but that's only part of your problem," Spencer replied.
"What are you talking about?" she asked.
"I was about to send the courier over with the order, but since you're here, I'll serve you myself," he replied, as he handed another order to her.
"What is this?" she asked, as she looked through it.
"Mr. Gold has filed an emergency injunction on behalf of your son's biological parents," he explained. Her eyes widened.
"On custody?" she asked. He nodded.
"He's arguing that they should be granted some sort of visitation in the interim before the custody proceedings begin," he replied.
"This is unacceptable! He is my son!" she shouted.
"He is theirs too, unfortunately and the father didn't know about him. I don't think I have to tell you that biological parents carry a lot of weight in the courts," he said.
"Then you had better fix this! Talk to the Judge and make sure he knows what is in it for him if he does the right thing and rules in my favor," she replied.
"Don't you think I tried that already?" he asked irritably.
"What did he say?" she asked.
"He won't even take my call. His assistant said that he had taken Mr. Gold's suggestion and sequestered himself until the hearing this afternoon. Looks like he is more afraid of Gold than of us," he replied. She clenched her teeth.
"For now…" she fumed. If she ended up having to share custody of Henry with Emma and Neal...then she would have to take drastic measures.
The curtain was pulled around the bed and the blinds were closed to squelch the daylight, as they made good use of their alone time. Despite his tender wound, they had indeed managed to satisfy their need for intimacy. Clothes were scattered around the bedroom and they were bare, entwined together. She was straddled across him, as he was gently propped up on the pillows, joined as one, moving gently together. Lips met again and again, with moans and mewls escaping now and then, as a vocal declaration of their pleasure. She collapsed gently beside him and rested her head against his chest, as they came down and caught their breath.
"Told you we'd manage," he murmured to her, before pressing a kiss to her hair. She smiled up at him.
"You did...and I think that was a little more than managing," she said, in a dreamy tone, as they cuddled.
"Then I was on my game," he said, with a chuckle.
"You're never not on your game, my love...but now I'm starving," she replied.
"Me too...I'm on the pancakes," he said, as he got up and slipped into a pair of sleep pants.
"You're supposed to be resting," she said, as she sat up and pulled the sheet over her unclothed body.
"I can handle making us some pancakes," he said, as he pecked her on the lips. She smiled and watched him go into the kitchen, before she fished his shirt from the floor and her underwear. She went to the door and picked up the rolled newspaper that was there and brought it inside, before setting it on the table. She started some coffee and then sat down at the table, while he mixed the batter.
"Oh my God…" she said, as he looked up at her.
"What is it?" he asked.
"This story...someone wrote a story about us," she replied. He rolled his eyes.
"Great...more lies about our torrid "affair"," he complained.
"No, it's not that...someone wrote a story about how Regina and Kathryn came up with a phony marriage certificate to keep us apart, because of Regina's hatred of me," she replied.
"That sounds pretty close to the truth...so what's it doing in that newspaper?" he asked, as he read the byline.
"August W. Booth?" he asked. She shook her head.
"I have no idea who that is...or who he was back in our land. But I think we need to meet him," she replied. He nodded.
"Agreed. Just another adventure for us," he said, as he kissed her cheek. She smiled and went to pour the coffee, while he made the pancakes.
Kathryn didn't at all like the stares she was receiving that morning, as she walked into the diner. She tried to ignore the whispers and looks, as she approached the counter. Was Regina right? Had Mary Margaret helped facilitate this story to get the attention and hatred off her? It had certainly seemed to work by the cold look Granny was giving her.
"Can...can I get a cappuccino to go?" she asked.
"Coming right up," Granny replied. So she was still serving her, which hopefully meant she wasn't sure whether to believe the story or not.
"Thanks," Kathryn said, as she placed the cup in front of her.
"Don't thank me...I'm still serving you, because I know how intimidating the Mayor is, but you didn't have to go along with it," Granny replied.
"I...I didn't. That article is a lie. David was my husband," Kathryn argued.
"That reporter says the marriage license was forged. He says he had it authenticated and it came back as a forgery," Granny said, citing the article.
"Well...he's lying! Mary Margaret is a tramp and she stole my husband," Kathryn replied, as she grabbed her cup and stormed out of the diner. Regina was right...and she was going to confront the little homewrecker herself...