7:15 AM AU - Things go a bit differently in the cabin during 7:15 AM. With memories returned, how will this change things?
Face Claim for Narcissa: Eileen Davidson
Face Claims for the three good fairies:
Flora: Maggie Smith
Fauna: Linsey Godfrey
Merryweather: Jackee Harry
Thanks for the amazing response to this story. It's a lot of fun. 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: Yep, Regina has no idea what she's getting herself into in teaming up with Narcissa. Yep, we still have yet to see how Narcissa got free and what Blue's role is in everything. Glad you're enjoying!
Jennifer Baratta: Yep, Regina will lose badly in the end.
Number Ten: Yep, Regina is blind to what she's really getting herself into. Yeah, Henry is definitely in danger with Narcissa. Yeah, the custody case is frustrating, but at least it didn't get thrown out. Glad you enjoyed it!
Grace5231973: Yep, she just might have met her match! It will be tricky, because Rumple only remembers so much about her and there is a reason for that. We'll find out in coming chapters. Glad you're enjoying! :)
Sexystarwarslover: Yep, she wants even more power and taking Regina's job is the way to do it. I know, poor Snow. Regina was truly awful in S1. Yep, Daddy Charming to the rescue! Yep, Snow is right. She wouldn't have let them just go off and be happy. Yep, she can't claim that David is too close to this case since that would be admitting that he's her father and the curse is real. Yep, Solana is here and she's going to fight for this family. Yep, he's going to recruit Ruby. Yep, George is a dick in any world. Yeah, Blue interfered as usual. She's the worst. Yeah, Narcissa's little fantasy won't come true. Their love will overcome her. Yep, she's going after Regina's job eventually. Glad you're enjoying!
AnonSnowing: I know, it was heartbreaking. Yep, it's not David's fault and Snow knows. This is all on Regina, Narcissa, Blue, and Geppetto. Yep, I'm sure Narcissa is celebrating too. Emma is a reluctant believer at this point. I'm glad Merryweather is on the case too. Lol, I don't know how she gets anything done with David around either. Yep, George is horrible too. Sidney is actually innocent here, but easy to think why he might be the one. Yep, Blue is a disgrace to her color. Yep, Narcissa is definitely more evil and they're in real trouble if Narcissa dethrones her. Glad you're enjoying it!
Clarity
Chapter 31: Walking the Wire
"I've had it!" Ruby cried, as she tossed her apron on the floor.
"Check the attitude, girl," Granny warned.
"Not this time...I'm done. I quit!" Ruby said, as she stormed out of the diner and very nearly barreled right through David.
"Whoa...where's the fire?" he asked.
"She's impossible! She never appreciates anything I do and is critical of everything!" she complained.
"So you quit?" David asked.
"Finally…" Ruby replied.
"Good...because I'd like to offer you a job," he said.
"A job? You want me to work at the station?" she asked incredulously.
"Actually…I want you to work there," David said, as he pointed to the dress shop down the block with a help wanted sign in the window.
"That snooty dress shop?" she asked.
"Undercover for me, of course," he replied. She shook her head.
"Okay...I'm lost. You want me to work undercover for you in a dress shop?" she asked. He nodded.
"I'm trying to prove Emma's innocence and I think Narcissa Blake is lying," he replied. She sobered.
"Why me?" Ruby asked.
"Because you have good instincts," he replied. She raised her eyebrows.
"I do?" she asked.
"Ruby...you were one of the only ones in this town that didn't shun me or Mary Margaret when I left Kathryn for her," he reminded her. She shrugged.
"You are both good people...you couldn't help falling in love, despite your marriage. Besides, these phonies are just jealous they don't have that exciting kind of love in their lives," she said. He smiled.
"See? You see things for how they really are and not what people think they should be," he said.
"I guess so...and I definitely don't believe Emma did this," Ruby replied.
"She didn't...I just have to prove it and I need help," David said.
"Okay...so what makes you think Narcissa Blake is lying? I mean, she's definitely a stone cold bitch...but that doesn't mean she's a liar," Ruby replied.
"True, but she said that she convinced Tamara not to leave Storybrooke and gave her a job at the store. But Neal says that has to be a lie," he explained.
"He said that it would take a lot to get her to leave New York and some job in a dress store wouldn't do it," David continued.
"And they were over, for sure? She wasn't staying to try and get him back?" Ruby asked.
"That's what Narcissa said, but Neal doesn't think so. But I know Albert Spencer and he'll try to spin this as a crime of passion. He's going to say Emma killed her competition," David replied.
"Yeah...that's not Emma's style, even if she was still in love with Neal," Ruby agreed.
"Exactly...and we know little to nothing about Narcissa Blake," David said.
"And you want me to spy?" Ruby asked.
"Pay is decent and there's benefits, plus maybe a little of that excitement you're looking for," he offered. She smiled.
"And the chance to vindicate a friend...I'm in," she replied.
"And everyone just watched you publicly storm out and quit so applying for the job won't seem suspicious," he said.
"Okay…I'll go right now," she replied.
"Thanks," he said, as he went into the diner to get some coffee, before he would continue his investigation.
"Okay...now if I know the district attorney and what's being discussed already, he's going to go for the tried and true crime of passion," Solana explained.
"They're going to say that I killed Tamara to take out my competition," Emma said. The other woman nodded.
"Obviously it isn't true, but it's going to sell sleazy newspapers in the meantime and we need to be prepared to counter it," she said.
"Neal insists that a job in some dress store wouldn't have been enough to get Tamara to move here, even for him. They were done," Emma replied.
"And you're sure he'll testify?" Solana asked.
"I'm sure...and he knew Tamara best," Emma replied, as she sighed.
"But let's face it, this is an uphill battle. Unless David can prove that Narcissa Blake is lying or find the real killer...they're going to convict me," she said.
"Now honey...we can't go there. Not yet...I'm going to do everything I can to fight this and Deputy Nolan seems very determined to prove your innocence," Solana soothed.
"He is and I'm going to do whatever I have to as well," Mary Margaret said, as she returned with a bag.
"I hope you don't mind, but I packed some things for you until your arraignment tomorrow," she said.
"Thanks," Emma replied, as she looked through it and noticed that her blanket was in there.
"Do you think there is any hope of them agreeing to bail while we await the trial?" Mary Margaret asked. Solana patted her arm.
"I don't want to get your hopes up, but I'm going to everything I can to get her released on bond," she said, as she stood up.
"I think I have what I need for now. I'll see you both at the courthouse in the morning," she said, as she left to return to her office. There was a pregnant pause between the two.
"So...the blanket? You had it made for me?" Emma asked. Snow's face lit up with a smile.
"Well…I tried to knit it myself, but I was so bad at it. Granny fixed it and finished it for me, including the embroidery," she explained.
"So you knew my name before I was born?" Emma asked curiously. Snow nodded.
"I had it in mind...I meant to tell your father that I wanted to name you Emma when we were alone, but the Dark One insisted on knowing it before I had the chance," she said.
"He instantly loved it as much as me. We'd both felt like pieces of us were missing before we were together...and we only felt whole together. Since your name means whole...we thought it was perfect since you were making our family complete," Snow explained.
"Though you would have had brothers and sisters…" she added, as Emma looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Really?" she asked. She nodded.
"We were both only children...we wanted a big family," Snow replied.
"I...I always wanted siblings," Emma admitted, as there was another awkward pause between them.
"Why does she hate you?" Emma asked bluntly.
"She thinks I destroyed her life," Snow replied.
"Did you?" Emma asked.
"Yes…" Snow squeaked.
"But I didn't mean to...I didn't even know I was doing so. I was just a girl...and Cora manipulated me. I didn't know how horrible she was until later," she explained.
"Cora?" Emma asked.
"Regina's mother...she had magic and I think she suspected that Regina was planning to run off with the stable boy," Snow replied.
"So where do you come in?" Emma asked.
"Regina told me about him in confidence. She taught me that true love was magical and I loved her so much…" Snow said sadly.
"But I had just lost my own mother...and Cora said that it was okay to tell her, because if I didn't, Regina might lose her mother. So I told her and then she killed Daniel," she explained.
"So her mother killed Daniel...and she hates you for it?" Emma questioned. Snow nodded.
"She blames me...she says she would have never known if I had kept her secret," Snow said.
"Maybe...or maybe not. Sounds like she should hate her mother," Emma replied.
"She does, I think...but I think it's easier to hate me. I regret it so much...but I was only ten. I didn't understand the gravity of the situation," Snow said.
"Nor should you...you were a kid. That would be like me hating Henry if he told a secret. Even if someone got hurt from it, kids shouldn't be put in that position in the first place," Emma replied. Snow looked at her and then sighed.
"What?" Emma asked.
"It's just what your...what David always tells me. He insists that I'm not to blame and even if I was...it doesn't excuse what Regina has done," Snow replied.
"Well...he's right," Emma agreed.
"She wasn't always like this...and I feel like I'm the reason," Snow said.
"Well don't...at some point, she had to take responsibility for her actions and if were you responsible, it was indirectly at best. Her mother didn't have to kill anyone, but she did. That's on her...and Regina knows it. She's just a bitch," Emma complained. Snow smiled gently.
"Thanks...it means a lot that you don't blame me. I mean...for that," Snow said. Emma sighed.
"I don't blame you for the other stuff either...because if I did, I'd be no better than Regina. It just took me a while to accept it," she said.
"So...you believe?" Snow asked hopefully. Emma gave her a measured glance.
"Kind of hard to deny. I...I saw David in my head...like a vision or something. He was sword fighting some Knights with baby me in the crook of his arm," she admitted. Snow's eyes widened.
"You saw that?" she asked. Emma nodded.
"The night I was born?" she asked. Snow nodded.
"Look…I'm still trying to wrap my head around all of this, but I get it now," she said. Snow smiled.
"Take as much time as you need...we couldn't ask for more," she said, as David returned and she watched her face light up at the sight of him and his at the sight of her.
"Well?" she asked.
"Ruby is applying for a job at the dress shop as we speak," he replied. Emma's eyes widened in surprise.
"Really?" she asked. He nodded.
"I can't take too much credit though. She had another fight with Granny and I walked in on her quitting. So I pitched my idea to her and she wants to help," David replied. Snow hugged him.
"Don't be modest...I'm sure you helped convince her," Snow said. He shrugged.
"She believes Emma is innocent, just like us and doesn't trust Narcissa either," he said.
"That's what makes no sense…" Emma said.
"What do you mean?" Snow asked.
"Well...if Henry's right and no one comes to this town, then how the hell did we get not one, but two outsiders in this town? I mean, Neal told Tamara the name of the town, but it's not exactly on the map. Henry had to tell me how to get here," Emma replied.
"Then we get this Narcissa Blake? A world class fashion designer just wanders into a town that almost no one else can find?" she continued.
"She's right...it's fishy as hell and might be the key to figuring all of this out," he agreed.
"Do...do you think this woman could be from, you know, there?" Emma asked.
"She's no one we've ever seen...but that doesn't mean anything," David replied.
"But if she is...then how did she get outside Storybrooke?" Snow wondered.
"I don't know...but maybe we should talk to Gold. If there was a way to escape the curse, he might know how someone would have done it," David said.
"Go…" Emma urged, as they seemed reluctant to leave her.
"We'll be back soon," Snow said, as she squeezed her hand through the bars. Emma gasped, as she saw another vision. One of Mary Margaret holding her as a newborn for the first time and crying at having to give her up. She smiled back at her and implored them to go. Snow joined hands with her husband and they headed out, leaving Emma with her thoughts.