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
New Face Claims:
Lucian Blackwater: Graham Greene
Malachi Wolfe: Scott Adkins
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: I like it when they all work together too. Glad you're enjoying it so much! Yep, Snow being immune to her pheromones is going to be very interesting. A male siren is very similar to what he is and sirens don't like rejection. Thanks, glad you like it so much!
Jennifer Baratta: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Yep, Regina is desperate.
mrhawkprime: Me too, I'm glad Belle will be free and I think Regina would make sure in this case that her memories are there. Rumple would be even more pissed at her if they weren't.
Number Ten: Yep, a shaky truce, but this may lead to a new path for Regina. Nope, Gold will be pissed, but he'll also know that Narcissa and her cohorts are a bigger threat. Yep, that's it. Snow is immune, thanks to true love. Glad you're enjoying it!
Grace5231973: Yep, true love makes her immune to his pheromones and rejection didn't make him happy. Yep, Belle is the card Regina is giving up :)
Antimorra: Yeah, her refusal of him may egg him on and he might see her as a challenge since she is immune to his pheromones. Unfortunately, you're right, that may make him much like Deimos eventually. We shall see. Since Snow is a special case here, it's likely that Regina won't be immune. That remains to be seen too. I'm so glad you have finally commented. I hope you do it more, because I love engaging with my readers. That's why I take the extra time to do replies. I think it's important to cultivate a relationship with my readers. Thank you so much. I hated the way they diminished Snowing's love over time too. I think that's why I became so determined to do the opposite with my stories. If they hadn't dropped the ball with Snowing in the series, I may not have been compelled to write so much, because I was so unsatisfied with their treatment in later seasons. So, thanks I guess Once writers/showrunners? Lol. I'm so glad my stories make you feel better in dark hours. I have been going back and re-reading a bit lately too, just to get my mind on anything other than current events. It helps me and I'm glad to know it can help others too. You're very welcome and I hope you will continue reading my stories. I don't plan to stop writing. Aw, thanks...I am honored to be thought of by you as the Queen of Snowing. :)
Sexystarwarslover: Yep, we have a truce between Regina and Snowing...for now. Glad you liked part 1! Yeah, the Wolf's Den is definitely trouble. Yep, Snow is immune to his pheromones. Yeah, David should have punched. I'm sure he will, eventually. Yep, Narcissa is worse than Regina by far and so are these two. And then we have Greg Mendell up to no good as well. Regina is definitely desperate and afraid of Narcissa since she's willing to team up with Snowing. Yes, David is quite the Sheriff. Yeah, she'll be lucky there is no magic when Gold finds out what she did to Belle. Yeah, no one wants Narcissa as Mayor. Yes, their reactions will be interesting. Glad you're enjoying!
AnonSnowing: Lol, probably, though not even a bath will take care of his pheromones. Unfortunately, other women are probably not immune to him like Snow. Yeah, he is reminiscent of Deimos and it's not going to work with Snow. She only has eyes for her husband. Yeah, the subterfuge is frustrating. Yeah, David is super protective of Snow. Yeah, Regina is finally on the right side, even if it is not for the right reasons yet. Glad you're enjoying!
Clarity
Chapter 42: The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend, Pt 2
"Are we doing the right thing?" Snow asked, as they walked along Main Street, hand in hand, after stopping at Granny's on the way to the shop. He sighed.
"Normally, I'd say that teaming up with Regina is the worst possible idea and that she'll end up stabbing us in the back. In fact, I'm not convinced that she won't do just that once Narcissa is neutralized," David said.
"But…I don't think we have a choice here. As bad as Regina is, I just have a feeling that Narcissa is worse. She tried to kill you as a baby, so there is no telling what she'll do now that she has another chance to hurt you," he added. Snow sighed and looked down.
"At least I know why Regina hates me…or at least it kind of makes sense in some respects," she said.
"But Narcissa's hate is so senseless. I mean, I guess I'm pretty, but there are a lot of beautiful women, including her. What must be wrong with her mentally to make her like this?" she wondered. He gently caressed her face.
"You're beautiful and not just on the outside. Narcissa is appropriately named, it would seem," he replied.
"Oh you'd be right about that, honey…" Merryweather said, as she met them on the corner near the pawn shop.
"Thanks for coming," Snow said, as they shared a hug. Merryweather smiled.
"You know I'd do anything for you…so what is this about?" she asked.
"Well…Regina came to us tonight and she wants us to join forces against Narcissa," David replied.
"Ahh…so she's worried that there's another Queenie that might best her, but I know you. You'd never agree to something like that unless it was a really sweet deal," Merryweather said.
"You're right…but she says she has the proof that Emma is innocent and that she has something that will get Gold to agree to work with her as well," David replied.
"Definitely desperation…if she crossed the Dark One, she is playing with fire. This should be good," Merryweather said, as Emma and Neal arrived too, along with Gold.
"Hey…we got your texts," Emma said.
"What's this about?" Neal asked.
"Regina came to us and wants us to all team up against Narcissa," Snow replied.
"And you believe her?" Gold asked.
"Normally no…in fact, I told her to shove it when she first came to us, but she says she has the evidence to clear you," David replied, looking at his daughter.
"Wow…she must be way more afraid of Narcissa than me," she said.
"She'll stab us in the back," Gold warned.
"We know…but apparently, she's most afraid of you. She says she has something that you want that she's willing to give up with the promise that we work together against Narcissa, with the promise that you won't try to kill her," David explained.
"Oh, I hope you didn't promise her that, dearie…" Gold mused.
"She's still Henry's other mother," Neal said. Gold was silent and knew he was still on thin ice with Neal. Killing Regina would only hurt Henry and Neal would never forgive him.
"Regina as the villain I can handle…she was merely a tool to cast my curse. Narcissa is the real enemy," he said.
"So glad you feel that way," Regina replied, as she approached.
"Perhaps this conversation is best had in the shop," Neal suggested. Gold nodded and unlocked the door, as they entered and closed the door behind them. He flipped the lights on and they faced Regina.
"You have the evidence to clear Emma?" David asked.
"Easy Charming…we don't even have a plan to deal with Narcissa in place yet," Regina replied.
"Or the other two cohorts. Did you find anything out?" Merryweather asked. Regina eyed her with scrutiny.
"I'm sorry…who are you?" she asked. Merryweather smirked.
"Your worst nightmare if you try to hurt my little Snow," she responded.
"If the Blue Fairy hadn't interfered, I would have been Snow's fairy Godmother and trust me, neither you nor your evil mother would have ever gotten anywhere near her if I was," she added. Regina shook her head.
"Another person singing your praises…no wonder I was drawn to your deranged Aunt at first," she sneered.
"Oh no one is wondering that…you seem to be just like her," David sniped back.
"Listen Charming…" she growled.
"I don't take orders from you…never have," he growled back.
"David please…" Snow pleaded, as he pulled back. Regina smirked.
"But you do take orders from her," she said smugly. He smirked.
"Of course…she's the rightful Queen, not you," he shot back, further infuriating her.
"Enough…we're here to figure out how to defeat Narcissa and that means working together," Snow said.
"She's right…so what do you know about these two newcomers in town that bought the Rabbit Hole?" Emma asked. David sighed.
"Not much…but knowing Narcissa is the only way they'd find their way into town. The owner is older and I get the feeling from him that he knows everything and I mean everything," David said.
"And the other one?" Neal asked.
"The bartender…he's really creepy and has a really bad smell," Snow replied.
"What? Like he doesn't shower?" Emma asked. She shook her head.
"No…it was different than that and like nothing I ever smelt before. He hit on me and didn't like rejection. He acted like he'd never been rejected before," Snow replied.
"And then there's a third one, though I haven't seen this one, but Ruby says that he's both Narcissa's accountant and campaign manager," David said.
"Wait…you have Ruby in on this?" Regina asked. He shrugged.
"She may not be herself yet, but she has good instincts. Narcissa hired her to work in the shop, but she's really working for me. She was able to download Narcissa's hard drive and the names of two of these people popped up in her business dealings," David explained.
"Yeah…Lucian Blackwater owns several casinos out west and Malachi Wolfe owned a lucrative bar in Portland, Maine until he came here. Beyond that, there isn't much else," Neal said.
"Blackwater…" Merryweather muttered.
"Do you know him?" David asked.
"No…the name is really familiar though. I can't place it yet," Merryweather replied. Regina was stunned. They knew worlds more than she did about Narcissa and her operation. Once again, she had underestimated her step-daughter and her husband.
"Okay…we've put what we have on the table. What do you have? You're the one that has actually been plotting with her," David said.
"When I first encountered her at Miner's Day, she intrigued me when she told me she was someone who hated Snow as much as I do," she revealed.
"So I went to her shop the next day and she told me that she hated you just for being born and that killing you wasn't enough. She wanted to inflict the maximum amount of pain. To start, she wanted to go after Emma and then you," Regina said, looking at David.
"Later on, I found out why she hated you and thought it was ridiculous, but I saw a common enemy we shared at that point so I went along with it. The day that she called Emma to her shop to report a broken lock was a ruse," Regina said. Emma sighed.
"The knife…I touched it when she offered me food," she realized. Regina nodded.
"Then she killed Tamara herself with the knife and pushed her into the mirrors. She knew that your fingerprints would show up on the knife," Regina confessed.
"And you were going to let me go to prison?" Emma asked, but then put her hand up.
"Never mind…don't answer that," she spat.
"Look…I will tell the Judge and District Attorney what I know. Then we can have Narcissa arrested and this whole thing is over. She'll go to jail instead," Regina replied.
"Except that her being here has brought three other outsiders and we need to know what we're dealing with and get them to leave town too," David said.
"He's right and trust me, if we piss off Narcissa without a true plan and these two are in cahoots with her, it could blow up in our faces. I know this woman…she has no sad back story and she didn't used to be good. She's always been this...a sociopath and psychotic, but smart and resourceful as well," Merryweather agreed.
"Fine…then what do you suggest?" Regina asked.
"We still need to prove Emma didn't do it, but not who actually did. That just re-opens the case and might put Narcissa on edge if she thinks we're onto her and her plan to hurt Snow through Emma blows up," David replied.
"We were all asleep when Tamara was killed…technically I have no alibi," Emma said.
"The alibi doesn't have to be real. Narcissa just has to think it's real," Snow replied.
"She won't buy it though if any of us give the alibi and just now came forward," Neal argued.
"They will if I give Emma the alibi," Regina said.
"You'd do that?" David asked skeptically.
"For Henry…I will. I'll tell the District Attorney that I forgot that I let Emma come by around that time to say goodnight to Henry. It will be as simple as that," she replied.
"That could work," David said, as he looked at Snow with hope in his voice and she hugged him. Regina rolled her eyes.
"Fine…then we have a plan, but there is still the little matter of me wanting nothing to do with working with you, Madam Mayor," Gold said.
"Papa…" Neal started to chide, as Dr. Whale entered the shop.
"Madam Mayor…I did as you asked," he said. She took a deep breath.
"And you gave her the elixir that I requested you give her?" she asked. He nodded.
"Then consider this my gesture of goodwill," Regina replied, as a young woman, dressed in rags, walked into the shop. Rumple went rigid and the blood drained from his face.
"No…this can't be," he said.
"It's true," Regina said. He clenched his teeth.
"You said she died…" he hissed and David's eyes widened, as he realized who this woman was.
"I lied…" Regina replied.
"Then I should kill you," he growled.
"Rumple no…" the woman spoke and he stalled, as she walked around the counter and approached him.
"Is…is it really you?" he asked. She smiled and nodded.
"It's me…and I have my memories now, thanks to Regina," Belle replied.
"You were locked away, thanks to Regina. In the basement ward, I presume?" he hissed, as his eyes shot daggers at the Mayor.
"I needed a bargaining chip and she was my last one," Regina said.
"She's the love that you said you lost," David realized.
"And you kept them apart?" Snow questioned. Emma scoffed.
"It's kind of what she does it seems," Emma said.
"Excuse me, but I don't need your judgment," Regina shot back.
"You should die for what you did," Rumple said.
"No Rumple…no more killing," Belle chided.
"How can you defend her after what she did to you? To us?" he asked.
"I'm not defending her…but I won't be the reason that anyone is killed, especially not by you," Belle replied. Neal observed them carefully and realized that it wasn't only him that helped his father retain some humanity. It was this woman as well and he was watching more of his humanity return to him before his eyes.
"Besides…there's no magic here. That means this is a fresh start for us," she added, as she looked around.
"Hi…I'm Snow," she said. Belle smiled and they shook hands.
"Belle," she replied.
"This is my husband David and our daughter Emma," Snow said, as David shook her head and Emma did too.
"Your daughter?" Belle asked.
"The curse," Rumple replied and though she had questions, she nodded.
"Who is this?" Belle asked.
"Neal," he replied, as he shook her hand.
"But back in our land, I was known as Baelfire," he added and recognition flashed in her eyes.
"You're…your Rumple's son," she realized. He nodded. She smiled.
"You found him," she said. He nodded curtly.
"A bit earlier than even I thought I would," he replied.
"Which is thanks to me again," Regina claimed.
"Yeah…after you kidnapped Snow, had Jefferson take her to New York to do God knows what, and because she got away and happened to run into Neal, is the actual reason we found him," Emma corrected. Regina rolled her eyes.
"Details," she murmured.
"So we're clear on the first part of the plan?" David asked. Regina nodded.
"I can go to the station with you and make my statement now. You can turn the paperwork over to the district attorney in the morning and the charges against Emma should be dropped by noon tomorrow," Regina said.
"Great…let's go," Snow replied, as Merryweather turned back for a moment.
"Wait…do you have any books on fairy history?" she asked.
"What makes you think I have a book about fairies?" he asked.
"Because you hate fairies…you've done your research on them and the name Blackwater seems familiar. I'd like to figure out where I've heard it before," she replied. He nodded and selected a large book from his collection.
"You're a fairy?" Belle asked. Merryweather smiled.
"I was, back in our land. If not for Blue's treachery, I would have been Snow's fairy Godmother and things might be very different. But I'm here for her now. Thank you," she said, as she turned to leave and followed the others to the station, leaving Belle and Rumple time to talk…