See chapter 1 for summary. Thanks for all the amazing reviews! Keep them coming! Sorry the update on this one took so long. Please review and let me know what you think! Here's individual responses:
Ghostwriter: Thanks, glad you liked the twists and that you're enjoying!
Grace5231973: Glad you liked seeing Owen and Kurt and Cleo as well! I know, I hated that Tink did that too. Pan is a scourge. Hopefully they can find Neal again. Glad you're enjoying! :)
Jennifer Baratta: Thanks!
Sexystarwarslover: I know, I don't get this one updated as often as I'd like to. Yeah, the fact that Pan wanted them free doesn't bode well at all. Yeah, Emma wanted Bae to stick around. Hopefully they'll find each other again. I know, all the kids are precious! Yep, Kurt and Owen appear again and yes, Snowing has been busy for sure. Yep, Cleo Fox has made an appearance! And David can find anyone for sure! Glad you're enjoying!
AnonSnowing: I hope they find Bae soon too. Yeah, Emma calls them ankle biters, even though she's not too much older than a few of them. Yes, David does have that in common with Bae. They definitely had more in common than David did with Hook. Yep, Pan is up to no good, as usual. Yep, they are off to the Land Without Magic again. Yes, he forced Tink to chase them off so Henry can be born. Yeah, the aging process is slowed for mermaids in this story. Yep, Snowing has been busy and can't keep their hands off each other. Snowing are very good at finding people. Yep, David has a new job! Glad you're enjoying!
Mysterious Fathoms Below
Chapter 9: A New Life
The years passed quickly, as David excelled in his job of a bail bondsman, alongside Cleo Fox. She had been in the business a long time and was immediately amazed at his uncanny ability for finding people. Unfortunately, without much to go on, they had yet to find the young boy he was really looking for. And as the years passed, he knew that young boy was probably nearing adulthood by now, as was his own daughter.
For the most part, they had settled nicely into the Land Without Magic for a second time. They settled into a small coastal town in Maine, with a house on the water and fairly secluded a few miles from the nearest town. It allowed them plenty of time in the water, while maintaining their lives on the mainland.
David was successfully running Cleo's east coast operation, while she ran the west coast operation out of Portland, Oregon. He traveled some to assist her with difficult cases, but was home most of the time, much to Snow's and his children's liking.
Since they settled down almost six years ago, the kids had settled as well. They were a normal family to everyone in town, traditional and tight knit and no one was any the wiser about their magical secret. The kids loved their school and had lots of friends. Snow loved working at the local daycare with small children, caring for them and teaching the preschoolers, while David worked in Cleo's office she kept there as the hub for the eastern seaboard. Their reputation was good enough that those from bigger cities often sought them out to find people instead of the firms in the cities.
That afternoon, he arrived home to find his family playing in the water on a warm, sunny summer day. It brought a smile to his face, as he watched their older children play in the water. Emma was almost eighteen now and he could hardly believe it. Ben was fourteen and the twins, Hunter and Rose were twelve. Perhaps the most incredible vision though was his wife, as she sat in the surf, her brilliant white mermaid tail splashing in the water and her long raven hair cascading down her back. He watched the way her beautiful face lit up, as their youngest ones swam around in the shallow water with her. Their cherub faces made his heart soar as much as hers did, as their three-year-old daughter, Astrid, swam around her mother and their baby son, Jackson, clung to Snow while splashing in the water. A lot of people thought they were crazy for having seven kids, but neither of them would change it for the world. A large family is what they both had always wanted and it was all the joy they could have imagined and more.
"Daddy!" Astrid called, as she flipped her lilac colored tail and swam toward the surf.
"Look Jack...Daddy's home," Snow cooed, as their son called out to him too. He smiled and looked around. When he saw that no one was around, per usual on their small property, he shed his shirt and walked into the water, before removing the pendant around his neck. His red tail appeared and he put his arms around Snow, as their lips met in a passionate kiss.
They were unaware though of the photos being snapped of them from afar…
"Okay...yeah, this sounds like a big job though. I'm going to need to call in my partner to help. The fees will be significant," Cleo said, from her office in Portland.
"This one has skipped bail twice and has stashed some really pricey watches from Phoenix in Portland. Your fees will be covered and you'll be well compensated," the man assured.
"Okay...I'll be in touch," she replied, as he ended the call and then made a call to David.
"Well...there's my favorite family," a woman said, as they entered the town diner that evening. Her name was Betty and since they had come to town, they had been her favorite customers. She loved children, so naturally, she got excited every time they came to the diner. She always made sure the large circular booth was available for them to sit in and promptly fetched the highchair for little Jack.
"Thanks Betty," Margaret, as she was known to the town, said, as she put the baby in the highchair.
"I see you lot when swimming again today. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were all half fish," she mentioned. Snow and David shared a secret smile, while the kids giggled.
"We do love the water…" David agreed, as they failed to notice the two men spying them from another table.
"I'll get your orders in right away," she said.
"Are you sure?" one man said, as they observed the attractive couple and their brood of equally attractive children.
"I'm telling you...I know what I saw. The kids...they walked into the water and then they had tails. The parents...they removed something from around their necks once they were in the water and then they had fish tails too," the other man said.
"You sound crazy," the first man accused.
"I know...but I snapped some photos and they're developing right now back in my darkroom," he said.
"Fine...let's go. If you are right...then we are looking at a fortune to the right buyer," he replied, as he looked at the family.
"A family of mermaids...we'll be swimming in money," he said deviously.
Their food was delivered promptly and they enjoyed their meal together as a family. As they were finishing, David's phone rang and he answered.
"Hey Cleo…" he answered.
"Portland, Oregon?" he asked, as he listened to her.
"Okay…we'll see you there," he replied, as he hung up the phone.
"You have a case?" Snow asked.
"Yeah, this time all the way in Oregon. It's a big payday," David replied.
"That's so far away," she mentioned. He smiled.
"I know, that's why she suggested that we make a family trip out of it. We can drive across the country and then you and the kids can have fun in Portland while I'm working," he replied. She smiled.
"Oh, that sounds perfect!" Snow gushed.
"Do they have an ocean in Portland?" Hunter asked.
"They sure do. It's a different ocean and a bit further from the city, but we'll find it," he promised, as the kids all got excited at the prospect of a family trip together.
Neal watched the cops at the corner and cursed inwardly. He had really done it this time. The watches he stole for a quick profit had backfired. He thought that skipping town in Phoenix was enough to take the heat off, but it had caught up to him in Portland. And now he was trapped. He was going to need some serious help escaping to Canada without being caught and right now, he had no means to do so. That meant laying low for a while and hoping they didn't find him.
Since escaping Neverland and landing in this new place, things had not been good. He avoided the system, not wanting anything to do with any foster families and had been living mostly on the streets for the last few years. He stole to get by and hated it, but it was the only way to stay alive. Sometimes, even Neverland and dodging Pan was better than this land. He went the other way and hoped that found a way to escape soon or he would be going to prison for a very long time.
He had been convinced by the photos and now he and his new partner watched the family pack their van for a family trip.
"Did you get a hold of your boss?" the portly man asked.
"Yes...and the Madam was very interested in the photos you took. She wants them," the thin man replied.
"Then we're going to have to follow them. Looks like a family trip," the portly one said.
"Don't worry, the Madam is wiring me the funds for anything needed. She wants us to bring them to Seattle once we have them," the thin one replied.
"Well…I heard they're headed for Oregon. That won't be far to go once we get them," the portly one said.
"Then this will be the beginning of a beautiful partnership, Jasper," he said, addressing his new partner.
"Indeed it will, Horace,"
"Well...we're all packed and ready," Snow said, as she came out of the house with the baby in her arms.
"Okay...and I've got the route all mapped out," he said, as they shared a kiss. He smiled at her, as she put the baby in his car seat and buckled him in, before they both got into the front seat.
"Wow...you plotted out all the beaches along the way," Snow gushed, as she looked over their route.
"Of course...we may have to drive there, but I made sure there will be plenty of water time for this family," he replied, as they kissed again, before he put the van in gear and they began their journey…