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're enjoying it!
Jennifer Baratta: Thanks!
Grace5231973: Yep, Cruella has entered the picture and Bae is going to get mixed up in it too. Glad you're enjoying!
Sexystarwarslover: Yep, they love the water. Glad you love it. Yep, Emma gets to grow up with her parents and lots of siblings in this verse. Yep, David excels at everything he does. Yep, seven was a typo. It's six kids actually. But a big family nonetheless. Ha yep, if Betty only knew. Unfortunately, someone knows and will be following them on the family trip. Yep, Neal is in trouble and about to be in the mix again. It's looking like the madam may be Cruella so things are probably going to be crazy! Glad you enjoyed it!
AnonSnowing: Yeah, I finally got this one updated. Trying to get these small ones finished up. Yeah, living near water is essential for this family. Yeah, a big family is what they always wanted. I meant six. I don't know why I was thinking seven. Ha, yep, little does Betty know. Unfortunately, someone knows their secret and is following them. Yes, Jackson won't be much older than Henry when we get there. Yep, family trip to Portland! Glad you're enjoying!
Mysterious Fathoms Below
Chapter 10: Peril in Portland
Their cross country trip so far was a rousing success. They had hit many lakes and beaches along the way and the morning after they arrived in Portland, Snow and David took them to a secluded beach they had found a couple hours from the city. It was their first time seeing the Pacific ocean and they were all very excited. After spending the day together as a family, they headed back to Portland and to a park that was near the office David would be working.
Snow kissed him tenderly, as they prepared to say goodbye for a while.
"Go on...we'll be fine, but we'll miss you," Snow assured him.
"I'll miss you too," he said, as he hugged the kids and headed for the office. Snow sat back down with her book, while the kids ran around the park and Emma joined her.
"Hey Mom...can I go get some snacks for me and the squirts?" Emma asked. Snow noticed that there was a convenience store down the block and nodded.
"Okay...but be careful and try to get more than just sugar laden stuff," Snow said, as she handed her some money and shifted the baby in her lap. Emma smiled and headed down the block, while her brothers and sisters continued to play. Jackson whimpered a little and she dug his teething ring out of his back.
"Oh that tooth is giving you trouble, isn't it baby," she cooed, as he watched onto the teething ring.
"Hey Mom...shouldn't Emmy be back by now?" Ben asked. He was right and she started to get concerned.
"Go round up the twins and Astrid. We can all walk down there together," she said. Ben did as she asked and she put Jackson and Astrid in the double stroller, as they left the park together.
Emma browsed the snack aisle and put a few things in her basket. She smiled, as she picked out some gummy bears. Astrid loved gummy bears. She looked ahead and noticed a boy stuffing a box of pop-tarts in his jacket. He turned and saw that she saw what he was doing, but they were both stunned.
"Bae?" she asked in disbelief.
"Emma...how are you here?" he asked.
"Nevermind that...I'll get that for you," she replied, as she grabbed the box from him.
"You don't have to do that," he insisted.
"Do you have any idea how long me and my family have been looking for you?" she asked.
"Why?" he asked, as she picked up a few other things and waited, as she paid for them. Once she took the sack, they exited the store and she handed him the box. He tore open a package and started eating hungrily.
"Because...we thought of you as family and wanted to help you," Emma replied.
"No...you want me to go back to Storybrooke with you and to my Dad!" he cried.
"Would that be so bad?" she asked.
"Yes! Do you know what he did?" he asked.
"Yes...we have the book, remember?" she replied.
"He abandoned me!" Neal insisted.
"And then made sure the curse happened so he could find you," Emma replied.
"And ruined a bunch of people's lives in the process!" he cried.
"But he told my parents that he knew he made a mistake! I mean, doesn't he deserve a second chance?" Emma asked. He was about to retort when two men approached them.
"Not a peep there lass and start moving," the man said, as he showed her a gun in his coat.
"You too, young man," the other man said, as he also showed his weapon.
"Who the hell are you two?" Neal asked.
"Keep walking, boy...or you'll get lead poisoning," Jasper hissed.
"Emma!" Snow called, as she approached with the kids. Horace smirked.
"Well...you've made this really easy for us," he said, as he grabbed Ben by the arm and held a firm hand on him.
"You'll follow along with all the brats, beautiful or I'll pick a few of them off," he threatened.
"Excuse me?" Snow asked dangerously.
"Do it...or I rip that necklace off your pretty neck and all of Portland will know your secret," he warned. She gasped, wondering how he could know, so she followed them, afraid they would make good on their threat or hurt one of her children.
Once they arrived at an abandoned dock, they were all tied up, except for the little ones, who were frightened by now.
"Shut that brat up!" Jasper snapped, as she did her best to soothe him, even with tied hands.
"He's frightened...lower your voice!" Snow snapped, as Horace looked through her phone.
"Okay...we're going to call the hubby now and then the Madam will be along to meet her catch," Horace said.
"Who is the Madam?" Neal asked.
"Nevermind kid...you're not a part of the plan, but since you seem important to blondie here, you're still alive. But that can change," Horace threatened, as he dialed David and put the phone to Snow's ear.
David looked through the documents that Cleo had collected.
"So...Neal Cassidy. He jumped a huge bail in Phoenix and now he's been spotted here in Portland?" he asked. Cleo nodded.
"Both the Phoenix PD and Portland PD are clamoring over who gets him. Phoenix wants him for stealing twenty grand in pricey watches. Here in Portland, it's petty stuff mostly, so Phoenix hired us. Either way, we get the payday and their district attorneys can fight over who gets to prosecute," she answered. David squinted, as he looked at the grainy photo of the culprit.
"This is the best photo they have?" he asked. She nodded.
"He's young...but he's good. Knows where all the cameras are and how to avoid them," she replied.
"Okay...well, if he's sticking to petty stuff, we should canvas the convenience stores and the grocery stores," he said.
"Agreed," she replied, as they prepared to head out when he got a call on his cell phone.
"David!" Snow cried, before someone else was speaking.
"She's a lovely lass...a spitfire too," a man said in what sounded like a British accent.
"Who the hell are you and where is my wife?" he demanded to know.
"My name isn't important, mate...but I am enjoying the company of your lovely woman and your noisy brats. Six is quite a brood...but then I guess I wouldn't be able to control myself with a fetch like her," the man said.
"If you touch one hair on her head or any of my children…" he growled.
"You're not in the position to make threats...Mr. Nolan and you'd do yourself well to hold your tongue. I know your secrets, mate. I've seen the...tails and I have the proof," he said. David went pale at that and swallowed thickly.
"What do you want?" he growled.
"Come to the Highland Docks tonight at nine pm...it's an old defunct dock on the east side of the city. No cops...or me and my partner will have some fun with your gorgeous wife, if you get my drift," he said.
"I'll be there...but touch them and I'll be your worst nightmare," David warned, as he hung up the phone.
"What's going on?" Cleo asked.
"Someone has S...Margaret and the kids. They want me to come to the Highland docks tonight. No cops or they're going to hurt them," David replied.
"For what? Why would they take your family?" she asked. David didn't know who they were, but he knew that they had somehow seen them in their other form.
"I don't know...but I have to go," he replied.
"I'm going with you," she insisted. He was about to protest, but she put her hands up.
"David...I know you and your wife have secrets. I've been an investigator for a long time. Whatever it is...it's safe with me," she assured him. He sighed.
"Okay...but you'll have to believe it to see it," he said, as he put his jacket on. She got hers and they headed out. Their search for Neal Cassidy would have to wait...or so they thought.
Snow had finally gotten the little ones to quiet down and she glared at their captors, before turning her attention to Emma and Baelfire.
"We've been looking for you for a long time, Bae," she whispered.
"So Emma told me...but you shouldn't have," he replied.
"We care about you, sweetheart...and I know that your father did some really terrible things. But he does love you," Snow said. He opened his mouth to retort, but she put her hand up to stop him.
"Hear me out," she requested and he remained silent.
"Before David and I had kids, I wouldn't have understood what he had done, because I would have sworn that I wouldn't have done anything remotely close to the things he had done, even for a child," she said, pausing for a moment.
"But then I became a mother and David became a father and that completely changed. I would do anything for my children...and I mean anything if I had to, even bad things, I'm afraid. When it comes to our kids, we would act in the moment and think about our actions later. It's just what a parent does and it makes us very imperfect," she continued.
"And someday, you'll understand that. And maybe, just maybe you'll be ready to give him a second chance then," Snow said, giving him something to think about.
"Right this way, Madam," Horace said and she stiffened at that, as she could hear the clicking of high heels on the floor.
"Well, well...long time no see, Snow White," the woman said and the raven haired beauty was shocked to see the woman before them.
"Mom...do you know her?" Ben asked.
"Mummy huh? My, my, that gorgeous husband of yours has been busy," she purred.
"Cruella De Vil…" Snow said, spitting the name in disgust.
"In the flesh...or fur, rather," she said, as she ran her hands over the monstrosity she was wearing.
"Do you like it? It's my newest purchase," she said, referring to the black and white mink coat she was wearing.
"Why...or how are you here?" Snow demanded to know.
"I could ask you the same thing...though I think I'm about to find out," she said, as she looked at Horace.
"Show me," she requested, as the man advanced on her. She shied away, but he ripped her necklace off.
"No!" she cried, as there was a poof and her legs became a brilliant white mermaid tale.
"So...that's how you and chisel chin escaped the curse," she realized, as she admired her tale.
"A curse?" she asked. Snow glared at her.
"At first…" she answered.
"Ah...then you saw the value in this magic. Tell me though, how did you get your hubby cursed with this?" she asked.
"Our story is none of your business, but if you must know, Charming found me even though I was cursed and had no voice," Snow replied indignantly.
"Yeah and Daddy gave Mommy true love's kiss!" Rose added and then got shy, as the woman's eyes raked toward her.
"Then why do you still have a tail?" Cruella asked.
"Because the Pink fairy told us that we could use true love's kiss to restore me to my human form...or she could use the reverse and make Charming like me...make us both this way. I thought by doing that and escaping that Regina would give up on her revenge," Snow replied. Cruella snorted.
"Well, she didn't," she said.
"I know...how did you escape the curse?" Snow asked curiously. Cruella smirked.
"I have my ways," she said, as Jasper suddenly hit the ground, unconscious.
"Oh good...it's about to get interesting. Come out, dahling...and careful with your movements. I have everything important to you in grave peril," she called. David emerged from the shadows.
"Ooohhh...you are certainly a treat for the eyes," she gushed.
"Cruella?" he asked in disbelief.
"The one and only," she replied.
"What do you want?" he demanded to know.
"Well...as someone who has found a family of mermaids, I could make a fortune, while the lot of you would end up in some circus somewhere," she replied.
"You're going to sell us?" Emma asked in horror. Cruella cackled, as Cleo emerged beside David, her eyes wide at what she was seeing.
"Your wife…" she uttered.
"Yeah…" David said. While he knew it was overwhelming information for Cleo, he had a feeling he could still trust her.
"Just let my family go! You're not making any money off us," he said.
"No...actually that's not why I need you anyway. But if you'd like to keep them breathing, you will all board this yacht with me and take me to Storybrooke," Cruella replied.
"You want to go to Storybrooke?" Snow asked.
"Yes...mummy is in a bit of trouble, you see. The man I married in this land is dripping with money, but he was just indicted by the Feds for fraud and if I don't escape, I'll be going to prison too. But in Storybrooke...I'll be safe," she replied.
"You're worse than Regina...why would we lead you right to Storybrooke?" David asked. Cruella smirked and Horace cocked the gun in his hand.
"Because if you don't...my associate is going to make a terrible mess out of your beloved wife," Cruella threatened. David put his hands up and Cleo did as well. Jasper, who was coming around, frisked them both and confiscated their handguns.
"Now...shall we be on our way? It's a smooth ride on my husband's yacht and it has all the amenities," Cruella said.
"I can't walk without my necklace," Snow replied. Cruella motioned to David.
"No funny business or bullets fly," she said. He picked her and the baby up in his arms and they shared a torn look. He carried them onto the ship, while their children, Baelfire, and Cleo were taken hostage as well. It would be a long trip to Maine and there was no telling what havoc Cruella would unleash on a cursed, unsuspecting Storybrooke...