Hello everyone! I can't believe it's been almost two weeks since I've updated. (Let's hope that never happens again) My cousin was in town for a week and I just started a new job, and add in some Writer's Block and well you get a two week wait. But, I already have chapter 7 planned out. This chapter and the next chapter cover the events of "The Shepherd". I decided to divide it up rather than have a 10 or 11 thousand word chapter. I also decided to skip the events of "That Still Small Voice" for now, but I do have plans to incorporate that storyline at a later time. As always, feel free to ask any questions via reviews or PM or on tumblr at captainswanapproved.

I hope you enjoy this chapter. Reviews are magical.

Chapter 6

Mary Margaret stepped into Granny's diner and wandered over to the counter. It was so strange to see some of the dwarves, Red, Granny, and other familiar faces from their old life. They had no idea who they were and no idea what had been done to them, or taken from them.

"Hi. I'm Ruby," Ruby said, coming up to her.

"I'm Sn—Mary Margaret," Snow replied, a hollow feeling settling in her stomach. She missed her friend and wanted nothing more than to pull her into her arms and hug her but she couldn't. Red didn't even remember her anymore.

"I heard you work in Mr. Gold's shop." Ruby smiled at her. "It's not often that I meet someone new, not in this town anyway. What can I get for you?"

Mary Margaret wasn't quite used to her newfound freedom. Twenty-eight years being locked in Regina's cell hadn't given her much experience in this new land. Sure, it hadn't felt like twenty-eight years, but Mary Margaret knew the truth of the matter.

"What would you recommend?" she finally asked her old friend.

"The house special," Ruby told her. "It has bacon, eggs, toast, the works. It's really good."

"Then I'll have the house special and some coffee."

"Great," Ruby said, turning to place the order.

The bell tinkled behind her as the door opened and Snow's heart skipped a beat when her eyes fell on the person who had just entered the diner. Here he was. David Nolan. And his name, his real name, the name she was calling him in their real life was almost slipping over her tongue. He was her husband. He was Prince Charming and it tore at her heart that he had no idea who she was.

He smiled and came over to her. "You're the one who saved me," he said with a friendly smile. "Mary Margaret, right?"

"Yes," Snow replied, forcing a smile on her lips. "How are you feeling?"

"The headache finally went away," David told her. "You know, I never really thanked you properly. How about I buy you dinner tonight?"

"And your wife wouldn't mind?"

"No. Lately, I'm out most nights."

Snow bit her lip and tried to push down the niggling feeling of guilt. She had missed him so much over the years, and really, it could be innocent. It had to be until the curse was broken. It was the right thing to do. "Sure. I'll meet you here at seven."

"Great." David grinned, turning around to place his order, hurrying out of the diner without giving her another glance the moment he had his coffee in hand.

Snow knew she would have to tread carefully where David was concerned. This whole situation was a mess. She wasn't even sure when she would be able to see her daughter. Her husband didn't remember her, and Regina was walking around as if she hadn't a care in the world, taking pleasure in manipulating the former citizens of the Enchanted Forest.

Quite honestly, Snow had no idea where to begin in order to fix this whole situation.

Emma held up the uniform and wrinkled her nose. "Really? A tie? You know you don't have to dress a woman as a man to give her authority?"

Graham raised a brow. "So, Deputy, you think you can get people to do what you want in that red jacket?"

"Of course. I can get Jones to do what I want, and I'm getting you to do what I want right now. I'm not wearing this."

"Well, Killian Jones is one of the more stubborn residents in Storybrooke. So have it your way. You don't have to wear the uniform," Graham said. "However, at least wear the badge. It's regulation."

Emma took the proffered badge and clipped it onto the waistband of her jeans.

"It looks good on you, Emma."

Emma raised a brow. Graham was shy and sweet. If she didn't know any better, she'd think that he had a crush on her. Well, she'd have to shut that down. She didn't come to Storybrooke looking for a relationship, and even if she had, the sheriff wouldn't have been her first choice.

Emma pushed away the cocky smirk and shining blue eyes that had come to mind. Why was it that he was always there in the corner of her mind?

"So what did you do that Jones doesn't approve of?" she asked, recalling a previous conversation.

Graham shifted nervously. "He doesn't approve of my relationship," he said averting his gaze.

"That seems rather petty," Emma observed.

"Look, my relationship with Jones isn't really important," Graham deflected. "I'll show you the ropes."

When Emma got back to the apartment she found Henry waiting for her. "Henry, what are you doing here? Does Regina know?"

"No. She's at another council meeting and won't be back until six. Something important happened. It has to do with Operation Cobra."

Emma shrugged off her jacket and glanced at Killian who just nodded encouragingly, flashing her a brief smile. However, she could recognize a mask when she saw one. Something was bothering Killian and she furrowed her brows, wondering why it came so easy to her to read him.

"All right, kid, spill." She turned around to Henry, focusing her attention on her son.

"Killian might be getting his memories back," Henry told her without hesitation.

Emma raised a brow and glanced from her son to Killian. This didn't make any sense. The curse wasn't real. However, now was not the time to strip her son of his fantasy, not when he seemed so sure of himself, and Killian wouldn't lie to her, or her son for that matter. He'd already proven that.

"Really, what did you see?" she asked.

"A hook," Killian admitted, "I had a dream. It was nothing really."

Emma could see the discomfort fall onto his features and she knew that this wasn't the whole story. Henry was looking at him with pointed curiosity, and so much hope. Even though this wasn't real, they would have to humor him.

"That's not all is it," Emma pressed.

Killian shook his head. "There was a lot of blood, and someone yelled 'Captain'. That's it."

Henry's eyes lit up. "Maybe you were Captain Hook? Emma, this is a break through. It means the curse is weakening. Now besides deciding to stay and move in with Killian, did you do anything else that might have triggered this?"

"Henry—" Emma said doubtfully, her cheeks turning red as she remembered the press of his lips against hers. Her gaze flew to Killian and she mouthed, "Help me".

"Lad," Killian jumped in, glancing at the clock. "You had better get home. Regina will be back shortly."

Henry glanced at the clock. He hadn't realized that it was so late.

"Okay, I'm going to go, but you two should try and figure out what might have triggered this." Henry told them, hugging Emma before hurrying out of the apartment.

"That was a close call," Emma said, once the door slammed shut.

Killian leveled a serious gaze on her. "Emma, we can't keep our dalliance a secret from Henry forever. He's going to keep asking questions."

"You don't really believe you are Captain Hook, do you?" Emma asked, sounding incredulous, ignoring his comment on purpose.

"I don't know what I saw," Killian replied, confusion clearly visible in his eyes, "but you have to admit that it is quite curious that this happened right after we kissed. I never remember my dreams, love."

"Killian—this whole thing is crazy. You can't be Captain Hook. You've seen the movies."

"I would look terrible with a perm and a waxed moustache," Killian said with a smirk, before his expression turned serious. "What happened to keeping your mind open?"

"It's a little hard to do that when your son thinks that you just moved in with a notorious pirate captain."

"I prefer dashing," Killian joked. "Well, perhaps if we try it again, things will become clearer."

Emma raised a brow. "Nice try, buddy," she deadpanned.

"You can hardly blame a man for trying."

Snow thrummed her fingers against the table, glancing anxiously at the door. She shouldn't be this nervous about seeing her husband. Perhaps the issue was that he didn't remember her, or the love they shared. What was worse is that she couldn't do anything about it or else be labeled as a home wrecker by the whole town, as Gold had cautioned her. He had dropped by, saying that he'd heard about her date.

The bell chimed and Snow whipped her head around, the nervous smile on her face only growing when she saw David walking in, her heart slamming into her throat. He really looked good in this world's clothing. He was wearing jeans and a blue button up that matched his eyes, complete with a leather jacket. His longer hair was a little bit ruffled from the evening breeze and his cheeks were tinged with pink from the brisk evening. At that moment she wanted nothing more than to run into his arms and kiss him senseless. After nearly three decades apart she needed it. But she couldn't. He was cursed. He thought he was married to another woman, and Snow wasn't about to tell him that he'd been living a lie for the past twenty-eight years. Not yet. He wouldn't believe her anyway, and she couldn't blame him.

He grinned at her when he sat down across from her. "Hey, you look really nice tonight, Mary Margaret. "

"So do you," she smiled and just like that she felt flustered, something that she hadn't felt since they had first met. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and Snow had to remind herself that this was just a harmless dinner.

Just then, Ruby came up to their table and handed them a couple of menus. "Drinks?"

"Just water for now, Ruby," David said as he opened his menu. "So what sounds good?"

"I'm not sure. This is only my second time here."

David stared at her, tilting his head. "So where were you all these years?"

"I didn't leave the house," Snow told him, fumbling over the words of her rehearsed back-story. She didn't like the thought of lying to David but had no other choice. "I lived in a cottage at the edge of the woods."

"And that's how you found me," David nodded, sending her a crooked smile. "Thank god you did, otherwise who knows what might have happened. So do you still live there?"

"No. I just moved into an apartment by Mr. Gold's shop. I'm working there now. Mr. Gold has been very kind to me. He's a distant relative of mine."

David nodded, as Ruby came up to them with their waters. "Have you decided what you'd like?"

"We'll have a couple of burgers and some fries," David ordered.

"Coming right up," Ruby replied, grinning down at them broadly before she sashayed away.

"So, enough about me," Snow said, the moment Ruby was out of earshot. "Tell me about yourself."

"There's not much to tell," David shrugged his shoulders but continued. "I work at the animal shelter, and when I'm not working I try to find ways to stay out of the house. My wife and I are going through a difficult time," he admitted, not even hesitating to divulge his marital issues to her.

"I'm so sorry," she replied softly, trying her best to sound sincere even though she desperately wanted to tell him the truth.

"It's no one's fault I suppose. We haven't been happy in a very long time. Our good moments don't even seem real. Sometimes I wonder how we ever ended up together." David's eyes snapped up to hers when he realized exactly what he was saying. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be complaining about my marriage, especially to you."

"It's okay," Snow said, biting her lip, and sighing with relief when Ruby arrived with their food.

They chatted casually as they ate, well, as casually as two people could when one was cursed and the other wasn't. Snow found that she loved this cursed version of David almost as much as his real self. He had an easy manner about him. At one point, his fingers crept across the table and laced together with hers and Snow flinched at the contact and slipped her hand out of his.

"Is something the matter?" he asked, pausing his story about a dog that had escaped, not even realizing that he had holding her hand just a second ago.

Snow looked up at him and saw the concern in his blue eyes. This was oh so wrong. This whole situation was a mess. She blinked. "No, it's just getting late and I should probably be getting home."

David nodded and called for the check which Ruby swiftly delivered and he laid a few bills on the table. "Can I walk you home?"

Mary Margaret hesitated before nodding. They fell into step together as they headed for her apartment. The air was tense around them.

"So, it's my birthday in a few days," David broke the silence. "We're having a party at my house. Will you come?"

"I don't think that would be a good idea," Snow replied, forcing herself to stare at her shoes. Being alone with him was difficult enough, but watching him with Kathryn at his side would be like a knife in the gut. Although she had nothing against her personally, the thought of David being with anyone else was wrong and painful.

She nearly jumped back when his hand enveloped hers. "Please, it would mean the world to me."

"David," she said, "I don't think Kathryn would like it. "

"You saved my life," he insisted, inching closer, "but it's more than that. Tonight is the first time I've felt truly happy in years. You're the only thing that feels real in this whole place. What I had with Kathryn never felt real. It's like we don't belong with each other. But with you, it's different. From the moment I saw you looking down at me, I felt something."

"David—" Snow stammered, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes but the press of his lips against hers cut off any other words she might have said.

She leaned into the kiss and it felt like coming home. His fingers tangled themselves into her dark hair as he pulled her closer. Her arms snaked around his neck and she clung to him for dear life, kissing him with all the passion that had lain dormant for nearly three decades. When they pulled apart they were both breathless, and hope rose up in her chest.

"Do you remember?" she panted, pressing her hands against his chest.

"Do I remember what?"

Snow features crumbled and she scolded herself for having even a flicker of hope. True Love's Kiss wouldn't be enough to break this curse. Not when he couldn't even remember her.

"Mary Margaret?" he said, his voice soft.

"I—We—shouldn't have done that," she answered quickly, pushing away from him. "I have to go."

Then without anything else, without giving him another glance, she turned away from him and hurried into her apartment, ignoring David as he called her name.

She slammed her door and leaned against it, not caring about the tears that were streaming down her face. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Her heart ached as she sunk to the floor. In that moment she hated Regina for everything that she had done.

David Nolan spent the next day with his thoughts consumed by Mary Margaret Blanchard. It was as if the sensation of her lips against his was burned permanently into his memory.

On his way out he had kissed Kathryn, but it had felt wrong. As he cared for the animals that day, he could think only of the stories he'd told Mary Margaret at dinner, and how her eyes lit up when she laughed.

Each moment from the night before was vivid and beautiful and he wanted nothing more than to see her again. The only thing keeping him from going straight to Mr. Gold's shop was the memory of the tears burning in her eyes before she had left him standing alone in the dark. He'd called her name, but she'd run from him.

David never would have imagined that he would be the kind of man who would cheat on his wife, but his many years with Kathryn paled in comparison to the single night he'd spent with Mary Margaret, and he knew that this feeling wouldn't go away.

David walked into Killian's classroom a few minutes after he had dismissed his students, desperately needing to talk to someone and he knew Killian Jones was the only person he could trust.

"David, what are you doing here?" Killian asked, glancing up from his desk.

"Can we talk?"

"Of course," Killian replied as David sat on one of the desks.

"What's wrong?"

"I did something last night, something wrong," David told him.

Killian raised a brow, but pressed him to continue.

"Have you met Mary Margaret Blanchard yet? She works at Mr. Gold's shop."

"She's the one who saved you, isn't she?"

David nodded.

"I haven't met her yet," Killian said.

"Well, I bought her dinner last night to thank her, and then I walked her home and I kissed her," David said, the words coming out in a rush.

Killian blinked in surprise, knowing that if Henry was right his mate was Prince Charming and Ms. Blanchard was Snow White and he supposed it was natural for them to feel drawn to each other, but he'd never have guessed that David would do anything about it, at least not so soon.

"Say something," David urged.

Killian sighed. "What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know," David admitted. "You're the only person I could tell. You know how unhappy I've been with Kathryn over the past few years."

"Do you regret it?"

"No," David shook his head. "Lately I've wanted nothing more than to leave. Kathryn and I don't love each other. I'm not sure if we ever really did. But with Mary Margaret, I don't know, something just feels right. It's almost like it was love at first sight, but that's stupid isn't it?"

"A while ago I might've felt the same way, but—" Killian trailed off, a smile curving up his lips as an image of Emma flitted through his mind.

"You feel the same way about Emma Swan, don't you?" Killian swallowed and returned to fumbling with his papers but his friend kept talking. "Bring her to my party on Saturday night, then."

"What?"

"Ask her out. The other night at the diner I saw the way you looked at her. And now she's living with you. Take her to the party. I bet it would be nice for her to meet more people in this town."

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Killian said. "She'd say no."

"Well, Jones, you'll never know unless you try," David teased.

"And what about you?" Killian shot back, trying to steer the conversation away from him and Emma. "I'd say you're in more trouble than I am."

"I asked Mary Margaret to come to my party. If she comes then I will talk to her, until then I think she needs some space. I know it's crazy, but it's like something in my heart is telling me to go after her."

"Well, best of luck, mate. It seems that you'll need it."

After an afternoon at the station Emma wandered into the diner to find it almost empty, save for the dark haired woman who Henry claimed was her mother.

Ruby smiled at her from behind the counter. "What can I get for you?"

"A couple of grilled cheeses to go," Emma ordered, sitting down at the counter a few seats away from Mary Margaret.

The other woman heaved a heavy sigh, and Emma looked up from the paper she'd brought with her.

"Have you ever done something that you know is right, but it still feels wrong?"

"In my experience, if something feels wrong, it is wrong," Emma told her. She could see that something was weighing heavy on the woman's mind, and she felt a strange need to comfort her, so she scooted over.

"Anything you want to talk about? I'm Emma Swan, I'm not sure if you remember me."

The woman's eyes lit up briefly. "Of course I remember you. So you're working at the Sheriff's Station now, aren't you?" she asked, her gaze flickering down to the badge.

"Yes, but I'm off duty, so if what you did was illegal I might be able to look the other way," Emma joked, flashing Mary Margaret a tentative smile.

Mary Margaret smiled back.

"So, what's on your mind?" Emma asked.

"I'm in a bit of a bind," confessed the other woman. "I have feelings for a married man, but it's not supposed to be that way."

Emma tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

Mary Margaret bit her lip, wringing her hands together. "He was never supposed to marry her—" she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Well, let's just say it's complicated. Something happened yesterday, and I want to be with him, but everything is such a mess."

Emma's eyes shone with sympathy. "You're right to be on your guard, you know, and you're right to keep your distance. Getting involved with a married man is never a good idea."

"No, I suppose not," Mary Margaret said sadly.

Ruby arrived with Emma's sandwiches a moment later and Emma reached for her walled, handing her a five-dollar bill before turning back to address the woman sitting next to her again. "You know, Mary Margaret, I'm not great at this girl talk stuff, but if you ever need to talk, I'll be around."

Mary Margaret's smile could have lit up the night sky and she said softly. "Thank you, Emma."

Emma came home to find Killian pacing nervously around the loft.

"Hey," she said, "What's up?"

Killian flashed her a brief smile, before crossing the room. "Well, I have something to ask you, and I'm not quite sure what you'll say."

Emma canted her head to the side. She never though he'd see the day where Killian Jones was actually flustered.

"Shoot."

"Well, my friend David Nolan is having a party on Saturday. It's his birthday. I thought it would be a good opportunity for you to meet some new people."

"Well, I don't really know David. I only met him the one time," Emma said, wondering if this was going to go in the direction she thought it was.

"Perhaps not, but David said I could bring someone, and I was hoping you would accompany me."

Emma held up her hands. "Killian, we talked about this—"

"It would just be as friends," he assured her quickly, moving closer. "It wouldn't be a big deal, just an opportunity for you to meet more people. Regina is co-hosting it with Kathryn, so I'm sure Henry would be there as well."

Emma's expression softened at the mention of her son. "Well, maybe that would be all right. Sure, I'll go with you."

A relieved expression flashed across his face. "Excellent," he said. "Have you already eaten?"

Emma held up the bag. "I brought us a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches," she said, sitting down at the table and motioning for Killian to join her.

"Henry asked if we figured out what might have brought on my dream," Killian told her after biting into his sandwich.

"Henry certainly doesn't give up when it comes to this whole curse thing."

"I'd imagine he gets that from you. You seem like the type who is unwilling to give up on something she cares about."

"Do I?" she asked.

"Aye," Killian replied. "It's a good thing. You're quite passionate, Swan."

Emma felt her cheeks heat up slightly due to his words. "So, what did you say?" she asked, seeking a distraction.

"I told him we didn't have much of an opportunity to speak further about the matter," Killian said, "But one of us will have to tell him what really happened."

"I'm not sure that encouraging this is the best idea." .

"A little bit of advice, love," he said. "When it comes to children, honesty is often the best course of action."

Emma sighed as she finished her food. Killian was right. She couldn't just lie to Henry, and make him feel like he was crazy. He got enough of that from Regina.