Premise: During chapter 148, the Final Battle, Snow and Charming run into Ratigan. Charming recalls arresting him and Snow tells him that he did when Emma was fifteen, because Ratigan was experimenting with mind control drugs. This is that story.
It is 1999. Emma is fifteen and sophomore in High School and the twins are five and in Kindergarten. Everyone's memories were returned five years earlier, but many of the effects of the curse on the town are still in effect. This short story will be a few chapters long.
I will also take requests for Finding You Always short stories that you'd like to see of times or events that we did not see in the epic story.
Face claims relevant to this story:
Abby Ross: teenage Emma
Young Bailee Madison: five-year-old Eva
Young Johnathan Taylor Thomas: five-year-old Leo
David Tennant: Professor Ratigan
Donald Sutherland: Professor Frollo
Michael Emerson: Lester Batting (Fidget)
A Rat in Storybrooke: A Finding You Always story
Chapter 1: A Devious Plot
Beakers full of colored liquids boiled over their Bunsen burners and a man in a white lab coat that could be described as a greasy character, though it wasn't nice, looked on in wonder. He was sure he had it this time and if he did, it would change everything. He turned the nozzle on the end of the tube and let the liquid fill a vile, before he held it up and looked at it.
"Fidget!" he called, as a twitchy man came into the room.
"I told you my name is Lester…not Fidget," the man said.
"You're an addict, Fidget and if you want paid so you can snort more poppy dust, you'll let me call you whatever I want," the man said.
"Whatever you say, doc," he said.
"I'm a Professor…not a doctor," the man snapped. Fidget smirked. It was a touchy subject with the Professor. He had been kicked out of school before finishing his doctorate for testing his wild concoctions on students.
It's time for testing," he said, as he presented the vial to the squirmy man and then showed him the wad of cash. Fidget sighed and nodded, as he took the vial and swallowed the liquid. The Professor watched, as the man twitched violently, but then his eyes glazed and he went still.
"Fidget?" he questioned.
"Yes Professor Ratigan," the man answered.
"I want you to do something for me, Fidget," he said.
"Anything Sir…I'm at your command," Fidget replied. It worked. After years of failing to recreate his work that he had done with robotics, he gave up on it since the technology here was nothing like he had once worked on with the Collector.
He had decided to venture into chemistry then since he was forced to teach it to a bunch of brats and had started to experiment with mind control substances and it looked as though he had finally done it. He would have to give Fidget a few tests to perform to be sure, but if he followed orders, then he could proceed with his plan. It wasn't as good as a robotic army, but a human army made up of the entire town would be enough to oust Snow White from her power and then he would rule Storybrooke. Without magic, they couldn't stop him.
"Fidget…for now, you'll go acquire this list of substances. Madam Medusa knows how to get her hands on more of what we need to make more potions just like the one you took," Ratigan said.
"Yes Professor Ratigan," he said, as he left to carry out his orders. If Fidget completed this task successfully, then it would be time to move on to the next phase…
The sun slowly began to peak through the blinds and Snow rolled over to bury her face in the pillow. She felt David stir beside her and knew he would be getting up for early patrol soon. The last five years had gone very fast and had been filled with very happy times. Snow felt that they had finally reached that happy bliss without the danger they had always craved. Rumpelstiltskin still insisted that the Final Battle was ahead once Emma turned twenty-eight, but it was a subject that was far from their minds these days.
Emma was only fifteen and the twins were five. With family life and their jobs and Mayor and Sheriff of Storybrooke, they kept very busy, while still eeking out plenty of time for each other.
She climbed to her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, while placing sensual kisses along his ear and neck, as he sat on the edge of the bed.
"Come back to bed…" she purred. He smirked.
"You know I'd love nothing more, but if I do, morning patrol will never get done," he said. She sighed.
"You're right…even Storybrooke needs policing I suppose," she said.
"I won't say no to some company in the shower though," he replied, with a wry grin. She smiled and bit her bottom lip.
"Mmm…lead the way, handsome," she hummed, as he took her hand and they hurried into the master bathroom.
Much later, they exited their bedroom, dressed for the day and were not surprised to see the twins up and playing in the living room, while Graham sat with them.
"Morning babies," Snow called to them, as they got up to greet their parents. David let Graham out into the backyard to do his business, while the twins climbed into their chairs at the table, while Snow and David started making a quick breakfast.
"Mom…can we have pop-tarts for breakfast?" Leo asked. Snow sighed.
"You know the answer to that one, mister," she said, as David put scrambled eggs and toast in front of them both.
"Sorry kid…you know Mom doesn't let us eat those," Emma said in a sleepy voice, as she sat down at the table.
"Then how come you have some in your bedside table?" Leo asked, causing David to swallow a laugh with a suspicious cough.
"You squirts need to stay outta my room," she said in a grumpy tone.
"Relax Emma…I know about your stash of sugary junk in your room," Snow said, as she put breakfast in front of her. David got plates for them and they sat down with their kids.
"Oh…" Emma said sheepishly. She sometimes forgot that having real parents that loved her meant that they also paid attention to everything about her as well.
"So…can I have some?" Leo asked.
"No," Emma, Snow, and David said simultaneously. Leo huffed and pouted, as he ate his breakfast. He had the same sweet tooth and taste for junk food as his big sister, but was regularly denied too much of it, unlike Emma, who had a bit more freedom.
Snow and David shared an amused glance, as they finished up breakfast. David cleared the table and then went to the bedroom. He unlocked the safe they kept in the wall and he took out his holster and firearms, before putting it on.
He came out of the bedroom and grabbed his leather coat, as Snow kissed him at the door.
"Have a good day," she said softly.
"You too," he replied, as they shared another kiss.
"They're they go again," Leo complained.
"Mommies and Daddies kiss, Leo. It's romantic," Eva said.
"It's gross," Leo replied.
"Says the kid that carries frogs around in his pocket and plays in the mud with Graham," Emma teased.
"Boys are what's gross," Eva said. Snow sighed, as the twins bickered. David chuckled.
"I can't tell you how much I love hearing that from her," he mentioned. Snow smirked.
"Enjoy it Charming…it won't last. Someday, she'll like boys, just like her Mommy," she purred.
"Boys, huh?" he asked, as he put his arms around her waist.
"Mmmhmm. Boys become men…handsome, strong men," she replied, as they kissed again, despite their son's gagging noises. She sighed again, as their lips parted.
"He's going to like doing this someday too," he mentioned.
"I know and if they hurt my baby boy, it won't end well for them," she said.
"Okay…say goodbye to Daddy and let's get you dressed and ready for the day," Snow said, as the three of them hugged him and then headed upstairs.
"See you tonight," David called, as he pecked her on the lips again and headed out to the station in the truck. Not long after that, the rest of them piled in Snow's car and she drove them to school, before heading to her office.
"You can't do this!" Ratigan cried in outrage.
"I'm sorry Professor, but as head of the science department, your experiments are highly questionable and I can no longer ignore your erratic behavior," Professor Frollo said.
"You're one to talk! You hate it here too! You feel as underused as I do!" Ratigan ranted.
"Be that as it may, going against the status quo without an escape plan or ensured success is foolhardy," Frollo said.
"Then join me…I have done it this time. I have a mind altering drug that will turn anyone into our willing soldiers. We can lead the entire town against the Charmings and their allies!" Ratigan said. Frollo was silent for a moment, as if contemplating his plan.
"I'm sorry Professor Ratigan, but it's too risky. We are not aging yet so I will continue to bide my time. I have no quarrel with the Charmings and they have none with me," Frollo reasoned.
"However, I will if the Mayor and Sheriff find out that I have evidence that you are experimenting on people with mind altering drugs and I do not report it. Therefore, I am shutting down your lab and terminating your employment," he added.
"You will regret this!" Ratigan seethed, as he stormed out and immediately went to his office to use the phone.
"Fidget…I have your first mission. Meet me at Medusa's," he ordered, as he slammed the phone down and he began packing up his office. He knew Frollo would call the Sheriff's office for a security escort if he did not.
How he hated Storybrooke. He wasn't even from Storybrooke, but his gift as an engineer had attracted the attention of a wealthy philanthropist that boasted the name the Collector. He had shown Ratigan the wonders of Atlantis and employed him for a time to work on a few projects in the incredible underwater wonder.
On one occasion, Ratigan traveled with him to the Enchanted Forest to continue collecting. There had been a rumor that a clue to the mysterious and possibly fabled Cibola had turned up there, but it ended up being a wild goose chase.
Ratigan was going to return to Atlantis at that point to continue perfecting his work with the Collector's advanced robotics technology, but was informed by the Collector that they would be stopping back in London to recruit another young engineer, one by the name of Flaversham. Ratigan remembered Flaversham from his days at the University and had always been jealous of his skills and flabbergasted when Flaversham chose to use his talents for toy making. Ratigan insisted to the Collector that Flaversham wasn't needed, but the Collector disagreed. He said they needed Flaversham's talents and he would be joining them, willingly or not. Ratigan protested and threatened that he would refuse to return if he had to work with the goodhearted toymaker.
The Collector had then surprised him by saying that his skills were then no longer required and he was left behind in the primitive Enchanted Forest, where the only use for skills like his were as a blacksmith.
The youth potions he had brought with him from Atlantis lasted for many years and while it was almost sixty years later before he ran out and began to age, he had grown bitter and burned with revenge. His labor as a blacksmith was backbreaking work and appreciated very little. He craved power and revenge, but had little remedy against the powerful beings in this land, which either had magic or magical assistance.
Then came the Queen's Dark Curse. He had been transported to the little town of Storybrooke with the rest and was a high school science professor. He remained unaware during the curse, but once memories returned, his bitterness did as well.
Being a high school science teacher, especially to the same kids that didn't age, was humiliating. Memories might have returned, but some effects of the curse were still intact.
No matter how many times he taught the same kids the same lessons over the years, the curse continued to stunt the growth of anyone underage. So each year, it was the same students and same lessons. The only difference this year was the presence of Emma Nolan, one of only four children that aged and developed in Storybrooke, the three Charmings and young Alexandra. It was suspected that true love's magic was the reason for this exception as well. Doctor Sakura's father had seen to it that Snow White and Cinderella had both ingested the potion, after all.
Though Snow White expressed her sympathy to her people about the effects of the curse still being in play, there were a few that were angry and bitter about it as well. Not enough to make much difference though. Most understood that it was beyond her control and that forces beyond her control had seen to it that she was able to have children during this time.
For him, he had pleaded with the Mayor before to allow him to leave Storybrooke for the Land Without Magic, saying his skills were wasted here. But she claimed there was no way for them to leave town without losing their memories. He disagreed and knew that the Dark One had ways. He just needed her to ask him, for Rumpelstilskin would laugh him right out of the pawn shop. She had refused and he had tangled briefly with her husband during the altercation.
Flashback - a few weeks ago
"Madam Mayor…I appreciate you trying to protect the citizens of Storybrooke from the outside world, but my skills are wasted here. My expertise is in robotics and engineering and thoroughly wasted here teaching High School chemistry," Ratigan pleaded.
"I'm not unsympathetic to your plight, Professor, but we don't have a way to leave town without consequence. We know that at best, if you cross the town line, you lose your memories, but Regina says there is no way to tell if worse could happen. There's a chance you could be hurt doing so and I can't let that happen," Snow replied.
"Your compassion is appreciated, Madam Mayor, but I know the Dark One has ways around the town line. If you could just talk to him…" he suggested.
"Without magic, I don't think even Rumpelstiltskin can get around it and even if he could, you know he would want to make a deal. He's only willing to do that with people that can offer something to him in return," Snow said. He slammed his fist on her desk, startling her.
"You don't understand! I don't even belong in Storybrooke! I'm not from your primitive land! You must let me go home!" he growled.
"You're…you're from the Land Without Magic?" Snow asked.
"From London…about a hundred years ago. It's a complicated story and I retained my youth for many years, but that's neither here nor there. I belong in the academic world out there. Not here in this backwater, stagnant, technologically challenged spot of a town!" he ranted.
"Professor Ratigan…you will lower your voice," Snow warned.
"Or what?" he challenged her.
"Or I'll toss your ass in jail," David said, as he stood in the doorway with arms crossed. Ratigan sobered. He was under no delusion that the Prince could easily handle him and backed away.
"I'm terribly sorry for losing my temper, Your Majesty. I will be going now," he said, as he walked toward the door. David stepped aside and let him pass, but not without a lethal glare and he scurried out of her office like a rat.
"He will be the first one I sic my army on," Ratigan growled, as he took his stuff to his car and then drove to Medusa's place.
He walked in and found Fidget at the bar, having a drink. He wasn't as twitchy today, which meant he had used the money he was paid for a fix.
"Ah…Professor, what can I get for you?" Madam Medusa questioned, as one of her girls entertained on stage for several patrons.
"Scotch neat," he ordered, as she poured and delivered it to him. He took a small vial of potion and dosed Fidget's drink when he looked away.
"I have a task for you Fidget," he said.
"What are your orders, Professor?" he asked in a monotone voice. Ratigan smirked.
"You're going to deal with a problem for me. Tonight, you're going to go to Professor Frollo's office and you're going to make sure he is not able to talk to the Mayor to tell her what I have done…by any means necessary. You will also smash his computer and set fire to all his files," Ratigan replied.
"Yes Sir…" Fidget answered. Ratigan smirked. Once Frollo was taken care of, he would make sure any termination paperwork was destroyed. One perk of Storybrooke's technology being so behind was that nothing was digital yet and the paperwork process was slow. The Principal wouldn't receive the paperwork until it was processed by her office and her ditzy daughter rarely did her job proficiently. Then once Frollo was dealt with…he would continue with his plan. He would start by giving doses to the students and faculty since he had easy access to the cafeteria. Then he would move onto larger targets, until there was all but chaos in town. Then he would rise to power…