They had made a truce that worked. Snow slept in the guest room and he slept in the master room. They had breakfast together and dinner but most of the time it was silent other than asking about the other's day. Snow however was not blind; she saw the calculating look in Rumpelstiltskin's eyes. He was just waiting for something to happen so he could get control.
It was a truce and maybe a VERY uneasy alliance but it wasn't a friendship. Snow didn't feel like Rumpelstiltskin was…a companion. So in the evenings, she would go for long walks around the town after dark and just…think.
She thought about her daughter mostly…and how her child had to grow up alone. The papers said that she'd been bounced through foster homes and Snow heard a rumor that she'd gotten into a bit of trouble when she was younger and went to jail for it but there were no details.
Give Regina time.
Snow bristled at that. Regina would most definitely show Emma's personal life to anyone that would see it. Hadn't she been through enough because of Regina?
Because they sent her through the wardrobe?
Snow felt guilt like she always did when she thought about her decision. She had wanted to give her daughter her best chance but it was becoming more and more clear that it hadn't happened.
Well, what was the alternative then? Leaving her with them? She would've been cursed just like the rest of them and they wouldn't have been together. Regina would've killed her!
Regina would've killed her newborn baby daughter.
Snow hugged herself and walked down the street more slowly. No matter what happened, she couldn't get rid of the memory of her husband bleeding out on the floor…all because of her decision to banish and not execute Regina.
She'd made a mistake….her family was suffering for that mistake…she should've been a leader that day; a leader that made the hard decision that no one envied her making. Not the little 12 year old that wanted Regina's love and approval. She would've felt guilty…and maybe hated herself but she and her daughter and husband would've been together.
Snow didn't think anything of it when she passed the yellow bug and then stopped when she saw a flash of light. At first she thought someone was breaking into her daughter's car but then she saw Emma.
"Hey," Snow said and got her attention, "You okay?"
Emma looked for something to say, "Oh, in the world of tight spots I've been in, crashing in my car doesn't even rank in the top ten."
Snow felt her insides twist up at that. Her fault. Regina's fault…
"You're sleeping here?" she pretended to act shocked but she really wasn't. She had heard that Granny had been forced to kick her out. That depressed Snow as the real Granny would've told Regina where to go if she tried strong-arming her.
"Till I find a place," Emma showed her the newspaper.
"You decided to stay," Snow smiled. She had noted it when she saw that Emma had walked Henry to school but now it seemed a lot more permanent, "For Henry."
"Yeah, I guess," Emma climbed out of the car, "This town doesn't seem to have any vacancies. None, actually. Is that normal?"
Yes, it was. Everyone had their place.
But Snow bit her tongue, "Must be the curse."
Close enough.
"Why are you out so late?"
"Well, despite the rumors, my husband doesn't keep me on a short leash," Snow inwardly cringed at calling Rumpelstiltskin her 'husband'. She was grateful they hadn't had to make any public appearances yet where they had to be together to play the part but that would be ending soon. Rumpelstiltskin had asked her when she wanted to 'practice' to make it believable but Snow put it off. Rumpelstiltskin didn't ask her after that, "I like to go on walks; it makes me feel better when I've had a long day."
There must've been something in her eyes because her daughter looked sympathetic, "From the looks of things, it went well."
"As well as it ever does," Snow said and looked for the right words, "Sometimes I think we made a mistake."
Emma leaned on the bug, "Tell me the sex is at least good."
Snow blushed, "Emma!"
Emma shrugged, "Is it?"
Snow tried not to let the invading memories take over. Of Mr. Gold's touch and smell and feel…what he tasted like when he kissed her…what it sounded like when he told her he loved her…and how she had liked it.
No, how Mary Margaret liked it and loved him.
She gritted her teeth, "It's not bad. Just…sometimes it feels like we're different people when we're together like that."
"Is he good to you?"
Mary nodded, "Guess if true love was easy, we'd all have it."
But getting true love WAS easy. Holding on to it…now that was the trick.
"You know, if things get cramped, we do have a spare room."
"Thanks but I'm not really the roommate type and I don't want to be the third wheel if the two of you are having problems. I do better on my own."
Snow stared at her daughter for a second just…to memorize her face. Every time she didn't see her, it was hard to believe that 28 years had passed but when she saw her….
She didn't want to leave her daughter to sleep in the car but Emma would not come, "Well, goodnight. Good luck with Henry."
"Yeah," Emma whispered and turned back to her car.
Snow kept looking over her shoulder until she was down the street.
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When Snow got home, she didn't find Rumpelstiltskin in the living room and she knew that he wasn't in bed yet. He didn't like to go to the master bedroom any more than she did. He wouldn't admit it but he was just as disgusted and traumatized by what had happened between them as Snow was. She imagined he was more traumatized in his own way. It wasn't often that someone else controlled the Dark One.
Of course they had three guest rooms but Rumpelstiltskin would be stubborn and sleep in that room. He didn't want Snow to realize he was that distressed.
But Snow knew. He made great pains not to go to that room until it was time to sleep.
She found him in the basement. He'd set up a spinning wheel down here. When they were 'asleep' Mary never came down here. This was where he worked to repair the odds and ends that he couldn't keep at work. But now it looked like he was slipping into his old persona down here where no one could see.
"You've come to seek me out, dearie?" Rumpelstiltskin said when she stopped the surveyed the room, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Snow looked at his back, she wasn't afraid of him, it was just awkward between them, "Emma is sleeping in her car. I offered her one of the rooms here, I thought you should know."
"Did she take it?"
"No, it would appear not."
He kept spinning that wheel, "Well, I suppose that her need for a bathroom across the hall and a working hot shower will eventually overrule whatever worry caused her to say 'no' to you."
Snow looked down at her shoes.
"Is that all?"
"Yeah," Snow looked up, "Just thought you should know."
"Well, I suppose we'll have to work harder at getting her a place to stay then," Rumpelstiltskin said.
"Yeah," Snow said and ambled upstairs.
A hot shower sounded good, it would give her time to think.
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Snow looking forward to decorating the hospital with her kids, because it gave her the opportunity to see her soldiers that were injured in the last battle before the curse hit and watch her husband.
Of course they didn't know who she was, they just thought she was the nice volunteer that brought them flowers every night and held their hands.
The children did what they were told as Snow taught them how to handle the decorations but they moved like they knew what they were doing…like they were going through the motions more than they were just being taught over and over.
And Snow realized that Mary was taking over since this was her job and these were her kids to protect. Not Snow's. She was doing what she always did and that was instructing these children.
Snow turned away and tried to clear her head but Mary was still there. She was always there just underneath the surface.
Snow needed a distraction.
And luckily she saw it when she found her grandson in the room with her husband. She watched him reach towards his face…or was he reaching toward the oxygen tube? And she went to the door, "Henry, we could really use your help with the decorations."
Henry looked up, "Is Mr. Doe going to be okay, Mrs. Gold?"
Snow tilted her head slightly, "His name's not John Doe, honey. That's just what they call people when they don't know who they are."
She recognized the mischievous look in her grandson's eyes and knew that he was about to try what he could in getting information, "Who do you think he is?"
Snow wanted to tell him that she believed him. It almost hurt her that she couldn't assure him that he wasn't insane but if she did then she knew that he might tell Regina that Snow believed him in the heat of one of their fights and everything would be for naught.
She had to keep silent and she was worried that it was killing her inside, "Just bring him flowers on my rounds."
"What's wrong with him?"
"I don't know," Snow said. Rumpelstiltskin hadn't seemed to think he was slowly bleeding out of his injuries, but he didn't know why the man was still comatose, "He's…been like this as long as I've been volunteering."
Well, it wasn't a complete lie.
"Does he have any family of friends?" Henry asked, still trying to get her to realize she was Snow White.
Snow kept up her poker face, "No one's claimed him."
"So, he's all alone."
That struck her deep. They both knew a lot about that, didn't they? "Yeah…it's quite sad."
"You sure you don't know him?"
"Course I'm sure," Snow lied. Well…it wouldn't be a complete lie, would it? Not really…she didn't know his alternate.
That's what she would tell herself.
"You shouldn't be in here," she said.
Henry gave one last look at the man and moved towards the door. Snow ruffled his hair affectionately and led him away from his grandfather.
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When Emma visited Snow in the house and told her what she wanted her to do later that day, it couldn't have been a more perfect plan.
But Snow played ignorant, "You want me to read to a coma patient?"
"Henry thinks it will help me remember who he is." Emma explained.
This was good. This was very good, and Snow hid her smile because she was curious to know, "And who does he think he was?"
Emma stopped, "Prince Charming."
Snow tried to suppress the excitement in her chest. Reading their story to him? Why didn't she think of that? "And if I'm Snow White, he thinks me….and him…"
Emma looked apologetic, "He has a very active imagination, which is the point. I can't talk him out of his beliefs, so we need to s how him. Play along, do what he says and maybe, just maybe."
Snow took her daughter's advice more than Emma realized. She wasn't lying to her daughter, she was humoring her. Showing her that her beliefs were wrong. She was playing along with Emma ignoring what was right in front of her and maybe…just maybe she'd believe.
"He'll see that fairy tales are just that," Snow said, playing along, "That there's no such thing as love at first sight or first kiss…he'll see reality."
"Something like that," Emma looked down. Snow realized her daughter wasn't exactly willing to crash her son's dream.
"Well, sadly the plan is rather genius. We might get him to the truth without actually hurting him."
Of course nothing would 'hurt' Henry like knowing he was right.
"I told him that we will wall meet tomorrow for breakfast at Granny's and you will give a full report."
Snow smiled, "Well, I suppose I'll get ready for my date. I guess I'll have to do all the talking."
She had to take another drink to hide her excited smile.
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Rumpelstiltskin got take out from the diner that night and he and Snow ate in the living room together and went over a map of the town
"There's a cabin here," Rumpelstiltskin pointed, "That you and I…went to often."
"Yes, I remember."
"Regina doesn't go into the woods, she's not a fan of them because they remind her of home I imagine…she wouldn't search there herself and her little genie magic mirror friend might not either but….the Huntsman would. We can't set up a small base there."
"What about the attic? Put on a new lock, and if Regina suspects we know something, we can say that the lock broke…the key broke off in the lock. It has been 28 years-."
"Yes, but nothing wears out in this little bubble we're in. Everything stays as if it's new."
"So what do we do then?" Snow asked.
"Memorize everything. Memorize who everyone is and who they're supposed to be and start setting up the savior to start reuniting them."
"I'm not sure I Like the idea of manipulating my daughter's actions."
"You want to tell her the truth, then? I know the idea of manipulating your child doesn't sit well but it has to be done."
Snow rubbed the back of her neck. The next question wasn't vicious, but it was curious, "How many times have you had to tell yourself that?"
"Far too much," he muttered sadly.
Snow looked down at her meal, she wasn't hungry anymore.
"Emma wants me to read to Charming," she finally told him, "She thinks it'll convince Henry that fairy tales are just fairy tales."
"What's stopping you?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, "You're not going to prove her right, if that's what you're worried about."
'That's not it."
"Then what?"
"I'm waiting for visiting hours to end so no one will bother me."
Rumpelstiltskin smiled, his doubts about her seemed to dim in his eyes a little, "Clever girl."
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When Snow walked into the hospital, the hallways were dimmed. No one paid attention to her as she walked determinedly down the hallway to the small room that her husband was comatose in.
She sat by his side and opened the book, "Okay Charming, if you won't wake up by yourself then it looks like I'll have to wake you up. Now our daughter doesn't believe we exist, so I'm hoping this works because it'll convince her."
She opened the book and started reading. The minutes turned into an hour as she read over the words that were uncomfortably accurate (who wrong this book?!), but she continued, determined to tell her husband their story.
And then he reached out and grabbed her hand.
Snow jumped when he did so, and for a second she put her hand on his, "Charming?"
The door opened and Dr. Whale walked in, "What's going on?"
"He's waking up," Snow declared triumphantly. He was waking up, he would remember who he was and he could convince Emma and they could be together.
"That's impossible," Whale looked at the machine that recorded his vitals.
Snow shook her head. She knew what she felt, "No, I'm sure he's waking up. He….he grabbed my head."
The Doctor's look was dubious at best, "Everything's steady. The same as it's always been. What were you doing in here?"
The reasoning sounded stupid and she was aware of that before it was out of her mouth, "I was just…reading h-him a story."
"Oh well, perhaps you um…," he paled, he looked down at Mary Margaret's wedding ring just to remind himself who she was married to and realized he needed to tread carefully, "Dozed off. Perhaps you imagined it."
Snow narrowed her eyes, "I didn't imagine anything."
"Mrs. Gold," Dr. Whale said like he was tired, "I can only tell you what I see, which is nothing. Sometimes there are minor fluctuations in readings. Perhaps you heard the machine register something and misunderstood."
Snow held her gaze. She knew he grabbed her hand.
"Look," he offered, "Why don't you go home, get some rest. If anything changes, I'll call you, okay?"
She rolled her eyes and brushed past him. He wouldn't call her, she knew that easily enough.
Snow meandered a bit and pretended like she was buttoning her blouse. She knew her husband grabbed her. She felt it in his touch.
"It's Doctor Whale," she heard him say. Snow looked over her shoulder and saw that he was talking on his phone. She really shouldn't listen in but it was suspicious that he was calling now.
"You told me to call you if there was ever a chance in the John Doe. Something's happened."
Snow was too far away to hear the voice on the other side.
"One of our volunteers said he grabbed her. And there was a slight fluctuation in brain activity."
Snow drew in a sharp breath. He'd lied to her. Why had he done that?
Because he had to be working for the only person that wouldn't want anyone to know about Charming's condition.
It seemed Regina had him in her pocket too.
Snow felt dizzy for a second. She put her hand on one of the beds and adjusted herself. If she knew that he woke up…she would do what she could to keep him from waking up. She might hurt him.
"It was Mary Margaret Gold."
They were in trouble.
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Snow didn't stop at the master bedroom door or feel disgust with herself or guilt that she should've known something was wrong at any time for 28 years. No, she ignored Mary Margaret's memories and barreled through the door. Rumpelstiltskin was still sleeping on his side of the bed…her side was empty still. Snow wasn't sure what she expected. Maybe him sprawled out a bit more?
She grabbed his good leg and shook it, "Rumpelstiltskin."
He sat up with a start. Snow instinctively backed away. Rumpelstiltskin looked around in confusion and then gave her that same confused look, "What?"
"We need to talk, something's happened."
He sighed and reached over. Snow blinked at the light and then noticed he was sleeping with no shirt on. His muscles showed just underneath his lithe body. She looked away to give him privacy.
"What's happened?" he pulled on his silk pajama shirt and reached for his cane, "What's wrong."
"Charming grabbed me."
He looked grim, "I trust that horrified look in your eyes isn't because you realized you loved me more and ran into my arms because dearie, I'm not interested in you."
Snow ignored the bitter joke, "Regina knows."
She saw the worry in his eyes, "Whale?"
Snow nodded.
"Did you give anything away?"
"No, not to him."
"Then you're still safe," he said, "She'll just think it's a weakening curse first, she won't figure out that you were awake unless she saw you do something and reading him a story was something Emma suggested."
He took her face in his hands, "There's no need to be frightened, dearie. You're safe."
"What about Charming?"
"Now that's a bit trickier," he pulled his hands away at the mention of her true husband. I have my own spies at the hospital; they can make sure he's looked after."
Snow nodded and put her hand on his arm, "Thank you."
He noticed and she drew it away, "Sorry…Mary's actions.."
"Are you sure it was her, dearie? Is it really so hard to show me actual kindness?"
"I have," Snow said.
"You're capable of more compassion than what you've shown me recently," he glanced to the bed, "Is it because of where we are? What we were? I thought you didn't blame me for that"
"I don't," Snow looked around and tried to think of the right thing to say, "Every time I think about what I'm supposed to do…to be…to play this role…every time that I try to tap into Mary's memories, I get flooded with feelings and sensations and other memories that I know I didn't ask for. And they're usually of you and when I try to imagine my time with Charming, Mary gets frustrated or something and slams me with memories because she thinks this is her body still and she should be the dominant one. There are feelings for my Mary Margaret to your Mr. Gold. She loved him very much…and that's hard to control because it's easy to slip into Mary Margaret's mind…sometimes the mindsets risk bleeding together and so I have to keep you at arms distance or else I'm worried that Mary Margaret's feelings will take over…and I can't have that."
"I wouldn't let it."
"Can you control your Mr. Gold memories? Cause if so, then I need lessons."
He gave a small smile, "Is it so hard to at least be my friend?"
"What if it leads to other things and we lose control of ourselves?"
"I doubt it'll happen, dearie. You like tall, boring, overly muscled men who rush in and save the day and while I enjoy lovely dark haired women, you have far less hair than I would like in a wife. We have our types and the other in this partnership is not it. We have more control over our alternates than you think."
"I want more control over her though."
"I can understand that, and I think there's someone we might be able to see about that."
"Who?" she tilted her head, "Does someone else remember?"
"Not sure yet," he took her hand and pressed his lips tenderly against the back of it, he straightened up and put his hand over hers, "Don't worry, dearie…you can be friends with me without worrying about losing yourself."
She looked up guiltily, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. I understand how powerless you felt and that fear you have to lose control again."
Snow closed her eyes, "I just…felt like I should've known what was happening was wrong…that I could've stopped it somehow."
"She buried us too deep in our own consciousness, we couldn't have known. And if I didn't know then you certainly wouldn't have."
Snow nodded, "I have to meet Henry and Emma for breakfast in the morning. I should…try to get some sleep."
He nodded and gave her a small smile, "Goodnight, your majesty."
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Snow didn't sleep last night, she had nightmares. Her conversation with Rumpelstiltskin had put several things in the front of her mind and she was awake and ready by five….but she stayed and had breakfast with Rumpelstiltskin. She doubted anyone would want to eat when she told them what happened.
Rumpelstiltskin told her that Charming was fine at breakfast. NO one snuck in to put poison in his IV or an air bubble or whatever would do the trick.
Snow rushed to the diner. She needed Emma; Emma could somehow get him to wake up. Snow wasn't sure yet but….Emma would figure it out.
"She's here," Henry said.
Emma whispered something to Henry as Snow plopped down, "He woke up."
Emma's eyes nearly popped out of her head, "What?!"
"I knew it!" Henry said triumphantly.
Snow realized what it sounded like and carried, "I mean, he didn't 'wake up' wake up, but he grabbed my hand."
"He's remembering!" Henry practically cheered.
"What did the doctor say?" Emma asked, clearly searching for a logical explanation.
"That I imagined it," Snow said with a wave of her hand, "But I'm not crazy. I know it happened."
"We have to go back," Henry declared, "You have to read to him again."
Snow feigned looking thoughtful and then she nodded, "Let's go."
She and Henry stood up, Emma barely followed, "Wait, wait, what?"
"If I got through to him, if we made a connection…"
Emma looked horrified, "You don't believe-."
"That he's Prince Charming? Of course not," Snow lied, "But somehow, some way….I touched him."
She turned to follow Henry out the door. Emma fell behind. She was probably going through every argument in her head about how this was impossible but she followed.
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Snow knew that something was wrong as soon as she walked into the hospital and she saw Graham standing there and Regina was in Charming's hospital room.
The bed was empty. Snow stopped and felt her blood freeze as she stared at that empty bed. Something happened, she knew it would.
Henry rushed past her, "You're right! He's waking up!"
"Henry," Graham moved towards him, "You should stay back."
Snow got ahold of herself and looked inexpressive. She couldn't ruin this, she had to be smart but what if her husband was dead? "What's going on? Is it John Doe? Is he okay?"
"He's missing," Graham said.
Regina stormed out and Snow bristled. She'd done something, she couldn't let Snow be happy, she had to make innocent people get hurt to hurt her.
"What are you all doing here?" Regina demanded and then looked at Henry, "And you- I thought you were at the arcade. Now you're lying to me?"
Regina wasn't looking, so Snow rolled her eyes. She wasn't going to let Regina make herself look like the victim, "What happened to John Doe? Did someone take him?"
Regina looked over her shoulder at that one.
"We don't know yet," Graham said, "His IVs were ripped out but there was no sign for sure there was a struggle."
Henry looked at Regina, "What did you do?"
Snow had the same question but her heart was hammering in her chest, what if Regina killed Charming? '
She fought tears of panic.
"You think I had something to do with this?" Regina feigned shock.
"It is curious that the Mayor is here," Emma said.
"I'm here because I'm his emergency contact."
Snow felt the air being driven from her lungs, "You know him?"
"I found him. ON the side of the road years ago with No ID. I brought him here."
"Mayor Mills saved his life," Dr. Whale said.
Snow felt her breakfast start to come up. What sort of sick joke was that?
"Will he be okay?" Snow asked.
"Okay?" Whale said in a way that made her feel stupid, "The man's been on feeding tubes for years on constant supervision. HE needs to get back here right away or honestly, 'okay' might be a pipe dream."
"Well then, let's quit yapping and start looking," Emma said.
"That's what we're doing," Regina sneered, even though standing around was exactly what they were doing, "Just stay out of this, dear."
Snow bristled. Even Mary was furious that Regina talked to her daughter like that.
"And since I clearly can't keep you away from my son, I guess I'm going to have to keep my son away from you. Enjoy my shirt, because that's all you're getting. Sheriff, find John Doe. You heard Dr. Whale. Time is precious."
Snow dug her fingers into her palm until they bled. If she did something to him….
"Doctor," Graham looked up, "How long between your rounds since you last saw him?"
"Twelve hours or so,"
"Then that's what we need to account for," Graham deduced.
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It was with great relief for Snow that as she watched the video next to two of what used to be her royal guard that Regina had nothing to do with Charming's disappearance. He got out and walked out. He was safe.
As safe as he could be. They had to find him before Regina did.
But the relief that he wasn't dead yet made her feel lighthearted. He was safe from Regina's clutches for now. They could still find him; maybe this was what was needed to weaken the curse more.
So, now they were in the woods, searching. Graham was tracking and they stayed behind him. Snow kept an eye on him, Regina had his heart probably…they'd never been able to find it; she'd hidden it when they got him out of there. If she still had it and if she controlled him, it would be very easy for him to kill Charming.
Or kill all of them here.
"What is it?" Emma asked when he stopped.
"The trail runs out here," he told them.
"You sure?" Emma asked with narrowed eyes, "I thought tracking was one of your skills."
"Just give me a second. This is my world. I got it," he moved away.
"Right," Emma muttered, "Sorry."
Snow was at her daughter's side, "Isn't finding people your thing too?"
"Sure," Emma said, "Just, people I find usually run to places like Vegas. Not a lot hit the woods."
"That's an interesting job," Snow nodded; this wasn't the best place to get to know her daughter but she was taking any opportunity. The only thing she knew about her was what the rumors were saying, "Finding people. How'd you fall into it?"
"Looking for people is just what I've done," Emma shrugged, "As long as I can remember."
"What made you start? Your parents?" Snow realized she just might've overstepped herself, "Henry told me that your…th-that you were from a similar situation to his own. Did you ever find them?"
"Depends on who you ask," Emma said.
What was that supposed to mean?
They heard a crack of a branch behind them and they both turned to see Henry running down the hill.
"Henry!" Snow scolded.
"Did you find him yet?" Henry asked.
"No, not yet," Emma said flustered, "You shouldn't be here!"
"I can help! I know where he's going!"
That got Snow's attention, "And where's that?"
"He's looking for you!" Henry said, "You're the one who woke him up. You're the last one he saw. He wants to find you!"
"Henry, it's not about me!" Snow said. She knew this already, she didn't want to be reminded of it, "I just…I think he's lost and confused. He's been in a coma a long time."
"But he loves you! You need to stop chasing him and let him find you."
I will always find you.
You found me.
Did you ever doubt I would?
Snow turned away for a second so they couldn't see her face.
"Kid, you need to go home," Emma wasn't paying attention, "Where's your mom? She's going to kill me and then you…and then me again."
"She dropped me at the house. Then, went right out."
Crap, she was searching too.
"Well," Emma moved towards him, "We need to get you back immediately."
"NO!" Henry protested.
"Guys!" Graham called.
They rushed over and saw the hospital bracelet was on the ground…with something red.
"Is that…," Snow started, but she didn't even need to ask
"Blood," Emma confirmed.
Snow let out a sharp exhale of air, "He's heading towards the toll bridge."
"You're sure?"
Graham nodded, "That's the only thing out here."
Snow moved past him, "Let's go."
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Snow hoped she was right once they broke the clearing. There was apparently enough to back up her theory that he'd gone here. Graham found another trail.
"Where is he?" Snow asked, "Can you see him?"
"The trail dies at the water line," Graham said.
They looked around and then…in the water…he was laying on his side. Snow felt a jolt and rushed forward "Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!"
Graham was close behind; HE grabbed his walkie and pressed the button, "I need an ambulance! At the Toll Bridge as soon as possible."
He was much too heavy for Snow to lift by herself. He was unconscious and completely dead weight. Graham helped her. Emma lifted his legs and they dragged him to shore.
"No," Snow sobbed when she realized how blue he was and that he wasn't breathing, "No, no, no, no, no, no! I found you!"
Please don't die now, I found you. I Love you.
"It's going to be okay," Emma assured them.
"Help's coming Graham nodded.
"Is he okay?" Henry asked in a panic.
"Henry," Emma breathed and rushed over to her son.
"Is he going to be okay?" Henry begged and looked to Emma for reassurance. She rushed over, embraced him and pulled him away from the scene.
"Henry, don't look. Okay? Don't look."
"Come back to us," Snow forgot where she was…she forgot who she was supposed to be and started CPR. Tears were pouring down her face and she couldn't see, "Come back to me."
She put her lips on his and as soon as she did, he jerked under her and started breathing. He turned over and coughed up water. Snow rested her hands on his face and smiled.
He was awake. He was alive….
"You saved me," he whispered.
Snow's smile brightened. Charming.
"She did it!" Henry said with a smile in his voice, "She did it. She woke him up."
"Yeah kid," Emma said; Snow could hear the exhaustion and shock in her voice, "She did."
"Thank you," the John Doe whispered.
Snow searched his eyes for any recognition, "Who are you?"
He looked scared for a second, "I don't know."
She felt her spirits fall a bit. He didn't remember her…
"It's okay," she whispered. He was alive and he was awake and she saved him. That was good enough for now, "You're going to be okay."
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It was chaos when they brought him back. Nurses and doctors crowded the gurney that he was being wheeled in on and took him through the glass double doors.
Snow fiddled with Charming's mother's engagement ring on her right hand. It was nothing like the expensive rock on her left ring finger but she barely acknowledged that other than it was there. Even Mary Margaret always used to fiddle with that ring.
Someone brushed past the four of them. She raced in so fast that Snow didn't get a look at her face.
Whale went to stop her, he tried to persuade her to leave but she wouldn't take her eyes off Charming.
"Who is that?" Snow asked to no one in particular.
Snow heard the clacking of the heels before she heard the voice, "His wife."
And the small victory that Snow felt turned to ash the minute Regina made herself known.
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"His name is David Nolan," Regina said. She didn't show it, but they could hear her sneering practically, "And that's his wife, Kathryn. And the joy on her face, well, it's put me in quite the forgiving mood."
Regina turned to talk to Henry about a grounding that she portably wouldn't enforce anyway but Snow stared at Princess Abigail and the way she smiled at David.
No, no, no, Abigail had found happiness with Frederic…what had she done to end up in Regina's crosshairs?
Kathryn was her name here. She turned and walked out, "Thank you. Thank you for finding my David."
Snow struggled for something to say, "Um, I-I don't understand. You didn't…you didn't know that he was here in a coma?"
What if this was never her purpose? Was it possible to tweak someone's memories of the curse this easily?
Did that mean that Regina could easily find out they were awake and make them sleep again?
"A few years ago, David and I were not getting along. It was my fault, I know that now. I was difficult and unsupportive. I told him if he didn't like things, he could leave. And he did. And I didn't stop him. It was the worst mistake I ever made."
"You didn't go look for him?" Emma even sounded like she didn't believe it.
"I assumed he'd left town all this time. And now I know why I Never heard from him. Now I get to do what I've wanted forever – say I'm sorry. Now we get a second chance."
Snow felt like she was going to be ill. If he healed and went home and they…Regina was going to use them as puppets to do what Snow and Rumpelstiltskin had done for 28 years.
She shuddered. This poor girl wasn't even part of their war.
Snow had to get him away from her.
But she nodded, "That's wonderful."
Doctor Whale entered, "Well, it's something of a miracle."
"He's okay?" Kathryn asked.
"Ah, physically, he's on the mend, um, his memory is another issue. It may take time, if at all."
So there was still time…he could remember.
"What brought him back?" Snow asked. If there wasn't a logical explanation to it then maybe Emma could believe. Snow could at least do that right.
"There's the thing. There's no explanation. Something just clicked in him."
Snow watched Emma put up her defenses, "He just got up and decided to go for a stroll?"
"He woke up and was delirious and his first instance was to go find something, I guess."
"Someone," Henry said pointedly.
"Can I see him?" Kathryn asked.
"Yeah, of course," he led her back to David's room.
"Henry," Regina sounded bored with her game, "Let's go."
"Wait," Henry turned around, "My backpack."
He grabbed it and turned to Snow, "Don't believe them! You were the one he was looking for."
Snow just felt….so tired, "Henry…"
"He was going to the Troll Bridge. It's like the end of the story."
"Henry, he was going there because it's the last thing I read to him," she was too exhausted to really play his game…but she couldn't say anything else with Regina right there.
"No! It's because you belong together!"
"Henry!" Regina called
Snow moved to the window and fiddled with her ring. She watched as Kathryn hugged David. He just barely returned it and he didn't take his eyes off her.
It was too much. She felt her eyes filling with tears and she turned away.
He was safe. He was alive….that should be enough.
But something deep down in Snow knew it wasn't.
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Rumpelstiltskin handed her a cup of the cinnamon cocoa that she loved and sat beside her on the couch. He was close but Snow didn't feel uncomfortable. She sort of wanted him there with her…of all the things that happened today, at least she had him and in their own little way….there was a safe haven for her here and he was part of that. After all, Regina wouldn't dare go against him bold faced.
"I'm sorry," he told her, "That my spies didn't do an adequate job."
"Your spies wouldn't have been able to stop what happened with Abigail," Snow whispered and stared down at her mug
"I'm sorry for that too."
Snow nodded.
"It's a very hard thing having those you love ripped from you over and over," he said simply.
Snow looked at him, her curiosity got the better of her, "What would you know about it?"
It wasn't a malicious question…just a gentle one.
He smiled slightly, "Perhaps I'll tell you one day."
Snow looked back at the fire, "I need to keep working on him…I Need him to remember."
Rumpelstiltskin didn't say anything, but he was grim, "Indeed?"
"I just….don't want to drag Abigail into this."
"Too late for that, dearie. She's involved."
Snow sighed and rubbed her eyes, "It's going to be messy enough when they all wake up and he finds out about us. I don't want to further complicate it."
"What are you working on?"
"I don't know," Snow whispered, "I'm still working through it."
"Take your time, we certainly aren't going anywhere."
Snow looked at him, "Did you get anything accomplished today?"
"Yes," he straightened up, "I think I may have found someone to help us with the problem we have in…controlling these alternates. Tell me, have you ever heard of a portal jumper by the name of Jefferson?"
She shook her head, "How does he remember?"
"He always has."
Snow furrowed her eyebrows, "What?"
"I'm sure he'll fill you in when we go see him soon," Rumpelstiltskin stood up.
Someone rang the doorbell.
"I got it," Snow stood up and went to answer it.
Emma stood there…and when she saw that they both were home, she looked uneasy, "Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you."
"No disturbance at all, dear," Rumpelstiltskin smiled, leaned on the cane and took in the sight of their savior, "I've heard you're staying. Congratulations."
"Thanks," Emma said and shifted.
Snow sent him a look over her shoulder. This wasn't warming her up to them!
Emma cleared her throat and looked at both of them, "Is that spare room still available?"
Snow nodded, and tried to suppress her joy that her daughter wanted to stay and she opened the door wider, "Come in. Have you eaten?"
"Um…," Emma looked around the house, "Not really."
"I'll make you something."
"No, there's no need."
"I insist," Snow said and gestured her to go to the kitchen, "Go on."
Rumpelstiltskin moved past Emma and put his hand on Snow's arm, "She's laying down roots….this is a good thing."
"I know," she put her hand on his and moved to take care of her daughter, "I know."