Considering the fact that I tend not to update my stories in a timely fashion, I hope that my readers will forgive me for the way that this chapter ends.

As usual, I only claim ownership for the word written here.

Chapter 27: The Nuts in the Family Tree

Charming stood in the doorway of Henry's room and watched his grandson pack.

"Are you almost ready, Buddy? Your mom and I need to meet Jefferson in about an hour."

Henry turned and glared at his grandfather.

"I don't understand why I can't stay with my other mom. Regina is trying to change!" He replied with anger in his voice.

Charming sighed, a week earlier he might have believed that to be true, but too much had happened recently for him to place trust in Regina.

"We have been over this," Charming calmly explained, "your mom and I need to concentrate on getting your grandmother back and we can't do that if we are worried about you."

"Maybe I should stay here." Emma called out from the hall.

Her father turned and gave her a look of disappointment.

"I thought you wanted to help me find Snow?"

"Of course I want to help you find her!" Emma insisted. She needed her mother now more than ever.

"Besides, aren't you afraid that Jefferson and I will kill each other if you aren't along to help keep the peace?" He gently teased. But Emma wasn't in the mood for jokes and she actually looked like she might burst into tears.

She briskly left the room. Her father followed her with a worried look on his face. Henry's looked after them with look of worry in his eyes that rivaled that of his grandfather.

He followed her to the stairs, which seemed to be the place in the apartment where most of the really important talks happened. At least where Emma and Henry were concerned, he and Snow tended to talk about things in the bedroom. An ache spread though his heart just thinking about her. He sat down on one of the steps by Emma.

"Emma what's wrong?" He asked with concern in his voice.

How could she tell him? After all he was a man and even worse he was her father.

"I just really need Mary Margaret." She bit back tears.

"You can talk to me. Whatever this is that is going on is eating at you alive. You have to tell someone." He pleaded.

She bit her bottom lip and said in a barely audible voice, "I slept with Jefferson."

Charming stood up and his eyes blazed with anger.

"I am going to kill him!" He started down the stairs, but Emma put a restraining hand on his arm.

Charming turned around and she now saw concern in his eyes.

"Did he hurt you? Did he force himself on you." His voice was almost a whisper.

Emma saw a quiet rage in his eyes and the look scarred her.

She shook her head, "No it wasn't like that." She promised.

"I am still going to kill him." He vowed.

Emma's eyes grew big with fear.

"We need him to get us to Oz so we can get that ring and get Mary Margaret back!" She reminded him.

"Besides I am and it was my decision as much as his." She stated forcefully.

"Someone has to protect you!" He stammered.

"Maybe so, but it doesn't have to be you." She replied with more force then she had originally planned.

He was taken aback by her tone and his face fell.

"Maybe you should stay here, Emma. Maybe you don't need my help and maybe I don't need your help either." He shook his head sadly.

She instantly regretted her outburst. He was dealing with enough as it was. He didn't need her rejection piled on top of his other problems.

"Look, I am sorry." She said quietly. "That is why I need Mary Margaret for these kind of problems. She doesn't judge me, or try and slay my dragons. She just listens and sometimes gives me advice. She doesn't try and play mother hen." Emma let out a breath of air.

He gave her a puzzled look. "When the two of you were living here together, who washed your clothes and made sure that you ate breakfast in the morning?" He asked simply.

"Mary Margret took care of all the cooking and did the laundry." She answered without hesitation.

"It sounds to me as if she was being a mother to you even before she realized that she was a mother." He gave her a slight smile.

"She was just really good at giving me advice." Emma curled her lip into a pout.

"Mothers tend to be really good at giving advice." He said in a matter of fact tone.

"Were you close to your mother?" She asked.

"Until I met Snow, my mother was my world." He replied wistfully.

"Did she give you good advice?" Emma inquired.

"She gave me the most important advice of my life. She told me to never settle for anything less than True Love. It took me a while to follow that advice, but eventually it led me to your mother!" This time when he thought about Snow, joy filled his heart.

"Are you sure your mother is dead?" Emma questioned.

He gave her a shocked look, "As I told you before, I looked for my mother right before I married Snow and I couldn't find any trace of her. The Curse did not transport her here either." He shook his head sadly. "She vanished without a trace. The only way I was able to move on was to assume she was dead. She was once the only family I had or thought I needed. Now, you Henry Snow and our son are my family and my world." He stated simply.

Henry came down the stairs with his back pack.

"I'm ready to go to Granny's." He informed them. "Unless, have you decided to stay?" He eyed Emma.

"I'm not staying." Emma sighed and glanced at her father, who tied to hide a pleased smile

"Are you okay with staying with Ruby and Granny?" Emma asked Henry.

"Yeah, I figure Mom will be too busy celebrating her victory over you are mayor." He shrugged.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, kid." Charming gave his grandson a mock wounded look.

Henry shot back with a sincere smile. "Those pictures are pretty embarrassing. If I were old enough I probably would vote for her over you."

"I have been betrayed by my own grandson." Charming teased.

Emma picked up her own backpack and waited for the two of them at the door. "We had better go before I change my mind." She warned.

Charming walked past her and out the door, but not before he glanced at the backpack.

"What's all that?" He quizzed.

"This contains our survival gear. I have no idea what we might need or how long we are going to be in Oz." She gave him a weary look. He just shrugged and followed her out of the room.

Shortly after they left a postcard was delivered through the mail slot in the front door. If they had waited another hour they would have seen the card. On the front it had a picture of the Boston skyline and on the back written in elegant handwriting was two words, "Find us!"

Charming had showed a great deal of restraint and not punched the Mad Hatter the moment Jefferson opened the door. Emma had helped the situation by holding her father's hand when they had all three jumped through the portal created by the hat, even though the Hatter had offered her his hand.

Now, the three of them stood on the threshold to Oz. It was as colorful as Emma had expected, however what she saw was a lush forest with a lake in the middle. There was no Yellow Brick Road, as far as she could tell.

"Let's go get that ring!" Charming proclaimed with enthusiasm. When he saw the Hatter hesitate he asked, "What are you waiting for? You are our guide after all."

"I can't go any farther. I am banned from Oz." Jefferson explained. "Last time I was here I might have taken home an illegal souvenir or two."

"Exactly what did you take?" Charming asked with anger in his voice.

"I might have taken a crystal ball, a couple of wands, a pair of stripped socks, and a few other trinkets." He shrugged.

"Let me guess, you also took a pair of Ruby Slippers?" Emma accused dryly.

"I failed to get my hands on those." He admitted.

"Just for the record, what other lands have a ban on your entry?" Charming asked.

"I'm also banned from Neverland," Jefferson casually informed them. "I was involved in an incident involving two mermaids and a hookah pipe."

"That doesn't sound too bad. What was the charge?" Emma wanted to know.

"I was charged with corruption of youth." He grinned and shrugged.

"Seriously?" She rolled her eyes

"In my defense, everyone in Neverland is young." He stated.

Charming's patience was wearing thin. "Just tell us where to go." He snapped

"There is a small inlet just over that hill. You should find a small castle and find what you are looking for on in the castle." Jefferson informed the two of them.

"Thank you." Emma stated with feeling

"I'll just wait here." Jefferson stated unnecessarily.

"Stay out of trouble." Charming stated firmly. Whether he liked it or not, that crazy bastard was their ticket back home.

Emma and Charming started off and he cast a disproving look at his daughter.

"I am seriously starting to question your taste in men." He stated under his breath.

"Really? Because I don't know that it is your call." Emma replied calmly.

"I'm your father; it gives me license to be concerned." He gave her a stern look.

"Look, I don't need parental guidance and I didn't come along on this trip to bond with my long lost father. A few months ago my life was pretty normal." Emma replied nonchalantly.

He gave her a skeptic look.

"Maybe normal is the wrong word. I had a job that I liked for the first time in my life. I liked where I was living. Most important, I had a roommate who was my best friend. Right now, she is most likely fighting for her life and the life of her unborn child. I would do anything to help her. That is the only reason I am here." Emma glared at her father.

"Then we do have something in common after all." He replied with feeling in his voice.

"Watch out for the crocodile pits!" Came Jefferson's voice from somewhere behind them.

"What did he say?" Emma asked with panic in her voice. Just then she slipped down a ravine and into a deep hole.

She landed 10 feet below the surface in the middle of a sandy island surrounded by a deep moat. In the moat were at least 6 crocodiles. They seemed content to watch her for the time being, but she knew that would be short lived. Already, some of the beasts were starting to move towards her.

"Are you okay?" Charming called from above the pit.

"Sure, if you don't count the reptiles with teeth snapping at my heels." Emma replied sarcastically.

"Emma, Hang on! I'll find a rope or vine or something to pull you out." Her father promised.

"Take your time." She replied under her breath. She tried to keep an eye on the crocs without moving a muscle. Out of the corner of her eye she saw several swords lying nearby, just out of reach. There were a few small daggers near her feet, but in order to use them she would need to be far closer to the crocodiles then she wanted. She wondered what had become of the owners of the weapons; had they been pulled to safety or had the angry reptiles consumed their prey whole?

Before she could ponder their fate before she heard a thud behind her. Emma was certain that one of the crocodiles had moved out of the moat and was ready to devour her. She was surprised to see a sword thrust in to her hand. She looked up to see her father standing beside her. He had leapt down the ravine, grabbed two of the swords that were on the ground and jumped over the moat. Between the two of them they made short work of the toothsome creatures.

Emma looked up at him with eyes full of gratitude, "You saved me." She stated slightly out of breath.

The truth was she had slayed as many of the beasts as he had, but he was willing to take gratitude where he could get it where his daughter was concerned.

"It's what I do." He answered simply.

"I thought you were going to look for a rope? Your biggest problem is that you leap into action without thinking." She accused angrily. "Now we are both stuck down here." She pointed out needlessly; so much for gratitude.

He gave her a defensive look. "The pressing situation appeared to be saving you from those reptiles with teeth snapping at your heels!" He pointed out.

They both looked up towards the top of the pit. It was a long ways up.

"Besides, my tendency to leap without looking usually ends up for the best, eventually." Her father remarked.

As if those were the magic words, a rope was thrown down to them from above.

"Could it be Jefferson?" Emma asked.

Her father shrugged in an uncertain way and started to climb the rope.

Emma picked up one of the daggers and placed it in the pocket of her jacket before following her father up the rope.

Emma was hardly surprised to see Charming surrounded by a dozen guards when she reached the end of the rope.

Her father gave her a hopeful look, but she two was soon surrounded.

"Move!" One of the guards ordered. He indicated the direction he wanted the prisoners to walk.

"Where are you taking us?" Emma asked.

"We are taking you to see the Wizard." They replied jubilantly.

"Good, that is who we came to see." Charming replied.

"Of course it is, that is the only reason anyone ever comes to Oz." The guard informed them.

The thought crossed Emma's mind that they were wrong. Some people came to steal things. She didn't voice that ide though. If Jefferson really was a wanted man, mentioning his name would not gain them any points. What Emma did was turn so that her father was able to catch a glimpse of the dagger in her pocket.

Charming raised an eyebrow in piqued interest. He knew that Emma would not use the dagger at that moment. They were too well guarded. Rather she would wait until the odds were better, maybe even wait until she could use it on the Wizard. He knew she would do these things because that was exactly what he would have done in a similar situation.

They were taken to a small castle and led into a large chamber. Most of the guards left, but two of them remained and stationed themselves on either side of a throne like chair. Emma and her father exchanged an understanding look. Emma slipped her hand around the handle of the dagger. Charming spread his feet and readied himself to lung at one of the guards. Emma sprang at the other guard and held the dagger at his throat. Before her father could attack the other guard, a pair of hands grabbed him around the waist. Emma looked on in shock as a young man with dark hair and even darker blue eyes slipped a knife against her father's throat.

"We seem to be at a standoff, why don't you lower your weapon and we can all discuss this in a civilized manner?" The newcomer asked.

Charming raised his elbow up and knocked the knife out of the hand of his assailant. It clattered on the stone floor. The man who had been holding onto Charming let go and with the wave of his wrist caused the knife to rise from the floor and fly through the air towards Charming's heart. Emma dropped her dagger in shock and ran towards her father.

"Merlin stop this at once!" A woman's voice commanded. "Don't hurt him that is my son!" She cried desperately.

The knife clattered to the floor, stopping just short of piercing Charming's heart.

Emma stopped in her tracks and looked up at the woman who had just entered the room. She was older with graying hair, but she had a kind face.

Charming turned and faced the woman.

"Mother I thought you were dead! He stated with a shocked voice.

"Hello son," She replied. "As you can see I am very much alive." she said simply.

Snow sat at a desk and wrote in a journal that George had allowed her to keep. Actually, she used it to compose letters to her husband on the off chance that she could get the letters to the outside world and her family. She closed the journal when she heard the door to her room open. George walked in with a pleasant looking woman.

"I have brought this nurse to check and make sure that everything is progressing with your pregnancy. She will take your vitals and take a few samples of blood just to make sure that you are getting adequate nutrition." George informed her.

"Hello Ms. Blanchard." The woman smiled. "I am also going to be taking a sample from the fetus to determine paternity." The woman smiled again as if what she had just said was the most natural thing in the world. She pulled out needle from her bag. Snow recognized it as the same needle that she had nearly been attacked by several months back after her ultrasound appointment.

Snow stood up angrily. "The hell you are! And kindly refrain from calling it "the fetus." Anger burned in her eyes. "This is my son you are talking about and he has a name!"

This was news to George.

"You have picked a name?" He barked.

Snow hadn't been sure before, but she now knew that she had been silently calling the child after her father even before she knew it was a boy.

"He is going to be called Leopold David." She stated firmly.

"He will be named that over my dead body!" George bellowed.

"I would love nothing more!" Snow snapped. "Keep that needle away from my child!" She demanded.

The nurse tried to give her a reassuring smile, but it was clear that her patience was wearing thin.

"I assure you that this procedure is perfectly safe and it is in the best interest of your child to determine paternity so that the courts can arrange to have the father take custody after you are incarcerated."

George snapped his head around and glared at the woman.

"Will you give me a moment alone with Ms. Blanchard?" He asked.

The woman left the room.

"What did she mean about incarceration?" Snow asked angrily. "What did you tell her?"

"She thinks that you are a delusional, international jewel thief. Now, I will get a DNA sample today. We can do it the easy way or the hard way. That piece of plastic you wear on your wrist is the only thing keeping your memory intact. If you refuse to allow her to take the sample, I will remove the bracelet. I am sure that meek mild natured Mary Margaret will not put up a fight." He threatened.

"What difference does it make? Unless you have a sample of Charming's DNA, the test will prove nothing." She pointed out.

He laughed a deep echoing sound that rattled Snow's nerves.

"I don't need a sample of his DNA. I can use my own as a cross match. This child is my great grandson!" He admitted.

Snow was too stunned to speak for several moments, and then she whispered, "Charming's mother Ruth is your daughter!"

George nodded his head in acknowledgment. "So, don't ever try and tell me that I don't understand what it means to lose my family. I have lost more family than you could possibly know."

It all made sense now. Ruth didn't give her son to a complete stranger. She had given James to his grandfather. Snow wondered if Ruth's husband knew who was raising his son. Somehow she doubted it. No father would knowingly give his son away to be raised by a monster like King George. Yet Ruth had given away one of her children even though she knew that George was a tyrant. The only excuse Snow could think of was that Ruth did it to protect her husband and the son that remained.

"I am sorry that you have suffered so many losses, but you will not take my son away from me and use him to fill the void in your life. You may think that you have me in a vulnerable position, but I will fight you with every bone in my body. It does not matter if I am Mary Margaret or Snow White. I will protect this child I am carrying." She vowed and she meant it, he could take her memories, but he would not have her child.

"I have had enough of your empty threats, Snow White! I hope that Mary Margaret will be more cooperative." George reached over and ripped the bracelet protecting her memories from her wrist.