AN: Thanks for the incredible response to this Snowing story! See previous chapter for important authors notes on characters and story notes.
Important note: Milah is not Neal's father in this universe. Cora is I've taken some liberties again with characters and back stories. :)
Special Note: The character of TJ Morrison is a Manifest character. The characters of Nick and Greta Branson are based on Hansel(also known as Jack and Nick Branson) and Gretel from Once season 7. The character of Isaiah is a Manifest character.
Another Note: As we get further into season 2 and season 3, I will be focusing more on the major Manifest plotlines and not so much the minor ones that involve one offs with passengers, in addition to the original plots I have created for this story. Season 4 will be premiering soon and once I see what I'm working with, I'll make a decision if this story will be going with a Manifest type ending or if I have to move to more of a Once ending. Most of you that watch Manifest know that (spoiler alert) that Margaret's counterpart character in the series, Grace, dies at the end of season 3. I will not be doing that with Margaret. Either way, when the time comes, I will give this story a satisfying ending that may or may not match the series. :)
This one will update bi-weekly on Sunday nights now. Please consider leaving a review, it is much appreciated. Thanks to those that reviewed the last chapter:
Ghostwriter: Yep, lots going on here. Glad you're enjoying it!
Sexystarwarslover: Yep, George got caught big time. I know, the position David was in was an impossible one. Yep, Neal is in trouble too. Fortunately, Killian was playing them the whole time. Lol, yep, Emma and Killian still make a good team. Yeah, it was very close, but the baby and Margaret both made it. And now some of the x'ers have been arrested. Yeah, Samdi still thinks the Callings are bad. But the Nolans and Neal are okay for now. Glad you're enjoying!
Jennifer Baratta: Glad you're enjoying!
Grace5231973: Yep, good thing Killian was playing double agent the whole time. I'm glad everyone is okay too. Yeah, David was in a very tough spot with that decision. Hmm...that's weird that you're not getting the notifications still. Glad to see you back though. :)
Lightning in a Bottle
Chapter 74: Unaccompanied Minors, Pt 1
Emma sighed, as she looked at her brother with incredulity in the garage. It had been a few weeks since they had arrested George, his wife, and several x'ers. The case was still ongoing and all of them were turning on each other for deals. It would work its way through the court system and she hoped they would throw the book at all of them.
In the meantime, Neal had been getting worse, but there was joy, as they welcomed Eden into their lives. Though Henry's nightmares since the night of her birth added a new layer of concern and sent her brother back to his boards to try to solve this latest puzzle. And his latest theory clearly meant he was on the brink of losing it.
"Okay…that's it. I'm telling MM, because she's the only one that can talk you back from going off the deep end," Emma said.
"Just hear me out," David requested.
"What? That we're false prophets that have come back from the dead? I thought you got off Samdi's theory months ago after a Calling saved MM and the baby," she replied.
"Yes…but pretty much since then, Henry's been plagued with nightmares of those three looming shadows," David said.
"That doesn't mean it's us. It means there's an evil out there, but it's not us, David. We just arrested some of that evil a few weeks ago, namely your boss," Emma replied. He sighed.
"I know…and I'm not saying that we're here to do evil. Just listen to this. I found it in Revelation," he said, as he held his copy of the Bible. It was one of many that had belonged to their mother.
"It echoes Samdi's apocalypse theory," he added, as he began to read.
"I saw three spirits coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, out of the mouth of the false prophet." David said.
"Creepy…but the Callings have done so much good and you know MM would agree," Emma replied.
"And I do too…I just hope that we're not doing good for bad reasons. When Samdi says that we might be lulled into obeying the Callings without question…what if he's not
wrong?" David asked.
"Okay…but it's not like we're going to go kill if a Calling says to," Emma argued.
"Maybe not us…but others aren't so noble. If we're being used for good…others could be used for evil," David argued. She sighed.
"Griffin…but he was punished for it," she said.
"No…he wasn't. His time was up…his Death Date came and he expired," he reminded her, which made her think of Neal. His date was approaching with frightening speed and
he quickly realized it.
"I'm sorry…I should have asked. How is Neal?" he asked. She shrugged.
"It's hard to tell. He never complains and goes through Regina's treatments, no matter what she tries. It's not working though," she replied. He sighed and hugged her.
"I'm sorry Em…" he said, in a soothing manner.
"He's running out of time," she replied.
"Neal isn't Griffin though. If anyone deserves to be saved, it's him. We'll figure this out," he promised, hoping it was one he could keep.
Gold put a cup of coffee down for him, as they sat at the kitchen table. Belle was living with them now and his father was genuinely happy. He was glad for that, because he
knew it was looking grim for him, even though he tried to keep up a hopeful appearance.
"Neal…talk to me," Gold requested.
"It's just…it's hard not to want to use, you know? I feel like I don't have a lot to lose and at least drugs would ease the pain," Neal said.
"You know that's not true. Even if…even if you are in your last days, you should be spending it with those you love," Belle said. He nodded.
"I know…and I am. I just feel like the hospital isn't doing any good and I should be out living while I can instead of spending it there," he replied.
"Emma won't take that well," Gold said and though he didn't say it, he wasn't sure how he felt about him giving up on the treatment either.
"I know…I need to get going. Regina will be wondering where I am," Neal said, as he got his coat and left the house. Belle hugged Gold to give him the comfort she knew he
needed in these times.
Emma pulled up in her car and parked along the curb. She was going to grab a few snacks from the bodega, before heading to the hospital to be with Neal during his
treatments today. But first, she felt the need to talk and hope that, whatever the Callings were, chose to listen to her.
"Okay. I...still don't know who or what you are exactly, other than a voice in my head. But enough is enough. Since the plane came back, you have called on me, relentlessly,
and I've listened. I have literally done everything that you wanted... because I believe that what you're asking us to do is for a purpose. I mean, it has to be," she said,
pausing for a moment.
"So why, after all that I've done, am I watching the man I love freeze to death?" she asked.
"A good, kind man who also listens to you, who has worked so hard to redeem himself. He doesn't deserve this. How am I supposed to know that this is for some greater good
if you just let him die? How am I supposed to keep listening?" she questioned.
"I need to understand. I don't wanna lose faith. Don't make me," she said, as she got out of the car and walked toward the bodega.
As she entered, a teenager dashed out and the clerk called after him.
"Hey…stop! Stop! Thief!" he cried, in which Emma leapt into action and gave chase.
"STOP! NYPD! Stop!" she called, as she chased him and caught up to him, before tackling him to the ground.
"It's your lucky day, kid…I'm a cop," she said, as she cuffed him.
"Please ma'am…it's just a candy bar," he pleaded.
"Sorry kid…" she replied.
"Please…my mom is gonna kill me. It's the first time I've ever done this," he begged.
"You should have thought about that before you took it," Emma replied, as she started taking him toward her car, when she heard her own voice in her head.
"Let him go…LET HIM GO…" it called to her. She paused for a moment and looked at the kid and he looked at her with pleading eyes.
"Okay…I'm going to let you off with a warning. But don't be stupid and make a habit of this, because you're not getting off next time," she said, as she took the merchandise
and released him.
"Thank you," he said, as he ran off and she returned to the bodega and placed the bars on the counter.
"What's this?" the clerk asked.
"What the kid stole," she replied. He scoffed.
"No, it isn't," he said, as he motioned to the pallet of cold tablets he was stocking.
"I turned my back for a minute and he made off with them, maybe twenty boxes. The bodega down the way got hit last week for the same thing," he said. Emma felt stupid.
She had been duped by a doe eyed kid, who was stealing cold tablets, probably for whoever he was working for, likely to cook meth. She apologized to the clerk and promised
she'd get him, before leaving the bodega and heading to the station. There, she found Killian at his desk and she approached.
"Can I run something by you?" she asked.
"Sure," he answered.
"I caught a kid stealing a candy bar and then I got a Calling telling me to let him go. So I did," she said.
"And?" he asked.
"Turns out the candy bar was a decoy and he swiped a case of cold tablets instead," she replied.
"So you think candy bar lad is cooking meth?" he asked.
"I don't know. The bodega owner said the one down the street got hit too for the same thing a week ago," she answered.
"Maybe the Calling told you to let him go so we could catch the bigger fish," he suggested.
"That's a terrible plan," she said.
"It would have been more helpful to bring him and interrogate him to find the bigger fish," she added.
"Em…why are you always trying to justify the Callings?" he questioned.
"Because I have to believe they're good, Killian," she answered.
"Well, I should probably help you track this kid down. Unless you wanna let her in on your gift?" he asked, referring to Ruby. She turned to her new partner.
"Hey, I'm probably gonna peel off with Rogers today," she said.
"Really?" Ruby asked. She nodded.
"Yeah. I witnessed a crime. He thinks it could be related to a bunch of robberies he's tracking," she fibbed.
"Yeah. You sure he's not just trying to get back in your pants?" Ruby asked bluntly, making Emma blanch.
"Um, no. I asked him to help," the blonde replied.
"Okay, all right. Well, if you're good, I'm good. It'll give me a chance to catch up on some paperwork," she said, as she looked at Killian when he approached.
"Hey Rogers. This is just a loaner, okay?" she questioned. He smiled.
"Yeah," he answered, as the two of them left the station.
David rocked the baby, as she cried and he tried to get her to calm down with the stuffed toy in his free hand.
"Oh…come on, Eden, give Daddy a smile," he cooed, as Margaret got them some coffee in the kitchen and smiled at him. David the husband was amazing, attentive, and
always romantic. It had been that way from the beginning and never faded. But David the father was a sight she'd never tire. Now that they had a baby again, she was
reliving those days from when the twins were little and it made her heart practically burst.
"Don't worry Daddy…you're not going to miss anything, because she's going to have so many smiles and you'll be here for all of them," she said, as she sat beside him and
they shared a smile.
"I hope so," he said, though it was on all their minds. Neal was approaching his death date and if he didn't survive, he knew their hope that he or any of the other passengers
could survive would take a huge hit.
"I have faith…" she said, as she gazed deeply into his eyes and he leaned over and kissed her tenderly. Eden fussed more so Margaret began humming to her.
"I like that…where's it from?" he asked.
"I don't know…just something that came to me. I started humming it to her just before she was born," she replied.
"It's very romantic…like us," she added. He smiled in agreement, just as the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," she said, as she stood up and answered it. But she almost immediately slammed the door closed.
"Margaret, wait…" Leopold pleaded.
"You are NOT welcome here," she said, with vehemence. David was instantly by her side with a stern look for this man.
"Please Margaret…this strife has gone on between us long enough. Cora is gone…" he said.
"Did you know that she killed Mother?" Margaret asked bluntly.
"Of course not," he answered and she glared at him, trying to decide whether she could believe him or not.
"Please…I just want to talk and clear the air. I've made many mistakes. I'd like to atone for them," Leopold pleaded.
"Why should we believe you?" David questioned.
"You have no reason to…but I know you are both wonderful people. Ten minutes of your time is all I am asking for," he replied.
"Fine…we'll hear what you have to say and then you'll leave," Margaret said shortly, as she allowed him inside and shut the door behind him.
Neal sat on the exam table, as Regina conducted today's experimental treatment.
"I'm gonna do a little more debridement of the dead skin later, okay?" she asked. He nodded.
"Oh, joy," he deadpanned.
"I know it's painful. We're trying to slow the migration. The MRI will tell us if there's been any deterioration since your last scan. I need to replace your warm fluids with some
cold Dye," she said. He nodded again.
"You love torturing me, don't you?" he joked. She gave him a chiding look.
"Not even a little," she replied.
"What else is going on with you?" she asked.
"At my meeting today, my sponsor said I should be finding closure, so I'm ready to move on. It kind of made me mad, 'cause I'm not ready," he replied.
"There's no reason you should be. It's not fair, what's happening to you," she said.
"More painful than the treatment, is how it's affecting Emma. She really is my soulmate," he replied. She smiled.
"I know how you feel," she mentioned.
"I mean, it's not the same, but, yeah," she added.
"Of course…Robin," he recalled. She nodded.
"Mmm-hmm," she acknowledged.
"Hey, at least there's hope for you. I have faith in my retrovirus. We just have to... keep the frostbite in check until I fine-tune the formula," she replied.
"Though it would go faster if I tested on myself," she added.
"No…you're not doing that. Remember what David said about the Alzarus journal. If you cure yourself of the Callings, it could doom you of any hope of beating the death date.
Just like the sailors in the journal," he reminded.
"I know…I promised not to and I won't," she replied, as they continued.
Emma and Killian arrived at the main bus station hub and approached the lead dispatcher, showing their badges.
"What can I do for you, Detectives?" she asked.
"We're trying to track down one of your riders," Killian said.
"Happy to help, any way I can," she replied.
"He got on at 156th and Hewitt, a little after 9:00," Emma said, as she checked her system.
"You know what, right on time," she replied, as she found the bus in question.
"Do you mind if we talk to the driver?" Killian asked.
"Um, that'd be...Kory. I'll see if he's here," she replied, as she went to look.
"Thanks," Killian said, as he pulled up something on his phone to show her.
"I had Diaz put together a map of robberies similar to yours. It's all across the boroughs. If this is all the same operation, then it's huge," he said, as an African American man
approached.
"You're looking for one of my riders?" he asked.
"Hey, yeah. He's about 17, brown hair, backpack, got on after 9:00," Emma replied, but he shrugged.
"Lot of kids get on my bus around that time," Kory replied.
"Guy was shoplifting, probably got on last minute, definitely winded," Emma said, trying to jog his memory.
"Look, no disrespect, but if I remembered everyone got on my bus, I'd quit and go to Atlantic City," he said.
"Does your bus have security cameras? We wanna see the tapes," Killian said. He nodded.
"Sure. Just flash your badges at Sonia. She'll get you what you need," he replied, gesturing to the woman in the glass booth nearby.
"Thanks," Emma replied. He nodded and went back to his bus.
"Guess your calling's trying to send us on a wild goose chase," Killian mentioned.
"There's always a reason, Killian," she replied.
"Look, you don't have to help if you don't want to," she added.
"Now I'm curious," he replied.
"So, those shadows Henry sees…" he mentioned.
"What about them?" Emma asked.
"What if they're not supposed to make us doubt the callings? What if they're another warning, like the fire?" he asked. She looked at him and sighed.
"Yeah…I guess it could mean that something terrible is coming," she admitted.
"She's beautiful…" Leopold mentioned, as Margaret held their infant daughter.
"Her name is Eden," she replied.
"That's a beautiful name," he said.
"I loved your mother, Margaret…and I love you. I just became lost in the world of high finance. Losing your soul to money and greed is something that can happen so easily.
Your mother tethered me…but when she died, Cora helped lead me further down that path," he admitted.
"And I'm supposed to believe you just woke up one day and realized this?" she asked.
"The arrest…and the revelation of what Cora did was jarring, to say the least," he replied.
"The scandal of the whole thing…the company tanked and I was forced out of my own company," he added. They were surprised by that.
"The news of it will break this evening," he added. Margaret scoffed.
"So that's why you're here…your money is gone and they'll soon start seizing your assets," she hissed.
"I'm not here for sympathy…really I'm not. I had enough of my own personal wealth left to purchase a house upstate. It's in a very small and quiet town. I'll be there,
hopefully to do a little soul searching. I just wanted you to know where I am and that if you ever need somewhere to…lay low, all of you, there will be a place," he replied, as
he stood up.
"Okay…well, good luck," Margaret said. She wasn't sure how to react to all of this. He left and she shut the door.
"I didn't know what to say…" she said.
"And no one can blame you for that. He was absent at best most of your life and then when he did try to be a part of your life, he tried to control you and separate us," he
replied. She nodded.
"I hope he's sincere…but I can't trust him yet," she said.
"Nor should you. No one is going to blame you if you still want nothing to do with him," he said, as he kissed her forehead. She smiled and they continued to dote on their
little one.
"Come on…let's get this one ready for her checkup this afternoon," she said, as they got up and went to get ready for their appointment.
"Hey, you find something?" Emma asked Ruby, as she helped search through the
surveillance footage.
"Yeah, I'm never sitting on a bus again. People are disgusting," Ruby replied.
"Thanks for the PSA. Any leads on the shoplifter?" Emma asked.
"Yeah, we have three kids who match your description of the runner," Ruby responded, as she pulled up the youths in question.
"Yeah, that's him," Emma pointed out and Ruby zoomed in.
"All right. He got off at...Franklin High," she said.
"Forward me a screenshot," Emma requested.
"Done. I'll call the principal and send it over for an ID," she said, before looking at her.
"So, how was your little walk down memory lane?" Ruby asked.
"It's good to be friends again, thank you for asking," Emma replied.
"I don't have many friends who would infiltrate a hate group for me," Ruby said.
"No, he's a cop. He's just doing his job," Emma refuted.
"Yeah, well, that maybe explains the undercover part, but that awful haircut, that's true love," Ruby teased. Emma rolled her eyes.
"Okay…just call the Principal. I'm heading over there," the blonde replied, as her partner smirked and picked up the phone.
