See previous chapters for summaries and warnings.

Thanks for the incredible response to this fic! Keep the reviews coming.

The curse has lasted 20 years in this verse until they found Storybrooke. This one will soon be winding down in the next couple chapters and I'll be bringing it to a close. I love this story, but I feel that it's just about run its course and it's time. This is the 2nd to last chapter. The final chapter will post next Sunday.

Here are individual responses:

MerlockVonBaron: Yep, Cruella makes an appearance and no, that will probably be the last since this story is coming to a close. But it was fun to see her. Same with the dragon and probably no Ursula. :)

Ghostwriter: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

Grace5231973: I agree, cutting off Storybrooke is a really good idea. Glad you enjoyed it!

Number Ten: Yep, the timing really did Pan in on this one. Little David is way too young to help him now and since the curse is broken already, his time expired already. Good riddance to him. :)

Jennifer Baratta: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

sexystarwarslover: Yep, it was a nail biter for sure and there are more close calls in this chapter. Yes, Cleo Fox is the woman from 5B. Yep, Cruella makes a little appearance, because it's fun. Nope, Barry is a creep that used to come onto her all the time. I love it when David gets angry too, very sexy. Yeah, Auggie was very protective of her. Yep, Snow just might let him kill Barry. Yep, Tamara was nothing more than a pawn. Yep, Maleficent's egg is okay. Yeah, they need to get back to Storybrooke so they can all be safe.

AnonSnowing: Nope, I don't think plane is going to disappear. Yeah, Emma is pretty clever. No, Cruella has Maleficent's egg. No, neither Neverland, nor the Enchanted Forest are gone. Just Pan. Yep, the old neighborhood doesn't have good memories. Yeah, this guy is bad news and David already wants to beat the crap out of him. He is definitely a sleaze. But Snow is with David again and yes, good thing August was around to protect her during that time or Barry might have done more to hurt her. Pan is gone. Neverland is not and neither is the Enchanted Forest, but I've decided that we won't be seeing it in this fic. Cruella got there, because she's Cruella and decided to take Maleficent's egg and escape the Enchanted Forest before the curse. Yep, true love telepathy. Even with a gun, Barry had no chance. Yep, time to go home, but yeah not quite over yet. Glad you're enjoying it. :)

A Darker Curse

Chapter 34: Race to Storybrooke

"What the hell was that all about?" Cleo asked her partner.

"What do you mean? You asked me to do a job and I did," Barry replied. He definitely seemed pissed about the way things had turned out.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about...you just tried to take a hostage!" Cleo accused.

"No…I was going to try and solve another case, like the one of missing Detective Michael Bishop. No one has heard of him since he left Oregon for his trip to Maine on a tip that fugitive Neal Cassidy was living in some spot in the road in Maine," Barry explained.

"You held a gun on a man and tried to force a woman to give you what you wanted to save his life...that's not the kind of work I do," Cleo said.

"Then find a new partner. Meanwhile…I'm going to make a big arrest," he replied. She frowned.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Emma Swan is wanted for questioning in the Cassidy case. She won't make it through that airport after I make this call to Portland police. Then maybe her mother and I can make that deal, after all," he said, with a smug smirk, as he made the call. Cleo took her phone out and dialed Emma, hoping she wasn't too late.

They arrived at the Portland airport late that afternoon and prepared to turn in the rental car. But as they were doing that, Emma's phone rang.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Emma...it's Cleo," she replied.

"What's up?" Emma asked.

"Barry is tipping off the cops that you're in Portland. You'll never get through security and on that plane without being flagged," Cleo warned. Emma sighed.

"Okay...thanks for the heads up," she said, as she hung up.

"We have a huge problem," Emma said.

"What is it, honey?" Snow asked.

"That scumbag tipped off the cops...they know I'm in Portland. I'll never make it on the plane," Emma replied.

"No…" Snow feared.

"We still have the rental though…" David said, as he looked at his wife.

"He's right...we'll just have to drive back," Snow replied, as she turned to the others.

"Go on...get back to Storybrooke as soon as possible. It might be a few days, but we'll get there," Snow said. Rumple nodded.

"By then, we'll have the barrier spell ready," he promised.

"Mom…Dad, I can drive back, but you two should go back on the plane. There is no sense in me risking your freedom too," Emma lamented.

"No way," Snow protested.

"Yeah...not a chance in hell," David agreed. Snow took her hand.

"We are in this together and you are our daughter. And anyone that tries to take you from us is going to do so at their own peril," Snow said.

"She's right...especially that scummy creep," David agreed, as he hugged her and cupped her face.

"When I had to put your mother through the wardrobe, before you were born, I didn't have a choice. Not doing so meant forfeiting your life, so we had no choice but to endure a separation," he said.

"But now...I do have a choice and I'm not going to be separated from you again," he promised. A tear slipped down her cheek and she hugged him tightly.

"I love you Daddy," she sniffed. He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Here...this should help you get along faster," Gold said, as he handed Snow a roll of money.

"Thanks…" she said, as Belle hugged her.

"Please be careful," she pleaded.

"We will...and we'll be home as soon as we can make it there," Snow assured, as little August looked up at her.

"Princess Snow...you're not coming home with us?" he asked innocently.

"We are sweetie...but we have to take a different way and it might take us a little longer, but we'll be home soon," she promised.

"I'll miss you," he said. She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"I'll miss you too, sweetie...but we'll all be together again soon," she promised, as a cool look passed between her and Geppetto.

"Okay...you guys better go before the cops spot you. Get out of Portland and on the highway as fast as you can," Tink urged.

"We will...and we'll call you soon," Snow said, as the three Charmings got into the car and Emma sped away with her parents in the car.

Barry smirked, as he watched their car leave the airport. He knew Cleo would have tipped her off and let her do it. Slowly, he merged into traffic and followed them onto their route, unknowingly tailing them.

Regina sighed, as she held the phone to her ear.

"All right...thanks Tink. I'll gather the ingredients we need so Gold and I can work on the barrier spell as soon as you get back," Regina said, as she hung up.

"You don't look happy," Neal mentioned, as he held his son on his lap. He, Robin, and Regina were having dinner at the diner when Tink's call came in.

"They rescued August, but ran into some creep from their past in Portland. He let it slip to the cops that Emma was there, so she and her parents are driving back," Regina said.

"Dammit…" he cursed.

"The others are flying back and should be back by morning, but it might be a few days for Snow, David, and Emma," she said worriedly.

"Then we'll be ready with that barrier spell," Robin said.

"Yeah…I think cutting this town off from this world and every single other one is the best idea my dad has ever had," Neal replied.

"It's the only way. We won't ever be able to leave...but if we don't, there is no telling what else will come at us," Regina feared.

"I think it's safe to say that no one is really missing anything though. We all have our families and our loved ones here," Neal replied. Robin nodded.

"He's right...this is the right decision," he agreed. She smiled.

"Gold already has the memory potion ready for Detective Bishop," Regina said.

"Good...can't wait to be rid of him. He gets louder and louder every day," Neal replied, as Regina seemed restless still.

"They'll be okay…" Robin assured.

"I know...I just hate that they're out there and in danger. They can't get home soon enough for me," she lamented. He nodded and kissed her hair. Neal agreed, as he looked down at his son. The fear of Emma and her parents not making it home was prevalent, but he refused to go to the worst case scenario and still had hope that, in the end, good would win.

The first day on the road, they only stopped for food and fuel and alternated drivers each time. While one drove, two slept as best as possible, and they made really good time. About twenty-four hours into their forty-eight hour drive, they finally stopped and found a hotel. The halfway point was in Iowa and they found a nice motel off the interstate in Des Moines.

They rented one room with two double beds and then each took turns using the shower. Snow and David were bedded down for the night after theirs, while Emma took hers. David held her in his arms and gently pressed a kiss to her hair.

"It's going to be okay, Snow...we're halfway home and once we are, we will never have to worry about being separated again," he promised, as she turned in his arms to face him.

"I can't wait...I can honestly say I've had enough of this world," she said, as he gently caressed her beautiful face.

"I hate everything you had to go through…" he lamented.

"I'd do it again, for you and our daughter," she assured him.

"I know...I just wish things had been different. But I also know you don't regret getting to raise August," he said.

"I don't...but I wish you could have come with us too. But Cora is gone and the curse is broken. And we have our eternity back," she replied, bringing a smile to his face and he kissed her tenderly.

"Eternity," he echoed, as they settled down together, just as Emma came out of the bathroom.

"Ah...so much better," she said, as she plopped down on the other bed.

"Good night sweetie…" Snow said.

"Good night Mom. Good night Dad," she replied, as they went to sleep for the night.

"Look...this is a credible tip, John. We're talking about a missing detective here," Barry said in frustration into his phone.

"I understand that...but the Portland police department hasn't invited us into their investigation. I can't just step in," the man on the other end argued.

"I know he's in this little town...and I can lead you right to him. I think this town has some weird shit going on in it," Barry said. He heard his friend sigh.

"Is this about that woman you used to obsess over?" he asked.

"I'm telling you, John...she looks younger! Like as young as she was when I met her," he insisted.

"Well...they have some amazing rejuvenating face creams these days. It doesn't mean anything," John insisted.

"Maybe not...but I know something strange is happening in this town. Michael told me about weird things he encountered before he went dark. It's like a weird cult...think about it. If you don't at least investigate, you could have another Waco or something," Barry said. He heard his friend sigh.

"And you really think you have an in?"

"I've been tailing them since Oregon and I'm in Iowa now. I know you're at the Kansas City office now. If you fly up now, you can be here by morning," Barry said.

"Fine...but this better not be some wild goose chase," John replied.

"It's not...I can feel it," Barry said, as he hung up the phone and glared at the door to the room he had seen them go in.

"Whatever is going on with you, Mary Margaret...I'm going to figure it out and blow this wide open," he muttered.

The next morning, they awoke early and got on the road early, after fueling up and grabbing food on the go. They drove around the clock, switching drivers and only stopping for gas and bathroom breaks along the way. They made even better time and were on the winding back roads of Maine by almost dawn the next morning. They were all exhausted, but pushed ahead since they were so close now. Unfortunately, as the traffic dwindled, that's when Emma noticed that not all the traffic had dropped off like it should have. They were clearly being followed.

"Emma...you okay?" David asked.

"No...we're being followed," she replied, as her parents peered out the back window. There were two figures in the car, but they couldn't see faces, as it was not light enough yet.

"More outsiders in Storybrooke is exactly what we don't need," Snow fretted.

"No...but there's no keeping them out yet until we're ready to put the barrier up," Emma reasoned.

"Then we act like we don't realize they're tailing us. Once we're in a place with magic, we'll have ways of dealing with them," David said. Emma nodded. It was the best option. If they stopped and confronted them outside Storybrooke, without knowing anything, it could go really bad. They could be and probably were armed. She didn't like inviting them into Storybrooke, but she definitely felt more comfortable dealing with them in their own playground. Unfortunately, things weren't going to go their way.

"We need to get ahead of them, before they get into town," Barry urged.

"Why?" John asked.

"Because if we're on their territory, we have no idea what we're walking into. If we have them in our custody, we can better negotiate with whoever runs this place," Barry replied. John sighed.

"That's now how we do things at the FBI," he chided. Barry scoffed.

"Please…the feds do whatever they have to," he retorted and John didn't disagree.

"Hang on," he said, as he swerved and sped up alongside them, before cutting them off.

"Whoa...what the hell is this guy doing?" Emma cried, as they sped alongside them.

"Oh my God...it's Barry," Snow said in horror, as she got a look at the passenger.

"Oh crap!" Emma cried, as the driver made a sharp turn in front of them and cut them off. Emma slammed on the brakes and came dangerously close to crashing into them. The two men got out of the car and trained their weapons on them. Emma started to move for the glove box for their weapons, but one of them raised his gun on her.

"Hands up...don't move," John warned.

"Crap...what do we do? We're so close," Emma said. And they were, as they could see the town sign in the very near distance.

"We make a run for it...we've got a better chance in the woods than they do," David said, as he looked at his wife and she smiled.

"You know me well," she said, as she raised her pant leg and pulled a knife out of her ankle holster. He smirked.

"I love you," he said.

"I know," she replied.

"Uh...guys, they have guns. What are you going to do with a knife, dad?" she asked, but she watched in sheer amazement, as her father flew out of the car and caught their attention.

"HEY!" he called, as he hurled the knife at the man they didn't recognize and he cried out in agony, as there was suddenly a knife in his neck.

"Holy shit!" Barry cried, as David took their hands and they ran into the woods.

"STOP!" Barry called, as he followed them, but they kept running, even when he started shooting. David ducked and they all kept their heads down as much as possible, as they ran through the trees.

"Just a little further and we'll be there," Snow said, but a bullet grazed by David's head and they stalled, as Barry aimed directly at him.

"I missed him on purpose...I won't miss again, Mary Margaret," Barry warned, as they stopped. He smirked and approached.

"Now...we're going back to my car and we're going to do things my way," he said, as he gently prodded them back in the other direction.

When Regina received a call from Snow at four in the morning, she was elated to find that they would be crossing the town line in about an hour. Despite the early hour, she immediately got up and got dressed with Robin. She was determined that when her sister came home that her son would be waiting for her.

"Love…I know you want to correct this wrong, but are you sure this confrontation is a good idea?" Robin asked nervously.

"No...but I have to try. I have to try to convince Geppetto that turning him back into an adult is for the best. It's what August would want and that's what this is truly about," Regina replied, as she knocked on Geppetto's door. He was up, as she knew he would be, for he was an early riser.

"What are you doing here so early? I'm getting breakfast for my boy," Geppetto said shortly.

"Snow and David will be back very soon and I'm going to make sure my sister has her son waiting for her," Regina replied sternly.

"I will take Pinocchio to see the Princess later today," Geppetto refuted.

"No...you're going to let me turn him back into the man that he is supposed to be and then he is going back to the life he chose," Regina insisted. Geppetto opened his mouth to protest, but Pinocchio saw them and came to the door.

"Good morning, Princess Regina," he said politely.

"Good morning Pinocchio…" she answered.

"Is Princess Snow back?" he asked curiously.

"She will be very soon. Would you like to go see her?" Regina asked.

"Yes please!" he said, as he looked at Geppetto.

"We will later, my boy," he told him and the boy deflated.

"Pinocchio...how would you like it if you were able to make that decision on your own?" Regina asked.

"I would like that very much. I want to see Princess Snow," he insisted.

"Here...this magical candy will give you everything you need," she replied.

"Wait...no, you can't give him that!" Geppetto cried, but it was too late. He trusted Regina and didn't hesitate to eat the small candy. As he swallowed, there was a poof of purple magic that engulfed him and when it cleared, he stood before them again as a full grown man.

"Whoa...that was a trip," August said, as he smiled at them.

"Thanks," he said. Regina nodded.

"You're welcome," she replied.

"Pinocchio…" Geppetto said. August turned toward him sharply, but stopped suddenly, as he felt one of his trances coming on. The author's pen appeared in his hand and Regina poofed the book into her hands. He took it and went into a frenzy of writing at the table. Regina watched over his shoulder and he came out of the trance when he was finished.

"Oh God…" Regina said, as she saw what he was writing and drawing. August looked up at them.

"We have to get to the town line," he said urgently. Regina nodded and the three of them disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving Geppetto behind.

Neal hung up the station phone, as his father and Belle arrived at the station.

"Regina says the time is now," he said, as Belle took his son from him.

"Be careful," she urged, as Rumple kissed her tenderly.

"We'll be back and this will soon all be over," he promised, as Neal unlocked Detective Bishop's cell and put the handcuffs on him.

"Where are you taking me?" Michael demanded to know.

"You're getting your wish. You're leaving town and soon, all this will be like it never happened to you," Rumple said.

"What the hell does that even mean?" he asked.

"Never mind...let's go," Neal replied, as the three of them disappeared in a puff of red smoke. Belle sighed and sat down, as she held little David in her lap.

"Don't worry sweetie...your parents will be back soon and so will your grandma Snow, your grandpa David and grandpa Rumple," she told him, as she kissed his little head.

When they got back to the car, they saw that the FBI agent was still writhing on the ground in pain, bleeding quite profusely from his wound.

"Barry...I need to get to a hospital…" he pleaded, as the man did something completely unexpected and shot him in the head. Snow cried out and covered her mouth with her hand, as she turned away, in David's arms.

"What the hell?" Emma cried in disbelief.

"He was bleeding out anyway, thanks to you," Barry said, as he looked at David.

"Oh so it's my fault you just shot a guy in the head?" David retorted.

"It makes no difference, because you're next unless she comes with me now," Barry said, motioning to Snow.

"She's not going anywhere with you. You'll have to shoot me before I let you touch her," David growled in response. Barry smirked.

"If you so wish," he said, as he pointed the gun and prepared to fire.

"No...no, please don't shoot!" Snow pleaded, as she held onto him for dear life. But he didn't listen and was about to do just that when the gun disappeared from his hand into thin air.

"What the…" he uttered, as he looked around. They did as well, wondering how that could have happened. They were still a fair distance from the town line and outside any magical reach.

"What just happened?" Emma asked.

"Oh, just a little author magic," a voice said, as they turned to find August there, with Regina and Robin.

"Auggie…" Snow said, as she choked on her words.

"Mom…" he answered with a smile, as she practically tackled him with a hug. He chuckled and hugged her back tightly.

"I missed you so much...but how?" she asked. He smiled at Regina.

"I might have slipped him a magical candy and told him if he ate it then he'd get whatever he really wanted," Regina replied, as she and Snow shared a hug.

"Thank you…" she whispered.

"He's your son and what they did was wrong. My mother hurt you enough and I couldn't stop her. But I could fix this," Regina replied.

"Glad to have you back...but what do we do with him?" Emma asked.

"You're going to explain to me what the hell is going on here," Barry demanded.

"No…I'm going to write you the ending you deserve," August replied, as his pen glowed and Barry, along with the dead agent, disappeared.

"Where did you send him?" David asked.

"I just put him back in Portland where he belongs, with the murder weapon in his hand and a dead agent at his feet. The inside of a prison cell is the only ending he gets," August replied, as Snow hugged him again. David put his arms around Snow and Emma and the four of them trekked toward town and over the town line with Robin and Regina following them.

They met Rumple and Neal there, who were with Detective Bishop.

"If you think I'm just going to forget everything I've seen in this town or that I'm going to drink whatever is in that damn vial, you're crazy! I'm not letting you poison me!" Michael ranted.

"August!" Tink called, as she ran to him and they hugged tightly.

"Oh hey...you're back. We have the memory potion, but getting him to drink it might be a problem," Neal said.

"Not anymore," August said, as he took his pen and made another quick entry. Detective Bishop disappeared and it gave them all relief.

"I returned him to Portland and wiped his memory. It will be like he never left there," August said, as they stood together at the town line.

"Then let's seal the town off, once and for all," Regina said.

"Know that if we do this...it's permanent. No one gets in, but no one gets out either," Rumple warned.

"It's for the best. I can attest that, while that world out there might seem appealing to some, it's no place for us," Snow reasoned.

"She's right...people got a taste of what it was like if this world found out about us," David agreed. Rumple gave a curt nod to Regina and she raised her hands. They cast the spell and an invisible barrier encased the town, ensuring their ultimate protection.

"Let's go home," Emma said. Snow and David hugged her between them and they started back to town. The Land Without Magic would neither be missed nor thought of again...

The final chapter will be out next Sunday!