Finding You Always

The Guardian

Chapter 176: The Guardian

The bell at the small diner rang, as they entered. A man looked up from the register and grinned, as Iris rushed up to the counter.

"Hey...if it isn't my favorite little dancer ever. Frankie...you better get started on the fried chicken!" Joe called to his husband, who waved at Iris.

"And looks like you better make a big batch," he added, as he nodded to David.

"I was hoping you'd still be making your weekly trip, even with all that hubbub in the news," Joe said, as they shook hands.

"I figured this might be the only place I could bring my family where we might escape the wolves," David replied, referring to the press. Joe smiled.

"Count on it," he said, as he motioned them to a large table.

"And this...this beauty must be the beautiful Margaret," he said, grandly, as he bowed deeply to her. Snow looked down shyly at his antics. David gave her a glowing smile, as he put his arm around her waist.

"I got the love of my life back...not many people can say that," he said, as he smiled lovingly at her.

"After what that wacko doctor did to you two...I hope he's burning in the hot place!" Frankie called from the back.

"Ditto on that," Joe added, as he noticed the others with them.

"Oh...this is our son Bobby. And they are Luke and Jenna...friends of the family," David said. He hated not being able to introduce the twins as their children too, but not even Joe would be able to wrap his head around that one.

"It's wonderful to meet you all. Fried chicken will be right out and I'll get the drinks. And as long as you're here at Frankie's Diner, you're home," he said, as he went to get their drinks.

"You were right...this was a great idea," Snow said, as she kissed his cheek.

"I'm just thankful we're all together again...even if we still have a lot to figure out," he replied. She squeezed his hand.

"But we will figure it out...because we're together again," she reminded. He nodded and kissed her tenderly, as Emma finally arrived and they proceeded to have a family dinner.

Flashback

Storybrooke - 2022

After thwarting the Collector and saving Henry, Alice had returned to Storybrooke with her father to settle into a new life. Henry had stayed behind in Starcomb, building a new life with Jacinda and they had recently received word that they were going to be married soon and that Jacinda was pregnant. They'd be visiting again soon for the wedding. But until then, Alice was adjusting to her new surroundings surprisingly well. She liked her new home a lot, but that had a lot to do with the fact that she not only had her father back, but had been welcomed with open arms into this new family that he was a part of.

Snow and Charming had instantly taken to her as one of their grandchildren, as if she had been a part of them all along. Emma too had taken to her right away and given her one thing that Alice had never really known and that was what it was like to have a mother-figure. But probably most influential in her liking her new home was her budding romance with Jade Mills-Hood, her new girlfriend.

Add to that, Alice had begun honing her magic skills with Regina and most recently, the Goddess Aphrodite. She had been very surprised when it seemed that the Goddess was very interested in having part in her training and today she was going to find out exactly why.

Alice concentrated to form her midnight blue magic into a ball, as Aphrodite arrived for their training session.

"You're doing very well," she said pleasantly. She let go of her concentration and the magic dissipated.