To The Fathoms Below

The Nautilus

***I want to make this VERY clear: this takes no inspiration from the OceanGate submarine incident.  This story was written and posted September 13, 2022 which you can verify by looking at my AO3 account.***
***I OWN NOTHING***

Truthfully, Snow and David had an excellent marriage, one that made most of Storybrooke envious. They knew how to communicate with each other, knew how to listen, when to give words of encouragement over words of advice. They knew each other's strengths and weaknesses, could finish each other's sentences, and knew exactly what the other was thinking and what their next move would be. They were truly the ying to the other's yang, something that transcended that magical link they shared. So when they found themselves at odds with each other it made things fairly difficult and stressful, extending so far to even effect those around them. And this was one of those miserable times...

30°19'10.5"N, 72°32'34.7"W
517 Miles Southwest of Bermuda
Wednesday 7:40 PM

Sheriff Nolan heaves a heavy, tired sigh on the other end of the line. "I still wish you two would have waited until Killian and Emma got back tomorrow. At least Killian could drive the thing."

"I'm not getting back into this with you, David." He heard her right. She had said David, deliberately not calling him by his beloved moniker. "We've already been over this. Besides, Ariel said it was urgent and Regina said she knows how to operate the sub. I don't want to risk waiting another day if Ariel is in trouble."

He didn't like this idea of his wife going gallivanting off to god knows where with Regina all while trapped twenty thousand leagues under the sea. Yes, Regina and Snow were on much friendlier terms than anyone had ever seen but it still didn't sit well with him. With just the pair of them going alone there would be no buffer between them and he and his wife had been up all night arguing over it. "I know, I know. I just want to make sure you'll be alright with her by yourself."

A hard stern look settles in on Snow's face as she watches a small school of hatchet fish swim through the lights. She can't help but question where exactly this worry was coming from. Couldn't he see that Regina was changing?... that she had changed? After everything they had overcome: Neverland, Camelot, the goddamn Underworld and most recently the Jekyll and Hyde clusterfuck... there was good in Regina, why couldn't he see that. "Don't start that. You know we will be fine. It should only be a couple days and then we'll be back home."

"Just make sure you come back to me. Don't let any of those handsome merfolk convince you to stay."

"I'll try my best not to jump ship." A subdued smile sits in the corner of her lips as she leans into the back of the second captain's chair, her legs pulled up onto the seat. Movement down at the further end of the corridor catches her attention, it's Regina stepping through the bulkhead and heading her way.

What could David do?... his wife was already aboard and hundreds of miles away. Only thing now was to wait until this trip played out. "I hate whatever this is that's happening between us. I'm not trying to control you or sway your thoughts, I just-.... I worry. That's all. I do love you, Snow."

"Don't say it like that. I know you do, and I love you too. We're-.... we're just having a marital dispute, guess we were due for one." Her head lays back against the headrest of the seat, staring up at the deep blue ocean hanging over her.

"Oh yeah? Well, I'm not a fan of it." There's a soft lift in his voice as he's trying to lighten the mood.

"Look, I know you don't like me being out here, I understand that.... but I'm asking you to trust me on this. Please."