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Chapter Text

Emma looked around her room which was now mostly free from the mess which had been littered around since before her brother was born. Although she and Henry had technically moved back into the loft once Henry had regained his memories it was only now, that she had come back from the past, that she was unpacking the stuff they had brought with them: after all, up until the day before, she hadn't been planning on sticking around.

She fell onto the bed and pulled her laptop over to her and opened up her email account so she could finish emailing someone who was sending her and Henry's stuff to Storybrooke, there wasn't much she needed, mainly just personal things. Content of when they would arrive Emma shut the laptop, before she had completely infuriated Regina by bringing Robin's ex-wife back to life and the present Regina had told her how to have things sent so that they were sent into the town, it was the same way the town got many of its supplies.

Emma massaged her sinuses as she thought about the whole situation with Regina, she winced as pain shot through her face, she had been feeling ill since she had been in the Enchanted Forest however she was sure it was just a side effect from Back to the Future-ing it. She would be fine.

But this situation with Regina, that she really needed to fix, so she dragged herself off of her bed and walked around the wall to Henry's side of the room and grabbed one of his jackets. He had gone with Regina from Neal's naming ceremony the previous night, Emma had tried to follow Regina too but had been stopped by Mary Margret and David, who had insisted that it was best that she left Regina alone for a little while.

She grabbed her boots and headed down the stairs.

David heard Emma's footsteps on the steps, as he sat with Neal in his arms on the couch, Neal had fallen asleep but David couldn't quite bring himself to put him down, not quite yet. He looked over to his daughter and expected to see her finally accepting that she was ill, he had only just stopped Mary Margret from dragging Emma to the doctors when she had heard the first cough that morning, they both had to wrestle with their newly heightened parental urges and not pushing Emma too far after she had finally fully accepted them as her family.

"You finished unpacking?" He asked her with a smile, but inside he was trying not to freak out that she seemed to have grown paler in the past couple of hours, he had to hope that it was just the lighting.

"Yeah," she placed Henry's jacket on the table as she sat down and pulled her boots on, "I just have some things being sent here from New York, and then I'll be officially back." She absentmindedly scratched at the skin on her arm which had been itchy all day.

"I'm glad you're back," he stood up slowly and carefully placed Neal in the Moses-basket and covered him with a blanket, "we all are, especially your little brother."

"He tell you that, did he?" Emma laughed.

"Yeah, I speak baby, didn't you know?" He walked over to the kitchen table and saw that she was getting ready to go somewhere. "Where are you going?" he asked hesitantly part of him didn't want to hear her answer.

Emma sighed. "Henry forgot his jacket."

"Em."

"I need to sort this out." She continued to scratch her arm.

"No, Emma." David said firmly he noted her almost shocked look at his tone. "Look, kiddo, please just trust your mom and me: Regina needs space, just give it to her, and before you know it she'll be back to normal." He watched Mary Margret walk into the kitchen from their room where she had been napping he sent her a smile which was only part relief at having someone there to back him up.

"But it's my fault-" Emma tried to tell her father but she was suddenly interrupted by her mother who she hadn't even noticed.

"-No, Emma, it's not your fault. You met someone who was going to be killed and you saved them, it was the right thing to do, and it was the exact thing that we would have expected you to do." Mary Margret walked around so she could see Emma's face. "Emma, are you feeling okay?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "I'm fine." She dropped Henry's jacket back onto the table but she continued to move to the door.

"Em-"

"I'm not going to talk to Regina." She told them in a frustrated voice as she continued to move to the door. "I just need some fresh air." She forced herself not to slam the door, purely on Neal's account, she needed to sort everything out with Regina however she was sure that her parents will somehow manage to stop her: knowing them they'd have Leroy or someone keeping an eye out. She could have kicked herself when she realised that she had left without her jacket, it was way too cold to be out in a t-shirt, but there was no way she was going to go back in there it would be way too awkward.

David stood open mouthed as he stared at the door. Had they pushed her too far? Rationally he knew that she was just frustrated at the situation, and wrongly frustrated at herself, but another part of him worried that they had messed up straight after they had made everything good.
"Should we- Are we going to go after her? No, wait, you should stay here with the baby and I'll go after her-"

"-David, no." Mary Margret placed her hand on her arm to stop him from going anywhere. "She's not going to Regina's."

"How to you know?"

"I can just tell, she wasn't lying, she just needs to take a few moments to clear her head." Despite her words she also looked fretfully at the door. "We'll give her an hour then if she's not back we'll go out and find her."

"Make it forty-five minutes," he told her, "I don't like how ill she's starting to look."

"Maybe she's just tired from her trip to the past." Mary Margret said hopefully, but neither parent had taken their eyes from the door, just yet. "She'll probably just sit in her car for a while."

*OUAT*

True to her word, Emma didn't go to Regina's, but nor had she picked up the keys to her car.

She walked around the town, as she did so she started to feel sicker and sicker, she practically had to fight to keep her eyes open. She hadn't been sick before she had gone, or if she had she hadn't noticed it, it was most likely due to the time travel.

Which left her with rather limited options: Regina was out as she currently hated her, Blue who would probably call her parents but she wanted to figure out what was going on with her first and she didn't want to worry them, so that left her with her last choice - Gold.

She needed to find out if she was ill from travelling, but the more she thought about it the more the memories of the past worried her, she pushed her fears of some Enchanted Forest plague from her mind but she decided to continue to walk to Gold's shop; she wanted to make sure they could handle another portal to the past should one arise, and anything which might come out of it.

*OUAT*

The forty-five minutes ticked by slowly for Mary Margret and David, they were only distracted by Neal waking up and demanding to be fed, but while that happened, David continued to pace the floor.

The clock struck six and Emma wasn't home yet.

"I'm going to look for her." David announced, he stood up and started to make his way to the door, ready to grab his jacket and pull on his shoes.

"I'm coming too." Mary Margret was already dressing Neal in his snowsuit when David looked back at her.

"Mary-"

"-David. This is the second time in twenty-four hours my daughter has gone missing but this time I am not just going to sit around and wait."

David knew that it was pointless to argue with her plus he saw where she was coming from. He nodded and passed her over her jacket while she placed Neal, who was wide awake but quiet, into his car seat. Mary Margret grabbed the keys to her station wagon and the three Charmings left the loft.

*OUAT*

Gold's shop was locked when Emma got there, but she could see a light in the back so she knew that the Dark One was there, she didn't bother to knock on the door as she was sure it would be redundant, she may have forgotten to take her car keys with her when she left the loft but she had remembered her lock picking equipment.

The bell rang when she entered the shop, as she moved towards the back of the shop she held her hands out to steady herself as she fought vertigo.

"We're closed." Gold's voice shouted through the shop, but Emma continued to walk to the back.

"Rumple." Belle scolded when she saw Emma. "Emma, are you okay? You look ill."

"What do you want Miss Swan?" Gold looked bored. "You heroes may have forgotten but I am not at your beck and call like some performing monkey."

"I need your help." Emma started to stumble but managed to stop herself despite that Belle walked over to her with a worried look on her face. "I need to know what you know about portals to the past."

"I already told you that nobody knows anything about those." He would have kicked her out already had Belle not been there.

"But you can make some assumptions." Emma guessed.

"Anyone with half a brain can make assumptions." He sighed, so much for a quiet evening in with his new wife. "You're clearly ill and I'm guessing you got ill when you were back in time to the Enchanted Forest, you clearly caught something from there. Now, I am clearly not a doctor or one of those insufferable nuns, nor one of your parents, I suggest you go bother one of them to get you well and leave me and-"

"-I'm fine." Emma interrupted. "It's just a cold and that's not what I'm here for. I want to know what you know about time portals in case one gets opened again, I barely got back here at all, if one opens again I need to be able understand it."

"Emma, are you sure? You really don't look well." Belle worried. "Do you want me to ring your parents, you really look like you should be at home."

"I'm fine, Belle." But as she spoke she lifted her hand to cover her eyes as nausea and dizziness flooded her body. She suddenly felt as though she was on fire. Perhaps she wasn't as well as she had claimed. She felt a tingling in her fingers which slowly spread.

Gold and Belle covered their eyes as a blinding light filled the room, the light came from Emma, but it wasn't the usual light which was associated with Emma's magic. There was something about this magic which was different.

*OUAT*

David and Mary Margret continued to drive around the town, the longer they drove the more their anxiety grew, but they couldn't even catch a glimpse of their daughter. They had checked at the station, Granny's, they'd asked everyone they had come across, they had even checked in with Doc and Doctor Whale in the hope that Emma had realised that she was sick and had gone to one of them.

"David, I'm getting really worried. Where is she?" Mary Margret glanced back at the backseat to make sure that Neal was still fine, he of course was, he had drifted off to sleep a short while ago.

"I'm not sure, Mary Margret," he kept his eyes on the road as he spoke to her he squinted through the darkness looking for Emma, "but we will find her."

Mary Margret opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by the ringing of her cell phone, her hands shot forward to pluck it from where it was laying on the dashboard of the station wagon. Her face changed from hope to disappointment when she saw it was Belle calling her, not Emma.

"Belle, is everything okay?"

David could hear Belle's voice over the phone. "Mary Margret, you and David need to get to Gold's, it's Emma."

"It's Emma? Belle is she okay?"

"She's… she's safe, it's a bit hard to explain over the phone, but she's okay."

Mary Margret shared a look with David to see if he had heard the conversation, judging from nod he gave her and the worried and confused look he had on his face, he had. "We'll be there in five minutes."

*OUAT*

Belle pressed the red phone icon on her cell and placed it down on the counter. She walked back over to where Emma was sat glaring at Gold.

"What the hell happened?" Emma demanded.

Gold rolled his eyes, he had already explained what he presumed had happened twice, he didn't see how stating what had happened a third time would help. He took in the child who sat before him.
"Well, Miss Swan, I thought your present situation would be abundantly clear to you: the time portal must have had some adverse effects on you."

"I'VE TURNED INTO A BLOODY FIVE YEAR OLD." Emma shouted at the man. "Turn me back."

"I've already told you that I can't."

The look on Emma's face made it clear that she didn't believe him, but Belle could tell that despite her husband's track record, he was telling the truth. "Rumple, why don't you go check in the back to see if there's any clothes that would better fit Emma." She shot him a pointed look, and he left the room in search of something which he could just as easily magic up, Belle walked over and crouched beside Emma. "I just got off the phone with your parents, they're on their way, they'll probably be here any minute."

Emma's scowl changed into a look of worry. "Do they know what happened?"

Belle shook her head. "No, I thought it would be easier to explain to them when they got here."

Emma didn't want them to see her like this, bar the first few minutes of her life, they had only known her as an adult; a strong, independent, and, admittedly, a pretty kickass adult. But what was her other option? Stay in the store with Gold and Belle until Gold would change her back? And that was if he was lying about not being able to change her back, if not what would she have to turn herself back? Would she be able to?

Chapter Text

As David threw the car into park outside of Gold's shop, Mary Margret was already undoing her seatbelt, and before David had even managed to get out of his own seat Mary Margret had got out of the car and was lifting Neal's carseat out.

She peered through the shop window, it was mainly darkened but she could just about see a light towards the back of the shop, she tried to catch a glimpse of Emma but couldn't see anything; she felt David appear at her side and he placed a protective hand on her back. They sent each other a look, Belle's message hadn't been the clearest, and although she had assured them that Emma was safe until they saw her for themselves they wouldn't feel at rest.

*OUAT*

The bell rang as they walked into the store the door slammed behind them but luckily Neal didn't wake.

"Belle!" David called out as he and his wife took tentative steps towards the lit part of the shop. "Emma?" he heard some quiet talking before he heard steps coming through to meet them.

"David, Mary Margret." Belle greeted them with a small smile.

"Belle, where is our daughter?" Mary Margret asked in a no nonsense, but not unkind, tone.

Belle's smile faded a little. "She's through the back, she's okay, but… well, Rumple will explain what happened."

"Belle, what's happened to Emma?" David asked.

"It's best for you to see her." Belle led them towards one of the back rooms.

If they didn't know Belle better they would worry that they were being led into a trap but there was no sign of anything wrong, and as even falling for The Dark One hadn't darkened Belle's heart, they doubted very much that she had turned evil.

But the room she led them into had no sign of Emma. "Emma." Belle called gently.

David and Mary Margret frowned and looked for their daughter, they noticed a pile of Emma's clothes folded on a small table, however before they could ask anything David noticed a small blonde head appear from around a cabinet.

Both David and Mary Margret's eyes were glued to the child's head. There was something so familiar about the girl, although her features were that of a kindergarten child, physically she looked a lot younger. She nervously stepped closer to them. Mary Margret placed Neal's carseat onto a chair, without taking her eyes off if the girl, and David crouched down so he was on eye level with her.

The blonde hair and green eyes…

"Emma?" he whispered.

"Hey dad." Emma pulled at her long dress-like top anxiously. She watched David's mouth fall open, she grew uncomfortable at the attention, and allowed her eyes to flicker to her mother who looked in disbelief at her though there were tears in her eyes.

"Emma," David repeated, "is that really you?" he watched the child nod and he took in the features of the child again, the face shape was so clearly Emma's and the eye shape was the one Emma had inherited from her mother. She was almost exactly how he had imagined her to be when Mary Margret told him that they were going to be having a daughter. "Are you okay?"

Emma opened and shut her mouth like a fish. She hadn't known what to expect, no matter her parents' usual reaction to things, her being turned into a five year old was unprecedented, but she hadn't prepared herself for her father's kind voice asking if she was okay. Perhaps she should have prepared herself for that, not only because it was something so completely in his character, but also because his loving voice in combination with her own circumstances and how ill she was still feeling made her burst into tears, and the confusion in her actions only made the tears fall faster down her face.

David moved on instinct and took Emma into his arms, he stood up with her in his arms his hand automatically went to the back of her head as it always did, he rocked side to side as he had learnt to do for his son whenever he cried.

Mary Margret moved forward in tandem with her husband, she put the feeling of shock to the back of her mind, and rubbed Emma's back even though she had no idea what was happening. How could this be Emma?
She spoke quietly so that Emma wouldn't hear her and get either more upset. "Belle, what happened?"

"Emma came here to ask Rumple about time portals, she was worried about one appearing again or something coming out of it, she really didn't look too good." Belle looked concerned at Emma. "Rumple said he can make some conclusions though he can't tell for certain, I had him wait in the back room," she sent a look to them which made them realise that Emma and Gold had probably been getting on each other's last nerve, "I'll go get him."

*OUAT*

David and Mary Margret felt grateful that Belle had left them for a few minutes, they felt as though they had been hit by a truck, they would never have expected this to happen.

"Emma, sweetheart," Mary Margret called as her daughter still had her head buried in David's shoulder, "do you still feel ill?"

David felt Emma shrug against him, he didn't mind holding her at all but it was going to be much harder to figure out what was going on and how she was if they could only get vague answers, he crouched down and pulled Emma back from him slightly. "Kiddo?" David prompted.

"I don't feel too well." Emma muttered quietly. She kept hold of his leather jacket, she didn't know why but she couldn't help but feel nervous in the shop, she just wanted to get home. No, she wanted to be turned back to normal, then get home, and for all the stupid portals to never open in the town ever again.
"What happened to me?" she asked in an uncharacteristically small voice.

"I…" David trailed off and looked over at Mary Margret with a helpless look on his face. What did happen to her? And how were they going to help her?

"We're not sure, Emma, but we'll figure it out." Mary Margret promised. She watched Gold and Belle walk into the room. "Gold, can you tell us what happened, please?"

"As I already told your daughter, there must have been a complication when she was travelling back to our time, resulting her being turned into a five year old."

"Change me back." Emma demanded angrily. Her hands curled into fists at her sides.

"I already told you, Miss Swan, I cannot turn you back. I can however do this for you." He twirled his hand and Emma was changed into some child sized jeans and a top which had the Disney version of Snow White on it. "There, how charming." He smirked and gained scowling looks from David, Mary Margret, and Emma in return.

"Rumple." Belle chastised. "You were saying it might have something to do with Emma being ill."

"But she just has a cold."

"Then what's that rash on her arm." Gold pointed out.

Mary Margret quickly crouched down, she gently took hold of Emma's arm, and examined the red and slightly blistered skin. "Emma, did you have this earlier?"

"Maybe," she shrugged, "it was a little itchy earlier." Belle appeared in front of her and also examined the rash. Emma moved back slightly into David, her earlier feelings of anger at Gold dissipated, all the attention was making her feel very uncomfortable.

"Belle, is this-?"

"- Yes, I think it is." Belle frowned. "She should probably have it looked at by a doctor but I think it's a flu like illness from the Enchanted Forest, Saltbourne flu."

"Saltbourne flu?" David asked worriedly he placed his hand on Emma's shoulder protectively. "I thought that was really rare… and rather contagious."

"It is nowadays." Belle explained. "In the Enchanted Forest we were given vaccinations so we wouldn't get it."

"When I was pregnant with Neal I was given a vaccination Whale created which was passed on to him, just in case anything were to happen, Alexandra got one through Ashley." It suddenly dawned on Mary Margret that everyone in the town was protected from the flu, bar Emma, just in case. Even Henry would have been given one when he was little. She saw Emma move even closer to David, a contagious illness along with being deaged was clearly scaring her, she smiled at her daughter kindly. "Don't worry, sweetheart, we'll have Doc check you over and he'll be able to give you some medicine."

"Gold, are you sure there's nothing you can do to help Emma?" David asked firmly. "How come this only changed Emma, why weren't Hook and Robin's wife affected?"

"I can only guess that her magic and being ill somehow interacted with the portal and turned her into this… infant."

"CHANGE ME BACK!" Emma shouted and raced from David's side towards Gold. She suddenly felt two hands wrap around her and David picked her up into his arms effortlessly. She kicked her feet rapidly, trying to get her father to put her down, it hadn't even been an hour since she had been changed and she was already sick to death of it. "Gold I mean it! Change me back right now!"

David held Emma close to him and held her legs firmly so she couldn't kick him as she tried to escape. She felt barely heavier than a bag of sugar in his arms.

"I already told you I can't, given time I'm sure you'll change back and if not…" he shrugged in response.

"If not what?" Mary Margret demanded.

"If not you finally get to raise your daughter." Gold shrugged again. "But that doesn't matter."

"Why not?" Mary Margret narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"Because, you are now here to collect your daughter, therefore she is no longer my problem. I presume you drove here so," he waved his hand and a toddler's carseat appeared at David's feet, "here, free of charge. Now, please leave me and my store."

David and Mary Margret shared a look, clearly they weren't going to get any more help from Gold, and they really should get Doc to make sure that Emma was okay and possibly have Blue check on Emma to make sure that her magic hadn't affected her beyond the obvious.

"I'll do some research," Belle promised them, "I'll see if I can find out a way to speed up changing you back, Emma."

Emma nodded from where she was half sat on David's hip. Her words escaped her again, she really did think that she would be going home herself again, she didn't even want to think about the carseat which David picked up in his other hand. Not to mention Gold's uncertainty of whether or not she'd be able to turn back.

*OUAT*

Mary Margret picked Neal's carseat up and followed David and Emma out of the door. David had walked fast, clearly he was trying to get Emma away from Gold as quickly as he could, not that she blamed him he was being totally unhelpful.

"I'm not getting in that." Emma told David as he tried to lower her into the carseat he had just strapped into the car.

David shared a look with Mary Margret who was strapping Neal's carseat into the other side of the backseat. "Em, kiddo, you have to go in it."

"I'm not a child." She whined.

The whining tone suggested otherwise but David didn't say so. "I know you're not but it's not safe for you to sit in the car without one."

"I'm twenty nine, not five, I don't need to sit in that and I don't want to… I just don't…" she took a shuddering breath and tried to stop tears from rolling out of her eyes. She didn't know what was going on, she didn't usually cry, all she knew was that that she wished that everything would go back to normal.

Mary Margret wanted to rush over and take Emma from David's arms give her hug and never let her go. But she knew that Emma didn't need that at the moment right now all she needed was to be talked straight to. "Emma, you're still the sheriff, you know that legally you have to be a certain height to be able ride without one."

"The quicker you get in the car the quicker we can get home." David told her quietly when he felt her sigh against him. He received a nod in return so he carefully placed her into the seat and strapped her in.

He closed the door at the same time as Mary Margret did on the other side and he walked over to talk to his wife. "This is insane." He wrapped his arms around her and kept his voice quiet just in case Emma was able to hear them, though he didn't doubt that she had other things on her mind.

"I know." She tucked her head against his shoulder. "I have no idea what we're going to do. Our daughter is suddenly five," she reiterated, "there's no parenting books on what happens when they get deaged by twenty four years."

"She doesn't even look five, she seems way too short, and way too skinny." David pressed a kiss to the top of his wife's head. But then he shook his head, if there was to be a conversation about that it would be held at a later time, not on the darkened and cold Main Street outside of a shop of a man who would not or could not help their daughter.

"We should get home," she pressed a kiss to his lips to give herself courage, "we need to make sure she's not in immediate danger, we can freak out about this later."

"Preferably without Emma realising that we're freaking out about it." He agreed.

Chapter Text

David stood one step behind Emma while she finally made it to the door of the loft, Mary Margret opened the loft door with Neal's carseat still in her hand as she got there, they would have made it to their home quicker but Emma had insisted on climbing the stairs by herself. Emma had severely underestimated how much effort went into climbing the stairs and how much time it would take.

David was used to looking down on Emma, but now he had to look even further now that his daughter was barely hitting three foot tall, when he managed to see her face he saw that the colour had drained almost entirely from it and she looked as though she was about to fall asleep on her feet. He shook his head as she walked into the loft and immediately headed to the kitchen, of course she was going to be stubborn, she really needed to be on the couch or preferably the bed.

Instead of walking over to his daughter he walked over to Mary Margret, she gently lifted Neal out of his carseat and held him in her arms, David brushed his hand through Neal's downy hair. "I'm surprised he stayed asleep through all of that."

"So far he's been pretty good sleep wise, and he was just fed that normally sends him right off, but he should probably be sleeping in his bed." Her eyes glanced over to Emma who was trying to pry the fridge open. "They both should."

"I know, but I have a feeling that Em's not going to go for that, and I'm just worried that this might make her walls shoot back up." He spoke quietly with his eyes on Emma.

"I'm concerned about that too but if that does happen we'll get them back down again." she assured him. "I'm going to put Neal in his cot then I'll ring Doc and Blue to get them to come and check Emma, plus she'll need medicine, we also need-"

"-Mary Margret." David gently took his wife's hands into his own, he could tell that she was starting to panic, understandably so, but if Emma saw it he was sure her walls would go up quicker than ever. "You put Neal in his cot and make the phone calls, I'll deal with Emma and get her to lay on our bed ready for Blue and Doc to examine her." He pressed a kiss to her forehead and walked over to the kitchen as Mary Margret placed Neal in his cot and headed up the stairs so she could make the call in peace.

Emma finally prised the fridge open and searched the shelves for beer, or any other alcohol if truth be told, anything to help get what had happened out of her mind. She felt David appear behind her as she grabbed a soda, the unhealthiest thing to drink in the fridge, then slammed the fridge shut.
"How come we have no alcohol in the fridge at all?" She grumbled as she picked at the tab of the can but her hands wouldn't open it at all. "Please tell me there's more somewhere in this place." She continued to pull at the tab but it was unrelenting. The anger built inside of her until she felt a white hot rage, and she threw the can as far as she could, but the lack of distance only angered her more.

David took a startled breath in, he knew that the people in their family didn't exactly have a good temper, but he hadn't expected that. He crouched down and placed his hands on both of her shoulders. "Emma, take a breath, please." Luckily she did as she was told for once. "Even if we did have alcohol you wouldn't be drinking any."

"Why not?" Emma glared and crossed her arms.

"I think you know why, Emma, you may not be but your body is that of a child. You can't have alcohol while you're like this." He told her gently. "But I don't think that's why you got so angry, is it?" Emma didn't say anything so he continued to talk. "I might not be able to fully understand what it's like to change everything about who you are, but I remember how hard it was to wake up as myself instead of just David Nolan, and I'm sure that this is even harder. But kiddo, we're going to be working to change you back as soon as we can, I promise."

Emma looked down, she knew that they would try, but Gold had made it seem pretty hopeless. Not to mention the effects this would have on her family, especially Henry who would have to see her like this, but also her parents had to see her as a child. "Kiddo?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Sorry, I didn't think, I just…" David stuttered.

"I know," Emma said kindly, "you always call me that." She was surprised to find she didn't really mind him calling her that if anything it made her feel more normal than anything else. "Where's mom gone?"

David smiled glad to see that crisis was averted at least for the time being. He stood up and opened the fridge again and grabbed her a bottle of juice. He had to admit he was glad to see that Emma hadn't been able to open the soda, she may not mentally be a young child, but he didn't want to see what happened if she was pumped through of sugar. "She went to ring Doc and Blue." He opened the cap of the juice and passed it to her he crouched down so he could see into her eyes again. "They need to check you over, Blue will make sure that the magic didn't hurt you, and Doc will be able to give you medicine for the illness you caught."

Emma picked at the label on bottle, she frowned at the cartoon sunshine as she thought about having to see yet more people, or more importantly them seeing her. But that wasn't the only thing on her mind. "What is this illness?"

David tilted his head, slightly confused, she seemed to be worried about being ill but it was more than that; if he didn't know any better he would say that she was almost being shy. "It's an old one from The Enchanted Forest, it's called Saltbourne Flu, I think it's pretty much like the flu here but we were all protected from it through vaccinations."

"But I wasn't." Emma's eyes drifted to her brother's cot. "Is Neal safe? I can stay somewhere else, I can go to Granny's or-"

"- Em." David gently pushed Emma's chin up so he could look into her eyes. "You're staying here, got it? Neal is perfectly safe, he had the vaccination through your mother when she was pregnant with him, sadly that wasn't around when she was pregnant with you."

"Are you sure?" Emma bit her lip.

"I am but if you're worried we can ask Doc when he gets here." Emma nodded. "Emma, you're not going anywhere, okay? We're not going to send you away, if by some impossibility Neal could catch it from you, your mom and I aren't going to leave you on your own, we'd figure it out." He wasn't sure why he felt the need to assure her of that but look on Emma's face made him think that he made the correct decision.

Emma just nodded and drank some of her juice which she had to admit felt amazing on her sore throat.

"We should get you to bed," Emma opened her mouth to argue but David held his hand up to pause her, "you'll need to be looked over by Blue and Doc and that'll be easier and more comfortable if you're lying in bed when it happens."

"Fine." Emma sighed. "But I'm taking these stupid boots and coat off."

David wouldn't admit it to her but the yellow wellington boots and the matching coat, complete with cartoon rainclouds, looked adorable on her. He still found it bizarre that this little girl was Emma, but when she threw the coat on the floor and kicked the wellies off, he couldn't deny that this was still his Emma as she was constantly doing the same when she came home from work.

*OUAT*

Mary Margret opened the loft door to her old friends and wasn't surprised to see them both wrapped up in warm coats complete with hats, scarves, and gloves even with the heating on in the loft there was still a slight chill in the air. The knocking on the door had woke Neal but David had left Emma's side to pick him up and comfort him so Mary Margret was able to lead Blue and Doc straight through to see Emma.

"Thank you both for coming."

"Not a problem." Blue said and Doc nodded.

Lying by herself in the middle of David and Mary Margret's bed, Emma looked even smaller than Mary Margret had thought she was, it didn't help that once Blue and Doc rounded the curtain Emma brought her knees up to her chest and curled halfway into a ball. Mary Margret felt the familiar tug in her stomach which she felt when Neal was crying, the innate maternal instinct which she had first felt when she had been cured from the infertility potion at Lake Nostos, she left Blue and Doc's side and sat on the bed next to Emma; she was sure that she had made the right choice when Emma, pulled her knees away from her body, and moved closer to her.

"As you can see," David walked in with Neal resting against his chest the baby having settled down almost entirely, "Emma's gone through a slight change."

Doc stood with his mouth open in shock, he may have seen Pinocchio in his now younger state but Emma was even younger than he was, and he had known Pinocchio when he was that age Doc had only known Emma as an adult. Blue on the other hand moved closer to the bed, she took her wand out of her nun's robes and waved it slowly over Emma, from head to foot.

"Gold said that Emma's magic interacted with the time portal." Mary Margret told Blue, she placed her arm around Emma and rubbed her arm, she felt Emma relax slightly against her.

Blue continued to wave her wand over Emma resulting in blue tinged magic which spread like glitter through the air. "I would say that in this case The Dark One is correct. Emma's magic is uniquely strong and her light magic interacting with the practically unknown magic of the portal could easily have caused this."

"May I take a look at your arm, Emma?" Doc asked her quietly, he rolled up the long sleeve to her elbow, and examined the rash. "You were correct in thinking that this is Saltbourne flu." He told Mary Margret and David but saw the clueless and slightly worried look on Emma's face. "It's easily treatable with medicine and plenty of rest, I made some up before I came here, you can take it with other medicines to keep your temperature down."

"This flu may have weakened your immunity to the effects of the portal with your magic." Blue mused.

"So when I'm better from this salt-whatever flu I'll have changed back." Emma asked excitedly.

Blue sent her a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, Emma, but no."

"Then you can… you can change me back, right? You changed August, Pinocchio, you can change me."

Blue shook her head. "The magic in those two cases are very different, Pinocchio has his own unique magic, I'm sorry but I can't help; I can't change you back."

Mary Margret tightened her arm around her daughter hoping to pass on some comfort. "But you and the other faeries will try to search for way to turn her back, won't you?" Mary Margret asked but her tone strongly encouraged Blue to do so.

"Of course." Blue smiled gracefully. "But I'm sorry to say that, excluding a miracle, your magic will slowly have to sort this out by itself."

"How slowly?" Emma demanded. "What, am I expected to go through twenty something years again?"

"It won't be a normal rate of aging, you could go from your age you are now-"

"- I'm twenty nine." Emma insisted.

"Em." David soothed quietly, both wanting his daughter to calm down for her sake, and so that he could hear what Blue had to say.

"The age your body is, five. You could go from this back to normal in a few weeks or a month or so... I'm sorry," she told Emma and the rest of her family, "I've not heard of this happening in the past, there's no standard length of this lasting. But I promise that we'll search for a way for you to turn back to normal."

"Thank you." Mary Margret said to both of them having noticed a worried look on Doc's face. "I'll see you both out." She rubbed Emma's arm and slowly slid from beside her, before David could even start to follow her she shot him a look asking him to stay by Emma's side, she nodded at him a promise to inform him of anything else later.

*OUAT*

"Doc, is everything okay?" Mary Margret asked as the dwarf rooted through his bag he had brought with him.

"You say that she's five?"

"Yes, well she says that she is, why?" Emma had told them that she was five a few times as she complained about having to lay on their bed.

Doc pulled a bottle of medicine out of his bag, along with some ointment for Emma's rash, he paused and looked towards Blue before he handed the medicine to Mary Margret. "She's very small for a five year old, I know that she was born early, I remember…" his voice trailed off.

"But you're saying that Emma being born premature doesn't count for her being that small." Mary Margret guessed. She had assumed as much but she hadn't wanted to let her mind think about it too much, about the other reasons why Emma might still be so small at the age of five.

She watched Doc slowly nod, she turned her head to the now closed curtain where she could hear the indistinct rumble of David's voice talking to Emma, or Neal, or possibly both, and not for the first time she wished that she could have been there for Emma's childhood- well, now it looked like she was going to have a chance, however brief of one it was, not that this would be able to change Emma's actual memories. But now it seemed rather bittersweet.

"In that case it might be beneficial if you could get a hold of Emma's medical records." Blue suggested.

"I can't do that, Emma wouldn't want me to, and I'm not going to use this as an opportunity to gain information on my daughter she doesn't want me to know." Mary Margret frowned.

"I understand that." Blue said patiently. "But I'm sure you could ask for a shorter list from Doctor Whale, with Emma now at the age of a child it would be helpful for all of you to be aware of know what, if any, treatments she had, for her sake."

"Plus if she's been shrunken down to a child again," Doc intermediated as he saw his almost-sister becoming worked up by the faerie's persistence, "she could have gotten bad chickenpox at a certain age, or goodness knows what else."

Mary Margret paused for a minute as she teetered the line between doing what was best for Emma and Emma's privacy. Then she nodded. "I'll talk to David, and Emma, at the very least we'll know a brief medical history of her first five years."

Doc then moved the conversation on to talk about Emma's treatment, with Blue adding in extra advice anywhere she could, and they both passed on their well wishes to Mary Margret and the rest of her family, who were still in the bedroom, and their promises to help them in any way they could.

But as Mary Margret held open the door to see their guests out she hesitated and called Blue to a halt at the top of the stairs.

"I know that Emma has physically changed back to a five year old, but her mind is still her own, it is going to stay like that, isn't it?"

Blue pursed her lips in thought. "She might have times when she slips into a more childish mind set, though I can't be sure how severe or for how long that could last for."

"Okay, but, she's not going to completely change, is she?" Mary Margret asked hopefully.

A pregnant pause hung in the air.

"I promise you that we'll do everything in our power to make sure that doesn't happen." Blue said but her tone was grave.

Chapter Text

Mary Margret closed the door behind Blue's back, her mouth was agape as she stared at the green wood, then she leant her head forward and let it rest on the cold door. How could there be a chance that Emma would be stuck as a child? They had to find a way... there was always a way, and they would find it. She heard the creak of footsteps on the floor and she jumped and turned and was relieved to see that it was just David stood there with Neal in his arms, she plastered a smile onto her face, but David knew her too well.

"Mary Margret, what's wrong?" he walked over to her and placed his hand on her cheek, Neal cooed in his father's arms, but David kept his attention on his wife.

Mary Margret's eyes darted toward her bedroom. "Is Emma asleep?"

"Yes," he said and Mary Margret opened her mouth to explain however he felt the need to add, "but she's tossing and turning, if you need to say something she shouldn't hear we should probably talk about it later." He hoped that she would shrug it off and tell him what was on her mind but instead she nodded.

"I'll tell you later." She promised. "It's probably best she doesn't hear it." She saw his worried look. "It's nothing we have to worry about just yet."

David frowned but didn't push it. "So, it looks like Emma's going to be like this for a while to come." he said as he too turned his head to look towards the bedroom. "I never thought that this would even be possible, let alone actually happen..." His tone was full of wonder before he added quietly, "...Is it bad that I can't quite enjoy it?"

Mary Margret smiled at his forlorn face. "I'm glad that you said that. I've dreamt of being able to look after her as a child, but now that she's like this, I just wish that she was back to being our Emma." She felt awful saying it, and kept her voice low so that if Emma woke she wouldn't hear, but she felt slightly better that David understood what she was feeling. She yet again forced a smile onto her face. "But we should probably try to make the most of it." She pressed a kiss to his lips then looked over at the clock. "Speaking of which I'm going to go run some errands."

"Errands?" David raised his eyebrow.

"Emma will need some clothes." She said as she pulled on her jacket.

"Any chance to do some shopping, hey buddy?" David laughed to his son.

"And Blue suggested that we get hold of Emma's medical records up to and around the age she is now-"

"- are you sure we should-"

"-that's what I thought. But I'll ask Whale to write a list without all of the details so we can know without invading Emma's privacy."

David nodded in agreement but continued to think, there was a reason why more detailed explanations behind things were kept on file, they could need to know something and it was possible that a simple list could lead them to draw worse conclusions. "You could ask Whale for a longer file version and we'll talk to Emma about us reading it, we won't insist and we can give her the opportunity to tell us anything she wants to by herself, but we may need to know about it should anything happen."

Without knowing about what Blue had said David had made perfect sense. Mary Margret felt pride on behalf of her husband but she still felt torn, like she was betraying her daughter's trust if she got the file, so she simply nodded doubtful Whale would even entertain giving Mary Margret Emma's file anyway. She moved towards the table and picked up Neal's carseat.

"Mary Margret," David sighed quietly, "Neal can stay with me." He followed her over to the table and placed his spare hand on her shoulder. "I know you're anxious about leaving him, now more than ever, but he will be perfectly fine with me."

Mary Margret gave a slightly frustrated sigh but she saw where David was coming from. "David, of course I trust you with him, I know that he would be in no safer hands. I'm just worried about Emma waking up and not feeling well, she might need you and Neal might at the same time, but if that happens Emma won't let you know what she needs. I would take Emma with me but- what?" she asked when David's face softened with love.

"Our children are very lucky to have a mom who puts them first." He pressed a kiss to her lips. "And I'm so blessed to be married to you." He looked at the clock and saw the time, luckily the stores in Storybrooke were open later in wintertime, it was only quarter past seven so there was plenty of time for Mary Margret to get around "Perhaps you should ask Ruby to go with you," he suggested, "I'm sure that she'll find about what happened soon anyway, it's probably better sooner than later."

"Plus it might make me less likely to have a breakdown in the store." Mary Margret joked as she plucked Neal from David's arms and fastened him securely into the seat.

"Yeah, save that for later and we'll have a breakdown together." He smirked back. He bent down and pressed a kiss to Neal's forehead. "While you're gone I'll get some dinner made, Emma may not want to eat but she'll need to."

"That sounds perfect." She picked Neal's carseat and his changing bag up and was walked to the door by David. "I'll see you soon. Let me know if you or Emma need anything."

"Of course. Ring me if you need me." He opened the door for her. "Oh, perhaps you could drop by the pharmacy and get some medicine for Emma, I doubt we have any suitable for Emma's age range." He suggested as he thought about the last time Henry had been ill and had finished the medicine.

"That's a good point," she paused in the doorway and pressed yet another kiss to his lips, "I'll see if there's anything else which will make her feel more comfortable as well. Look after her."

David saw her looking slightly sadly back at the loft and he realised how hard it was for her to leave Emma when she was ill, now more than ever. He promised her that Emma would be fine and stood on the stairs and watched as she and Neal descended the stairs.

*OUAT*

Mary Margret walked out of the pharmacy with Neal in his pram and her cell phone pressed to her ear, she had already rang Ruby and briefly explained the situation, she had managed to convince her best friend that she wasn't mad (it was just the situation which was) and the waitress had eagerly accepted the invitation and was waiting to be picked up at the diner once Mary Margret had visited the hospital. The dialling tone rang through her ear as she reached her car again. She struggled to keep hold of the phone as she detached the carseat from the pram.

"David, hi, yes everything's fine. Is Emma still asleep? Good." She pressed the phone between her head and her shoulder as she pulled the door open. "Could you check to see what size clothes she wears, I'm not sure how you can do it without waking her up… That's a good idea, can you check what shoe size she is then too?" She strapped Neal's carseat into the car as David read out the labels from Emma's raincoat and wellington boots. She noticed Archie walking Pongo down the street towards her but she was too focused on David's words, and Neal, and hoping that the breaks on the pram wouldn't, for whatever reason, suddenly fail and the pram would roll down the street with the bags from the pharmacy, to notice the slightly concerned but understanding look on his face. "Thank you, honey, I'm going to the hospital now, I'll shoot you a text to let you know when I've picked Ruby up. I love you too."

She tested the straps to make sure that Neal was secure and her eyes drifted to the carseat Emma had been gifted, she was still lost in her thoughts of her daughter when she closed the car door, she turned around and jumped at the sight of Archie stood next to her.

"I'm sorry, Mary Margret, I didn't mean to scare you." He apologised.

"Oh not a problem," she shrugged off, conscious of the time she placed the bag of pharmaceuticals on the ground and struggled to fold up the pram, "is everything okay Archie?"

"Oh yes, I'm quite well, how are you?" He couldn't stop his tone turning into one he used in therapy sessions. He eyed the children's calpol in the bag. "Is Neal well?"

"Neal's fine." Mary Margret answered confused. She finally managed to click the pram down. "Aha!" she cheered in victory and picked the pram up and placed it inside the trunk of her car.

"You know it would be perfectly natural to be worried over his health, especially after everything you went through during his and Emma's births, but if you do feel more anxious about his safety and health I should hope that you'd feel comfortable talking to me about it."

Mary Margret was taken aback for a moment, where was this coming from? But then she saw him nod his head to the medicines in the bag. "Oh no, Archie, those aren't for Neal. They're for Emma."

"Is Henry unwell?" he asked though the medicine seemed a little young for Henry to be taking.

Mary Margret sighed inwardly she knew she would be explaining this story over and over again. "No, when Emma was in the Enchanted Forest she fell ill, and when she came through the portal she suffered some side effects." Archie's head tilted sideways as he tried to put together her words but was coming up short. "Emma's magic reacted with the portal and turned her into a five year old, with her own mind, but she caught Saltbourne flu while she was there, so the medicine is to keep her temperature down."

"Oh!" Archie's mouth hung open for a couple of seconds in shock. "I…Is she alright?" He bent down to pick up the bag and passed it to Mary Margret who placed it beside the pram in the trunk. "Other than the flu."

Mary Margret gently shut the trunk as she thought. "She's very quiet." She told him "But I don't know if that's just because she's feeling ill or… I just don't know." She sighed shakily. "She's not acting like Emma. And we just have to hope that her magic will slowly sort itself out."

He smiled sympathetically. "What is it that you're worried about, other than her health and how she'll turn back, of course?"

Mary Margret faltered, what was she worried about? She watched her breath turn to smoke in the frozen air in front of her as she tried to rearrange her thoughts.
"She's only just accepted us as her parents." She told him honestly, before they had been separated for a year they had been on their way but that year without magic, without them, had made Emma distance them. "I'm scared that she's going to push us away, whether she does it now or when she changes back... if she can change back."
She wasn't sure how she had basically ended up in a therapy session in the middle of the darkened street, but Archie was one of her oldest friends and most trusted advisors, and she needed to talk to someone preferably David, but Archie would do for the time being.

"Has she pushed you away yet?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "If anything she seems to be needing us to be closer to her, Blue and Doc came to check her over and she was acting like a shy child, she relaxed a bit when I sat next to her." She felt a sense of pride when she told him that.

"Then I wouldn't worry too much about it," he suggested, "she clearly is still contented enough to seek comfort from you, and David too?" Mary Margret nodded her head and Archie was glad to see that she was looking slightly more relaxed. "Then I would suggest trying to go ahead as normally as possible, though there will of course be things Emma won't be able to do, she may take her frustrations out on you but try not to take it to heart." He advised.

"Henry doesn't know yet," she blurted out, "we're going to tell him tomorrow, and Regina though I'm not sure that she'll be as sympathetic to Emma."

"He's a very mature and strong young man, I'm sure that he'll be able to handle what has happened. And she might not be," he had of course heard about what had happened between Regina and Emma, "but she would do anything for Henry."

"She would." Mary Margret smiled. "Thank you, Archie, I'm sorry for distracting you from your walk." She glanced down at Pongo who had be sat patiently at their feet while the two spoke.

"There's no need to apologise, I'm glad I could help." He bowed his head slightly towards her. "If you need to talk anything else through, or anyone else in your family, feel free to come to my office." He told her before bidding her goodbye.

*OUAT*

Mary Margret was glad to see that Whale was still there when she got to the hospital, the hospital was fairly quiet for once as even a magical town in Maine was not protected from Friday nights though it was still early so she might have been jinxing it , anyway, no emergencies had come up so the two had time to talk.

Whale led Mary Margret into his office, he hadn't heard of any emergencies in the town and although Mary Margret had asked him to look over Emma's medical file in preparation Emma was nowhere to be seen, so as he offered her a seat and she carefully soothed Neal in her arms he was at a loss as to what was going on.

"Mary Margret is-"

"-Have you heard of Saltbourne flu?" Mar Margret interrupted, she had tried to figure out how best to tell the doctor what happened to Emma, and had finally decided that it was best to start at the start, so to speak.

Whale thought back to the leather volumes of medical texts he had read in his youth and then had reread when the first curse had broken. "It's a flu from Misthaven, it's like this world's flu with a few added side effects, such as painful rashes. But everyone in this town is protected from it, anyone who wasn't already immunised was given a vaccination during the curse, Regina made sure of it."

"Not everyone," Mary Margret shook her head, "not Emma."

"When she moved here Regina made sure I sent her out a letter, in case she somehow got it, and that tipped Henry off even more about the curse she…. She didn't turn up, did she?"

"She threw the letter straight into the trash. But when she went back to the past she managed to catch it."

"Well, I should be able to put together some medicine for her." He stood up ready to go and make the medicine.

"Doc has already given her some." She told him, making him sit down, just as confused as he had been earlier. "The problem is her magic lost some of it's immunity to other types of magic when she got ill, and when she got back in the portal it had a few side effects, one which didn't start until earlier this evening, the time portal was still a time portal but only to her…" Whale continued to stare blankly. "Emma's mind stayed the same but her body changed back to her five year old self."

Whale sat forward with his elbows resting on his desk, his mouth opened and shut for a few seconds, before it just hung open. He thought about all the possibilities. Emma had unwillingly and unwittingly done what he had never been able to, she had practically regenerated while managing to keep her own mind, he had been able to reanimate flesh but he not without dire side effects. "Is she okay?" he asked instead, he doubted he would have been able to harness the magic, and after the failures he had faced he didn't really want to.

"She should be. But that's why I wanted to have a copy of her childhood medical records, Blue warned that she could still be affected by any illnesses, or other things, that occurred during her childhood."

"Of course." He had already left the large file Emma's medical records in his office when one of the nurses had first relayed Mary Margret's to him.

Whale was not normally serous or sombre but as he flicked through the file, reviewing Emma's medical history, he was. There were plenty of medical reports in the file, most of them were rather detailed because she had been under the care of the state, it seemed that she had spent time in hospital every couple of months from the time she was 'discovered' by August until she gave birth to Henry, the longest gap was when she was about sixteen when he presumed she had been with Neal.

"I need you to write me a shortened list from her records." She requested. She knew that she and David had talked about it and had said a longer file would be helpful, but she still wasn't sure, if they needed they could get it at a later date, with Emma's foreknowledge and permission.

Whale nodded slowly. "You know the longer file would probably be more beneficial in this case, magic can be temperamental, it would be better for you to be prepared." He knew that patient-doctor confidentiality was important, but in this circumstance there was no precedent, parents of children had a right to their medical records but if Emma's mind was still her own should Mary Margret still get it? But could they tell that Emma's mind would always be her own? Were her emotions matured or were they susceptible to quick changes like a child's were? She had all her memories but was she still completely an adult? But his internal ethical debate was almost redundant when Mary Margret spoke again.

"I'm sure it would be, but I'm not going to invade into my daughter's past without her permission, I would only do so if it were an emergency and I would tell her – but it's not at that level yet. It's up to Emma to tell David and myself about her past." She insisted.

Whale smiled gently at her, she might be making the right or wrong decision only time would tell, but she was continuing to be morally upstanding and he couldn't discredit her for that. "I'll write out a list for you, but I'll also give you a copy of her complete file-"

"-I-"

"-I know that you won't look through it without Emma's permission so I feel confident in giving it to you." He told her. "It saves you having to ask for it later if Emma wants you to see it. Anyway, there may be things in there that Emma has forgotten about but needs to remember."

Mary Margret couldn't help but think that that sounded rather ominous. She just nodded and glanced at the clock again as Whale started to write down a list of Emma's past, and possibly present, ailments, when and where they occurred, and how they were treated.

Once Whale had finished writing the smaller file up, leaving out almost all of the details which he was sure would break Mary Margret and David's hearts when or if they read them in the big file, he passed both files to her.

"If she has any trouble with any of these or anything else either bring her to the hospital or if need be I'll do a house visit. Oh, and make sure she stays hydrated and warm so she can heal from the flu faster." He added as the heater in his office faltered momentarily and the air turned frozen.

He refrained from picking up his phone to call Blue until after Mary Margret had left his office with Neal in tow, he didn't want to recreate any of his experiments, but his scientific mind was deeply interested in how this could have happened.

*OUAT*

Mary Margret pulled into the parent and child parking spot in front of the store.

After leaving the hospital, she tucked both of the files securely into Neal's changing bag, and went to pick Ruby up from Granny's. Although she had explained to Ruby what had happened earlier, she found herself explaining it again in person though discussing it with her best friend felt more natural than talking to Blue, or even Archie about it. But Mary Margret hadn't told her Blue's departing remark, she would tell her at some point, but she needed to tell David first, and then they would have to figure out what to tell Emma. Was there any point in scaring her unnecessarily? At least Mary Margret wouldn't have to decide on that one by herself.

Once Ruby had got her mind fully around what had happened, and made sure that Emma was safe from the magic and the flu, she had become giddy at the prospect of being able to go shopping for her would be goddaughter. Ruby carefully rocked Neal in her arms, as Mary Margret put up the pram, despite the werewolf's best effort the pram had resisted her efforts. The more the two talked the more Mary Margret was being encouraged to look on bright side, Emma wasn't in danger, and the town was quiet so they would be able to focus on being a family no matter what age Emma was.

"So what do we need to get?"

"I made a list." She held up the list she had written as she had sat waiting for Ruby to walk out of the diner.

"Of course you did, Frosty." Ruby smirked trust Mary Margret to keep her cool head even now. "Your mommy's going to finally get your big sister to wear all pink and flowery outfits." She laughed to Neal as she passed him to Mary Margret.

"Your auntie Ruby thinks she's funny." Mary Margret cooed to her son as she placed him carefully into the pram. Ruby held out her hand to be passed the list and Mary Margret handed it over. The two walked into the store and Mary Margret led them straight to the children's section where she had been a couple of short weeks before with David, buying their other child clothes, Ruby had grabbed a cart on the way.

"Four long tops." Ruby read from the list as they reached the girls clothes. "Wait, I thought you said she'd turned five, won't size three to four be too small?" she asked when she read off the size Mary Margret had jotted on the list.

"I told you Ruby," she smiled at her friend's concern, "she's really small for her age." She looked over at the section at toddler's clothes and found that most of the tops were extremely girly, which although she was sure would look adorable on Emma wouldn't be what she felt comfortable in.

Ruby managed to hunt out a few sweaters which would be perfect for the winter weather as Mary Margret found four long sleeve tops, they all had different things on them but Ruby and she were quickly discovering that there wasn't a large selection of clothes in the size which didn't have cartoons, bright colours, and sequins.

They picked out another four t-shirts, two knitted dresses complete with tights, they found jeans and leggings, Mary Margret picked some underwear, socks, and vests while Ruby disappeared around the corner.

"Look what I found!" Ruby announced as she came back a pair of grey sweatpants in one hand and a set of a hat, a scarf, and gloves which styled like a fox.

"Those are adorable." She smiled and picked up a navy coat she had been looking at and placed it into the cart. They walked through a couple more aisles and found a couple of hoodies and a couple of plaid shirts which were similar to the ones Emma, and David, usually wore.

"And that's everything." Ruby announced as she placed a pair of sneakers onto the pile, it may have seemed like a lot of clothes on the list, but it really just the essentials.

Mary Margret looked down at the clothes and knew that she was missing something. "Pyjamas!" she announced as the thought came into her mind, she hadn't even thought of them while she was writing the list, or she had and had forgotten to write them down – she blamed baby brain.

Once in the pyjama isle they picked up a pair of slippers and three pairs of pyjamas, staying way clear of all the Disney princess ones, Mary Margret refrained from asking a member of staff why they even had any at all. They finished paying just in time for Neal to wake up again crying demanding a feed, but it would be easier for Mary Margret to just wait until they got back to the loft, so she gently rocked him as Ruby stacked the bags up in the trunk.

Chapter Text

Once Mary Margret had shown Doc and Blue out of the bedroom David had taken her place on the bed next to Emma, it had taken a minute, but soon Emma had moved closer to David. David's body rocked minutely, taking Emma with it as she leaned against his arm, he looked down at her to see her staring intently at Neal who was gazing wide eyed up at his big sister. He noticed her eyes flickering open and shut as she battled sleep and a small smile came to his lips at her stubbornness.

David had grown up knowing plenty of lullabies but they all escaped his mind as he opened his mouth and started to quietly sing a calming song by The Smiths until Emma was sleeping soundly against his arm.

He carefully led Neal down on the bed, well away from the edge, then manoeuvred Emma so she was led down with her head on his pillow then covered her up with a couple of blankets and picked Neal up again.

Then he just sat on the edge of the bed staring at her, Neal wasn't fussing that he wasn't being shown the attention so David fell into an trance just watching his daughter as she slept, he continued to sing the song 'Asleep' quietly when Emma tossed and turned which seemed to soothe her sleep a little, he was only brought out of his trance when Mary Margret closed the door behind their guests.

He forced himself to his feet to go and talk to her and ask her what her surrogate brother was looking so worried about.

*OUAT*

David wished that he had been able to go with his wife to the store in order to alleviate her worry, or at least escort her down to the car park, but he was also anxious to return to Emma's side. So instead he watched Mary Margret's head as it disappeared down the flights of stairs until she was out of sight.

He then shut the loft door and locked it behind him, as though by locking it he would be able to completely protect Emma from anything else happening to her, something which he had never felt the need to do before (well, at least not to this extent). His feet carried him away from the door and back to his bedroom.

Emma was turning more frantically than she had been before, so much so that she had moved closer to the edge of the bed, too close for comfort for David. He slowly scooped her into his arms and moved her back towards the centre, he then grabbed Mary Margret's pillow and placed it between Emma and the edge of the bed like a barrier and covered her once more in the blanket.

Now that she was asleep, he had a chance to properly look at her, without her being made to feel uncomfortable. Her hair was almost white blonde and fell in ringlets just past her shoulders, he too had had white blond hair when he was a child though his had darkened a lot as he got older which he already knew Emma's would not, but the curls were all from Mary Margret. He couldn't help but carefully run his hand through them, feeling the hair which was just as soft as Neal's, she must have felt a slight tugging at her hair as she turned her head into his hand.

As she did so his hand brushed against her skin and he was able to feel the heat which was coming off of her skin, not yet at worrying levels, but enough that David had to leave the bed to retrieve a damp cloth. When he returned he gently pressed it against her forehead, she shivered slightly in her seleep, and tried to bury herself further under the blankets.

"Shhh, princess, it's okay. It's just me… it's just daddy." He wouldn't have dared say the words to her out loud, but she was ill and asleep, and apparently it worked as she led still and calm in her sleep once more. He tucked the blankets around her, loosely so that she wouldn't overheat, and pressed the cold compress onto her forehead once again. He found himself gently humming lullabies, he used to soothe Neal, as he sat beside his daughter.

*OUAT*

David sat beside Emma until he heard his cell phone start to ring from the next room, he looked cautiously at Emma who didn't move an inch, she was usually teasing him about not having it on him in the home, which she claimed kind of defeated the purpose of it, but in this case it worked to his advantage as it didn't wake Emma up.

He walked briskly to the kitchen counter, leaving the bedroom curtain closest to the kitchen half open, and picked up the vibration phone. He smiled when he saw his true love's face on the screen, but then the sight of her always brought a smile to his face, so that was nothing new.

"Hey my love. Is everything okay?" he asked and listened to her immediately ask if Emma was still asleep she clearly didn't like having left her alone without saying goodbye. "Yeah she's sound asleep."

He leant against the side of the island and looked through the curtain at their sleeping daughter. He chuckled down the phone when he heard that his wife had forgotten to check to see what size clothes Emma had been changed into. He glanced down to the side and realised that he hadn't picked Emma's coat or wellington boots up before Mary Margret went. He picked them up and told his wife he'd tell her the size of them.

"They're size three to four… I know she looks small, but I didn't realise she was that small," he worried, "this… this isn't just her being born early, is it? You don't have to answer; I already know. She was smaller than Neal was as a baby, but that's not the only reason she's that small." Not for the first time David regretted putting his daughter through that wardrobe. He shook his head, they could talk about it later. "I'm going to sort some things out in the loft out to make it easier for Emma." He told her. "And I'll start some dinner off for us all." He listened as she told him when she would text him so that he'd be best to start off cooking. "I love you." He told her as they said their goodbyes.

He saw the can of soda Emma had thrown earlier still lying on the ground and he bent down to pick it up. He walked over to the fridge and figured that would be as good a place as any to start rearranging.

He moved any cans of soda to the top of the fridge away from Emma's reach and moved the bottles of juice they always kept stocked, mainly for Henry though Emma was also partial to drinking them, to where the soda had stood. There wasn't much that needed to be arranged but he moved the fruit cups and fruit bags down lower and placed any other sugary desserts and chocolate higher up, he may not have been as onto Emma about her food choices as Mary Margret but seeing her so small and ill really shocked him. He did leave a couple of bars of chocolate lower down so not to arise any suspicion that he had purposely changed the fridge. He left the other cupboards as he knew that Emma wouldn't look in them.

He remembered that there was a bottle of whisky in one of the high up cupboards, he didn't often drink as he remembered what that was like to see his own father sat with a glass bottle of strong scotch every night, but he guessed that he would be having a glass or two that night when he and Mary Margret spoke.

He set about tidying up the loft. It was bizarre to David how messy the loft could get just from Neal's things, considering his son wasn't even two weeks old yet, and the amount of clothes he went through was just as staggering. Once David had tidied up the bibs, soft toys, and general baby things, he grabbed any dirty laundry and headed to the laundry room to grab some more to make up a load.

He knew that he was just trying to keep busy to stop himself from going into panic about what had happened and what Mary Margret had to tell him later when she relayed whatever it was Doc or Blue had said that she didn't want to risk Emma overhearing.

As he filled the machine he noticed that one of his shirts he hadn't seen since after they came back from Neverland had found its way into the laundry basket surrounded by Emma's clothes. He stared at the shirt as the realisation of where it must have gone dawned on him. He started a load but kept the shirt in his hand, before he could decide on whether or not to mention it to Emma, there came a heavy bang from his bedroom. He dropped the shirt and sprinted out of the room.

*OUAT*

Emma didn't remember what dream she had been having, when she woke, but she did know, from the feelings it had left, that it was an unpleasant one.

Even more unpleasant than the feeling of waking up to the sensation of falling before she landed in a heap on the floor tangled in blankets.

The fall had seemed longer than it should have been… until she remembered. She sat up and took a few shuddering breaths. She heard a noise and saw David skid into the room, his socks slid on the floor but he managed to right himself instead of slipping over, as soon as Emma looked at his worried face and now gigantic stature, she felt her lip start to tremble.

It only took David a couple of strides to reach Emma, but in the two seconds those took, Emma's lip trembled faster and fat tears started to roll down her face. He scooped her and her blankets up into his arms in one go, and sat down on the bed, and held her close to him.

"Emma, are you okay?" he asked even though he knew that she probably wouldn't be able to answer him and she breathed faster and erratically. He felt her small hands cling to his shirt in fists as she pressed her face against his chest. He felt her give a very slight nod against him but she continued to struggle to regain control of her breathing and emotions.

He stood up again with her still in his arms and held her so they were chest to chest, mainly because he didn't think he'd be able to pull her away from hiding her face against him, as soon as he stood he began to rock slowly on muscle memory. "Em, I need you to take some deep breaths for me." He felt her trying to take some more breaths.

Emma felt the familiar sensation of panic rising through her body as she tried and failed to regain control of her breathing. She shook her head against David to let him know she couldn't do it.

"It's okay, kiddo," David said calmly but he could feel his own heart beating a hundred miles an hour in his chest, "we're going to do this together, okay?"
He thought back to the training Emma had insisted on him taking when he joined the station as her deputy, before he became co-sheriff, and to the times he had to calm down his follow knights when he was younger in the Enchanted Forest.
"You're going to copy my breathing." He told her. "When I breathe in, you'll breathe in, when I breathe out, you'll breathe out. Can you do that for me?"

He felt her nod against him.

"Good girl. Breathe in… and out… in… and out…" he continued to repeat the words as he rocked slowly matching the rhythm of his own breathing with the swaying side to side. Slowly he felt Emma slow her breathing down to around the same pace as his own and he felt some of the tension release from her body and her grip on his shirt loosen some.

He sighed in relief, and sat back on the bed, as he did so he half-heartedly sat Emma next to him as he was sure she would feel embarrassed if he kept her on his lap.

Emma was shocked to find that she was disappointed that David sat her down next to him, and although he was still close by, she found that she missed the contact. She shook her head a little to try and ignore that feeling.
"I'm sorry… I don't know what happened." She whispered as a blush spread across her cheeks. "You shouldn't have had do have seen me like that."

"You never need to apologise for needing me. I'm your dad." David wiped the last tear off her face with his thumb. "I think waking up by falling to the floor was a bit of a shock to your system."

He didn't need to add that waking up barely tall enough to reach the kitchen table, and with a flu from a home she had only been to three times in her life, would also have been a shock as they both knew it was implied. David did, however, make sure to file away telling Mary Margret what happened for later. Although he may not have shown it, Emma's panic attack really scared him, though he wasn't sure if it would worry him more or less to find out if she had had one around his wife before.

Yeah, I guess." Emma shrugged but knew it wasn't just that. She felt like if she could remember her dream she might have a clearer answer but when she did she just remembered the feeling of fear she had woke up with.

David watched her blink slowly and heavily, the panic had clearly knocked her for six. "Why don't you stay here, and try get a little more sleep, and I'll start the dinner off?"

Emma shook her head straight away, she had no plans to have that dream, whatever it was, again. "No, I'm not tired."

David would have bothered to argue that she was so clearly tired, but she had the same stubborn look in her eye that he knew only too well, which she had often when she was adult sized and which she shared with her mother.

So instead he stood up from the bed, he picked her up and placed her down on the floor in one fell swoop, he didn't want her to feel babied by him carrying her to the couch, but there was no chance he was running the risk of her falling off the bed again. Once she had both feet firmly on the floor, David led the way to the kitchen, he shortened his steps so she wouldn't have to run to keep up.

*OUAT*

"What are we making for dinner?" She asked when they made it to the kitchen.

David turned around, he surprised that she had followed him into it, he hadn't even heard her footsteps. "We?" he rose his eyebrow.

"I'll help." She knew that if she went and watched the television she would immediately fall asleep. She saw David's shocked face and began to scuff her foot against the floor. "I won't get in way, and I won't burn anything, I promise." She was quick to add.

David felt bad straight away, he hadn't meant to make her feel awkward or like he didn't want her help, but Emma's cooking skills left a lot to be desired – and once a visit from the town's fire department – at which point she had been banned from the kitchen.
"Of course you can help." He watched a smile spread across Emma's face, she stuck by his side as he grabbed all the ingredients for the lasagne, and continued to stand as close as possible while he browned the mince. He would have sat her up on the counter but he already knew how careless she was around fire and cooking, while in an adult body, he didn't want to see how she was while in a five year old's body.

*OUAT*

Once David had finished browning the mince and had added the sauce, he took the pan over to the island where everything else was set up, he had to be careful not to trip over Emma while walking as she was more attached to him than his shadow. Once he placed it down he grabbed a stool from the island and brought it around so it was next to him.

Emma felt herself being picked up and then placed onto the stool. She didn't mind it so much at the moment, as being with David was keeping her calm and she had probably freaked him out with her panic attack, plus there was just some part of her which wanted to be near him and felt safe with him. She was too tired to fight it so for now she went with it. If she still felt like being clingy the next day she would fight it.

She grabbed the opened packet and took out a pasta sheet, she was about to put it on the bottom of the dish when David placed his hand on her arm stopping her. "What?" she asked while looking up at him.

"You don't put the pasta in first." He chuckled as Emma looked at him as though he was mad. "How did my grandson survive your cooking for a year?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "I think you'll find I can cook sometimes."

"Sure, Em." David snorted.

"Maybe I just pretend not to be able to cook so you and mom will do it all."

David nodded as though he had been convinced then he was no longer able to contain his smile. "Was there a McDonalds or were you more of a Burger King gal?"

"There were a lot of good places to eat around." She admitted quietly, David roared with laughter, she rolled her eyes again and rested her head on her chin with a pout.

David caught sight of her face and bit his lip to stop himself from laughing. "I'm sorry, Emma."

"Sure you are."

He shrugged sheepishly, he was sorry for hurting her feelings, but not quite as sorry as he was for his grandson going without a nice home cooked meal. But the more he thought about Henry the more his mind travelled onto Emma's situation, it was almost easy to forget that it when he was concentrating only on her words and not looking at her. But now he was. She still had an anxious look as her eyes darted around and landed on the door waiting for her mom to come back. "She'll be back soon, Em." He reminded her gently. He had told her where Mary Margret had gone while he was stood at the stove and had thought that it was quite sweet that she seemed to be missing her.

"I know…" Emma said, and she did, it was just she couldn't fully believe it. Which was frustrating her to no end but she couldn't stop it. "She's not going to buy me a million princess dresses…" Emma joked "… is she?"

"But you are a princess." David leant across and ruffled Emma's hair is earnt him a glare. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." She looked down at the counter and watched her father spread some of the mince along the bottom of the oven dish.

"You know that you got your superpower from someone, right?" he drawled and looked at her waiting for an answer.

"Really? How did you find out that you ha-"

"-Emma." He said firmly and she looked up at him sheepishly. "How are you feeling?"

Emma shrugged but her cough gave her away. "Can I put the pasta on now?"

"Go ahead." He sighed at her changing the subject but he didn't press her for an answer. "You can take your medicine once we've eaten, that should help you feel better."

"Can't wait." She said in a deadpan voice. She sighed. "If I had just taken your call this wouldn't have happened."

"What do you mean?" he asked as they got into a rhythm of layering the lasagne.

"Well, if I had picked up my cell when you rang, I wouldn't have gone near that portal… then I wouldn't have got sick, and then… well, this." She gestured to herself particularly the Disney Snow White top, which she had been trying to forget that she was even wearing.

David placed his hand her head and dropped a kiss onto the top of her hair. "You're right, you shouldn't ignore my calls again." He winked. "I bet the Enchanted Forest seems like hell to you now, between when you and your mom went back there, and this."

Emma shrugged. "It wasn't complete hell." David's head tilted. "There were some enjoyable bits."

David was about to protest that he didn't want to hear about anything to do with Hook when Emma spoke again.

"I got to see you and mom. It was weird, I expected you to be completely different or something while you were in there, but you weren't." she shrugged again.

He sent her an understanding smile back. He knew what she meant, she had only seen them in this world as her parents, their Enchant Forest lives seemed so separate to her. But now she realised that no matter what world, or time, or anything else, they were still her parents; hopefully she realised that included while she was like this too.

"Em, what happened earlier? When you left the loft, I mean."

Emma sprinkled the grated cheese across the top of the lasagne. "I went for a walk, then I started to think about going back in the portal, and what would happen if there was another one. As I walked to Gold's to demand answers I felt sicker and sicker, then when I was there he wasn't giving me any answers, then suddenly my magic kinda went haywire."

"That must have been scary."

Emma hadn't thought about that. "Yeah, I guess it was." She said quietly. Her gaze drifted to the door yet again, she loved spending time with her father, but she wished that her mother was there as well.

David placed the lasagne in the oven, set the timer, and when he turned back Emma's eyes were still on the door. "How about we watch something on Netflix until your mom and Neal get home?" he suggested, "We could continue watching Brooklyn Nine Nine?"

Emma nodded slowly but rested her head on her hand, she was really starting to feel exhausted, and though she wasn't about to admit it she felt rather ill.

David waited for her but she didn't bother to move a muscle, so instead he picked her up into his arms and carried her over to the couch, he set her down on one side of the couch, and fiddled with television to get the show on, before he sat next to her while still maintain a comfortable distance so not to overwhelm her. "How you feeling kiddo?"

"Tired." Emma admitted though they both knew that she meant more than what she was saying. She noticed the space between them and took a chance and moved closer to him, so close she was almost on his lap, he mustn't have minded her being close as he wrapped his arm around her.

After a few minutes of the two just watching the show David spoke again. "You said that you know that you're five."

"Yeah?" By now Emma knew that her father just meant that she had physically changed to five. "And a few months" she couldn't resist adding.

"How do you know?" He asked curiously.

Emma thought for a minute then shrugged. "I don't know. I guess it's like how you know how old you are, it's just something you know, I know that I just turned five, it's like I was born on my birthday just twenty four years later." She saw David's somewhat wistful look. "And in a different place, I guess." She frowned, she didn't really like to think of being born in a completely different realm, and most the time she completely forgot about it.

David laid his hand on her shoulder. "Yes, but it probably would have been easier to raise you and Neal here." He said trying to lighten her mood, she tilted her head, adorably, at his words. "For starters getting around here is easier."

"Cars do seem easier to control that horses." She said sagely.

David smiled at her. "'Seem'? Did you not ride one when you were in the Enchanted Forest with your mother?"

Emma shook her head. "Walking only, or hiking," she rolled her eyes she knew that her parents enjoyed going on long hikes but it was an interest that she didn't share, "I think I still have blisters."

David laughed outright at her grumbling. "You have ridden a horse before though?"

Emma snorted. "No, they're death machines."

"No they're not." David argued with a smile. "I'm sure if you rode on one you'd change your mind. Anyway, without cars you would have been either in a carriage or riding with me or your mom."

He smiled as he remembered the fabric slings which he and Mary Margret had picked out and put away in Emma's room years before. That wasn't the only thing they had picked out, David and Mary Margret of course had their own horses, but little did Emma know that they had actually picked out a pony for her also, a pony which was currently residing in the town stables. But he didn't think it was the right time to tall her so they both settled back into a comfortable quiet.

Chapter Text

Emma was leant heavily against her father, or as heavily as could be described considering she weighed a touch over thirty pounds, he had his arm wrapped snuggly around her as her eyes drifted open and shut.

The gentle vibrations of David's laughter against her ear were working against her as she tried to fight sleep, and it didn't help that David was rubbing circles with his thumb onto her arm, she would have been annoyed that it was working but she didn't think that David realised he was doing it. Her eyes drifted shut once again and this time they seemed heavier than before, she was debating just leaving them closed when she heard a gentle click from near the door, and she forced them open again.

Mary Margret placed her key in the front door, their door wasn't usually locked while someone was home, but she knew David better than anyone else did, and was certain that he would have locked it out of protectiveness.

Ruby had helped her Mary Margret by carrying up the bags of clothes while Mary Margret carried Neal in his carseat along with the bag from the pharmacy. Before Mary Margret had even taken out her key, Ruby had taken her leave, although the werewolf had been excited about the prospect of seeing Emma as a small child she knew that it would make her feel awkward, and possibly overwhelm her.

She opened the door and was met by the sight of David and Emma on the couch cuddled up, if she hadn't of known that Emma was really twenty nine, she would have been sure that Emma was just a toddler who had spent the day with her father. Although she had known that Emma was safe with David, she felt a whole lot better seeing her with her own two eyes, she looked tired, and too small, and poorly but otherwise safe.

Emma didn't even give Mary Margret a chance to greet her, as soon as Mary Margret had sent a smile her way, Emma's eyes had shot wide open and she had moved out of David's arms and started to push herself to her feet. "Mom!" she greeted in unveiled excitement. She started to rush over to Mary Margret as fast as she was able, she barely even noticed David following her with a gleeful look on his face, when she reached her mother she wrapped her arms around her legs.

David shot Mary Margret an amused and impressed look as he took Neal's carseat and the pharmacy bag out of her hands, and unhooked the changing bag from her shoulder, he placed them down on the table and took his baby from the carseat.

By the time David had done that, Emma had come to her senses, she stopped hugging her mother's legs and moved back, albeit only two steps back. She placed her hands on her hips and looked sheepishly down at the floor to avoid both of her parent's gazes. "Sorry… I'm not sure why I did that…" She suddenly felt her mother's hands go under her arms, and she was being lifted into the air, when Mary Margret brought her close to her, in a hug, Emma instinctively wrapped her arms around her neck and hugged her back.

"I missed you too." She whispered to her daughter. With Emma still in her arms she picked up one of the bags of clothes and took it over to the table, while David did the same with Neal and the other bags, she then had figured that Emma would be feeling awkward being carried around like a child so she placed her down on the floor.

Emma was confused that she felt disappointed when her mother put her down again, she had felt the same when her father had put her down earlier on which she had just put down to feeling weird after her bad dream and falling off of the bed. So perhaps this was just because she had been gone for what felt like forever. 'Get it together, Swan.' She thought to herself and promised herself, in her mind, that she wouldn't act like this the next day, no matter how tired or ill she felt.

"It's okay, buddy." David soothed as Neal started to fuss again.

"He'll be needing a feed about now, David, I was just waiting until we got home."

While David moved to the kitchen, with Neal rocking in his arms telling Mary Margret that he'd warm up one of the bottles which were in the fridge; Emma got a look at the bags on the table. She was about to make a sarcastic remark about the amount of bags there, which she had put down to her mother's excitement about being able to control her wardrobe, when realised that there was a reason her mother had bought so much. She stared at bags and remembered Blue's vague predictions of at least a few weeks until she would change back, and even then that seemed to be a best case scenario…

Mary Margret saw, as she was heating Neal's bottle up, her daughter looking at the bags someone forlornly. "Don't worry I avoided all Disney princesses and everything that was really, really, girly," she called over with a laugh, she was relieved to see Emma crack a smile at her remark, "but I did the best I could for your size."
With the bottle now warm she passed it over to David who started feeding Neal, and Mary Margret tried not to swoon, she always found her husband attractive but there was just something about him when he was in 'dad mode', which made him even more attractive. He noticed her staring and sent her an oh so charming smirk, she rolled her eyes at his smug look, and she started to root through the bags. She could tell that Emma was rather tired so she hunted for some pyjamas.

Emma caught sight of a few pink items but sighed in relief when she realised that there were less of them than she had expected. "I hope you're not expecting me to do a catwal-" Emma was interrupted by a cough which ripped through her whole body.

Mary Margret had started to laugh at her daughter's sense of humour, which she was thankful she was still able to keep, but her laugh turned to a frown when Emma began to cough. She rubbed her daughter's back until she stopped coughing then moved her hand to her forehead. "I'm going to get the thermometer."

"Urgh," Emma complained and she walked closer to her father she dramatically let her head fall against his leg, "why do I have to have my temperature done?"

David smiled down at Emma in amusement, Neal had quickly finished the bottle which David reached over and placed down on the counter, he then placed his hand on top of her head and stroked her hair gently. "Because you're ill, and your mother worries about you, we both do. I told you that your mom would go all mama-bear when she got home." With his hand still on her head he led her over to the couch. He sat down with Neal on his lap and Emma sat as close as she had been earlier on.

Both his children seemed oblivious to their mother coming out of the bathroom with the thermometer in her hands and David and Mary Margret shared a smile at Emma gently stroking Neal's face. They both couldn't help but think that that was what they should have had. Mary Margret hooked her cell phone out from her pocket and snapped a picture. She walked over to her family with the thermometer and medicine in her hands.

Emma looked up surprised at her mother, she hadn't thought that she had been gone very long, she glared at the glass bottle she had in her hand which had the picture of a smiling baby on the front. "Mom, I'm fine-" she tried to argue.

"-Emma." She said firmly. "Now, open your mouth please."

Emma gave a put upon sigh but did what she was told. She stared at her little brother as she waited for the thermometer to beep, she held her hand out and watched in wonder as her brother held tightly onto two of her fingers, he opened his eyes and stared into hers and Emma had to stop herself from smiling so that the thermometer would give an accurate temperature.

Mary Margret felt David take hold of her hand as they both stared at their children, they had always been worried that Emma would be jealous of Neal, but so far she had been fine - she had tried to avoid him before she decided to stay in Storybrooke, but that was probably just so she wouldn't get attached.

The thermometer beeped and Emma lazily reached up to grab it, but Mary Margret was quicker than her and quickly read Emma's temperature and showed it to David.

"Why don't I get to see?" Emma grumbled.

"Just let us worry about it, Em." David told her, and pulled her closer to him, he just about resisted putting his hand on her head to feel for her temperature when he saw how high the thermometer said it was.

"I'm not taking that." Emma said when she saw the Children's Tylenol.

"Come on, Emma, you need it to lower your temperature." David encouraged.

"No. I. Don't." she stressed to him. She glared at it as her mother poured it out.

"Emma, it's either that or you end up in the hospital with Whale giving you medicine, possibly even an I.V" Mary Margret told her firmly as she moved the medicine closer to Emma's mouth.

"That's not fair." Emma glared but opened her mouth to let her mother feed it to her. At least it was the cherry flavour one not grape. "I hate medicine."

Mary Margret smiled at her daughter, but was relieved that she only had to convince her to take one teaspoon of it not one and a half, because of how small Emma was. "Why don't you go get changed into a pair of the pyjamas? You'll be comfier"

Emma looked to her father who nodded encouragingly. "Once you've changed we can have some of that lasagna." He reminded her, he wasn't sure how hungry Emma was but she needed to eat, plus if she was anything like Emma was normally she'd always be hungry. He didn't mention that she would also have to take the even worse tasting medicine after they ate.

"As long as it's not like this top." She said looking at the cartoon Snow White and Prince Charming on her top.

David tried not to laugh at the look of aversion on his wife's face who apparently agreed with Emma. "Should I be offended?" he joked pretending to be heartbroken.

"I just prefer the real story." Emma shrugged and climbed down from the couch. She tried to ignore the touched look on Mary Margret's face as she took the pyjamas off of her and walked into the bathroom.

*OUAT*

As soon as Emma closed the bathroom door, Mary Margret grabbed the changing bag and sat on the couch next to David and Neal. David was still grinning as he looked towards the bathroom, he thought it was adorable that she preferred their story, though in his unbiased opinion it was the far superior tale. Mary Margret brought out the slimmer file first. "This is the slim file." She told him.

David gently passed Neal over to Mary Margret and took the file from his wife. "Should I be worried?" David asked with a smile, but that faded when he looked at his wife, he held her hand and opened the file.

The first thing on the list was asthma, David already knew about that as he had seen it on Emma's work form when he was still deputy, he and Mary Margret had lectured her that they needed to know about it while Emma had brushed off their concern and claimed it had been worse as a child. But underneath that was ADHD. "Emma has ADHD?" David asked his wife with a frown he was shocked that she hadn't hold him.

"I didn't know." Mary Margret assured him "I only saw it when I read through this file. It does explain a few things though."

David nodded in agreement, they'd need to talk to her about that at some point, if she had told them they could have provided some support – especially in the station. He would have hoped that Emma felt comfortable enough with them now to tell them things like this.

He continued to read through the list which was full of broken arms, 'unexplained' injuries, different illnesses like chicken pox, and a broken leg once. And other things like failure to thrive caused by malnutrition. David clenched his hand into a fist to try ward off the anger which was building inside of him, he knew that most of the things she went through were caused by abuse or neglect, or worsened by it.
"I can't believe she went through all this." David said his voice was stiff with barely contained rage. "Up until she was what, sixteen? She was still a kid." He guessed the age that the records had stopped as Whale hadn't written the years, but he hadn't seen pregnancy on the list, so he could take an educated guess.

"David?" Mary Margret said quietly. "That's just until she was seven."

"What?" David asked alarmed. "But there's so many." He looked at the list of hospitals which was listed under the treatments. "In so many different hospitals, she was still just a little kid." His voice caught in his throat. He wanted to leave the loft right then and there and start to hunt down any and all of the people who had hurt his daughter. And knowing his wife, she would too.

"I know Charming." She told him quietly. "It's not right and it's not fair."

"How did this happen?"

"David-"

"-I know, Mary Margret, I know we sent her here and I know it was the only way we could save her. I mean how was she placed in so many shitty foster homes?" he asked. He only really swore in front of his wife, there was always a part of him which felt wrong swearing in front of Emma no matter what age she looked, but as Neal was asleep and Emma wasn't in the room, it slipped out. Plus, the situation did call for it.

Mary Margret opened her mouth to speak but then closed it again. She reached into the changing bag and brought out a much bigger, and as yet unopened, file. "Whale insisted that we take this." She told him. "I've not opened it, but it would give us information on exactly what happened, it has all the reports and notes from all of the times she went to the doctors or to hospital. Up until she turned eighteen, in jail."

David took hold of the file. Its weight felt heavier than its actual weight as he could now guess what it was full of. He looked at his wife's face in the hopes that she would have a clear opinion, but her face showed that she was just as confused about what to do as he was. "What do you think?"

"I think it would give us so many answers." She said.

"And we might be able to try and stop her from getting ill if we know what things she's likely to catch." David added. "Not to mention her ADHD, we should have known about that, how could we help her if we didn't know about it. At least we might be able to find out what helps her manage it."

"We should have known about these things anyway."

David gave a big sigh and placed the file down on his lap. He brushed his thumb over the name on the cover, 'Emma Swan.', he couldn't help but think it should have been Princess Emma of Misthaven, or even Emma Ruth Nolan – in a different life.

"We can't read this." Mary Margret said what they were both thinking.

"I know." He said with another sigh. "It's up to Emma to tell us." He hated not knowing, and so far Emma hadn't been the best at telling them things, but nonetheless it was still up to her.

"Unless something happens which means we have to". Mary Margret said thinking about the possibility of Emma's mind being compromised.

David tilted his head, then glanced towards the bathroom, he'd ask what his wife meant later. He stood up with the file in his hand. "We'll stick this in here," he opened one of the trunk style cabinets in the lounge which was barely used and put it in there, "but we'll tell Emma that we have it later."

Mary Margret nodded, it was only right that Emma knew they had it, and that she had input in whether or not they read it.

Chapter Text

Emma wandered into the bathroom with her pyjamas, she left the door unlocked behind her as she couldn't reach the lock, but she wasn't overly bothered because she knew her parents wouldn't enter- not without her permission. She looked around at the furniture in the bathroom and felt as though she had fallen down the rabbit hole, the bathtub looked like a boat to her now, and she had no chance of seeing even the top of her head in the mirror above the sink.

With great struggle, Emma finally unbuttoned the stiff metal button which were keeping her jeans from slipping down, she stopped every few seconds because of pain in her wrist, but she was sure it was just growing pains… or shrinking pains…

She managed to shrug them off eventually, she looked at the brightly coloured socks, which she had now found out were Snow White ones. She rolled her eyes but kept them on so that she'd be able to try and keep her feet warm.
She grabbed hold of the pyjama bottoms and was relieved to see that they weren't sparkly, or bright pink, or Disney. Instead they were white with purple, blue, and grey rain clouds which looked as though they had been printed on with paint, some of them had rain in the shape of hearts while the others had simple smiley faces drawn on them, exactly the same print that was on the top.
Emma rolled her eyes but she supposed that they weren't the worst that Mary Margaret could have brought home.

When she managed to pull off the dreaded Snow White top, leaving on her vest, she scrunched it up and tried to throw it into the laundry basket, when she missed the target completely she looked down at her arms in annoyance for not working as well as normal.

The look of annoyance left her face as quickly as it had found its way on.

Her arms were covered in scratches and bruises, she would have put it down to something with her magic shrinking her but her legs weren't covered in them, and the bruised imprint on her arm which had the clear outline of a hand. Emma felt her breathing speed up as she gently prodded the huge bruise which wrapped around her arm. She struggled to regain her breathing as her mind raced through the techniques she used to use when she had panic attacks.

She could hear the hum of her parents talking in the other room, but couldn't make out any of the words, and was surprised to see that the noise helped calm her down. Though she supposed she shouldn't have been that surprised- after all her mother managed to calm her down when she was in New York and had just found out that Neal, Baelfire, whatever he was called, was Gold's son.

Her heart stopped in her chest as a thought crossed her mind. Slowly her hand travelled to her back. Even without having to put her hand beneath the vest she could feel a raised line down half of her back which as soon as she touched sent sharp pain running through it like electric through a wire.

She shook her head to try push away the memory of which she had forgotten about almost completely. She looked down at her right arm and saw that it was slightly swollen and bruised, but she wasn't surprised, she remembered the home she would have been in around five years of age. She touched it tenderly, it had been fractured and left untreated in the foster home which she had been in for her fifth birthday, she'd only got it looked at when she had broken it again but the doctors hadn't really cared.
She shivered and pulled on the pyjama top which matched the bottoms, she left on the vest and socks in the hopes that they would keep her slightly warmer but as she walked over to the door she shivered again.

She made a noise of frustration when she realised that she had to stand on her tiptoes to reach the bathroom handle- she hadn't had to use it before as the door was already open and she had just pressed it shut. Eventually she got the door open, though she had muttered a plethora of swear words under her breath.

*OUAT*

As soon as Emma exited the bathroom she was met with a smile from David who walked over to meet her as she stood outside of the bathroom. "It's erm," she said awkwardly as she gestured towards the pyjamas, "not my usual clothing choice."

"Are they comfortable?" David asked and Emma responded with a nod, "Then it doesn't matter." He told her with a shrug and was relieved to see her look slightly happier. "But if it'll make you feel better I could borrow one of your mom's cardigans?" He joked leading her over to the table.

"I'll let you off for now." Emma smiled at her dad's offer to look ridiculous just to make her feel more relaxed. "They're actually pretty comfy." Emma admitted as they reached the table.

"They are rather adorable." David teased gently with a wink as he swiftly picked her up and placed her onto the chair he had placed two cushions onto, she was only just able to reach the table that way, he expected Emma to glare or look embarrassed at his statement but David could have sworn that he saw a small smile on her lips. "I'll put the lasagna out now." He promised as he headed into the kitchen where he was still able to keep an eye on her.

Emma had been surprised to see feel herself being picked up and carefully placed on the chair, which her father had thoughtfully placed the cushions on for her, she couldn't help but feel touched at his actions – and although she knew that his words were slightly teasing and she would normally glare or blush at his comment she knew he was also being serious. She tried to hide her smile at the compliment, and reminded herself yet again that the next day she wouldn't allow herself to feel and be treated quite so… well, young.
She would try her hardest to put back up, at least some of, her walls – at least for a while. She knew how hard it would be to keep them up around her parents, but she had to try, she couldn't stand how they'd treat her should they find out about her past… and she had no idea what would happen should she let it slip about the mark on her back or the pain in her right wrist.

She looked around the loft, trying to adjust to the new dimensions of her surroundings, and realised that the bags of clothes had disappeared from the table. She hadn't realised that she had taken that long getting changed, but then she supposed, she had been distracted by other matters.

She heard the sound of her mother's feet coming from Mary Margaret and David's bedroom, and she turned to watch her walk into the main part of the loft, with Neal cradled in her arms.
"Hey mom." Emma greeted quietly with a slightly self-conscious tinge to her tone when she saw tears in Mary Margaret's eyes.

"Sorry, sweetie, hormones." Mary Margaret shrugged off as she carried Neal over to the table, and sat in the set place at the table, on Emma's left. She was sure that Emma assumed the tears were at the pyjamas she was wearing, but Mary Margaret was just struggling to forget the list hidden within the small file which was currently in the desk drawer. She brushed her hand down Neal's cheek gently and saw Emma watching them with a small smile out the side of her eye.

Emma leant forward to let Neal grab hold of her hand and smiled as he did so. "Hey Nealy." She smiled as she tried out the new nickname. "Looks like mom has gotten away with getting us both to dress the same." She joked as she looked at his light blue cloud babygrow.

"I'm sorry," Mary Margaret said quickly though she had to work hard to keep the smile off of her face as she heard her daughter give her son a nickname, "I didn't even think…"

"It's not a big deal mom." Emma interrupted. "I was just joking."

Mary Margaret's face changed back to a smile, happy to see Emma didn't think she was just trying to treat her like a small child, and even happier to see her children interacting – though she felt like that even when Emma looked her usual age. She shared a look with David over Emma's head, as he placed a child sized portion of lasagna and garlic bread in front of her, which showed her that he had seen and felt the same. Mary Margaret gently placed Neal into the baby basket which had been placed next to the table so she and David could keep an eye on Neal while they ate.

Emma focused on her food quietly as she listened to her parents make idle talk. She tried to eat as much as she could with her right hand but had to switch to using her left one as she was having a lot of difficulty using the big fork, she didn't even bother trying to use her knife as well. Before she knew it her parents were moving around her, Mary Margaret lent over her plate using her knife and fork to cut up Emma's lasagna for her, while David went over to the kitchen and grabbed a fork which was significantly smaller than the one she had been trying to use.

"This one should be easier, kiddo." He told her with a smile as he handed it to her.

Emma gave them both a small smile then ducked her head.

David and Mary Margaret were about to fall back into their casual small talk when Mary Margaret noticed Emma's shoulders shaking. "Emma, sweetheart, what's wrong?" She asked worriedly and placed her hand on Emma's small one.

Emma shrugged but knew that answer wouldn't satisfy her parents. "I just… I haven't had this before…"

"No one ever cut up your food?" Mary Margaret asked in a heartbroken tone.

Emma nodded and saw Mary Margaret's heartbreak on her face. "They were generally more of eat-as-fast-and-as-much-as-you-can-before-someone-tried-to-take-it-away situations." Emma admitted with a grin as she hoped to hear her mother joke back, but it didn't come, perhaps the couple of tears which had escaped her eyes had somewhat taken away from the believability in her tone. She saw heartbreak on her parents faces no matter how hard they tried to hide it. She regretted saying a word.

"You don't need to do that here, Em," David reminded her gently, "just let us know if you need any help; there's no shame in it."

Emma nodded at him and gave a small smile, but did not promise, she felt her mother wipe away a couple of her tears and she was sent a tight smile by her to show her that she was glad Emma had told them that. Emma continued to try eat as much of the lasagna and garlic bread as she could, but found herself leaning her head on her fist trying to stay awake, and battling with her lack of appetite.

*OUAT*

Mary Margaret and David shared a look and tried not to laugh when they noticed the orange stain around their daughter's mouth from the sauce. They had both long finished their food and were waiting for Emma to do so too, but saw that for once Emma seemed not to be able to, despite her valiant effort. David collected his and Mary Margaret's plates, then picked up Emma's. "I think you're finished." He said with a small chuckle at Emma's face.

As he did that Mary Margaret grabbed the medicine, Doc had left, from the kitchen island. She took a medicine spoon from the drawer then sat next to Emma once again. "You just need one spoon of this." She said in a happy voice.

"Mom." Emma dragged out, she had only been calling her that for a couple of days, but she found that it came out naturally more and more – though she had been calling Mary Margaret and David it in her mind since she had gotten back to town with Henry, so she wasn't sure why she was so surprised. "I took the other one, that will work, it'll be enough."

"No, Emma, it won't." She told her and raised her eyebrows as she poured out the medicine onto a spoon. "This is the only thing that'll work to get rid of the flu, I'm sorry, but you have to take it."

Emma crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly even though she knew her mother was probably right.

"Either take it now or I'll put it in your drinks." Mary Margaret told her though was clearly struggling to keep the smile from her face at Emma calling her mom yet again and the blonde's stubbornness.

Emma rolled her eyes but begrudgingly accepted the medicine. She tried not to gag as she forced herself to swallow down the medicine, which had the approximate consistency of glue but with a much, much worse taste.
"That's horrible. It's disgusting. It's literally the worst thing I've ever tasted." Emma continued to complain she grabbed the plastic tumbler of juice from the table and gulped it down.

Mary Margaret smiled at Emma's rant, but wasn't looking forward to trying to get Emma to take it the next day, perhaps she could trick David into convincing Emma to take it.
She looked over at her husband and saw that he was fixing them some bowls of ice cream, she knew that they both felt she deserved a treat after the day (and past few weeks) she had and that she'd probably need something to take the medicine, but she also knew that David was wrapped around her finger no matter her age or realm.
With Emma distracted by her own rant, Mary Margaret quickly used a napkin from the table and wiped Emma's sauce stained mouth, then darted into the kitchen.

Emma's mouth fell open in shock at her mother, or anyone, wiping her mouth. She quickly changed her surprise to a glare at her mother's retreating back.

David smirked as he watched his girls, he always thought his daughter was adorable, but currently her glares were much less like her usual ones (which David thought were a little too much like her mother's), and even more adorable.
He didn't bother to hide his smirk when Emma looked at him, and looked the most wide awake she had looked all night, when she saw the three dishes of ice cream he held in his hands.
"If you pick a movie for us to watch you can have this bowl of diabetes." He teased and nodded towards the bowl of mud pie ice cream which was laden with added chocolate sauce and fudge pieces.

"Deal." Emma told him but was in such a hurry to get down from the chair, she slipped and fell, the shock and the pain shooting through her arm made her burst into tears.

"Emma!" David called and tried to put the dishes down.

But Mary Margaret was faster. She scooped Emma up straight away and carried her over to the couch. She went to put Emma down next to her, not wanting to push it too far, but Emma's was keeping a tight hold of her so she sat down with Emma in her lap. She pushed Emma's chin up so she could look closely at her head. She couldn't see a mark or a bump, and by the time she had finished her examination, Emma had calmed down a lot.
"Did you hurt yourself anywhere?" She asked as David sat next to them with a worried look on his face.

Emma thought for a second about her arm, but quickly decided that she'd be okay leaving it, plus there was no way her parents would just let her get away with not going to the hospital. "I'm okay… sorry."

Mary Margaret hugged her close. "Don't ever apologise for things like that, it wasn't your fault." She was surprised when Emma stayed still for a couple of minutes. "How about we watch a movie and you try to eat all that ice cream without being sick?" She challenged with a smirk and her eyebrow raised.

"I have faith in you, Em, even if your mother doesn't." David told her with a wink as he pressed play on the movie and handed his wife and daughter their bowls. He sat down on Emma's other side.

Emma looked over at her mom's bowl of strawberry ice cream, then over at her dad's chocolate ice cream. "You guys are boring." She rolled her eyes.

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes back at her. "Emma, I have survived living as a bandit with the Evil Queen after me, a war, fought against ogres, and many other creatures… but I don't think I could handle that much sugar." She smirked.

"I'll try some," David teased but as soon as he put his spoon near the bowl Emma pulled the bowl away with an offended look on her face, "apparently not." He chuckled and sent a wink to Mary who was trying not to laugh.

"Okay, you're not boring," she relented, "just don't touch my ice cream." As David and Mary Margaret laughed Emma settled in between the two of them, relaxing as they all watched Jurassic Park.

*OUAT*

'God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man Destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs.'
'Dinosaurs eat man. Woman inherits the Earth.'

David smiled at that line, whenever they watched it, it always reminded him of something Emma or Mary Margaret would say. He had felt Emma lean against him earlier on during the film but had forced himself not to keep watching her so not to make her feel uncomfortable. But she usually said the line as it played, and as she didn't, he looked down to see that she was okay.
His smile broadened when he saw that Emma had fallen asleep while leaning against him. He looked up to whisper to Mary Margaret but found that she was already watching Emma with a loving look on her face.
"Hey." He whispered and sent her a soft smile.

"Hey," she whispered back with a small smile, "I guess you were right about her being a daddy's girl." She joked quietly, but she knew it was true, of course she and Emma were close but Emma and David were so alike it was almost scary.
Not that she minded, of course, it was how she had imagined it as soon as the necklace had swung east to west. Though in her imagination Emma had always looked a little more like how she did now. But she loved her no matter her age, they both did, always had and always would. She carefully ran her hand through Emma's ringlets.

"To be fair, I do kind of cheat by always getting her hot chocolate... and bear claws." He smiled sheepishly but couldn't keep the pride from his features.

"So, you're to blame for her sweet tooth." Mary Margaret pretended to scold.

"Says the princess who had me ride across the kingdom in a sweltering summer to find her cinnamon." He smirked but was still slightly in awe of her ability to drink the hot cocoa during such hot weather, even if at the time he did fuss and worry about her doing so, as though it could have hurt the baby. Which it obviously didn't considering their baby was sat next to him and, in his completely unbiased opinion, was perfect.

"You could have sent someone else out to get it." She reminded him, her hand instinctively went to her stomach and her eyes darted to Emma, as she remembered the hot summer she was pregnant with Emma for.

"Nah, I had a nickname to live up to." He leant over Emma and gently kissed his wife, he was relieved that Emma stayed asleep, as she would have killed them for getting her stuck in the middle, almost as much as she would have for talking about her. Almost.

"You're doing a good job so far." She smiled. She brushed the back of her fingers down Emma's cheek and felt the heat which was still coming off of her. "She should be in bed."

"As you wish."
David manoeuvred Emma so she lent, momentarily, against Mary Margaret. He stood himself up then leant down and picked his daughter up into his arms, all while being careful to not wake her up. He was surprised at how light she was, he had seen how small and skinny she was, but having her actually in his arms made it all too real to him. Although she was, naturally, heavier than Neal he could tell that she was only a maximum of five times heavier- but considering Neal was only around seven pounds that wasn't saying much.

Emma moved slightly in her sleep but she just moved her head slightly closer to David, to rest against his chest, David smiled down at her and started to walk to the stairs- he could hear Mary Margaret's footsteps behind him and wasn't surprised in the slightest – this was the first time they were able to put their daughter to bed.

*OUAT*

Mary Margaret rolled back the duvet on Emma's bed upstairs and, as David gently laid their daughter down, she retrieved a few blankets from the closet and grabbed a few pillows from Henry's bed. He carefully tucked the duvet around her after making sure that she was led comfortably.

Mary Margaret built a wall of pillows on either side of Emma, David had told her about Emma falling out of bed and the panic attack which followed, and wanted to make sure that it wouldn't happen again.

David would have normally worried about Emma's reactions to what she would class as her parents being 'overprotective', but this time he didn't bat an eyelid over it, he'd much rather Emma was safe and on a slightly more selfish side he didn't want to have to hear a massive bang from Emma falling out of bed or watch her have a panic attack again- especially not if he wasn't in the room from the start to help and he was sure that Emma would draw the line at him camping out on her floor. He watched his wife tuck a couple of blankets around their daughter with tears in her eyes.

As soon as Mary Margaret had finished tucking the last part of the blanket around Emma, she felt herself being pulled into her husband's arms.

They stood in an embrace for a couple of minutes, both of them with their eyes on their daughter, and the unsaid words which hung in the air: this shouldn't have been the first time they tucked their daughter into bed. They should have been able to raise their first born child.

They both took in her features which seemed so familiar yet so foreign to them – she was so clearly Emma, but she was an Emma who they had never even caught a glimpse of.

"She really does have the two best halves of us." David repeated the phrase they had both used countless times since finding out Emma was their daughter.

They could have sat in the room watching over her all night, but they knew she wouldn't appreciate it, and they had another child who also needed them so they reluctantly left the room.

*OUAT*

David and Mary Margaret parted ways once they got down the staircase.

Mary Margaret headed to check on Neal, who was still fast asleep tucked into his crib, she moved his blanket closer around him and made sure that his teddy wasn't too close to his head. She stroked her finger down his cheek, then went to join her husband.

David had gone into the kitchen and started to make his wife a mug of hot chocolate, when she walked into the kitchen he moved away from the stove and reached up into one of the high cupboards. He pulled out a bottle of whisky, which had rarely been opened, and poured himself a generous glass.
"I'm guessing from the look on your face after Doc and Blue left I might need one of those." David told her with a faint hint of a smile.

She briefly grasped hold of his hand before she let go and watched him pour the hot chocolate into a mug which he then topped with cream and cinnamon. "If I wasn't nursing I'd be joining you." She admitted.

"That good, huh?" he picked up his glass and her mug and led them through to the living room.

Once they sat down, Mary Margret sat cradling her mug, feeling the heat from it warm her hands. She took a sip of the drink but found that for once it didn't calm her like it usually did, so she placed it down onto the coffee table and heard David do the same with his now empty glass, she only met her husband's eyes when he took her hands into his.
"You were right earlier," she said, "when you said that Emma was small because of reasons other than her early birth. I mean we saw that in her file, it says failure to thrive, and malnutrition. Nobody cared about our daughter."

"Mary," he said affectionately having figured out what she was thinking, "it wasn't your fault."

"I know…It's Gold's for manipulating us all, and Regina's for enacting the curse in the first place, and the people who we trusted who lied to us about the wardrobe – I might have made it through if she hadn't been born early and so could you, if not you would have raised her, she still would have been our Emma but she wouldn't have gone through hell to become her… But that doesn't stop me from feeling responsible."

David couldn't take it any longer he moved forward and wrapped his arms around her. "I know, I feel the same, and I doubt that that feeling is ever going to go away. We're never going to get to raise her like we will Neal and it's not right or fair, but we can't let it destroy us, that wouldn't be fair to Emma or Neal."

Mary Margaret sat in his embrace for a moment, she tilted her chin up so she could reach his lip, and pressed a quick yet tender kiss to his lips. She moved back so that she was able to see into his eyes once again, she sat facing him. "There's something else." She paused and watched the worry grow in David's eyes. "Emma still has her own mind, but that could change, Blue says that there could be moments when Emma's mind is more suited to one of her current size."

David's mouth kept opening and closing, he stared out of the window as he tried to gather his thoughts.

"David-"

"-She'll only act slightly childish though, right? It's not like she's going to completely change. Not like forever…" He watched his wife look down at her hands in her lap. "Mary Margret… Snow!" He demanded.

"I asked the same." She admitted. "She… she just said she'd just try to make sure it doesn't happen."

He wiped his hand over his face, pinched the bridge of his nose, and then gave a big sigh. He looked towards the stairs, he wanted to just run up the stairs, take Emma into his arms, and just protect her from everything
"I know we're meant to trust Blue," he said though his voice sounding suspicious of the fair, "despite some evidence which clearly suggests otherwise…" He said thinking of her lies about the wardrobe which neither he nor Mary Margaret would ever fully be able to forgive. "And she said that they're all going to be working hard to change Emma back, but she and the rest of the faeries have no idea where to even begin…" He watch his wife slowly nod. "So, what do we do?"

Mary Margaret shook her head and sighed. "I have no idea. I guess we see if Belle has heard of anything like this happening in any of books? But for now we should focus on getting her better."

David nodded in agreement. "And we need to tell Henry, she's his mom, after all. Perhaps he'll be able to convince Regina to, if not forgive, at least help Emma."

"Of course, if anyone would be able to handle their mom getting turned into a child, it'd be Henry." She agreed. "I always wondered what she looked like as a child, she always said that she didn't have any pictures, and I never even imagined…"

"She's beautiful," David smiled towards the upstairs of the loft, "just like her mother."

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes playfully. "She gets her golden locks and her smile from you." She also stared towards the stairs with a similar look on her face. "I always imagined what it'd be like to raise her, but…" she trailed off not wanting to finish the sentence, she felt guilty for even thinking about it.

"I miss her too." David admitted. "I know that she's still her, but at the same time she's not." He turned her head to face him and pressed a kiss to her lips, which she deepened.

Chapter Text

When Emma woke up her whole body ached, as though she'd fallen to a ground out of a portal… which she kind of did, though that was not the reason for her body to ache, this time it was just down to the flu. She was freezing cold and her throat and chest hurt like hell, and her rash itched despite the cream and bandages having been put on it.

She eventually managed to drag her eyes open, rubbing them to get the sleep out of her eyes, and looked around her room. A line of artificial light fell from her window across her floor and stretched the shadows of the furniture in her room. Somewhere in her mind she noted that it must have been early in the morning or still night time, but she couldn't tell which, and truthfully she didn't care she felt how she had in the Enchanted Forest.

"This is stupid." Emma muttered to herself after she coughed. "I'm not actually five. I don't need to be close to my parents." She pulled her blankets closer to her as she stayed sat up in bed for a few more minutes. Then she decided that she may as well go downstairs as she was awake anyway. "This is not to be closer to them." She told herself firmly. "I'm just not tired." She tried to convince herself through a yawn. "Argh, whatever, when did I even start to talk to myself?"

She moved some of the pillows which she had woken up pressed against that morning, she assumed that she had fallen asleep downstairs and been carried up to bed then her parents had put them there, which she wasn't sure what she felt about that though she was pretty sure that they were positive feelings. She climbed down from her bed and despite still having the socks on her feet she gave a quiet yelp at the cold floor beneath her feet, plus without the blankets around her she shivered more than she had been before. The effort of climbing down had moved a couple of the pillows she had slept on, she noticed the white woollen blanket with the

She walked over to closet in the hopes that her mother had both; put the clothes she had bought in there, and that bought something which would keep her warm. She was relieved to see that her mother had hung the smaller sized clothes on the lower pole of the hanging space and had folded the others on the lower shelves. She noticed a grey fluffy dressing gown with white stars hanging up, she pulled it off the hanger and noticed a pair of woollen slipper boots in the same shade at the bottom of the closet which she pulled on.

She walked over to the stairs and she tried to walk down them as usual but she found that the stairs were way too deep to be able to walk down without her holding the cold bannister. She carefully walked down the stairs, which took about ten times as long as it would normal, and just when she thought she was home and dry on the second to last step she slip.
"Fuck." She whispered to herself as she picked herself up from the ground.

She thanked her lucky stars that her parents always left a small lamp on in the kitchen as she was able to clearly see her parents and little brother asleep in their room. She smiled at the sight of them all and then she crept over to the couch.

*OUAT*

David wasn't a morning person, not really, he defined a morning person as someone who was lively and happy in the morning. He was only properly awake after a coffee, and he woke up early from his old shepherding habits, apparently you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

David woke up a little earlier than usual, he felt Mary Margaret asleep against his chest and heard the sound of his newborn's gentle snoring coming from the crib at the foot of the bed, he placed a soft kiss to the crown of his wife's head and carefully moved her off of him as he knew he had no chance of getting back to sleep. He climbed out of bed and bed and made his way out of the room, he only stopped to tuck the blankets in around his son, and draw the curtain into the bedroom shut again so Mary Margaret wouldn't be woken by him.

He started to quietly pad towards the kitchen, his mind was on ringing Leroy to ask him to watch the station for a few days, the man often helped out so David was sure he wouldn't mind overly much. Before he made it over to the kitchen he noticed the flickering of the television in the den, he frowned sure that they had turned it off before they had taken Emma to bed and hadn't turned it back on, his frown turned to a small smile when he saw Emma led on the couch with the television at its lowest volume.

He walked over to her quietly as he wasn't sure if she was awake or asleep, but as he got closer he saw that her eyes were half closed but she was still awake, she was clearly fighting sleep. He knelt down next to her and watched her eyes flicker to him, and open wide, she clearly hadn't noticed his presence earlier.

"Did I wake you up?" she croaked as she sat up and rubbed her eyes as she took in his tired looking face and messy hair.

David winced in sympathy at the sound of her voice. "Nope, apparently no matter how long I've been away from the farm, I still have the same internal alarm clock." He joked. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." She told him but she avoided looking into his eyes.

"And now the truth?" David smirked with a raised eyebrow and laughed quietly when her mouth fell open. "You may have your superpower, but I have dad powers… How are you feeling?" He repeated still smiling.

"Not exactly a hundred percent." Emma shrugged. "My throat hurts… and it's pretty cold in here."

David sent her a sympathetic smile, both of them knew it was Emma who felt cold, not the loft which had had the heating on all night. "I'm going to go get you some medicine." He left before she could argue with him.

Emma waited for her father to get back, she wanted to go find him and convince him that she didn't need to take any medicine, but she just couldn't bring herself to move from where she sat. She could hear the sounds of him moving about the kitchen as quietly as he could and found that it calmed her more than simply sitting on the couch with the rest of her family in their bedroom, which only frustrated her more, hadn't she already decided not to feel like this? Apparently her feelings hadn't gotten the memo.

David walked back to Emma several minutes later. He placed two mugs down on the table along with two plates but kept the bottle of medicine in his hand, he poured a spoonful of medicine and playfully rolled his eyes as Emma started to try convince David that she didn't need it. "Open up." He told her knowing that if he let her do it herself she'd pour it down herself and they'd make it through the entire bottle without Emma taking a drop. But Emma didn't budge. "Take it or we can go see Whale right now."

Emma's eyes narrowed. "You hate Whale."

"I hate my daughter being ill more." David countered calmly. He bit his lip to stop himself from smiling as Emma opened her mouth. He watched her pull a small face at the taste and handed her a plate of toast. "It's not Nutella, but peanut butter still tastes nice, while being slightly better for you."

"Thanks dad." Emma gave him a small smile and started to eat her toast.

"No problem." He smiled back and tucked into his own toast. "I also made you some hot cocoa, just let me know when you want it." He told her, as he didn't want her to have to move too much, she was looking really miserable today. "How long have you been awake?"

Emma looked over at her father, back at the Criminal Minds marathon she had stumbled upon, then back at David. "Maybe an hour?" she guessed.

David furrowed his brow, he knew that he had woken up early, he didn't realise that Emma had been awake for so long though. He saw her struggling through the slice of toast, as he drank his coffee, until she finally placed her plate and half-finished slice of toast onto the couch beside her. David handed her the mug of hot cocoa then grabbed their plates and his empty mug and took them into the kitchen. When he got back to Emma's side she had managed to drink most of her drink and had placed it back on the table.

"How come you're watching these and not Brooklyn Nine Nine again?" David asked curiously but also wanting to gage how awake she was.

"We always watch it together," Emma shrugged, "I didn't want you to miss anything."

David smiled down at her. "We can watch it now, if you'd like?" He watched Emma quickly nod. "Okay, but if you're staying down here and not in bed you need to at least lie down." He allowed the worry to show in his voice and Emma gave an eye roll but also a small nod, so he handed her a cushion to place her head off. He couldn't hide his surprise when instead of putting the cushion next to the arm of the couch, she placed it on his lap and led down. He grabbed the fluffy throw from the back of the couch and wrapped it around her, he carefully ran his fingers through her hair, then flicked Netflix on to resume their watching of the show.

"Who were you on the phone to?" Emma asked having heard his talking to someone when he was in the kitchen, she presumed he was on the phone, unless he had started to talk to himself.

David frowned he didn't realise that he was talking quite so loudly.

"You weren't being loud," Emma assured him having guessed what he was thinking about, "it was just a tense dramatic moment on the television."

"Ahh." David nodded in understanding and was happy that his, usually happy morning person but now sleep deprived, wife wouldn't be killing him for waking her. "I was just ringing Leroy and Thomas, they agreed to watch the station for a week or so."

Emma frowned in confusion. "Why do they need to watch it?"

"Because you're ill," David reminded her, "so I figured I could use that as an excuse to stay home and watch some television shows with you." He joked as he knew she would only deny being really ill if he had told her that he was staying home to help look after her. He saw her shiver slightly so grabbed the fluffy throw from the back of the couch and wrapped it around her. He rubbed her back a little as they continued to watch the show.

*OUAT*

Mary Margaret woke up to the sound of Neal starting to fuss, she nudged David to go get him before he started to cry, but her hand fell onto the mattress not David. She opened her eyes quickly and found that David was indeed not there.

She climbed out of bed, she was used to David having to leave for emergencies at the station so wasn't too worried about him just yet, she picked her son up from his crib and sat in the rocking chair in the corner of the room as she nursed him. He fell asleep as soon as he was done feeding so she placed him back into his crib and went to see if David was awake, if not she'd see if he had messaged her on her phone, or left a note.

A smile came to her face as soon as she stepped out from behind the curtain and was met with the sight of her husband and daughter. One of her hands went to her mouth while the other went to her chest as she watched David carefully brush Emma's hair back from her face. He looked up at her as though he had sensed her presence and sent her his usual smile, she walked over to them as quietly as she could when she saw that Emma's eyes were closed, she sent a smile back to David as she crouched down in front of the couch.

"I woke up about an hour ago," he told her as he knew she'd be wondering, "and she had already been up for an hour before that, I don't think she's feeling too good."

Mary Margaret held her hand against Emma's forehead. "She's a little warm, did you-"

"- I made her take her medicine..." David assured her "… though not the one from Doc."

"Push over." Mary Margaret teased with a smirk. She brushed her hand down Emma's cheek, and watched as her eyes flickered open, she smiled when Emma looked at her with a dopey expression on her face, clearly still very tired. "Morning, sweetheart."

Emma rubbed her fists against her eyes to try and force herself to wake up. "Hey." She replied her voice slurred with sleep.

"How are you feeling?" she pushed a non-existent piece of hair behind Emma's ear.

Emma realised she was still led with her head on David's lap but she couldn't bring herself to care. She knew she had wanted to push them away, and there was part of her which still wanted to do so, but she blamed it on the early morning. Perhaps she would just have to put that plan on hold until she felt better. She shrugged and received a sympathetic smile. "Not too good." She admitted honestly.

Mary Margaret tried not to laugh at David's look of astonishment, despite both of their concern for their daughter, as he clearly hadn't got such a clear answer. She gave Emma a sympathetic look and brushed her had down her cheek again. "I'm sorry you're not feeling well. You'd be much more comfortable in bed." She saw Emma's face change a little as she tried to disguise her look of disappointment. "You can sleep down here, in our bed, it'll be easier for us to make sure you're okay, anyway." She added in case Emma felt the need to protest.

"Okay." She sighed though felt relief that she wouldn't be too far from either of them… for health purposes, of course… She let David help her sit up and felt his hand on her back as she stood up. She took a step, then felt a twinge in her stomach.

Mary Margaret and David froze for a fraction of a second when Emma took off running towards the bathroom. They shared a look and quickly followed her. When they got into the bathroom Emma was hunched over the toilet. They crouched on either side of her, David held Emma's hair back, and Mary Margaret rubbed circles on her back.

Eventually Emma finished and moved back from the toilet but she was still sat on the floor. Her parents moved as one, Mary Margaret grabbed a cup and half filled it with water while David grabbed a damp cloth and gently wiped her mouth, before carefully picking her up.

"I can walk." Emma grumbled quietly.

"Apparently not." He gave her a pointed look as he walked over to the sink where Mary Margaret was stood.

Emma glared at him a little in response but accepted the cup from her mom, she swirled the water around her mouth before spitting it into the sink, she repeated to get the bad taste out of her mouth.

"Emma," Mary Margaret said gently, "we just don't want you to be sick again."

Emma sighed but didn't protest David holding her anymore. "I'm…erm… sorry you guys had to see me hurl." Emma said sheepishly but felt slightly queasy at her own choice of words.

"Oh Emma, we're your parents, it's no problem and you don't have to worry about us being there no matter what. "

"What your mother said." David added with a smirk. "Plus, Neal has you outnumbered by far, so if anything you have some catching up to do."

Emma let out a breath of laughter which quickly changed to a yawn, she rubbed her eyes to try and wake herself up.

David and Mary Margaret shared a look over Emma's head, and Mary Margaret walked to her and David's bedroom, David followed her with Emma still in his arms.

"I still think I could have walked." Emma said quietly, but David knew it was just a token protest so didn't bother to say anything back to her.

Mary Margret pulled back the duvet and blankets and waited for David to place Emma onto the bed, once he did together Emma's parents stood on either side of the bed and covered her back up with the bedding and tucked her in.

Emma was astonished as they tucked her in, no one had ever done that to her before, but then as soon as they were done they walked around the bed towards the doorway, Emma shrank down the bed as her happiness turned to loneliness. She was about to close her eyes and pretend to be asleep so she wouldn't have to watch them leave when she saw Mary Margaret lay her hand on David's chest and whisper something into his ear, he nodded once then sent Emma a loving smile before he left the room. Mary Margaret on the other hand scooped Neal out of his crib and walked back to the bed.

"How are you feeling now, sweetie?" Mary Margaret sat next to Emma, she led Neal at the bottom of the bed, a little under Emma's feet, sideways so he could see Emma and herself, while she made sure that her eldest child was okay. She smiled as Emma tucked her hair behind her ear for the thousandth time.

Emma shrugged not particularly wanting to answer the question. She tucked another flyaway behind her ear but saw that her mother was clearly waiting for an answer. "Better than when I was… in the bathroom." Emma told her honestly.

Mary Margaret raised her eyebrow at Emma's phrasing of her answer. "So you feel pretty terrible, then?" she smirked when she saw Emma's sheepish look. "Why don't you change your pyjamas? It might make you feel a little better." She asked and Emma shook her head no, slightly so she wouldn't feel sick. "I know you'd probably find it hard right now, so I can help you-"

"-No!" Emma interrupted abruptly.

Mary Margaret frowned at Emma's panicked tone. "Emma, it's okay, it's nothing I haven't seen before-"

"-No!" Emma shouted again, she sat upright and ignored the feeling of dizziness which rushed over her. "No, no, no. Please!"

"Emma what's going on?" She looked at her daughter in concern, she could tell that this wasn't just Emma feeling self-conscious of her mom seeing her, after all Emma had never complained at changing in the same room as her before, she didn't see how this could be any different.

"Please mom." Emma begged but did not explain that she didn't want either of her parents to find out about the scars on her body and arms caused by abuse in her past.

Mary Margaret could hear that Emma was close to having a panic attack, she cupped her face with her hand and made her look her in the eyes. "It's okay, Emma, you don't have to get changed. It's okay." She watched as Emma's breathing gradually slowed down. "Can I braid your hair for you?" She asked when Emma tucked her hair behind her ear yet again. "It'll keep it out of your eyes."

Emma nodded as she focused on calming down, she let her mother move her sideways slightly so she could sit behind her. Emma focused on her breathing while her mother grabbed the things she needed, by the time she was back Emma was much calmer, though was now worried that her mom would put bright pink bows or a million pigtails into her hair. She felt a hand on her own and looked slightly to the right to see that her brother had grabbed hold of her hand. She stared at him mesmerised.
"He's so small." She said quietly before she even realised she was thinking it.

Mary Margaret had been watching her children as she put a simple braid in Emma's hair, Neal was just as besotted with Emma as she was mesmerised by him, she heard David's light footsteps as he walked back to the bedroom but he had stopped in the doorway watching her braid their daughter's hair from behind her back. They Emma's statement and a bittersweet smiled appeared on both of their faces.
"You were smaller." She told Emma softly.

Emma had figured she was probably small as that's what she had always been told, but she had never thought of herself as a baby in comparison to her little brother, she hadn't thought of their similarities in looks or personalities – she had never really had the opportunity to be compared to others as a child.
"I used to wonder what I was like as a baby." Emma admitted having relaxed having her hair brushed. "You know whether I looked like anyone… that sort of thing." She finished awkwardly.

Mary Margaret heard David take some steps closer to the bed, but Emma still hadn't heard him, and her back was to him so she couldn't see him. "As soon as you were born you were ready to go off on an adventure," Mary Margaret told her, "you kept wiggling so hard Doc couldn't wrap you in your blanket, your father had to do it."

"And you kept wiggling until I had to carry you." David added but he left off where, they all knew where Emma was carried to. "Then you stayed perfectly still and quiet." He told her proudly.

"You were born early, that's why you were so much smaller than Neal, but I could already see different bit of your father and I in you."

"Even as a baby you had your mom's eyes." David said with a smile. "Most babies are born with blue eyes then they change, but not you, and of course you had your mom's chin."

Emma felt her mom tying off the braid so she finally turned to look at David and Mary Margaret, she gave them a small smile. "Who'd I get my stubbornness from then?" she asked jokily knowing that they didn't agree on the answer to that one. Just as expected Mary Margaret pointed to David while he nodded his head to his wife. Emma laughed a little.

David placed the bucket he had got, in case Emma felt sick again, onto the floor. He was about to pass the pyjamas he had also grabbed for her over to Mary Margaret when he saw his wife subtly shake her head with a look on her face which told him that she'd tell him why later. He dropped them onto the floor without Emma noticing, May Margaret picked up Neal who had now fallen asleep and walked over to his crib with him. "Lay back, Em." David told her and nodded to the pillows which were arranged so that Emma would still be sat up a little but would be comfortable enough to fall back asleep.

Emma turned from sitting sideways so she could lay back as David covered her in the blankets, she caught sight of her white woollen blanket in David's hand as well, she looked up at him, she didn't realise that he knew that she kept it under her pillow – she didn't need it was just a habit.. or at least that was what she told herself.

David saw the look of surprise in her eyes so he sent her a wink, he received a small smile back as she tucked it under the blankets, he sent one back and tucked the blankets around her then settled on her right side. He smiled as he saw Mary Margaret walk back into the room with Emma's flu medicine and a bottle of juice in her hand.

Emma started to complain as soon as she saw what her mother was holding. "Mo-"

"-Emma, you need to take the medicine if you want to get better." She told her in a no nonsense tone. "It'll help you stop feeling quite so nauseous too."

"Mom." Emma pleaded.

"Emma." She responded evenly, she saw the fight leave Emma's face and she poured the amount Emma needed onto a medicine spoon, then gave it to her. "I know that you don't like it, and if there was another way for you to get well we'd do that, but there isn't so sadly you're stuck with this." She told her sympathetically then placed the medicine back onto the table and unscrewed the bottle of Pedialyte and passed it to Emma.

"I hate this stuff." Emma complained. "Can't I just have some juice?"

Mary Margaret settled on Emma's other side and smiled when Emma took the bottle despite her protests. "We need to keep you hydrated, we don't want you to end up having to go to hospital."

"I only threatened Whale a few times." Emma muttered but took a sip of the drink, she was relieved to find that it tasted better than the knock off branded ones when she was a child… actually a child. She felt David stand up from the bed and leave the room again, she couldn't stop herself from feeling disappointed, and slightly guilty.
"You guys don't have to sit with me, I'm sure you're busy." Emma told them quietly as soon as David walked back into the room.

"Emma," Mary Margaret said fondly she knew why her daughter was really saying that, "we have a newborn baby, we need all the relaxing days we can take before he hits the terrible twos, and we wouldn't want to spend those days in any other way than with you."

David settled on Emma's other side once again, this time he had the laptop in his hand and a packet of saltines which he passed over to Emma.

"I don't want to be sick again." She tried to pass the packet back to David but he wouldn't accept it.

"You won't be," David assured her, "if you don't eat it'll just get you sicker, Em. You only have to eat one if you don't want to each much." Both he and Mary Margaret would much prefer that she ate more than one, but they'd take what they could get.

Emma sighed and took one out of the pack and started to nibble it. She found herself leaning on her mother, who simply wrapped an arm around her, as David brought up Netflix on the laptop and pressed resume on the episode he and Emma had been watching earlier. Emma had fallen back fast asleep by the time the credits rolled.

David stared at his girls with love as Mary Margaret dropped a kiss onto Emma's head. "Why did you say no about her changing her pyjamas?" David asked quietly so not to wake Emma. "You said it might make her feel a little better."

"I did." She said just as quietly. "But when I suggested it she freaked out."

"…Maybe it's just her being in a smaller body…" David suggested, but his tone and the frown on his face showed that even he was having a hard time believing himself. "Maybe she's self-conscious of it?"

Mary Margaret just shook her head but gave him a kind smile. "I think it was something else… this was different." She looked down at her daughter lovingly then across at her husband. "David she begged me not to make her get changed and almost had a panic attack."

David's frowned deepened as he looked down at their daughter. He tucked her blanket closer around her, still perplexed, he wanted to ask Emma what had happened and to get down to the truth, but he also didn't want to be the cause of another panic attack.

Chapter Text

Emma was in pain. Not just normal pain, not the aching of muscles after a run, or the pain of sleeping funny, not even the pain of standing on a piece of Lego. No, Emma was in real pain, the kind which was so immeasurable it was described in terms of her other senses; the equivalent of a sharp noise bursting her ear drums, the cornea burning sight of an up close explosion, or the overwhelming sensation of a sensory overload, or it could be attempted to be described by the pain's by-products of leaving her shivering, suddenly freezing cold and feverish, yet she was not ill.

Emma Swan was not in pain, no, she was in untempered and seemingly eternal agony, beyond anything she had ever felt before.

But in that moment she came to realise that it would not be as bad as she would later face, for at five years old Emma came to face that there was bad in the world, and it did not come in the form of cartooned villains, or a drawing of an evil queen in a book of fairy tales.

It came in the form of bitter words she didn't yet know the meaning of but their intent was still clear, deep voices shouting often countered with shrill screeching ones, the foul stench of beer, doors slamming, plates smashing, thunderous footsteps, angry faces, and finally venomous words directed at her, and fists.

It ended with her having been hurt, covered in bruises or scratches, and hiding under the bed with her only true possession, her blanket, and wishing that her real mother and father would appear and save her.

But until they did, little Emma Swan led curled up cloaked in a blanket of darkness under her bed, with a deep gash on her back from a belt, a throbbing and swollen eye, and a burning and stabbing pain running through her swollen right arm.

*OUAT*

When Emma woke up she was still in between her parents, tucked into their bed, but she kept her eyes closed tight. The only noise in the room was the sound of David turning the page of his book beside her. She took a deep breath in before she opened her eyes, hoping that she was right about where she was, and that her nightmare wasn't in fact just that.

"I thought I heard you waking up." David smiled down at her as he spoke, his voice was loving as usual, and he placed his book down on the bedside table as Emma sat herself up a little. "How are you feeling?" He momentarily resisted reaching his hand out to feel for her temperature.

Emma shrugged in answer to his question, not yet wanting to admit how she was feeling, she turned her head to look at the other side of the bed where Mary Margaret was. Mary Margaret was sleeping next to her, and if the bib which was still on the blanket was any indication Emma had slept through her brother's crying and her mother feeding him. She suddenly felt David's hand on her forehead and she turned her head to look at him with one eyebrow raised.

"You're still pretty warm." David frowned ignoring Emma's look completely. "I'm going to go get you some medicine, and something to eat."

"No." Emma said not wanting to be sick again.

"Em, you need to eat or you're just going to get sick again and it'll take you even longer to get better." David told her giving her an encouraging look he watched Emma roll her eyes still not totally convinced. "I'll get you some soup, it'll feel better on your throat too." He had heard the way Emma had spoken and could guess how sore it was for her. "I'll be right back." He told her and he stood up and saw a slight frown and worried look appear on her face. He wanted to stay there so she wouldn't feel like that, but luckily he saw his wife starting to wake up, so he left to go sort Emma some lunch.

Emma sighed as she watched him leave, she felt that same feeling she had felt since being changed into a five year old of wanting to be near both of her parents but as only one of them was awake she started to climb out of the bed. She jumped when she felt a hand briefly touch her back.

"Sorry," Mary Margaret's voice was soft, "I didn't mean to scare you."

Emma gave a sigh of relief, as she turned to her mother, and waited for her heart to slow its rapid beating. She sent her a small smile to let her know that she was okay, it was just the unexpected which had made Emma jump, though of course it wasn't really just that.

Mary Margaret handed Emma the Pedialyte from the bedside table, she watched Emma pull a face and gave her a sympathetic smile in return. "Sorry, but you need to stay hydrated, honey."

Emma rolled her eyes but took it anyway, the cool juice felt good on her burning throat. She became aware of her mother watching her, she worried for a second that she had somehow given away the contents of her nightmare with her jump, but realised she was probably being paranoid. There was a strange fleeting look of concern on Mary Margaret's face and something else, but it was gone so quickly that Emma hadn't been able to identify it, she wasn't even sure if it had been there in the first place.

"I need to change the bandage on your arm." Mary Margaret forced a more cheerful tone into her voice than she was actually feeling. She was sure that Emma's flinch was more than a usual flinch, there was a stillness after it which Mary Margaret had never seen on Emma. There was something which she could almost recognise but couldn't fully name or identify. She reached down to the floor beside her side of the bed and grabbed the bag of cream, ointment, and bandages for Emma's rash. "I need to roll up your sleeve." She held out her hand so she could do it.

Emma quickly turned slightly as she rolled up the sleeve of her pyjama top, she didn't want to accidently roll it up too far or risk her mother somehow getting a glimpse of the bruises and scratches higher up on her arm. But even as she rolled it up away from Mary Margaret's view she felt her heart beating fast in her chest, terrified of the small possibility of that occurring.

When Emma turned back she had carefully assembled her face to smile, an almost perfect mask no one had ever seen behind, her mom met her face, though Emma didn't realise that Mary Margaret had simply matched her mask and had managed to see that Emma was hiding something.

Mary Margaret knew now more than ever that something was up with Emma, something beyond being turned into a five year old and getting a flu from a land she had spent barely anytime in. She wanted to ask her but at the same time knew, through some maternal instinct or simply because she knew Emma so well, if she pushed now Emma would shut down completely, she'd probably try to leave; at which point David and Mary Margaret would stop her and she would resent them or try to drift away from them. She carefully unbandaged Emma's arm and started to clean up the rash.

Emma sat watching her mother gently sorting her rash out. She remembered the conversation they had been having earlier and started to think zoning out a little thinking about it. After no longer than a minute she came back to herself. "So, I know what I was like when I was a baby, and little…" she looked down at herself with a frustrated sigh, "little-er… what were you like?"

Mary Margaret gave a soft smile, she had noticed that Emma was lost in her thoughts, but had never expected that the reason she was so preoccupied by her thoughts was because she was wondering about her. "When I was younger I was a bit of a brat."

Emma have a scoffing laugh "Yeah, right."

Mary Margaret smirked. "Yeah, when I was fairly young I was a bit of a spoiled princess, I thought I was better than others. My mother taught me that regardless of whether they were a royal or not, every person deserves respect and love." She remembered fondly.

Emma thought about her mother's words for a while, she figured it was probably fairly normal for someone raised around royalty to gain a bit of an ego, especially if they were the heir to a massive kingdom. "I still can't believe that you acted like that… that's like the opposite of how you act."

Mary Margaret laughed. "Well, I was younger, I learnt fairly quickly that it wasn't right to act like that… Although, I'm sure that if you were to ask Regina, she'd tell you it took a lot longer for me to realise." She saw David appear and stood in the doorway watching the two of them with a tray in his hands. He smiled softly at them both, though Emma hadn't realised that he was stood there, there was a teasing glint in his eye at her admission.

"Why would Regina know…" She stopped in the middle of her sentence she still forgot sometimes that Regina had been Mary Margaret's stepmother as well as being Henry's mother, making Mary Margaret both Henry's grandmother and step sister… "This family's so weird."

Mary Margaret gave another laugh, she couldn't argue with that. "When I was little, about five years old, my mother would take me to a town near to the Northern kingdom she came from, there was a festival which we would attend. There was dancing, music, ribbons and flowers, everyone from no matter who they were celebrated together all wearing bright colours. Then at night there were fire eaters, lanterns released into the sky, and fireworks." She rolled Emma's sleeve back down with a smile on her face at the memory and she saw Emma was smiling too.

"She sounds nice, I wish I could have met her." Emma commented but saw her mother's eyes went cloudy as though she was trying not to cry. "I still don't believe you were a brat though." She added on with a smirk to try to stop the tears from falling.

"Seriously ask Regina." Mary Margaret gave a small roll of her eyes and shared a smile with her, but then her face went a little more serious. David noticed the change in her expression and walked over to the bed, he placed the tray on the bedside table and sat on the bed next to Mary Margaret.
"Honey," she took hold of one of Emma's small hands, "Henry needs told about what happened to you." She watched Emma bite her lip nervously. "Ruby knows about this but would never say anything," she assured her, "and Doc knows which means so do the rest of the dwarves but they wouldn't say anything either."

"Blue knows too." Emma reminded her quietly.

David and Mary Margaret shared a look. Blue knew a lot of things about magic, but David and Mary Margaret could never fully trust her, she never seemed to be the sharing sort unless it benefitted her also.
"She does." David said simply.

"I'm not sure who she'd tell, but-"

"- Henry needs to know." Emma interrupted somewhat reluctantly. "He deserves to know."

"And Regina with him, you never know, she might know some way to help you." She shot her husband a look when he pulled a face.

"Yeah… I mean it only took her twenty eight years to get over something you did," Emma's voice was mockingly hopeful, "but that doesn't matter because by that time I'll have grown back up anyway."

David placed his hand on her back and rubbed circles onto it. "Em, you can't think like that." He looked over Emma's head at his wife, they both knew that they had to tell Emma about the possible changes in her behaviour, but they both knew right then wasn't the time.
First they needed to tell Henry, see if they could get Regina's help, and get Emma feeling at least slightly better.

Mary Margaret watched as Emma nodded trying to look on the hopeful side. "We'll get you back to your old self soon sweetheart." She brushed a stray curl from Emma's pale face and felt the heat coming off of it. She was always worried when Emma was ill, but now she was so small and just looked so miserable with the flu, that Mary Margaret felt the maternal worry even more than usual.

Emma gave them both a small smile and scooted back to lean back against the pillows feeling tired again already, despite how hard she was fighting it. She watched David pick the tray up from the bedside table. She sank further down under the covers and only realised she had let out a whine when she saw an amused smile and raised eyebrow on Mary Margaret's face.

David tried to keep the amused look off his face and a serious one on it. "Emma you need to at least try some of the soup."

"Dad." Emma sighed as he put the tray down on her legs.

"Emma." He mimicked.

Emma sighed and picked up the spoon, she could see that he hadn't even put half of the usual amount she would eat into the bowl but it looked massive especially when being eaten with the dessert spoon he had found as a smaller version of a soup spoon. She cautiously ate a spoonful of the soup, then another, and another.

David had to try very hard not to cheer in victory that he had gotten her to eat a little, but he did smile at Mary Margaret proudly, she rolled her eyes but smiled with him, both of them hoped that Emma would keep it down.

*OUAT*

A few hours later there was a knock at the door and Mary Margaret stood up from the bed where she and David had been watching a sow on Netflix with Emma, who had only gotten more fidgety the more time went on as she knew Henry and Regina would turn up soon. David shut the lid of the laptop as Mary Margaret stood up and saw Emma starting to climb out of the bed. He acted on instinct as he lifted her under her armpits to place her back in the place in the middle of the bed she had been sitting.

Emma mouth dropped open in shock, she didn't even know what to think about what David had just done, but the look on his face was unapologetic. "What the hell?"

"You're in no shape to get out of bed," he reminded her his eyebrows were raised and he couldn't help but think that her usual language choices just seemed wrong coming out of a five year old's mouth, "they're going to come in here. And don't worry, Henry will take this in his stride." He added for what seemed to be the hundredth time though he understood her anxiety over it, how was a thirteen year old meant to take his mother being shrunk down to a five year old? Though when Mary Margaret had called to explain what had happened he had still wanted to see Emma, so that was something.

Emma crossed her arms over her chest and pouted at David but he didn't budge on his words and she didn't budge from the spot. Instead she nervously listened to the sound of her mother talking in the other room, the curtain's barrier served as a way to make the words imperceptible, after a minute or so they were mixed with the sharper voice of Regina and the gradually lowering voice of Henry. She found herself taking hold of her baby blanket as it hid under the other blankets. Her body stiffened and she brought her shoulders higher as she heard footsteps slowly heading over to the bedroom, Mary Margaret leading the way, she felt David's hand on her back rubbing circles onto it again and she managed to relax a little bit though she fought the feeling she felt of wanting to hug him, instead she just kept her eyes on the curtain as it was slowly drawn back.

David continued to slowly rub her back, his hand kept brushing what he assumed was a crease in her pyjamas, but his eyes were too busy watching Emma's face and the curtain ready to step in in Regina tried to say anything hurtful to Emma, to notice that there was no crease and the raised long bump he felt was under the pyjama top.

Henry walked in behind his grandmother, he had been told what had happened by her on the phone a couple of hours earlier and again a little while later by his mother as she tried to explain the magic which had taken place to change his other mother, though he could tell that she didn't fully understand it either. Mary Margaret had been kind and understanding on the phone, she told him she understood that this would be hard and that he didn't have to see her if he didn't want to, but the thought had never even crossed his mind. He heard his uncle start to fuss in his crib but when he stepped through the curtain he saw that David hadn't moved from his place on the bed and shot Henry an encouraging smile.

Henry had seen a picture of his mom at around this age, the only one which she let him see, but looking at her sat on his grandparent's bed in a pair of pyjamas biting her lip nervously as she said "Hi" in a soft voice, she looked so much smaller and younger than she had in that photograph.
After the initial shock of seeing her look like a real life version of the baby Rapunzel from Tangled, he saw how pale and ill she looked, she shivered involuntarily but the stray pieces of hair which framed the side of her face told him that she was probably boiling hot.
"Does this mean you don't how the power to ground me anymore?" He joked and sat down on the side of the bed, not that he often got grounded as most of his family members were just as impulsive as him if not more so, and other than that he was generally well behaved.

Emma gave a small still slightly uncertain laugh. "Not a chance, kid." She felt David stand up from beside her and her eyes flickered to him, she saw him pick Neal up and couldn't help but hope that her brother just wanted to be held so David could come back again. She forced herself to look back at Henry fairly quickly and hoped that no one had noticed.

Henry raised his eyebrow but didn't point out that she looked more like a child that he did at the moment, nor did he ask why she had stared at David, instead he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a bar of chocolate. "For when you feel better," he told her, "I know you prefer it to flowers."

Emma gave him a wider smile and finally let go of her blanket which she kept hidden. She had only managed to eat a little of her soup, and that was mostly to keep her parents quiet, sickly chocolate was the last thing she wanted to do an idea which was against her very basic instincts. "Chocolate's much better." She commented. David sat back next to her, Neal gurgled quietly in his arms and Emma saw a smile and look of wonder on David's face at being able to have his son, she looked away as feelings stirred up within her which she tried to shove down. She finally let her eyes fall on Regina who stood back slightly from the group, she saw that her mother was also looking at her, and Henry soon joined them.

Regina looked her up and down, having stayed silent while Henry and Emma had talked, though now Emma's eyes were on her somewhat fearfully Regina felt sympathy for her. "Well, I suppose it's only fitting that you finally have a body more suited to your eating habits." She said finally with a smirk.

David rolled his eyes at the comment, while Emma and Henry just ignored its sarcasm, though Emma let out a breath of relief. But he could see that Mary Margaret had seen something else in her eyes. He stayed sat on the bed with Neal in his arms so he could keep a subtle eye on Emma while Regina and Mary Margaret left the room under the guise of getting drinks.

While Emma had napped Mary Margaret had filled him in on Emma's look behind her eyes when she had touched her and her weird behaviour with her sleeve, he couldn't help but feel worried and protective over her. He wished that he could solve everything for Emma as he could for Neal, but Neal's were just his basic needs and wanting to be held, Emma's was everything that they knew about and things they didn't. That didn't mean that he was about to give up on her though.

"…Well, I could just put it on a high shelf." David heard Henry say as he came out of his thoughts, he had no idea what they were talking about but Henry was smirking and Emma was pouting again with a glare on her face, he swallowed a laugh, Henry wasn't so courteous and gave a loud laugh which only increased Emma's glare. David casually extended one of his arms to lean on the bed, it went behind Emma's back and he felt her lean against it.

Henry's laughter died down and he changed the subject. "Hey, you seen the new Lego Batman movie?" he smiled when her face changed immediately to a smile and she shook her head. He took hold of the laptop and started to type a website in.

"Is this something I, as a law official, should be stopping?" He sked as he watched Henry click on a link for the movie but made no movement to stop him and just slowly rocked Neal instead.

"Mom is the one who showed me the website." He said with a cheeky smile as he nodded his head towards Emma who sat between the two looking a little sheepish. His smile grew as David just laughed and made a comment about not being surprised.

*OUAT*

Mary Margaret switched the electric kettle on with enough water in to make herself, Regina, and David hot drinks. "So?" She asked Regina as she walked over to the fridge to get two bottles of juice out, one for Emma and one for Henry.

Regina stayed hidden by the fridge door for a little longer than she had to, he finally grabbed two bottles of strawberry juice and turned back to Mary Margaret. "So, what?"

"I saw the look on your face before, when you saw how Emma had changed… you can just say the bad news." She stopped herself from sighing, already guessing what Regina was avoiding saying.

Regina shook her head and looked down. "I've never seen this before." She admitted and moved to get out three mugs so she wouldn't have to see the look in Mary Margaret's eyes, the noted absentmindedly that she had spent way too long in the Charming's house to know where they kept different things in their kitchen. "I've seen all kinds of magic, but nothing like this, this is because of the time portal, but I'm sorry to say that my older, greener, sister is the first person I know of to have been able to make one."

Mary Margaret nodded and swallowed. "That's what I thought you'd say, I just thought that I'd ask. Gold and Blue say that it should go by itself, eventually, but she just seems so…" she sighed unable to word what she was feeling.

"You shouldn't feel guilty for not getting to look after her at this age." Regina told her as she realised what Mary Margaret was avoiding saying. "If anyone should apologise it's me… well, and Gold… but mainly me… and I am…" She told her but avoided actually saying the words. She knew that Emma had grown up in a less than ideal situation but she didn't think of her as actually being a child, especially such a small and skinny one.

Mary Margaret just nodded, she knew logically that what Regina was saying, or not saying, was right, but she still felt the hopeless guilt that no mother or parent should have to feel.

"And you don't have to feel guilty if you enjoy looking after her now." Regina told her.

"I…I didn't… I don't." Mary Margaret spluttered but had been trying to push the idea from her mind, she knew David had too, seeing him tuck the covers around Emma when she had fallen asleep and make sure that she had her blanket close to her told her that he was thinking about what should have been, or could have been, too. Regina just gave her a knowing look and the two fell into a comfortable silence.

Mary Margaret poured the hot water onto the teabags in the mugs, she hadn't wanted to make Emma feel sick again with the strong smells of hot chocolate or coffee, and knew both David and Regina were happy enough to drink tea. "Have you talked to…" she tailed off not wanting to intrude too much, but saw Regina try to fight off a small smile which hinted at her lips, and realised that perhaps it wasn't strictly necessary.

"Robin?" Regina finally stopped fighting the smile. "Yeah, I did. Henry informed me that I was acting a bit immaturely, well he used nicer words than that though his intent was the same… but I realised that I shouldn't be push him and people who care about me so far away."
She didn't mention that she realised she was wrong to blame Emma for simply saving a random stranger but she could tell that her former stepdaughter could see she meant that also.
"Robin and I talked, we're going to sort through all of this, and what it means for us." She tried not to let on but she was hopeful.

*OUAT*

Emma had insisted on moving up to her own bed later on after she had eaten a little more soup for dinner and had drank more of the juice. David and Mary Margaret had only agreed when she pointed out that Neal's crib would be down there and she didn't want to wake him up or vice versa. David had carried her upstairs which she found she didn't really mind as she still felt rather weak and was half asleep anyway, he and Mary Margaret piled blankets on top of her, and had stayed with her until she fell asleep.

She woke up later on unsure what time it was and why she had woken up. She led for a moment in the room, Mary Margaret had left one of the lamps on in case she needed something, which Emma had rolled her eyes at but did feel slightly better that the room wasn't in complete darkness for some reason. She looked towards the gap between the curtains and saw a slither of darkness so knew that it wasn't because of the time. She couldn't hear a sound from the downstairs, so it wasn't a noise which woke her up, though her parents might still be awake.

She wondered if she had had another nightmare which had woke her, but she couldn't remember anything so doubted it.

She sighed and moved a little in the bed so she could reach her blanket which had been tucked under her pillow wordlessly by David earlier that night. As she moved she felt a sensation she hadn't felt

She moved on instinct, she shoved all of the covers and blankets from the bed the half fell from it herself, she could see, in the faint glow, a large dark patch on the bed sheets. She tried to pull the sheet off from the bed as quickly as she could, she didn't even notice the footsteps coming up the stairs as she searched her mind for how to hide this.

She remembered being in trouble a lot when she was little for bedwetting, she had gone through it for longer than other children and remembered being bullied by other children and punished by adults for it, she felt a shiver run down her back as she finally heard the footsteps.

"Emma, what's…? Oh…" Mary Margaret and David had heard Emma making loud bangs as they sat relaxing on the couch, with both Emma and Neal seemingly asleep, so she had led the way up the stairs quickly thinking that Emma had fallen out again. She trailed off from her question when she saw the bed. "That's okay Emma, we'll get you cleaned up, it's okay." She soothed as she moved slowly towards Emma who had gone white as a sheet, she knew there was something more to this than embarrassment.

David noticed the look on Emma's face, and moved slowly over to her closet to grab her some clean pyjamas and a vest, not wanting to crowd her. "Your mom will help you," he told her in the softest voice and with the kindest smile he could manage, "I'll sort your bed out."

"No," Emma practically whispered as Mary Margaret went to pick her up, "I'm all disgusting…"

"It's okay Emma," She carefully picked her up, "you're not disgusting, it was just an accident." She held her in one arm and took the pyjamas and vest from David in her other hand, and carried Emma downstairs.

Emma was totally out of it as Mary Margaret took her into the bathroom and ran her a warm bath, she barely even noticed as David came down the stairs and popped his head around the bathroom door to let her know he'd placed her blanket onto their bed and that it was just as it had been. And didn't pick up on the fact that she would be sleeping in their bed for the rest of the night or see David mouthing to Mary Margaret to ask how Emma was.

Once he was gone, and the bath had reached a satisfactory level and temperature, Mary Margaret turned the taps off. "Let's get you out of these sweetie." Mary Margaret grew even more worried as Emma didn't protest her help slightly. She helped her out of her pyjama pants, then lifted the top over her head and placed her into the bath in one solid movement. She sat back to grab the shower gel and looked at Emma's back and arms for the first time.

Mary Margaret gasped loudly, the sound filled the bathroom, and the acoustics only made it louder in Emma's ears.

"Oh, Emma."

Chapter Text

"Oh, Emma." Her voice broke in conjunction with her heart as she caught sight of what her daughter had been trying to hide.

The first thing which had caught Mary Margaret's eye was the deep purple and red bruise which took over most of Emma's upper left arm. It looked almost as though it was Halloween makeup or paint against Emma's pale skin, and was in the shape of a hand. Someone had clearly taken hold of Emma's arm so tightly that the blood vessels had burst and mimicked the shape.

Her eyes drifted to the scratches and small bruises which scattered Emma's upper arms and torso, ones which would have been so perfectly hidden from view by a simple long sleeved shirt, clearly not self-inflicted and definitely not accidental. Nor were three cigarette burns high up on her right arm.
She noticed that Emma's right forearm was bruised looking in colour and swollen, and remembered that Emma had been mainly using her left arm to hold utensils while eating, but she hadn't really thought about why, she figured Emma had just used her left hand more as a child she had once told her she was pretty able to write with both hands so Mary Margaret hadn't really thought it was a big deal. The last thing she spotted was Emma's back, which hosted an angry red, raised stripe which had only recently closed up.

Mary Margaret was disgusted that anyone could treat anyone in such a way, let alone a child, and especially her daughter. While she was barely older than a toddler and the same size as one.

Emma was sat frozen in the bath, she didn't even want to bat an eyelid, she just wanted to run away but she knew at that moment she couldn't; she doubted she'd be able to climb out of the bath by herself let alone somehow get dressed and run out of the bathroom and out of the loft somehow dodging her parents.

After a minute of silence after she had first caught sight of Emma's injuries, Mary Margaret realised that her daughter was sat in a still silence, clearly terrified of what would happen next. "Emma," she said as softly as she could, "it's okay, baby." She noticed that Emma was panicking and tried to stay calm herself, she looked into Emma's eyes, but Emma avoided her gaze.

"I…I…I…" She spluttered a few times. "….You weren't meant to see that…" She eventually managed to squeak out as she tried to stop herself from having a panic attack.

"No, Emma, it's okay. This wasn't your fault." Mary Margaret saw that Emma was going back into the trace like state she had been in before. "This was never your fault." She promised as she fought hard to not cry. She slowly reached her hand out and brushed a tear from Emma's cheek and felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment when Emma didn't flinch or move away.

Emma felt as though she was falling inside, like she was slipping down a darkened and never ending pit, and she had no way of stopping it. She could see the trepidation on Mary Margaret's face as a tear was brushed from her cheek.
And she hated it.
She had never felt so scared, or young, she just wanted her mom to hug her and promise that everything would be okay. But she had already lived it, she wasn't in danger of getting hurt again, yet the fear was still there.
She hadn't wanted her parents to see her like this, to know what had happened, to see how broken she was.

Mary Margaret could see that Emma was spiralling, it hadn't even been five minutes since she had found out about the injuries Emma had been hiding, but Emma looked younger than she had and more afraid. Mary Margaret wanted to just scoop her up and let her know that everything would be okay, she'd do anything to make her smile right now. But she knew she had to be a little more practical.

"Let's get you cleaned up." She told her with a kind smile, she grabbed a washcloth and her own strawberry scented shower gel and carefully bathed Emma, as gently as she would Neal. She was a little surprised that Emma didn't protest, she just sat quietly, and luckily slightly more relaxed than she had been. Mary Margaret made sure to be extra careful around the cuts and the bruises but she still saw Emma wincing a little.
"Emma, how…?" She trailed off not quite sure how to ask the question. "Did you have those when you first changed back, or did they just appear?"

"Since I changed." Emma bit her lip not sure what her mother would think of her hiding it from her. When Mary Margaret didn't say anything Emma carried on talking. "I… I was in some bad foster homes when I was little."
She spared a glance at Mary Margaret's face and saw she was looking at her sympathetically and wanting to know more, Emma wasn't sure what she had expected, but it wasn't that.

She watched as Mary Margaret carefully washed the small scratches and bruises, Emma winced at the sight of the cigarette burns alongside them. "That was from my last one." She explained slightly braver than before, but her voice had none of its normal life, it was still tinged with fear and sounded like the small child she looked like. "I left some toys out." She could still feel her foster mother's fingernails digging into her skin as she shouted at her.

Mary Margaret was surprised that Emma was freely offering the information and listened intently despite the fact the words were breaking her heart. "Is that when you hurt your arm too?" She carefully took the swollen arm into her arm and examined it with a sympathetic wince.

Emma nodded her head and tried not to pull her arm out of her mother's hands, despite the care she was putting in it still hurt like hell.

"I'm pretty sure it's broken, do you remember if that's what doctor said when you were little?" She asked figuring the memory might have stuck out for Emma.

"I wouldn't know… didn't get it looked at until the next time it got hurt." Emma shrugged though her arm did hurt a lot.

Mary Margaret frowned, how could no one notice that a five year old had broken their arm? But she nodded at Emma, still frowning, to show she had heard.
"Honey, we'll need to get that checked out." She told her in a kind yet firm voice. Emma gave her a sad look but didn't argue, which was a rather worrying thing on Emma.
She washed Emma's back wondering if she ever had someone actually bathe her, and if so how long that had lasted for, she was careful a she washed where the raised line was.
It looked like Emma had been whipped by something, which she probably had.

"How old were you?" She asked not wanting to put it into words but was sure Emma knew what she meant. She took the opportunity of Emma's turned back to wipe some tears from her eyes as she tried to put on a brave face.

"Four." Emma's voice was just above a whisper as she looked down at her sore arm.

"Oh baby." Mary Margaret breathed out. "I'm so, so, sorry."

Emma shook her head. "Not your fault." She muttered. This was another reason she hadn't wanted her parents to find out, she didn't want them to blame themselves.

Mary Margaret suppressed a sigh, she still felt guilty, though she would never in her worst nightmare have though this was the life she was condemning her to. But what would the alternative have been? No Emma at all?
"I'm sorry that this happened to you. It was wrong, and evil, and you definitely did not deserve it." She corrected, and by the look on Emma's face, no one had said that to her before.

Emma bit her lip to stop it trembling, but she couldn't stop the tears in her eyes, she just wanted to go to bed and every to be fixed when she woke up… but no, that would never happen, and she had to go on a fun trip to the hospital with her mother. She would argue that it could wait until morning but she knew her mother would never go for that.

But the worst was yet to come. It was bad enough Mary Margaret knowing, now David had to know too, somehow that seemed worse. Emma had known Mary Margaret a lot longer, when she was still someone who would push everyone away, and who would run. When she had met her dad properly, he saw her as strong and independent, she didn't want him to think she was weak.

"Can you climb out by yourself?" She asked hoping that Emma wasn't going to be stubborn, for once, the bath was fairly deep and she knew that even if Emma was the size of an average five year old she would struggle greatly, but the height and state she was in currently made it extremely difficult not to mention dangerous. "I can help you."

Emma looked up at the side of the bath tub and even she had to admit that it was too high to try climb up. Plus she didn't care if her mother to help her, any embarrassment she had felt earlier had faded into hopeless fear of how her parents would now treat her, not to mention having to go to the hospital. Plus what would they think about her wetting the bed, she was an adult for Christ sake! She didn't bother to move so Mary Margaret picked her up out of the bath, clearly being careful of Emma's injuries, and wrapped Emma in a fluffy towel. Emma just wished she could curl up right then and there and go to sleep, and when she woke up hopefully she and everyone else will have forgotten about this whole thing.

The bath towel swamped her small frame, Mary Margaret carefully made sure it wasn't hurting her wrist or back as much as possible as she patted her dry, and she absentmindedly made a mental note to get her a smaller towel, one closer to Neal's size ones. She grabbed the clothes David had brought down for Emma. She kept the towel most wrapped around Emma as she carefully put Emma's vest on her to try keep her feeling warmer with her fever. Emma was sat quietly letting her dress her, Mary Margaret had a ghost of a smile that couldn't quite make its way to the surface when she realised that David had chosen some dinosaur pyjamas for Emma to wear, he had clearly hoped that they might make her smile a little knowing how much they both liked watching the Jurassic Park films. Sadly David was a little out of his depth with cheering her up just now.

*OUAT*

"Why don't you wait on the couch while I let David know that we're going to go and get your arm checked out?" Mary Margaret suggested as they left the bathroom and heard the sound of the television on low. They both knew that that wasn't all what David and Mary Margaret would be talking about, but neither said anything, so Mary Margaret led her over to the living room.

"Hey, you two." David smiled at them as they came around the corner. He had turned the television on as he was waiting for them but he hadn't been paying much attention to it. He smiled at the sight of the white pyjamas on Emma, he could see the pastel outlines of the dinosaur print which covered the cuffed long sleeve top and pants, he remembered Emma falling asleep cuddled up to him the night before and his smile widened, until his eyes drifted to Emma's face.

He examined Emma's face from where he sat, he had expected her to look slightly better, however he saw she was still in the same state she had been in earlier…. but there was something different on her face too. David didn't have an opportunity to figure out what it was by himself.

As soon as Mary Margaret placed Emma onto the couch, she shared a look with David and nodded her head towards the kitchen, then walked off, expecting him to follow.

David stood up to follow, but stopped for a second to place a blanket over Emma who looked as though she was fighting sleep, or as though she had just had a nightmare or something similar.
He wanted to talk to her, to assure her that everything was okay, and that no one was mad at her nor did they think any differently of her for having an accident, whether it was a onetime thing or an ongoing thing, they'd help her. But he could tell that something was up and Mary Margaret really needed to talk to him.
He sent Emma a smile, and although she seemed to be trying to avoid his eyes, he was sure that she saw it. "Love you, kiddo." He told her as he walked to the kitchen.

Emma looked at his retreating back with her mouth hanging open, she wasn't used to people not being angry at her for wetting the bed, she almost wanted to run after him and pull him back and stop him from going and talking to Mary Margaret. To stop him finding out how broken she was.

But she was frozen to the seat, and it would have never worked anyway.

*OUAT*

When he got to the kitchen he saw Mary Margaret toying with a couple of mugs nervously. He walked to her side and put his hands on hers, stopping her fiddling when he did so, he gently squeezed her fingers to get her to look up at him. "Mary Margaret," he was frowning a little as he tried to read her face, "what's going on?"

Mary Margaret bit her lip, since going into the kitchen she had been trying to figure out a way to tell David what had happened to Emma, but she also needed to make sure Emma wouldn't misinterpret his reaction.

"Before I say anything you have to promise not to be mad."

"Nothing good ever comes when you start telling me something with that sentence." His eyebrows furrowed.

"David." She said seriously, her eyes burning into him. "I mean it, I need you to promise, and I need you to stay calm."

"Okay." His frown deepened.

"Emma…" She stopped and sighed. "Growing up, Emma didn't have the best foster homes."

"We already knew that, she's always hinted, and we saw the list from Whale; it's not hard to figure out." He continued to frown as she was quiet for a little longer. "Mary, what's going on?"

Mary Margaret sighed again. "When I was helping Emma bathe I noticed she has quite a few, recent, injuries." She kept her voice as quiet as it had been not wanting to worry Emma.

"WH-" David started to erupt, he didn't want to think of Emma as being injured at all, let alone right now, and how had they not noticed? His wife quickly slapped her hand over his mouth and shot him a severe look. His eyes flickered towards the living room.

"David." Mary Margaret hissed, though she knew he had realised that he should be quieter for Emma's sake, she wanted to make sure he understood that Emma wasn't merely embarrassed. "She's terrified. We've got to act calmly." She took her hand off of his mouth and saw him mentally counting to ten. "I know how you're feeling, I want to go hunt down these… these bastards, for what they did to Emma with my bow and arrow, consequences be damned." David took hold of her hand and squeezed it. "But we can't. But we do need to be there for Emma, and right now she's petrified and seems to think that this is somehow her fault."

"It's not." David interrupted quickly, his voice calmer than it had been, for Emma's sake.

"I know that, and you know that, but Emma… I think at some level she knows but she's…" She shrugged unsure of what to say, she looked around the loft as though it would reveal the words magically.

"Regressed." David supplied and Mary Margaret's head turned back to face him as they stood close together. "It's like she's gone back to how she was after it had happened."

"To some degree, yes." She nodded.

There was silence for a couple of minutes as the two went through their thoughts. "What are her injuries?" David eventually asked, his voice was barely above a whisper, and daring as though he wasn't sure if he wanted to know or not.

She squeezed his hand as he had to her only a few minutes before. "… Cuts… bruises…All over her, but they made sure that it was unlikely that anyone would find out… There's a couple of cigarette burns." David's look of horror matched the acidic taste in the back of her throat. "There was… there's a mark, down her back, she… she had been hit, whipped by something, it looks like a belt mark… it looks pretty sore… she was only four." Her voice was breaking and tears streamed down her face, she was clearly only keeping it together for Emma.

David gasped as quietly as he could but thought back to earlier on that day when he had been rubbing her back to keep her calm, he should have noticed… but then he remembered the 'crease' in her pyjamas his hand kept brushing… he had noticed, he thought with guilt, but he hadn't thought anything of it. "She's just a baby." He whispered, his body folding in on itself, his forehead rested against the top of his wife's head. They stayed like that for a few beats before Mary Margaret spoke again.

"I think she's broken her arm too." She leant back a little so she could look him in the eyes. She knew she still had something to tell him, and that it would be hard for David to accept. "It's swollen and bruised though Emma said it was never checked out… well until she broke it again."

"She needs to get it checked out, it probably really hurts," David said protectively, "it doesn't matter if it'll affect she ages up again or not." He added already sensing how Emma would usually argue, but then he began to wonder if she would argue at all, he had seen how she had acted on the couch. She was terrified, not of them, he didn't think, but in general. There was something so unlike Emma's usual behaviour, and yet so Emma-like in it, as though it was lying hidden and in wait, and it was only now David remembered about it.

"I agree." She placed her hand on his chest. "I'm going to take her now." She stressed the 'I' in the sentence.

"I want to go Mary Margaret," David almost pleaded, "I don't want her to think that I don't want to be there or that I'm abandoning her."

"She doesn't think that and she never will." She promised. "But Neal is asleep here and I don't want to have two kids sick, it's cold out there, not to mention hanging around a hospital is not the best place for a baby."

David bit his lip then sighed and nodded his head. She did have a point, even if he didn't want to let Emma out of his sight.

Mary Margaret pressed a kiss to the corner of his lip, she smiled as he turned his head to capture it properly. "I'm going to get her something to wear on her feet and things we'll need. Why don't you sit with Em?" She suggested knowing how hopeless he was probably feeling. He would have gone to see Emma anyway, she was sure, but he would have been worried he would mess up somehow if he hadn't been encouraged.

*OUAT*

Much like her father Emma didn't pay much attention to the television as she sat there, instead she tried her hardest to keep her breathing steady. She had listened waiting for the inevitable shouting but not came, or at least none that she heard. Mostly she just spaced out caught up in old memories.

Eventually she saw Mary Margaret go up the stairs. Emma sat waiting to see her father appear, but the longer it took the more anxious and doubting she got, when he eventually appeared in her line of view he headed straight to his bedroom.

Emma took in a deep, shuddering breath as she tried not to cry. Her worst assumptions had come, David had thought what Emma had feared her would, and couldn't even stand to be in the same room as her. She bit her lip and stared down at the print on her pyjamas and bit her lip, a few seconds away from crying.

David popped into his bedroom for a minutes. He knew that Emma was feeling cold from the flu and was in desperate need of comfort, yet he wouldn't be able to be there for her, but he had remembered finding his shirt in with Emma's things when he had been doing the laundry so decided it was worth a shot. Plus, it wouldn't be restricting on her arm.

He grabbed one of his red brushed cotton ones as quickly as he could then walked back to join Emma. He noticed that her head was down but looked up when she heard his footsteps, she seemed to be surprised he was there but then she looked back down just as quickly.

David placed the shirt down on the chair beside her then crouched down, careful not to be too close and encroach her personal space, but close enough to try comfort her and to be able to see her face. When David spoke, his voice was soft, as though he was talking to a spooked animal or younger child. "Hey Em."

Emma could see the caring look on his face as she avoided looking in his eyes, but even if she hadn't been she could hear the smile in his voice, she glanced at the chair beside her and was surprised to see he had put one of his plaid shirts down next to her, she hadn't thought that he would have just have grabbed something from his room…

She slowly looked up at him, biting her lip nervously, he looked at her proudly for looking up as though she had just completed a marathon or something. She examined his face for a minute, there was no disappointment or anger on it, just concern and love. Like the usual look he had for her but the concern was dialled so far up he had a hard time trying to hide it.
"Hey." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"Your mother told me about your arm," he didn't mention she had told him about everything else too Emma would have already assumed that, "can I take a look at it?"

Emma looked down at her arm then somewhat reluctantly held it out to him, it had been hurting a lot, and had only hurt more since trying to change her bed covers. She watched as he carefully rolled up the pyjama sleeve and a sympathetic wince crossed his face.

David turned it as carefully as he could, he could easily tell it was swollen and deeply bruised, there was almost no chance that it was just a sprain. "Can you wiggle your fingers as much as you can?" he asked. He may not have had medical training in this realm, but he had been in battle enough times back home to be able to recognise different injuries.

"Well, it doesn't need to be amputated," he joked and saw a flicker of a smile cross her face, "but it will need to be looked at."

Emma frowned, she had been hoping by some miracle that David would tell her it just needed some ice on it, she could also tell by the way that he was talking he wouldn't be joining Mary Margaret in taking her to the hospital. She understood why but for some reason she wanted both of them with her. "You sure?" she asked in a smaller voice than she had intended.

"Sorry kiddo." He nodded. "But your mom will be with you, and the doctor will take a look at it and your other injuries and fix them all up." He thought it was best to let her know that the doctor would be looking at the other injuries so it wasn't a shock for her. "I'm sorry you've gotten so hurt." He saw her look away a little and shiver. "I know Mary Margaret's already said this, but it wasn't your fault, I'm sorry if you felt like we couldn't tell us."

Emma fidgeted uncomfortably. "It wasn't that I didn't want to…" She said in the same small voice, she felt a little guilty that she hadn't told David and Mary Margaret now, but her silence had been so instinctual she hadn't even thought about fighting it.

"It's okay Emma." He told her he hadn't meant to make her feel bad or like it was her fault. "I understand. I think both your mother and I would have acted the same way if we were in your positon. You didn't want to worry us." He remembered feeling the same way in Neverland. "Just promise that you'll tell one of us if you get hurt or something like that again? You don't have to run or hide in this family."

Emma gave a small nod and rubbed her eye sleepily with her uninjured left hand. "I promise." She told him through a yawn.

"I'm really sorry that I can't come with you." He made sure to look in her eyes so she could tell he wasn't lying. He really was sorry, he supposed this was what it would have been like having two kids in this realm, they had to share the duties.
But Mary Margaret had already seen Emma's injuries, she would be able to tell the doctor what had happened, what Emma had told her, so that Emma wouldn't have to go through it again.

"Thanks." She mumbled with a small smile on her face, she had to admit she was touched, and could see that he was living up to his nickname. "But you have a newborn baby, you should probably get some sleep while you can."

"I'll sleep when I have both of my kids back under this roof." He told her in a kind but firm voice, he could see her relaxing a little the more she realised he wasn't mad at her, though he hated that it was her automatic assumption. "That includes having my daughter home and safe." He gently rolled down the sleeve of the pyjama top, then grabbed the shirt he had brought in, he noticed that the smile on Emma's face stayed as he helped her into it. It looked like a dress on her, like a toddler playing dress up, but it seemed to make her more comfortable so it didn't really matter.

"Thanks." She told him again in a quiet voice.

She saw Mary Margaret appear on the stairs and walk over to her and David with a pair of child's sneakers and a pair of socks in her hands. Her mother sent her a smile as David took the shoes, the two shared a look, but Emma couldn't figure out what it meant.

David slipped the shoes on her over the socks and did up the zip. Emma couldn't help but wish that David were coming too, but she knew it wouldn't be fair on Neal to be woken up and taken to a loud hospital in the middle of the night.

She wiggled her toes inside of the shoes surprised that the shoes which had looked so small when her parents had held them had plenty of room for her.

David finally let go of the shoe he had slipped onto Emma and picked her up from the couch, he knew he wouldn't be able to take her to the hospital, or even to the car as Neal was still in his crib, but he could carry her to the top of the stairs. He could feel her shaking a little from the cold but knew Mary Margaret had blankets she'd cover Emma with in her car.

He was a little surprised when Emma led her head on his shoulder, though he probably shouldn't have been she had been rather pliant since she had woken up, more childlike. Though he was fairly certain that it was because of the accident she had and the revelation of her past rather than her deaging. Her hot head burnt through his t-shirt and he shared a look with Mary Margaret to let her know, her eyes flickered to the clock letting him know that Emma could have more medicine in an hour.

He slowly walked over to the door with Emma and Mary Margaret, when they got to the landing outside of the loft he pressed a kiss to the top of Emma's head then carefully passed her over to Mary Margaret.

"I'll see you soon." He promised when he saw her big green eyes staring at him with fear in them.

*OUAT*

Mary Margaret was surprised at how quiet Emma had been during the drive, she hadn't even protested when she was strapped into the carseat and blankets were wrapped around her, when Mary Margaret finally parked at the hospital and grabbed her bag she then picked Emma up from the back still wrapped in one of the blankets. She could see that Emma was looking scared again but was even more scared than she had before, bar when Mary Margaret had first seen the injuries on her.

"It's going to be okay Emma." She promised as she walked towards the E.R, she checked Emma in at the desk and was shown straight through to see the nurse as David had rung ahead to explain everything. A nurse examined Emma's injuries, including her back, Mary Margaret winced when she saw them under the cruel fluorescent lighting. She felt Emma's small hand wrap around her own and hold tight, Mary Margaret worried at first that Emma was in pain, but when she looked at her face she saw that she was scared, she brushed her thumb back and forth across Emma's knuckles until the nurse finished so she Emma put her top back on over her vest. The nurse told them that Whale would be in to examine Emma's arm.

Emma continued to look scared as she sat on the bed, she didn't like hospitals at the best of times, so as the size of a small child that fear and distaste only increased. She focused on her mom as she tried to avoid moving while the nurse examined her injuries then Whale examined her arm. She wanted to move back from them, hell she wanted to curl up to her mom, or to go home, but she fought the urge. She internally berated herself as Whale asked questions and Emma just let her mother answer, like a child her internal voice had sneered, but that wasn't enough to make her start to talk.

*OUAT*

A couple of hours later David opened the door to Mary Margaret and Emma. Emma was half asleep in Mary Margaret's arms and David carefully moved her to his own. On her right arm was a yellow cast which Emma's pyjama top was pulled down over, and over that was his shirt, he started to walk over to his and Mary Margaret's room with Emma still in his arms.

Mary Margaret had called him as she had sat outside of the x-ray room, going as far as she was allowed to, and filled him in that Whale was sure it was broken but Emma was getting an x-ray to be on the safe case. He had also given them some more children's medicine to be taken with the one Emma was already taking to keep her fever down, and some cream for Emma's back.

"You're still up." Emma stated with a yawn, David had sat with her on his lap on the side of the bed as he carefully took her shoes off.

David smiled down at her, it was barely midnight but apparently to Emma it seemed much later. "Of course, I told you I would be. But I think it's time for you to rest now." He placed her down on the bed next to where he had placed her blanket earlier. Mary Margaret had gotten changed quickly and entered the bedroom again, sliding into her normal place in the bed. He could see that she wasn't going to be letting Emma out of her sight anytime soon. David leant down and pressed a kiss to the top of Emma's head, then started to grab a blanket and pillow to sleep on the couch, he didn't want to push Emma too far, and wasn't sure what might make her feel scared, he didn't want to be the cause of that.

"Dad?" Emma squinted in the low light as she watched what David was doing. She moved closer to Mary Margaret so there was still plenty of space left in the bed. "Where are you going?"

David looked down, a little surprised at Emma's small voice and her face which looked like she would cry if he left the room. Clearly she had gone through a lot and there was a lot the family all would need to talk about the next day, if the look on his wife's face was anything to go by. But for now he placed the blanket and pillow he had picked up back onto the bed. "Nowhere kiddo." He promised then climbed into the bed with Emma cuddled up between him and his wife.

Chapter Text

David and Mary Margaret both slept fitfully, Emma had tossed and turned a little but was too exhausted mentally and physically to wake up, with every turn David and Mary Margaret woke up. Emma and Mary Margaret both settled a little better as she cuddled up to Mary Margaret but David still lay on the cusp of waking as soon as Emma moved closer to the centre of the bed again David's eyes opened watching her. He wasn't sure how but somehow she seemed even younger than she had before.

When the first curse broke, and he saw Emma for the first time as his daughter, his eyes had automatically searched her face, trying to see the baby she had once been as he raced through their castle. He had just about been able to make it out, but mostly he saw that his daughter was an imperfect copy of his wife, yet perfect in her own way, a perfect Emma.

But now it was clear for him to see the baby she had once been, the shape of her chin as a newborn was easier to make out on baby Emma, and the shape of her face, the shape of her nose, even her ears. It was still easy to see Mary Margaret in her, and she was still perfect. She always had been.

As David watched her Emma, she moved a little further away from Mary Margaret's arm so she was completely by herself in the centre of the bed, she curled up tighter in a ball with only her broken arm sticking out. David was brought out of his thoughts as she began to whimper and curl closer in on herself.
He felt his blood boil as she whimpered. He was a second away from climbing out of the bed and going and hunting down the people who had made his little girl so scared she had nightmares. He was sure they would be more scared of him with a sword. He could feel the anger like fire burning through his body, like a beast he was desperately trying to restrain, something both unnatural and a force of nature.

He took a couple of deep breaths before he gently stroked his hand through Emma's hair, he didn't want her to wake up or somehow know how angry he was, as he knew that she would probably interpret it as anger towards her or something she did.
He felt his anger dissipate a little as she uncurled and moved slightly towards him. He continued to stroke her hair trying to calm her so she wouldn't wake.
Emma's next movement was more pronounced that her others had been, her whimpering quietened down as she cuddled right up to David, half lying on his chest.

David's anger disappeared completely as her head rested on his chest, her golden curls curled even more dramatically after her tossing and turning. One hand rested lightly on the back of her head, as it always did when he hugged her, while the other gently stroked her back. Emma's stopped making noises and fell back into a deep sleep. David's hand drifted over the raised line which Mary Margaret had told him about. How could anyone hurt a child? He held her tighter and felt the steady movements of her chest against his as she took steady breaths in her sleep.

"It's okay," he whispered as her hand held tightly to his t-shirt, "I'm here, daddy's here. Nothing bad is going to happen to you while daddy and mommy are here." He knew she was asleep so couldn't hear him, and he knew he was talking to her as though she was younger, but it just felt right, as though he needed to say it. He felt a hand on his own and he stopped rubbing Emma's back and looked at his wife.

Mary Margaret gave David a sympathetic smile, she had heard everything, naturally. She had woken up as Emma had started to whimper and head towards David, she didn't mind that Emma wanted her dad, even in her sleep. Despite how many protests Emma would make if she said it, Emma was a daddy's girl, through and through.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." David whispered to his wife, assuming that it was his whispering to Emma that had woke her. He moved his right arm up for her to move closer, which she did straight away, as she cuddled into his side her hand carefully stroked Emma's curls.

"You didn't." Her eyes finally looked away from Emma to David. "It's almost time for Neal's three am screeching." She joked lovingly, despite the sleep exhaustion they already faced with him, it was plain to see that neither of them minded being woken every few hours by their son. "And I heard her." Her eyes fell to where Emma's left hand was holding tight to David's pyjama t-shirt, she smiled a little, it was an adorable sight – their tiny daughter cuddled on top of David's chest and holding tight to him, she too was aware of how young she looked when she slept.

"She's adorable, isn't she?" David said reading her mind. "She probably would have had me wound around her little finger."

Mary Margaret chuckled quietly so she wouldn't wake Neal or Emma. "She already does."

David chuckled in response but didn't disagree. He carried on watching her. "I like the yellow cast." There was a smile at his face, not at Emma needing a cast, but at the fact it was a yellow one in the shade of her bug. He knew that they should both probably be trying to get more sleep but neither could make themselves miss this moment. Plus unspoken words hung in the air, but neither could bring themselves to say them, even as they tiptoed closer to the subject.

"She chose it herself." Mary Margaret smiled. She saw David raise an eyebrow a little surprised. "Well, the nurse sorting the cast out for her asked her what colour she wanted, I don't think she realised how old Emma really is, when she started to list off the colours I saw Emma's face light up a little. She looked at me as though I would stop her from getting a coloured one."
Her face fell a little at that. The habitual look behind Emma's eyes as she sat on Mary Margaret's lap, refusing to be apart from her mother in the hospital. She really did seem like a little kid then.

David shook his head, why would anyone stop a child from choosing a coloured cast, what was the harm in it? It seemed to him to be an act purely to upset a child. "We have to talk to her." He said it quietly but it was not a surprising statement to Mary Margaret.

"I know." Her statement meant more than that. It was a shared dread, and guilt, but a tone of inevitability. It wouldn't be easy for them, and would be even harder for Emma, but by tomorrow they would know about Emma's past. She pressed a kiss to Emma's cheek, her little face scrunched up a little but she stayed sleeping peacefully, an action she shared with David. She heard Neal start to fuss, she pressed a kiss to David's lips then got out of bed to feed her youngest, before he woke up his big sister.

They both knew that it would be hard for Emma to tell them about her past, but they had to know, for all of their sakes.

In the wooden trunk in the living room Emma's thick medical file lay forgotten.

Emma woke up feeling a lot calmer than she had the previous morning waking up, or the night before, she had a sense of having had bad dreams while she had slept but they seemed to have gone away. She felt a shiver run down her and she cuddled closer to her pillow. No. Not a pillow. She fought her sleepy eyes until she eventually opened them.

"Shit." Her mouth formed the word but no sound came out when she realised that her comfy pillow was in fact David. Her eyes shot up to his face as her body went rigid, her fight or flight instinct seemed to be in overdrive in her younger body, she scan David's face for any sign of annoyance, anger, even awkwardness or disgust. There was none.

David smiled down at her with a look of pure undiluted love. He had tried to move out from under her when Mary Margaret had woke up for the second time with Neal, but Mary Margaret had sent him a look that told him which told him that he didn't need to feel bad for not getting up with Neal, he was already looking after their other child. Plus Emma had made grumpy sounding noises of protest and held tighter to him until he wrapped his arms back around her. He carefully stroked his hand down her back, he was already aware of where not to touch as it would be painful, and where she was comforted by.
"Morning, kiddo."

Emma relaxed a little, a blush still coloured her cheeks, but she didn't try to move off of him not unless he asked or made her, she was comfortable where she was. "Hey." She croaked out, she gave a little, slightly painful, cough to get the sleep out of her voice. "Sorry." She mumbled.

"Don't worry, it meant I didn't have to get up with your brother." He joked to make her feel more comfortable though his tone told her that he really didn't mind. "Plus it's adorable."

Emma hid her head against his chest, she could smell the faint smell of his aftershave and laundry detergent. When she spoke it was into his chest. "I'm not adorable."

"Uh huh." There was disbelief in is tone and a smile evident even without looking at his face.

"I'm not. I'm a saviour. I have magic. I'm a badass."

David snorted with laughter. He cuddled her tighter, seeing that she was clearly still sleepy, and she didn't even try to move away. "Adorable." He insisted teasingly.

Emma huffed but hid her smile against David's chest. Her throat and chest still burned and she still felt freezing. Not to mention the slight pain in her back when she moved a certain way, and the sharp pain of her arm under the heavy cast.

David's hand managed to get between his own chest and Emma's head to feel her temperature, as though sensing all those things. He already knew that he would be met with her high temperature, he had felt it through his t-shirt since before she had even woke up, but both he and Mary Margaret hadn't thought it would do too much harm to wait to give her medicine until she woke. He noticed that his wife wasn't in the room still, though he was sure she would have heard him and Emma talking, he rolled his eyes with a smile when he realised she was purposely not there so he would be on medicine duty.
"How are you feeling?"

"Meh." Emma answered noncommittedly. She didn't want to lie to him, but she was also way too stubborn to admit the truth, that this flu had really kicked her on her ass.

David gave a knowing nod. "We'll get some medicine in you, we can just chill and watch movies today, if you like?"

Emma groaned. "Dad do I really have to-"

"Yup." He cut her off, he smiled when she looked up at him with puppy dog eyes and a pout, her chin resting on his chest. "But I can make you chocolate chip pancakes before you have to take them…"

Emma bit her lip at his tone which dragged out the food name trying to tempt her. "Double chocolate?" She bargained.

David smirked, yeah he was definitely wound around that girl's finger, he had been since before she was even born. "I think I can manage that." He grinned as she held her little finger out to make sure he would make them without Mary Margaret convincing him to make something healthier. He went to go the same but paused before they shook. "But no trying to get out of taking the medicine."

Emma rolled her eyes but shook their fingers. "Fine, but I'm still going to complain."

"I wouldn't expect anything different." David noticed the slight moving of the curtain which signified that Mary Margaret was about to enter the room. He carefully moved Emma off of him, noting her slight look of disappointment, and climbed out the bed making sure she still had blankets wrapped around her.

"You play dirty, bandit." David whispered jokingly as she started toward the bed to see Emma, there was a knowing smile on her face which showed her happiness at not having to convince Emma to take her medicine, that was David's job this morning.

"I have no idea what you mean, Charming." She replied sweetly taking more steps into the room.

Emma couldn't help but feel a little disappointed when David moved her from where she had been lying on him. She frowned a little and tried to keep a pout from her face. She felt the bed dip down next to her, when she looked up she saw her mother's smiling face. She smiled back, then looked down at her cast.

Mary Margaret placed her hand on Emma's shoulder making Emma look up at her with big green eyes. "How are you feeling?" She asked kindly, she didn't mention their trip to the hospital the previous night and her injuries, though they both knew that there would be some talk about that at some point.

Emma shrugged her shoulders, she watched her mom raise an eyebrow then patiently wait for Emma to answer. Emma sighed. "Everything hurts." She admitted, she felt her lip tremble a little and grew frustrated at herself for feeling so self-pitying. She looked down into her lap with tears in her eyes. She suddenly felt two arms hugging her gently but securely.

Mary Margaret couldn't help but hold her tight. She could tell that she was feeling miserable and finally admitting to herself that she was ill. She almost wanted to put off the talk she and David were going to have with Emma, she just looked too little and poorly to have it, but deep down she knew this was needed and that Emma was still a grown up. Plus everything was likely playing on Emma's mind just as much as it was on hers. But they would have breakfast first, before they spoke of anything else, especially as it might make Emma close up – then it would be even harder trying to get her to take her medicine. Though Mary Margaret had something else she need to do too. She pressed a kiss to the top of Emma's head then moved back a little.

Emma frowned. What was it with her parents moving her when she was comfortable today? She didn't even notice that she wouldn't normally feel like this, she didn't care, it was instinctual; she wanted her parents.

"I have to put the cream on your back," she noticed Emma start to pout and the slight fear in her eyes, "it will be quick and it'll help it get better quicker. That way it'll stop hurting sweetie." Emma nodded so Mary Margaret carefully manoeuvred Emma so she was led on her front flat on the bed.

Emma seemed to detach from herself as Mary Margaret lifted her top and vest, as though she was trying to avoid talking or thinking about it. She was as gentle as she could be as she rubbed the cream onto Emma's back but Emma still wiggled a little trying to get away from the cold cream. She managed to get the cream onto Emma's back as quickly and gently as possible, she didn't want to delay it being done, especially as Mary Margaret seeing it seemed to make Emma behave differently.

She pulled back down the vest and the dinosaur pyjama top with a small smile, they really were cute, plus Emma hadn't protested them yet though that might have been because of the events and things which transpired the previous night. Emma's small voice brought her out of her thoughts, and the way she spoke reminded her of the shyer children she taught at the school, who had rehearsed what they were planning on saying several times in their head. She had never heard Emma use that tone.

"Can I get out of bed?" Emma wasn't sure why she was feeling so timid, she had never had a reason to feel like this around her parents, she tried to shake herself out of it and remind herself that she was safe, but it didn't work. "Please?"

Mary Margaret hid a frown at Emma's tone, as though she was waiting for something bad to happen. "Of course you can." She smiled, she couldn't refuse Emma right now, plus when they had the talk it might be better to have it away from the bed. She had read articles on having conversations while Emma had slept and they said to leave certain spaces away from bad conversations. "But you still have to rest, and you have to go back here later on." She added, because Emma was still ill after all, and although she didn't phrase Emma's return to the bed as a nap Emma would need to sleep some more a little later on to help her get better.

Emma didn't seem to mind that as she just smiled and started to climb out of the bed, she wobbled a little, clearly still dizzy from the flu. She was tempted to make Emma get back in the bed, but she had seemed so hopeful when she had asked if she could get out of the bed, she didn't want to go back on her words straight away. "Here let me help you." She picked Emma up and started to carry her out of the room.

"Seriously?" Emma raised her eyebrow, though both she and Mary Margaret knew it was a token protest, she cuddled a little closer to her mother – for safety purposes, she told herself, she didn't want to be dropped. They got to the table just as David was plating up breakfast. He had made plain pancakes with strawberries for him and Mary Margaret, but in Emma's place was double chocolate pancakes topped with chocolate sauce. She heard Mary Margaret tut at David as she placed Emma onto the chair topped with cushions, David winked at her and Emma grinned back, Mary Margaret obviously didn't mind to much as she cut up the pancakes for Emma so Emma could use her one good hand to eat them.

Mary Margaret had eaten her breakfast quicker than David and Emma so she could feed Neal again. David finished after her but stayed sat at the table with Emma, making casual conversation, once Emma had finished David had laughed at her then wiped the chocolate sauce from around her mouth with a napkin, making her give him a playful glare. David made Emma take her medicines, which she did, though with the complaining she had promised.

Emma tried to stand down from the table but found herself feeling dizzy again, David scooped her up straight away, though at least he headed towards the couch instead of the bedroom again. Mary Margaret was sat on the couch watching Neal asleep in his Moses basket, that was she was watching him until David and Emma entered the room, David placed Emma down on the couch next to Mary Margaret who placed a cushion on Emma's lap for her to rest her cast on, David sat down on the coffee table facing Emma.

"Sweetheart, we need to talk." Mary Margaret's voice was soft as she pushed a strand of Emma's hair behind her ear.

Emma sighed. "I know." She said quietly. Her parents weren't the sort of people to leave things unsaid or alone not when something was needed, something slightly irritating when you were used to suppressing things like she was though she had to admit their way was more helpful, she could have done with someone like them when she was younger… she could have done with them when she was younger. She looked down at her yellow cast for a few seconds, she had never been allowed a coloured one when she was young, she finally looked up at Mary Margaret then David showing them that she was ready for them to ask her some questions.

Mary Margaret took Emma's tiny left hand into hers, while David lay his hand on Emma's knee, trying to support without overwhelming her. "Can you tell us how you got the marks on your arms? The scratches and bruises, and the cigarette marks."

Emma had to admit that she was kind of impressed with Regina's first curse then, she knew her mother had spotted the burns because she knew what they were from her teacher training, a curse and her fake teaching degree apparently making her a better teacher than most of the ones she had as a child. "They were from the foster home I would have been in at this age." She looked down at her cast as she spoke. Squeezing her mom's hand a little as she spoke. "I had a bedwetting problem, apparently it's harder to acquire the skill when you're constantly moving around, but my foster mother caught me trying to wash my sheets… she never took it too well…. The big hand bruise is from when I tried to run away from her when she caught me."

David gently squeezed Emma's knee, she looked up at him and he gave her a small and comforting smile. "Is that why you were trying to rush to wash the sheets last night?" She gave a small nod and he could tell she felt embarrassed and worried about the accident. "It's okay Em, just let us know if something like that happens again, you shouldn't have to change them by yourself and that bed's too big for you to try." He watched her eyebrow's furrow in confusion but there was also a grateful look also, she clearly had never had people who didn't make a big deal out of bedwetting, or have people insist on helping her. "How about this?" his hand left her knee to gently touch the cast on her arm before he placed it back on her knee. He saw her look of hesitation. "It's okay, you can tell us, you don't have to be scared Emma." His voice was quiet and reassuring, as though he was talking to a small child, which seemed to be a better tone while talking to Emma about this as she was half clinging to Mary Margaret's hand and looked so small and young.

Emma nodded though mostly to herself. She knew that if she really didn't want to tell them they would understand, they wouldn't make her tell them, and she did want to tell them it was just hard. She had expected this talk to happen but there was still a part of her, a small part, which was battling with the fight or flight response the mere idea of talking about her past brought out.
"It was the foster home before the one I got the bruises in. The foster dad… he wasn't nice… he used to drink a lot which only made him worse. He had a temper." She squeezed her mom's hand a little tighter, Mary Margaret squeezed it back gently, grounding her. "There was a couple of us being fostered by him and his wife, though neither actually cared about children, let alone foster kids. We only got small meals twice a day, but I had missed one of them as I had a meeting with my social worker. He had his friends over to watch the football, so I snuck downstairs to try and get a slice of bread to eat, I ate it quickly and tried to drink the juice too, but the glass was too heavy. I dropped it and it smashed on the floor. He came into the kitchen and started yelling, saying I was stealing his food and yelling names at me, he pushed me over and I fell onto my arm." She didn't add that she had never gotten it checked out, well not until the foster mom who had given her the bruises and other marks broke it again, she tried to tell the doctors but they didn't really care.

"Oh Emma." Mary Margaret sighed, her free hand covered her mouth, tears clouded her eyes but she could see well enough to tell that David had tears in his eyes too. "You should never have gone through that. You shouldn't have had food withheld, or had your arm broken, or been in a home with such a horrible man." She wrapped her arm around Emma and held her tight, after a couple of seconds David joined in. "I'm so sorry."

Emma stayed wrapped in their arms for a little while, allow tears to roll down her own cheeks too, although eventually she moved back a little she stayed tucked into Mary Margaret's side. "I hurt my back there too." She told them quietly as David sat back down on the coffee table while wiping his eyes.

"Emma, if it's too much to tell us right now, we understand."

Emma shook her head at her father, if she didn't say it now, she might never say it. "I can do it." Her words were brave and a stark contrast to her tone. "I was in the same home, I was the youngest, I had an older foster sister and an older foster brother, my foster brother was a few years older than me but my foster sister was a teenager - just. I was staying up really late, my foster brother had leant me his glow in the dark watch he had told me that when the numbers all turned to zero I would be five years old, plus my foster mother had her television in her room on loud so I couldn't sleep. The numbers had just hit zero when the television went off. I was about to fall asleep when I heard my foster sister crying in her bedroom, she was always nice to me and tried to look after me, so I went to see if she was okay. I got to the landing and saw my foster dad coming out from her room, she was crying really loudly, he hit me and told me to go back to bed, I argued because it sounded like she was really in pain…. Next thing I knew he had hit me really hard with his belt, so hard I fell down, and my back felt as though it was on fire." Part way through speaking Emma had started to cry again, she didn't say what her foster father had been doing in her foster sister's room, but she was sure her parents could guess. She stared down at her cast as she spoke. "My foster sister tried to look after me, she stole some pharmacy supplies and tried to patch it up as best she could. I was at nursey school and had an accident, the teacher there had to help me change, she saw it and called the police and social services. We got taken away from that family that day. I don't know what happened Alice and Zac though."

"Oh Emma." David and Mary Margaret breathed out her name at the same time, tears flooded from their eyes. In one swift motion David picked Emma up into his arms, he sat down in the place she had been sat with her on his lap, he held her tight with one arm, while the other wrapped around Mary Margaret who also wrapped an arm around Emma. The three sat crying with David and Mary Margaret tried to soothe Emma but they were doing all they could just by being there.

"I should have told someone about what had happened sooner, but my foster sister begged me not to, I think he had threatened her that something would happen to the rest of us if anyone found out." Emma choked out eventually.

"It wasn't your job to have to tell someone, baby," Mary Margaret stroked tears from Emma's cheek as David held them both close, "you were just a child. You should never have been placed in the care of someone like that, you shouldn't have had to be put in that position."

The three sat quietly for a while, the only sound was the occasional sniffling, as they all tried to control their crying. Which they couldn't. David held tightly to Emma as though he was never planning on letting her go and Mary Margaret didn't take her eyes off her. But they couldn't change Emma's past, even if she was now five years old, she wasn't everything had already happened. There was nothing they could do to save that little girl from having to go through that.

"When I became a bails bonds person I check on him, to make sure he wasn't hurting anyone else, he was already in prison." She assured them as she cuddled against her father's chest.

"We love you Emma." David told her. "You're a good person. I'm so, so, sorry you had to go through all of that." David knew the 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger' saying, but that was bullshit, no one deserves having to go through crap like Emma had – she was already and always would have been a strong person without having to go through abuse from an early age.

Emma started to cry again. She cuddled her head closely against David, her cast arm rested on her lap the pillow she had had lay abandoned on the floor, Mary Margaret sat next to David cuddled up while holding onto Emma's good hand while stoking her hair. Soon Emma fell asleep cuddled up to her parents. David and Mary Margaret didn't have to speak to know that they wouldn't be putting Emma down that day, not even to sleep, maybe not ever again

Chapter Text

The evening after the Charming's discussion about Emma's past David and Mary Margaret were sat on the couch relaxing, for the first time since they had woken up that morning both Emma and Neal were asleep at the same time. The day had been stressful, not because anything had happened, but because they were trying so hard to keep things as normal as possible for Emma after her revelation the day before. They had had to resist asking Emma more questions about it, they could clearly tell that she wasn't ready to share anymore just yet, though she had seemed to become more clingy they doubted she had even noticed it but they had, not that they minded.

David was slouched at an angle on the couch he had one arm around Mary Margaret who was leaning against him, tucked against his chest, with his other hand he absentmindedly ran his hand through her hair.

They both heard some whimpering from their bedroom where Emma was sleeping. Within half of a second they had both shot up and raced to the room. Emma was tucked into the middle of their bed as she had been when they had left her to nap in peace, but now she was anything but peaceful, although she was asleep her head was tossing and turning.

Mary Margaret reached her first, she sat on the bed next to her and place her hand on Emma's head, and gasped. "David, she's burning up."

David's hand went straight to Emma's head, not because he didn't believe his wife, but just out of some paternal urge. "Shit." He muttered under his breath, he glanced at the clock quickly, then skidded out of the room to go and get some medicine for his daughter to take.

Mary Margaret brushed her hand through Emma's curls. "Emma," she called trying to gently wake her up, "Emma, sweetie. It's time to wake up." She heard Emma whine but she opened her feverish eyes which took a few seconds to focus on her. "I need you to stay awake for a little while for me, baby." She knew she was using many terms of endearment, but Emma was clearly out of it, and Mary Margaret used them when she was worried about her daughter. She put her hand against Emma's head again and her eyebrows furrowed at the temperature as she searched her memory for ways to help the medicine cool Emma down.

David entered the room again, in one hand he had the medicine and the thermometer, in the other hand was a cloth damp with cool water. He gave a small comforting smile to Emma as he sat on the bed, but he realised it was pointless as she stared at him as though she was trying to figure something out. She seemed to be lacking the part of herself which remained an adult with the fever.

"Hey, kiddo." He sat down on the over side of Emma from Mary Margaret, he leant to place the medicine on the bedside table along with the cloth, he noticed his daughter watching him as she valiantly tried to stay awake so when he leant back he brushed the back of his fingers down her cheek. "I need to you let me take your temperature." He told her seriously yet kindly.

Emma whined and wiggled a little as her parents looked down at her, she knew that they were her parents and that she loved them and they her, but other than that she was completely out of it.

Mary Margaret sighed and ran her hand through Emma's shoulder length curls. "I'm going to run her a bath," she told David quietly though it was obvious Emma was not paying any attention as she fidgeted uncomfortable from her fever, "it should help cool her down."

David nodded, like Mary Margaret he too had faint memories of lukewarm baths in the Enchanted Forest, in combination with their herb based medicines. "Em," David called for Emma's attention as Mary Margaret stood up and started to walk from the room Emma's eyes were firmly on her, "Emma." She frowned over at him, her eyes only barely focused on him, he carefully sat her up to keep her awake for as long as possible. "You'll see mom in a minute. I need you to open your mouth for me please." He was somewhat surprised that that actually worked, but he placed the thermometer in its place, before Emma could change her mind.

After a second or two of having the thermometer in her mouth Emma started to try move around.

"Emma, kiddo, I need you to keep really still for me please." He was firm but kind like he had been before, and Emma sent him a sad look in return while shivering, but her hand drifted up to the thermometer to take it out.
David picked her up, being careful of her injuries, and placed her onto his lap. He found her baby blanket and draped it over her and she held onto that, running her fingers alone the ribbon, instead of her trying to take the thermometer out because she didn't want to do it. He found himself rocking from side to side trying to sooth her, it seemed to work, though he was also trying to keep her awake. The thermometer beeped making Emma jump, clearly she had been falling asleep again, she didn't reach to get it as David did for once.

As soon as the thermometer was out of her mouth Emma let her eyes close again, she twisted on David's lap to pull her legs up and curl into him, her eyes half closing as she fought to keep them open. She made some involuntary whining noises trying to express how she was feeling though she couldn't find the energy to talk.

David frowned at the temperature, it was too high, though luckily just about low enough to avoid going to the hospital. So long as it went down soon and they kept an eye on her. He felt her curl into him and he couldn't help but feel his heart skipping a beat. He knew that she was mainly doing it because she was feeling ill, and had been feeling vulnerable since her share anyway, but despite all that David couldn't help but love her cuddling up to him. He wrapped one arm around Emma, cuddling her close, and pressed a kiss to her head, then he leant over to where he put the medicine. He had to unwrap his arms from her to be able to pour the medicine onto the spoon, a smile flickered across his face as Emma made another whining sound at him no longer cuddling him, she really was adorable not matter how old she was.

"Kiddo, open your mouth, daddy needs you to take this." He knew she was out of it when she actually opened up and didn't complain at his choice of words, he gave a small chuckle when she pulled her tongue out after swallowing the medicine and pouted at him. He placed the spoon and medicine down and grabbed the cold cloth placing it on Emma's head as she was still cuddled up to him. "I know you don't like the medicine, Emma, but it'll help you feel better."

"Nuh uh." Emma argued sleepily, the medicine clearly just existed to taste disgusting. She cuddled closer to David, she shivered slightly then moved even closer to David to try and get warm.

David chucked at Emma's argumentative noise and laid a kiss on the top of her head when she cuddled up to him, he knew she was feeling cold, but her temperature was boiling no wonder she was so out of it. He wrapped his arms securely around her, rocking her slightly to comfort her when she whimpered, he wished he could just make it all better. Eventually he heard his wife calling to him to bring Emma through. He carefully carried Emma through to the bathroom where Snow was finishing up the lukewarm bath, as they walked Emma held tightly onto his shirt, with a surprising amount of strength.

Mary Margaret smiled when she saw Emma in David's arms, even before she had been shrunken Emma adored her father, after she had eventually realised that he was very different from his cursed self. "Hey, sweetheart, we're going to get you feeling better now." She promised softly, she knew that she was still talking to her as though she actually was a toddler but Emma didn't notice, and Mary Margaret just wanted to comfort her in any way which might work, even if that was just by using her voice.

"Mom's going to help you feel better." David told her and attempted to pass Emma over to Mary Margaret.

"No, daddy stay too." Emma whined, her bottom lip stuck out.

David managed to place Emma into his wife's arms but she kept twisting to try and keep hold of him. David shared a look with Mary Margaret, he knew Emma wanted him there right then, but if she became more aware of what was going on while she was in the bath she'd probably be uncomfortable with him there. "Em, I promise you that when you're not so feverish you won't want me here. I'll be in the next room."

Mary Margaret held back a chuckle as Emma let go of David but sent a frown to her, clearly not currently happy that David was leaving. Yup, she was a daddy's girl.

Mary Margaret carefully got Emma undressed, Emma simply let her do it, offering no protests or help. Emma whimpered a little before Mary Margaret placed her into the bath. "I know baby," she said sympathetically, "we're going to get you better." She lowered Emma into the bath, she made sure that Emma's cast was away from the water so it wouldn't get wet, as soon as she placed Emma into the lukewarm water se tried to move away from it.

"No mommy." Emma whined, clearly half asleep as she weakly struggled.

Mary Margaret's breath caught in her throat. 'Mommy', she had been called mommy by her daughter. She knew it wasn't the same with Emma being so ill that she was acting younger, and she was sleepy she probably said it by accident anyway….. but her daughter had called her mommy. "I'm sorry Emma, just stay in here for a little while for me." She kept an arm around Emma so she wouldn't try to climb out and wouldn't suddenly fall asleep and slip under the water or something. She carefully ran her fingers through Emma's golden curls, which seemed to soothe Emma so she carried on, placing her hand on Emma's forehead every so often.

Eventually she reached over to grab the thermometer David had brought through when he carried Emma. Emma sleepily opened her mouth when she saw it and Mary Margaret put it in, she carried on stroking Emma's hair until it beeped.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the temperature had lowered a little. She loved how cuddly Emma was at the moment, but Emma's being so ill worried her. She carefully lifted Emma out and wrapped her in a towel, the medicine would start working soon and help lower Emma's temperature too, David and Mary Margaret would just have to keep an eye on her.

Chapter Text

"Emma, just take it easy." Mary Margaret reminded her for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

It had been a five days since they had had to frantically cool their daughter down, and David and Mary Margaret had been trying tirelessly to keep their stubborn daughter to take it easy and not push herself too much. They had a point, as Emma had spent most of those past few sleeping, and a large portion of the rest of it wanting to spend time with David and Mary Margaret, not that she would say it other than hinting. She had still not spoken anymore about her past to her parents, but the knowledge of their knowledge had clearly made her feel more vulnerable and she had acted slightly more childish, and clingy to her parents whose bed she had spent almost all of her time in.

Emma rolled her eyes but settled down on the floor instead of trying to race Mary Margaret to the board games, she knew that it was her first time she had actually been allowed out of the bed and if she tried to push herself too much, David and Mary Margaret would make her go back to the bed.

David grinned down at Emma as she settled back down next to him, Mary Margaret hadn't noticed her eye roll but he had, he could still see how tired she was but he knew she wouldn't be wanting to go back to bed just yet. He had accidentally called it a nap the day before, Emma had stayed awake several hours longer than she should have purely to spite him made apparent by the fact she glared at him the entire time, he wasn't about to make that mistake again.

He watched as she traced the yellow and grey stripes on her pyjama leg with her left index finger, they were one of the pairs which Mary Margaret had had to pick up extra, much to Emma's humiliation and fear her body had regained its younger versions bedwetting problems.
They had told her that it was nothing to be embarrassed about and that they didn't mind, but in those five days Emma had already had two accidents, David and Mary Margaret had just been trying to comfort her and do their best to help her prevent accidents.

Emma felt David's eyes on her and looked up at him, she watched him send her a comforting smile almost instantly, though then saw the worry in his eyes and his lips part by mere millimetres. "If you ask me if I'm feeling okay, you owe me fifty dollars." She raised one eyebrow to him challenging him.

David laughed, she was definitely still the same old Emma. "How are you feeling?" She sent him a look and David smirked and quickly added. "I didn't ask if you were feeling okay."

Emma rolled her eyes, trust him to figure out the technicality in her statement, though she noticed he was still staring at her. "I'm fine." Then it was his turn to raise his eyebrow. She rolled her eyes again then shrugged her shoulders. "Just…. bleugh." She tried to explain, and was glad when David didn't ask her to further explain.

David sent her a sympathetic smile, he went to rub his hand down her back but stopped at the last minute, the memory of her healing back was ever present in his head.

Not that he had seen Emma's back, Mary Margaret had been helping Emma get changed and had been putting the cream on the strip down Emma's back, the only opportunity David had had to see it was when Emma had a high fever, and although she had wanted him there she was out of it and David didn't want to intrude on Emma's privacy without her explicit permission. Though of course he both wanted to see it, and dreaded seeing it. He wanted to be able to see, to have that trusted knowledge, to be able to reassure himself that it wasn't the massive open wound which he saw in his worst fantasies.

He settled on gently squeezing Emma's shoulder and gently ran his hand up and down the arm without the handprint bruise. He sent her another comforting smile when he realised she noticed his hesitation. He and Mary Margaret could tell that Emma was, despite their gentle and subtle reassurances, waiting for the other foot to drop, she believed that everything had changed. And perhaps it had, but David and Mary Margaret had always suspected that Emma's past at best was an unhappy one, they tried their best to keep reassuring her especially as they were sure there was more that Emma had yet to tell them, though they wouldn't push her, she could tell them when she was ready.

Emma could see David's new smile, she could tell that he was doing it to try make her feel better and ignore the whip mark on her back along with the memory which went along with it, it didn't work but Emma could tell her father's smile was genuine so she sent him a small smile back.
"I'm okay." She assured him though this time so wasn't talking about her health in terms her physical wellbeing, this time she was talking about her emotions, which she could tell that he was worrying about.
She looked back down at her pyjamas, there was a small pocket on her pyjama top in the same shade as the yellow stripes and a slightly muted version of the paint on her car, poking out of the pocket was a cartoon panda. She heard David sigh and looked up to see Mary Margaret heading back to the coffee table with a board game in hand.

"No Mary Margaret." David whined. "Not that game!"

Emma read the side of box and realised why her father was complaining.

"That game lasts forever and you get way too competitive!"

"Nonsense David." Mary Margaret ignored him and settled down on David's other side across from Emma. "It's a family game, and I'm not competitive."

David gave a scoffing laugh and shared a look with Emma to see if she believed her mother's lies, she obviously didn't but she had a sparkle in her eyes as though she was already planning on how she was going to win. He rolled his eyes, he was in a family of over competitive people. But his girls obviously both wanted to play monopoly so he sighed but didn't complain again, he just helped Mary Margaret unpack the game he was about to take the money to sort out when his wife claimed the position as banker.

Emma frowned a little as her mother placed the box of play money between David and herself, far away from Emma's hands, though Emma wasn't sure if that was on purpose or not. She quickly hid her frown and re-evaluated her plan on how to win, maybe she could win without cheating? But then, where would the fun be in that? She'd figure something out eventually.

The first few times around the board weren't so bad, but then her mom started to step up her game buying streets, and Emma was not one to be outdone so started to buy all the ones she landed on. Her money started to seriously deplete, no one seemed to land on her properties while she seemed to land on all of Mary Margaret's and David's, though David seemed to not see her doing it half the time, though she wasn't sure if that was by accident or if he was doing it on purpose.
Her mom pulled a card gaining her money.
Emma landed on the 'Go to Jail" box. Emma sighed, typical, plus the game seemed to be lasting longer than she had remembered.

David shared a look with Mary Margaret as Emma sighed and waited for the opportunity to get out of jail, they had both been trying to take it easy on her but she just seemed to be being unlucky this time, David looked down at the top of Emma's head when she leant against his arm. He ran his hand through her hair, Mary Margaret watched the pair as she took her go then sent David a look, David nodded silently to her and bent his head down a little so the conversation would seem a little more private.
"Em, we don't have to play this game if you don't want, we could play something else or watch a movie or something?" He suggested gently, they could both tell that their daughter was tired already despite just being sat there for a while, but she was also stubborn so he wasn't overly surprised when Emma shook her head no.

Mary Margaret glanced at her watch, passed the dice over to David, then stood up leaving the board and her family for a couple of minutes.

David watched as Mary Margaret headed over to check Neal in his crib then headed over to the kitchen. As soon as she was in the kitchen he slipped his hand into the bank and pulled out various assortments of money and placed them to the pile where Emma had all of hers in a haphazard pile.

Emma looked up at David with a smile when she realised that David had put more money on her pile, it would be hard for her mom to be able to tell that she had gained any money as she kept hers in a pile where it was pretty hard to tell how much she had, let alone which notes she had – extremely different to David's somewhat sloppy piles, and Mary Margaret's strictly organised piles in ascending order.

Mary Margaret appeared back to the living room, David and Emma hadn't yet noticed her, and she allowed herself the time before they did just to be able to look at the two. The lighter highlights of David's hair matched Emma's white blonde and although she couldn't currently see it she knew that bits of blue mixed with Emma's green irises. She could match so many of her daughter's mannerisms and looks to her husband, though Mary Margaret knew from speaking to David that he saw more of her in Emma, she supposed it must be a parent thing to see more of their spouse in their child. David smiled his usual smile at her and she was brought out of her thoughts, she walked back over to David and Emma holding a bottle of pain medicine and a plastic tumbler of juice so Emma would complain slightly less when she had to drink the cherry concoction.

Emma groaned when her mother settled back next to her with the medicine, though she wouldn't admit it she was kind of grateful her mom had gotten it for her, her arm was starting its dance of aching pain again. Her mom must have been able to tell too as she just gave her a gentle smile which somehow got Emma to sit up so she wasn't leaning against David so much, she let her mom feed her the medicine then she was quickly passed the juice to drink to get the taste from her mouth.

The game carried on for another hour and a half, way past the limit of it even being possibly able to be construed as fun, but the Charming's were anything if not stubborn. Emma eventually admitted to herself that she was getting too tired to even count the dots on one die, let alone on both of them, and David and Mary Margaret realised that their daughter would never agree to just let them play while she rested so they too decided they had had enough and that they should all just count their assets to decide the winner.
Mary Margaret took Emma's to count when she saw her daughter frowning, clearly having trouble retaining her arithmetic skills from her adulthood while she was tired. Mary Margaret was the one to frown when she announced Emma's total and realised it was more than hers. Perhaps she could pretend that she had let Emma win? Yes, she decided, she'd settle for second place.

David announced his total – more than Emma's. He was somewhat surprised to see Emma grinning but then he realised it was because his wife was narrowing her eyes at him. Why did he decide to play that dreaded game again?

"You cheated."

"I did not." He chuckled, no matter the realm she always seemed to try and claim that he cheated if he beat her.

"If you hadn't of convinced Emma to sell you Regent Street I might have collected them."

"How? I already had Oxford Street." He continued to smile at her pout. "And I won that fair and square."

"You told her you'd buy her a chocolate milkshake."

David shrugged with a smirk in response.

Emma found herself giggling on David's other side. She already knew her mother was super competitive, and a sore winner, she didn't realise she was a sore loser too.

"Uh huh." She replied to him in the way which clearly showed that she didn't believe it. "I'm going to start lunch off, you can sort out daddy's girl there, and clean up the board."

Emma's mouth gaped open momentarily, though by now she knew better than to try and dispute Mary Margaret's claim, Emma was sure that she had a list of all their shared attributes somewhere. But she couldn't help but smile when she realised that the only reason she even beat her mom was because David had helped her cheat. Maybe being a daddy's girl was a good thing, she thought. Not that she would ever say it outloud.

Chapter Text

David stretched as he woke, his eyes squinted as he looked around the darkened room, it wasn't as dark as it usually was, Emma had gone to sleep upstairs in her usual bed for the first time in a while and David and Mary Margaret had left a lamp on downstairs in case Emma needed something in the night as she was too short to reach the light switches.

He looked over at his wife and her face in the soft light, the soft lines of her cheekbones and the gentle point of her chin, he wasn't sure why he had woken up, between having a newborn baby and Emma being ill and the stress of that and her being turned into the size of a child he was exhausted. He attempted to close his eyes to sleep again but couldn't keep them shut for longer than a few seconds.

He sighed quietly to himself and sat himself up slightly resting back against his elbows. Mary Margaret moved a little in her sleep as he sat up but she didn't wake. David leant down and pecked a kiss to his wife's lips. She did not wake.
He couldn't help but be reminded of following his mother's ring to find Mary Margaret; the sight of her skin as pale as snow, inside a glass coffin surrounded by her surrogate brothers, and her eyes closed in a sleep like death. He had thought that she was dead, at least for a few moments which seemed to last for years, he only kissed her as he couldn't possibly come to turns with saying his final goodbye to her just yet. He shook the unpleasant memory from his head and climbed out of the bed, he shivered as the cold air hit him, the heating was still on but winter was starting to hit the town, it seemed to be colder than he had remembered it being during the winter of the first curse and even colder than it often was in the Enchanted Forest.
It was probably just one of those things, he thought.

He walked over to the crib where his son slept underneath his sheep mobile, it had been a gift from Ashley and Thomas, just as Emma's unicorn mobile had been. He listened to his son's gentle breathing and reached his hand down to stroke the baby soft skin of Neal's cheek. He couldn't quite see it in the dark but he knew that there were some wisps of dark hair on Neal's head, he was sure that Neal would end up with hair as dark as Mary Margaret's, just as Emma had ended up with his. He pulled his hand back from Neal's cheek and pressed a kiss to two of his fingers and pressed it to Neal's cheek. He adjusted his blankets, to make sure his son was warm enough, before he exited the curtained bedroom so he could check on Emma too.

As soon as he stepped out from the curtains he headed to turn the heat up in the loft instead of heading up the stairs, he turned it up by a few degrees so it wouldn't be too cold when they all got up in several hours' time. He looked out of the living room window to look for snow as it was certainly cold enough for it, but so far it just looked icy, the window was all frosted up and frozen cold to touch.

He turned back towards the stairs so he could check on Emma but he paused with his foot on the first ice-cold metal step. He heard a shuffling noise coming from the laundry room just off the kitchen, a room which unless you lived in the loft you didn't notice, in fact he had only been shown it by Henry when Emma and Mary Margaret were in the Enchanted Forest, otherwise it was unlikely that he would have noticed it without Mary Margaret telling him.

The only light in the room came from a flashlight which was stood up on the floor, the spread long shadows across the room, but David couldn't see Emma. His hand went to the light switch and paused on it. "Em?" He called gently his eyes were starting to adjust to the relative darkness but he still couldn't see Emma. "I'm going to turn the light on so I can see you okay? Mind your eyes." He knew that he hadn't heard or seen her since he walked into the room but he was sure that she was in there, he just had a feeling in his gut, his paternal instincts coming into play.

He didn't hear a response but he gave it thirty seconds before he flicked it on. At first all he could see on the floor of the laundry room were the sheets from Emma's bed. He let out a quiet sigh, not because of Emma's accident though he was sympathetic towards her as he knew that she always completely humiliated afterwards, he sighed because they had told her not to try to change her bed sheets to just let them knew so that they could change it without her risking getting hurt and so they could check that she was okay.

It took a minute for him to notice that she had squeezed in the space between the washing machine and dryer, she was clearly still half asleep, her knees were drawn up close to her chest and her eyes darted around as though she had recently had a nightmare. She was almost definitely even colder than he was as she was shivering. She was probably changing her bedsheets out of habit whilst in a trance. He suddenly became aware that he was still stood in the doorway and probably making her feel as though she were blocked in.

He moved away from the doorway, and crouched to the side, he wasn't in front of her so if she was still in her nightmare like trance and wanted to suddenly run from him or the room she could - though he of course wouldn't let her run from the loft, he would let her have her space if she needed it though.

He rested his arms on his crouching legs and kept his voice soft when he spoke. "Hey Em."

Emma's eyes flickered up to him, then around the room, there were no longer shadows around the room and she breathed a sigh of relief that she wasn't in the dark any longer. Her eyes flickered over to her dad, then down at her sheets on the floor. Her bottom lip wobbled and she looked up at David with trepidation. "Sorry daddy." Her voice was barely above a whisper and she was only able to be heard because the loft with silent.

David's breath caught in his throat, just as it had countless times around Emma since the curse had broke, this was the first time that Emma had ever called him 'daddy'. But both her words and tone sounded young, a small crease appeared between his eyebrows as a small frown flickered onto his face only to disappear as soon as he realised it was there, he didn't want her to think that she was in trouble. He wasn't sure just yet if she seemed to be younger after a bad dream, or if like Blue had warned them Emma's mind was slipping, permanently or temporarily. But he couldn't even think about that just yet, it wasn't yet that important, first he needed to set her at ease.
"You have nothing that you need to say sorry for Emma." He promised, he kept his tone calm and gentle, as though he were talking to a scared animal or small child… and maybe he was.

She stayed silent and huddled in the corner though she un-tensed her arms though she kept them around her knees.

David noticed the slight relaxation but knew he still needed to soothe her. "Do you think that you're in trouble for something?" He asked her gently, he slipped down so he was sat cross legged on the ground, he automatically made sure that his body language wasn't closed off. He watched her shrug, obviously that was a yes, he had seen her do it before. "Can you tell me what you think that you're in trouble for?"

Emma gave another small shrug and waited for a couple of minutes in silent. "Had an accident… I'm sorry." Her voice was just as quiet as it was before when she mumbled to him.

David shook his head at her. "No kiddo, you're not in trouble for that, that was an accident and everyone has them sometimes." He kept sending her a small smile and didn't interrupt her as she examined his face clearly trying to make sure that he was telling the truth. He felt a sense of pride when she unwrapped her arms from around her knees and her knees were lowered from her chest. He noticed she was still wearing the pyjamas she had changed into before she had gone to bed, those would clearly need to be changed, well once she moved from between the machines.
"I'm sure that those pants aren't too comfortable." He hinted, he still wasn't sure how old she actually was, but he would rather play it safe and risk Emma being embarrassed by assuming she was mentally the same age as her body was, rather than treat her as though she was older and scare her.

Emma looked down at the grey pyjamas pants with the purple silhouette prints of R2-D2, in the light it was clear that they were still wet, she looked up at her dad and nodded her head as she did so she bit her lip. "They're all wet." After she spoke her bottom lip stuck out.

A tiny smile ghosted his lips, this wasn't just a nightmare, she really was thinking younger. "They are." he agreed softly. "I think you need a quick bath and some clean pyjamas, what do you think?"

Emma nodded her head again but she didn't feel quite as sad as she had before now she was certain that her dad was genuinely not mad at her. "Yeah." She agreed. "These are dirty now."

"Well, they'll be easy to clean." He assured her, he slowly moved closer to where she sat. "We can put them and your sheets in the washing machine. Would you like to help me?" He watched as she quickly nodded with a small smile now firmly on her face. "Thank you very much kiddo. But first I need you to move out from there, we don't want you trapped between the machines." The small smile on his face widened when Emma held her arms up to him as soon as he finished his sentence. He picked her up straight away. "There we go, that's much better."

Emma led her head upon his shoulder, her eyes were starting to feel heavier again, the comforting yet faint smell of her father's aftershave wasn't helping as she tried to fight sleep. "Is mommy still sleeping?"

David pressed a kiss onto the top of her head at her words. He was sure that Mary Margaret would have loved to hear that, though she like him would have probably worried a little about the slip in Emma's mental age. "She is." He kissed the top of her head again. "Do you want mommy to give you a bath or daddy?"

Emma rubbed her eye with her left fist and gave a small yawn. "You, mommy's sleeping." She reminded him thinking it was obvious. She pulled her right arm up to look at her yellow cast with a small frown. "It hurts daddy." She pouted.

"I know sweetie." David pouted sympathetically but he could feel his heart leap at her words. "We'll get you some medicine after you've had bath time." he promised. He found himself cuddling her close, he left the light on in the laundry room headed to the bathroom, even as he started running the water. He spotted some of Mary Margaret's bubble bath and poured it in .

"That's mommy's." Emma told him but she had a smile on her face.

"I'm sure mommy won't mind." He told her. As though on cue he heard Neal's gentle crying, the one he knew was the one which meant he needed feeding. He heard the shuffling noise of his wife getting up with him. "It sounds like your little brother is hungry."

Emma nodded her head in agreement. "He's very little."

David grinned at that, he could say the same about her, she was so young and looked even younger - only just five in the body of a three year old. "He is, he'll get big soon, that's why he has to drink a lot of milk." It was somewhat weird having to explain to her about Neal getting bigger, though at the same time it felt natural. "You were a lot smaller that him when you were a baby."

"Nuh uh." She shook her head with a smile.

"Uh huh." David chuckled. He couldn't help but wonder about what memories Emma had, whether she remembered her past in foster care or if she had different memories which led to her turning up in Storybrooke, yet it wasn't really the time to ask her just yet.
"You were tiny and very, very wiggly." He told her truthfully remembering how hard it had been to just wrap her in a blanket when she was first born, how terrified he had been that he'd break her just by holding her, and how she had stayed perfectly quiet and still in his arms when he had to carry her to the wardrobe. He shook his head minutely, trying to get the memory from his mind and didn't want her to notice, but she didn't notice anyway she was too busy watching the bubbles appearing in the bath.
"I think you were ready to go off and start adventures." He told her with a smile.

Emma looked up at him with a smile. "Adventures are fun." But she started to wiggle getting uncomfortable in the damp pyjamas.

David noticed the wiggling and stood up from where he had been crouched next to the bath and he kept her in his arms the entire time. "Let's go choose some pyjamas for you to wear, you can have a bath, then you can sleep in mommy and daddy's bed." He told her as he walked from the bathroom into the main part of the loft. He wasn't surprised to see Mary Margaret there, but apparently Emma was.

"Mommy." Emma greeted somewhat sleepily though there was a small smile on her face. She heard her brother making noises as her mother grabbed his comforter which normally calmed him.

Mary Margaret's mouth fell open and her heart seemed to both stop and beat faster than it ever had. Tears pooled in her eyes, she had waited for so long to hear that from her daughter. She up at David and saw he shared the same look in his eyes as she felt. Though she was also very confused why Emma called her that.

David sent her a small smile, telling her that he would explain everything to her eventually, but he couldn't fully explain in front of Emma. "Emma had a little accident but it's okay, we're just about to find her some clean pyjamas to sleep in after her bath, then I said she could sleep in our bed." He made sure t keep stressing to Emma that it was okay. "We were just saying how big Emma's getting, aren't we Emma?"

"Uh huh." Emma nodded sleepily still. She held up her hand with her fingers and thumb up. "I'm this big: one, two, three, four, five." She counted.

Mary Margaret smiled at how adorable she was being, although she was worried she would have been more worried if they hadn't already been warned about the possibility of it happening. "You're right, that is very big." She smiled as David walked closer with her in his arms, he had clearly had to reassure Emma that she wasn't in trouble for the accident. Though Mary Margaret knew that they'd have to figure out how to help Emma with the accident, they had tried almost everything she could think of, but even not drinking for a while before bed hadn't worked. She did had one idea but Emma wouldn't like it, especially if she was in her adult mindset. But it would be better than Emma having to wake up terrified every time.
"But no matter how big you get, whether you're five or thirty five, you'll always be our baby." She told her.

"Thirty-five is very, very, very old." Emma told her very seriously, she didn't understand why both of her parents chuckled at that.

David kissed the top of Emma's head, he wasn't sure if the adult her would agree that thirty five was the new eighty, he had to admit he disagreed with it too though he might be slightly biased as he was thirty-five, almost thirty-six. "Do you want mommy or daddy to give you your bath?" He asked Emma again in case she wanted to change her mind with Mary Margaret now awake, he knew Neal still needed feeding but he could bottle feed him if Emma chose Mary Margaret.

"Daddy." Emma answered, growing even sleepier, so she just leant heavier against him.

"Okay." He kissed the top of her head again. "We'll go and choose you some pyjamas and your mommy can feed Neal while we do." He felt Emma nod against him but he kept his eyes on his wife who also nodded in agreement, he knew that they'd be able to talk later when Emma was asleep.
He quickly kissed the top of Neal's head, who was starting to fuss more, then kissed Mary Margaret's forehead a promise that he was feeling the exact same as she was and that they'd be able to talk about everything as soon as possible.

*OUAT*

David headed up the stairs into Emma's room. He had see it when Emma had tried to change the bed before, she had had a systematic way of doing it, she would normally manage to keep the duvet, pillows, and blankets on the bed. He knew it was an old habit from when she was actually little, one which would have been quicker without her broken arm, so if she got caught doing it she could have pretending that she hadn't had an accident.

This time it was different, obviously Emma had come up with the system of changing the bed when she was older, as currently all of the pillows and blankets had been pushed off of her bed, even the duvet had obviously been shoved off. He spotted Emma's blanket on the floor and scooped it up on the way to Emma's wardrobe. He flicked on a lamp near the wardrobe and pulled out a couple of the pairs for her to choose from.
"Which pair do you want to wear princess?" He showed her one black pair with white stars, rockets, planets, and comets on them. "These ones will light up in the dark." He told her showing her the pyjamas.
He had noticed how relieved she had seemed whenever they left the the lights on for her, he figured that perhaps her old fear of the dark had comeback with the bedwetting.
He put that pair under his arm and showed her the other pair. The other pair had a grey top with a navy and white panda bear on, the bottoms were white with navy stripes and small copies of the panda poking over each of the stripes. Like the star pyjamas the panda pair also had cuff, though the cuffs on these were yellow.
"Or the panda bear ones?"

"Teddy bear ones." Emma told him after a brief deliberation.

David smiled at her calling the panda a teddy bear. He couldn't resist kissing the top of top of her head again. She hadn't stopped shivering since he had found her. "Good choice, kiddo. Let's get you warmed up and tucked into bed."

"Are you going to bed too?" She checked quietly.

David started to head back down the stairs. When they reached the floor he noticed that Mary Margaret wasn't there, but he had figured that she'd be feeding Neal in their room anyway, he carried Emma into the bathroom which was now much warmer, his wife had clearly turned the heat up in the bathroom which he hadn't even thought about doing - he couldn't help but smile at how thoughtful she always was.

He set Emma down on the bathmat so he could turn off the bath taps, he placed the pyjamas down next to the toddler sized fluffy towel Mary Margaret had obviously prepared. He looked back at Emma and noticed that she was still holding tight to her blanket. He smiled, he wished that he and Mary Margaret could have been there with her to look after her and for her to have never had had her bad childhood, but he was glad she at least had one thing from them. Clearly it had always meant a lot to her.
"Can I have you blanket and put it next to your pyjamas to we can get you into this nice bath, with all of these nice bubbles."

Emma looked at the bubble filled bath and held out her blanket to David. "Okay, you can look after blankie." She told him seriously.

David nodded at her, he bit his lip to stop himself from smiling, he tried his hardest to look as serious as she did but it was hard when he realised that his daughter used to call her blanket 'blankie'. "I'll keep it safe, I promise." He placed it down gently to the right of her pyjamas. "Come here kiddo lets get you out of those wet pyjamas." She lifted her arms up straight away while facing the bath, she was acting so differently that he had even forgotten about her injuries, until he took her top of.

Emma heard David take a sharp breath and she span around and looked up at him worriedly. "Daddy, what's wrong? Are you poorly like me?"

David heard her tone and it was the only thing which could make him pull his eyes away from the spot he had been staring at. At the healing scar on Emma's back. He quickly plastered a small smile onto his face and hoped that she didn't see the pain in his eyes.
"No, baby, Daddy's not poorly…" He carefully finished undressing her and lifted her into the bath. "I was just so surprised at how big my baby girl is getting." He told her, and he wasn't necessarily lying about that.
It seemed just like yesterday that Mary Margaret was pregnant with her, then she was a tiny premature baby, even the size she currently was seemed way too big let alone twenty-nine years old.

"Oh, okay." She nodded and started to press her flat palms against the bubbles and gave a quite giggle when she felt the sensation of the bubbles popping against her skin.

David looked at her lovingly. She had been so easily distracted, it was adorable, and so clearly a sign of her being so young. He watched her playing for a couple of minutes as he thought about the injuries on her, Mary Margaret may have told him about them, but to see them so clearly was an entirely different matter. He noticed her tiring even more and looking at her arm every so often, clearly it was starting to hurt more as the time went on, he made sure she was keeping her cast out of the water by gently moving it to lay on the bathtubs edge.
"Let's get you cleaned up then off to dreamland." He told her, he chose Mary Margaret's strawberry shower gel and started to bathe her.

"You need to go to dreamland too."

David grinned at her serious tone, he pressed a kiss to her forehead as she looked at him with her big green eyes, then tapped the tip of her nose. "Okay, I'll go to dreamland too." He promised.

"And mommy and Nealy." She yawned.

He had to stop himself from verbally saying 'aw' at Emma's nickname for her brother. He finished washing her. "And mommy and Nealy." He echoed before he picked her up out of the tub and wrapped her in the fluffy towel.

Emma shivered again and tried to pull the towel close around her. "I'm cold daddy." She whimpered.

"I know kiddo, let's get you dressed, you'll be warm soon I promise." He quickly got her dried off and ready for bed in her new pyjamas. He handed her the baby blanket back and smiled as she hugged it close, her eyelids were drooping in full affect now. He quickly took the plug out of the bathtub so it would drain then picked her up.

He carried her through to the kitchen, he quickly found her medicine and poured out the appropriate amount in the cup. He held it up to her lips and saw her hesitation, apparently she was always as stubborn as she was when she was in her older mindset. "This will make it feel all betters." He tried not to laugh when he heard her sigh but she opened her mouth so he quickly fed it to her and waited for her to swallow it. He placed the cup in the sink then headed to his bedroom, he could feel her cuddled up to him as they walked.

*OUAT*

Mary Margaret had been watching Neal's gentle breathing as he slept in her arms, she was thinking about Emma, naturally. She seemed so unguarded in her younger mindset, so proud of her counting ability and absolutely adorable, though she thought that Emma was rather adorable anyway no matter her age, but particularly at the moment. Yet she was worried too, she knew that Blue had told them to expect the possibility of it happening, they had checked with Regina that the fairy was telling the truth as they didn't always trust the fairy to have a hidden agenda. Nevertheless she'd check with Regina when they saw her and Henry the next day, well later that day, really considering the time. Though she wasn't sure whether Emma still remembered Henry and Regina at five years old, if she didn't they would have to make something up, or just not have the pair around at all.
But all that could be decided the next day.

She heard David's footsteps walk closer then stop in the kitchen. She yawned then stood she kissed the top of Neal's head as she walked over to the crib to tuck him back up, just as she finished tucking the blankets safely around Neal David walked in still carrying Emma.

"Nealy's gone to dreamland." Emma tried her hardest to whisper though it was a little over a whisper.

Mary Margaret smiled at Emma's words. "Yeah, sweetheart, he is. I think that it's time that another little monkey goes to dreamland too." She led David and Emma back to the bed, she could tell that Emma was exhausted, and David looked about as tired as she felt.

"Mommy and Daddy need sleepies too." Emma insisted through a big yawn.

David grabbed one of his plaid shirts from a drawer and sat on the bed with Emma on his lap, he carefully slipped the shirt onto Emma, he did it up knowing that it should keep her warm and give her some comfort.

Mary Margaret stood above David and Emma, she was ready to tuck the covers around the two of them. "Mommy and daddy will get some sleep too, baby, at the same time as you." She watched a smile appear on Emma's face at that. She watched David put the shirt on their daughter, it was clear that it would be like a dress on her if she stood up.

As soon as David was finished he wrapped Emma's blanket around her and led down, Emma automatically moved so she was over half led on his chest, and they were quickly tucked in by Mary Margaret who then climbed into the bed beside them. David stroked Emma's hair and he looked over at Mary Margaret, he leant over and quickly gave her a kiss. "I can fill you in tomorrow." He promised.

Mary Margaret nodded to him and gently placed her hand on Emma's back and cuddled up to David.

They led in silence for a couple of minutes.

"Night mommy… night daddy." Emma mumbled as she fell asleep cuddled up to her parents.

Chapter Text

Mary Margaret awoke alone in her bed, the room was quiet she rolled over to cuddle with David but she found that that side of the bed was empty and cold, she remembered falling asleep with her husband and daughter in the bed … had she just dreamt that all up? It took her two seconds to wake up properly, she no longer thought that she had dreamt up her entire family and was still living by herself ion the loft as just Mary Margaret, and for her to realise that the previous night Emma had been acting like a five year old.

She sat up quickly in her bed and looked around, there was some light in the room coming from both the windows and from a small gap in the curtain. She climbed out of bed and wrapped her dressing gown around her, her first stop was Neal’s crib, he had only been alive for a few weeks but she was already used to him waking her every morning; she would be lying if she claimed that seeing him still asleep in his crib wasn’t worrying her. she gently stroked his cheek and he wasn't running a fever or anything, he was just sleeping peacefully. It was only then she looked at the clock and noticed that the time on the clock read a lot later than she could remember sleeping for a long time. She heard a small bang from the kitchen, it was probably only from a pot or pan, but she rushed out anyway.

She smiled as she was met with the sight of David and Emma both in the kitchen, she stayed by the bedroom doorway as she watched the two of them, Emma was sat on the counter top next to David. She couldn’t help but be struck by how alike the two were even with Emma looking younger.  They both had such an easy smile upon their faces, and it was the same identical one, David laughed quietly at something Emma was saying - it was a laugh and smile which had made her fall in love with him. Emma’s hair had curled at the ends during the night, making it wavier than usual, though she supposed she shouldn’t have been so surprised as even while Mary Margaret’s and David’s hair were cut shorter their hair would curl and frizz slightly when wet or in humid weather.

As she watched Emma stir a glass bowl of fruit salad with a spoon she remembered the night before, she still wasn’t sure about what had happened to make Emma act in such a way, David had been going to tell her exactly what had gone on but by the time Emma was cuddled fast asleep so were the both of them. She watched Emma some more, she was fairly certain that Emma was still acting younger, though before Mary Margaret could make sure David noticed her and smiled over at her.

“Oh no Em,” David said with a smile, “looks like mommy’s up.”

Emma looked over at Mary Margaret, as her mother walked over to her, with a smile still identical to the one David was wearing. “Oh no, mommy, now we can’t surprise you.” She tried to pout but she found herself still smiling at her mom instead.

Mary Margaret’s worry largely disappeared, she was sure that very few people other than the two who were before her who could make her smile despite the circumstances, she pressed a kiss to the top of Emma’s golden curls then pushed a couple of the curls behind Emma’s ear. “I’m sorry baby, you and daddy were going to surprise me with breakfast, were you?”

She looked over at David with a look of amusement, Emma didn’t have a culinary bone in her body, even during the year Emma and Henry had mainly survived through takeout and some extremely fundamental nutritional knowledge which kicked it in in-conjunction with the loss of her memories.

David smirked back at Mary Margaret, he knew exactly what she was thinking, but he could also see the hint of confusion in her expression. “Emma woke up when I woke up with Neal, she apparently refused to go back to sleep, so she helped me make breakfast instead.” He sent her a look which made it clear that Emma had woken up how she was acting now.

Mary Margaret nodded her understanding to her husband then pressed her hand to Emma’s head, she was cooler than she had been the previous few days, she was could still hear the slight cough in her chest but she was clearly almost over the flu. “I’m sure that you made sure that the breakfast tastes even better than usual.” Mary Margaret told Emma who was putting the finishing few stirs to the fruit salad. “Are you going to have some fruit too?” She heard David laugh at her hopeful tone so she sent him a playful glare, it was no secret that Emma had an aversion to any food she would consider healthy.

Emma shook her head in return but she gave a small giggle at David as he pulled his tongue out at Mary Margaret. “Nope mommy, it’s for you and daddy, I have chocolate pancakes!”

Mary Margaret laughed carelessly at that, the three of them seemed to fall into a natural rhythm it was almost as though Emma had never been an adult at all, so long as they didn't think about it too much. “Oh, did your daddy make those for you?” As soon as Emma placed the spoon down bowl Mary Margaret picked her up into her arms and cuddled her close. “I think your daddy’s wrapped around your little finger, sweetie,” she told Emma in a stage whisper she fully knew that David could hear her, “I think he has been for a long, long time.”

“I have been since the moment at Lake Nostos you told me we would be having a baby.“ David chuckled and leant over to kiss both of his girls on their foreheads. He was fairly sure that Emma was well aware of that fact, he hadn’t exactly hidden it since she had broken the first curse, Emma had never actually said it though he was always easily persuaded to get her a hot chocolate or to hide the amount of candy she actually ate from Mary Margaret when she was trying to get her to eat healthier.

“I was the baby!” Emma raised her hand as she interjected. Both of her parents laughed in response.

Mary Margaret was starting to wonder, not for the first time, how Emma knew that story and what her actual memories were. “Yes, you were baby-“

“-And then Neal.” She finished.

“Yup.” David smiled at them both before he moved over to the hob to work on the hot food he hadn’t wanted to do with Emma in his arms. “Our two little babies.”

Emma led her head against Mary Margaret’s shoulder, she wrapped her arms around her neck but she only managed to get the left one around her and stopped as she tried to wrap the right one’s cast around her. She looked down at the cast as she brought it to her own chest instead.

Mary Margaret looked down worriedly at her daughter, while David set about putting the chocolate pancakes on the hob for Emma, she couldn’t resist kissing the top of her head again. “Does your arm hurt again, sweetheart?”

Emma looked up at Mary Margaret at the feeling of the kiss on her head. “Only a little bit,” she started to pout a little , “daddy made me take yucky medicine.”

Mary Margaret chuckled. “I know that you don’t like medicine but it’ll help your arm and body get better, mommy and daddy just want you to feel better.” She walked over to David with Emma on her hip, she put her hand on her husband’s back and rubbed a circle on it. “I get a lie in, I almost got breakfast in bed, and you got someone to take their medicine… if I didn’t know better I’d say it was my birthday.”

“I just thought that you deserved a bit of rest so this doesn’t count as a birthday present.” David smirked and quickly pecked his wife on the lips, he knew that his wife didn’t celebrate her birthday, though he thought that she seemed to be lessening her aversion to it now that they had a family of their own.  He lowered his voice before she could even start to dwell on her birthday. “I’ll explain everything with Em as soon as I can.”

“Why are we whispering?” Emma interrupted with her own whisper.

David and Mary Margaret both burst out laughing at that, despite the tense situation and all of the thoughts which surrounded it, it was such an innocent and Emma-like thing to hear her say. Mary Margaret pressed a kiss to her head again, Emma looked around bemused but she leaned into her mother’s affection, it was so much easier to show it to her at this age.

David plated up the first of Emma’s pancakes to keep warm while he started the next one, but he paused to kiss Emma’s head too, he had almost woke Mary Margaret up that morning when he realised how cuddly little Emma was in the morning; he had only decided not to because he knew how tired she really was. “Hey Emmy,” he smiled at her as she gave him her attention, “while mommy and daddy sort breakfast out, can you go and put the toys away, the we were playing with Neal with earlier?”

Emma nodded her head and wiggled a little for her mom to somewhat reluctantly put her down. “Into the toy box daddy?” She double checked.

“Yes please, kiddo.” David grinned at her. “Thank you very much for all your help with breakfast.” The two parents watched as Emma walked slowly off towards the living room.

As soon as she was out of earshot Mary Margaret turned back to David who was stirring some oatmeal in a pot as it kept warm. “David, how did all this…-“

“When I woke up last night I found Emma in the laundry room, she was terrified and hiding between the two machines, I thought that she had just been having a nightmare or been embarrassed. It took me a while but eventually I got her to come out, I thought that once she was calm she wouldn’t be acting so young… apparently not.”

Mary Margaret looked over towards where Emma was tidying up few baby toys one at a time. Her look was full of love even if Emma wasn’t looking, after a little while she looked back at David. “I think that we need to go to our back up plan, it’s not fair for her to be waking up in such a state, whether she’s in her normal mind state or her younger one… it’s just not fair on her.“

“She’s not going to like this…”David sighed as he plated up the last of the pancakes he had made, he filled a bowl with Mary Margaret’s oatmeal before he spoke. He sighed again. “But you’re right, even when she woke up younger she was terrified of any repercussions, and she shouldn't have to wake up soaked no matter her age… She’s really going to hate this, no matter her age, should we- should we wait until she’s back in her older mindset to talk to her about it?”

Mary Margaret picked up cups for the three of them and a jug of juice. She shook her head. “No, she’s going to need this tonight, no matter her age we’ll just address it fittingly - if she wakes up as a different age than she goes to bed we can explain it again to her, we’ll explain to her that we’re not mad at her for the accidents and we don’t mind having to clean everything up after them but it’s not good for her having to be waking up every night wet: mentally or physically. She needs some pull-ups.”

“Okay, that sounds like a plan, we’ll talk to her together.” David smiled at Mary Margaret as he picked up the plates of pancakes and bowls of oatmeal.

Mary Margaret placed the juice and cups onto the table before she headed back to the kitchen to pour herself a cup of tea and David some coffee. She stood at the table and stared at Emma who was putting the last couple of the soft toys away as carefully as she could. “Did she really play with Neal?” She asked as David set down the food in all the correct places. She had always wanted that, to have kids who loved each other, Emma already loved Neal no matter her age, but she would be lying if she said she hadn't envisioned having children who were closer in age: a five year difference wouldn’t be that unusual.

David looked over fondly at Emma then down at his wife, whose eyes hadn’t left their pre-schooler, he knew what she was thinking he had been thinking the same himself. “Yeah.” He breathed out. “She had stayed led on my chest all night, then when I woke with Neal I tried to move her without her waking, but as soon as I had warmed up Neal’s milk she was back at my side.” Mary Margaret’s green eyes met his blue ones and he smirked. “She told me I had to be quieter as her mommy was sleeping.”

Mary Margaret couldn’t help but laugh at that. “She’s bossy when she’s pint-sized.”

David chuckled in response. “That she is, but apparently she adores her mom, no matter what size she is… Hell, she even adored you when you were roommates.” He started to cut up Emma’s pancakes so she would be able to eat them easily. “She helped me by playing with Neal while I changed his diaper, he’s besotted with her.” They shared a proud smile at that. “Y’know Neal’s safari animal toys?”

She nodded her head. “The soft ones from Regina?”

David nodded his head. “Yeah. Well, Emma went through all of the animals, naming them all and telling Neal all of their sounds.”

“Aww, that’s adorable.” Mary Margaret grinned. They shared a smile as they set up all of the breakfast stuff, soon Mary Margaret turned a little and looked down and jumped a little at the sight of a much shorter blonde suddenly at her side. “Oh!”

Emma giggled and grinned cheekily at up at her mom, a smile which was identical to the one David used when he was teasing her. “Boo mommy!”

Mary Margaret laughed and picked up her daughter. “Well, there’s my little monster.” She peppered her face with kisses. “It’s breakfast time for this little monster.” She placed Emma down on the cushions piled on Emma’s chair, she placed a plastic tumbler in front of her and filled it with juice, and David placed Emma’s pancakes down.

“Thank you mommy daddy.” Emma grinned and picked up her fork.

“No problem, baby.” David smiled at how polite she clearly was, he watched her eat her pancakes with her left hand, he wanted to offer to feed her as he could tell it wasn’t easy, though he had already found that she was still just as stubborn so he just watched her trying to do it for a couple of minutes. She was so comfortable with them. She had been so happy to help him with Neal, she had asked if they could play earlier on but she obviously had no toys and he wasn’t sure what she real or fake memories she had so he wasn’t sure how to explain that she had none, so instead he had convinced her that she needed to teach Neal how to play which she had done so happily. Neal had seemed to like watching and listening to his sister, David had just held his son and listened and talked to his daughter, she had been happy to teach David how to play with the toys when Neal fell asleep again.He eventually tore his eyes away from her and spooned out some fruit salad to go with his own plain pancakes.

 Mary Margaret smiled as she too watched Emma, she was glad to see her eating again, her appetite had been almost gone with the flu they would just have to keep giving her medicine to keep her temperature down when she needed it but otherwise she was in the clear. It was clear to see that she was younger, even without talking to her, her body language was so much younger. Emma usually fidgeted a lot usually, though she clearly managed it better as an adult she was always still rather restless, though now she was fidgeting more out in the open, she was a whole lot more open. She was still struck with how small Emma was, she was clearly a young five, Mary Margaret would say she was much more like a three or four year old if it weren’t for Emma’s memories when she was in her older mindset. She figured it was at least partially due to Emma being premature, after the curse had broken and she and Emma had gotten back from the Enchanted Forest she had researched the problems of being premature, she had been worried about Emma both present and past and what effects being born premature had on her. The fact was Emma was born too early, just over a month too early, and that had its effects on her, not just her height which Emma skilfully hid by normally wearing higher shoes than Mary Margaret did. Having forgot, along with David, all about Emma’s medical file which lay in the trunk in the living room, Mary Margaret found herself lost in her thoughts about the health of her tiny daughter.

Emma stabbed another piece of chocolate chip pancakes and put it in her mouth. She slipped down some as she swung her legs under the table but stopped when she realised that she could no longer reach her plate, she moved so that she was knelt up on the cushions upon her chair, she could only lean on her uninjured arm to do so. Once she finished kneeling up she looked down at cast. She glanced up to see David and Mary Margaret both looking at her with a little bit of worry on their faces.

“Emmy, kiddo, is your arm okay? Is it feeling poorly still?” David worried. He had found himself fearful, like his wife, that something would go wrong or that her fever would spike again or suddenly get worse. He wasn’t anywhere near being over her being sucked through a portal back in time, yet alone her being turned back physically into a child, and now mentally into a child… it had left him with an awful sense of foreboding that something just as bad or even worse was going to happen. Yet, despite all of that worrying, he couldn’t help but find her adorable. When she had been playing with Neal, though she had mainly been using Neal’s toys to play with him, she had been referring herself as Emmy. He had chuckled in amazement and pure love, he could never envision twenty-nine year old Emma referring to herself as such, he had started to call her it to see if she was just saying it in front of Neal but she had grinned as though she had been waiting for him to call it her. She was utterly adorable.So adorable that he wanted to literally wrap her in bubble wrap to at least slightly ease his terror of any possibility of her ever being hurt.

Emma tilted her head to the side wondering why he had thought that, her arm was pretty much numb after the medicine she had taken not that long ago, it only really hurt when she knocked it. When she realise that both of her parents were looking at her carefully and clearly waiting for an answer. “I like yellow it’s my favourite colour.”

Mary Margaret and David both blinked their eyes in surprise though it took less than a heartbeat for them to both smile at her, they turned their heads to look at each other with their goofy smiles, a meaning passed between the two of them before they looked back at their daughter.

Mary Margaret looked at her with all of the love she felt so clearly written on her face. “Well, yellow’s a very good colour I see why you like it, it’s the colour of the sun and it’s in flowers and… and some cars.” She hesitate to include the cars, she was sure that Emma couldn’t remember her bug, but she also knew how much Emma loved that car even if she didn’t know it yet.

Emma nodded her head and grinned back, showing all of her little teeth as she did.  “Mommy? Daddy? What’s your favourite colour?”

David wasn’t sure he could even remember the last time he was asked what his favourite colour was, it was probably when he was a child, he knew that his wife knew but that was just because she knew him so well. “My favourite colour is green, it reminds me of the fields where I used to live with my mother, your grandma Ruth.” He wasn’t sure if Emma knew of her or remembered him briefly mentioning her to Emma while she was an adult.

“And it’s green like the forest I met your mommy in,” He could see her listening intently and clearly hanging on his every word. “And it’s the colour of Neal’s favourite dragon toy so that makes me think of him. It’s the colour of your mommy’s pretty eyes. And it’s the colour of my favourite little girl’s eyes.” He smiled at her and watched as she realised that the little girl in his words was in fact her.

Emma grinned at him proudly and with the same amount of love he had sent her, after a couple of seconds she ate another piece of her pancakes and quickly looked at her mom. “Mommy, your turn!”

She smiled at her with as much love as was possible. “I like the colour blue like the bluebirds who used to sing me awake, and it’s like the blue sky and the sea.” She smiled as she remembered visits to beaches and lakes with her mother as a child and her husband’s proposal of marriage to her by the water. “And your daddy’s eyes are blue, so are Neal’s, and you have little bits of blue in yours- and you three are my favourite people in every world.”  She finished with a reason much like David’s.

Emma grinned at that, those three were her favourite people too, and she liked their colour choices both the colours and the reason for it. Though the mention of the bluebirds made her think of another type of bird. “I like yellow duckies too.”

David was grinning goofily and he couldn’t stop, if anything his smile just kept getting bigger, it was adorable how her mind would just quickly switch to and from different topics. “Yellow duckies are good.” He agreed using her language.

“Can we go to the park and see them? I miss them”

David frowned, he didn’t think that Emma even liked ducks, let alone wanting to see them. Plus he and Mary Margaret wanted her to take it easy and keep her inside to make sure her flu wasn’t going to come back. And that was with her in her adult mind, in her younger one he was even more worried, she didn’t have the same instincts as she normally did… what if she wandered off or fell into a pond or something.

Luckily, for David, Mary Margaret was quick to answer. “Sorry, baby, we can’t go out today you’re still not better from being poorly.” She gave her a sympathetic smile but her heart broke a little when she saw the sad look and tiny pout. 

“But we see them every week… they’ll be sad if we don’t see them.” She replied quietly.

David and Mary Margaret quickly shared a look at that. They had never seen the ducks with Emma, they hadn’t even done it with Neal or Henry, let alone purposely visiting them. They had a silent conversation trying to figure out what was going on, it was clear to them that Emma had certain memories either fake ones or ones which were real but misplaced as taken place with them rather than other people. Either way they could ask Regina about it when she visited a little later, they would also have to ring her ahead of time to explain Emma’s mind-state, that way the mayor could warn Henry and help him decide if he wanted to see his other mother that way.

David looked back at her huge, sad eyes, his heart broke that she couldn’t see the ducks, and it only hurt more to know that they had no idea what she was talking about. “Emmy, I’m sorry kiddo,” he said genuinely sympathetic, “we can’t do that today. I promise we can do it another day, and the ducks will understand, they won’t be too sad they know that you’ve been poorly.”

Mary Margaret saw how sad she continued to look. “I’m sorry baby, but,” she paused for a quarter of a second as she tried to figure out if Emma would remember Regina, though she figured that it was worth a shot, “Regina’s coming around later.” Both she and David held their breath hoping that if she had any memories of the lady (fake or otherwise) that they were good.

Emma’s face lit up at that. “Auntie Gina?”

David’s eyes widened but Mary Margaret sent her a smile. “Yeah, baby, Auntie Regina. She’s going to hang out for a little while, is that okay?” She watched Emma nod her head and she continued to smile at her daughter. “That’s a good girl.” She realised that she was going to have to warn Regina about that too. She knew Regina wouldn’t mind too much… or at least she hoped… She looked at David who still looked distinctly amused at Emma’s name for Regina, though Mary Margaret knew that if Regina said something untoward that David would step in, so would she, they would do it when Emma was in her adult mindset if it weren’t for Emma making it clear that she didn’t want them to do it - so they always tried not to overstep, she did it slightly more successfully than David ever did.

She put one last piece of pancake into her mouth.  “Okay… Duckies tomorrow?” She said though there was a smile on her face which showed how excited she was to see the mayor. She quickly followed that sentence with. “Please, they’ll think we left them.”

David sighed internally, he didn't really want her out with her still having a cough plus it was already freezing out, the only thing which stopped him from saying no out loud was the pleading in Emma’s voice, it was clear that this meant something more to her, but they had no idea what, he couldn’t help but feel as though they were letting her down somehow. He stood up from his seat beside her and instead crouched down next to her, he watched her switch so that she was no longer kneeling but instead sitting on the cushions, he absentmindedly thought that they should probably think of a  better way to keep her able to see the table, he took hold of her hands as she looked at him. “I promise that as soon as your flu is gone we’ll wrap you up warm and we’ll go and feed the ducks. That might not be tomorrow, but mommy and I don’t want you getting really poorly again. If we can’t see them tomorrow mommy will let them know that you're poorly a that’s why you haven't been able to see them, but I promise you that they won’t think that we’ve left them.” He watched her examine his face to see if he was lying, a trait which made him wonder why this childish Emma, who clearly had memories with them, had had to develop a way to make sure people were telling the truth.

Emma looked into David’s blue eyes then eventually she slowly nodded her head. “ cause mommy can talk to them.” Emma mumbled.

David grinned. “That’s right, your mommy’s very clever, and the duckies will understand.” He pressed a kiss to his daughter’s forehead. After a couple of seconds he pulled back from her. “Have you finished eating kiddo?” She nodded again. He knew she had barely ate half of the amount he had given her, but it was more than she had been able to eat the previous few days. He accepted her answer, picked up her plate, he placed a kiss to the top of her head, before starting to collect the rest of the plates and dishes and various bits of cutlery from the table.

Mary Margaret smiled as she watched the pair talk though like David she wished that she could understand about the ducks, she would normally point out that it was a little more complex than simply talking to birds, but for Emma she was willing to simplify it. 

She picked Emma up into her arms, she knew that Emma was well enough to be able to walk around the loft by herself, but she knew she was still pretty weak and she was young and Mary Margaret just wanted to be able to hold her baby and her baby not protest it or put up walls like adult Emma would. She loved her daughter no matter her age, but her adult daughter was still trying to come to terms with the idea that she deserves love, it was hard for Mary Margaret, who remembered carrying her in her stomach and setting up the nursery in their castle and fantasising about their future with her husband and with their daughter, to try and give her the space she needed: and truth be told it hurt.

Emma felt herself being lifted up and smiled when she came on level with her mother. She quickly snuggled close to her for a few seconds then pulled away to see her mom’s loving face, she pressed a kiss to the end of her mom’s nose and giggled at the surprised look on her face. “Hiya mommy.” She grinned at her.

Mary Margaret started to laugh out of pure joy, though all her attention was on her daughter, she didn’t even notice David watching them from the island counter just as lovingly as she had been looking at David and Emma before. “Hiya my angel.” She quickly pecked kisses to Emma’s face, she took great joy in hearing her giggling. Eventually she stopped and allowed Emma to settle down again though she was still grinning happily.

“How about we get you changed and your hair done, while your daddy cleans everything up, then you can choose what we do in the loft until,” she paused for a minuscule fraction of a second, “Auntie Gina comes.”

Emma straightened her back and her smile changed to a bright one instead of an amused one. “Okay!” She said excitedly, but then she looked down at her pyjamas then brushed her hair back. “But mommy I like my bear jammies, look there’s little ones.” She pointed at the pandas on her pyjama pants.

Mary Margaret smiled at her word choices. “They are very pretty panda bear jammies, they're still clean so you can wear them when it’s bedtime if you like, and we can choose another set of comfy clothes for you now.” She wouldn’t force her to wear normal clothes if she really didn’t want to but she knew that if Emma suddenly came back to being her usual self she wouldn't be overjoyed for Regina to see her panda bear pyjamas. “Then we’ll make your hair all pretty.”

Emma bit her lip as she thought but then she nodded her head, some of her hair fell forward into her face and she brushed it back so it was lying on top of her head. “I like my lion hair.” She pouted.

David laughed from the kitchen, he spotted the amused but firm look on his wife’s face, so he tried to dampen his smile a little as Emma looked at him. He walked back over to his girls and stroked his thumb down Emma’s cheek while still grinning at her. “I love your lion hair too, it’s very cute, and it makes you look like a lion which is very cool… but Auntie Gina’s coming around, and I think if we leave your hair how it is now she might attack it to make it all tidy.” He pulled an over-exaggeratedly scared look at her making her giggle, though he was sure that if Regina did see Emma’s hair in her current state Regina would probably blame him then sort Emma’s hair out.

Emma thought for a couple of seconds before she nodded her head in agreement. “Okay, mommy can make my hair not lion-y.” She said somewhat sadly.

David and Mary Margaret shared a smile, Emma really was adorable, so was her curled bedhead. Their shared look turned into another one, a short conversation, which ended in a nod. “Good girl Emmy.” David praised and he was overjoyed to see her beaming at the praise. “While you do that I need to run a couple of errands, but I’ll be back in time for do whatever you want once you’re dressed and ready for the day.”

Emma pouted up at him with her big puppy dog eyes. “Daddy, I wanna go with you please.” She half begged.

David almost broke looking at those huge green eyes, but then he saw the look he was getting from another set of green eyes of someone he loved. He walked over to where Mary Margaret was holding their daughter, tea-towel over his shoulder. “You can come with me next time, kiddo,” he dropped his voice to a stage whisper, “I’ll get you a surprise when I’m there.”

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes playfully, though she wasn’t really that surprised, David was always getting small and subtle treats for Emma when he ran to the grocery store, or pretty much any other store. “Okay, daddy’s girl, let’s get your teeth cleaned and face washed, you have some of your pancake around your face.” She couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of the chocolate around her mouth.

“Okay mommy.” Emma agreed, she didn’t disagree at being called a daddy’s girl, nor did she mind having to get ready and dressed if it meant she got to choose what they got to do. She held out her arms to her dad to say goodbye to him. Once he took he took her into his arms she gave him a big hug, he reciprocated and hugged her tight. “Bye, bye daddy, love you.” She said breezily as though it were one of the easiest and most natural things. She kissed him and smiled.

David felt his heart swell. It seemed so easy for this younger Emma to say… to be able to show her affection and feelings. His voice caught in his throat and his eyes watered as he smiled at her, he wasn’t looking at Mary Margaret but he knew that she was doing the same. “I love you too, more than you’ll ever know, I love you.”  He hugged her tightly again, he loved his adult daughter but he couldn’t help but hope that she was like this for just a little longer, at least until he got back from the store. He somewhat reluctantly handed Emma back to his wife, and they shared a look of sympathetic encouragement.

*OUAT*

David arrived back at the loft with a couple of bags full of stuff, he was hesitant to even open the loft door, he had no idea what lay behind it: whether Emma would be an adult, still be a child, still be healthy, have taken a bad turn, both of the kids be crying and giving Mary Margaret a run for her money, or both of the kids be peacefully asleep and his wife to be peacefully relaxing.

He entered the loft slowly, the door creaked, the loft was quiet. Then suddenly he felt something wrap around his legs, if he weren’t as strong as he was he would have stumbled backwards. He looked down and saw the top of a little blonde head, her arms wrapped around his legs, which she only came up to his thigh, he knew that he was fairly tall but she really was very short. He switched one of the bags so it was in the arm with the other bag, then he scooped Emma up, she was giggling and looking proud of herself. He smiled at her with a look of love he reserved only for his closest loved ones. “Hey princess.”

Emma grinned back at him then cuddled her head close to him. “Hey daddy.” She copied with a cheeky grin. She noticed the bags and straightened her back so she could try and see into them. “What’s that?”

David grinned at her and moved the bags a little away. “Groceries your mommy asked me to pick up.” His grin turned to one which he reserved only for his daughter, he looked around as though he were looking for his wife, of course he saw his wife but pretended that she was nowhere around. “And I got you a treat.”

Emma grinned at him. “Thank you.” She met his whispering tone.

David kissed the top of her head. “You look very cute, I like the lion on your sweater.”  He told her as he walked towards the kitchen and put down the bags, she was just in grey sweatpants and a yellow hooded sweatshirt.

“Look at this!” Emma told him and put the hood up, her hair had been brushed but just hung down in ringlets, when she put the hood up she made them messier.

When she put the hood up David could see that there were two ears on the top, eyes, and nose with whiskers, there were orange patterned ribbon hoops around it all. David chuckled at the sight. “Oh no, where’s my Emma gone? And where did this little lion come from.” He reached the counter and placed the bags down upon it, he pretended to be worried about where she had gone, but he could see Mary Margaret chuckling so he shared a smile with her.

Emma giggled and pulled her hood down again. “I’m right here daddy, it’s just my clothes.” She assured him and watched him take a dramatic sigh of relief. She gently tapped his chest sympathetically. “It’s okay.”

David chuckled again and kissed her head again. “Well, that’s a really cool sweatshirt, but I’m glad I haven't lost my baby.” He watched as Mary Margaret looked through the bags without showing Emma what was inside. “Hey, d’you want your treat?” he asked his daughter.

“Which one?” Mary Margaret raised her eyebrow with humour. “There seems to be a few.”

David playfully rolled his eyes and moved his face towards Emma to whisper to her. “I think your mommy’s jealous of your treats.”

“Mommy needs treats too.” Emma whispered back to him.

David’s heart swelled at how sweet his daughter was. “Well, if your mommy would stop rooting through the bags I’d be able to give her the treat that I bought her.” He sent his wife a pointed look and she lifted both of her hands up in a ‘don’t shoot’ sort of way. David looked to see which bag was closer to him. “Close your eyes kiddo.” He waited for her to close them then he pulled out a soft toy, a bright yellow lion with orange fabric mane from the closest bag. “Okay, now open.”

“Woah! Is that for me?” Emma asked, she pulled the toy to her chest and hugged it, even without waiting for the answer.

David smiled down at her. “Yup, he’s all yours, you’ll have to think of a name for him.”

“Leo.” She told him straight away, she hugged the toy tighter to her, clearly overjoyed with the gift.

“That’s a brilliant name, sweetie.” Mary Margaret praised.

David reached into the bag again and pulled out an orange and red striped monkey, so similar to Emma’s that it was clear that they were from the same collection, he passed it over to Emma and saw that she looked confused. “This one’s for your brother, can you go and put it in his crib for me, but down near his feet not near his head.” He told her, she nodded her head so he started to place her onto the floor, but when her feet were on the ground he stayed crouched in front of her with his hands holding her sides. “Did you decide what you want to do before Auntie Regina comes?”

“Henry’s coming too.” Mary Margaret chipped in, she had rung Regina while she watched Emma brush her teeth, she had explained to Regina what had been going on who had then explained to Henry. “He decided that he wanted to come too.” She kept her words light but she made it clear to David that Henry knew everything and had decided to come anyway.

“Uh huh, we’re gonna watch a movie!” Emma announce, it wasn’t really a surprise, after all as an adult she loved watching movies, plus she was pretty easily exhausted both from being so small and from recovering being ill. She pursed her lips, frowned, and tilted her head a little to the side in thought. “I don’t know which one though.”

David kissed her forehead then put his hand against her cheek. “I have an idea about that too, but first I need you to give your little brother his monkey, then me and mommy need to talk to you about a little something.” He watched her face change. “You’re not in trouble, okay? I promise, it’s just something small that we need to talk about, but you’re not in trouble.” He smiled at her and stayed crouched down until she started to walk over to the crib.

Mary Margaret pulled out a packet of pull-ups from the bag closest to her, the picture showed that they were relatively plain with just some stars on them, made to disappear when wet. “Thank you for picking these up.”

David pulled out a similar pack from his bag, though those ones were Finding Dory themed with shells which disappeared when wet instead. “Those ones are for if Emma goes to bed in her adult mindset, they were as plain as I could find, these are for if she goes to bed like she is now.” He had been trying to figure out what would make it easier for whichever version of daughter was there, he knew that there was a possibility of Emma waking up the opposite of how she went to sleep, but he couldn’t control that. He could, however, try to make it a little easier in ways he could control.

“That is an amazing idea. You’re such a good father.” Mary Margaret put the packet down and walked over to her husband, she placed her hands on either of David’s cheeks, she pulled him down into a kiss. They both felt someone come between them and gently push them apart. They smiled as they looked down to see their tiny daughter. “Can we help you little missy?” Mary Margaret asked with a chuckle.

Emma tilted her head back with a cheeky smile firmly upon it. “I want kisses too.”

David and Mary Margaret both chuckled again, David scooped her up and they both started to kiss and tickle her, rejoicing in Emma’s innocent and hysterical laughter. They heard her starting to lose her breath so pulled away to let her catch it again.

“What are those?” Emma asked, when she finally caught her breath, she pointed at the Finding Dory pack. ”I like Dory.” She commented.

Mary Margaret and David nodded with a smile, that was no different then, as the movie was in the cinema while Mary Margaret was pregnant with Neal they couldn’t go to the movie theatre to watch it but Emma had insisted on hooking up her laptop to the television and she made them watch it. They had to admit the story of Dory finding her parents brought a smile to their eyes, it reminded them of the faith they put in their daughter to find them again when they decided to put her into the wardrobe, and Dory finding her parents again reminded them of Emma remembering them and coming back after she was in New York.

“Those are what we want to talk to you about, sweetie.” Mary Margaret told her kindly, she watched David grab both of the bags leaving her to grab the Dory packet of pull-ups, she followed him as he carried Emma over to the couch so they could talk. She sat sideways on the couch, facing David who sat the same way facing her with Emma on his lap, the bags from the store sat next to it.

She put the packet onto her lap and took hold of Emma’s hands with one of her own. “These are for you sweetie-“

“That’s a diaper. That’s not for me, Nealy wears them.” She interrupted.

David tightened his arms around his daughter a little. “They’re not a diaper, baby, they’re something else.”

“They’re like big girl panties sweetie. They’re called pull-ups. They’re specially made for night time, in case you have an accident, they don’t make you a baby and they’re not diapers, but they're here to help you.” She could see her daughter’s frown and knew that she was needing some reassurance and to understand that it was for the best. She sent a look to David to get him to chip in knowing both of them working together would work.

“Emmy, kiddo, do you remember what happened when you woke up in the night?” He paused and watched her nod her head a tiny bit. “You were scared and soaked, and I’m sure it made you feel really uncomfortable and sad. Now, mommy and I don’t mind having to change your jammies, and bed, and to give you baths… but we don’t want you to have to feel sad and scared, these would make your jammies stay dry, and your bed.”

“These also don’t mean that we won't give you baths, you’ll still be having lots of nice splashy baths from mommy, and I’m sure if you ask him daddy will give you one-“

“- And daddy gives better baths with bubbles and toys.” David turned her a little so she could wink at her making her smile.

Mary Margaret glared playfully at him. “That’s what he likes to think.” She told her making her daughter’s smile widen. “And you sometimes having accidents isn’t your fault, sweetie, sometimes these things just happen, sometimes there’s other reasons.” She watched her husband rub Emma’s arms and nod his head in agreement with her. “You were really, really little when you were born, that made it a little harder for your body to learn some things. You’re still my amazingly smart, beautiful, and brilliant daughter no matter what.” She spoke to both the child Emma and the adult one. “And it was harder for you to learn when you went through the wardrobe you weren’t taught very well.” She saw a look of confusion from Emma and shared a panicked look with David, little Emma clearly had a different life than Emma had, before she could put her foot in it more Emma’s confusion went.

“But you save me when I was,” she held up three fingers on her hand and started to count them, “one, two, three.”

David and Mary Margaret shared a look, one which could only be shared by two people involved in such an unnatural and bizarre situation, one of sadness, happiness, support, love, confusion, and want. “Yes, Emma Ruth, we did save you when you were three.” David agreed loving yet firmly. “Because we love you, we’ll always save you, and we’ll always find you.”

“Because you always find us.” She grinned as she knew her father’s line. “I love you too.” Emma added simply. It was clearly the easiest thing in the world for her to believe them. She looked down at the packet in her mother’s lap. “….Are they really Dory ones?”

Mary Margaret smiled at her, she knew that Emma could be persuaded to wear them, though she had a feeling an adult Emma would take a little more persuasion than this one. She opened the packet and took one out to show her. “Yup, see they have pictures of Dory all over them, your Daddy was very clever to pick these ones out he must know that you love Dory.” She was only half guessing at that one, but she had seen Emma’s face light up at the picture of the blue fish, so she must be correct. “And see these little purple shells, they go bye bye and disappear if they get wet, so you’ll be able to tell mommy or daddy that you need a change.”

Emma gingerly touched the pull-up then nodded. “But only at bedtime.”

“Only at bedtime.”

Emma nodded again. then her face lit up. “Can we watch Dory?”

David and Mary Margaret smiled at that. “We could.” David said with a pause “After all I got us some candy, popcorn, and I bought your mommy some fudge.” He pulled out the snacks from the bag and handed his wife the box of fudge he had bought for her. “Or…” He reached into the bag and pulled out a DVD “…We could watch Moana.” He suggested, after all his daughter had been on about watching the new Disney movie not too long ago.

Emma quickly grasped the DVD. “Moana please!” She said quickly.

“Then Moana it is.” David decreed.

David and Mary Margaret started to move to get everything set up. Mary Margaret put on the DVD and paused it so it wouldn’t start until they were ready, she grabbed a couple of blankets, including Emma’s special baby one. David popped the popcorn and put the snacks into bowls while Emma stayed settled on the couch, she stilled had the lion in her hands.

As David and Mary Margaret settled onto the couch on either side of Emma, with the bowls full of snacks and some drinks for them all, Emma heard a noise. “Mommy, Nealy’s awake.” She told her.

“Looks like your brother doesn’t want to miss out of movie day.” Mary Margaret smiled as she stood up to go and get her son to join them, she knew that the cry he was crying meant that he wanted to be held and to have attention. 

“He needs his monkey toy too mommy“ Emma moved a cushion and placed it on David’s lap as soon as he was comfortable in his place. She led her head on the cushion and half-heartedly covered herself with her baby blanket.

David ran his hand through Emma’s curls and adjusted her baby blanket so she was wrapped in it. “Comfy Emmy?” He stroked his hand through her hair as he watched her cuddle the toy he had bought her.

Emma stroked the yellow fur then led it on the couch beside her so the toy could watch the movie too. “Yeah.” Emma said followed by a small yawn.

David smiled as his wife and son settled beside them, it had been a while since Emma had woke up, he covered her with another blanket and checked her temperature, she was a little warmer than he would have liked but her fever had clearly broke. “Let’s start this movie, shall we?” He pressed play then placed one of his arms around Mary Margaret, and by extension Neal, and with his other he stroked her hair, knowing full well she wouldn’t stay awake through the whole movie.

*OUAT*

“Hey, Em.” Mary Margaret greeted cheerfully, she was waiting to see whether her daughter was still happy and bubbly when she woke up after her nap.

Emma threw her hand over her face and groaned at her mom’s tone, way too sunny, way too bubbly. “Hey mom.” She rubbed her eye with her fist and sat up. She suddenly realised that she was using David as a cushion. “Sorry dad, I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you… you can just push me off next time, though I- there won’t be a next time.”

“I wouldn’t push you off of my lap, Emma.“ David had had to swallow before he spoke so his words sounded a little off, it felt weird to call her ‘Emma’ after calling her ‘Emmy’ for half of the day, but he needed to separate the two versions of his daughter. Especially as he could almost feel the wall to her emotions appear by magic as she sat up. It wasn’t even a garden fence compared to how it used to be, but compared to the little girl who helped him make fruit salad that morning, the walls could have been Fort Knox. He shared a look with Mary Margaret she took his hand subtly and squeezed it, they tried to recover from the emotional whiplash as their daughter went from barely five years old to twenty-nine years. Mary Margaret let go of his hand so she could quickly hide the soft toy, little Emma had fallen in love with so quickly, which had fallen on the floor as Emma had slept inside the trunk like cabinet she knew that no one (Emma) wouldn't look in by accident. She didn’t look inside, and see the files which she and David had long forgotten about, she just quickly threw it in.

Emma frowned down at herself though luckily she didn't even notice Mary Margaret moving. “Was I just… did I… Was I…” She started but she knew she was just being ridiculous. It was just a dream… surely it was just a dream, if not her parents would tell her. When she finally looked up at them she had perfectly placed a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth and a slight dent between her brows, a look a happy and slightly confused amusement which she had mastered years before. “Did I just take a nap?” She said it as though it were the most absurd thing for her to do, after all she was an adult.

David and Mary Margaret shared another look. She didn’t remember it at all. Not one second. All she knew was that she woke up after being asleep in the middle of the day, the very definition of a nap. How were they going to be able to explain it?  They knew that would have to, but it felt as though they were keeping something secret from her, or as though they had done something wrong.

David swallowed again. “Yeah, yeah, you did.” David answered honestly, an easy and loving yet tiny smile came to his face. “We were watching a movie and you fell asleep on me.”

“Emma, we… we have something we have to talk about.” Mary Margaret continued, but before she could finish there was a knock at the door, she glanced at the clock and sure enough it was the time that they had arranged for Regina and Henry to arrive. “I’ll…” She sighed and stood up. “I’ll let them in.” She sent a look to David, which made it clear that she was going to explain to Regina and Henry that Emma was back to her adult mindset, and that she clearly didn't remember being in a younger mindset or know yet. He nodded in return.

Neither of them realised Emma noticing the communication between the two.

A small confused look came to Emma’s face, but it disappeared as she watched the door open.

Chapter Text

Emma had been having the most unusual dream, before she had woken up, it was both spectacular and impossible.

She had dreamt that she was a little kid, about the age she had de-aged to but maybe a little younger, however unlike most of her dreams from when she was that age this one wasn't bad. Her dreams from her being younger seemed to be mainly based upon her memories, and she didn't have very many good ones of those, in fact even the good ones were often tainted with the bad. But this one was different, in it she had had the same rather crappy (because of foster-homes and Homes) and miraculous (her parents saving her by putting her in a magical wardrobe) start. But the difference was in this dream her parents had found her and saved her, several years before it took place. They had found her and saved her, and she was happy. They had found her.
The idea seemed distant, and familiar, and she awoke with a strange sadness inside her and a longing feeling.

When she woke up she was a little confused, she had almost thought that she was in the dream after all both of her parents were there and there were signs of Neal he had been in the dream too, but when she had spoken it was as though she had splintered that entire delusion. Her parents were acting weird, yet she still had the feeling in her stomach, an innate need to be close to her parents which had only grown after that… dream? It must be a dream, it couldn't be anything else.

A cold feeling ran through her body when she heard the knock at the door, starting at her neck and running down her back, she remembered the day before being told by her mom that Regina and Henry would be coming, but the thing was, she wasn't even sure if the fear which ran through her was because of Regina and Henry seeing her how she was. Both of her parents stood up ready to greet their guests. Her body was not her own when, after watching her mom walk over to answer it, she ducked behind David and held onto his leg to make sure he wasn't going anywhere.

David felt something suddenly latch onto his leg, there was only one person it could be, yet he was still surprised to see Emma when he looked down. He gently took hold of her hand, forcing her to let go, then twisted and ducked, so he was now crouched in front of her. His hands were slowly and carefully rubbing her arms. "Em, what's wrong?" he kept his voice quiet but it was loud enough to draw her attention away from the door.

Emma opened her mouth to claim that nothing was wrong and that she was fine but instead "You're staying, too, right?" came out instead. Her voice was quiet and timid, and belonged to a part of her which had been dormant for a long time.

David continued to rub her arms and a small smile appeared on his lips. "Yeah, kiddo, I'm staying- me and your mom both are." He tried to soothe her without letting on that that was what he was doing. "It's just me, Mary Margaret, Regina, Henry, and you, just a relaxed evening."

Emma nodded her head, though she wasn't sure why she was so worried about it, a small smile on her face matched her father's. "Okay… What… What are they going to…" She tried to find the words but couldn't, so she settled for a few spluttering words and a look at her dad which he luckily understood straight away.

"Henry and Regina already know what's going on." He didn't mention that they seemed to know more than Emma did, that was a conversation which belonged between Emma and her parents, no one else. He smiled encouragingly. "Henry's fine with it, he's a good kid, you know him he probably just finds this cool rather than scary."
He watched her smile and his own smile grew, they both knew that his grandson was always able to find the wonder in the weirdness their family had to deal with, though David still hated the fact that his daughter was worried. He leant forward to press a kiss to Emma's forehead, he felt her lean into it, when he leant back he tipped her head back using his fingers under her chine to look him in the eyes. "Remember to rest your arm and don't overdo yourself." He gave her a knowing look.

Emma rolled her eyes playfully. "I'm fine dad."

David smiled fondly at her, he was surprised at how quickly he had gotten used to her calling him 'daddy', and although he loved having his adult daughter back he missed that version of her too.
"Sure you are." He made sure she knew that David didn't even begin to believe that. "Good thing that me and your mom aren't leaving you, then, that way we can stop you from overdoing yourself." He raised his eyebrow challengingly at her, he noticed the small smile on her face when he mentioned that he and Mary Margaret would be there, but he didn't point it out.

~OUAT~

Mary Margaret opened the door but stepped into the hallway to talk to Henry and Regina before they could enter the loft.

Regina raised her eyebrows in surprise that they weren't being invited in, she was about to make a quip that she knew that she was raised to politely invite people in not to shove them out into the hallway, but then she caught sight of her face. She placed a hand onto her son's shoulder and gently squeezed it, keeping him quiet until Mary Margaret was ready to talk. "Mary Margaret?" She prompted gently.

"Emma's back to her adult mind." She told them, like ripping off a bandaid, she figured she should tell them that straight away. "She doesn't even remember acting like a toddler."

Regina frowned that probably wasn't a good sign, but she waited for her step-daughter to continue.

"It's like she took a nap as a normal toddler would and she woke up as an adult who had only been napping because she was recovering from being ill."

Henry looked between his mom and grandma, his eyebrows were tugged together in worry, his lips pursed. "Is my mom going to be okay?" He watched Mary Margaret look at Regina, it was the first time he could remember his grandma ever looking scared, even if she was trying to hide it from him. He looked at his mom too.

Regina glanced over at Henry then back at Mary Margaret, she sighed. "This type of magic… well, I've never seen it before, there's only a few I've even seen written about."
She reached her hand up and touched Henry's cheek, she wished she had better words of comfort, or that she could just magic Emma back to normal purely for his sake (plus she would never admit it, but she wasn't too keen with how scared Mary Margaret was, they were family after all).

"I don't believe that Emma's in any physical danger from the magic."

Mary Margaret tilted her head to the side, she could hear the double meaning in Regina's statement, and if it was what she thought it was she wasn't surprised that she didn't want to say it in front of Henry.

Before Regina could speak to send Henry away, to go and talk to David and Emma, Henry spoke. "But…but you think she might stay like this, she might…" He took a breath, calming himself, trying to come to terms with all of it. "She might stay like this, but her mind a toddler's one, without us being able to turn her back."

Regina gave him a sympathetic smile. "We're not at that point yet Henry."

"But it could happen?" He asked firmly.

Regina smiled, a sad smile, but a smile nonetheless. Her son was much, much, too clever for his own good. "It could." She placed her arm around him and pulled him into her side. "We're going to do everything we can to get your mom back." She looked over at Mary Margaret as she spoke, making sure she knew that the words and sympathy were for her too.

Henry bit his lip and looked at his grandmother. "Is she happy?" He asked and saw her looking surprised and confused. "Toddler her, I mean, is she happy?"

Mary Margaret swallowed a minute, she didn't know what answer would least upset him, but she also wasn't about to lie to him. "She is." She told him gently.

There was a half second of silence between the three before Henry nodded his head. "Okay," he would rather have his mom but if that shouldn't happen at least she'd be happy, "as long as she'd happy, I'm fine."

Mary Margaret smiled at her grandson, not only did he have the heart of the truest believer, he was selfless – his love for his family would always mark him down as the biggest hero in her book. She pressed a kiss to his forehead, while she was still slightly taller than him, then pulled back to smile at him. "You're a good boy Henry."

Henry half shrugged with a smile at the praise, not knowing what to say, so just brushing it off without words. He felt his mother's hand rubbing a circle onto his back so turned to look at her.

"Why don't you go and give Emma the gift you got her?" She suggested nodding towards the gift bag in Henry's hand and Mary Margaret opened the door to the loft once again. But before they stepped inside Regina gently squeezed Henry's arm. "Henry, sweetheart, don't mention Emma's mind being younger in front of her, okay?" She stared at him in a way which wasn't going to answer any questions he asked while they were at the apartment. She watched him nod his head before she let him lead the way into the loft.

~OUAT~

It was weird for Henry, to see his mom looking so young, it didn't help that she looked way younger than the five year old she said she was, if anything she looked more like the younger age she thought she was when she was in her toddler mindset. But he could still see his mom in the toddler's face, and the equal mix of his grandparents, he could even see a few similarities between Emma and himself when in the photographs of when he was about two.

It was also weird to see his grandpa having to crouch down in front of Emma, he was used to her being fairly short, but David having to crouch down in front of her really wasn't making it easy to remember that she was still (currently) an adult. He walked over to David and Emma with an easy smile on his face and the gift bag swinging at his side. "Hey mom, hey gramps."

Emma moved closer to David and bit her lip a little nervously. "Hey kid… sorry about all this…" She gestured vaguely to herself, not sure how Henry would feed about it, she didn't even really understand how she felt about it. Most of it sucked, such as the (in her opinion) unmentionable bedwetting problem, but it had been nice having her mom and dad fuss over her while she was ill, not that she'd tell them that.

Henry shrugged carelessly and the smile stayed on his face. "It's okay, I was already almost taller than you, so I should probably get some used to looking down on you anyway." He smirked down at her as she glared up at him, it wasn't as affective as it usually was on him, in fact he had to stop himself from saying 'aw' out loud. He dropped to sit down sideways on the couch and watched his mom scramble up taking the same position facing him. "Don't worry mom, I'm sure that you'll be back to normal in no time," he bit his lip when he remembered Regina's fears, "and no matter what you'll always be my mom and I love you."

David stood up from where he was couched, feeling a slight burn for a second in his muscles after having been crouched there for a while, he smiled seeing Emma relaxed again and Henry didn't mind what had happened which was a good sign, he ruffled Henry's hair before subtly slipping away to go and talk to Regina and Mary Margaret.

Henry held out the gift bag, taking all of Emma's attention, so she didn't even notice David leaving their side. "Here, I got this for you." He watched Emma eyeing him carefully and he chuckled. "It's not a bomb, I promise."

"Well, if it is a bomb and it goes off your grandma will kill you for messing up her loft, then possibly kill me too." She frowned at the thought but pulled out the wrapped box.
She had a suspicion it wouldn't have seemed so big and heavy if she were in her usual adult body, but now she had to have Henry help her with lifting it out of the bag. She tore the shiny paper off the package with her unbroken , then opened the cardboard box, and grinned at her son.
"Henry, this is awesome, I love them." She grinned and took the walkie talkies out of the box. They were a slightly more modern version of the ones they had used before the curse had broken. The gift had clearly been wrapped up by Regina as the shiny wrapping paper had been precisely done with its sharp edges and exact amount of tape needed, but the present was clearly picked out by Henry.

Henry smiled wholeheartedly, his mom may have claimed that she wasn't sentimental but he knew she was really, not that she really tried to hide it so much anymore. "I got my mom to boost the signal so now we can talk no matter where we are in town, plus it changes colour when they're close to each other." He picked one up smiling as he examined them. Suddenly he felt two small arms around him, he smiled when he looked down to see his mom hugging him, he patted the top of her head lovingly. When she pulled away she looked slightly embarrassed about hugging him while so short, she wasn't used to being so short in comparison to her son, he just grinned at her he figured it would be really weird for her – but he knew how to get her to relax again.
"Plus these will help now that your hands are too small to use your fingerprint unlock on your cell phone." He smirked.

Emma pulled her tongue out at Henry making him laugh, she had been having trouble with that and with using her phone in general, but his intent had worked she was much more relaxed again now. "Yeah well, at least I can't be grounded and have it take from me."

Henry chuckled as they fell back into their usual banter. "At least I can reach the cookie jar." He smirked and saw Emma smirk in return.

"Hey, kid, I have a plan."

~OUAT~

As Henry and Emma started to talk, David walked over to the bedroom where Mary Margaret was stood in the doorway staring at him, so to gesture him over to them once he got there he was led by the hand into the bedroom by his wife.

"I told Regina that Emma doesn't remember being a toddler." She explained quietly to David trying to get him caught up so that Regina could tell them what she had been avoiding saying when Henry was there without David being confused.

"As I was telling Mary Margaret Emma will end up having more of these episodes where she's in a toddler mindset, and there's a possibility that Emma might stay a toddler forever." She informed them gently. She never would have thought that she would have felt affection for this family, let alone that they would become her own family too, not that she'd admit that to them.

"Wait, but we already knew that, it's the reason why the Blue Fairy has been working so hard to try and find a way to turn Emma back to her usual adult self." David frowned, it wasn't exactly new information, plus the Blue Fairy working so hard to change Emma back made him slightly uncomfortable though he wasn't sure why.

Regina frowned at that she'd have to make sure that the blue flea wasn't going to endanger Emma's life just to get back the so-called saviour. "Well, from what Mary Margaret had told me, when Emma's a toddler she has completely different past than she does."

"Well, obviously, she acts like she's about three or four." David crossed his arms over his chest, and tilted his head to his side in confusion, he wasn't sure why Regina was telling them what they already knew.

Regina rolled her eyes. "Well I know that, idiot, I mean she might not have even been with the first foster family, she could have any past."

David and Mary Margaret shared a look, they were both quiet for a minute, trying to figure out what it would mean for Emma and the rest of their family. "There's got to be a way we can find out what these fake memories are." Mary Margaret said eventually.

"Yeah, Mary Margaret has a point," David agreed looking at Regina, "Emma was upset enough when we told her that we couldn't go to feed the ducks because we gave her the excuse that she was still getting better, she'd be heartbroken if she realised we had no idea what was going on."

Regina nodded slowly as she tried to figure out a plan. "I should be able to alter a dreamcatcher so it will only show Emma's fake memories, that way you'll be able to know what she remembers and act so she doesn't get upset." Mary Margaret gave her a knowing smile, at caring about the feelings of their family, and she rolled her eyes, trust her to pick up on that.
"There's something else." Her tone must have changed as David tilted his head up and narrowed his eyes slightly as though preparing for a fight and Mary Margaret looked at her cautiously. She talked quietly and seriously. "You can't tell Emma how she turned into a toddler."

"What?" The couple said at the same time, both confused and trying to figure out if she was playing a joke or not.

"Regina," Mary Margaret sighed when she realised she was being serious, "we're not keeping this from our daughter."

"It's bad enough she's the size of a toddler, we can't just lie to her about something as important as this, she needs to know." David added in agreement.

"You have to." Regina insisted. "I'm not saying you have to lie…well, not unless she directly asks you about it. I'm not doing this for my own fun! If Emma finds out it might freak her

"It'll freak her out more if she starts missing time and then suddenly finds out what happened!" David argued becoming irate, he looked between Mary Margaret and Regina, he found his wife was staring at Regina, he didn't understand why she was thinking about hearing her out.

Regina struggled to keep her anger under control. "Of course I've thought of that!" She glanced towards the curtain but Henry and Emma were still talking, nevertheless she dropped her volume again. "But, if you would let me finish talking I could tell you that, it could be dangerous for Emma if she finds out."

"What do you mean?" Mary Margaret asked, worry was riddling every line on her face, her eyes flickered to David's face and saw his worry matched her own.

Regina sighed internally, she could have sworn that she had just told David to let her finish talking, but apparently neither of them were about to do that. The only reason she didn't sigh externally was because she understood maternal worries only too well. "If it freaks Emma out too much it could expedite how often she's in a child's mindset and the more that happens the higher the chance she changes into one, permanently. Just don't tell her for a week, at most, just give me a little bit longer to study this and make sure it's safe for Emma to know."

David's face dropped, he couldn't remember the last time he had felt so lost, he looked at his wife having a silent conversation.

They didn't want to lie to Emma, that wasn't what they did to their daughter, they would never lie to her especially over something so big… But if they didn't tell Emma it could give Emma a better chance of turning back to the adult version of her. It would be really helpful if they could have just talked to Emma about what she thought they should do, but it was impossible of course. They were her parents so they would have to make the choice, without her knowing, almost as though she really was a toddler.

David wrapped his arm around Mary Margaret and dropped a kiss to the top of her head. They nodded their heads at Regina in agreement.

"Regina?" Mary Margaret looked Regina in the eye, she was feeling worried, but her tone was calm. "You are going to be able to find something to change Emma back to an adult, aren't you? Some potion or spell or a magic item of some form."

Regina sighed why did she always have to ask questions? "Couldn't you just be an idiot like the other idiot?" She said wearily.

"Hey." David protested out of habit, but was more concerned about her answer to his wife's question.

"There is a possibility that she might not be able to change back, I've only heard of one potion which would have a slim chance of changing Emma back, but it's too dangerous, it could kill her."

"No." David said firmly.

"We're not doing anything which will put Emma in danger." Mary Margaret agreed.

"That's why I haven't mentioned it."

Mary Margaret sighed and gave her a small smile. "We know, Regina, we know you're working hard to help us, thank you."

David smiled at her too. "Yeah, thanks Regina."

Chapter Text

The adults exited the bedroom with David leading the way Neal snuggled in his arms, David and Mary Margaret had agreed to not tell Emma, on account of there being no other choice, though it was with heavy hearts... or heart considering they only had one half of one heart each.

"Coffee or tea Regina?" Mary Margaret offered pleasantly.

"Tea, please, I'll help you."

"Daddy's going to have some coffee, isn't he," David lifted Neal close to his face and pressed a kiss to his cheek, "he is." He continued to coo at his son. "because daddy has to keep up with his troublemakers, doesn't he?"
As though on cue he walked out of the bedroom into the kitchen and found Emma and Henry already in there. "Look, buddy, there's two troublemakers now." Emma was sat on Henry's shoulders and was reaching both of her arms up to grab the cookie jar from the shelf.

Emma froze and slowly looked at him while biting her lip. "Oops…?"

David had to force himself not to laugh at Emma's face, while Henry was looking slightly abashed, Emma really did look like a little kid with her hand caught in the cookie jar. He turned back to Mary Margaret to share a brief amused look as he put Neal into her arms.
He walked over to his daughter and grandson, and swooped Emma into his arms, taking the cookie jar from Emma and placing it down on the counter in one swift movement. He looked at her with one eyebrow raised, but he couldn't hide the amusement on his face.

"Whoops?" Emma offered again, this time from in David's arms.

David chuckled and rolled his eyes playfully. "You need to be careful with your arm, no more using it." He gave her a long look reminding her of their conversation not too long ago until she sighed. He scooped out three cookies from the jar and passed them a cookie each, keeping one for himself.

"Honestly, David, you're as bad as the kids." Mary Margaret chided but she had a smile on her face. She walked into the kitchen with Regina following behind her, she noticed Regina was trying to hide a smile herself.

Regina shooed David, Emma, and Henry out of the kitchen. "Mary Margaret and I are going to make apple pie for desert, while whoever is the most mature of the three of you can babysit… that's probably Henry."

"Let's play Mario Kart!" Emma suddenly decided, her face lit up at the idea of being able to play the video game against Henry and her father, it also stopped David from being about to bite back at Regina.

"Em," David reminded her gently, "you can't hold the controller with your broken arm." His heart broke at seeing her face fall. He sighed internally and tried to figure out a way to make her smile again. "…But me and you could go on the same team? We'll easily beat Henry that way." He watched her smile slowly appear.

She thought it through for a couple of minutes. "You could steer and I'll do the boxes." She smiled fully.

Henry smiled at the pair, he could see that his grandparents were really going out of their way to make sure that Emma was comfortable, not that he expected anything different from them. "I'll set it all up." He announced as he sped to the living room.

David shared a smile with Mary Margaret, he nipped back into the kitchen with Emma still in his arms, he pressed a kiss to the top of Neal's head, then kissed his wife.

"Ew, come on guys!" Emma protested with a whine despite finding them sweet really. "Children present! Do you really have to scar us for life?"

"You notice how she only ever calls herself a child when it's advantageous to her?" David smirked and didn't even wait for Mary Margaret to reply when he ducked down to quickly and loudly kiss his wife, purely to wind Emma up.

Emma threw her head against David's chest, hiding her face against it, and groaned loudly. "Daaaaaaaad!" She protested but didn't move her head from where it was tucked even as the noise quickly stopped.

"David." Mary Margaret chastised but there was laughter in her voice which even Emma could hear the muffled version of.

David chuckled and started to walk out of the kitchen with Emma in his arms. He ran his hand through her curls which had only been made messier during her nap. "Em, it's safe, you can come out now." He grinned down at her as she looked up at him with a playful glare and a pout, he couldn't resist but to press a kiss on top of the golden ringlets he had just been stroking. "Come on, let's go show Henry how it's done."

~OUAT~

Henry had set up the controllers in the steering wheel accessories, and the game was ready for them to pick which characters they wanted to be, he had already selected Mario as he always did. He watched David settle down onto the couch beside him, leaning against a cushion with Emma in his lap, Henry held out the control to his grandfather when he realised that his mother wouldn't be able to take it with her one good hand and once David had tucked a throw over his and Emma's laps Henry was free of it.
"You're going down old man."

David looked down at Emma with one eyebrow raised. "Do you remember when he was just a nice little boy who wanted to just be taught how to fight with wooden swords? Now he's just a sassy teenager."

Emma laughed at David's overly dramatic tone, he sounded as though he was trying too hard to be in a high school production of a Shakespearian play. "A sassy teenager who's going to lose." She corrected.

Henry chuckled and rubbed the back of his head before smoothing his hair down again. "Sure I am, mom, sure I am."

"Which one do you want to be kiddo?" David asked his daughter, he held the Wii remote so that Emma could press the plus shaped button to choose which one she wanted.

Emma pressed the button until she got to the character she always chose. She heard David chuckle quietly and looked up at him confused. "What's funny."

David smirked good naturedly. "Well, if I knew that you were going to pick Toad yet again I'd have just pressed it straight away."

"Yeah, Gramps, why didn't you just assume it and press it straight away?" A smirk appeared on Henry's face which was a perfect copy of the one his father used to pull.

Emma rolled her eyes at the pair of them nevertheless she pressed the button to pick the red toad. "Dad," She pouted up at him, "you're meant to be on my team."

He took the remote back and flicked their character so they were on the red team, he knew that Emma tended to pick the red team. He had figured it was her favourite colour but after their conversation, he started to wonder if her favourite colour was still yellow like when she was younger, or if that really was her favourite colour when she was however old she had been acting, if not when had it changed?

Henry pressed the buttons to choose his kart and waited while David and Emma decided which to use. He watched them as they talked and Emma kept trying to take the remote from him which David kept lifting it up just out of her reach. He was glad that his mom was looking better, from being ill anyway, it was still weird for him to see her looking like a little kid – one even younger than Roland…. But she looked happy, and he figured she was probably an even happier when she was unaware that she wasn't always just a kid.
He still wanted his mom, she was his mom after all…. but if his other mom couldn't find anything, if there wasn't any safe way for her to turn back into an adult again he would be cool with it. He heard the noise as David and Emma finally picked a bike – Emma had clearly thought that it was enough to just be quick while David had tried to tell her that a combination of all the parts were important. Henry turned his attention back to the screen and grinned when he realised his grandfather had given in and his mother had won the fight.

"Mushroom-"

"I know mom." Henry said with laughter in his voice, he had already pressed the button and the music as the racetrack was shown on the screen played. "You didn't even have to tell me, you always want to play the mushroom cup… though even that won't work to your advantage, I'm still just better than you at video games."

"I taught you how to play them!" Emma protested.

Although Emma couldn't see him, David smiled sympathetically down at her, he knew that she and Henry were only bantering as they usually did but now that Emma physically looked and sounded like a toddler her words came out in a whine they sounded slightly like they weren't true because of it – as though Emma was Henry's younger sister, not his mother. His mind was about to drift back to the morning and Regina's warning, or fear, that Emma would be such a young child permanently. Henry would lose one of his mothers, they would lose one version of Emma, but would gain another version of Emma who they could raise alongside their other child and give her a happy and safe childhood. But there was no time to think about that, the game was about to start and Emma hadn't tried to take hold of the steering wheel yet, it took David a moment to see why, Emma was right handed as was the steering wheel accessory, she wouldn't be able to press the buttons to release the boxes as she had been planning on doing.
He quickly hit pause before the game could start and Emma looked up at him surprised that he was waiting to find a way which would mean she could play too, he hated that she clearly still wasn't used to having people wanting to spend time with her and want her to be part of the fun no matter what.
He gently took hold of her left hand and guided it to the left side of the steering wheel. "Here, you take that side, I'll take this one." He told her and smiled when her tiny hand gripped onto left side. "Just let me know when to fire at Henry's team, you're much better at this than I am."
If truth be told she was, the Wii had originally been bought when the curse had broken and they needed a way to bond with each other, Mary Margaret had deemed it was at least slightly healthier than other games consoles. He didn't expect Emma's hand-eye coordination to be up to the level she was when she was an adult, but he figured she could still boss him about – very much her mother's daughter.

The three of them started to play. The first race David and Emma lost, it had taken them two laps to get used to playing together and by then Henry's team had won. But the next lap they were ready, they quickly started to race through the farm style lap, the two falling back into their usual dynamic of working together, David followed Emma's directions leading him to take shortcuts to make them fly through the air, and they swerved past the cows perfectly. As they used the ramp during their last lap Henry was right on their tail, David was surprised when suddenly Emma turned the wheel to make them knock Henry off as they started to fly, apparently it surprised Henry too.

"Hey! No fair!" He protested though it was clear that he was amused by it.

"All is fair in love, and war, and Mario Kart." Emma retorted without missing a beat. She and David sped over the finishing line, beating Henry's team easily.

"Yes!" David and Emma cheered triumphantly at the same time. David held an open hand in front of her and Emma obliged in giving him a high five.

"I'm so going to beat you two this time." Henry growled playfully.

"In your dreams, kid." David laughed him off as though he had just claimed that he would beat his grandfather in a sword fight.

Emma had a similar laugh to her father, but coming from someone the size of a three year old it sounded a looked a lot more adorable, as though she was a toddler copying her father. "Yeah, Henry, you know this next course is mine."

Henry rolled his eyes but he didn't even try to argue that bit, although he had his natural ability with video games which seemed to come with being a teenager, his mom loved the Mushroom Gorge track to the extent he was pretty sure that she would even be able to do it with her one arm and blindfolded while putting barely any effort into it.

The three started to race once again, David and Emma speeding off as soon as the screen told them to go, they raced towards the first set of the bouncing mushrooms and David led Emma in turning the wheel ever so slightly to knock Henry off of the mushroom.

"Hey! Grandpa!" He had expected it from his mother, but for his grandfather to lead the sabotage of his race was rare.

David chuckled. "Sorry, Henry, but me and your mom are gonna win."

Emma, at a contrast to Henry, was beaming. "Dad, next time we jump, flip the control up."

"What? Why?" David asked somewhat distractedly.

"Just trust me."

Sure enough the next time they jumped on one of the mushrooms, they flipped up the control, the control vibrated slightly and their avatar did a trick in the air, when they landed their bike got a boost edging them way in front of all of Henry's team. Emma pulled the wheel up, David copying her so they would skid off the track, though he wasn't sure why she was doing it. Emma and David did a wheelie over the line as Henry turned the corner of the last stretch.

"Yes!" Emma threw her arms into the air in celebration, she winced a little at the heaviness of the cast on her arm, a dull ache, soothed by medicine already taken, vibrated through it but it wasn't quite pain it was just uncomfortable. David's hand carefully took hold of the cast and gently tugged it down so that it was lying in her lap instead, she rolled her eyes, she wouldn't admit it but it did feel a little better.

"Careful of your arm, kiddo." David gently reminded her, he knew that he had only just reminded her of it, but he was sure that she wasn't doing it to be insolent she had just forgotten.

The points came up on the screen for each team, Emma and David were ahead but if Henry's team won the next race he would win, Henry noticed this and leant forward his elbows were on his knees and he stared at screen intently. Emma, on the other hand, stayed leant backwards, comfortable using her father as a cushion.

The race began, the three of the playing, they trash talked each other as they raced through Toad's Factory, they swerve to grab the object boxes and avoid being squished into the ground, they zigzagged to the arrows to speed their way through the mud, and they eventually launched themselves off of the ramp. They repeated this three times. In the final lap, Henry's and David and Emma's vehicles were head to head as they jumped off of the ramp for the last time, Henry landed slightly in front of them and Emma pulled the steering wheel accidently slowing them down. David desperately tried to steer them onto the right track and speed up.
Henry crossed over the line first and erupted into a cheer.

Emma sighed, she let go of the steering wheel and slouched down a little bit, she tried to plaster on a fake smile so not to be a sore loser, but she was doing a bad job. She normally didn't mind so much she didn't get why it was bothering her so much. She noticed her dad staring at her with an amused look on his face. "I let the kid win."

David chuckled and couldn't even bother to hide his amusement anymore. A mock serious look appeared on his face, his brows lowered and his lips narrowed to a thin line though the corners were slightly pulled up, he nodded his head. "Of course you did, kiddo, of course you did."

Henry watched his mom and grandpa's conversation while laughing slightly, his face was completely lit up with amusement and joy, his mom wasn't usual a sore loser (his grandma on the other hand was) and it was hilarious to him. He gave her a cheeky smile. "It's okay mom, I can teach you how to actual play the game if you want, that way you might actually stand a chance at winning."

Emma grabbed a cushion from the seat beside her and tried to throw it at her son, but it was too heavy for her to gain trajectory, it flopped pathetically onto the floor and Henry fled from the room laughing loudly.

~OUAT~

Mary Margaret walked past Henry, who was still laughing loudly as he headed into the kitchen to grab a drink, she shook her head and smiled fondly as she headed towards the living room, she was glad to see him smiling and that he could get to spend some time with his mom as his mom. Her fond smile stayed on her face as she reached the den. Emma was still sat on David's lap, the pair were laughing at something and it took her a moment to realise that David was tickling their daughter, Emma's laughter filled the room better than any music at any ball she had ever been to. Mary Margaret slowed her walking by a fraction so she could take in the sight, she was slightly surprised that Emma hadn't objected to the hooded lion sweatshirt she was still wearing, she either hadn't noticed it or didn't care.

How could she and David lie to her? No not lie, she had to remind herself they wouldn't lie to her, but they would be keeping something important from her even for a little while.
She had to shake the thought from her mind, if it was for Emma's health they would keep it from her, even at the possibility of her being less than happy at them. She just hoped she understood.
Mary Margaret walked over and sat beside David and Emma, smiling broadly at them, David must have noticed the look in her eyes as his smile turned both comforting and sympathetic it was clearly on his mind too.

Emma didn't notice, she did however take advantage of David's distraction to wiggle off of his lap and sat in the small gap between her two parents, she beamed proudly at having been able to escape David's tickling.

Mary Margaret tucked one of Emma's curls behind her ear, smiling lovingly at her, her thumb brushed her cheek as she did so, her skin was baby soft and as paled as Mary Margaret's was. She stroked the back of her fingers against the cheek, she was still warm, but it wasn't hot enough to be classed as a fever any more. The medicine for her arm pain would take care of it anyway.

Emma smiled up at her mom, as the fingers were brushed against her cheek, she leant her head against them in response. She watched her mom's smile get bigger. "Mom?"

Mary Margaret brushed another invisible strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah baby?"

"What's for dinner? It's not something healthy, is it?"

David and Mary Margaret laughed at the whine in her voice. The laughter was still evident in Mary Margaret's voice when she answered her. "Well, I can always find you something healthy to eat." She offered, "but otherwise I suppose takeout pizza will have to do."

Emma's face lit up despite the teasing in her mom's answer. It was very rare they would have actual takeout pizza. In her excitement she quickly bounced closer to her mom, and wrapped her arms around her, Mary Margaret responded in like by gently squeezing her daughter. "That sounds good to me, mom."

David chuckled at the pair of them. He grabbed his wallet to get some money out of it to pay for the pizza, he had figured out that that was what his wife had originally been going to get money from her purse, but he didn't want to interrupt her and Emma's hug.

~OUAT~

The family all crowded into the living room to eat the pizza when it arrived. Regina was sat in an armchair, she ate her pizza with a knife and fork, and split her time between watching the movie and smiling at Neal who was sat in his bouncy chair next to the couch.
Emma sat in between her parents on the couch, although the pizza was in boxes on the coffee table for everyone to help themselves to slices, Emma's was cut into smaller pieces so it was easier for her to eat. "I still can't believe you two haven't seen this." She commented to her parents, her mouth was full of the cheesy goodness, and she had sauce around her mouth.

Mary Margaret had been splitting her attention between her kids, food, and The Mummy movie they had on. She managed to restrain herself from wiping Emma's mouth, judging from the smirk on David's face he knew it was killing her not to, she rolled her eyes playfully at her daughter. "Well, you've only just made us watch it, I was stuck with a VCR and movies from pre-1983." She reminded her. "I didn't even own a DVD player until you moved in."

Emma smiled back, she had forgotten about that, it felt as though she had been in Storybrooke forever not how long she really had been. "Well, you've missed out."

"Me and mom used to watch this when I was little," Henry mused he said mom the way he always did when he meant Regina, he smiled over at his adoptive mother, "it was the only slightly scary movie I was allowed to watch."

Regina grinned back, she knew that before the curse there was problems with her parenting style partially due to the anxiety of the curse possibly being broken, but there was plenty of good times too. She chuckled slightly in answer to his comment. "You still ended up sleeping in my bed most times because you were scared that Imhotep would be in your room."

The entire family laughed good naturedly, finding Henry cute instead of laughing at his expense, both Mary Margaret and Regina could remember Henry as a small boy, though of course the boy's grandmother's memories were from afar.

Emma looked at the grinning boy, her and Henry's fake memories from New York had faded they were now more like memories of a distant dream, but she could still slightly see the young boy in her teenager's face. "I went to see this movie too," she felt her parents' eyes upon her so she continued, "I went to the movie theatre to watch it. I ended up sleeping with all of the lights on."
The lights had been the ones in her bug, she had been sixteen and had only recently run away, stolen the car, and met Neal; the pair had snuck into the movie theatre to watch it, it was a good memory for Emma now she was at peace with her past with Neal, but she didn't tell her family the details of it.

Emma felt as though her parents were watching her, but she whenever she glanced in their directions they were looking at the screen or would comfortingly smile at her, she didn't that anything was necessary wrong her parents were just acting weird. But she knew that her parents would tell her if something was actually wrong.

~OUAT~

The family carried on eating and watching the movie, every so often one of them would make a comment, but mostly they were just captivated in the movie. Emma found herself associating Rick and Evie with her parents, the banter was the same as her parents had every day which also seemed to end up in kissing which Emma made a big deal about but she found it sweet even if she did prefer it happen far away from her, plus like the characters her mother and father hadn't exactly been fond of each other when they had first met, that was putting it mildly she supposed. Somehow the movie meant more to her now, as though she had been able to know what her parents were like, before she had actually known them.
Emma was the first to finish, only eating two slices of pizza, which didn't seem like much but considering she was only just better from the flu and was so small it was quite an achievement. She leant forward so she could put her plate onto the coffee table.

David grabbed hold of the back of Emma's sweatshirt as Emma leant forward to stop her from falling face first from the couch, he lowered his arm to help her lower herself down then pulled her back up in a crane like manner. When she sat back up she had her phone now in her hands too, and was grinning at David, David shook his head but couldn't keep the smile from his face. "Trouble." He chided playfully as he grabbed another slice of pizza.

Emma just stuck her tongue out at him and settled back in between him and Mary Margaret. She tried to unlock her phone to search the web to find out the actor who played Rick, she knew his face and was sure she had seen him in other things but just couldn't quite remember his name or what those things had been. She placed her thumb on the home button for it to read it and unlock, her eyes were on the screen when she felt her phone vibrate and read 'try again', after the third time that happened the numbers appeared on the screen and she was told to use her touch I.D or to enter her passcode. She growled in frustration and slowly entered the numbers, she did it wrong the first time and growled again, she concentrated hard the next time and finally unlocked her phone. She brought up google and the keypad automatically appeared and Emma looked at the letters and found herself feeling a bit lost. They were familiar enough that she knew how to spell everything she wanted to search out, but it felt as though she really needed to concentrate on it, like it was in slow motion or something… like she had just learnt it. It didn't seem as though she should be as impacted with it as she was, but it made it slow, it was frustrating and worrying and she found herself huffing and mumbling in frustration under her breath.

Her mumbling and noises were always quiet enough that they didn't disrupt Henry or Regina, but her parents heard her, David and Mary Margaret shared a look above Emma's head. They could see her taking her time and deleting letters as she concentrated, growing more frustrated by the nanosecond. It made sense, their looks said, after all they were warned that she would start to become more childish something which would only increase.

"She's going to notice something's wrong with her reading and writing.", David's look said, "How are we going to be able to keep what's going on from her?" His eyes flickered down forlorn upon Emma's white blonde hair, but she was too distracted to notice her father looking at her.

Mary Margaret bit her lip for a half second, she had no idea how they were going to keep it from her either, how could they? She sent David a sympathetic yet encouraging smile. She engaged in their silent conversation once more. "It's going to be one of the hardest things we've ever had to do, but if it makes it even a little bit safer for Emma, it's worth it."

David nodded his head, but like Mary Margaret he knew it would be hard, and wondered how long they'd be able to keep it up. He glanced down at Emma again and saw how frustrated she still was and could see the worried crease between her eyebrows, he glanced up at Mary Margaret who just shook her head and swiped the phone from Emma's hands.

Mary Margaret made sure to keep her voice bright and cheerful as Emma looked up at her in surprise at her phone's sudden disappearance. "Why don't you just watch your movie."

Emma pulled her knees up to her chest, her mom had clearly caught her, a quick glance up at her dad made her realise he had seen too. The girl sized woman sighed. "I just wanted to figure out what I had seen him in." She mumbled.
She felt David's hand rubbing circles onto her back as she watched Mary Margaret stand up and place her phone in one of the drawers of one of the many cabinets of different sizes and styles which filled the room, though she didn't see which one it was exactly, and at that moment it didn't really matter. She just focused on hoping her fast beating heart wouldn't give her worry away to her father, she didn't look at him as she knew her face would betray her worry over her sudden reading difficulties, she took a minute to recompose herself.

"George of the jungle?" Regina suggested after a brief pause, where only the movie filled the silence, and David, Mary Margaret, and Emma pretended that they were all absolutely fine.

Emma looked up with a small fake smile and nodded though looked confused, she hadn't expected Regina to have seen that movie, even if it were the one which she had .

"Henry had a time of about four months when he would only watch that movie, on repeat." She laughed as Henry rolled his eyes playfully. "Until he decided to jump from the landing of the stairs in an attempt to become like his hero."

"It was totally worth the broken arm." Henry laughed along with the rest of his family, he did notice that Emma's laugh was slightly fake, which was what she had been hoping for.

~OUAT~

As the night wore on, it was clear to the others that Emma was starting to tire, she didn't even want to eat any of the pie Mary Margaret and Regina made. Emma leant against her mother as they watched the end of the movie, she rubbed her eyes with her fist, and the corners of her mouth tugged up into a smile as her mom dropped a kiss onto the top of her head.

Regina cleared her throat and looked over at the rest of her weirdly put together family, she could see the resemblance between Emma and Henry when he was around her size, and although she'd never admit it to anyone (not even Robin or Henry), Emma did look rather adorable in that hooded sweatshirt Henry had a similar tiger one when he was little. "Well, Henry and I should go, Henry has school tomorrow and I told Robin we'd be home in time to say goodnight to Roland."

"Yeah, I promised to read him a story from my book." Henry grinned, he liked having Roland around and being like a big brother to him, the younger kid had seemed to attach himself to Henry straight away. Henry also got along with Robin, who, despite having to try and work out everything with Regina and Marian, had been making sure to bond with Henry too – clearly he was clearly planning on being around for a long while.

Emma smiled at Henry, she was glad that he got along with Robin and Roland, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't going to miss him when he was gone, but she also didn't want him to see her like that… it was probably hardest for him, at least she could spend much needed time with her parents. David and Snow stood up to say goodbye to Regina and Emma found herself suddenly being hugged by Henry.

"I love you mom. You'll be fine." He assured her, because he knew that his grandparents would never let anything bad happen to her, and he would have a part in her life even if she did change. He resolved to try and help Regina search for a way to help Emma, he could look through his book, maybe even talk to people who would have any clue – like Jefferson or if it came down to it Blue.

"I love you too, kid." Emma squeezed him back and reassured him with her own words. "I know I will be. Hey, once this is over, we'll go and get sundaes."

Henry beamed back at her. "Good, chocolate ones with extra toppings, we probably shouldn't tell grandma or she'll make us eat every green vegetable she can name for like a week afterwards."

Emma chuckled at that. "You're right." She held out her hand to shake on the promise of sundaes.

~OUAT~

Mary Margaret closed the door behind Regina, after she had warned David and herself again to try and keep it from Emma, at least until she could research it some more, even just a couple of days could be beneficial. She walked over to David as he was tucking their son into his crib, she watched him kiss two of his fingers then press them to Neal's head, she couldn't help but smile at what an amazing father he was to Neal and Emma, no matter their daughters age. She carefully stroked her finger down Neal's cheek and smiled softly as he moved his head close to her touch but stayed fast asleep. She looked up and saw her husband smiling just as softly at her, she felt him duck his head slightly and kiss the top of her head, she leant against his side and the pair just watched their son sleeping peacefully for a minute.
But eventually she had to break the silence. "We need to talk to Emma, about the pullups, she doesn't remember any of what happened last night or this morning, she doesn't remember agreeing to wear them… even if she could remember that we would have to talk to her again as it wasn't this Emma who agreed."

David sighed at the inevitable. "I know." And he did, he also knew how hard this was going to be, much harder than convincing the child Emma that she needed them. "We'll just explain that it'll be better for her, I hate seeing her being terrified when she wakes up and feels like she has to try and change her bed covers before we see."

"Not to mention the nightmares, their impact only seems worse when she has to go through all that hassle." Mary Margaret agreed, they were so clearly psyching themselves up, but they also knew that they needed to do so as this was going to be a hard task to complete.

David nodded his head at his wife and gently squeezed her hand. They both walked over to the table where Emma was putting one of the walkie talkies.

Emma had to stand on her tiptoes with the packet in the air to be able to even nudge the box onto the table, and that was by using her sore arm too, she turned and saw her parents looking at her. "Henry left his one here." Her own walkie talkie was still on the coffee table, she didn't want to put them both together in the off chance that someone would put both of the walkie talkies into the box and Emma would be left without one for a short amount of time, in which she could have been talking to Henry in.

"You have to be careful with your arm, kiddo." David reminded her gently, he watched Mary Margaret pick her up and sit her down on her lap at the head of the table, he took a seat beside them.

Emma looked at her dad then tilted her head back up at her mom. A deep sense of worry filled her, out of habit, she knew the tension of a hard conversation too well. "Guys? What's going on?"

"You're not in trouble, Em." David promised her, he took hold of her hand which was resting on table and took hold of it, and gently squeezed it. "I promise."

Mary Margaret hummed her agreement with David's statement. "We wanted to talk to you, honey, about the accidents you've been having at night." She felt Emma's entire body tense so she rubbed circles against her stomach. "You're not in trouble, baby, we've just been noticing how hard this is on you, and that it's making you wake up really distressed-"

"-And pretty out of it, because it makes your nightmares worse." David added.
He figured he could play the night before off as her being out of it, for the time being, he wasn't completely lying as she had been rather out of it but he was still planning on apologising when it was at least slightly safer for Emma to know the truth.
"Do you remember me finding you last night?" He watched her shake her head with a frown. "You were huddled, soaking wet, between the machines in the laundry room while still half asleep."

"Sorry," Emma apologised straight away, she didn't like how this conversation was going, it was so similar to others she had had when she was younger and had caused too much hassle for foster carers so was being sent back to a home, "I didn't mean to wake you up, I promise I won't again." She stared at her father, then mother, then father again, willing them to believe her.
Visions of what felt like a million different 'homes' flickered through her head, black trash bags of her handful of belongings as care kids weren't given suitcases, it was only the bags she had gained when she was twelve which marked the passage in time in her head, she hadn't gained many belongings within the sixteen years in the care system, maybe a few books here and there. Then there was always a file, a thick file her social worker carried, her file. It only got bigger, full of medical reports, teachers' reports, and police reports. It was passed around as she moved, full of pictures of injuries which she looked disgusted at whenever she looked at them, partially at the injuries themselves partially at the knowledge of the pity they would reward her should any of those whom she loved ever saw them.

David sighed. "No, Em, you're not supposed to try and deal with this by yourself I'd much rather you woke me up. I'm telling you because it's dangerous for you. You're being woken up because you had an accident, then when you're heading down the stairs without even realising it to try and deal with it on your own, you could get hurt by falling down the stairs."

"Or if you fall asleep between the machines and we go up we might think you're missing, and that would scare us, more than you could imagine." Mary Margaret added. She knew Emma well enough to know that she was probably panicking and it was important to get to the point before she had a panic attack. "We've come up with a solution, of sorts, we know this will be hard for you, but it really is for the best."
She reached for the shopping bag which had been left on the table, the other one with the Dory pullups had been hidden in the closet belonging to the downstairs bedroom, and pulled out the packet of the plainer packet of pull ups.

There was a beat of silence.

"You've got to be fucking shitting me." Emma said with her usual linguistic eloquence. Her mouth hung open when she wasn't speaking. She knew her mother wasn't a fan of her cursing, normally pointing out that she wasn't a sailor so there was no reason why her language should match one, but Mary Margaret clearly decided that now wasn't the time to get into that one.

The silence remained.

Emma studied David's face and saw he was being serious. She half turned around so she could examine her mother's face, desperately hoping that her mother would tell her that she had a magic solution she had only just thought of, she would have thought her parents were playing a particularly cruel joke on her but that simply wasn't who her parents were. There was clearly no fix all solution as Mary Margaret gave her a tight lipped sympathetic look.

"No." Emma breathed out. "No." She repeated louder. She pulled her hand from David's hold and managed to climb down from her mom's lap one-handedly. "No!' She shouted, shocking not just her parents but herself, but she just repeated it a couple more times. She felt the fire of her anger fill her tiny body. It was overwhelming, suffocating, uncontrollable. She was not in control of her body as she stomped her feet then carried on stomping them away from the table to the living room. As she stomped she carried on shouting "No!" though sometimes she threw in a "I don't want to!" She kicked the television stand, pain seared in her foot but she couldn't stop, she kicked a side table where a vase was precariously heading closer to the edge. Her shouts had taken on a sobbing tone and she only absently heard her brother's cries. She felt a pair of big hands lift her up by her waist and place her down a few feet away from where she had been stood. She pulled herself from where David's hands were barely holding her, she dropped to the floor, lying flat on her front her feet kicked the ground, and she cried loudly weaving 'No.' into the sobs every now and again, though the word had lost all its meaning.

David and Mary Margaret had been watching Emma in shock as she moved to the living room and started to tantrum, they understood why she was feeling angry and upset, but they knew that she would normally have protested something by using more than five words so this was clearly in part due to her toddler emotions. Somehow they could tell that Emma was still in her adult mind, though that was probably only because of their natural parenting instincts, it made them feel even worse for having to hide Emma's possible fate from her. Neal started to cry at the noise having woke him up. Mary Margaret sighed, barely audible above the shouting and sobbing and kicking, she stood up and headed to the crib to soothe the baby.

David stood up too, and headed over to watch Emma play out her tantrum, not planning on interfering unless Emma was in danger of hurting herself, he saw the vase edging closer to her and decided to step in, he wasn't prepared to let the vase to fall on or near his daughter, and wasn't too keen on her possibly hurting her foot by kicking all the solid furniture. He picked her up, barely off the ground, and felt her struggling in his hold. He placed her feet back onto the floor and crouched in front of her, though she clearly didn't really see him as she threw herself onto the ground, he stayed crouched next to her feeling helpless.
It felt as though he and Mary Margaret had been thrown into parenting head first. They had been parents, of course, for about three decades but they had only known it for a couple of years and that definitely hadn't been in a conventional way. But all of a sudden they had a new born son and a daughter who was sometimes a toddler and sometimes an adult who acted like a toddler.
David watched his daughter kicking the ground and cry. He rubbed circles onto her back, at first she tensed at them, but eventually he felt her back muscles relax. A few more minutes later and her feet stopped kicking, a few more passed and David became aware that she was no longer shouting no and was just crying, he gave it one minute more before he chanced picking her up. She did not resist. He held her to his chest and felt her burying her head against his chest, her hand grabbed onto David's open plaid shirt and held onto it so her knuckles turned white. He sighed in sympathy for his daughter, he made sure that her yellow casted arm was against him in a way which meant she wasn't about to hurt it, then he cradled the back of her head with his hand, as he always did, while she cried. He stood up with her, and rocked slightly side to side in a natural attempt to soothe her, he made gentle shushes to encourage her to calm. He looked across at Mary Margaret and saw she was doing the same with Neal. They shared a bittersweet smile but didn't talk as their babies cried.

Neal stopped first and fell asleep, and after a while Emma was simply sniffling into David's chest, his shirt and t-shirt were drenched by her tears and running nose, but he did not mind.

Mary Margaret walked over to David and Emma and placed her hand on Emma's back, rubbing gentle circles onto it as she shared a look with David, they could tell that although it was the pullups which started this all off, Emma's reaction was a combination of all the things which had happened recently, the loss of some of her reading skills had clearly been weighing on her mind. David sat down on the chair Mary Margaret had previously been sat in with Emma, but this time Emma was with him instead. She stayed cuddled to his chest, clinging on and sniffling, so David held her close to him and continued to rock himself and his daughter as Mary Margaret rubbed her back from the chair to David's left.

Eventually the sniffling died down and her grip on his shirt loosened, David would have thought that she had fallen asleep against him, but Emma mumbled, her voice was so quiet it would have been hard to hear ordinarily, but now her words were distorted entirely by being spoken while pressed as close as possible to David's chest. He gently pulled her away from him and sat her sideways onto his lap, she was facing Mary Margaret and he could see her face too, he wiped stray tears from her bright red cheek and sighed internally at how miserable she looked, he wanted to just wrap her in blankets, cuddle her close, and never let go. He didn't have to look at Mary Margaret to know that she felt the same. "What did you say kiddo?" He asked her, so softly that he became aware only after he had spoken that it was said in the same way which he would have spoken to a small child, though he would argue that he had spoken to her like that before even as an adult.

Emma bit the corner of her lip until she tasted the faint hint of blood. She looked at her mom then at her dad, her eyes were somehow even bigger than usual, but she looked down when she spoke, too embarrassed and desperate to face looking at either of them as she tried to bargain. "I can… I can clean up any mess myself, and I'll try really hard, I promise," her words were spilling out of her, stumbling over one another as they rushed out, dripping with desperation, "you won't have to know, I can keep it secret, I promise."

Mary Margaret watched Emma's despairing rambling come to a stop, as David pressed a firm kiss to the top of her head, as though David had broken a curse with a true love's kiss. Mary Margaret reached across and stroked her hand down Emma's tiny, hot cheek. "Sweetie, we don't mind having to change your bedsheets, you shouldn't have to change them, you should never have had to do that." She paused as Emma looked from her to David, when she looked back her bottom lip was jutted out still but there was also a look on her face which showed Mary Margaret that Emma was believing of her mother's statement. "If there was another way which we thought would help you as much as this will, we would take that in a heartbeat, but this is the best way. This is the best thing for you, baby."

"It's not fair." Emma's bottom lip wobbled and before she knew it she was crying once again. This crying was different. This crying was barely audible, as though Emma didn't want them or anyone else to hear, it was one which Emma had learned to do at a very young age. It was the cry of a child who had learnt not to be heard or face the consequences.

Mary Margaret and David's shared heart broke. They knew, yet again, that this wasn't just about Emma having to use pullups during the night time, this was everything.
This was Emma having been sent back in time and ending up as a toddler size child as a result, this was having to concentrate with all of her might to remember how to spell 'how', this was all the emotions which seemed to constantly be bubbling under the surface of her skin, this was the memories of her past behind her eyelids whenever she shut her eyes.

"It's not." Mary Margaret's agreement was barely above a whisper, a shared statement which Mary Margaret yet again voiced on behalf of herself and David, and she meant everything Emma did, and more.
She meant having to keep something from Emma, Emma having nightmares because she had grown up neglected and abused, Emma having had to grow up without them, Mary Margaret having to tell David to put Emma into the wardrobe in the stray hope that their new born baby who hadn't even been given the opportunity to feed would not be killed, David having to put the baby into the wardrobe. And the fact that there was a possibility that they would be able to raise Emma and give her a happy childhood, but if that happened it was because they had lost the adult version of Emma, and so far, they had no way to stop that happening.

Emma resumed her position against David's chest as she resumed her crying.

Mary Margaret rubbed Emma's back, and David rocked her in his arms, trying to soothe her the best they could. The parents had tears in their eyes, they hadn't needed a shared heart to feel the same when it came to their kids, particularly Emma.

Eventually Emma stopped crying but she stayed cuddled close to David. By now her medicine had worn off and her broken arm was starting to hurt once more, she held it instinctively towards her chest, she felt David rocking her and her mom rubbing her back making soothing shushing noises and gently assuring her that everything would be okay, Emma didn't want this moment to end. "Okay." Emma reluctantly agreed, finally, and she did not have to say what it was she was agreeing to.

David smiled softly at his daughter, he dropped another kiss to the top of Emma's head, he could see his own small smile reflected on Mary Margaret's face. "Good girl." He squeezed her tight for a half second as Mary Margaret grabbed one of the pull ups. "Why don't you let your mom go help you get changed and I'll make some hot chocolates," he saw her open her mouth and he smirked, "yes with cinnamon. You can take some medicine for your arm then we can all have our drinks and watch a movie."

A small smile appeared on Emma's face, it was barely visual, but it was there nonetheless. "Okay." She agreed. "So long as we get cookies too."

David smirked, he was never one to turn down cookies, whether they were for Emma or himself. "Deal." He placed her into Mary Margaret's arms and watched his wife carry his daughter up the stairs before setting about making the hot chocolates.

~OUAT~

Emma woke in the early hours, she had been having a bad dream, not up to the level of her previous nightmares, but bad enough that she didn't want to go back to sleep in her room. She had dreamt that she had been living in the loft with her parents and brother, then suddenly Petunia, one of her old social workers, had turned up and taken her from the home, now when she shut her eyes all she could see was that huge file and hear the knock at the door. She shook her head to try and rid herself of the memory of the dream, it didn't work, but it did spur her into action. Her bedroom was fairly light from the lamp which had been left on, so she was able to see as she put on the child size dressing gown her mom had bought her along with a pair of slippers. She grabbed her blanket and a flashlight which was on top of one of her bedside tables. She noticed her walkie talkie had found its way up to Emma's room, no doubt put there by Mary Margaret, Emma placed it into her dressing gown pocket, finding comfort in its presence.

She walked down the stairs with her things, finding her way with the help of the flashlight, there had been a lamp left on in the kitchen but the loft was still rather dark, winter was close so the dark and cold had settled onto the town in a way it never had before Emma had moved there. She walked past the table on her way to the couch, she remembered that Henry had left his walkie talkie there, she knew it would be a while before her parents woke up so perhaps she could busy herself by texting him to let him know that he had left it… perhaps that way she could figure out why her literary skills had been playing up earlier, she hoped that it was just a one time thing, if not she had no idea what to do.

She placed her blanket down on the couch as she searched for her phone, she didn't bother to turn on any lamps as she searched the tops of tables and usual cupboards and cabinets, she had no idea why the curse had equipped her mother with so many of them, they matched the higgledy piggled style of the loft, but it made searching a whole lot harder. She sighed and put the flashlight into her other pocket, it pointed up illuminating the room and shining around as she moved.

She looked at some of the more unusual cupboards. Eventually she got to one she couldn't remember her mom ever using, it was in the style of a trunk like the ones people used to travel with in the olden days, or in Harry Potter, except it was upright and had drawers. She opened it up and shined her flashlight into it, not expecting much, then the light flickered to a big file, just like the one in her dream.

Her heart skipped a beat. No. It couldn't be.

She placed the flashlight down on the ground so she could pick the file up. She grabbed it and sat on the ground, maybe it was all a misunderstanding, she hoped, but then she saw that her name was on the front. She flicked it open and found pages and pages full of numerous doctor's notes and scans, x-rays, and results of other tests. She tried to read some of them as her mind raced with memories of files almost identical to this one appearing whenever she was about to be moved, often to some place much worse, because she had become too much bother. But she hadn't… had she? Her eyes filled with tears which only made trying to read the typed writing even harder, the handwritten notes were near impossible, the file was too hard to hold and so all of the pages fell out of the manila folder along with photos of various injuries at various ages.

She picked up her flashlight, she wanted to know what was going on, to shout, to demand answers from her parents, hope for any reason which would wash away the worry she was being sent away. There was the only too familiar worry that she had done something which had made Mary Margaret and David decide that she was too much hassle, it didn't take long before her mind drew its conclusions, after all they had a new born baby now that was a lot of work and stress, then all of a sudden she had been turned into the size of a toddler and seemed to be having the troubles of one too. She was too much for them to handle anymore. They didn't sign up for this. The curse had broken, and she was twenty-eight, they wanted to stay in her life with her as an adult, an actual adult not an adult who couldn't even work as she was the size of a three year old.

Her flashlight flashed back into the drawer and she spotted a familiar yellow fabric. It was only when she pulled it out that she realised that it was the same lion from the dream she had had earlier on. If her mind had been spinning before it was on a carousel now, one which was spinning out of control, she had thought that it had been a dream but now she wasn't so sure. She had no idea what was going on. She tried to remember the morning or even the night before, David had said that she had woken up after a nightmare and gone to the laundry room, she couldn't remember a second of it. But then she had a strange feeling that she had had a bad dream within that dream of her where she was a toddler with her parents… unless….

Could she be…. Was she…

She had been a child that morning without remembering it… she was turning into a child again.

She had no idea what she could do to stop it.

In her dream she had been happy, not a dream it had been real, with her parents and brother she had been happy.

She thought that they had all been happy. But evidently not.

She was too much for her parents to handle. They hadn't signed up for this, they had her file, and were just waiting for her to be taken away. She would be gone by the end of the week.

She was not going to wait that long. She didn't want to say goodbye to them, it would hurt too much. She'd find her own way to a different place, she'd run away, as she always did.

She was fighting tears as she placed the flashlight into her dressing gown pocket and grabbed her blanket. She didn't want to leave, she didn't want to leave the loft it was the first home she had ever known, and she didn't want to leave her family they were her only one. But she clearly wasn't making them happy, her being there, and she would do anything to make them happy or even to make them smile.

She walked to the door and was thankful that it was not locked. She managed to reach the door handle, she opened the door shivering as the hot air from the loft rushed out, she took a step into the hallway.

She looked back into the loft, she wanted her mom or dad to suddenly wake up, and rush to stop her to tell her that they love her, or for Neal to cry and wake them up, to stop her from having to run away. She needed, desperately needed in a way that she had never needed anything before, an explanation which wasn't the same as she assumed and feared.

The loft was silent.

Emma closed the door of her one and only home behind her as she set off into the frozen night.

Chapter Text

David woke up at three am with the feeling that something was amiss within his home.

Out of instinct he checked his wife, he gently rubbed the lobe of her ear and watched the corner of her lip flick up a little as it was tugged unknowingly into a brief ghost of a smile, David let go and let out the breath he had been holding. She was not in a cursed sleep, just a normal one, so he climbed out of bed and checked Neal.

He was still there, fast asleep, David smiled softly and stroked the back of a hooked finger down his cheek and smiled as he watched the gentle rise and fall of Neal's chest as he breathed still deep in his sleep. He wondered what it was that his son was dreaming of, dragons and magic, or things which were more suited to the world in which he was born, bull fighting or laser tag. He found himself caught up just watching him, though that wasn't unusual, he was growing so quickly yet it seemed that he and Mary Margaret had all of the time in the world to enjoy the simple things, like just being able to watch him sleep – it was so different than the fleeting yet equally as precious moments he and his wife had gotten with Emma as a baby.

He eventually pulled himself away from his son's bedside and out of his bedroom, there was only the small lamp in the kitchen on and no sounds, so he headed up the stairs to Emma's bedroom. She had fallen asleep cuddled up to him and Mary Margaret as they had watched another movie to calm her down after her small, understandable, tantrum.

He had often gone up to check the adult version of his daughter was still there. The first time was when Emma and Mary Margaret had gotten back from the Enchanted Forest. The pair were newly bonded as a parent and child not just as roommates and friends, and David would have been lying if he claimed not to be jealous of the relationship as his daughter as she stared at him with uncertainty as though he were about to leave or hurt Mary Margaret again, he knew it would take time to bond with Emma and he didn't blame her in the slightest, so he would just go and made sure that she was okay at night whenever he would have bad dreams about putting her into the wardrobe. This had died down once he and Emma started to bond, a major changing point having been when David had helped relieved a couple of nightmares Emma had had, using the candle his own mother had used to soothe his after his father had died.

He had found himself doing it again after Henry had gotten his memories back and he and Emma had moved back in from Granny's inn, but Emma still wanted to take Henry back to New York. He knew two things, the first was that Regina wouldn't let Henry be taken back there which David understood she did adopt him and he had doubted that Henry would allow himself to be taken back, he also knew that Emma was scared of being a part of a family again especially with a new baby in the house. But just because she was thinking of leaving because she was scared, and might not really want leave, didn't mean that she wasn't going to go through with it. He would wake up in the night and would check to make sure that she hadn't disappeared yet. He had only had one night where he hadn't had to worry about Emma since she had decided that she was staying, and even that night he and Mary Margaret had been worried that Emma was sick.

He finally reached the top of the metal stairs and walked towards Emma's bed. At first, he expected to see his adult version of his daughter, a lamp in the far corner barely illuminating an Emma sized lump, before he remembered that his daughter was now much smaller. He frowned as he saw the duvet and blankets, they had tucked around her several hours previously, all bundled up into a pile as she had clearly been moving around in her sleep. He sighed gently, they should probably think about getting something like a bedrail to make sure she didn't fall out of the bed consider how much she fidgeted in her sleep, he moved closer to the bed and picked up the blanket and duvet so he could move Emma back to the middle a tuck the covers all around her to keep her warm. His heart skipped a beat when he moved the covers and there was no sign of Emma in the bed. He froze for a half second before he realised that she must have had a nightmare, he sighed again this time full of sympathy for his daughter, he placed the blankets back down onto the bed and turned on another lamp in room so he could try and find Emma in the room. He crouched down to look under her bed for a sign of his daughter, but under the bed was empty was empty beside some clothes adult sized Emma had balled up instead of throwing into a clothes hamper, there was also some food under the bed- packets of cookies, some bags of chips, chocolate bars, juice boxes, and bottles of water. He frowned not understanding why she had a stockpile of food, he'd talk to Mary Margaret about it so they could ask Emma what it was for, but right now he had bigger problems. He stood back up.

"Em?" He called softly, he was completely uncertain about which Emma he would find, adult Emma or toddler Emma but either way he was concerned about her and wanted to make sure she was okay and tuck her back into bed. "Emma, kiddo, where are you? It's dad, kiddo, it's okay I just need to make sure that you're okay." He waited in hope that he would hear her voice but there was only silence. He walked over to Emma's closet and opened it up, it was full of children's clothes hanging down and adult's folded neatly on the shelves, at the bottom were shoes of varying sizes, but no sign of Emma. He could feel his heart beating faster. He forced himself to take breaths to calm down, he had only looked in two places, there was no need to panic just yet.

He headed over to Henry's side of the room, he ducked to look underneath Henry's bed, there was a basketball, the pair of swords David had bought him a couple of years ago, and a few odd discarded socks. But no Emma. "Emma?" He was calling louder now, he raced over to Henry's closet, he swung the door open there was some clothes, shoes, and toys there, but yet again no Emma.

He looked around the room frantically, hoping that Emma would suddenly appear in his line of sight, but there was not a single sign. He headed quickly back over to Emma's bed and searched for Emma's blanket, he breathed a breath of relief when he saw that her blanket also wasn't there - not because it, like Emma, was missing, but because if it were still there he'd worry more about her having been taken. Though he hadn't completely written that off.

The sheets were still on Emma's bed but she could have had an accident and the pullup might have leaked, or she could have just had a nightmare, either way he raced back down the stairs, calling for "Emma" as he did so.

The downstairs was pitch black, other than the soft light illuminating the kitchen, he picked his way to the laundry room and his hand immediately rested upon the light switch. "Em? Em, kiddo, are you in here?" He didn't bother to keep his voice down, as he felt the worry raising in him, he'd much rather wake up the whole apartment block than the opposite. He heard the words he had spoken the previous night coming out of his mouth. "Emma? I'm going to turn the light on now, I need you to hide your eyes, I don't want you to hurt them."
He heard footsteps heading behind him, but knew them off by heart, they were Mary Margaret's so he didn't turn around even as she asked what was going on.

He flicked the light on. The room was empty of clutter, things Emma could be hidden behind, and Emma. Nevertheless, he open up the washing machine and the dryer to see if she was inside, then search the few clothes at the bottom of the laundry basket despite Emma never have being able to have hid in there.

He felt his Mary Margaret's hands tug his arm so he was facing her, her face was full of concern for David, and she kept her hand on his arm centring him and keeping him still.

"David, what's going on?" She had heard him loudly calling out but she hadn't actually heard the words, so the concern she had was for her husband alone, she even wondered if he had had a nightmare or something.

Now he had stilled he could hear his breathing was heavy from frantically moving around and his worry. His mouth fell open. "I went to check up on Emma, but when I got up there she wasn't there, I can't find her anywhere."

There was a beat of silence as they both processed that their daughter was missing, they had more places in the loft to search, but there was a feeling in the loft, now, of it not being full. Their hearts, heart, felt as though they wouldn't beat again until they found Emma. No matter how long that would take.

~OUAT~

Emma had been walking through the town for over an hour but she was finally in the last stretched, the straight bit of road before she left the town, she kept her head down watching her slippers move with every step to make sure her legs were still moving. With just a flashlight, a blue walkie-talkie, and a woollen blanket as her worldly possessions she headed towards the town line, only slightly warmed by how fast she was making herself walk, but otherwise her limbs were numb, her legs had been so numb that they had . She didn't have a plan of what to do once out of the town, she knew that even August had only survived for a week before he was picked up by child protective services, when he had run away and left her in the eighties. But this was different, she had the mind of an adult… or at least was one when she had made the decision, this time was also different as it was urgent, and made out of fear.

Emma Swan had been heartbroken many times, through betrayal, deaths, and simply being unwanted. Her soul had been crushed too, when she sat in prison with a pregnancy stick in her hand and made the impossible decision to give her son a better life by giving him on without her, when she sat on Mary Margaret's bed, when she was only her friend, and decided to give up searching for her birth parents, though of course she hadn't realised that they were right in front of her.

Yes, she had been both of those things, but her soul had never been broken. If she had to hear her parents send her away, to tell her they didn't want her, it would break her soul.

She eventually made it to the town line, and she stopped. The red line which had been painted to mark the border was cracked with age and between the paint cracks the ground sparkled from the cold, wet, weather. She shivered involuntarily, though she was no longer feeling the cold, the tears she had cried earlier had frozen upon her cheeks, and she was barely withholding any more from leaking out. She knew she should leave town now, before anyone was awake, that way David and Mary Margaret wouldn't have to find her and send her away. But her feet were glued to the road.

She couldn't leave… not yet. But she knew that if she went back she would never be able to leave, at least not on her own, either David would drive her to Boston as the sheriff not her father, or a social worker would come into the town and take her. She couldn't move over the line, but her feet did allow her to move towards the woods. "Just one night." She promised herself under her breath.

As she walked through the woods she tried to light her way with the flashlight but its small beam was only enough to try and stop her from inevitably tripping, she cuddled her blanket close to her chest with her casted arm as she used to as a child, particularly a small child. She normally had terrible direction in the woods, if she ever decided to split up from David in the wood nine times out of ten he ended up having to find her, her direction was even worse in the pitch black dark. It didn't help that despite her logical side she couldn't help but be more afraid of the dark than she was currently willing to admit to herself.

She wondered around until her legs became so tired and so cold she couldn't get them to move anymore. By now sleet was starting to fall from the sky, and the skeleton branches of the trees didn't do much to shelter Emma from the even harsher weather, Emma found a hollowed-out tree trunk and took shelter in it. She placed the flashlight on the ground, the light shining in a straight line from Emma outward, she cuddled her blanket as close as she could to herself - and as she tried not to fall back asleep, sure that her dreams would be filled with even worse dreams than before, she found herself crying even more than before, though she could barely feel them as they rolled down her numb, rosy, cheeks.

~OUAT~

The beat of silence hung in the air like a cloud blocking the sun, David and Mary Margaret were still only for the moment it was above them, when it had passed overhead they were spurred into a frenzy of action again.

"Go get changed and check our bedroom, I'll check down here, if she's not here we'll go out and find her." Mary Margaret said in one breath. She headed over to the kitchen and began checking in all of the cupboards, Emma was small enough to be able to hide anywhere, especially if she had been distressed after a nightmare.

David sighed as he went back into his and Mary Margaret's room and began searching under their bed and in the two closets, he knew that Mary Margaret would probably have to stay there while he searched for Emma, after all they had two kids and he would be ready before hand. He just didn't understand why she would leave, even after a nightmare it would have been hard for her to get out of the house, something must have really scared her, he just wanted to find his baby, just as much as Mary Margaret did. He sighed again as he finished searching his own closet to no avail he quickly grabbed some jeans and a warm sweater, Mary Margaret had stopped calling Emma's name but he also hadn't heard Mary Margaret's usual fussing over their daughter nor had she called him through, he noticed that sleet was falling so hard outside that it was impossible to even see streetlights on the street across from the apartment. He snatched up his scarf which was hanging from the mirror of the dresser before he rushed out to see why Mary Margaret had suddenly fallen silent.

Mary Margaret had been searching in the kitchen and the bathroom, but was having as much luck as David was having at finding Emma, she went and started to search the living room too though she was now certain Emma was not there, still calling Emma's name as she, too, worried about what could have spooked her so much that she would leave. But as she went to search the far corner of the living room, her breath halted in her throat, now that the light was on and she was stood so she could see behind the couch she could see a tree's worth of paper and the yellow lion David had gifted the young Emma with the previous morning, it took a moment for Mary Margaret, as Mary Margaret looked at the cupboard the paper was beside, for her to realise that Emma had found the file containing most of her past…. She took a shaky breath, she had completely forgotten about Whale even giving it to her, Emma had left because she thought that they had betrayed her privacy, perhaps she was right.

"Shit." David breathed from beside her. Mary Margaret hadn't even had the chance to call him over but he knew why, she was frozen in shock at the realisation that it was there fault Emma had gone, now she was out running away from them in the freezing cold and wet. He stared at the lion he had bought her, she knew that now too, they had been warned by Regina that Emma knowing might have effects – but even then, David and Mary Margaret hadn't wanted to lie or keep it from her.

Neal started to cry, a cry which meant he was demanding to be fed and Mary Margaret's body responded in kind, pulling the couple out of their trance.

"I'm going to find her." His voice was strong and full of determination. His words a promise no matter how long they would take. "I'm going to bring our girl home."

Mary Margaret stood up. She was in two minds over the needs of her babies, Neal needed feeding and to be with at least one of his parents, but Emma was out in the sleet and the cold in an unknown mindset confused and possibly falling ill or worse if they didn't find her soon. She looked over at her son's crib with a panicked face and suddenly felt her husband's hand squeeze her hand. "David, I need to find her."

"Mary Margaret-"

"David, she needs me." She stressed.

He placed his other hand on her other arm and turned her towards him. "She does." He promised. "She might have just gone for a walk to get her head around all this ready to confront us when she gets back, you need to be here in case I miss her, if she's gone further away I'll find her – I always find my girls."

Mary Margaret felt useless sitting around on the stray hope that Emma would walk through the door, nevertheless she nodded her head and started to walk over to the door with David. She was aware of Neal crying but he could hold on for a little while longer, she watched David putting on his thick coat and she bit her lip as she worried about the fact that Emma was out in the cold without a coat, let alone a hat and scarf. Her eyes fell upon the walkie talkie on the table. Her mind caught on something Regina had told her to do with them but she couldn't remember what. Damn baby brain!

David knew that Mary Margaret was beside herself with worry, so he didn't bother to try and say goodbye, he quickly kissed the top of her head then started to head out of the loft.

Mary Margaret gasped and quickly grabbed hold of David's arm at the same time as she picked up the walkie talkie, stopping him from taking another step.

"Mary, I know you want t-"

"Hush." She demanded as time was of the essence. She held the blue walkie talkie up so his attention was drawn to it. "Was Emma's one of these in her room?"

David frowned he wasn't sure why that was important, he tried to remember, at the same time he was trying to figure out what help it would be in finding Emma. "…No, it wasn't there." He knew they had put it up in her room so Henry wouldn't take them both by accident. "Wait, if I take Henry's with me I can try and get her to answer, and it'll probably screech if I manage to get to get right next to her without seeing her."

Mary Margaret smiled gently and nodded her head at him, he was definitely on the same page, but this was even better. A much easier way to find Emma. "Regina altered them, she told me about it when we were baking, she said it was because of Henry's old habit of disappearing, she figured she'd tell me in case Emma ever decided to do the same. They weren't always blue, before they were red- the closer the walkie talkies are to each other the redder they'll get."

David's eyes widened. "I'll be able to find Em."

Mary Margaret nodded her head. She placed her hand onto his cheek as he took the walkie talkie and kissed her cheek. "David. Bring my baby home."

"I promise." He headed out into apartment block hallway, taking the stairs three at a time as he raced down, he sprinted across the parking lot to get to Mary Margaret's car. He almost slipped a few times on the ground which was slick with sleet and ice, he would have taken his truck but he would need the carseat for Emma and he didn't have enough time to be messing about with trying to put it into his.

~OUAT~

Emma was seriously starting to regret not changing into warmer clothes before running away, she hadn't even thought about it she should have at least put on a warm coat, but she didn't want to take things which didn't belong to her and if she was no longer part of their family she didn't have the right to take anything, she told herself. Despite being curled up inside of the hollowed out log she had still gotten wet walking through the woods to hide enough that her pyjamas were damp, it only made her colder. Well, at least she thought that she was cold, she no longer felt it but her constant shivering as her body fought to retain heat told her that she probably was.
She had made sure that her blanket stayed as dry as possible, hidden beneath both her dressing gown and her long pyjama top, she kept it cuddled close even as she slipped in and out of sleep. Her dreams had been full of nightmares, memories which had been manipulated with others, in her dreams she saw old foster parents and she was hurt by them over and over again in all the different ways she had been hurt in real life, only this time they were all condensed into only a few years' worth of life.

She wanted her parents. Desperately. She wanted them so much that she had only stopped crying when her body had run out of tears to lose. There was a sense of dread inside of her as she watched the sky whenever she woke, as soon as the sun rose she would have to leave the only home she had ever had, she would have to leave her family, her mom and her dad.

She knew that it was for the best, there was something wrong with her and her parents shouldn't have to deal with it, not when they had a new baby. She could feel the younger side inside of her fighting against her instinct to run away, the running away instinct would usually be stronger but the 'I want my mommy and daddy' part of her was currently winning and it was hard for Emma to concentrate on thinking 'logically' enough to run away.

She tried to stop herself from falling asleep again, she was terrified of having more nightmares especially when she was alone, and the dark was making her feel uneasy and the small beam of light from the flashlight wasn't doing the best at keeping away monsters which Emma was sure were in the woods.

~OUAT~

The windscreen wipers were working overtime on Mary Margaret's car as David drove it all over the town. The walkie talkie was on the dashboard as he watched it stay firmly blue as he drove to places he thought Emma would go: Granny's inn, the beach, the docks, to no avail. He could feel his panic building as he knew that Emma was out in that weather somewhere, he needed to find her, to make sure she was safe, he was sure he'd have to take her hospital even if she had managed to find some shelter somewhere he would be taking her- he was cold in the car with the heating turned on full, and he wasn't a tiny toddler outside in winter wearing only pyjamas. He sighed as he started to head towards the edge of town, this was what he had hoped he wouldn't have to do, he had no idea what he'd do if he didn't find her soon, a whole town search party? What if she wasn't in the town?

Sure enough as he set off from the dock through the town in that direction the walkie talkie changed from a deep blue, to a turquoise through to a green, he kept his eyes looking out for his baby girl as he drove along, he was desperately hoping that Mary Margaret was going to phone him and tell him that Emma had returned home and Emma had just dropped the walkie talkie. But he had no such luck.

When he reached the town line the walkie talkie was orange and his heart broke. He parked the car in front of the town line, he snatched the walkie talkie up, and climbed out of the car. He started to pace along the town line, between the car and the woods, as his mind raced. He was trying to figure out what to do next, how to tell his wife that they had lost their baby girl yet again, after she had only just returned. They'd have to get Regina and Gold to help them, to both find a way which would track Emma quicker, and a way to make sure they'd be able to get back in with her. He suddenly stopped pacing and looked down at the walkie talkie, it had turned a mix between orange and red, he stared at it for a beat. He slowly walked backwards until his back was pressed to the car, the walkie talkie changed to a bright orange. David let out a deep breath. Hope alighted inside of him, like a match had been struck, it appeared suddenly, and he knew it was a race against the clock to keep it ignited. His feet slid on the floor as he sped off into the woods, his eyes were firmly on the walkie talkie, watching for subtle changes in hue. "Emma!" his voice ricocheted off the trees in the almost empty woods. The cold bit his nose but all he could worry about was Emma. He called her name louder as he raced through the woods.

~OUAT~

Emma tried to cower away, she was small enough she could squeeze in anywhere, she held her blanket close to her she wasn't even three but the blanket remained the only comfort item she had, it had a smell she recognised as home, even if she hadn't found the home yet. She tried to run to the door as her foster parents shouted at her, she wished that her real mommy and daddy would appear and save her, though she didn't know who they were. She dived through the dog door with her blanket firmly in hand. The dream changed to another memory, she was sat in front of a fire inside of a metal can, trying to stay warm, she had a book in front of her which she was trying to use to keep the fire going, she couldn't read the words of the book but she could see a picture of a few ducklings.

Emma woke with a start. "Mom, dad!" a slurred and strangled call came from her mouth without her even realising it was there. She tried to fight against wanting her parents, helplessly, Emma thought of the plush lion she had found and the weird 'dream' of her being younger… it made sense she was aware she felt a little more childlike. But just because it made sense didn't mean it wasn't frustrating her beyond belief as she battled between two distinct headsets in her mind.

She felt her eyes growing heavy almost immediately, she tried to keep her eyes open as her heart was still beating out of her chest from her last nightmare, she didn't want another one. She pulled her knees close to her chest but it was hard to keep them there as she was shaking so much. She could swear she could hear her name echoing around the woods, but her two minds were torn between it being in her head from her dream, and it being something scary in the woods after her. She knew it wasn't anyone looking for her for any good reason- no one was looking for her. She lost her battle to keep her eyes open.

~OUAT~

Using the walkie talkie to navigate was harder now that he was on foot, in the car he was able travel large distances quickly and could see the changes in colour easily, but in the woods he was having to use the flashlight he kept in his coat to both look out where he was running and to watched the subtle changes in colour. All the while he was call Emma's name, hoping she'd call back, or that the walkie talkie would suddenly turn red and he's find her. As he ran he felt his nose running from the cold weather, and despite the trees giving them some shelter the sleet was still soaking his face. He couldn't think clearly so he only kept trying to find Emma in his mind. He took a wrong turn once or twice as he followed the paths but Emma had obviously wandered off of the paths and deep into the woods. The sleet had hidden any tracks Emma could have left, so he was relying on the walkie talkie alone, he was hoping that Regina's magic would live up to its usual standard.

He came to a stop as his eyes they met an a small castle shaped building, a palace for one person, glistening in the moonlight breaking through the skeleton trees. Immediately he knew that it wasn't Emma's magic, even if the walkie talkie hadn't headed closer to orange of on spectrum, he supposed it was in the same way a parent knew that a drawing was their child's, the work was an extension of their child, and this didn't feel like Emma. Whoever had made it clearly wasn't evil, he had spent enough time around enough villains to know what dark magic felt like, and this wasn't it, he'd just get Leroy and the dwarves to check it out… maybe Regina. It wasn't important right then. He turned on his heels and sped in the direction the walkie talkie was sending him.

Eventually David came skidding to another stop. A one bountiful in luck. In his hand the walkie talkie was glowing red, so red it looked as though it should be burning through his gloves, but the most it did was vibrate at the prospect of being reunited with its partner. David had been calling Emma's name since the moment his boot hit soil but now he called it with renewed hope as his head snapped round looking for a glimpse of her.

As he shone his flashlight in one direction he noticed a small beam of light. "Emma!" he raced over to the fallen log and fell to his knees. He felt as though he hadn't breathed properly since he had put her to bed when she had fallen asleep on his lap. She was pale, too pale, her breathing was faster than he would have liked, and was shaking so violently he was surprised she was as upright as she was, but he had found her. She was alive. She hadn't crossed the town line. "Emma, kiddo." He sighed, his voice was full of love, "it's okay, I've got you, I'm here." He remembered what was the emergency treatment for hypothermia, from his days in the Enchanted Forest, and she'd definitely have to go to hospital. He pulled his coat off, he knew that the best way to try and get her to warm up was skin on skin contact, at least until she got to hospital, and for her not to be wearing wet clothes – he often teased Mary Margaret for being over prepared with the things she had in her car, but thank god she did, at least he knew she had several blankets in the trunk.

Emma was shocked to see her dad in front of her, she blinked her eyes heavily as she tried to figure out if he was just a part of her dream, she watched him take his coat off and the next thing she knew she had burst into tears, apparently her body had saved enough for that.

David looked up at her with a little bit of panic, that really wasn't like her, but he also didn't think that she was completely younger – maybe a mixture of the two minds. He pulled into his arms and hugged her tight, his hand on the back of her head, rocking her as he would Neal. "It's okay Em, it's all going to be okay, I promise." He felt her shaking her head it felt so different to her general shaking, he knew he needed to rush to get her out of the cold and warmed up, but he also knew that he needed to get her calmed down. "I promise, it's going to be okay, I don't break my promises."

"No! Let me go on my own" Emma's voice was slurred and breathless, it was hard to concentrate, but she had been replaying the reasoning on repeat for the last few hours. "Don't want you to send me away. I can go by myself."

David frowned. He had no idea what she was on about, he figured she would be angry about he and Mary Margaret having her file and possibly even keeping things from her if she realised why the toy lion had been in the trunk it was possible that she was just confused, but even if she was she would need to be reassured, to be calmed down before she would let him take her anywhere. "Em, Emma, kiddo." He said insistently to get her to listen to him instead of begging him to let her to run away. "You're not running away anywhere, and we're not sending you away, ever. In fact, you're never leaving my sight ever again, your mom's going to say the same." He sat down on the log with her on his lap and started to take her wet dressing gown off of her. "Em, I need to get you out of these wet clothes then we'll head back to the car." He couldn't help the small smile flicker onto his face when he realised that the only dry thing Emma had was her blanket.

Emma was starting to lose sight of her conviction that she was really being kicked out, David sounded totally genuine, and at that moment she didn't even care about it she was just tired and wanted to sleep. She didn't even care that David was getting her undressed. She wanted to go home.

David quickly undressed Emma so she was just in the pullup Mary Margaret had put her in hours earlier, it too was clearly wet, though it wasn't from the sleet – David couldn't help but wish that Emma had woke up the way she had the night before, he'd take soothing nightmares and bedwetting over a missing child with hypothermia, every time. He lifted his sweater up and held her as close as he could so they were chest to chest he placed her blanket against her back so there was another layer between her and the sweater, her head peeked out of the neck hole so it was rested under his chin. He wrapped his scarf around her head, then pulled his coat on and did it up, he stuffed Emma's clothes, flashlight, and the two walkie talkies into his pockets before he stood up, keep a firm hold of his daughter with one arm and used the flashlight in the other as he went as quickly as he could without dropping or jostling her too much.

Even through the sound of the rain and the night time creatures he could hear Emma's fast breathing, she was really in a terrible state but he was surprised that it wasn't worse though he had no idea why, he was also aware that he should probably keep her awake for as long as he could.

"Y'know, when you were in New York and me and your mom were in the Enchanted Forest I had a dream about you."

"Huh?" Emma made the questioning noise in place of asking what had happened, it was too tiring to try and talk, but she did want to know what he was on about as he wasn't one to decide to share his dreams.

"We were in your nursery in our castle, I was teaching you to dance for your ball, you looked as beautiful as ever…though it was weird to see you in a dress." She had suited it of course, though it was only much later that David realised that he probably hadn't ever seen her in a dress, he imagined she would have been the same in the Enchanted Forest having to be wrestled into ball gowns on formal occasions, not that he or Mary Margaret would have minded. "It was before your mother told me that she was pregnant with your baby brother, and we had been spending almost all of our time searching for a way to get back to you, it was pretty much hopeless… but that dream meant I got to see you again." He left out that the dream turned into a nightmare, she didn't need to know that, he knew her well enough to know that she'd probably blame herself.

They were getting closer to the outskirts of the woods now, Emma was still shaking violently but she was also still awake, so he carried on talking. "When I sacrificed myself so your mom could get back here and find you, before we knew that the half a heart thing would work, it wasn't just so you could save Neal from Zelena – it was because you deserved to have at least one of us with you. We missed you more than you could ever know, kiddo, and we never stopped trying to get back to you. I love you." He felt her nestle her head closer to him, though he wasn't sure if it was to try and warm herself up or in reaction to his words, possibly both.

When they reached the car David quickly swaddled Emma in her baby blanket and strapped her into her carseat, he turned the heat on full, then grabbed all the blankets from Mary Margaret's trunk before covering her with those too. He jumped in the front and called Mary Margaret as he raced to the hospital.

Chapter Text

As David searched the town and the woods Mary Margaret had been sat at her kitchen table, Neal was still cradled in her arms, swaddled in his blanket after she had fed him. Mary Margaret had her address book and the landline phone on the table in front of her as she went through calling people to ask if they had seen Emma. Also on the table was the lion toy David had bought little toddler Emma the morning before, and pushed to the far side of the table was the file, she had stuffed the loose papers haphazardly back into the file, but had ignored all of the information and pictures – the day before her curiosity may have won but in the early hours of that Wednesday morning she didn't care. She just wanted her baby girl back.

Her first call was to Gold and Belle. She had hoped that Emma had gone there to try and get more answers about her change from the Dark One, or to try and pressure him into changing her back, he hadn't been happy that Mary Margaret was disturbing his sleep but stopped complaining when he heard that she had lost her child. He could empathise. Gold hadn't seen a glimpse of Emma, she heard Belle asking him if he could do a tracking spell on something Emma owned, but he had ruled that out when he had found out from Mary Margaret that Emma had been acting a mix of the two ages. If Emma had left her baby blanket that would have worked as it was linked to both versions of Emma, nothing else was, even the clothes bought for Emma were only meant to be temporary so wouldn't work.

Her second call was to Ruby, the waitress was immediately worried, she would have been Emma's godmother after all… she still was, but it wasn't the same as it could have been. She couldn't use her werewolf tracking to find Emma, as she didn't know young Emma's scent, and by now the sleet would have washed any scent away anyway. But still she insisted on going out to search for Emma along the beach and docks, while Granny kept an eye out at the inn and diner.

She phoned Regina next, on the off chance that Emma had gone there, though of course she hadn't, and Regina, like Gold, had come to the same conclusions about a tracking spell. She was the only person Mary Margaret had bothered to explain the details surrounding Emma's disappearance, though she had told all of the people that she wasn't sure what state of mind Emma would be in when found.

However, ten minutes later there was a knock at the door and Mary Margaret opened it to find Regina stood there, with a knowing look on her face.

"I figured you were probably going out of your mind with worry, I know how that feels, I also know that you could do with some moral support." She saw Mary Margaret continue to look surprised to find her, and she sighed, despite their past differences she would have hoped that Mary Margaret wouldn't be quite so surprised that she cares for her and her family, even if Henry hadn't been the link between their two families and Emma's son she still would have cared. She raised an eyebrow. "I know for a fact that you were raised to always politely invite people over the threshold."

She rolled her eyes. "According to Disney that was my downfall." She stood aside to let Regina in anyway. "Well, that, or trying to eat healthily." Her comments were without fire.

"Why the curse had to send us to a realm which contained that godforsaken movie is always beside me." She grumbled, she had made sure to ban that movie from her home, though not before Henry convinced her to try and watch at least some of it.

As she stepped inside she took her coat off and set her bag down on the kitchen table, she took a seat next to the one Mary Margaret had just left, she sighed gently as she left the loft warm her after having spent just as few seconds outside. She understood why everyone seemed to love that loft so much, it was designed at all like her own and most of the furniture seemed to have been collected by Mary Margaret over the years, but it was homely if not fashionable.

When she spoke, her voice was soft, in a way it never was to her stepdaughter if anyone else was around, but the former queen decided that a new born baby probably couldn't tell tales to ruin her reputation.
"Why don't you put him down in his crib, he'll probably be less likely to wake." She gave her a knowing look, Mary Margaret was terrified to let go of her son in case he disappeared too, she wore her heart on her chest. "I'll be right here." She assured her.
She had once been a maternal style figure to her, despite the loveless and neglectful marriage to Mary Margaret's father, she once cared for her stepdaughter in a similar way to how she cared for Henry though slightly less in power. She still cared for her like that, though she'd be loathed to ever say it, in fact she wouldn't have admitted it under Greg and Tamera's torture.
"I can pass him to you if he needs you."

Mary Margaret sighed and cuddled him closer to her chest, she kissed the top of his downy hair as she slowly walked over to the crib.
"Mommy's right here, baby, you get some nice sleep and tomorrow you'll see your big sister. She's never going to leave mommy and daddy's side again."
She carefully lowered him into the crib and watched him scrunch his nose up in his sleep, but he didn't wake, she tucked around plenty of blankets to keep him warm. She smiled as she stroked her finger down his cheek then touched the soft fur of the monkey David had bought him the day before and little Emma had placed in Neal's crib for him. She sighed. She may have been a little worried about Emma suddenly acting younger with a past Mary Margaret and David didn't know a thing about but that was preferable to this worry, by far.

She walked back over to the table and plopped back down onto her seat with another sigh, that seemed to be all she had been doing nowadays, she picked up Emma's lion into her hands and stared at it for a few seconds she pressed a kiss to its head before putting it down and picked up the landline again. This time trying a number David had scrawled into the address book when the number had been given to him.

Regina stood up and walked past Neal's crib towards the kitchen, she glanced into it as she walked and smiled at the sleeping baby, she knew most babies looked alike but she was struck by how much Neal looked like his nephew as a baby, it surprised her a little as she had always thought that Henry looked a lot like his father... who was also called Neal… she shook her head and continued her walk into the kitchen. If their family wasn't already complicated enough her step-daughter and step-son-in-law had to name their youngest child after her son's (and step-great-grandson's) father.

She grabbed two mugs and started the coffee machine off. She collected the milk from the fridge and sugar from a cupboard and placed them next to the mugs as she waited for the coffee pot to boil.

"No!"

Regina's head shot up at Mary Margaret's uncharacteristically sharp and angry voice. Her knuckled were white as she gripped the phone.

"I will not send Emma to 'come see' you as soon as she turns back into an adult." She spoke through gritted teeth as she refrained from grabbing her bow and arrow and hunting him down. "In fact, if you come within a hundred yards of my daughter, no matter her age, I'll put a quiver's worth of arrows into your body, and don't test me, because I am a perfect shot."

Regina's eyebrows rose in surprise at Mary Margaret's words and the bitter laugh in reply to words left unheard, though she couldn't help but be impressed with how serious and angry she sounded, she supposed it was good that she had never turned dark.

"Trust me, she would never want anything to do with you, you clearly don't care how she is now, or that she might never even be able to change back. You haven't even bothered to ask or to help. And don't think I can't hear the several girls in the background, I hope they gain some sense before they do anything as stupid as spend another second in your company, you dick."

Regina pulled a face as she listened to the one sided conversation, though judging by Mary Margaret's tone there was no conversation to have, it was so unlike her to take on a tone like that or to use language like the one she had judged. Regina might have even enjoyed the changed from the 'peace, love, and hope' Mary Margaret, but she knew the reason and worry behind the change, she only felt sympathy.

She walked over and held the coffee mug out, she levelled her with a look until she took it, before Regina could join her at the table Mary Margaret walked over to the living room window, so she followed.

Mary Margaret hugged the coffee mug to her chest as she cradled it in her hands. Outside the sky was dark, all the stars had been covered by clouds, and a blanket of sleet seemed to never finish falling upon the down, glints of the rain and ice mixture were visible under the street lights and hitting the windows like the beats in an ancient lullaby.
"She's so small." Her whispering voice wove between the beats in a way which made it hard to know if she had actually spoke out loud or if it had only been a trick of the imagination. "I thought she was when she was born but I didn't really have anything to compare it to until Neal was born, I didn't realise how tiny and defenceless she was… is."

"Why is she so small?" Regina asked gently, neither lady was looking at the other, instead their eyes were steadily trained on the window and world outside.

Mary Margaret hadn't really expected that question, but then they hadn't exactly been in touch during Mary Margaret's first pregnancy, so she supposed she shouldn't have been so surprised. "She was premature. A little over a month, and even then, I think she was always going to be small, she should really have been younger than Ashley's little girl." She saw Regina nod out of the corner of her eye but didn't turn towards her. "She was always so energetic, she was always kicking, and gave me hiccups every time I ate a piece of fruit."

"Now that I can believe." Regina laughed as though breathing out heavily, brief, but full of fondness.

Mary Margaret smiled for the first time. "Yeah, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised about her aversion to anything healthy now. She was a night owl, even then, I think I slept through several Royal meetings because I had been up all night trying to soothe her. David was amazing, he always stayed up with me, then he'd let me sleep and take care of all the meetings by himself."

Regina smiled. She had never been pregnant so couldn't fully relate to that part, but she would have like to have shared in Henry's childhood with someone, especially all of the sleepless nights. She found herself wishing that Robin could have been the one she shared that with. She had never thought she'd find anyone else to love, not after Daniel, but she couldn't picture her life without Robin.

Mary Margaret was lost in her own thoughts as she absentmindedly sipped her own drink. "She would finally settle when David would sing her a lullaby, she was such a daddy's girl." She was even as an adult though Mary Margaret knew she'd never admit it, "One day he had to spend the night away from the castle, I think it was something to do with an ally or a trade deal or something, anyway, Emma was not happy in the slightest. She kicked all day and night, she finally settled as I told her a story. She started it up the next day but as soon as she heard David's voice she was calm again." She shook her head with a fond smile at her unborn daughter's behaviour, though she wouldn't change a thing, she loved how close to David Emma was, and how much she loved him. "Neal was much calmer, he'd only kick if you put your hand on my tummy to check on him, at first I thought there was something wrong, but luckily it was just that they have very different personalities…. I think Emma would have been clingy… she is when she's a toddler. I always thought I'd want any children to be independent, but it's nice to be wanted."

"Henry was more like Neal as a baby, he was very calm, well after that little rocky start. He loved being held, and being read poetry, he like Twas the night before Christmas best even in July, he was always on the go and trying to explore, I guess I have your genes to pay for that. On nights he couldn't sleep, he always ended up in my bed with me, curled up on my chest until he couldn't fit anymore." She watched Mary Margaret nod with a smile on her face which Regine knew meant that toddler Emma did the same.

Regina felt a seed of guilt in her stomach when she thought about the fact that she was the reason Mary Margaret didn't get to know what her oldest child was like, though she knew it wasn't Mary Margaret's intention, she felt a different seed of guilt, one which would change the first side of guilt and possibly absolve it, but would leave a different one in its place. But Mary Margaret's voice interrupted Regina's thoughts.

"What if David can't find her?" Mary Margaret had been alive for nearing sixty four years now, she had been thirty four when Emma had been born then she had been cursed for another twenty eight years, plus one uncursed hectic year. But in that moment, she sounded as young and innocent as she had been when Regina had first met her. "What if she's left town?"

"As much as I hate to admit this, you and the idiot are always finding each other, it's what you're good at, it's what you do. David will find her. If she's gone out of town I'll help, I'll make sure we can get back into town." She found herself praying that Emma hadn't gone out of town, partially as it would be much easier, but mostly because she didn't think Mary Margaret would be able to cope with that situation.

Mary Margaret bit her lip. Her eyes were trained firmly on the window and view outside. "It's so cold and wet out there, she's only just gotten over that stupid flu, then she's been dealing with all her injuries from… those sort of people…." she couldn't use the real words she wanted to ascribe to Emma's past foster parents. "She's so small." Her repeated sentence was full of the worry she felt for her child being out in the miserable weather, while she was stuck there doing nothing, other than hoping that her phone would ring.

"I'll look after Neal for you tonight and tomorrow."

Mary Margaret blinked once at the sudden change in conversation. "Regina-"

"Uh uh." Regina interrupted with an air of authority, she held up her hand to silence her. "I know you don't want to be apart from him, but when David finds Emma she'll have to go to hospital, and I know that you'll go with them – a hospital is no place to try and look after a baby in."

"Regina, thank you, but I can't ask this of you, you have your own family-"

"You're not asking, I'm telling." It struck Regina that it was something she probably would have said to Henry but she pushed that from her mind. "You and that idiot husband of yours are probably going to stay awake all night whether Emma has to stay in hospital or comes home. You need to focus on Emma tonight. I'm more than equipped to look after a baby." She watched Mary Margaret bite her lip again and she rolled her eyes in good nature. "I already have Henry's old car seat in my car in case you didn't have yours, I didn't ask if David took your car over the phone for a census, Robin's set up Henry's old crib for Neal to spend the night in."

Mary Margaret swallowed hard. She hated to leave her son but she knew that Regina had a point. She would only trust a select few with looking after either of her kids, no matter Emma's age, and Regina was probably one of the most qualified ones there – she had brought up Mary Margaret's grandson after all, and he had turned out pretty great, she doubted she could mess Neal up by looking after him for several hours. "I'll have to pack him a bag and I have his routine written down somewhere- "

Regina put her hand on her arm keeping her still as she saw her starting to fret. "I'll pack his bag, I know where everything is in this place, I spend way more time than I want to in here. You go pack Emma a bag of things, just in case she needs to stay in for the night, even if she doesn't she could probably do with some clothes which aren't soaked."

Mary Margaret nodded once and placed her now empty mug down on one of the side tables, something she could not normally abide, but they were not under normal circumstances.

~OUAT~

She headed to the stairs, she made sure to grab her cell phone and the landline, she glanced over at Neal who was still sleeping soundly, instead of heading straight up the stairs she quickly went into her own room to throw on some clothes instead of her pyjamas and grab David another sweater just in case. She grabbed her weekend bag and folded up David's sweater before she raced up the stairs with everything. She quickly made up Emma's bed as she thought through everything, she felt the guilt weigh inside of her as she believed she was the reason Emma had run away, they may not have read the big file but she thought they had so Mary Margaret felt just as guilty.

She walked over to Emma's closet and looked at the selection of children's clothes she had bought the other day, trying to figure out what would be best, eventually she picked out a pair of pyjamas. They were a bit childish in pattern, navy with brightly coloured rockets and aliens and other space illustrative designs and footie bits on the pants part, but they were thermal ones and would keep her warm. She rooted through Emma's socks until she found one of the pairs of thick woollen slipper socks the same shade of the pyjamas, both had a picture of rockets on the top of them, and were covered in constellations. She found an orange hoodie, it matched the colour of the rockets and some of the aliens on the pyjamas, but most importantly was warm. She ran through what Emma would need in her head, she should only be in overnight but Mary Margaret decided she'd only need the pyjamas, there was no reason for her to get changed in the morning, she'd probably be exhausted. She started ringing her hands together, every moment with Emma still missing made her more anxious to the state she'd be found in, if she was even still in town. Every moment with the phones staying silent was like a moment without oxygen. She wasn't sure how much longer she could just sit at home for. If she was only Snow White she wouldn't have, but Snow White hadn't just had a baby, perhaps if the situation had been the same while in the Enchanted Forest she might have had to stay home with Neal. Maybe it had nothing to do with whether she was Snow or Mary Margaret, maybe they were just taking it in turns with the kids, she had been the one to take Emma to the hospital to get her arm and rest of her injuries checked out after all. She grabbed one of the pull ups from the bottom of the closet, though she wasn't sure how well that would go down, should she need it.

She packed them all into the bag alongside David's sweater. She headed down the stairs with the bag packed ready and headed into her and David's room to grab one of David's shirts, she knew how much comfort they brought Emma, she hoped that Emma didn't hate them even if it was just so Emma would still find some comfort in small things like that. As she put the bag onto the table she realised the lion still sat there. She picked it up once again, and held it in her hands for a few seconds, before tucking it into the side of the inside of the bag, just in case.

~OUAT~

Regina walked over with the coffee refills for herself and Mary Margaret. She found that her stepdaughter didn't even notice her at first, she was too busy staring out of the window, as though she hoped that Emma would suddenly enter through it.

Regina pressed the warm mug into her hands, and received a polite but automatic smile in return. She took her place back next to her. They sat in silence for a little while, both of their eyes were trained on the window. "I know how you feel," that got Mary Margaret's attention, "it's terrifying when your child goes missing."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Mary Margaret's face. "I almost forgot about that, when Henry found Emma, it seems like a hundred years ago not two."

"That was petrifying." Regina corrected. "but at least then I thought he couldn't leave that he couldn't leave town, but when I couldn't find him I was terrified that one of my enemies had woke up from the curse and taken Henry to get to me. I figured it wasn't you, or your idiot husband, you would never hurt a child even before you knew he was your grandson." She paused for a moment, Henry's running away wasn't the one which she had been thinking of, there was a different instance she had never spoken about even when it had happened. "Do you remember when you were about eleven, maybe twelve, when Leopold was still alive?" She paused as Mary Margaret looked hard at trying to remember what Regina could be talking about, she and Regina about Leopold, Mary Margaret out of embarrassment for how her father had treated Regina while Regina didn't want to speak badly about her father as she knew how important fathers were. "Your father was obsessed with making sure that you were safe, there was no problems in the kingdom it was before the Ogre Wars so it didn't make a lick of sense to me, apparently, it didn't make much sense to you either."

"He had three guards around me at all times." She remembered. Even looking back it didn't make sense to her, after all her father had no idea about Regina's hatred for her, and Regina herself was not yet dark enough to act on her more unpleasant feelings towards her stepdaughter.

"You decided to show him that you were safe by yourself by sneaking out and riding your horse around the outskirts of the kingdom." Her voice was quiet and she refused to look at Mary Margaret. "It was winter, not as cold as it is right now but cold enough to make an impact, you left before the sun was up and only came back when the sun had set."

"I remember. I hadn't wanted to worry everyone in the castle, I had only wanted to show him that I would be safe without guards around me all hours of the day and night, I was always surprised I was never in trouble after that and that he listened to me ... I remember how scared he was."

"He wasn't the only one."

Mary Margaret was quiet for a minute as she digested what Regina was telling her, she had thought that Regina had absolutely hated her then, but although she blamed her for Daniel's death on the surface there was part of her deep down which knew it was Cora's fault, and allowed her to care for Mary Margaret. "I thought you didn't like me?" She could tell she wasn't meant to comment on it seriously, she had been told to show her that Regina understood the fear she was feeling, that she could barely breathe or stop herself from just going and searching.

"I didn't." Regina insisted. "It doesn't mean that I didn't care for you though."

Before Mary Margaret could reply or comment her cell phone rang and the entire conversation slipped from her mind. "David?" She demanded and held her breath as she waited for her husband to say his piece.

~OUAT~

As soon as Regina drew up to the hospital, Mary Margaret flew out, she glanced between the hospital entrance and the car for a half second as she wanted to find her older child but at the same time she wanted her other child with her before he went to Regina's, away from her for the first time.

"Go." Regina insisted. "I'll park, then we'll come and find you."

That was all Mary Margaret needed. She was out of the car in a shot, she ran through the downpour which was still going, and into the hospital towards the ER front desk. "I'm looking for my daughter, my husband brought her in a little while ago."

The receptionist smiled gently at her. "What's your daughter's name, ma'am?"

"Emma. Emma Swan. My husband who brought her in's name is David Nolan." She watched as she typed in Emma's name to her computer without pausing at David and Emma's different last names, she realised that it was probable that they were used to families having different last names after so many were separated during the first curse.

"She's on the children's ward, third floor, it's a private room, three-oh-one." The improvements in the hospital had occurred when they had come back to Storybrooke, along with many other improvements and new things in the town, the curse taking the opportunity to rejuvenate the town and Regina taking it upon herself as mayor to rejuvenate what the curse hadn't. "I can have someone show you there."

But Mary Margaret was already heading away towards the elevators. "No, thank you, I know my way." She said hitting the button and jumping into the elevator as soon as the doors of one of them opened. She hit the button for the third floor and the close door button so she could get there as soon as she could. Her fingers tapped on the rail of the elevator as it slowly headed up, announcing the floors as it went up them.

"Third floor. Paediatrics. Neonatal Ward. Physiotherapy and hydrotherapy unit." The elevator announced.

As soon as she was out of the doors she was met with the sign for the paediatric ward, it told her to follow the yellow brick road, sure enough on the floor there was a floor decal of a yellow brick road leading from the elevator doors down the corridor leading her to where she needed to go.

She pressed the intercom on the outside of the outside of the door, one of the new security measures to stop any children following David's lead and wandering out of the hospital, when the nurse answered Mary Margaret told her who she was and there to see and was let in straight away. As she knew which room Emma was in she was able to just go straight to it.

Emma was led in the bed, she was covered in blankets but Mary Margaret could see all of the hot water bottles and chemical warming packs, some at the end of the bed and around her sides, some of the others were under her armpits and on her chest.

The sleet and rain, in combination with it presumably having been towel dried off, had made Emma's hair curl beyond belief, young Emma had been made up with her 'lion hair' as she called it, she would have loved to see it now, and maybe she would.

Her skin was as white as the fallen snow, there was a tinge of blue around Emma's lips, that Mary Margaret could see anyway, the view was partially obstructed by an oxygen mask which was firmly on her face.

David was hunched over the bed near Emma's head, he was holding onto her hand, from the looks of the I.V in the back of Emma's hand he was holding it both to keep it still and to comfort her. When he heard her gasp at seeing their daughter and her looked over at her, he stood up and walked over to her, pulling his wife into his arms in a way which meant she could still see their daughter. "She's okay. She's going to be okay. I promise."

"David." Her voice came out as a broken whisper. "David she's so small."

He couldn't argue with that, in the time that they were apart she had either shrunk, or they had gotten used to having such a small version of Emma it had only hit home just how small she was when they had been apart. "She is." He whispered back. "but she's going to be okay. Her temperature's going up, slowly but surely, she'll be back to normal temperature within a few hours." It was currently half four in the morning, he should be exhausted but he was wired from the events of the night. He had searched for her for over an hour. "They think she'd been out for over two hours, going off how long I was searching for her, they were really surprised at how well she was – that she was even still conscious when we got here."

That surprised Mary Margaret too, she knew how bad people's health could turn in the cold weather, it was certainly cold enough that her condition could be much worse than it was – especially considering her body's size and age. She stared over at Emma almost afraid to go closer in case something suddenly went wrong, but at the same time she wanted to take her into her arms, and never let go of her ever again.

David looked over at their daughter, he understood why Mary Margaret wasn't rushing over to her in her usual protective mama bear fashion, it was scary seeing Emma like that. Not only was it scary, they were responsible, Mary Margaret was probably feeling that even more than he was, particularly as he had at least talked to Emma before she had fallen asleep. He kissed the top of Mary Margaret's head. "I told them she has asthma, it was on that list you got from Whale, it really helped them to know that, she was already having a little bit of trouble so they knew to give her the warm oxygen- that'll help warm her up too."

Mary Margaret nodded her head. She was relieved that David remembered about Emma's asthma, it was the last thing Emma needed, not when she already had enough to deal with. She pulled out of David's arms and walked over to Emma's bedside. She brushed the back of her fingers down Emma's cheek, she was still cold to the touch, but more likely than not she had already began to warm up. She leant forward and kissed Emma's forehead, before she claimed David's seat next to Emma's head, she took hold of Emma's hand, rubbing soothing circles on the skin near to where the needle was in her vein.

~OUAT~

Before David could move from where he was stood watching his girls, Regina walked in carrying Neal in a car seat which David realised wasn't his usual one, a second later he remembered that Neal's actual one was still in Mary Margaret's car which David had been driving. On her shoulder hung Mary Margaret's weekends bag, he realised that she had probably been with Mary Margaret when he had called. It made sense for her to drive Mary Margaret, the car seat was safer in Regina's car than it would have been in David's truck.
"Hi."

"Hi." Regina returned, she passed over the bag which Mary Margaret had packed, and took in how tired he looked from all of the events. "I think she packed you a new sweater in there too." Despite the heat in the hospital she could see the marks on the sweater where it had been wet and was in the process of drying.

"Thanks Regina, for everything." He bent down a little so he could see Neal. "Hey little man." David mumbled to the sleeping baby, he stroked his fingers down his son's cheek as Regina held onto the carseat he was in, he carefully tucked Neal's blanket closer around him, it was identical to Emma's except the ribbon boasting his name was deep blue.

"I'm going to look after him at mine until you're out of here." Regina told David firmly but not unkindly. She saw him look as though he might protest and understood that he didn't want them all to be separated. "You need to be able to concentrate on Emma and explain everything to her without any distractions. I'll look after him, you look after them," she nodded over to the hospital bed where Emma was still fast asleep and Mary Margaret was holding firmly onto Emma's hand, "I promise I'll take care of him, he's part of my family too."

Normally David would have made a comment about Regina's statement, about the twilight zone or something, but this time he didn't. "Do you have everything he needs? And his routine, he normally has a feed at three then will sleep through until a little after seven-"

"- David, I know how to look after a baby."

"Okay… I just… If you need anything-"

"-If I need anything I have magic I can use to get what I want." She told him firmly. Her voice softened slightly. "All you need to do it worry about Emma, and yourself, I won't let anything happen to him."

David nodded his head with a small yet grateful smile. He headed back over to Emma, the other side than Mary Margaret was sat on, he wasn't even surprised when Regina placed Neal's carseat down and followed him to look over Emma – despite anything she would argue he knew that she cared about Emma, not just because anything that happened to Emma would upset Henry, but in the same familial way she cared about Mary Margaret.

Now that Mary Margaret had had a chance to look over Emma on her own David continued to fill them in on Emma's treatment. He sat down on the other chair and took hold of Emma's other hand. "Whale saw her when I brought her in, he told the doctors and nurses about the injuries she already had and that she was previously abused but was safe with us."

"Yeah, if they thought that you two had done that, they would never have let you near her." Regina commented.

David nodded, he could see that Mary Margaret wasn't looking at him or Regina, but he knew that she was listening. "They have no idea that she'd actually an adult, she was acting a little childish when we got her, before she fell asleep. Whale said that the deaging wouldn't affect the medicine that they did to warm her up so it didn't need to be mentioned, it's not something that everyone needed to know."

"If she acts older tomorrow we can deal with it." Mary Margaret commented. "If we told them that she was an adult and she acted younger they'd be worried that it was something medically wrong, even if we knew it was just within these new parameters of normal, they'd want to keep her in longer and Emma hates hospitals."

"The on-call paediatric doctor said that he was very surprised that she only had moderate hypothermia, it was eighty-three point seven, he said it might have been because of her magic but I could tell he was guessing, none of the nurses could figure it out either."

Regina frowned down at sleeping Emma. She shook her head. "Her magic may have helped a little bit, but this weather's too cold and wet for it to have worked that well, not when her magic's been weaker and almost non-existent since she changed back."

Mary Margaret was looking at Emma as Regina spoke, her head was slightly tilted to the side as she tried to put together her thoughts, she knew she was missing something, it was just on the tip of her tongue. A small smile automatically appeared on her face as she noticed Emma still had her baby blanket with her. It clicked. "Did she have her blanket with her the entire time?"

David blinked, no one had said anything since Regina had stopped talking a couple of minutes ago, but a small smile matching Mary Margaret's appeared on his face. "Yeah, she had it under her pyjama top so it wouldn't get wet, she didn't let go of it even as I had her cuddled under my sweater, luckily it was completely dry, I can't imagine how hard it would be to try and get it off of her." There was a ghost of a smile on his face as he looked down at his daughter and the room fell into a silence, it wasn't uncomfortable, they were all just too busy thinking about Emma.

"True love." Mary Margaret half whispered in amazement, she received confused looks from David and Regina. "When we were in the Enchanted Forest, when I was pregnant with Emma, we thought that I'd be going through the wardrobe with Emma – we thought it was only for one, not that Gepetto and Blue lied to us."
Though she understood Gepetto wanting to save his own child, to an extent, Blue's seemed to be for more selfish reasons of wanting to save herself, or for Emma to save her.
"I was meant to still be pregnant with Emma, but we knew Emma wouldn't grow up with Emma so he kissed her blanket as soon as Granny was finished making it, it was just a nice gesture but Blue happened to see it she was very happy about it, she said that it would act like true loves kiss and should help protect her."

"That's why it's lasted in perfect condition for so long." David realised, his eyes were firmly on the purple ribbon of the blanket as it peeked out from under the others piled on top of Emma.

Regina nodded her head. "They might have done it… but I don't know if one kiss from that long ago would be able to work this well, even with her magic."

"What if we had both kissed it?" Both David and Regina turned their eyes onto Mary Margaret, realisation was slowly starting to dawn the more that Mary Margaret talked. "Both in the same desperate conditions, where we knew that she would spend twenty-eight years without us, both completely selflessly? What if I kissed her blanket straight after she was born, when we knew that if we didn't try to send her through alone she'd be at best cursed and at worse killed, just before I begged David to take her to the wardrobe? "

Regina was silent for a minute. A smile slowly tugged at her mouth and a quite laugh came out. "Trust you two to manage to save her with true love kisses from almost thirty years ago." Thirty years ago, she would have completely hated them for being able to get around something which could have been fatal with true loves kiss, now she rather admired them, she had learnt how important completely selfless true love was.

They sat in silence for a few minutes. David and Mary Margaret's eyes were firmly on Emma, while Regina's alternated between looking at all members of the Charming family.

"She might start to act a little younger now that she knows." Regina already knew that Emma had probably guessed about what was happening to her and they'd tell her the truth. "She'll be a mixture of the two, and she'll have more episodes where she's only young, but the next time that happens ring me and I'll be able to transfer her fake memories onto a dreamcatcher, at least that I know I can do."

David said the dread which had been present in his and Mary Margaret's conversation before they had gone to bed about five hours previously. "You're not going to be able to change her back to an adult, are you?"

Regina kicked herself for not keeping that last bit quiet. "I haven't found a way yet, but I'm still looking, Belle's been helping a lot, she takes books home so I assume she's forcing Rumple to help too. So far we haven't been successful. I've found one but it's only been performed a handful of times, it's killed all but one who've tried it. Painfully, might I add, it's not an option."

"We're not trying anything which will more than likely kill her, it has to be safe, if not it's not an option."

"I wouldn't suggest it, even if you wanted to try I'd refuse."

"Thank you, Regina." Mary Margaret said earnestly.

Regina held her glaze for a moment. "It's the least I could do." It was her fault that they didn't get to raise her, after all, though she would never claim she'd change that as she wouldn't have Henry.
He was her true love, she honestly didn't believe that any parent would give up their child completely with no chance of ever seeing them again, not if they loved them.
"I'll take him back to mine." She held up her hand to stop Mary Margaret from saying anything, though she didn't insult her, she remembered how protective she was of Henry when he was a baby… she supposed she still was. "I have everything he could possibly need in his changing bag and at my home, I'll bring him back to you when you're back at yours, and you've both rested, you can't look after a new born sleep deprived. Robin and I have enough experience with children to look after him, Roland loves to help out no matter what we're doing, and Henry loves reading stories to his uncle."

Regina gathered up her things, making sure Neal still had everything in his carseat and was tucked in nicely, and she picked it up and said her goodbyes to David and Mary Margaret.

"Regina?" He watched her turn back to look at them from her place next to the door, and he said words he rarely had for his step-mother-in-law. "Thank you. For all you're doing for us, for Emma, thank you. If you can't get this to work… if Emma stays as a child, we know it's not your fault, we would never hold it against you, we know how hard you're trying."

Regina smiled, she'd be lying if she claimed she wasn't slightly relieved by that, they were her family and she didn't want to lose it despite how annoying they could be.

David stood up and made his way over to stand next to her. "I'll help you strap him in." He still had his new parenting worries which he had before Emma was born and gained again when they found her twenty-eight years later, the worry had only increased when they gained a child. "And Mary Margaret and I could do with some coffees."

Mary Margaret nodded her head in agreement, but then she turned her attention back to her child as her husband and step-mother left the room.

~OUAT~

Mary Margaret sat watching Emma sleep, even as it became more restless, she stroked her cheek a little above the tiny oxygen mask. "It's okay baby, you're okay, mommy's here." She tried to soothe her. "Just sleep, that's all you need, just relax you can deal with anything you need to tomorrow. You can shout at me all you want, you can blame me, I'll understand, just get some sleep now, please."

But Emma continued to move about a little in her sleep, starting to wake up again, as if on cue a nurse walked through the door. She smiled gently at the worried mother.
"You must be Emma's mother." She watched Mary Margaret nod as she walked over to Emma and did the observations. "I'm Ophelia. She seems to have calmed down a bit with you here."

"I don't know about that," Mary Margaret sent her a small smile but her gaze returned to Emma quickly, "she seems to be starting to wake up now. I just don't want her moving too much with all these things attached to her."

"Let's see what we can do about that." She listened to Emma's chest and her breathing. "I think we can take this off her now, if she has trouble breathing we can just put it on her again" she took the oxygen mask off Emma's face and measured Emma's temperature.

Emma started to blink her eyes open as she did, still clearly half asleep. She realised she wasn't in her bed at home and looked around panicked. She vaguely remembered running away and being in the woods. She must have been caught. She couldn't remember David finding her, she didn't even think that she was still in Storybrooke, she tried to weakly sit up in her panic.

Mary Margaret quickly put her hand back onto Emma's face as she saw her on the verge of a panic attack. "Emma, sweetheart, it's okay you're safe."

"Mommy?" Emma's voice was horse but she turned her head to face Mary Margaret, recognition filing onto her face, though she still looked half asleep.

"Yeah, honey, I'm here." Mary Margaret smiled lovingly at her, she only had eyes for her daughter as the nurse moved about the bed moving the chemical heat packs off Emma but she kept the hot water bottles at the bottom of the bed. "Daddy's here too, he just went to get some drinks, but me and him are here all night with you, then you're coming back home, and we'll watch loads of movies, and I won't even try to make you eat loads of vegetables." She promised though she was fairly sure that Emma wouldn't remember the conversation.

Emma nodded her head in agreement, she calmed slightly knowing her mom was there, she was starting to remember David finding her, he hadn't been angry and he told her they weren't making her leave. But she still tried to move closer to Mary Margaret. She heard the nurse saying something, though she wasn't sure what, but whatever it was made Mary Margaret move to sit on the side of the bed to comfort her.

Mary Margaret was careful not to interfere with the I.V as she cuddled Emma to her side and stroked her hand through her hair, she was saying comforting things like she would with Neal, just assuring her that she was there and not leaving. She looked over at Ophelia. "I brought some pyjamas for her, they're warm, can I put them on her?"

Ophelia smiled over at Mary Margaret. "Of course, I'll unhook her I.V while you do it, she doesn't need all of these heating packs anymore, I've left a few at the bottom as she's rather small so she'd finding it hard to stay warm. The pyjamas will help more than this gown, we'll keep the I.V in overnight once it's back in, that'll warm her up." She gave Mary Margaret and almost motherly smile, she could clearly see the love between the mother and daughter, and the mother's worry. "She'll be back home before you know it. She's a fighter, I can tell."

"She definitely is." Mary Margaret agreed. She stroked Emma's cheek to bring her attention to her as the nurse unhooked her from the drip. "Emma, can I put some pyjamas on you?"

Emma looked down at the hospital gown, noticing it for the first time, she yawned and looked back up at her mom and nodded. "Yeah mommy." She said around another yawn.

Mary Margaret grabbed the bag from the floor and unpacked Emma's pyjamas and slipper socks, she could tell that Emma was in a younger mind than her adult one, though she didn't think she had fully gone younger – probably just a mixture like Regina had told her about.

"We already put one on her."

Mary Margaret looked up confused but she saw that Ophelia was looking at the pull up which had been picked up along with the pyjamas. "Oh, okay, thank you." She hadn't meant to pick it up, she hadn't even really been thinking about it, though she probably should have been. She realised it meant that Emma had had an accident, it wasn't surprising she had been through a lot, it was probably what had woken her up in the first place. She carefully took the hospital gown off Emma and passed it to the nurse, she carefully ran her hand down the mark of Emma's back, feeling guilt about it for what seemed like the hundredth time. She noticed that Emma was now in a diaper, she was sure that when Emma properly woke up she wouldn't be please about that, but she needed it so that was that. She put on the pyjama pants on Emma and swiftly put the slipper socks onto her frozen little feet.

"Space jammies." Emma mumbled leaning heavily against Mary Margaret.

Mary Margaret smiled. "Yeah, sweetie, space jammies." She carefully moved Emma so she could put her pyjamas top on her, she then helped lay her down. She moved and sat back down in her seat as Ophelia reattached the I.V to Emma's hand to give her the mixture which was working on warming her up and keeping her hydrated.

"Mommy don't leave." Emma suddenly whined fiercely fighting sleep.

"I'm not leaving, Emma, I'm never leaving you. I'm going to sit right here next to you." She gently squeezed Emma's hand. "See, I'm right here, you can see me at all times."

Emma rubbed her eyes hard, trying to keep them open, an almost impossible task. "Don't send me away." She begged.

Mary Margaret stood back up so she could hug Emma tight, she kissed the top of her head, then settled her back down and tucked her in once again. "I would never send you away. I love you. You're never leaving my sight again, ever. Me or daddy are going to be with you constantly, and you're never going into the woods alone, no matter how old you are."

Emma seemed to accept this as she took hold of Mary Margaret's arm but closed her eyes and otherwise started to fall asleep. "Blankie?" Emma mumbled her eyes were firmly shut.

Mary Margaret moved Emma's blanket so it was close to her face and continued to stroke her hair. "Blankie's right there with you. You have blankie, mommy, daddy, none of us are leaving you. You get some sleep so we can take you home tomorrow." She continued to stroke Emma's hair and say comforting words even as Emma fell asleep.

"I'm so sorry baby." She whispered after the nurse left the room. "I didn't mean to make you feel like you had to run away, I just… there's not a chapter in the parenting book which covers this, seeing you really ill scared me, I needed to make sure you weren't going to get worse, but we didn't even look at the big file." She knew Emma couldn't hear her but she needed to say it. "I love you. No matter how old you are. I'm never leaving you, and I'm never losing you ever again, I'd hunt the ends of every land for you."

~OUAT~

David re-entered a little while later, in his hands were two coffees and a few juice boxes, he knew Emma wasn't a fan of plain water and he wanted her to be able to drink and not be dehydrated. He placed the juice boxes on Emma's over-bed table for when she wanted them, he moved one of the armchairs next to Mary Margaret's one, he sat down and handed Mary Margaret her latte and took a sip of his own mocha. He spotted the blue pyjamas which were now on her. "Did she wake up? Was she sick?"

She shook her head in answer to the second question. "She woke up while you were gone, just a little bit, enough to talk to me. She wanted me to be close to her, she didn't even complain about me putting her in pyjamas, I had to make sure she knew you were coming back before she'd go to sleep." Mary Margaret watched David smile, his arm went around her shoulders and she leaned against him, though she made sure that she didn't move her arm Emma was clinging to.

"The nurse said that there's a pull-out bed in that cupboard if you want it." He watched her sip her coffee already knowing the answer, it was the same as his own.

"No, I want to stay with her, you can take it."

"I'm good here." He sipped his own coffee and felt his wife slouch down slightly to cuddle up to him some more and he slouched himself. The two would sit as guardians, watching over her daughter as she slept and healed, as they had through her blanket all of her life.

Chapter Text

Mary Margaret and David barley slept a peep during the night, they seemed to take it in turns taking miniature naps in shifts, the nurses came into the room every so often writing down notes of Emma's observations. David was more restless than Mary Margaret, he still had her cuddled up to him, but she also had the advantage of having Emma cuddled up to her, whereas David kept waking and looking over at Emma to make sure she was still there. He quietly coughed and sniffled a little, he tugged the blankets, he and Mary Margaret, had been given by the nurses, closer to him watching Emma's gentle breathing until he eventually fell back asleep.

~OUAT~

When Emma first woke up she didn't open her eyes straight away, she smelt the alcoholic base of hand sanitiser and bleach from the cleaners. There was a constant beeping and buzzing in the room, which had clearly been going on for a while, only now she was aware of it. She was cuddled up to something familiar and comforting. There was a soft whispering to one of her sides Below her the sheets were unfamiliar and a little scratchy, she felt something heavy on her chest when she blinked open her eyes she realised it was blankets piled upon her, she gave a yawn – the small noise which accompanied it drew her parents' attention to her.

"Hey baby." Mary Margaret softly greeted.

"How you doin', kiddo?" David's voice was scratchy but full of just as much love.

Emma blinked a few times, hard, and peered around. She realised the thing she was cuddling up to was her mom's arm, she pretended that the reason she didn't move was because she was too tired, but really it was because it was comfortable and comforting. "Sleepy." Emma mumbled, her voice made her sound especially young in the big hospital bed, it was just as scratchy as David's and she winced as it tore through her throat.

Mary Margaret smiled sympathetically. "You can sleep some more a little later, the doctor will be coming around soon to make sure you're okay." She watched David grab one of the juice boxes he had bought the night before, open it, and pass it over to her. "How are you feeling?" She was trying to figure out whether Emma was little or big.

Emma rubbed her eyes fiercely and involuntarily let out a whining noise as she moved a little before letting another one out, she felt really rough, she just wanted to be held which she didn't think was like her – whether she was right or not about that is another matter. "Sore."

Mary Margaret's hand went to Emma's forehead, her own brow was furrowed a little bit in worry at Emma's whines but her temperature was only a little high from the cold she had so clearly picked up, but the manner in which she had answered was very reluctant in the way she had expected her adult daughter to answer. She shared a look with her husband, and he nodded to show he was thinking the same thing, Emma was clearly a mixture of both big and little Emma.

"What hap-…" Emma trailed off as her mind answered her own question. She looked around the hospital room as she remembered the night before.

Mary Margaret could see the realisation in her eyes as she was remembered the night before, running away to the woods. She could also see that Emma was anxious even being in the hospital.

"Are you poorly?" She asked David hearing him clear his throat for the third time in the short amount of time she had been awake.

David shot her with his trademark smile. "Nah, kiddo, I'm fine."

Emma nodded her head. "Me too."

Mary Margaret chuckled and shook her head at the stubborn pair. But her smile turned more serious. "Emma, sweetie, we need to talk about last night, about you finding that file."

Emma's palms grew sweaty, she started to pick at her hangnails, until Mary Margaret placed her hand upon Emma's two much smaller ones to stop her from doing so. "Don't want to." Emma mumbled.

David and Mary Margaret shared a tight smile, they didn't really want to either especially if it was upsetting Emma, but they knew this was an important conversation which had to be had.

"Okay, how about we speak and you just listen for now? You can talk to us whenever you've gone over it in your head." Mary Margaret offered. "You can just process it for now."

Emma looked at her mom then at her dad, checking that they were being genuine, David sent her an encouraging look and she nodded her head where it still lay against Mary Margaret's arm. "Okay." She mumbled.

"Okay." Mary Margaret nodded and try to figure out where to start. "What you need to know first is that we haven't read through it, we had a short version of any medical problems or treatments until you were five which we did read, but the big file we put away and completely forgot about. But no matter whether we read it or not we're sorry if we invaded your privacy."

They watched as Emma nodded somewhat hesitantly before David spoke. "When you first changed back and you got that flu, and we found out you hadn't gotten the vaccination for it, we were worried that you'd get even sicker with something else which might occur because you had it when you were young originally. Or things like your asthma," he watched her eyes widen a little when she realised her parents knew about that, "Em, we needed to know about things like that – whether you're five or thirty-five. I had to tell the nurses about it last night, they put you on medicine as even getting a cold can be dangerous, if I hadn't known… Emma we love you, and trust you… just not with your own health."

"We're not blaming you Emma," Mary Margaret clarified while David nodded in agreement, "we're just trying to explain to you when we wanted to know. We only wanted the small file originally, Whale thought that it would be best for us to have the option of reading the big one should we need to, but we were always going to ask you if you would give us permission to read it."

"We put it into the chest, and by the time we had found out about your injuries from your old foster homes, we had long since forgotten about it. We're sorry that you found out about it in that way, it must have been quite jarring, we're sorry we didn't tell you about it ourselves."

Emma stared at them as they spoke, she watched them both carefully, her past had made her perfunctorily able to spot a lie. When she looked at them they were being honest, wholeheartedly. She didn't want to hold onto a pointless grudge when they were honestly sorry, but she was still a little confused as to the fact that they had seen her file and only seemed concerned for her, yes they were clearly a little disappointed that she hadn't told them, but it could have been much worse – it had been much worse in the past.
"I… I understand."

Both David's and Mary Margaret's eyes widened, they were glad that she understood of course, but it was bizarre that she hadn't shouted or even asked questions. As Emma was distracted by a nurse entering with a tray of breakfast for her, David and Mary Margaret shared a look, there had been a confused look upon Emma's face as they had apologised, they didn't think that she had expected them to say what they had – she had been waiting for something else.

~OUAT~

As the nurse walked in Emma felt unease set into her stomach like lead. She bit the corner of her lip and wiggled her toes, torn between staying perfectly still, and not being able to. Mary Margaret stood up to talk to the nurse and clear a space for Emma's tray on the over bed table. She saw the nurse smile at her, but she just edged closer to David, making the nurse give David and Mary Margaret a knowing smile.

David gave the nurse a quick, tight, smile back. He placed his hand on Emma's back and rubbed circles onto it. He tried not to smile as she seemed to be wanting to be as close to him as possible, he didn't like that she was worried or shy around other people, but he liked that it was something he could easily help her with. He suddenly felt Emma's tiny hand grip onto his, well onto two of his fingers, they weren't big enough to hold onto much more than that. He rubbed his thumb along her knuckled in a soothing motion, he moved so that he was sat beside her on the bed. David placed a kiss to the top of her head as she moved as close to him as she could. "It's okay kiddo." He whispered into her hair as he did so.

"She's looking a lot better than she did earlier." The nurse commented with a kind smile to Mary Margaret as she placed the tray for Emma down onto the table, ready to wheel it closer to Emma once she had quickly taken some observations. "Okay, dear, I just need to take your temperature."

Emma somehow managed to move closer to David without ending up on his lap. "No thank you." She frowned as even she could hear how young her voice sounded, and it was only a surprise that she wasn't surprised at all, she felt as young as she sounded.

The nurse smiled just as kindly as she walked so she was next to David, beside the hospital bed, in her hand was the ear thermometer. She held it out so that Emma could easily see it. "This pops into your ear and lets us know if your body's too hot, too cold, or just right. It doesn't hurt, you can barely even feel it, it only takes until the count of ten."

Emma bit her lip as she looked at it, she knew what it was she had had her temperature taken many times in her life, but for some reason it didn't feel like that it felt as though it was something brand new and scary. Her eyes flickered to her mom who nodded encouragingly.

Mary Margaret watched the interaction between Emma and the nurse with interest, she and David had meant to tell Emma that the doctors and nurses were unaware of her actual age, but clearly Emma had barley noticed.

"It's okay, Em, kiddo it's okay we're staying here with you." David soothed. He squeezed her against his side and kissed the top of her head again. "We're not leaving your side, even when the doctor comes to check you over, hopefully we'll be able to go home soon."

"How about we check your daddy's temperature?" The nurse suggested. "I hear he was out in the cold and rain last night too." She watched as Emma bit her lip but nodded her head a little shyly. The nurse smiled kindly at David as he shared the smile and offered his ear for her to take his temperature.

"One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten." The nurse counted slowly for Emma's benefit, as soon as she finished saying the last number the thermometer beeped and a temperature appeared on the screen.

"Daddy's too cold?" Emma asked quietly but full of concern. She didn't notice that she had copied what the nurse's words.

"No, sweetie, your daddy's a little hot."

David smirked and winked at Mary Margaret who rolled her eyes playfully, trying to hide her smile, before they both looked back at Emma.

"He probably has a cold." The nurse continued for both Emma and David's benefit. "He just needs some medicine and to rest." She disposed of the nib of the thermometer then put a new one on ready for Emma. "Shall we do yours now? Can you count for me?" She placed the thermometer into Emma's ear. She started to count slowly with Emma shyly joining in.

"One…two…three…four…five…eight…nine… ten." Emma counted quietly, she didn't notice that she had missed out a few numbers, or the fact that her parents had picked up on it and were sharing a look.

"Oh, it looks like you and your daddy are matching, you both have the same number."

"Is that bad?" Mary Margaret worried.

"It's to be expected, she returned to her normal temperature during the time she was here, she has a cold starting – children often get fevers with them, more so than adults, she just needs some bedrest and to keep warm for a couple of days. Her breathing sounds good, I'm sure the doctor will double check that for her, has she had an inhaler before?" She asked before she remembered (the lie Whale had quickly made up) that she had been told that she hadn't always lived with Mary Margaret and David despite being her being their biological parents – through no fault of their own. "Do you know?"

Mary Margaret twirled her engagement ring around her finger as she often would while nervous or unsure. "Erm… I'm not… I don't-" She noticed Emma looking at her and nodding her head, with the same nervous expression. "Do you remember which coloured ones you had, baby?" Mary Margaret asked her with a kind smile, she saw different inhalers which the kids used in the school she was fairly sure that blue was the most common one needed, she was more surprised that Emma was admitting something like that to her – perhaps they were making some progress.

"Blue…" Emma said after a second, she hadn't owned one since she was released from prison, it hadn't been a massive deal unless she was ill – in which case she usually just tried to ignore it, which definitely wasn't the correct way to go about it's management. She tried to remember the colours, it was like she could picture them, but just couldn't find the name. "Green…?"

"That's good." The nurse smiled. "Did you have a brown one too?"

Emma shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe?"

The nurse just carried on smiling and nodded her head, the brown inhaler was usually the main one which went along with the blue one. "Thank you very much, you've been a very big help, I'll let you eat your breakfast in peace. A very name doctor will be coming and seeing you very soon."

"Thank you for telling us kiddo." David said as the door closed behind the nurse. "That'll be helpful for the doctor to know. Looks like your mom is gonna be keeping us under house arrest." He joked gaining a small smile, though like Mary Margaret he had no plans to let Emma out in this weather, even if she wasn't acting like a little kid.

Mary Margaret paused cutting Emma's toast into strips so she could hold it as she still had one arm in a cast. She looked over at Emma with her head tilted ever so slightly to the side. She had been so nervous around the nurse at first, even now she seemed shy like a little kid attached to David's side. "Emma, sweets, do you want your dad to stay next to you while you eat?"

Emma bit her lip and nodded her head shyly once again. She tried to shake the uncertain and shy feeling but it just wouldn't budge, nor would the one which made her want to be as close as possible to her father and mother. She didn't look at either of them as Mary Margaret wheeled the tray closer to Emma so she could eat, nor did she look at them as she picked up one of the strips of toast and chewed upon it.
"What's wrong with me?"

Her voice was quiet and her question could easily be about several different things, but the way in which she said it made it abundantly clear to her parents about what she was talking about.

"Sweetie." Mary Margaret sighed sympathetically. Her heart broke. "You're… You're perfect. Always. No matter what."

"We love you, kiddo." David agreed.

Mary Margaret grabbed the bag she had brought along with her and reached into it. She brought out the lion which Emma had been gifted by David. Almost immediately Emma reached for it with a slightly confused expression on her face. Mary Margaret passed it over with a small and gentle smile. "Do you know what this is?"

"I…" Emma stroked the lion's fabric mane, as she stared down at it, it felt so incredibly important and special to her, but she only had a vague memory of it. "I was… it was given to me in a dream… by dad…" She spoke slowly when she finished she looked up at them as though waiting for the answers to a pop quiz or exam. "…It wasn't a dream, was it?"

Mary Margaret shook her head, looking at her with a gentle and sympathetic smile. "No sweetie, it wasn't a dream, your father really gave it to you."

"I woke up the other night, it felt like something was wrong, so I went to check on you. I couldn't find you anywhere." He remembered flashes of that night in combination with not being able to find Emma the night before. "When I finally found you, you were hidden between the washer and the dryer. I figured you'd had a bad dream and an accident, 'cause you were acting young, like a little toddler. I finally convinced you to let me get you out of there, when I did you were still acting like a little toddler. You called me daddy, you thought that you were in trouble for wetting the bed, it took me a little while to convince you that you weren't."

Emma frowned trying to remember any of it. "…Did you… I had a bath, in my dream I mean, I wasn't in trouble…" The vague memory of that part of the 'dream' stuck out as it was the only time as a child she hadn't been in trouble.

"You were pretty insistent on your father giving you the bath." Mary Margaret smiled kindly. She watched as Emma processed it, she smiled a little, before she frowned – her shoulders squared and Mary Margaret could tell she was thinking about her back and the giant scar upon it.

David gently rubbed her back, careful not to hurt her, but showing he wasn't afraid of or disgusted by it. "Emma, none of those were your fault. You should never have gone through that once, let alone more than once, I'm sorry kiddo. Nothing like that is ever going to happen to you again. We promise. We'll always protect you."

Mary Margaret gave a small smile, when Emma started to relax more she continued speaking. "We all went to bed, when I woke up you and David weren't there, I found you in the kitchen-"

"Making breakfast…" Emma said quietly. She hadn't remembered that until just then. She remembered the pride she felt to have helped him, she felt it again, as though it was a separate part of herself that had been hidden from her until she was told about it. She took a shaky breath. "I- I didn't remember that? Why didn't I remember it? I can't remember anything else… What's wrong with me? Why am I- I'm- I'm broken."

David couldn't cope any longer, he stood up and scooped her up into his arms, as he stood he rocked her like he did Neal to soothe him. "You're not broken, you're not broken at all, we love you so much kiddo. We're working on trying to find a way to help you, all of us, Regina especially."

Emma quickly buried her head in the crook of his neck. She felt David move one of his hands from her back to the back of her head and her mother's hand appearing on her back, rubbing circles into it. "It's not working, is it?" She whimpered. "They can't find a way."

Mary Margaret looked from the back of Emma's head to David's face only a little higher. She had no idea what to say. She was still against lying to her daughter, especially after the recent consequences of keeping something from her, consequences they were lucky weren't more severe. "We've not found anything yet, Regina mentioned she'd found something but it's so dangerous there's no way it'd work, even Gold agrees. But we're searching. For as long as it you want us to."

Emma turned her head back to Mary Margaret. "What if it doesn't work?" She asked in a small voice. "What will happen to me?"

Mary Margaret sighed sympathetically. She picked Emma up from David's arms and held her close. She kissed the top of her head before looking at her. "When you're a little you have different memories, that you broke the curse when you were younger, you lived with us – we're not completely sure of them yet, but Regina's found a way for us to watch them she just needs to capture them when you next go little." She felt Emma snuggle closer to her as she waited for Mary Margaret to continue. Mary Margaret started to rock her and stroked her hand through those crazy curls. "If it doesn't work… if we can't find a way you'll end up with those memories, that mind constantly, but sweetie we're trying our hardest for that not to happen. If it does then nothing will change, you'll still be our daughter, and we'll still love you as much as we always have. We'll look after you no matter your age."

Emma nodded her head but felt as though the world was slipping away from underneath her. She let her head hide against Mary Margaret and David's hand appeared on the back of her head. Her parents did their best to comfort and soothe her, but the truth was that she hadn't really processed it, plus she had learnt from her parents to always have hope – so until her parents told her that there was absolutely no way, no hope, she would try her hardest to keep her own.

~OUAT~

Eventually, Mary Margaret placed Emma back down onto the bed so that breakfast could be eaten, but as Emma still seemed to be acting as clingy and childish as she had been all morning both of her parents sat on the bed with her.

A while after they had finished, the paediatrician walked into the room. she had a kind face, and the short file Whale had doctored in her hands for 'Emma Nolan'. She had black hair and her white coat bore her name with an embroided lion over her name and a monkey in the same style on the other breast of her coat. Around her neck was a multi-coloured stethoscope.

The doctor placed the file she had just looked over onto the over bed table, and walked over to Emma. "Hello, you must be Emma," She said kindly to her she gently took Emma's hand and shook it, "my name is Libby Ashdown, I'm your doctor. I'm here to make sure that you're feeling better, give you some special medicine, and hopefully I'll be able to send you home. Does that sound good?" She watched Emma, who she assumed to be just a very small, very shy, five year old girl, nod her head. She smiled at her again before smiling at Mary Margaret and David, shaking their hands in turn. "Hello, you must be Emma's mommy and daddy.

"Mary Margaret." She greeted kindly.

"Hey, I'm David." David shook her hand too.

"It's very nice to meet you." Dr Ashdown smiled before looking back at Emma with the same kind expression which appeared to be genuine. "I heard you all went through a pretty scary night?"

Emma could tell the woman wasn't about to be mean like uncaring doctors and nurses she had known in the past, she had the feeling that Libby Ashdown was a genuinely nice and good person, but she still felt nervous and wanted her parents close to her. She bit her lip and held her hand out towards David who was closer.

"Is it okay for me to sit with her?" David asked. "She's shy and hates hospitals."

"Of course." Libby nodded her head. From what she had read over in the file Dr Whale had given to her it was understandable as to why she didn't like them, she prided herself on being a good and kind doctor, even without knowing of Emma's past with the abuse in it she would have let a child have a parent sit with them if they're scared, she was even more adamant to stand by her good qualities with this patient.

David sat down on the bed and was surprised to find Emma climb onto his lap, he quickly recovered from his surprise, he kissed the top of her head and rubbed circles onto her stomach. "It's okay kiddo, me and mommy are here with you, you're safe."

"How are you feeling Emma?"

Emma shrugged at the doctor before mumbling "I'm okay."

"I'm glad about that, I bet that you're still feeling a little cold, right?" She could see the worry in the parents' faces but they also shared a knowing and slightly amused look which told her that Emma probably often claimed to be fine. "I know you know what this is, it tells us how hot or cold you are, I bet you've seen it a lot since you got here – everyone was very worried about you. Can I see how you're feeling?"

Emma was slowly starting to trust the doctor, she didn't even really mind the fact that she was talking to her as though she actually was five… in a way she felt like a combination of the two ages, she wasn't sure which one would be the one which won. "…Okay."

"Thank you very much." She placed the thermometer into Emma's ear. "Would you like to count to ten with me?"

David and Mary Margaret shared a silent look of surprise when Emma joined in, again getting the order of the numbers past five a little wrong, but they could worry about that later. They shared another glance of surprise with Emma's reply to the doctor's next words.

"You're a little bit hot there Emma."

"My daddy is too."

Libby glanced at David as though Emma had just ratted him out, she looked amused at the look Mary Margaret was giving him, which clearly showed that she was planning on making him rest. She nodded in a mock serious kind of way. "I think your daddy's going to be on bed rest, I think you both need to for a couple of days, but you'll be able to do that back at your home."

"I get to go home?" Emma looked at Mary Margaret with hope and excitement.

"Of course you do, Emma, you and your daddy are on strict bed rest though." She used the terms Emma had for Emma's benefit and the doctor's. She brushed a strand of Emma's hair from her face as she stood beside she and David beside the bed. "You can sleep in our bed downstairs, with us, we can watch some movies." Even if Emma wasn't running a little hot she still wouldn't be letting her out of her sight any time soon.

"Wow, Em, sounds like we're in for a fun couple of days." He winked down at his daughter. "You can even watch Shrek, so long as it's the one without 'Charming' in." Truth be told if Emma asked to watch the ones with the narcissistic version of himself he would in a heartbeat. He would normally have protested that he wasn't sick and wasn't going to stay in bed but Emma had to and it would probably be the easiest way to keep her there.

Libby's mind finally realised who Emma's parents were. She wasn't well acquainted with them to figure out that Emma should have been over a couple of decades older, the most she remembered was that they had two kids, she was pretty sure that the older one was a girl. For a couple of royals, they seemed to be very down to earth, but she had figured as much from their reputation, not everyone knew of the couple's children but she certainly knew of Snow White's story.
"You did a very good job Emma. But I need to do a couple more tests, can you open your mouth and say 'ahh" for me?" Emma obliged and Libby looked at her throat, other than the signs of a cold there was nothing unusual. "Thank you very much, just one last test, okay."

"Then I get to go home?"

"Yep, I'll have to talk to your mommy and daddy about giving you some medicines first, but then you can go home and watch your movies." She took the stethoscope from around her neck and breathed heavily on the metal part. "I just need to listen to your heart and your breathing, this might be a little cold, I'm sorry about that." She listened carefully, then again, and again, a small frown on her face.

Mary Margaret looked alarmed. "What's wrong? Is it her, erm, her asthma?"

"I think Emma has a small heart murmur, it's not dangerous, or something to worry about- it's likely Emma has an innocent one, I would just like to do an echocardiogram, it will only take five minutes, then we'll get you packed off home."

Mary Margaret bit her lip in the same way Emma did, she twisted her rings around her fingers nervously, but she nodded – she was glad that Emma had ended up with this doctor, she seemed to have a way of putting people at ease.

Dr Ashdown quickly attached the pads to Emma's chest hands and legs, assuring both Emma and her parents as she did. She talked mindlessly to them as she watched the readings on the machine. After the set amount of time she turned it off and took the pads off of her. "Okay, there's nothing to worry about, it's what's known as an innocent heart murmur – it's common in children because of the way their bodies are the murmur will fade completely as she grows."

"But she'll be okay?" Mary Margaret worried. "Could it be because she was born so early?" She stroked Emma's hair again as Emma retook her place from lying on the bed onto David's lap.

Emma had lost interest in her mom and the doctor's conversation, she picked up her blanket into her arms and held it tight to her before she started to trace her finger along the space themed pictures on her footie pyjamas, she felt David start to rock her but when she looked up at him and saw he was looking at the two women. Before she could stop herself, she reached up, and touched his chin.

David had felt a pair of eyes on him, but before he could even look down he felt a tiny, cold, little hand on his chin, he looked down at her with a smile. He gently took hold of it and kissed it a couple of times as he listened to Dr Ashdown explain that it was very common for premature babies to have heart murmurs and Mary Margaret talked asked the doctor a few other questions.

"I'm going to prescribe her some medicine because she is so small and because of her asthma her immune system isn't as good as it could be, she'll have a cold anyway, but we just want to make sure that no complications arise. I also have some inhalers for her."

There was a knock at the door and a nurse came in carrying a small box of things the doctor had asked for. Libby accepted it and placed it on the table beside Emma's file, she took out the medicine for Emma's cold and showed it to David and Mary Margaret telling them the instructions for how often to give it to her.

"These are Emma's inhalers, they go in the end of the spacer then you place the mask over Emma's face, you press the inhaler and it admits a puff of medicine, you count to ten try to get Emma to join in. The blue one is for her when her chest feels tight, she's coughing a lot, or she's just having trouble breathing in general. Two to four puffs each time." She held up the pink one which was identical to the blue one in all but its name and the colour of the plastic casing.

"Emma, the nurse told me that you used to have a brown and a green inhaler, well, this pink one is one you can take instead of having to take the two." She let Emma hold the inhaler to look at it before she gently took it back. "Can we show your mommy and daddy how you have to use it?" She waited for Emma to nod before she demonstrated how it worked for Emma, then let Mary Margaret do the second puff. "This one's called a preventer, it has steroids in the aerosol spray, it helps to keep the lungs from becoming inflamed by irritants during the day and night, it keeps working for around twelve hours at a time, just get into the habit of two puffs in the morning when she wakes up and two puff at night at bedtime."

"That's a er, a pretty big box for just some bottles of medicine and a few inhalers." David let go of Emma with one of his hands to rub the back of his neck nervously.

"It's nothing to worry about, but Emma is particularly small for her age, and behind developmentally – it's understandable with her past and the fact she was premature. From what you've told me about her potty-training problems you're handling them just as we would advise you to, I'd like to invite you back in about a month when she's fully recovered for me to do an examination on her so we can figure out her developmental age, I think she's very smart for her age but I..." She frowned she wasn't sure why but she just had a feeling which she wasn't sure fitted with the facts she was being told. "I think she's very smart for her age, but I'm, not sure she's five…" She saw the parents glance nervously at each other. "Like I said it's nothing to worry about it might just be the effects of the first curse, I wasn't here then so I'm not sure if or how it affected the kids."

She reached into the box and brought out couple of PediaSure bottles then a box of the powder. "These will help Emma to grow, like I said she's very small, they're just like milkshakes but with plenty of nutrients and vitamins."

Mary Margaret nodded her head, she looked down at the inhaler now in her hands, her mind was filled with questions: did Emma have asthma because of something she did wrong? During her pregnancy, she wasn't exactly stress free, if she had been would it have prevented at least some of Emma's medical problems? But then… What would have happened if Emma had been born so small and with all the medical problems she had in the Enchanted Forest, where she wouldn't have been able to go to the NICU when she was born premature, where they would have had to try and find herbs to help her growth?

David took hold of Mary Margaret's hand, he brought it to his lips, while looking at her face. They had never needed words to understand what the other was thinking but what she was thinking now was even clearer to him as he was coming up with the same questions of himself, wondering what he could have done – could he have insisted on Mary Margaret having less to do during her pregnancy? But they couldn't think like that, it might have been nothing to do with anything they could control, and they knew that despite growing up in places where she wasn't nurtured or looked after she still grew up to be an amazing woman.
"It's not your fault, babe."

"It's neither of your faults." Libby told them kindly yet firmly. "Or Emma's." She smiled down at the little girl who seemed to be trying to cuddle back up to her father at the mention of her being small. "So, Emma," She crouched down to smile at Emma, "would you like to go home now?"

Emma nodded her head enthusiastically. "Yeah, I wanna go home now." She looked up at her mom. "Can we go back to the loft?"

Mary Margaret picked her up into her arms, and cuddled her close to her chest, Emma rested her cheek against hers. "Of course, we can, sweetie." She kissed her cheek and rocked her. "David, hon, why don't you sort out signing her discharge papers. Emma and I will get ready to go." She reached into the travel bag to grab the pull-up she had packed for Emma as David followed the doctor out of the room to follow the doctor out of the room to sign Emma out and get the prescription for more PediaSure for Emma.

Mary Margaret went to put the lion into the bag when she noticed Emma staring at it wistfully. "Emma?"

"Can I… Can I keep it with me?"

Mary Margaret smiled and passed it back over to Emma along with her blanket. "Sure, it's yours after all. I'm just going to change you into a pull-up honey, I know it's not fun, but it's not a big deal." She told her as Emma began to look ashamed. "Emma. Sweetheart, it's okay, it doesn't matter whether you sometimes need pull-ups or always need pull-ups, as long as you're healthy we couldn't care less."

"Okay." Emma mumbled, at that present moment she didn't really mind, there were much bigger things to be worried about.

~OUAT~

Mary Margaret drove the three of them home in her car, covering Emma in several blankets, and forcing David to put on around himself, then turned the heat on high. They stopped at Granny's for Mary Margaret to pick up soup for David and Emma and a sub for herself. When they got back home Mary Margaret picked Emma up before her husband could, so David swiped the bag up before Mary Margaret could take that too, as soon as they got up into the loft she carried Emma over to the bed and sent David a look until he climbed in beside her.

"I'll be back in a moment with lunch and medicine for you both."

David looked over at Emma as they both snuggled under the covers, she looked particularly small but that might be after the doctor pointed it out, he noticed her slowly moving closer to him while trying to make out that she wasn't. David smiled, he picked her up into his arms and moved her so she was lying against him, so that they were chest to chest. He kissed her forehead trying to gage her temperature, but it was hard considering they both had a fever. "How are you feeling? Too hot? Too cold?"

Emma shrugged her shoulders but she cuddled closer to him and shivered so it was evident she wasn't telling the whole truth. "I'm a little bit cold."

David smiled and kissed her forehead again, he cuddled her closer and gently tugged her blanket from her hands, he wrapped it around her before he covered her with the other covers again. "You were very brave in the hospital, I know you don't like them, they're scary places for us all, I know you dislike them more than any of us."

Emma shrugged her shoulders, she didn't want to get into that just then, it was approaching a little too close to the real reason why she reacted how she did when she found the file. She looked down at the plush toy in her hands before she looked back up at her dad. "Thank you for the toy… why did you…?" She wasn't sure what to say or how word her question.

"I was out getting groceries after having convinced you to let your mommy- mom, brush what you called your 'lion hair'," it felt a little weird to be talking about her to her but he just rolled with it, it was weirder to see that she didn't mind him referring to , "I promised you a surprise and I spotted that lion with the toys, he was the only lion, I found a similar toy for your brother but a monkey. You called him Leo."

"I've never had a toy that wasn't a hand me down." Emma whispered she cuddled Leo closer to her chest. "I mean I know I had the ones in your castle…"

David smiled, he knew she was trying to make sure he didn't feel bad about not being able to buy her toys, he thought it was very sweet. "But you didn't get to use them, I understand, kiddo." He also knew that if she couldn't change back, if there was absolutely no way and she changed to a little kid with different memories, he would single-handedly fill her room with all the toys she could possibly want or need. "Well, he's yours no matter what, forever."

Mary Margaret came back with a tray with their food, David and Emma's soups and her own hot sub sandwich, medicine for both Emma and David and drinks for all three of them. She placed it down on the bed and handed over a sippy cup of strawberry juice to Emma, it had been part of a gift set she had been given for Neal, from one of their friends. "Before you say anything this is just so that you can drink without having to keep sitting up, you need to drink lots, but you also need to rest." She smiled when Emma accepted it with only a small pout, she handed David his juice and some medicine and saw the same look appear on his face, she picked up the medicine for Emma and filled the first syringe before doing the same with the second bottle of medicine and syringe. "Okay, Em, you know how this goes."

Emma whined and pouted as David sat himself and Emma up so they could both take the medicine. "I hate it."

"I know." Mary Margaret said as Emma opened her mouth, she gave her the first dose of medicine to her, she waited for Emma to sip her juice to clear the taste, then gave her the next one. "But we don't want you getting sick, honey." She sat down onto the bed beside her daughter and husband and gently pulled Emma to sit in the small gap between she and David. "I know that you're sleepy, but you barely ate your breakfast, just eat some of this then you can get some more sleep."

Emma leant against Mary Margaret's side as David passed Mary Margaret over the plate and the bowl for the girls before grabbing his own, by the time Mary Margaret decided that it was easier and quicker to just feed Emma the lunch herself, Emma was fighting to keep her eyes open.

Mary Margaret paused feeding Emma to eat some more of her own food, by the time she ate the couple of bites worth she had left and picked up the spoon of soup again, Emma was fast asleep grasping tight to her lion toy. "I think we lost her." She whispered to David making Emma snuggle closer to her.

David looked down at the tiny blonde with a fond smile. "Can't say I blame her, it's been a very, very long day, and it's barely past noon," he placed his now empty bowl back down onto the tray before half lying back down.

"Yeah." Mary Margaret brushed a strand of hair from Emma's face. "I think there's something more to Emma running away than us not telling her about the file."

"I know that you mean, she seemed terrified that we were going to leave her, maybe because she thought we knew about her past…" David agreed "But there just seemed to be something more to it."

"Well, we can try to ask her about it tomorrow, I don't think that we should put her through this today. She's been through so much already."

"She took it all surprisingly well, we told her that she might change everything about her forever, not just her size but her memories too."

"David," she paused as Emma moved in her sleep to lie back on David's chest, Mary Margaret helped move her gently so that she wouldn't wake, she watched Emma settle down as David rubbed her back, then resumed what she was saying. "I don't think she actually took in what we told her, not properly, anyway…. But I think when she does, it's going to hit her like a ton of bricks."

David cuddled her closer as though to protect her from the inevitable pain. "Let's hope that we find a way to turn her back before then."

Mary Margaret could hear the forced hope in his voice, one he put on for her benefit, the same one they used to talk about the curse in, when they would be trying to give each other hope. "If there's a way we'll find it." She moved her own plate onto the tray and placed Emma's sippy cup onto the bedside table. She ran her hand through David's hair before kissing his brow. "You need to get better, too."

"Yes ma'am." David winked.

"I'm serious, Charming, you were out in the cold and wet too – and you didn't have a magical blanket keeping you safe."

David leant up, careful not to disturb Emma as he did so, and tenderly kissed Mary Margaret. "I'll be fine, love, I promise." He kissed her again. "Both my and Emma's health is in very good hands."

Mary Margaret kissed him again. "Good, get some rest, I'm going to call Regina about getting Neal back."

She carried the tray through to the kitchen with her phone in her hand.

David kept his eyes half open as he listened to Emma's soft breathing from on his chest and Mary Margaret talking on the phone, he tried not to chuckle when she started to sound like a teenager talking to her stepmother- not an adult. His own phone chimed and he quickly picked it up and placed it on vibrate so it wouldn't wake Emma up. He opened the message from Robin, a picture of Neal and Roland being read to by Henry, and one of Neal happily sleeping with his toy monkey while Regina held her phone to her ear with a stern look – she might easily have been talking to Henry but David had a feeling it was a photo taken at that moment. He grinned and placed it back down on the bedside table as he waited for Mary Margaret to re-enter the room.

"Fine."

David smirked hearing that and soon enough he heard Mary Margaret wandering back towards the master bedroom.

"She and Robin have stolen our second born." Mary Margaret grumbled with a pout as she walked in and collapsed onto the bed.

David chuckled despite the pain in his throat it caused. "Really? What'd she say?" He gave her a look, showing he was well aware that there was more to it than she was letting on.

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes, she was beginning to wish that David still completely hated Regina, yes of course she much preferred their relationship with Regina now that when she was constantly trying to kill them… but Regina and David getting along was eerie as hell.

"She's holding Neal hostage until I get some sleep."

"Maybe you should listen to her." David smirked. "You were awake for as long as Emma and I were. Just take a nap with me, and our little girl, just like we used to when you were pregnant with her. Then, in a few hours time you can call Regina again and get her to bring our other baby home."
It was bizarre for him to agree with Regina too, and mostly she seemed to pretty much hate him in a mother-in-law kind of way – she seemed to care a lot for Mary Margaret, Emma, and Neal, they were family after all. He pulled her closer into another kiss. He kissed away the pout until she smiled and kissed him back.

"A lazy day sounds good to me." She gently kissed him again before she led down beside him, his arm wrapped around her as Emma slept peacefully on his chest holding tightly onto David's sweatshirt with one hand and her lion in the other.

The three slept for four hours, until Mary Margaret woke up and made the other two take their medicine, and promised Regina that she had now slept so she was much more up to looking after Neal.

Even once Neal was back Mary Margaret and he just relaxed alongside David and Emma, the two blonde Charmings woke up every now and again, mainly to eat, drink, or to be forced to take more medicine.

When they went to bed for the night David and Mary Margaret kept Emma cuddled up in their bed, apparently Emma was most comfortable lying on David chest as she barely moved, not even whenever Neal woke to be fed.

Chapter Text

Emma woke up cuddled up on her dad's chest, it moved slowly up and down, even with her upon it. She could smell his aftershave faintly on his t-shirt, and skin, despite not having put it on for a few days, and the faint smell of something which she could only now associate with the Enchanted Forest, what he had smelt like there, it was one of the same smells that her blanket had always smelt like. It was comforting on her blanket, it was why she always liked to have it near her, she knew she was safe in her dad's arms. She realised that she didn't even take up all of the length David's chest. She just snuggled closer to him, feeling a weird mixture of an adult and a child, well… the child she had never got to be.

She looked over at her mother who was reclined back against several pillows with Neal asleep on her chest, obviously her baby brother had fallen asleep while feeding, and Snow must have fallen back asleep along with him. Emma didn't want to admit it to herself, or anyone else, but she felt a little jealous of the bond her mother and brother got to have – it was one they had never got to have or would, in all likelihood, ever get to have. She fidgeted on David's chest, as she continued watching her mother and brother sleep.

David felt a baby fidgeting on his chest, with his eyes still closed he thought that it was Neal, but there was too much fidgeting which is when he opened his eyes and realised it was his older baby. He stroked his hand through Emma's hair, making her look up at him with her chin resting on his chest. There was just enough light for him to see her adorable little face staring up at him. "Hey, kiddo, how you feeling?"

"I'm bored."

David chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I meant how's your cold?" Emma opened her mouth to answer but David quickly interrupted. "And before you tried to deny anything, I'll remind you that you're going to be resting anyway, and that I can hear your voice." He gave her a knowing look and saw how sheepish she looked in response. He chuckled again and kissed her head again. "That bad, huh?"

"Better than I felt in the hospital." Emma admitted. She looked down at the lion toy which had stayed firmly in her arms, along with her blanket, as she slept and even as she woke. She started to move around the soft toy, making its arms and legs move and its head.

David watched her moving about the toy, he could tell that something was on her mind and that she'd say it when she thought through it, but even if she wasn't having to think about something it was adorable watching her take comfort in the toy he bought her.

"…. Thank you for finding me…" She mumbled. "…You didn't have to, put erm, you did, so like, thanks."

David frowned, and sat up more as he thought about how to word his feelings, he hated that she even felt the need to thank him for doing what literally any moral human would do, let alone that she thought that he didn't have to. "Oh, kiddo, Em. I did have to. You're my daughter, I love you, I would do anything for you – and I'll always find you, no matter how far away you are, or whether you want me to find you or not." He placed his hand on the back of her head and gently pulled her so that she was cuddled close to his chest again.

Emma opened her hand up enough so that she could cling onto David's pyjama sweatshirt as well as her lion and blanket. "Love you daddy." She mumbled against his chest.

"I love you to the moon and back." David responded hearing her call him that, in conjunction, with the words made his heart melt.

Emma stayed with her head against his chest for a few beats before she looked up at him once more, pouting a little. "I'm bored." She repeated.

David sighed sympathetically. "I know, but we can't get out of the bed, you're sick." He watched as Emma's face fell, he felt bad when he saw how disappointed she looked, he glanced over at Mary Margaret and saw that she was still peacefully asleep and would probably remain so for several hours – it had been a long few months- he looked back at Emma and ran his hand through her hair to get her to look back at him. "But, I mean, we do have to do all your medicines still, and mine I guess… and I'm sure you're hungry, so we could get some cereal too, we may as well eat it on the couch." He watched her gasp with excitement, he tried to not smile at her kid like way of acting that morning, he just rolled with it as he and Mary Margaret had decided. "I mean, only if you want to, I don't wanna force you." He couldn't stop himself from smiling and looking amused. He quickly put his finger over his mouth before Emma got too excited. His eyes darted to Mary Margaret. "Shhh, we have to be quiet, we don't wanna wake mommy."

Emma copied him, putting her finger on her lips, she nodded her head in agreement and whispered. "Yeah, mommy needs to sleep."
She was starting to realise that she had begun to copy calling David and Mary Margaret 'Daddy and Mommy', but she didn't mind, she had been referring to them as that to Neal before she deaged anyway, plus David and Mary Margaret didn't care if she called them that so she would carry on calling them that until he told her otherwise.

"Okay, let's go then kiddo," He collected her into his arms, grabbed her Nemo hoodie from the chair beside the bed and put it onto her. "You got your special things?"

Emma looked at him, she made sure that he wasn't teasing her, then down at the soft toy lion and her blanket in her hands, she nodded her head. "I got them."

"Good girl." David smiled warmly at her and grabbed his own hoodie, he slipped it on, then stood up with her in his arms. He gently pulled the blanket so it was covering Mary Margaret and Neal a little better, before padding out of the room with Emma still in his arms. "Medicine first then I dump you onto the couch, or I dump you onto the couch then I grab your medicine?"

"Couch first." Emma decided after a brief deliberation.

"Good choice." David nodded and walked over to the couch, he sat her down onto the couch and covered her up with the throw, Mary Margaret had already set the heat to turn up automatically at about 5am but David turned it up a little more now that they were both awake. "You find us something to watch, anything you want, I'll be back in a moment with your medicines."

"And yours."

David smiled at her reminding him, he had been planning to take his out in the kitchen but he figured that there wasn't much difference with him taking it in front of Emma, to try and make a good example in taking it without complaining. "And mine."

As David disappeared to get the medicines and drinks Emma went to grab the remote from the coffee table where it usually was but it wasn't there, she turned her head looking around the living room for it, she spotted the remote on top of one of the tallboys beside the couch where she was sat. She stood up on the couch but when she couldn't reach despite how hard she tried to stretch with her arm up towards it. She dropped back to sit on the couch with a small frown and pout.

David came back through to the living room, he had figured that it would be easier to place everything on one of the very ugly trays Regina had cursed Mary Margaret to own, he saw that Emma was frowning and her things and the throw were to one side. He placed the tray down on the table and crouched in front of her. "Did you try to wander off and avoid your medicine?" He raised his eyebrow as he spoke.

Emma shook her head, seriously, despite the pout on her face. "No. I was tryna get the stupid remote but it's too high." She pointed up at where it had been abandoned.

David's eyes followed Emma's finger to where it was pointing. He smiled at Emma and nodded his head. "I'll grab that for you in a moment, let's just get this medicine done."

"You first." She said determinedly, she crossed her arms over her chest as best she could with her cast still on her arm, and pouted at the sight of the inhaler and spacer along with the other medicine.

David quickly took two of the cold and flu tablets with some juice from his own glass, at least his was tablets, it wasn't like it had a bad taste or a weird one like Emma's did. "Okay, I took mine, now it's your turn." He told her, giving her a look to show her that he was supporting her but that she couldn't just get out of it.

They made quick work of her inhaler, and although she complained a little, she otherwise took her medicine fairly quickly – mainly at the promise of being given the remote so she could watch whatever she wanted. David passed her the cup of juice to get rid of the taste of medicine in her mouth, as he was twisting the cap back onto the bottle, Emma lifted the small plastic cup to her lips to drink the strawberry juice, but as she drank she managed to spill half of the drink down her pyjamas, luckily avoiding her lion and blanket as well as the throw.

David saw Emma tipping the drink down herself but wasn't fast enough to be able to stop her pyjamas from getting soaked. He watched her bottom lip start to wobble as he took the empty cup from her. He stood up, and picked her up into his arms, she hid her head against his shoulder, her wet pyjamas were soaking into his own pyjama top but he didn't care.

"Sorry." Emma sniffled.

"Hey," David soothed as he picked up the tray of thing and carried it to the kitchen, "it's okay, it was just an accident. You probably needed to be changed anyway, right?"

Emma's cheeks tinged with pink not so much at David knowing that she needed a new pull up on, but that he had noticed and she hadn't.

David kissed the top of her head knowing she was probably embarrassed by both things, but it was just one of those things, David and Mary Margaret had no problems at all helping her with anything she needed. "It's okay." He walked into the bathroom and placed her down and knelt in front of her. "Em, honestly it's okay, it's not a big deal."

Emma looked up at him and nodded but sniffled a couple more times. "I didn't mean to it just kinda was too hard to control."

David nodded his head in understanding. "It was just an accident. Here, let's get you out of those wet jammies then I'll quickly grab you some clean things." As he helped her out of her pyjamas, leaving her in her pull up and vest, he spoke carefully to her. "Maybe it would be easier for you to use that sippy cup Mary Margaret found yesterday?" He suggested wrapping a big fluffy towel around her. "It's not like Neal needs it just yet, it was just in some gift set, and we get let off bed rest we can get some of your own, you can choose whatever style or patterns you want and feel most comfortable with."

Emma bit her lip, feeling drowned and vulnerable wrapped in the fluffy towel with her dad still trying to make sure she had some choices in her life. She nodded her head. "Okay."

David gave a loving smile at her quiet approval, he kissed her curls which had been made crazier with sleep, before he gathered her wet pyjamas and stood up. "I'll be back in a minute, I'll just be in the bedroom, I know your mommy left some bits for you in there. If you need me shout." He waited for her to nod again before he quickly left the room.

He threw the pyjamas into the machine, along with his own damp shirt, then dashed into the bedroom. Before long he was back in the bathroom, with a new pyjama shirt on, and a new pullup and diaper rash cream, an undershirt, and pyjamas for Emma. "Okay, kiddo, let's get you changed then we can have some breakfast." He made quick work of changing the diaper, having Neal had given him the ability to quickly change diapers, though Neal's were normally quick so the baby didn't try to pee on him (David was sure he did it on purpose and only on him never Snow), this time it was to make Emma not feel quite as embarrassed.

Emma looked down at the pullups as David switched her undershirt for a clean one. "Dory?"

David took a second to realise that Emma was on about the pullup. "Oh, sorry, I just grabbed one from our wardrobe. We got some, well I got them, two packs I figured that it'd be easier to get you to wear this one or the other depending on which age you felt. Sorry, I didn't even think, do you want me to run up to your room and grab a different pair or are these okay for now?"

Emma shrugged her shoulders still looking down at them. "These are okay, you don't have to go get different ones." She actually rather liked Finding Dory since she had seen it, she had watched it with her parents so they knew how much she actually liked it, even if she pretended otherwise. "It has the purple shells on it."

David smiled, he pulled the long-sleeved pyjama top over her head, it was yellow and had a circle of dark blue with a rocket on it and the words space on it. "It does. I like that bit of the movie, where Dory finds her parents, it reminds me of how happy I was when I opened the door and found you there when you came back from New York. These purple shells stay purple if it's dry."

Emma let David put the pyjama pants on her, they were blue like the circle on the top, but were covered in white constellations. "What if they don't stay dry?"

David shrugged making sure that she was aware that it was no big deal. "Then me or your mother will change you, just let us know, we don't want you getting diaper rash."

Emma looked a little worried as David picked her up in his arms again, he dumped the pullup into the bin in the bathroom, they were back into the living room by the time she spoke. "What if I don't let you know? If I… can't?" David looked down at her intently as he sat her down on the couch again and covered her in the throw. "I didn't, couldn't, really tell when I…" She trailed off awkwardly, "I had trouble learning how to, erm, to be potty trained."

He saw her cheeks tinged pink and he brushed a curl from her face. "Is this because you're so small?" He asked her kindly, she nodded her head, obviously embarrassed. "That's okay, it's not your fault, Em. Did you have any other," he purposely searched for a word other than problem, "difficulties, or challenges?"

"A couple of different things, I guess, like I'm sure you've noticed my speech isn't always too good at saying some words and stuff…"

David smiled gently, he and Mary Margaret had noticed that her 'r's sounded a little more like 'w's, and sometimes she substituted different letters for ones in words – they had worried a little bit but when they had looked into a couple of the parenting and baby books they got when they had gotten back to Storybrooke they had found it was common in younger kids. "That's okay kiddo, me and your mother can understand you still, and we'll help you in any way you need."

"Thanks daddy."

"No thanks necessary." David told her sincerely. He gently tapped her bright yellow cast with a smile at her. "Hey, guess what? You get to get this off soon, that'll make it easier when you have baths, you won't have to have use reminding you to keep it out of the water."

Emma smiled but then looked worried. "Will it be scary?"

"If it is you'll have me and mommy right there with you." He told her, he had never actually broken a bone in this realm so he wasn't actually sure what the standard practice was, but he knew no matter what Emma would probably be scared of the hospital. "Now, Cap'n Crunch or Lucky Charms?"

"Lucky Charms."

David smirked. "Are you sure, I managed to convince Mary Margaret to get the peanut butter Cap'n Crunch." he saw the amused look on her face and rolled his eyes good naturedly, "Okay, I smuggled them in when she wasn't looking, but she didn't give me too much grief about them."

"Lucky Charms have marshmallows in them."

David rolled his eyes, in his mind Cap'n Crunch were at least a little healthier, especially considering that Emma normally just picked the marshmallows out. "Worth a shot." He kissed her forehead and stood up.

"Whatever I want?" She asked when the remote was placed into her hands.

"Whatever you want, just no chick flicks, I beg you."

~OUAT~

David grabbed a normal bowl and a plastic one, the ones they had gotten which would be easier for Emma to hold, not just because she had broken her arm. He figured that if Emma was having Lucky Charms then he may as well have them too, at least he thought about being healthy, plus his had milk on them which was healthy in his eyes. He opened the fridge and grabbed one of the bottle of the PediaSure chocolate milk, there were a couple of other flavours but he figured this one would go down the best. He poured it into the sippy cup, he was about to make himself some coffee but his eyes flickered to his and his wife's bedroom, he knew she wasn't going to be happy about he and Emma not adhering to the bed part of bed rest. He topped up his juice instead, better to play that part on the safe side, and not completely worry his wife.

When he walked back over to her with the food and drinks Emma was sat where he left her, the remote was pointed at the screen, but this time the screen was playing something. It took David a few seconds to register that it was cartoons on the screen. He watched Emma's eyes flickered to him so he gave her a small smile. "Do you want to watch this?" David asked carefully.

"I…" Emma shrugged her shoulders as she trailed off.

"Okay." David said cheerfully. He settled down onto the couch beside her, he was a little surprised when Emma moved and sat on his lap without taking her eyes from the screen, when she was comfortable he passed her the smaller bowl of Lucky Charms which he knew better than to put any milk onto. "Comfy?" He asked and smiled as she nodded. "Good. What's this show then?"

"It's called Recess." Emma told him, she quickly launched into an explanation about the show and what it was about, and how she had found a channel doing a marathon of older cartoons from the early 2000's.

"Do you think that this is what your mommy's school is like?" David asked her, he knew that she was the Emma who was the Emma whose past he knew… well knew some of… but it was like she was a combination of an adult and a little kid, especially with the enthusiasm she was talking about some cartoons with, and how she giggled at his joke.

"Maybe." She had been wolfing down her cereal but she was clearly finished. She moved to cuddle closer to David, she felt him holding onto her to make sure that she wasn't about to fall off the couch as he leant forward to place their bowls down and passed her drink. "Do you think mommy's going to go back to being a teacher?"

David was still getting used to Emma suddenly feeling comfortable enough to call he and Mary Margaret mommy and daddy, something which would probably have been normal in the Enchanted Forest and even if it hadn't been they would have been cool with it, so the childish sounding question threw him for a second.
"Hmm, I'm not sure." And he wasn't.
She was still getting recovering from having Neal, and that he was safe, that nothing was going to happen to take him from her, as well as the whole situation with Emma which neither of them were sure how it would culminate, but then he also knew that she genuinely loved teaching.
"How would you feel if she did?"

"If… If I'm still like this?" Emma asked, knowing there was a possibility of that, and received a hesitant nod. She wiggled her mouth from side to side as she thought. She sipped her chocolate milk smiling a little at the perfect taste, she couldn't remember her mom ever buying chocolate milk, so she figured that it was the PediaSure drink- she remembered the off-brand versions she would sometimes be fortunate enough to be bought, though those were normally instead of meals.
"She liked it, likes it, teaching kids."

"But?"

Emma wasn't sure that there was a but until David asked that she figured what it was which was in the back of her mind. "I'd miss her, lots, and I wouldn't like not really seeing her or you."

"I would miss working with you, it might not happen, but if it did your mom and I would make sure that we weren't working too much. We already have a couple of people helping us out, I'll hire more people to work there even if you change back. We'll have more time together as a family, you won't ever be without at least one of us at some point, we'll juggle everything about but I can promise you that much."

"I guess I can live with that." Emma stated cuddling closer to him. "I mean, for Neal, he'd miss you."

"I'd miss Neal too, and you, but I'd make sure that I'm mostly with my two favourite people in the world." He watched her raise her eyebrow. "Your mommy's a close third, she doesn't mind, she feels the same – you and Neal are joint first no matter what." He felt her cuddle closer but her attention was then captivated by the new cartoon starting. He chuckled as he spotted the cartoon version of his wife in the opening of House of Mouse, and was relieved to see the rather useless Disney version of himself was missing.

He knew that they should probably both get back to bed, but Emma was actually watching a cartoon while cuddled up to him and he was reluctant for that to end, they were still resting they were just on the couch. He swivelled around so that his legs were up on the couch and he was reclined as much as he could be in the limited space. They'd move soon, they just had some cartoons to watch before they did.

~OUAT~

Mary Margaret didn't mean to sleep for as long as she did, but with her husband and daughter tucked safely beside her, and a baby sleeping on her chest, she was very comfortable. She woke up slowly, feeling Neal still asleep on her she kissed the top of his head as she opened her eyes and slowly turned her head toward David's side of the bed, she gasped and her eyes widened when she didn't see Emma asleep on David's chest like she expected to. The bed was empty.

"No. No, no, no." She felt her heart stop as she thought that Emma had run away again and David had gone to find her. She stood up on autopilot, she placed Neal into his bassinet beside the bed as fast but as safe as possible, then raced out to the main part of the loft to find her phone to be able to ring and try and find out where the hell her husband and daughter were.

Her hands were trembling as she raced to the kitchen island to grab her phone, she was already starting to dial David's number, when she finally realised that the television. She sprinted over and saw David and Emma cuddled up asleep lying on the couch with some kids cartoons playing.

Her fear was gone, replaced with a brief relief, then frustration at the pair. They were meant to be staying in bed, but more importantly she thought they had gone, that Emma and/or David were missing and hurt, at the very least. She leant down and poked David's shoulder.

David's eyes flickered open and was met with his wife's very displeased face, a face he was sadly only too familiar, it was even worse this time as it was turned onto him. "…Mary Margaret…" His voice was a little crackly from his own cold and it was slurred with sleep. He felt his daughter waking on his chest.

"You're both going back to bed." She said firmly without realising that it came off a little cold, taking Emma who was now awake into her arms, she started to walk to the bedroom with David trailing behind.

"…Mommy?" Emma's voice was just as crackly and slurred as David's was, but worry filled her at Mary Margaret's tone, she also felt bad that she had been the one to convince David to let them both to get up.

Mary Margaret took a deep breath. "Emma, this isn't up for debate or discussion, and right now I just need for you to listen to me and do as I say. I'm very disappointed in both of you, you're both meant to be on bed rest because you're ill and it's a miracle that you're not still in the hospital with hypothermia or worse. So I really, really, recommend that you just do as I say without talking."

Emma shrunk into herself, it stung to know that her mother was disappointed in her, she didn't say a word even as Mary Margaret placed her into the bed and piled blankets onto her.

Mary Margaret left without saying another word, she needed to take a minute, but she was almost certain that David would follow her but she'd much rather that than Emma following her.

Emma fidgeted in the bed, she wanted the blanket and lion which had been left on the couch, but didn't want to say it. She wanted to be better and to be able to go out, she kind of wanted to go to the park and play on the swings, she wanted to watch cartoons with her dad again, and to introduce her mother and brother to the cartoons she and David had been watching – but most of all she didn't want her mom to be disappointed or upset with her.

David watched the curtain 'door' shut again behind his irate wife. He looked at Emma and gave her a sympathetic smile, before he placed his hand onto her head as a sign of comfort, though it did little to help. "It's okay Em."

"I'm sorry, it's my fault, I made you get out of bed." She mumbled a quick but sincere apology.

David shook his head. "You didn't make me do anything. I'm your daddy, and we were resting, just…" He sighed. "Just stay here while me and Mary Margaret talk, we'll both be back in a few minutes, I promise."

~OUAT~

"Go back to bed David." Mary Margaret said firmly when she heard her husband's footsteps leaving the bedroom heading towards her. She didn't bother to turn around from where she stood in the kitchen to face him as she spoke.

"Mary Margaret?" He sighed as she ignored him. "Mary Margaret. Snow."

Mary Margaret sighed in frustration but finally turned around. "What?" She felt a little bad when she realised how venomous she sounded but David already started to speak so she couldn't take it back no matter how much she wanted to or felt bad about it.

"I'm sorry I scared you. It was my choice to let Emma get out bed because she looked so disappointed when I said that we had to rest, I didn't think of how worried you would be after yesterday, and I shouldn't have let Emma get out of bed before you were awake…"

"But?"

David took a deep breath. "But…" He took a few steps closer to Mary Margaret and took hold of her hands it was a good sign when she didn't shake him off or step away. "I made sure Emma was resting, she didn't even take a single step, I carried her the entire time, and resting on the couch is just as good as the bed. I know that it was worrying, and I am sorry for worrying you… but I made sure she had her medicine, and gave her some breakfast, changed her diaper, and her pyjamas when she spilt her juice down herself, I even gave her one of those PediaSure shakes and got her to drink it in the sippy cup without kicking up a fuss because she can't properly control the little plastic cup. We were only a room away from you." He gave her his loving but firm smile. "I'm her parent too. I would never put her in danger, you trust me so trust that I would always look after her, I didn't do anything wrong other than scare you."

Mary Margaret gave a big sigh, then gave him a nod and looked down, disappointed in herself. Emma was just as much his child as she was hers, he was an amazing father to her daughter no matter Emma's age, she shouldn't have taken her fear out on him. She glanced over at the closed curtains and bit her lip, it was only now that she was calming herself that she realised how she had spoken to Emma, she needed to talk to her again.

David gently moved and tipped her chin back to look him in the eyes. "I'm sorry for scaring you."

Mary Margaret sighed gently, she wrapped her arms around his waist, and he responded in kind, she leant up on her tiptoes and kissed his lips gently. "I'm sorrier. I should have checked the other rooms before I started to freak out, I just assumed the worst after yesterday… but I shouldn't have taken it out on you or Emma." She managed to hold off at least a few seconds before asking her husband how their daughter seemed to him that day. He, of course, told her how she was health wise, but Mary Margaret knew her husband was thinking of how to tell her something, so she just watched him and let him figure it out.

"She's…" he sighed as he searched for the right words, his hand rubbed the back of his neck, and he sighed again. "She's changing. She's like a mixture of the two Emma's. She keeps calling the two of us mommy and daddy, and wanted to watch cartoons, and then told me all about them. She won't put the lion toy I got her down, or her baby blanket… she seemed rather uneasy when you put her to bed without them." He smirked when she looked a little guilty at his mock accusatory tone, even when annoyed she wouldn't have left them on the couch had she known how attached to them Emma had become.

"We'll have to remember to grab it for her before we go join her again." There was no way that she was going to forget that if it made Emma feel more comfortable. "It was pretty adorable, seeing you two cuddled up… did she really pick cartoons?"

David grinned his charming smile, the one which still made her legs go weak. "Yeah…She also asked if you were ever going to go back to being a teacher too, even if she stays a little kid." Her eyebrows shot up at that. "I told her that you enjoy it, so you might one day. But if that happens that we're going to make sure that at least one of us are always with her and Neal. And that we'd make time to be together as a family… if Emma stays the size she is…"

"Or becomes more like a little kid." Mary Margaret finished. They were silent for a minute. "David?"

His wife's voice was barely above a whisper and he didn't have to ask what her question was going to be, he felt the same, but he asked regardless. "Yes dear?"

"What do we do if Emma changes into a child completely."

David had been wondering the exact same thing especially as he and Emma watched the cartoons. He could tell that Mary Margaret was trying not to worry, he knew her as well as he knew himself, she needed to be given a plan. "I guess… I guess we just finally get to raise her. If it does happen Regina will have shown us Emma's fake memories, so at least she won't feel hurt that we don't know what she's talking about, we'll adapt the loft because Emma's already a hell raiser so can you imagine how much trouble she'd be if she's this size and a kid?" He smirked and let out a breath of laughter but was glad to see her give a small smile. "If you want to work part time, or full time, or be a stay at home mom, or I want to do any of that, we'll sort it out later. We can do this. But, but maybe Regina will find something, or Belle, or Gold. Or even Blue." That bit sounded stronger in his head. "We can do this, together, as a family."

"We always do." She leant up and gently kissed his lips and placed her hand upon his chest. "We need to get you to bed, you're sick too, but just let me talk to Emma first? Please?"

"Of course." David agreed, she started to walk back to the room, but David quickly took hold of her hand pulling her back to him. "I'm guessing Emma and I aren't going to be allowed out of bed again today?"

She gave him a patient smile. "You can tomorrow." She quickly grabbed the lion and blanket from the couch, and passed David, she headed into the bedroom through the curtains which hung closed.

~OUAT~

Mary Margaret almost ran into Emma as she entered the master bedroom. Instead of lying in the bed where she had been left, Emma was stood at Neal's crib, she looked up at Mary Margaret sheepishly when she realised that she was there.

"I… I'm sorry." Emma mumbled, she didn't want to let her mother down any more than she had by getting out of the bed in the first place. She bit her lip and fidgeted, looking up at her mom as though she had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar, and she felt as young as she looked. "Nealy woke up, and you and daddy were still talking, I was just talking to him, I'm sorry for getting out of bed again."

Mary Margaret frowned realising that Emma really thought that she was angry with her. She crouched down in front of Emma, she placed the toy and blanket under her arm and gently took hold of Emma's hands so she could keep her attention. "I'm not mad sweetie. Emma, you don't have anything to apologise for, I do. I was just scared when I didn't wake up with you beside me, I thought that you had disappeared again," she held her hand up to stop Emma from apologising again, "it's okay you don't have to apologise again."

She gently picked her daughter up and carried her over to sit on her lap on the bed so that she was facing her. She handed Emma her lion and blanket before brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Sweetie, you know when Neal was born and Zelena took him, and then it was very hard for me and daddy to put him down or let him leave our sight?" She asked slowly and carefully, she knew Emma was acting like a mix of an adult and a child so she was trying pitch it for a suitable tone.

"Yeah." Emma nodded remembering how only a select few were even allowed to hold him, they had both gotten better with him, and now they weren't overprotective of him out of the ordinary. "You only let me hold him, or sometimes Henry, but we had to be careful 'cause he's only a baby."

"Yes, and you're very good with him, he loves you so much." Mary Margaret smiled gently at her, she really was talking like a little kid, but her memories hadn't changed so Mary Margaret was beginning to wonder if this was just the next stage in the deaging. She stroked her thumb down Emma's knuckles, to get Emma to look back at her instead of at her brother's crib, she kept the loving smile on her face. "But it took some time for us to get used to knowing that Neal would be safe if we weren't always around him and that he wasn't going to disappear again. We feel the same about you, it really scared us when we couldn't find you, we would feel the same no matter how old or young or big or small you are. So, it's going to take us a little time to get used to letting you out of our sight too. I'm sorry for freaking out at you and your father, I can't promise that I won't get worried again but I will try my best to think things through and actually search for you if that does happen-"

"-Then you'll freak out." Emma lightened the mood with a small joke, but there was a touched look on her face which couldn't be hidden, she already knew her mother loved her as much as Neal… but there was just something which suddenly seemed even more to her – as though the love was completely filling her up. It was so uncomplicated, pure and selfless love, Emma led her head against Mary Margaret's chest.

Mary Margaret smirked at Emma's joke but happily cuddled her daughter closer to her. "Then I'll freak out, but Emma I won't be mad at you, I promise."

Emma just smiled and didn't pull away from the closeness of the cuddle, she felt secure and comforted with having her mother not just near her, but her arms wrapped around her.

~OUAT~

Emma and Mary Margaret sat cuddling and listening to Neal gently cooing in his crib as he looked up at his sheep mobile.

Emma adored her little brother but she found herself loving the individual attention from her mother, it was quite nice not having to share her mommy for once, she relaxed even more as Mary Margaret stroked her hair it was something which always relaxed her.

Emma was just about to ask where David was, and why he didn't have to stay in bed like she did, when suddenly he called through from behind the bedroom curtain.

"Are you two done talking now?" David called from behind of it. "I'm bored. Can you let me in?"

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes good naturedly. "Typical." She whispered to Emma before she tucked Emma into the middle of the bed and walked over to the curtain. "And why can't you let yourself in?" There was laughter in her voice as she walked over, she pulled the curtain open and smiled when she saw David standing holding the television box and screen in his arms.

"Em and I were enjoying watching our cartoons, weren't we kiddo?" He placed the tv and box on the dresser which stood opposite the bed and between the curtained entrance ways. He turned back around and smiled as Emma was nodding enthusiastically and Mary Margaret tries her hardest to look displeased but he knew he was back in her good books from the smile in her eyes which was fighting to get onto her face too. "It's either this or we revolt and I reckon we'd win the uprising."

"Yeah, we can get Neal on our side too, he needs to watch them too." Emma grinned as her mother scooped Neal up into her arms, headed back to the bed, then in one swift motion she picked Emma up and then sat back where she had been with both Emma and Neal on her lap.

David smiled at the sight of his wife and kids cuddled together, Mary Margaret caught his eye and they shared a smile, yes two of the four members of the family were sick, but it was still a nice day. David quickly set the television back up and the old cartoons returned to the screen. David climbed back into bed and Emma's eyes stayed on the screen as she moved to cuddle up on his lap.

"Can I hold Nealy? Pretty please mommy?" Emma asked as the episode of The Rugrats came to an end.

Mary Margaret smiled gently down at Emma, she leant down to drop a kiss onto Emma's forehead, then did the same to Neal. "Okay, but you let your daddy help you, okay?" She wasn't sure if Neal would be too heavy in Emma's little arm. She waited for David to get Emma into position then placed Neal onto Emma's lap with both Emma and David supporting his head and body.

"Hiya Nealy." Emma smiled down at his blue eyes, she beamed as he cooed up at her, though she was relieved when her mother saved her hair from being tugged on she was also happy Neal was becoming more curious and therefore more interesting. She started to talk to him about the new cartoon which was on the screen but eventually she drifted off into silence, only speaking every so often about the show.

But eventually she became lost in her thoughts. "I had a bad dream before I ran away." She told them breaking her own silence, her parents looked down at her but stayed quiet to let Emma speak, so she continued. "I was at home, then my old social worker turned up and she had this big file, which the social workers always turn up with before I was moved. When I woke up I found the file by accident, I wasn't snooping, I promise."

"It's okay kiddo, we know you weren't, it's okay." David soothed her childish worry, he kissed the top of her head, and waited for her to continue.

"I found the file, and I couldn't read it properly, just my name. But it was like the file in my dream, and the ones which were always around when I ended up in hospital… I tried to take some breaths and calm down, but then the pictures falled, fell, out. I thought you were sending me away," her ending sentence was a whisper, "I don't want to be without my mommy and daddy… I don't want you to send me away."

"That will never happen." Mary Margaret told her firmly.
"Ever." David added.

"Emma," Mary Margaret placed her hand on her cheek so she could look into her green eyes which were sparkling with tears, "please never run away from us again. Please come and talk to us, if any ever makes you want to run again, come and talk to us. It doesn't matter what time of the day it is, you could wake us up on the hour every hour, during the middle of the night and we wouldn't mind."

"We'd just have to keep you in our bed with us so you actually get some rest." David added with a jokey smile, though he wasn't joking, in fact he would rather she stay in his sight at all times considering how worried he and his wife had been when Emma had run.

"I don't have my real file here and I think they lied in it." Emma told them as her eyes were fixed looking down at her baby brother who her father was still helping her hold. "They blamed me for everything, even if it wasn't my fault, or I didn't mean to."

"Nothing that happened was your fault, baby." Mary Margaret promised in a soothing voice.

Emma nodded her head, but it was a nice reminder, she found without them she would often start to blame herself for things. "Can you ask Regina to make another dreamcatcher for me, for my real memories, not my other ones? So that you can see what really happened… if you want… they can get pretty scary."

Mary Margaret gave her a water smile, David took Neal from Emma's arms, then Mary Margaret took her into her own arms and cuddled her baby girl close. "Of course we will Emma. Me and daddy are never leaving you, no matter what the bad people did to you, and you're never going to have to go through that again."

~OUAT~

They spent the rest of their day watching cartoons with Emma and Neal, along with some animated movies such as The Princess and the Frog, and Tangled which Emma was singing along with as best she could with her sore throat. Mary Margaret had both David and Emma eating soup for lunch and dinner, though at dinner she had deemed them both better enough to have grilled cheese with them, which also made it easier to convince Emma to take her night time medicine.

Mary Margaret had also left the room to talk to Regina when she called, Regina had found the person who had made the ice castle, a queen from a faraway land who had come through with Emma and Hook from Gold's vault. Mary Margaret was proud to see the progress her step mother had made when she told Mary Margaret that she had become friends with the woman who specialised in ice magic, and was helping her to find her sister. Mary Margaret had also assured Regina that Emma was going to be okay, and Regina had assured Mary Margaret that Emma would be mostly a mixture of an adult (as much as Emma could ordinarily be described as one, Regina had quipped) and child, with completely childish days where Emma would have her separate memories. When she returned to the room she was slightly surprised that Emma hadn't asked her who was on the phone or what it was about, but she was happy that Emma wouldn't have another thing to worry about.

Both Emma and Neal were fast asleep by 7:30, it was as David and Mary Margaret cuddled in front of a movie more to their taste than their kids' that Mary Margaret told him about the phone call, and that she had done as Emma had asked and asked Regina to make a dreamcatcher so David and Mary Margaret could see Emma's true memories before they learnt of her fake ones. Regina had promised to be around the next day, with her new friend, Henry, and a dreamcatcher.

~OUAT~

As a knock at the front door thudded, gently enough to try not to wake the younger residents of the home but loud enough to announce their arrival, it was clear that it was a fellow set of parents knocking.. Emma stirred, Mary Margaret stood from the bed, with Neal still nestled in her arms, to answer it, and David was left to hope that Emma would fall back asleep then sleep through until night time.

"Who's 'at?" Emma asked, as she stirred from her sleep, her voice slurred as she fought sleep which tried its hardest to reclaim her.

David's voice was barely above a whisper but it vibrated through his chest as he quietly spoke and stroked Emma's hair to try and get her back to sleep. "Shhh, it's okay kiddo, it's just Ella and Thomas." He felt her head tilt to the side so he could tell she was confused. "Ashley and Sean." He reminded her gently, after the second curse had broken some of the Storybrooke residents had decided to change their name back to their original ones, he knew that his wife had been thinking about changing her name back to Snow before everything with Emma had happened, but now she had bigger things to think about that deciding about a change of name.
"Alexandra's three but she's pretty big for her age, and you're pretty small, so Ella offered to drop some stuff around Alexandra's outgrown just until we can take you shopping. Go back to sleep sweetheart."

"Gonna go say hi?" Emma mumbled, but David stroking her hair was making her very sleepy, her thumb went up to near her mouth and she hesitated for a half second before putting it into her mouth.

David smiled down gently at her thinking she would be awake long enough for David to even carry her to the doorway of the bedroom. "Maybe next time." He said softly, he felt his daughter nod her head and within a minute Emma was fast asleep once more.

David stayed awake until his wife was back into the room, he watched her place Neal in his crib at the end of the bed, and change into her own pyjamas before climbing into bed beside him. David turned his head and kissed her lips, just as softly and slowly as full of love, then rested his forehead against hers. Emma was still curled upon his chest, and Mary Margaret wrapped her arm around him, and Emma by extension. The next day they would be learning about their daughter's real past. They wanted, no needed, to know. But it was going to hurt them, which they could handle, and their daughter even more so, which they couldn't. They led for a while, enjoying the calm between the storm while it was there, until they too eventually fell asleep hoping that both of their kids would stay asleep for as long as possible.

Chapter Text

Emma woke up, yet again led upon her father's chest, in almost the same position she had awoken the day before. She had clearly moved in her sleep to lay fully upon his chest, it was way more comfortable than any other place she had slept before even her parents' bed which was already incredibly comfortable, she felt tiny when she realised that she fit entirely on David's chest with space but she was surprised when this just made her feel safer being able to be protected by her daddy. She was getting used to waking up surrounded by her family, suddenly her room seemed much too far away and it was darker than her parents room which always seemed to have at least one light source, but most of all she liked having her parents cuddling her – her parents clearly didn't mind her cuddling them so she refused to be ashamed by it.

She stretched and yawned, she felt a large hand she recognised as her mother's touching her forehead, and an even larger hand she realised was David's rubbing her back as she snuggled close to him. She brought her fist to her eyes and rubbed her eyes open, yawning again, she blinked blearily as she looked over at her mother.

"Good morning Em, how are you feeling?" Mary Margaret asked lovingly as Emma woke a little more.

"Hey Sleeping Beauty." David smirked down at his daughter, he and Mary Margaret had been awake for hours and were having a bit of a lazy day with Neal having woken them both up, they had just been watching the news and some shows they had recorded while playing and talking to Emma. David sat up with Emma still curled on his chest, he had tried to sit a little earlier on but Emma had made grumbling noises whenever he did and putting her down was out of the question, not that he wanted too he'd rather have to stay lying down than wake Emma.

Emma yawned yet again as she opened her mouth to answer her mommy. "I feel better."

Mary Margaret smiled looking down at the girl. "Good, your temperature's gone down too, you must be on the mend. You still have to rest, but-"

"- I get to leave the bed?" She asked with childish excitement, she never thought that she'd feel so excited about being able to go around the loft, even if the bed was comforting during the night.

Mary Margaret and David both chuckled, their faces lit up at the sight of their daughter's happiness at such a simple thing, they could defiantly see the resemblance between Emma and Neal when Emma smiled like that. Normally Neal was excited like that when he saw his bottle when David was feeding him, though thinking about it, that was very much like Emma too.

"Yes," Mary Margaret quickly pressed a kiss to the top of Emma's head, "you can get out of bed, but you still have to rest." She gently added "And we have Regina, Henry, and that lady Regina told me about, Elsa, coming later one, remember?"

Emma frowned but nodded, she knew that Regina coming would mean having to see the memories of her past, but her parents needed to see it and so did she. "Did Ashley come here at night time?" She asked trying to remember if that was real or a dream.

"She's called Ella now, sweetie." Mary Margaret gently reminded her gently. "She was one of the people who changed her name after we came back from the Enchanted Forest. She and Thomas, Sean, brought around some of Alexandra's old things and some other things from people at the Mommy and Me group."

"Oh." Emma replied remembering her parents telling her after the second curse broke. She looked up at her mother. She was a little surprised that people wanted to help her out by giving her things, she tried to ignore the hope that there would be some toys, would her parents care if she played with them if there were some around? She put the new/used things down to people liking her mother and father. A new thought pinged into her head. "Are you gonna change your name too?"

Mary Margaret looked a little surprised at that question. She made the motion of brushing some hair from her daughter's face but there was no hair there to brush, it was just comforting for both the mother and daughter, as they both thought for a moment. "How would you feel if I did?" She asked instead, she knew David liked both names, though he joked that it would be much easier to spell Snow on birthday and anniversary cards. Although it was ultimately it was up to her she still wanted to know how those closest to her felt about it.

Emma thought for less than a half second, then shrugged, her composure showing it clearly was not a big deal. "Doesn't really matter, mommy, I don't call you that anyway."

Mary Margaret felt her heart swell, and her mouth split into a huge smile, clearly Emma was sticking with calling them 'mommy and daddy' and Mary Margaret would be lying if she claimed she didn't think that that was the best version of her name so far.

"Can we get up now?" Emma asked excitedly.

Mary Margaret grinned at Emma who was wiggling in David's arms with excitement. "Sure baby." She said gently she looked at David who was also looking very amused at Emma's excitement which was making Neal start to wiggle. "Do you want to swap?" She asked her husband nodding down to Neal, she knew David loved holding Emma, but he also loved hold Neal who was growing quickly and who David hadn't been able to hold yet that day as he normally would.

"Sure." David pressed a kiss to the top of Emma's head, then gave Mary Margaret a wicked grin, there was a glint in his eye and he watched Mary Margaret move Neal over to one of her arms and side of her lap, she could read him like a book. David suddenly lifted Emma high into the air above their heads saying "Blast off!" He was immensely proud of himself when Emma erupted into giggles.

He made her twirl in the air as she giggled he listened to his wife laughing at both Emma's adorable reaction and how Neal as squealing and babbling up at his big sister. David made Emma go up and down, several times, she was twirled in the air again before David shook her playfully. "Crash landing!" He said as dramatically as he had announced the lift off.

He set her down onto Mary Margaret's lap. He gave his wife a quick kiss, he could feel her smile against his own, their shared heart was beating fast with joy at Emma's childlike behaviour – it was bizarre to have her acting like that, but she was truly happy.

It was only then that they were able to realise how much the pressure of being 'The Saviour' affected her, they had asked her before, but she had always claimed she was fine then would avoid them until she could make herself seem less stress. Her giggling as David pretended she was a rocket was so carefree that they couldn't help but hope even just a little bit that they could keep her as carefree, and therefore as little, as she was now.

He shared a look with Mary Margaret and knew that she was thinking the same thing, they both felt a little guilty, but at the same time they knew what would happen would happen. Regina had said that she had explained Emma's predicament to Elsa, who had learnt a lot about different magical things and types of magic in her quest to control her own, but the Queen hadn't come up with any ideas yet – she was looking forward to meeting Emma to see if she could come up any ideas, but also so David and Mary Margaret could help her try to find where her sister was.

Mary Margaret squeezed Emma in her arms as soon as David had taken Neal into his, and cuddled the baby to his chest, taking to him. Mary Margaret looked down into her little girls' big green eyes, who was staring up at her with a giddy look from the game, Mary Margaret was filled with joy just looking at her. "Do you want to help me sort through some of the stuff Ella brought around last night? There's rather a lot, and I'm sure that you'll want to get rid of anything you don't like…" she teased rubbing her nose against Emma's as Emma giggled again, "though I did spy a couple of princess dresses…"

"Noooo mommy!" Emma cried, as though she was being tortured, though she couldn't keep the laughter out of her voice. She felt what she could only describe as being younger, in a vague sort of way. It was a weird feeling, but she was happy, not just with how amusing David's games and Mary Margaret's teasing was, but she felt closer to her parents and she didn't want to be apart from them even a little bit. "Can we go now? Please?"

Mary Margaret smiled and looked at her husband to see if he was ready to get up, he told her that he was going to get himself and Neal changed then start some breakfast off, they knew Neal would need another feed in just under an hour so David was keen for Mary Margaret to spend some time with Emma before she had to feed Neal. "Okay sweetie, let's go, we'll get you changed after breakfast." She pulled on her own dressing gown, then Emma's, before standing up with Emma in her arms, she felt the need to keep Emma close to him just as she did with Neal.

~OUAT~

In the main part of the loft there were cardboard boxes and big bags with characters on from Tangled, and Moana, and other Disney animated movies printed in bright colours on the noisy plastic. There were so many things that it was a little overwhelming for Emma, they were all for her, it was overwhelming enough that her mother had bought her things (enough for the short amount of time they thought that Emma would only be deaged then turned back), let alone things from strangers.

"These were Alex-sand-…" She realised that she was taking forever to sound out the girl's name, it was too many syllables and therefore too complicated, so quickly shorted it. "These were all Alex's?"

Mary Margaret smiled pityingly down at Emma's head, making sure the girl could not see her face, it may have seemed like a lot of things but it was not just clothes but other things some of both they would find they didn't want or need and would be passed along to others who needed them. Therefore, in the piled of things there were maybe a fraction of the things Emma really should have for that season alone, Emma should have had this the first time she had been this small. She had not. "Some of them, some were things from other people in the town, from the mommy and me group Neal and I go to… is that okay?" She watched Emma nod and she realised that Emma was only in awe and not embarrassed as Mary Margaret thought she might be. "Okay, shall we get started?" She sat on the floor with her feet underneath her and was a little surprised when Emma stayed firmly on her lap, she wrapped her arm around Emma's waist and squeezed her close, she pressed a kiss to the top of her head before she let go and pulled one of the boxes closer to them to sort through. "Some of the things I already went through, I put the bigger things where they needed to go so we don't have to sort through them today, but there's still clothes and some toys and things for us to look through."

Emma stayed on her mommy's lap as they sorted through the clothes, she was relieved to see that it wasn't only really girly clothes, according to Mary Margaret Alexandra had taken after Thomas in her height so the three year old was now very tall, taller than Emma apparently as most of the clothes fit perfectly on Emma, with a few being a little big, though Emma didn't mind that. Alexandra also turned out to not be too girly, there were only some pink, flowery, glittery things, and most of those Emma found she quite liked – she had a sneaking suspicion that Ella had made sure to put things Emma would like best into the boxes, and Emma was grateful for it, she already like Ella but she found she liked her even more now.

Mary Margaret was elated being able to sort through clothes with and for Emma, she seemed much more open to the more childish clothes, which were all bright colours and animal patterns, Emma managed to dig into a bag and found a unicorn hoodie, where the hood was the head complete with a horn – Mary Margaret looked at it and could tell that it was a new piece of clothing, she felt her heart flutter, it was so like the mobile which Ella had gifted pregnant Snow with. The mobile still sat in Gold's shop, David and Mary Margaret had meant to buy it back since they had first realised it was there, but everything had simply been so busy with villains constantly around. There was also a soccer jersey for the English team that Thomas supported, as did David and by extension of Emma (liking to be like her dad though as an adult she had claimed she didn't), Mary Margaret had another suspicion that that was a new thing too and she grinned at their friends' generosity – they had done the same thing when Neal was born, she liked that they insisted on making things fair.

When she looked at the sizes of the things that fit Emma perfectly she read that they were a size smaller than she had originally bought, size two to three not three to four, it dawned on her that Emma must have shrunken a little but obviously she and David hadn't picked up on it because they were with her constantly. She also realised something else.
"Emma, sweetie, let's get you changed."
The pullup had clearly leaked, Emma hadn't noticed it but then David had told her that Emma had told her about her problems with learning to potty train, she was going to have to use diapers instead of pullup – which was fine by David and Mary Margaret, but she was worried it was going to upset or worry Emma.

Emma wondered why her mother suddenly said that, she normally got dressed after breakfast as she tended to get food down herself, she suddenly realised why and bit her lip. "I'm sorry." She said in a small voice.

"There's nothing to be sorry about." She told her honestly. "I think we'll get you some more absorbent diapers when we next go shopping for groceries, it won't do your skin any good if you're soaking wet, until then me and your father will just keep checking on you." She hugged her daughter close to her, rocking her a little bit to make sure she was sure that there was nothing wrong. "It's okay Emmy, you don't have to worry about anything, we'll look after you."

Emma nodded her head and placed her thumb into her mouth to comfort herself in union with her mother rocking her. "Okay." She said quietly, because she didn't trust many people, but she trusted her mother and father. "Can I wear the unicorn hoodie?"

Mary Margaret smiled at Emma accepting that she and David would look after her. "Sure sweetie." She smiled and kissed her cheek, she gently moved Emma from her lap, noting the sad look on Emma's face when she moved her – Mary Margaret had a feeling Emma was going to be a little clingy that day. "I'm just going to go get you a new pull up from my and your daddy's bedroom, I'll be back in a minute, can you find yourself some pants and a top to wear with your hoodie?"

Emma nodded her head, she could do that, she tried to ignore that with her mother was gone, and that her father still hadn't walked through from the bedroom with Neal, she also had to try very hard to resist running after them into the bedroom and refusing to leave her mother or father's side. She stood up. As she did so David walked through the curtain.

He had changed into some dark jeans, he had on a dark sapphire crew neck woollen sweater, and on his feet were socks of a similar colour and material. His hair looked a little blonder in that dark outfit, and he had a five o'clock shadow and a smile on his face as he looked at Emma with a knowing look.
Neal was in his arms, looking around alert, he had grown a lot since his birth, it was scary to think that almost three months had passed since his birth, which meant that Emma had also been deaged for a week less than that. Neal was in some deep green pants with an ecru top with forest animals printed on the chest, he was kept warm with a light grey cardigan with little bear ears.

"You found the clothes you're gonna wear today kiddo?" David asked with a kind smile, he noticed that she was stood up and looked as though she was about to run after Mary Margaret, but as she noticed he and Neal she calmed and stilled. He walked over to where his daughter was and crouched down, placing Neal onto his lap, he pushed a strand of hair out of her face. "You need any help deciding? There's an awful lot of stuff in here to choose from."

Emma quickly nodded her head, she picked up the unicorn hoodie, and held it up to him. "I got this unicorn hoodie."

David grinned and took hold of it, Neal started gurgling and trying to reach for fluffy multi-coloured mane of the unicorn, David couldn't imagine the twenty-eight year old woman he first met ever picking out a unicorn hoodie but for some reason this version of his daughter didn't surprise him in the slightest. "Wow, that is cool, I think your little brother likes it a lot too."

Emma grinned and leant forward to kiss her brother. "Ow." She whined when he grabbed hold of her hair before she could move back.

David winced in sympathy and carefully untangled his son's hand from his daughter's curls. "Sorry kiddo, I should have warned you, he's suddenly really into grabbing things all of a sudden. What top do you want to wear under it? There's this swan one, a ballerina?" he laughed as she pulled a face as he held up the pink top with a silhouette of a ballerina in light blue sequins. "Okay, okay, not that one then. How about…. the Monsters Inc. top?"

Emma looked at the cream shirt with monsters from the first movie poking out of the different doors on the front. She smiled and nodded. "Yup, I like that one, I like Monsters Inc. it's funny."

"I don't think that I've watched the first movie, maybe we could watch it later on?"

"Yeah!"

David chucked and picked up some jeans which went with the shirt. "Okay, sounds like a plan kiddo, we'll watch it before dinner and then we can watch the second one after dinner – that way we're resting like your mommy wants us to do, and we have an excuse to eat loads of popcorn."

Emma nodded her head and held out her little finger to him. "Deal?"

David smirked as Neal tried to grab onto Emma's finger, instead he hooked his little finger with hers, and shook it. "Deal."

Mary Margaret walked out of her room, she had changed into her normal day clothes and had one of the pullups in her hand, she walked over to her family and crouched beside her husband. She playfully looked suspicious at her husband and daughter. "What are you three up to?"

"Nothing." David winked at Emma, he passed over Emma's clothes for the day to his wife, then ruffled Emma's hair. "Okay, me and Neal are off to cook breakfast for our girls. One super healthy bowl of oatmeal with a fruit salad and tea, and one chocolate chip pancake with a chocolate milkshake, which has vitamins and nutrients and stuff so it's totally healthy." David added that last bit pointedly towards his wife who rolled her eyes but smiled and didn't protest. He pressed a kiss to Emma's cheek then one to his wife's lips before he stood up with his son. "You know there's a present from Ella and Thomas at the top of the big Disney bag, right?"

"A present?" Emma started to rush over to see if he was telling the truth, but suddenly she was being lifted backwards to her mother's arms. "Mommy."

Mary Margaret had to force herself not to laugh at Emma's whine, or 'aw' too loudly at how adorable she was acting. "We can see what it is in a moment, let me just get you changed and dressed, then you can open whatever it is, okay?"

"Okay." Emma sighed. She let her mother get her changed, she tried to stay as still as possible while Mary Margaret did so, but it was hard enough for her at the best of times let alone when she was wiggling around trying to see where the Disney bag David had told her about was.

Eventually Mary Margaret tugged the zip on her hoodie up and pulled the hood up. She kissed her forehead between her eyebrows. "Okay, nooow we can go find that present." She giggled when Emma ran over to the bag and tried to pull out the big present from the bag. "Here let me help you." She helped Emma pull it out of the bag and placed it in one of the only clear parts of the floor. "Okay, go." She joked but she beamed as Emma started to tear off the wrapping paper.
She looked over at David who was still prepping breakfast but had paused to try and settle a very fussy Neal, he walked over to his girls bouncing Neal gently so that he and Mary Margaret could watch Emma open the present before Neal would need a feed.

David stood beside Mary Margaret and squeezed her shoulder, they shared a look, this was their first opportunity to see Emma at any age opening a present, they hadn't celebrated any holidays or even Emma's birthday yet, they just kept missing all the big events in her life to be able to give her presents that they could get away with wrapping up.

Emma unwrapped the present and uncovered a Crayola art case, which was full of pens, pencils, crayons, and paper. "Woah." She breathed out looking intently at it.

David beamed, Mary Margaret was smiling too, but David's had a lot more amusement in it. "Oh, look there's a card, it must be from Ella, and Thomas."

Mary Margaret glared at her husband, she already knew what was coming, before she could send back a retort she felt Emma tapping her hand to get her attention. She quickly smiled kindly down at her.

"Can you help me? I can't open this with my poorly arm." She smiled as Mary Margaret pulled her onto her lap and opened up the envelope to reveal a card with a swan on it. "And I can't read it."

Mary Margaret kissed the top of Emma's head. "Of course, I'll read it for you, sweetie." She spotted David looking gleeful at the fact she was about to read out whatever was written inside, she'd just have to hope it was just Ella's writing inside. "Don't you have the breakfast to make?"

"I'm good here for now, I wanna hear what Thomas and Ella, particularly Thomas put." He shot her his trademark charming smile. "Anyway, Neal's going to need feeding in a couple of mins, I can't cook until after that. Now, didn't Emmy ask you to read the card."

Emma tilted her head to the side as she looked at her father. "Why're you being weird?"

"He was born like that." Mary Margaret mumbled under her breath before opening the card up. Inside was mostly Ella's nice calligraphy, but sure enough at the bottom was a slightly messier scrawl, almost as neat but distinct enough to know that it was Thomas's. It had been unavoidable considering what the present had been, she supposed, but she was an eternal optimist. "Okay, it says 'To Emma, everyone could do with releasing their artistic side, no matter their age. Love Ella, Thomas, and Alexandra.' Aw, that's sweet, and you can use it properly just as soon as your cast is off your arm."

"And that's it?"

'Hmm?"

"I don't think you read that last part, the bit that looks like Thomas definitely wrote it."

"What's it say mommy?"

Mary Margaret cracked when she looked down at Emma's big green eyes. Gods, why did her daughter have to be so adorable? "It's from Thomas he says 'Let's hope you take after your father, your mother has no artistic ability, at all.' What a jerk." She scoffed the last bit quietly.

"You can't do art? But you make pretty homes for birdies…?"

David beamed at his wife's pout, at not being naturally talented at something, which disappeared with Emma's word choice. "Your mother is very talented, there are no ends to her talent at all, she just so happens to excel best at art which has instructions."

She poked her tongue out at her husband, playfully, but he missed it as he started to rock Neal and pace a little bit to calm his crying. She squeezed Emma lovingly and kissed her cheek. "I'm going to have to feed your little brother sweetie. Are you going to be okay looking through these by yourself? There's more toys in the bag where you got that present from, you could play with some of them, or you can come with me and Neal if you still want to stay with me."

Emma bit her lip, she didn't want to intrude on her mother and brother's bonding time, plus she was rather interested in seeing what toys were in the bag. "I'll stay here."

"Okay, sweetheart, your daddy will just be in the kitchen if you need him." Neal's crying got a decibel louder and Mary Margaret carefully moved Emma from her lap so that she was sat on the floor instead. "And if you need me or just want to talk to me or anything you can come and join me." She quickly took Neal into the next room to feed him on the rocking chair in the master bedroom.

David crouched down beside Emma, he pulled up her hood, and smirked when she tugged it down once more. "Okay, I'm going to get breakfast sorted, I'm sure you're starving. You sure you're going to be okay here?" He quickly folded up some of the piles of clothes they were keeping for Emma as he spoke. "I would let you in the kitchen with me, but I don't want you getting hurt and I want to get it done quickly, but I'm sure that your mommy wouldn't mind some company."

Emma glanced towards the bedroom, she couldn't see her mother and brother but she knew that they were there, she looked back at her father and shook her head. "It's okay, Nee's having his breakfast…. I'm gonna see the toys."

David smiled at her and stood up. "Okay, well you have fun playing with your toys shout me if you need me, and you really can go to your mommy if you want her, she loves spending time with you and Neal doesn't mind having to share her with you so long as he gets fed." He told her, firmly yet gently, but she had already started to look in the toy bag so he just shook his head fondly and headed into the kitchen once more.

Emma started to pull out different toys and games from the bag which she was fairly convinced either belonged to, or was acquainted with, Mary Poppins, as it seemed to be endless. There were toys made to go into the bath- a tea set, bath crayons to draw on tiles, a brand new set of rubber ducks. There were loads of bricks – wooden ones, a set of smaller Legos for when she was in an older mindset, and Duplos for when she was not. There were some toy cars, and lastly a ball.

She pulled out the ball and sat back down among the rest of the toys she had pulled out of the bag. The ball was a medium size not the size of a soccer ball, but big enough to make it a little awkward to hold in her hand. It was made of a clear hard plastic, inside of it was filled with water, not completely full however, so the water sploshed around inside. In the water were multi-coloured circles like small bits of confetti made out of plastic, and one singular plastic goldfish, which moved around with the water.

Emma shook it, amused by how the fish 'swam' around, inevitably it slipped from her small hand and rolled away from her, under the table, to the chair which had become her own. She chased after it, darting under the table, and scooped up the ball. She held the ball between her cast and her chest. "Gotcha." She said triumphantly, she didn't see it but her father's eyes were on her, grinning at her pride.

She stood up properly and was about to turn when she spotted one of the new things Ella and Thomas had brought.

A cold trickle ran through her spine.

It was a booster seat, one attached to her seat, designed to make it easier for her to eat at the table, the pile of cushions had been too unstable for her to properly sit on, and David and Mary Margaret had been fine having her sat on their lap, but this was to give her a little bit of independence and in case David and Mary Margaret needed to do something away from the table while Emma was eating.

But it was more than that to Emma. She looked at the straps of the booster and a swell of emotions erupted inside of her. Fear, anger, and memories of hunger and isolation swirled inside her as she looked at the straps which were meant to stop the toddlers from falling out, but had been used on her to force her to stay sat in the booster seat in a soiled diaper and clothes, without food, or more than small sips of water her foster siblings had managed to sneak her, for two days – for refusing to eat a handful of peas which she had never liked. She could feel herself freaking out, she had a faint recollection of her mother telling her that if anything was ever wrong to go and talk to her or her father… but she couldn't think of that right then. Something came over her. The plethora of emotions were overwhelming, she knew she had to get that booster seat away from her, that was her only thought other that the messy explosion of feelings there was only one way to get out.

She threw the ball at the chair. Then ran at the chair, she pushed, and hit, and kicked the chair, screaming "No!" on repeat all the while. Her body was no her own, the hits brought no pain, she was a creature of inner feelings alone.

David's head shot around. "Emma? Emma!" He shouted, but there was no reaction, he quickly pulled the food off of the heat and raced over to his daughter. "Em! Emma, what's wrong?" But his words had no avail. He tried to get close to Emma but as he got close her arms hit him like windmills, he didn't care if she hit him, something was clearly wrong – but he didn't want to cause her to become more upset. He crouched down near her, at an arms distance away, watching his daughter's behaviour in shock. "Come on kiddo, you're going to hurt yourself, take some deep breaths."

"What on earth's going on?" Mary Margaret demanded as she rushed in to see Emma finally managing to knock the chair over, the toddler fell to the floor beside it and carried on

"Okay, that's enough, you're going to get hurt." David scooped his daughter up, he held her close to his chest, his hand on the back of her head, holding her tight so she couldn't keep lashing out. Her screams changed so they were slightly more like cries as she tried to wiggle away. "No Emma. You're either going in my arms, or mommy's arms, you're not going down."

"David what-?" Mary Margaret asked, David looked confused, but at least he had been able to see the entire thing. She had just heard the shouting and banging, luckily Neal hadn't been that hungry, she had been planning on quickly pumping the excess he hadn't drank before having breakfast, but instead she had had to quickly out him into his crib and rush over to see what was happening.

David looked lost, his mouth fell open, and his shoulders gave the slightest shrug as he stood up and swayed with Emma still in position despite her wiggling. "I have no idea, I think it's that chair, or the booster seat." He guessed looking confused at the upturned chair. "Emmy," he spoke gently to the spooked child, it was only fitting to call her that, there was nothing adult about her mindset or actions, "we're going to get rid of the booster seat, okay? Will that make it all better?" He was relieved when she managed to hear him despite her screaming cries, and nodded her head against his chest.

Mary Margaret worked quickly, she set the chair the right way, unstrapped the booster seat from the chair, then walked over to the front door of their apartment, she opened up the green door and set the booster seat down outside of it. She shut the door with the second-hand booster on the outside. She walked back over to David and Emma, she stroked Emma's golden curls, and placed her other hand on her baby's back. "It's okay Emma, baby, it's all gone."

Like a curse had been broken, Emma stopped struggling and went limp in David's arms, her cries were less fierce but they were still hysterical and it just made her sound younger.

"Here, let me." Mary Margaret asked David, she was only just audible above Emma's cries, but David passed over still crying Emma and let Mary Margaret lead the way back to the master bedroom. She had once been heartbroken that she didn't have the first idea about how to soothe her daughter, but she had learnt, and she knew could now come up with several ideas about how to help her. David had also learnt, of course, but this as something Mary Margaret desperately needed to do – the same maternal feelings she had when she heard that something was making Neal feel some form of pain stirred in her.

Emma couldn't stop herself from crying, she felt herself being passed to her mother, and her mother walking, along with her parents talking though she couldn't make out what they were saying. Her eyes were glued shut by tears, her face screwed up, and she just wanted her mommy and daddy. She reburied her head against Mary Margaret's chest as she had with David before.

Mary Margaret sat in the rocking chair trying to soothe Emma, saying soothing words Emma didn't hear, and holding her close to her chest with her hand going through her hair as they rocked. "Shhh, Emmy, it's okay. It's okay, you're safe, you're with mommy and daddy." She shared a look with David, in silent conversation,

"She sounds like Neal." David said what they had both been thinking. The type of screaming cry was so like her brother's it was impossible to tell how old she was. They knew what normally soothed their youngest baby, but they weren't sure if it'd work on Emma, or if it'd make her tantrum (which probably had a reason behind it but they weren't sure what else to call it) again. "It's worth a shot." He said gently. "The worst that could happen is it doesn't work, even then when she's called down I doubt she'll be too annoyed with us, I think she needs this."

Mary Margaret nodded in agreement with everything that he had said, it was clear that they shared a heart, they may as well have shared a brain or soul as they didn't need words, not really. She looked down at Emma's red little tear-stained face and stroked her hand down it, wiping away some the tears, and comforting her just a little. "It's okay, baby, mommy's here. Mommy's going to feed you, okay…"

Mary Margaret pulled up her top and released her breast from her maternity bra. She felt her husband's eyes watching Emma and herself intently, she could feel his worry coming off of him in waves as Emma continued to cry, but it was just the same as he was when something was wrong with Neal, or even adult Emma, so she didn't suddenly doubt their solution to soothe Emma.

She moved Emma into the correct position, then close to her, despite all this she was surprised when Emma latched on. The cries from the toddler stopped as she started to drink.

Mary Margaret looked down at her daughter who looked so unbelievable small right then, dressed in size two to three clothes with a unicorn hoodie, and drinking her milk with a couple of stray tears rolling down her cheeks, but it was clear Emma was calming down as although her eyes were still closed they weren't screwed up. Mary Margaret wouldn't be surprised if she fell back asleep soon.

Emma's mind cleared a little as she drank the sweet milk, enough to know what it was she was drinking, and how she was drinking it. But she didn't care. She wanted her mommy, and she had her, she cuddled close and drank. She felt one of David's fingers brush her cheek, wiping away the cold tear which had been slowly trickling down her face, she could hear his low voice but she was too out of it to even pay attention.

David pressed a kiss to the top of Emma's head, as she fed, from his position crouched beside the rocking chair. He then leant up to kiss his wife's crown, making her tear her eyes away from their daughter for the first time, they shared a bittersweet smile. It was good that this had soothed their daughter, they'd have to talk to her about it later, but if this was something that worked for her surely it'd be better for her to have the nutrients and things from Snow's milk whether she wanted it in a bottle or straight from the source was up to her…. But this shouldn't have been the first time that Mary Margaret had gotten to feed their baby, the first time should have been in their chambers back in the castle on the night that Emma was born.
"Neal's like you, he can sleep through anything," David joked lightening the mood and halting the silence, "even that." He shook his head as he thought of what had happened.

"It was like she was completely a toddler then." Mary Margaret's voice was soft as she stroked Emma's hair. "Just the pure feelings of a two year old, for whatever reason that booster seat set her off."

David sighed but waited for his wife to switch Emma to the other breast, making the girl fuss, before he spoke once more. "Yeah… I wonder if it was a memory from her past." He sighed again, speaking even quieter as Emma started to drop off. He leant down and rubbed his shin where Emma had managed to kick him during her tantrum. "Well, whatever the reason, she's not going to be using a booster seat." He was glad that his wife nodded along with him. "But it would have come in handy, the cushions piled on the chair just aren't safe, especially now she's smaller."

"Why don't we look into getting her a highchair, we can talk to her about it later," She sighed gently and watched Emma barely awake as she drank, "it would be so much easier if we didn't have guest later on, after all this. Especially if something like this happens in front of Henry… I think it might make him loose hope in turning her back."

Her words spoke volumes. She knew the chances of Emma changing back seemed to be dwindling, it was hard to see an adult Emma suddenly appearing back after this…
"We should have a meeting, in a few days, anyone who might know of a way – Gold, Belle, Regina, this Elsa person, Blue, even Hook might have an idea."

"Well, he has sailed to many different places… We can ask Tinkerbelle, and get Grumpy to ask Nova to come and talk to us." He stared at his baby girl as he spoke, he was beginning to think that this was exactly what Emma needed. A second chance.
But then a sharp pain would jab into his heart, that if Emma was unable to change back, Henry would miss out on having his mother… They had to try any safe way of helping her change back – safe for her both physically and mentally. It was harsh but they had to put Emma first, Henry would understand that, he wouldn't want Emma back who was only physically her.
"You stay here with her, I'll finish up our breakfasts and we can have breakfast in bed while she naps. I'll make her pancakes when she wakes up."

Mary Margaret looked at him with concern, she placed her hand on his cheek to look him in the eyes, she could see how conflicted he was. He wore his heart on his sleeve but only in front of her. She pulled him into a kiss. "We'll give her her best chance." She promised. "Whatever that may be."

"Agreed." David smiled and kissed her softly again. "I'll go get our breakfast."

"Okay, just, take it easy. I mean it David." She said when he rolled his eyes playfully. "You've been ill too, not just Emma."

David rolled his eyes again, to try and annoy her, and smirked as he stood up. He did an exaggerated bow. "Yes, your majesty."

Mary Margaret laughed gently as he left the room. She carefully pulled Emma, who was now in a deep sleep, off, and covered herself up again. She moved slowly to the bed and wrapped Emma in several blankets, but she kept her firmly in her arms. "I'll stay right with you baby, until you wake up, Mommy's not going anywhere. Mommy will keep you safe, so will daddy, I'm sure he'll tell you how he can defeat anything, even a dragon." She told her sleeping babe as she reclined back against the pillows.

Emma cuddled closer to her mother in her sleep, and kept a hold of her top, to make sure she wasn't going anywhere. Even asleep her mother's words reached her, she melted against Mary Margaret knowing she was safe in her arms, and she dreamt of a daring prince and a brave princess fighting a dragon to find their baby girl.

Chapter Text

Emma woke up a few hours later, her name being gently called by her mommy, she woke slowly taking her eyes minutes to open.

This time when she woke she was cuddled up on her mother's chest, she could smell her mix of shower wash and perfume. Sometimes when she woke it took her a while to come back to herself and remember how she had gotten there, but not today, she remembered it all: The emotions she felt, the memories, being held by her father even as she tried to hit out at anything, including him, and the comfort and love her mother had shown her when feeding her – something she would have been mortified even thinking about a couple of months back, but now it felt natural and comforting, she knew she was safe. She felt as though she should be embarrassed, or ashamed or something, but even that was gone as though her parents had taken the feelings away. She had never had that feeling before, not fully, the feeling any child had when they knew that their parents would take care of all of the monsters in the world.

"Morning sleepy head." Mary Margaret greeted fondly.

"Hi." Emma said quietly. She kept her head close to Mary Margaret's chest as she felt her mother stroking her hair. "I'm sorry." She mumbled.

"Hey, hey, hey." Mary Margaret soothed. She kissed the top of her head as she sat them both up, she manoeuvred her so that she was still lying against her chest but she could see her face. "You don't have to say sorry about anything, you did manage to give your daddy one hell of a bruise where you clipped him though." As she joked she saw the look of worry on Emma's face and frowned. "Don't worry, baby, that was just a joke, your daddy's fine."

Emma looked around and realised David was not in the room, she bit her lip and felt bad, despite her mother telling that it was all okay. "Where is he?" Her voice was quiet and sounded like she was close to crying, though she wasn't sure why. More and more recently she started to feel as though her emotions were quicker to change and just so much more.

Mary Margaret kissed her head again and stroked her thumb down Emma's cheek. "He's just making you some lunch, that's why I had to wake you up, you need to eat something before we have visitors." She began to run her hand through her hair she automatically started to rock her from side to side. "I'm worried about you, we both are, me and your daddy."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you, I won't do it again."

Mary Margaret sighed and turned Emma on her lap to face her, she noticed David walking into the room to see if Emma was up yet, he saw his wife's face and he settled down on the bed beside them.
"Emma," she said both lovingly and concerned, "please stop apologising to us. You don't have to say sorry for what happened. But you do have to tell us what happened, you really scared us, we don't want to have to see you that upset again."

Emma bit her lip not sure what to say or how to say it.

David took hold Emma's hand, he stroked his thumb over her knuckles, then he dropped a quick kiss onto the top of her head. "Emma, you can tell us, it's safe to tell us anything, we'll believe you."

"I…" She sighed frustratedly. "I used to live with a foster family, they were supposed to be really nice, they were for a couple of days… but then they weren't… Y'know peas are yucky?"

David and Mary Margaret both chuckled, weakly, they knew that any story about Emma's foster parents (especially one which had followed Emma's mini-breakdown) would not be a happy one, but they knew how much Emma hated peas. Emma's wording of her hatred was also adorable.

"Yeah, I know your hatred of peas, or anything green."

"Unless it's candy." David added fondly.

A ghost of a smile appeared on her face, Mary Margaret had only once asked her if she wanted peas, when Emma had told her firmly that she hated them Mary Margaret had never offered her them again. Even when the curse broke and David had been cooking them dinner, he had made sure not to give Emma any, just because they accepted that it was something Emma didn't like. "I told them that I didn't like them." She said quietly. "But they didn't listen to me… they told me I wasn't allowed to leave my booster 'til I ate them, or they said so. I was in there for a long time… They didn't let me out for two days…" Her voice got quieter and quieter as she talked, outlining the break synopsis of what had happened, and her eyes watered until she was sniffling.

"Oh baby." Mary Margaret breathed out. She pulled Emma closer to her and led her head upon her daughter's. She shook her head wordlessly, she didn't know how to make it right, what words could magically fix everything. There were no words as she felt her daughter shuddering breaths as she began to cry and after only a couple of seconds she began to cry too.

David balled up his fist, on the hand which wasn't holding onto Emma's still, his nostrils flared, and his heart ached. He knew that this was only the tip of the iceberg. There was more hurt to come that day when they would watch her memories. He unclenched his fist and wrapped his arms around his girls. Tears began to roll down his cheeks and he started to cry along with his wife and his daughter.

They sat on the bed in an almost perfect huddle for ages, until the tears ran out, and dried. Eventually they pulled away so that they could see one another but they stayed close.

As Emma rubbed her eyes David and Mary Margaret shared a look above her head about something they had talked about while Emma had been sleeping.

"Em," David said as gently as he possibly could, "me and mommy need to talk to you about something else too; you're not in trouble or anything, it's just something which is important, and we need you to tell us the truth."

Emma's eyebrow's furrowed, she was never really a huge fan of serious talks and they seemed to have a fair few nowadays, still she nodded her head. "Okay." She said quietly.

David looked at Mary Margaret, and nodded his head, letting her lead.

"You don't feel five anymore, do you?" She asked knowingly, outright, they had realised this for a while but they didn't want to voice it.

They were too worried that if they voiced it they would come true, but it was coming true anyway, so why would that matter? After Emma had fed without hesitation or complaint Mary Margaret and David knew it needed to be addressed. It was not uncommon for children to be breastfed until they were about three or four in the Enchanted Forest, that had carried through to a lot of people in this realm too, Mary Margaret had realised when she started to go to the mommy and me group with Neal. But five was definitely too old for Emma to be so accepting of it, and physically and mentally Emma was acting younger, much younger than she had when she first deaged.

Emma slowly shook her head, her nostrils twitched and mouth wobbled as she was forced to admit it, she had realised more recently but she had buried it away not wanting to think what it meant. "No." She whispered.

David cupped the side of Emma's face with his hand, he was a product of his very loving and affectionate childhood, he brushed his thumb along her cheekbone underneath her eye. "You feel like you're two ages, right?" He watched her slowly nod. "How old is the youngest age you feel? Do you … do you know?"

They knew her only too well, Emma realised. She would usually try to pull away, to not look at him, instead she leant into it her head firmly against it and looked into his sea blue eyes. She shrugged her shoulders a little. "Three, I think… I know that I'm three, but I feel littler like two."

David nodded his head as he digested that information. "Maybe like a young three year old." He suggested sharing a look with Mary Margaret.

"That makes sense." Mary Margaret agreed. "I've heard it happens a fair bit in children who had a rough childhood."

A rough childhood seemed to be an understatement, David thought, but he and his wife were trying particularly hard to not show the full extent of their heartbreak over Emma's past so she wouldn't feel guilty over them knowing her past. "Okay, I think that it's time you had some breakfast."

"It's lunch." Mary Margaret pointed out with a smirk, she glanced down as Emma moved about and settled into place on her lap so that she was comfortable. Mary Margaret smiled gently down at her as she cuddled up to her, she liked seeing her so unguarded and loving.

Emma smiled at her mother's snark, though she was surprised that most of her day had been taken up sleeping and she still felt sleepy, when she was feeling much better with her cold than the day before when she was also sleeping all the time. "Uh huh, mommy's right."

David playfully rolled his eyes and glared at Emma, he tickled her sides, and couldn't keep up his playful glare when he heard her giggle. "Mommy's girl." He teased. "Well, it's breakfast for lunch, with really really chocolatey pancakes… unless you'd rather have a sandwich or something boring…."

"Pancakes please!" Emma shouted eagerly.

David and Mary Margaret chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"Pancakes it is." David smiled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, he stood from the bed and checked on Neal before heading out to the kitchen to finally put Emma's pancakes on.

~OUAT~

Mary Margaret and David sat on the couch overjoyed at the sound of their children's laughter which was filling the entire loft. Emma was sat on David's lap sideways facing Neal who was sat supported on Mary Margaret's lap.

"Peek-a-boo!" Emma pulled her baby blanket off of her head and erupted into giggles as her brother did the same thing.

After they had had their lunch together, Emma's breakfast for lunch while her mother and father had a salad and grilled cheese respectively, then David sat in the living room with the two kids – he stared down at the kids lovingly as Emma played and put on a show for Neal with a couple of the new toys – after Mary Margaret finished putting away the new clothes and some of the toys both upstairs and downstairs she joined them on on the couch.

David chucked the blanket over her head as he smiled. "Oh no, where's Emmy gone?" He said playfully for the benefit of both his son and daughter. "Is she under the table?" He looked under the table, making Emma giggled and wiggle, and Neal giggled just as much but at the sound of David's silly voice and Emma's giggling. "Noooo…. Is she behind the curtain?... No… Oh no Nealy, I think I might have lost her, what will I tell your mommy?" He and Mary Margaret forced themselves to hold their laughter as Emma giggled hysterically and Neal joined in. David suddenly pulled the blanket up off of her head, making her hair static a little and follow the blanket into the air before dropping back down. "Ohh, there she is! " He pretended to be surprised. "Thank goodness, I thought that I'd lost you, I didn't know what I'd do…"

Emma wasn't sure why she found it quite so funny, it wasn't exactly live at the Apollo, but to her it was hilarious. "You're silly." She managed to get out through her giggles. "You'd be in trouble with mommy if you lost me." She told him.

"Too right he would." Mary Margaret agreed.

David shrugged his shoulders pretending to be breezy, and pushed back the memories of all of the times he had lost her, in a way he had again but he had also gained a new Emma he wasn't sure he wanted to go. "I'd have to go to the shelter where I used to work and find a puppy and name it Emma."

Emma sat bolt upright as excitement ran through her like electricity. "Can we get a doggy?"

Mary Margaret winced, she wasn't against dogs, not in the slightest – she had fond memories of seeing her family's hunting dogs when they were puppies, and she knew David had grown up with dogs on his family's farm.
But her eyes darted around the loft, the living room and dinning room were both filled with Emma and Neal's things, along with the few things she and David had which weren't packed away. It was already looking crowded, and was only set to get more so, they had negotiated that Emma needed something to keep her at level with the table which wasn't a booster seat so were having a highchair delivered. If Emma stayed a toddler, and with Neal growing more every day, the loft was only going to get more crowded. It was only really built for one or two tops.
"I think a doggy," she picked up on Emma's use of the word, "needs a lot of room to run around in and to play, and they'd need to be able to go outdoors. We'd have to wait to have a bigger house to get one." She spoke carefully she didn't want to rule out ever having a dog, she knew how much her husband loved them and Emma seemed to be the same way with Pongo, but she also knew that the loft was Emma's first home.
They would have to move of course, whether Emma was big or small, but it would require a careful conversation with Emma about it.

"Oh," Emma felt torn between really wanting a dog of their own and never wanting to leave the loft, "okay."

Mary Margaret ran her hand through Emma's hair. "You know, Henry's really looking forward to seeing you." She told her with a smile. "I spoke with him earlier this morning, he misses you."

Emma smiled but then frowned and looked worried. "If I can't be big again will he hate me?"

David and Mary Margaret shared a look, it was such a young way of wording and thinking about it, and there was an insecurity which Emma would never have voiced through a question. David rubbed soothing circles onto his back while Mary Margaret stroked her hair, her brother cooed in their mother's arms, he kicked his legs and tried to reach for her as though copying their parents.

"He could never hate you." Mary Margaret told her honestly. "He knows that if it does happen, if you change completely, it wont be your fault."

Emma brought her thumb to her mouth to her mouth, she caught herself at the last moment and didn't put it in like she usually would, but she did start to chew on her hangnail. "He'll be sad." She said quietly.

David shared a look over Emma's head at Mary Margaret. "He might be," he said cautiously as she was too smart to lie to, "but he knows that no matter what happens he loves you and that you love him. You'll be in each other's lives no matter what." He pressed a kiss to the top of Emma's head. It was hard to try and figure out how they would all feel and react if the change was permanent, they would all still love her of course but everything would change, especially for Henry. But the more time passed it was hard to imagine Emma ageing up again, and if she did if she would there be lasting effects? Though judging from all the research, they had done so far, there was only one way to change back and that had only worked once, it was too big a chance to take and they would not risk her life.

There was a knock at the door and Mary Margaret stood up with Neal in her arms and walked over to open the door. David stood up, swinging Emma onto his hip, ready to greet their guests.

Emma led her head down on David's shoulder, her stomach fluttered as the door slowly opened and the downstairs of the loft was filled with the noise noise of her mother and her mother's step mother saying hello to each other.

David glanced down at Emma's blonde curls cascading down to her shoulders and his own as she led her head, with his free hand he rubbed circles onto her back. "It's okay, kiddo, I'm here. You wanna just stay with me?" He asked her quietly, he both watched and felt her nod, he smiled gently and kissed the top of her head. With people who weren't Mary Margaret, himself, or Neal, she was obviously even more shy. He hoped she would warm up to them a little, especially Henry, but he didn't mind holding onto her for as long as she wanted or needed it. "Okay, that's no problem. I'm gonna say hi to them, if you don't want to it's okay, they'll understand."

Mary Margaret glanced back at over at David and Emma, when she stood back to let Regina, Henry, and Elsa inside, and shared a small smile when she realised her daughter was being shy. She turned her attention back to their guests knowing that David could handle the toddler.

She wrapped her arm around Henry, being careful of Neal, the teenager was fast becoming taller than her but like any grandmother she could still see the child he had been. "Hello sweetheart."

"Hey grandma." Henry grinned as he felt her press a kiss to his cheek. "Mom brought pie."

Regina smiled and nodded, in greeting, and indicated to the two pies in her hands. "Don't worry, only one of them is apple, the other is berry."

Mary Margaret narrowed her eyes jokingly at her. "Uh huh, I think I play it safe and go with the berry, I'm not sure if I've annoyed you recently."

"Yeah, I wouldn't chance it grandma." Henry grinned the charming, and cheeky, smile he inherited from David.

Regina rolled her eyes. "You're both terrible." She turned to Elsa who seemed to find the family's jokes endearing. "Don't listen to them Elsa." She placed the pies down on the table. "Elsa, this is Mary Margaret, my stepdaughter I was telling you about."

Elsa smiled and shook hands with Mary Margaret. "It's very nice to meet you. You have a lovely home here." She said glancing around the loft, even though she was a stranger to them she could still feel how homely the place was, she felt welcomed immediately.

"Thank you very much, it's small, and a little crowded… but it's our home." Mary Margaret smiled back, with more people there and all of Emma and Neal's things it suddenly seemed smaller. "My mother had some relatives in Arendelle, she and my father visited sometimes, on diplomatic missions and to visit relatives, I always wanted to see it." She saw the genuine smile on Elsa's face at the mention of her home, but she also saw the sadness in her eyes, she wasn't sure how she was going to get back – Mary Margaret remembered how that felt when the first curse had first broken. She lifted Neal up slightly to introduce him. "This is my son Neal. And my husband David." She held her hand out to gesture to her husband.

David smiled, showing his pearly whites, he held out his hand to shake the queen's cold one. "It's a pleasure to meet you. One of my friend's from back home lived in Arendelle, I met his fiancé once, she was from there too- though I doubt that you'd know them."

"You will have to tell me about them later, perhaps I will know them, I try my best to know as many people as possible." Elsa smiled kindly. She looked to Emma who was shyly looking back at her, she was tucked incredibly close to her father, they were obviously close she had never been that close with her own father. "Hello." She smiled gently as Emma hid closer against David.

David cuddled her closer and smiled back at Elsa on Emma's behalf. "This is our daughter, Emma."

Emma stayed half hidden against David, she raised her hand in a half hearted wave to the visitor to their home, she seemed to be nice enough but she felt safer the closer she was to David. "Hi." She managed to squeak out, only just audible.

David and Mary Margaret shared a smile at their daughter's behaviour. Their look changed and Mary Margaret led Regina and Elsa over to the kitchen to talk to them about Elsa's story, David threw his arm around Henry to hug him. "Hey there, my favourite grandson." He smirked at his own joke, he thought it never got old, despite how many times he said it.

Henry rolled his eyes, without jest or irritation, his eyes kept flickering to Emma as David led them to the couch and they sat down, Henry on one side, David with Emma on his lap on the other.

Emma glanced at Henry when she realised it was just them (and David), she relaxed some, but bit her lip remembering their conversation about how Henry might feel in the future they had been having shortly before Henry, Regina, and Elsa had arrived. Her nerves swelled in anticipation of what was to come.

Henry felt a little unusual seeing how his mother was acting, it was unusual enough before when she was clearly much more of an adult, now she wasn't. Regardless, she was his family, he loved her. "Hey Emma." He smiled at her, it was clear that he was related to David and Emma from the trademark Charming smile he had inherited, the one which put people at ease – it worked on Emma as he watched her look at him and stop trying to hide herself against David. He shrugged his shoulders apologetically. "It feels a bit weird calling you mom." He admitted.

Emma gave him an understanding smile back. "It's okay, I get it." She didn't say it but it would have felt weird being called mom right then, when her mind was mostly younger, she had felt guilty over it, she gave Henry a small understanding and embarrassed smile which she hoped showed him what she was thinking.

Henry reached out and gently squeezed her hand. "Me too.' He told her, and he meant it, they still had enough of a connection to be able to know what the other was thinking through a look.

David carefully stood up and moved Emma to sit on the couch beside Henry in one fluid motion. He placed his hand on the top of her head when she looked up at him, worried about where he was going, he smiled gently down at her. "I'm gonna help mommy make everyone drinks and talk to Elsa, you and Henry stay here, I'll get you both drinks." He watched her nod her head when she understood that he wasn't going far. He looked at Henry who was staring at Emma, luckily Mary Margaret had told Regina how Emma was acting before they had got there to make sure Emma's behaviour wasn't a complete shock, but seeing one of his mother's act like a toddler was something no one could prepare for. Henry was holding strong though. He always did.
"You want a soda, kid?"

Henry looked at his grandfather and smiled. "Sure, I'm not sure that mom will let me, you know what she's like with sugar."

"I'll sneak it around her." David promised with a wink, he knew Regina wouldn't really mind as it was going to be a hard day for all of them a soda was the last thing on any of their minds'.

When David left them Emma and Henry started to talk, Henry talked to her about his school and friends, and some things he had done with Robin and Roland whilst spending time with him and the Merry Men. And Emma talked to him about anything and everything, when he told her that the unicorn hoodie she was wearing was cool she opened up a lot more, she began to talk to him about the toys Ella and Thomas had brought her.

Henry noticed her sounding more and more like a kid, a toddler even younger than Roland, but at least she still had her memories so he happily talked to her about movies and some cartoons he had watched when he was younger. He told her that he had been visiting his horse more often too, and that he was hoping to go riding with David soon, and that perhaps Emma would be able to go with them one time.

"Are you sure you wanna see the memories?" She asked him eventually, she grown very serious all of a sudden, or as serious as she was currently able to get.

Henry nodded. "I wanna know about your past, about your life, I know some of it but I… I wanna know more, I wanna know it all… In case you can't tell me one day. There's So much I don't know about my dad…" He told her gently. He hesitantly placed his hand on his hand on her back when he saw her look guilty.
He wasn't sure what to say to make it all better, he knew that she knew that he was aware of the feeling of inevitability that things were about to change, irrevocably. He was probably more aware than she was, he saw his other mom working hard to try and find a way, Elsa had been trying to help too, she had read all the books in Arendelle about magic in her own search to control hers… but even she seemed to be stuck on how to help Emma.

Emma leant against Henry, before long she was curled up against him, he had cuddled her back – they hadn't always acted like a conventual mother and son, but now they seemed more like brother and sister, or uncle and niece (which was technically true, Henry was her step-uncle, as well as her son).

"I've gotten really good at riding my horse." Henry told Emma, he beamed as she looked at him with great interest. "You'll have to come and see him sometime."

"Yeah!" She knelt up with excitement in her eyes, but the excitement was shadowed with nervousness. "…But they're really big…"

Henry realised suddenly that Emma was nervous so he smiled reassuringly at her, it was second nature to him to want to help her feel better, and he was good at it. "I'm sure Gramps could come with us? He taught me how to look after mine, and he has his own, maybe he could teach you how to ride it too?"

Emma's nervousness disappeared and she grinned back at him nodding her head. "Yeah, okay, and we can get ice-cream sundaes too."

"Sounds good to me." He grinned back. "Hey, Em?" He picked at the skin around his left thumb nail. "You know if you get changed to stay like this forever… you know I'll still love you… right?"

Emma threw her arms around Henry's torso and buried her head against him. "I love you too, Henry." She felt him wrap his arms around her and squeeze her gently. "I don't wanna leave you," she told him quietly, "or to forget who you are. I don't wanna lose you."

"You're never going to lose me," Henry promised looking down at her face, "I'll always be here for you even if everything changes. You're my family, just as much as my other mom is, and Grams and Gramps and Neal."

Emma nodded her head as she continued to lean against him while David, Mary Margaret, Elsa, and Regina walked in. In their hands were mugs of hot chocolate, the smell of cinnamon drifted up from the mugs, both Mary Margaret and Emma had passed on their love to it to the rest of their family, even Regina had given in to drinking it, and Henry had made Elsa try it as soon as they had met. David had hold of his and Henry's mugs, Henry's was in the mug with marvel superheroes on as they all knew his love of comic books, and David also had the sippy cup Emma had been using this time full of hot chocolate and cinnamon.

David sat beside his daughter and grandson, he looked at them in concern as Emma climbed onto his lap, he held up the mugs and cup so that they were way above her head. "Careful kiddo, I don't want to get you burnt." He told her gently. He handed Henry his drink as Mary Margaret strapped Neal into his bouncy chair. "Are you kids okay?" He asked them, passing Emma her drink, he tilted his head to the side as he looked at his grandson wanting to make sure that he was okay.

Henry smiled, he could see his grandfather trying to play it cool but the concern was obvious, he nodded his head to him to show that he was getting that his grandfather was actually worried about both of them. "We're okay Gramps." He promised. "Hey can we go to the stables one day? Me, you and Em? I wanna show her my horse."

"I don't see-"

"And ice cream!" Emma chimed in, interrupting him, with a big smile which turned a little bashful when her family started to laugh.

David chuckled and squeezed his arm tighter around her for a second. "Okay, I don't see why we can't go do both one day." He grinned knowing that both Henry and Emma wanted to spend time with him – he was glad of it, especially now he could remember how heartbroken he (and his wife) was not to have them around when they were in the Enchanted Forest and Henry and Emma were in New York.

They all chatted as they drank their hot chocolate, David figured out that Elsa knew his friend Kristoff and Anna who he had known as Joan, was her sister, he offered to help in finding her, starting with the next morning when he promised to start a search party, only for the morning so he could get back to his family – he didn't want to have to leave Emma for too long, or for Mary Margaret to be stuck with a baby and toddler/adult Emma for too long.

Eventually Regina crouched down in front of Emma and David, she looked intently into Emma's eyes and held onto her hand, she glanced down at the yellow cast which was starting to look a little grubby but she knew that it would be off by the end of the week so she didn't say anything. "Emma?"

Emma knew what was about to happen now, she bit her lip, and spoke quietly. "Yeah?"

"Are you certain that you want to do this? I need to make sure, because once we start this we all have to watch it through from start to finish, as we do it'll copy it onto another dreamcatcher which can be replicated," she noticed Emma look a little confused and realised that she should probably amend her vocabulary around her, "we can make more of them – that way if you or your parents or someone else needs to see it again they can."

Emma could feel her heart beating faster in her chest, she squeezed Regina's hand slightly without meaning to, and she felt David rub circles onto her back. She nodded her head, willing herself to be brave, as her parents had taught her to be. "Okay. I'm ready."

Elsa volunteered to watch Neal, she didn't want to intrude upon the family, Henry moved from next to David and Emma to sit cross-legged next to his other mother. Mary Margaret scooted over to sit beside David and Emma, she gently took hold of Emma's hand when Regina let go of it. David pressed a kiss to the top of Emma's head and wrapped his arm around her waist to give her extra security as Regina pulled out the dreamcatcher, he shot an encouraging smile to his grandson, he gave him a look to let him know that he didn't have to watch if he didn't want to, but he nodded his head and smiled bravely to show that he was planning on watching it all the way through.

"Okay, I altered this so that we'll all be able to see Emma's memories so long as we hold onto this, but it will feel as though we're there – we'll see her and her memories from an outside view watching her, but we'll smell what she smell, hear what she hears, I've managed to block any pain she feels but we'll still see it." Regina explained carefully she waited for them all to acknowledge that they heard and understood before she let them all take hold of the dream catcher. She waved her hand over it.

They stayed sat in their places, David and Mary Margaret on the couch, Regina and Henry on the floor, and Emma cuddled on David's lap. But their minds were transported.

~OUAT~

They were in a room about the size of Regina's office in the town hall, but it was very different. The floor was just wooden floorboards there were a few thin rugs dotted around but they were as shabby as they were thin. There were about seven beds piled into the room which smelt of cheap shower gel and disinfectant. They found they were following a small boy without actually moving.

"Pinocchio." David realised. He stood holding Emma on his hip and his other hand was clutching his wife's, beside them was Regina and Henry.

"He looks how he did when you went through the wardrobe." Henry said to Emma as he took hold of Regina's hand. He had been in the foster system, if he hadn't been adopted by Regina he could have ended up in a place like this.

Mary Margaret suddenly gasped as August climbed up to look down at a baby in a crib. "Emma." She breathed out as she looked down at her baby wrapped in her baby blanket, she looked like a tiny new born which meant she was probably around three or four months old. She looked back at her older version of her baby in David arms and smiled at her. "You look like a smaller version of Neal."

David smiled too and squeezed Emma as he looked down at baby Emma who stopped crying as August pulled faces down at her. "Just like him, but with your mommy's eyes, just like now."

Emma smiled gently but she held tightly to David. "I don't remember this." She said confused.

"We're going through all of your memories," Regina told her gently, "even the things you don't remember or you've remembered wrong." She continued looking around the room, clutching Henry's hand, she felt immeasurably guilty that Emma ended up there because of her, and relieved that Henry did not have to.

They watched as the foster home man, Mr Raskin, told August that nothing there belonged to him or any of the foster kids.

"He was just trying to fix Emma's crib." David growled. "He had to live in this 'Home', he didn't get a choice, this is the furthest thing from a home there is. He has nothing. He looked down at Emma, already heartbroken at what he had seen, he cuddled her closer to his chest. "You… You had nothing."

Emma shrugged her shoulders, she didn't want to make him too sad, she knew this was one of the highs of her childhood. They watched August talking to another boy from the Home, and Emma found herself wishing that they weren't watching her memories, she couldn't make her family any sadder or guiltier than they were right now. But they were stuck. So she buried her head against her father as they watch August leave Emma.

None of them could blame him. He was a kid. He didn't deserve that level or responsibility.

By the time Emma looked up, they were with the family who had adopted her. Other-Emma sat on the ground playing with a doll she looked only a little younger than she was now, maybe six months younger. On the two couches were Susan and Bill Smith and Emma's social worker Petunia was on the other. Susan was obviously pregnant.

"It's okay, we understand, sometimes these things just happen." Petunia was soothing the couple.

"We would keep her… but with this new baby, and all of Emma's health issues, and she's at a difficult age…"

Mary Margaret's eyes narrowed as the woman trailed off. Emma was simply sat on the ground playing, angelically, she noticed that the house was in pristine condition – it wouldn't surprise her if the lady just meant that Emma didn't put everything in its perfect place in the house.

"It's okay," Petunia was saying, "it's easier to move her now before you finish the final stages of the adoption, plus this way you can relax a little before your baby's born." Her voice had turned excited and Emma's prospective adopters had joined in looking excited. "Do you know what you're having yet?"

"We don't know yet, we wanted it to be a surprise, but Bill is hoping it'll be a girl."

Bill was beaming as they all continued to ignore Emma. "What can I say, I want a daddy's girl." And they all laughed.

"Emma." David said quietly looking down at her.

Emma was watching herself on the floor. "I thought that they adopted me." She said quietly. "They… they didn't… they didn't want me."

Mary Margaret was blinking back her tears, she wrapped her arms around Emma, and by extension David. "Emma, I'm so, so, sorry. They're the ones who missed out. They didn't deserve you."

Henry recounted a conversation he and Emma had had when they first met. His eyes didn't leave the Emma who was sat upon the floor. "It all gets worse after this," he asked Regina quietly, "doesn't it."

Regina wrapped her arm around Henry's shoulders and pulled him into her side. "I think it does." She said gently, she knew it would hurt Henry, but she wasn't going to lie to him.

They all watched as a confused Emma was ushered into a car with a backpack with just a couple of outfits inside of it, some pullups, and no toys.

Next they were in a house which had them all, bar Emma, recoiling at the smell of the place.

They all heard the whimpering as they stood in the dirty, run down, living room.

"Shut up!" A deep voice bellowed.

A man came storming out and through them, literally through them, he was the source of the bellowing. They would have expected some man with a cartoon villain vibe – a moustache, an evil smile, pretty much any villain from any movie ever. But he seemed just like anyone else, he was obviously drunk, and very angry – but otherwise he looked just like anyone else.

Emma whimpered.

David's head snapped down at her and quickly placed his hand on the back of her head to pull her close to his chest to hide her face from having to look at the place. "It's okay kiddo, it's not real, you're okay baby." He soothed.

Mary Margaret looked up at David with worry, her hand went to Emma's back and David moved his, so Mary Margaret could rub circles onto her back. "It's okay baby," she said in an equally soothing tone as they were drawn forward, "mommy and daddy are here."

Henry took a breath in as he saw Emma sat in a booster seat at a messed dining room table, a plate of peas sat in front of her. "Mom." He realised that she must had been sat there for at least several hours, judging from the smell of urine from near her.

Mary Margaret automatically moved to the toddler, who was maybe six month older to the Emma she knew as her own who David was currently holding onto, she moved to try and get Emma out of the booster but her hands passed right through her and the Emma in the booster continued to sit in place whimpering quietly.

"You can't touch her," Regina placed her hand on Mary Margaret's back, "I'm sorry."

Mary Margaret nodded her head and tried to blink away her tears, but she couldn't, so she went back to her husband and daughter she went back to rubbing Emma's back and David wrapped his arm around her.

They carried on watching Emma go through foster family after foster family, each one more abusive and neglectful than the last each one lasting a few months before Emma was taken from the place. By the time she was five she had been in more foster homes and group Homes than any of them would have thought possible, the group Homes were anything but homely, and they tended to specialise in emotional abuse, bullying, and neglect, but they couldn't get the sight of Emma being beaten to a pulp, hit with a belt, and having various bones broken, out of their heads.

Emma kept her head hidden against David, but she still had her other senses, and the memories played out in her mind. She just kept her eyes squeezed shut, and so long as David's hand stayed on the back of her head, and Mary Margaret's hand carried on rubbing her back, she could keep herself from crying. They could all feel how scared she was in all of the memories.

By the time they hit Emma's 7 th year of life they could feel her hopelessness. They watched her being abused in her children's Home and her running away. As Emma sat shivering around a trash can, burning a picture book to stay warm, Mary Margaret took Emma from David's arms.

"I'm so sorry baby." Mary Margaret whispered to Emma as Emma buried her head in the crook of her neck. She found herself rocking Emma slightly as David stroked her blonde curls and the husband and wife carried on watching as Emma talked to a teenager they recognised as August.

"Mommy." Emma whispered in a whimpering way, she wanted to say that she didn't have to say sorry, or that she loved her, but she couldn't say anything more than her mother's name. She just hoped that she got that, and judging from the kiss her mother pressed to her brow, she did.

They watched as Emma went to the police and changed her last name to Swan after August's hope speech.

Then they watched the rest of her memories, both good and bad, many more bad than good. And many, many, many more abusive and neglectful homes than good ones. They watched the rest of her childhood play out, up to Emma living in her car at the age of eighteen, and buying herself a cupcake for her birthday, one of the very, very, very few birthdays Emma had ever celebrated.

"Happy Birthday Em." The new adult said to herself.

When she blew out the candle they were all transported back to their bodies in the loft.

~OUAT~

The loft was silent, even Elsa and Neal who were sat at the table were silent, Mary Margaret took a loud and shuddering breath breaking the spell.

Henry stood up, unable to hide the tears in his eyes at his mother's pain, he quickly left the room. Regina placed her hand on Mary Margaret's knee, comfortingly, before she left to follow Henry.

"Emma?" Mary Margaret said gently when her daughter didn't move a muscle, she placed her hand tenderly on her cheek.

As soon as Emma heard her mother's voice full of love Emma couldn't control her emotions anymore. She burst into tears.

"Oh, Emma, baby." Mary Margaret couldn't stop herself from crying any longer either, she felt her husband wrapping her up in his arms, his strong and safe arms. She was not surprised when Emma twisted to cling onto him, she knew Emma felt just as safe in his arms as she did. She ran her hand through Emma's hair as she tried to soothe her crying while crying herself.

"I'm so, so, sorry Emmy." David said through his tears, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head then one to Mary Margaret's forehead ignoring the tears which were streaming down his cheeks onto her pale skin.

The three of them sat there, entangled into one person by their closeness and shared emotions, until all their tears ran out.

~OUAT~

Regina found Henry out of the barely used fire escape. She paused for a moment not sure what she was about to say to him. Then she stepped forward, placing her hand on his back, as he stood holding onto the railing looking out onto the surrounding rooftops. She knew it was probably a bad sign that he wasn't sitting down, his jaw was clenched as he was lost in his thoughts, it reminded her of what she had seen of Baefire, or The Original Neal as she had taken to calling him in her head.

Henry quickly wiped his eyes on the sleeves of his hoodie then looked over at his mother.

"It's cold out here, you need a coat, you'll catch your death." She told him she waved her hand and suddenly Henry's coat and scarf was on him, she couldn't help but wish that magic had been in the town when he was younger, and much harder to wrestle into a coat.

A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips at the totally maternal comment. They both stood there looking over the town. It was so much prettier, the windows were frosted up, and there was frost making the rooftops sparkle. He knew that she was giving him time to sort out his thoughts but he didn't mind it, he actually quite liked being able to talk things through with her, there was no pressure to talk if he didn't want to.

"You always made sure I had amazing birthdays." He said eventually. "Even when I didn't have loads of friends, you made sure I had presents and we sometimes went to places, and there was always plenty of food and a big chocolate cake which lasted weeks."

"Of course." Her brows furrowed, it was the least she could do, but she knew what he was going to say next.

"Emma, my other mom, she… She never had that. She had like three cra- rubbish birthdays where she got a cupcakes with half of a wax candle on them. She had toys which had been used by like eighty different kids before she got to sometimes play with them. She was hit, and called names, and just abused! She didn't get a childhood. She was only a couple of years older than me when I was born. She was still a kid."

Regina brushed her hand through his hair. "Henry, she wouldn't change a thing if it meant she wouldn't have you. She loves you."

"I know, but…" he took a deep breath, he shook his head as he tried to get rid of the memories in his head, "….She has a chance now. If she doesn't change back she can have that with Grams and Gramps. She can have birthday presents, and will always know that she's loved, and she won't have to keep food hidden under her bed which she thinks I don't know about."

Regina frowned. "Why does she do that?" She hadn't noticed Emma having particular problems with food, other than it being the diet of a toddler… which was fitting now.

"It's not like that, it's in case she suddenly is not allowed food, she knows that Grampa and Grams would never do that but it's an old habit I guess." He shrugged.

They stood in silence for a moment. Digesting what they had seen and what they had talked about.

"But Henry, sweetheart, if she does stay like this, she won't have her memories of you. They'll be completely different. You'll probably still have a relationship with her in the fake memories, and your grandparents would always make sure that you're always in her life, none of us would have anything else…. But you'd have lost her. You lost your father not long ago." She said gently.

"I know… but I'd still have you, I always do."

"You always will." Regina wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tightly. "We're still going to look for ways to help her turn back, but if she doesn't, if we can't find anything then we'll all make sure you're in her life. You'll always be her family."

"…I mean technically I'm her step-uncle."

Regina sighed deeply looking a little pained. "Please, don't remind me."

"Hey, I didn't mention that you're her step-grandmother too." He joked lightly before growing serious again. "She's always trying to get people their happy endings, maybe this is her chance to have her happy ending, it's not like she doesn't deserve one."

~OUAT~

The evening was a rather quiet one. They made pleasant conversation but the gathering was far from jovial, Henry was quieter than usual, and Emma was extremely quiet and clung onto David at all times, she only let go of him so that he could go the bathroom and at those times she clung onto Mary Margaret.

Elsa managed to bring a small smile to her face by showing her her magic. Magicing up kickass ice cream for dessert, after Regina's famous extra-cheesy lasagna, and apologising for the cold and snowy weather as it was her fault – Emma told her that she enjoyed the snowy weather – which was really as much unprompted conversation they could stir up from her.

Eventually Henry, Regina, and Elsa left, it was Monday the next day so Henry had school. Emma let go of her father long enough to give Henry a sleepy hug before curling back up against David's chest. David hugged his grandson and promised that they would meet up in the week after school one day to go riding – just the two of them, and that they'd sort out having a day of riding with Henry, David, and Emma – though Emma would have to ride with David due to her size. Mary Margaret made Henry promise to visit in during the week as she didn't get to see him in school as she wasn't working there with Neal being so young, he agreed so long as there were cookies for him. Mary Margaret naturally agreed, she told Elsa that she'd do some research to try and find Anna, and promised to call Regina as soon Emma went back into her young mindset so they could capture her fake memories.

By the time Mary Margaret closed the door behind their family/guests, and checked to make sure Neal was still fast asleep, Emma was half asleep curled on David's chest. She bent over a little and met David's lips with a soft kiss when he looked up at her. "You go take a shower and I'll get our girl ready for bed, I think we could all do with an early night, and this way you won't be rushing to grab a shower in the morning." She stated quietly.

" 'm not sleepy." Emma mumbled jerking her head up. She felt the vibrations of her father chuckling against her ear so she moved her chin was resting against his chest so that he could see her pout at his laughter.

"Of course you're not, kiddo." He smirked and kissed her forehead. "But I'm sure you'll want to be getting into some comfy jammies. You can sleep in our bed with us."

Emma bit her lip but nodded her head. She didn't want to be upstairs on her own in her gigantic bed. "Okay."

Mary Margaret smiled and took Emma into her arms, she couldn't resist smiling when her husband quickly pecked her on the lips once more, before darting into the bedroom to grab some pyjamas and then take control of the bathroom.

Mary Margaret cuddled Emma close to her chest then kissed her forehead before she sat down on the ground with Emma. "How's that cold of yours, missy?" She asked with a smile.

"It's fine," Emma told her frowning when her mother sat her on the ground, not because she was sat her on the ground so that Mary Margaret could sort out the pull up to help her into, but because she was no longer in her arms. "It's better with ice cream."

"Uh huh, sure it is." Mary Margaret giggle. "I'm sorry you had to relive all of that today baby. I'm sorry you had to go through it at all." She told her softly as she helped Emma into the thick pullup.

"It's not your fault mommy." She said genuinely as Mary Margaret pulled on some blue and red star socks which matched the bottoms of the Minnie Mouse pyjamas Mary Margaret had dug out for her. "You're not like them."

"We never would be like them sweetheart. Ever. I promise."

"I know." She watched Mary Margaret's face disappear as the bodysuit was pulled over her head, then the rest of her pyjamas were put on her. "I don't wanna talk about it anymore… please."

"Okay." She picked her up into her arms again and stood up and started to walk from the living room to the master bedroom.

"Wait! Where's my…?" She trailed off looking around the living room from her mother's arms.

"Your blankie and lion are in the bed still sweetie." Mary Margaret told her knowingly. She resumed her walking and sat down on the bed with Emma still in her arms. She passed the lion to Emma and wrapped her blanket around her. "So, your daddy's going to be working tomorrow, what do you want to do?"

"Erm…. I don't know." She shrugged leaning heavily against Mary Margaret. "Eat cookies?"

Mary Margaret chuckled. "Well I'm sure you can do that, but how about we actually make them first?"

"But you said I can't cook and I'm not allowed to cook ever, ever, ever."

"You can't cook on your own, but you can help me, I'll teach you how to make some cookies. Ones which will go perfectly with hot chocolate."

Emma smiled. "Is Elsa gonna make it snow more?"

Mary Margaret smiled down at the excitement in her tired eyes. She reclined back against the pillows, still able to hear the shower running, she was fairly certain Emma would be asleep before David finished showering and shaving. "I think she doesn't have to, it's winter time anyway, but I think it might snow soon." She knew from being in Emma's memories Emma had had a few snow filled winters but she had never even had warm clothes let alone a warm coat. But she still seemed to adore the snow. Mary Margaret couldn't help but be amazed at how Emma hadn't been turned dark against the world after all she had been through.

Emma led against her mother's chest fighting sleep for some minutes. "Is daddy gonna be at work all day and night?"

Mary Margaret smiled, she supposed it might feel like that sometimes when there were things going on. "No sweetie, just the morning time, he has plenty of people in the station to help him he's just starting everything off. We'll have our girls' morning together then we can go to Granny's for lunch all together."

"Nealy can be in our girls' mornin' too." She said through a yawn. "You can teach him to bake too."

Mary Margaret smiled at Emma's need to include baby Neal. "A morning with my perfect babies sounds perfect to me." She started to run her hand through her daughter's hair and hum a lullaby her own mother used to sing to her – on the occasions her mother would be able to settle her to bed not Johanna.

David walked into the master bedroom running his hand through his hair, curls had already settled into the damp hair despite his best attempts to dry it before that happened. He smiled at the sight of his wife rocking their daughter and humming to her, as though sensing his eyes on her she looked up, ad his smile turned even more loving. "Is she out?" He asked but didn't reach the end of his sentence without Emma shaking her head no.

" 'mm 'wake." She mumbled bliking her eyes hard to keep them open. She missed the look between her parents but looked at David as he lifted her into his arms.

"Stubborn girly." He said fondly.

Mary Margaret stood up and kissed Emma's cheek. "Night baby."

"Not sleepy."

"Uh huh, well, if you're not I'll see you once I've gotten out of the shower. If you fall asleep before that then I'll see you in the morning baby."

Emma reflexively curled up on David's chest as soon as he reclined back against the pillows on his side of the bed. "Mommy said we get to go to Granny's to get lunch."

David smiled down at his daughter. He knew she was just trying to force herself to stay up to prove her mother wrong now. He started to rub circles onto her back, he could feel the scar from where she was hit with a belt, it had been horrific then, but now that he had seen it all happen it was even worse. He had been helpless to stop it in Emma's memories, all he could do was hold Emma tight. "That sounds good, maybe Ruby will make you a chocolate milkshake."

"You have to stop working for lunch then come home with us."

David paused rubbing her back for a half second. But continued before she noticed it. "Emma, I promise you that I'll only be there in the morning. I'm not going to be gone all day. I'd miss you way too much to do that." His words must have alleviated any anxiety she was feeling about him being gone as he felt her relaxing more against him.

"I'm gonna miss you too…. I don't want you to go." She whined.

"Shhh, shhh, shhh. It's okay." He said soothingly to make sure she wasn't about to cry. "I'm going to miss you too, and I don't want to leave you, and Nealy, and mommy either. But Elsa's looking for her little sister, I know you'd be very upset if you lost Nealy, and I know that when we find Anna you'll love her- she was my friend before I met your mommy, she loves chocolate too."

Emma nodded her head then yawned loudly "Chocolate's s'good." She mumbled.

"It is." David agreed soothingly knowing that she was close to sleep. "I'll go to work and you can play with mommy and Nealy, then we'll all have lunch together, then I need my girl's help getting groceries because you're the best at remembering what treats are the yummiest."

Emma yawned again but couldn't find the energy to speak so just nodded.

David started to quietly sing a lullaby his own mother had sung to him when he was young, which had come back to him when he had heard his wife humming not long before, knowing it would be enough to tip her over to sleep.

Mary Margaret re-entered through the curtain not ten minutes after Emma had fallen asleep. She stopped at Neal's crib and finished the baby out, he was awake and ready for his next feeding, but she didn't want him waking Emma up. She sat down on the bed beside her husband and settled Neal into position as David turned the television which was still in their room on and flicked the volume to low before he found the latest episode of Brooklyn Nine Nine.

"Has she been asleep long?" Mary Margaret asked looking down at her daughter and husband as lovingly as she did her son.

"Nah, about ten minutes, but she's completely out of it." He gently tugged Emma's thumb out of her mouth but it found it's way back in there almost immediately. "I had to reassure her again that I'm only working in the morning."

Mary Margaret tutted in sympathy. "Aw, poor thing." She shook her head lovingly and received a confused look from David. "She's such a daddy's girl."

David chuckled gently but didn't even want to say otherwise. He was very proud of Emma being a daddy's girl, especially as she was very close to killing cursed him, not that he blamed her – he did hurt her mother after all. "Well, I told her I'd take her to get the groceries with me – I figured we could pick up some things she needs now she's acting younger."

"That's a good idea, I'll write you a list." She carefully moved Neal over to the other breast, quickly and efficiently, Emma might be fast asleep right then but his screeching could easily wake her. "Though I know why you're really going."

David heard the teasing in her voice and couldn't help but grin. "And why's that?"

"Because Emma's cuter and is much more charming so she can get treat around me better than you can."

"I think I'm pretty charming." He smirked knowing exactly what her response would be, it would set up his next line perfectly.

"Uh huh, and what gave you that idea?"

"Well… I did charm you into having two kids with me."

But Mary Margaret didn't miss a beat as she smirked down at him. "That's only two times."

"I also have countless death threats from the dwarves who seemed to have a knack for walking into our tent when we were at battle…"

Mary Margaret couldn't stop the laughter from spilling out then. "My favourite time was when they chased you around the camp stark naked."

"Hmm, how bizarre, that's definitely my least favourite time." He countered but continued to smile.

Once Neal finished feeding Mary Margaret placed him back in his crib then climbed into bed. Her husband wrapped his arm around her and she led her head on his chest in it's usual place – luckily Emma had decided she was most comfortable on David's right side not his left, she didn't think that she would be able compete with Emma over this, Emma would certainly win.

They watched their show until the episode had finished, then David clicked the screen off, the two led in the dark but neither could sleep. Emma was on their minds, both her past as present, but her future seemed to be dominating both of their thoughts.

Mary Margaret eventually broke the silence. "That time portal was about having a second chance at things, maybe this is Emma's second chance, maybe she stays a toddler and we get to raise her."

"She wouldn't be constantly putting herself in danger, or feeling the need to hide things about herself, she wouldn't have to put everyone else's happy ending's in front of her own." David agreed. "I'd miss adult Emma, but it's not like she'd be changed completely."

"No." Mary Margaret agreed though neither one of them wanted to lose either Emma. "I guess we just have to figure out which would be best for her…."

"Elsa's not?" He trailed off, bringing his hand up to stroke her short black hair.

"No, she's only heard what Regina has… she doesn't know of any way…." She sighed gently as she fought to keep her eyes open. "We'll have a meeting with any magic users we know here, or people who might have heard of ways to help, I think we have to decide from there: Regina, Elsa, Belle, Gold, Blue, Nova."

"We should ask Hook and Grumpy too – Grumpy knows a whole lot about fairy dust, and Hook's about a thousand years old so he might have heard something in his travels." David agreed. "But there's nothing we can do about it right now." He kissed her crown.

Mary Margaret smiled softly at the sensation of his warm lips on her cold skin. "You're right." She yawned before tipping her head back to kiss his lips. "Goodnight honey."

David responded in kind to the kiss before settling down and closing his own eyes. "Goodnight my love."

Chapter Text

There was an earthquake. David was sure of it. The whole bed was shaking. David tore his eyes open, there was no sign of the room/loft/town shaking from an earthquake, but there was a tiny blonde jumping up and down on him with her blanket and lion tucked under her injured arm and clutched in her had. He blinked hard to make sure of what he was seeing, he groaned, then lifted her above him underneath her armpits.
"Emmy, baby, what are you doing up? It's still night time."

Emma giggled as she was held in the air above his head. "Nuh uh, daddy, look." She pointed out of the barely open curtains at a bright light, there was an excited grin on her face, and her eyes were wide with energy. "Mr Sun's up! Now you need to wake up and play."

David tipped his head back to look out of the window at what Emma was pointing at. He groaned and looked back at Emma was sleepy fondness. He brought her down to his chest and sat up with a yawn. "That's not Mr Sun, kiddo, that's a streetlight. It's not time to wake up and play, it's time to snuggle down and get some sleepies, I'm sure Leo lion needs lots of sleepies too."

Mary Margaret gave a huge yawn and turned over having heard voices. She blinked exhaustedly as she tried to figure out why her husband and daughter were awake in the early hours of the morning, she was already exhausted enough with the new baby and everything with Emma it was hard for her to process everything. "What's going on guys."

David tried to keep hold of his wiggling daughter, he didn't think that she had any kind of reason to be so full of energy at three in the morning, though he thought it was pretty adorable she was so full of beans. "Emmy, tell mommy how old you are."

Emma promptly smiled and held up two fingers on her hand. "Three."

David and Mary Margaret both shared a soft smile, Emma's 'three' sounded much more like 'tree' and despite their sleep deprivation it was adorable, and Mary Margaret gently put one more of Emma's fingers up. "There you go sweetie, that's three, you're getting sooo big now baby." She pressed a kiss to Emma's forehead though she glanced over to Neal's crib in the hopes that their talking wasn't going to wake him up. "But right now it's time to sleep. Why don't you cuddle down with mommy and daddy and we'll all get some sleep?"

"Nope, nope, nope, mommy. Me and daddy are gonna go play."

"You and daddy are not." David chuckled, he hugged her to his chest a little closer so that she wasn't about to go running off to play, he ducked his head down to peck his wife's lips. "Who gave her all this energy this early in the morning?" He gave her a pointed look knowing that Snow was much more of a morning person than the rest of the family combined.

"I blame the farmer of the family." Mary Margaret smirked back. "I can't imagine big Emma waking up so full of energy at any time with an 'am' following it."

"You've never seen her downing Red Bulls out of boredom and the effects afterwards." David smirked back remembering having to try and wrestle them from a twenty nine year old Emma, he gave a soft look at his wife as she struggled to stay awake, he bent down and gave her a gentle kiss once more. "Emmy, how about me and you go on an adventure in mommy's car?"

"Yeah!" Emma shouted.

"Sweetie, inside voices, Nealy's trying to sleep." David reminded her gently as he stood up. He saw Mary Margaret trying to sit up and he shook his head. "Dear, you should get some more sleep, I'll deal with our little lion."

"But, David, you have work in the morning… and she's little."

"I'm big." Emma whined but she was ignored as David grabbed her lion onesie and pulled it over her pyjamas to keep her warm.

"I know, honey, but she'll probably be like this several hours when I have to leave you with the two kids to go to work – I think you get the raw end of that deal. You need sleep more than I do."

Mary Margaret sighed gently but she was touched that her husband was making sure she had more sleep, if this had happened a year ago she might have protested, but as she hadn't slept properly since the early stages of pregnancy, and she wasn't likely to be able to do so for about three years. She motioned for David to bend down with Emma. When he did, she kissed her, and pulled the hood of her onesie up. "You be good for daddy, okay Emmy?"

Emma wrapped her arms around her mother's neck to cuddle her, nuzzling her cheek against her mother's as she squeezed her. "I'm always good mommy." She said angelically. "Love you mommy, bye." She started to wave, ready to begin their 'adventure', she accepted her blanket and lion teddy again as Mary Margaret passed them to her.

Her parents had an inkling that perhaps that wasn't quite true, going by their experience with an adult Emma, and knowing that their daughter had inherited their knack for finding trouble in even the most unusual places. "We'll be fine." David promised. He softly kissed his wife's lips before standing up straight again. "Get some sleep, babe, we'll be back soon."

~OUAT~

David carried Emma down the stairs and out into the parking lot towards Mary Margaret's car with Emma's blanket wrapped around her. He looked over at his truck and couldn't help but wish he could drive that, it was better in the snow, and there was a ruggedness which reminded him of his roots in farming – they may not have had trucks back home, but they were associated with them in this realm so he still felt a connection. But he also knew that the truck only had a front seat so it wasn't as safe as the back seat of Mary Margaret's car for either of the kids' carseats.

Emma gasped and David quickly stopped and looked down at her alarmed. "Emma, what's wrong? Tell daddy what's wrong." He demanded with worry in his voice and concern on his face.

Emma looked back at David with her eyes sparkling. "It's snowing!"

It took David a half second to realise that Emma wasn't hurt or in danger, he took in her wide eyes as she looked around, and the amazed smile on her face as her head tilted back to look upwards at the snow and stars in the sky. He let out a breath of restless and relieved laughter. He always thought that he'd be a cool and relaxed parent but apparently he was the 'freaking out and worrying' parent, he'd work on that. He kissed her forehead. "Yeah baby it is snowing."

"Did Elsa make it?"

David's eyebrows shot up. The last time that she had mentally regressed with her fake memories, she had only her fake memories, he didn't expect her to know about Elsa as she had only met her the day before. He'd have to speak to Mary Margaret about it. "No baby, I think that Elsa's asleep in bed, it's very late so everyone's asleep."

"We're not."

"That's right." He yawned and cuddled her closer to him. "Let's get into mommy's car and go for a drive." He saw her look down. "We can play in the snow soon, I promise," he had a feeling she had very few if any opportunities to enjoy the snow, "in the daytime when you have warmer clothes on you, not just jammies, a onesie, and socks."

Emma sighed gently.

"I promise."

Emma nodded her head with certainty. "You keep promises."

David smiled softly as he walked over to the car and opened the driver's side door to first put the key in the ignition and whack the heat onto full, before opening the door closest to Emma's carseat. He tried not to think of all the promises he had whispered to Mary Margaret's pregnant stomach as he caressed it, and by extension Emma inside.

"Why do I have to sit in this?" Emma asked as David strapped her into the carseat, she wasn't protesting, she sounded more inquisitive than anything else.

"Because you're only little," David said gently, he was surprised at how awake she still was, he was hoping that this was just a burst of energy and she would be falling asleep when it was over.

"Oh." Emma said taking in that fact as David tucked her blanket around her. "When am I gonna be big?"

David paused as he was about to hand her lion to her. He wasn't sure what he was meant to say- it wasn't like he could just explain to a three year old that she was really twenty-nine and she had fallen through a time portal the return from which had made her deage to a five year old because her magic was trying to give her a second chance at growing up, and now she was getting even younger, and she also had period of being a full child complete with fake memories, which she was currently doing now… and that he wasn't sure when she would be an adult again…. If she would be the same adult she was before again, at all.
He came back to himself when his daughter started to tug at the toy in his hands, he hadn't yet passed to her.
"Sorry, kiddo, here's your teddy."

"He's not a teddy, daddy, he's a lion." She told him seriously.

David chuckled. "Oh, you're right, silly daddy, of course he's a lion!"

"Called Leo."

David nodded, he had limited experience with toddlers but he knew from being friends with Thomas and Ella that toddlers added a lot to conversations. "Uh huh, called Leo. Leo the lion, and Emmy the lion." He told her pulling up the hood of her onesie, checked she was in securely, then closed the door before climbing into his own place up front.

He was adjusting the seat when Emma spoke again.

"When will I big?"

David's eyes went to the mirror and looked back at his daughter with all the love in the world. A small smile appeared on his face, even as a toddler she was the same stubborn Emma, she even had the sheriff interrogation thing down as a three year old. "You and Nealy will always be my and mommy's babies." He decided to go with a cop out answer but she seemed to accept it.

She was quiet for a while as he switched on the windscreen wipers to rid the glass of snow, he pulled out of the car park, the fresh snow crunched beneath the wheels. He turned the cd on low, he knew that it was the Meatloaf cd he had put in her car as a joke but she had kept in and clearly listened to is, David listened to it whenever he drove his wife's car, which was becoming more and more often.

He started to sing along quietly to the first song, as he began his drive around the town, as he glanced back at Emma she was starting to calm down, and was now calmly looking out of the window at the buildings and up at the stars. He thought that Emma was just going to drop off to sleep, but she suddenly asked him a question.

"Are you and mommy gonna get more babies?"

David's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. He was already up most of the night because of a newborn, and now because he suddenly had a three year old too, who was the reason he was having to drive around the town. He coughed as though he was choking on the question. He wanted more kids than just two, so did Mary Margaret, but not anytime soon.

"Erm, maybe one day, but right now me and mommy just want to have our Emmy and Nealy all to ourselves. Is that okay?"

Emma smiled, her eyes growing heavier as the time passed. "Yeah, that's good daddy."

David reached a red light and stopped despite the town being asleep, like he wished he could be, but he was the sheriff so he supposed he should set a good example, especially with Emma in the car with him. He turned back and looked back at Emma, pleased to see that she was looking closer to sleep, she looked adorable in her lion onesie with her lion teddy cuddled close to her and her blanket tucked around her. "How about you, kiddo? What do you think, would you want a brother or a sister?"

" 'm gonna get two big brothers, then have a little Nealy brother too." She told David through a yawn.

David's eyebrows raised. "I… I think that might be a little hard to do baby." He knew of course that they could go on to adopt, but it was early in the morning, and he wasn't exactly fully awake – enough to focus on driving and talking, not enough to think about the logistics of growing their family. "We'll see."

Luckily Emma was quickly distracted as David began driving again. Granny's diner was dark with all of the lights off, and it would be a few hours before Granny and the rest of the people working the early morning shift. The entire street was empty with just some cars parked up at the side of the street. "Granny is dark, where's auntie Ruby?"

"Auntie Ruby's at home in bed, and Granny's at home asleep too. It's just me and you awake in the whole town."

Emma gasped in shock. "Just me and you awake in the whole world?"

David chuckled. "Sure baby."

David carried on driving around and singing gently, a couple of songs later Emma was fast asleep tucked in into her car seat. David smiled to himself as he glanced at her in the mirror in the backseat. He then started on the journey home.

~OUAT~

He parked in the place closest to the apartment block and sighed quietly at the thought of having to climb up three flights of stairs with a toddler, even if she was tiny and light, it was still a tiring thought. He got out of the front seat, after making sure that he had his phone and the keys, and carefully lifted Emma from the back. He dashed into apartment as quickly as he could but slow enough that Emma wouldn't wake from the movement. He kept her cuddled to his chest with his hand on the back of her head as he always did as he started up the steps to their loft apartment. David was certain the height of the building and the amount of steps had at least tripled I the short amount of time since Emma and David had been gone.

He was breathless as he let himself into the loft and locked the door behind him. He heard movement from his bedroom and when he walked in he saw Mary Margaret placing Neal back into his cot after his feed.

"She still awake?" Mary Margaret whispered barely audible but she wasn't risking either of her kids waking up at this time or none of them would get any sleep that night.

"Nah," he climbed into the bed as Mary Margaret pulled back the duvet and blankets for him and Emma to lay down under, he waited for her to climb into bed beside them to finish speaking, "she's flat out."

Mary Margaret smiled at the sight of Emma in her lion onesie with its hood up fast asleep curled up on David's chest. "I guess this is what nights are like with two kids."

David chuckled as he wrapped his arm around his wife while keeping his toddled close to his chest with his other arm. "Yeah, well, Emma is planning on us having more than two kids, at least four."

"Oh really?" Mary Margaret said feeling just as choked up about the idea as David had.

"Don't worry she doesn't want them right away."

"That's very considerate of her."

"I thought so too." He joked back to her trying to stay awake. "Oh, and she wants two big brother's please."

Mary Margaret shook her head sleepily, she knew from Ella and Thomas and talking to them and talking to Ella (who was now older than Emma) that it was the way little kids thought. She smiled as she rubbed Emma's back and settled herself down in David's arms.

"Next time you see Regina tell her that I hate her for making you live three floors up with steep steps and like six flights of stairs twisting and turning." David grumbled sleepily with his eyes closed.

Mary Margaret let out a breath of laughter and gently kissed her husband. "I'll let her know." She kissed him again smiling as even half asleep his lips reacted to hers. "I'll complain about the couch being terrible too."

"Hmm." David hummed in agreement as he drifted off. He was practically asleep as he said the last sentence, his words were slurred with sleep. "Loft too small."

Mary Margaret sighed as her husband fell asleep. She looked past her baby boy's cot at the dark loft, she couldn't see it but she knew it was cramped with stuff and was set to get more so. She looked down at her daughter sleeping on David's chest, even if they magically found a way to turn her back to an adult there wasn't enough space.

She knew they'd have to start to look at houses again, it might be easier know that David wanted to stay in Storybrooke, something he had realised when they were back in the Enchanted Forest, it would always be their home, the place they were born a bred, but the world they were in now was just so much better- having hot water as soon as you turned the tap was always a plus, and the improved medical treatment…. But the loft was the first place Emma had called home, it was the place Emma and Mary Margaret had become a family without realising that they already were, and the place David and Henry had also come to call home, even if Henry could call two places home.

Mary Margaret started to feel guilty at the part of her which was growing day by day, the part which wanted to be able to give Emma a second childhood, one where she could be happy – something she wasn't consistently until she was in Storybrooke with them. She knew that the odds were that unless they found something soon, Emma would stay like this forever, and Henry would lose his mom.

She and David would have to talk to their grandson, she decided, some time with just the three of them, the sooner the better.

She picked up her phone and quickly text Regina that Emma's mind was fully a toddlers again, so that she could come visit them later and put the fake memories onto a dreamcatcher, she'd ask her step mother then if she could babysit Neal and Emma so that she and David could talk to and spend some time with Henry. Regina was one of the few people she trusted to do so. She put her phone down and cuddled back up to David's chest.

She was rather looking forward to spending the next day with a toddler Emma, she had promised her that they'd make cookies, plus she could do with having a nice warm bath. She loved parenting with David, but she was looking forward to having time with just her kids without having to share them, she didn't feel guilty about that as she knew David felt the same.

She finally closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Chapter Text

Emma woke up snuggled between her parents in their bed, she stood up and looked out of the window, the sun wasn't up but she had slept twice so she figured it was morning time. She dropped back down to sit on the bed where both of her parents were peacefully sleeping after being woken by Emma, and Neal when he wanted to be fed.

Emma looked at David who was lightly snoring, then turned to her mother who was snoring even lighter. Emma gently poked her cheek. Then again as her mother's mouth tugged into an amused smile as she woke. And again. Until her mother's green eyes finally fluttered open and looked at Emma who beamed down at her.

"Hey Ems." Mary Margaret smiled, her smile widened even more when Emma immediately wrapped her arms around her in a hug making it so she was half led on her. She glanced at the alarm clock and saw that it was early morning, they had slept for about three more hours when Emma had first woke her. She looked back at her daughter who was now sitting back up. "Good morning baby." She had been able to tell from the way that Emma had poke her cheek to wake her that this was the same toddler Emma from the few hours before.

Emma looked to the dark outside back to her mom with an uncertain look. "Mommy it's dark, it's not morning time. But I had lots of sleeps."

Mary Margaret chuckled and sat up, she pulled her daughter onto her lap, and kissed her forehead. "It's morning time sweetie, but when it gets cold and winter time it's dark when we wake up and dark when we're eating our dinner."

"Daddy's not waking up, is he gonna wake up when Mr Sun wakes up?"

Mary Margaret smiled and stood up from the bed with Emma firmly in her arms. She pulled on her warm robe and wrapped it around Emma too. "Daddy will wake up soon, Emmy, he has to go to work until lunch time." She saw her daughter's face fall and thought that it was adorable that Emma and David clearly had as close of a relationship in her fake memories as she had in real life. "But me, you, Nealy, and Daddy are going to have lunch out at Granny's."

"And see Auntie Ruby?" Emma asked excitedly. She dragged out the name so it sounded like 'Roo-bee', but to her it just felt like a normal thing, it was what she had called her for almost as long as she could remember.

"Yes, baby, we can see Auntie Ruby too. She's going to be very happy to see you." Mary Margaret smiled as she grabbed herself some clothes to wear that day, Ruby (or Red as she was then known) was meant to be Emma's godmother, she had thought that Emma would grow up as royalty and be surrounded by people from that world, she and David wanted someone who wasn't some royal whatever to be Emma's godmother – and who better than Mary Margaret's (or Snow's) best friend, who had also become one of David's best friends.

~OUAT~

Mary Margaret walked to the bathroom with Emma still wrapped in her dressing gown with her. She made sure that all of the heat was on full to try and rid them of the chilly winter air.

"Okay, Emmy, let's get you into a new pull up. I think Daddy's going to have to get you different ones when two go shopping together after lunch." She told her knowing that the ones Emma had were just for accidents, but even when she wasn't the mind of a toddler she clearly had no control, she needed stronger ones. She knew that children her age were normally potty trained, but she also know that Emma had developmental delays from being premature, which weren't helped by all the abusive homes she had been in.

"But I like Dory ones." Emma pouted as Mary Margaret led her down on the changing table they had put in the bathroom for Neal.

"I'm sure that you and Daddy can find some ones with really good pictures on. Maybe you can find some new toys too?" Mary Margaret grabbed one of the Finding Dory pull ups and took the other one off of her, she wiped her and put nappy rash cream on her before changing her into the new one.

"Really?" The toddler responded excitedly. She looked confused as her mother pull her pyjama pants back up and zipped the lion onesie back up to keep her warm. "Jammies day mommy?"

"Really." Mary Margaret smiled, she knew the adult version of Emma barely had enough time to relax enough to have a pyjama day, she was glad that this Emma had been able to. "Just for a little bit of today." She picked her back up and hugged her tight to her chest, giving her a kiss to her forehead. "You, me, and Nealy are going to have a mommy and baby afternoon while Daddy goes to work and tries to find his friend. We're going to do some baking, I think we should make some cookies and some brownies, mommy has some chocolate hidden so Daddy doesn't eat them all, so you can choose which ones go into them. Then we can have bath time and Auntie Gina's going to come over to see us too, we can give her one of the cookies to eat, I'm sure she'll love them." She had never seen Regina eat cookies, but she certainly wanted to, and who could refuse Emma's adorable smile?

"Yeah!" Emma shouted as Mary Margaret placed her down on the fluffy bath mat on the ground. "Mommy?"

"Yes Emmy?" Mary Margaret said running water in the sink to wash her face with.

"Auntie Gina's your mommy?"

Mary Margaret stopped the water in the sink and crouched down. "Kind of… My mommy... she went bye byes when I was a little girl, and my daddy and Auntie Gina got married, so she's like a second mommy to me, she's my step-mommy."

"Oh... she's your mommy... she's my grandma, like Grandma Ruth?"

Mary Margaret took a deep breath, this Emma knew about David's mother, their Emma didn't unless she read the book, which Mary Margaret somewhat doubted. "I... I guess she is sweets. She's your Grandma too." She decided as she brushed a strand Emma's wild hair away from her eyes. She watched Emma's smile widened, it wasn't surprising, their Emma seemed to be always looking for family (no matter how much she claimed she wasn't), whatever Emma's fake memories were she clearly had been through a lot and she was looking for her family too. "Mommy's just going to wash her face and get dressed, you stay sat here okay? You can play with your lion, and Nealy's bath duckies."

Emma smiled taking the ducks from Mary Margaret's hand, she started to play with her lion and ducks, while leaning against the bath tub. She yawned a little from her disturbed sleep the night before, but she played happily as her mom got washed and dressed.

When Mary Margaret finished she watched her toddler daughter playing with the toys for a little while, she looked so happy and peaceful, Mary Margaret could imagine this Emma growing up with them at the normal rate, and not having to go through all that they had seen Adult Emma having to go through. She wrapped her arms around her chest as she remembered watching Emma grow up in abusive and squalid conditions, homeless, in the jail. Having to give up Henry. Then when she got out of jail she lived in some halfway house for a little while, before leaving in the dead of night to live in her car as she hadn't felt safe. She didn't want her daughter to have to go through that or even to remember it.
She came back to herself and crouched in front of her daughter. "Wow, those duckies look like they're having lots and lots of fun."

"Yup! They're teaching Leo to swim."

"Well, that is very nice of them." Mary Margaret replied. "I think you need some more bath toys. Bigger ones." She realised, being realistic to her daughter's needs, they were still making sure that they looked down every avenue to turn her back, but even adult minded Emma was becoming more childlike, and they were losing hope that they'd be able to. She knew that both toddler minded and mixed minded Emma would enjoy more bath toys so she was putting her daughter first.

Emma tilted her head to the side. "Nee Nee is too little for big toys."

Mary Margaret let out a soft sigh. "He is, but you're not, you need toys too sweetie, you don't have to share with Nee Nee until he's big enough, okay?"

Emma beamed and nodded, she was more than happy that she could have cool bath toys - all of her own!

"You can help me give your brother a bath later in his special baby bath if you like?" Mary Margaret offered thinking that she would probably like it.

Emma nodded with a serious look on her face, she was planning on taking her job of helping her mother very seriously. "I'll play with his duckies with him."

Mary Margaret giggled at her response. "Thank you very much." She said with a mock serious nod and look on her face. She picked up her daughter, who made sure to keep a tight hold of her lion toy, and headed out of the bathroom.

~OUAT~

Mary Margaret glanced at the clock and realised that Neal would be waking up soon. She headed into the kitchen and opened the fridge to get Emma one of her milkshakes with the formula in it. It was too early for Emma to have breakfast just yet, but really she could do with having a couple of the milkshakes a day to get her weight and growth up. "Do you want chocolate milk or banana?" She picked the flavours Emma would prefer, but she wasn't surprised when Emma said

"Choccy."

without hesitation.

Mary Margaret picked up the bottle of it and poured it into Emma's Finding Nemo sippy cup she had been using recently.

She headed into the lounge area with Emma on her hip and she placed her down on the couch with her sippy cup. She picked up the remote and flicked on the kids channel where a marathon of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse was playing. "Do you want to do some drawing while you drink your choccy milk?" She asked already picking up the present Emma had opened the day before and getting some crayons and a Disney colouring book from it.

"Yeah mommy." She nodded cuddling her lion to her chest as her mother set her cup onto the coffee table next to her colouring book and crayons then she was placed down on the rug in front of them, she titled her head back to look at her mommy as a blanket was draped around her shoulders. "Hi."

Mary Margaret laughed as Emma said hi like Stitch did in Lilo and Stitch, apparently that was a favourite. "Hi." She leant her head down to kiss Emma's forehead again. "Mommy's just going to get Nee, then I'll feed him on the couch, okay? I'll be right over there, I'm not leaving you." She illustrated her point by pointing over towards the mast bedroom where she could hear the sounds of Neal starting to fuss.

"Okay mommy." She said before giggling at the tv. "Mickey's funny."

Mary Margaret quickly returned with Neal in her arms and she sat on the couch behind Emma who had apparently found a picture to colour and was engrossed in that and the tv show. Neal was still in his sleeping bag to keep him warm, and she wrapped a throw from the back of the couch around herself to keep the slight chill of the apartment away. Her son stopped fussing as he started being fed, unsurprisingly. With both her kids quiet and the soothing sounds of the kid's program on, and watching her daughter colour and her son feed, Mary Margaret felt her mind drifting.

She found herself remembering her first home, her parents castle as a young girl. Like Emma she enjoyed arts, and whenever her mother was free of royal duty she and Snow would go to one of the quieter libraries, there were plush couches and chairs, and a huge log burning fire which would warm the room even in the harshest of winters. There was a small table where seven year old Snow enjoyed painting, listening to her mother sing as Eva sat on one of the armchairs sewing, knitting, or crocheting. Often, she would embroider flowered cushions, most of which found their way into Snow's room when Eva died.

~OUAT~

Mary Margaret was brought out of her trance by a large hand gentle cupping her cheek, the thumb of which was gently rubbing up and down on the stretch of skin between her eyes and her hairline, the skin of the hand was mostly soft but there were a few bumps from where he had obviously worked with his hands on the fields at his mother's farm. She turned her head and tilted it back a little to look at him and she was quickly drawn into kissing his slightly chapped lips. She felt the corners of her lips tugging upwards as he drew out the kiss, feeling him nibble her bottom lip she was careful not to let out a hint of a moan.

David pulled away making her pout at him, he solved that with a softer kiss as he sat on the couch beside her, he wrapped his arm around her as he continued looking down at her - giving her his full attention. "You were miles away, I thought I had done something to really upset the ladies in my life to have them both ignore me." He grinned as his wife tilted her head to the side in confusion. He always loved it when she did that as she looked cute, but knowing that it was something Emma had got from her just made him love it even more. "I can't compete with Mickey Mouse." He said jokingly before growing serious. "What's on your mind? And don't tell me nothing, I know your face better than you do, what's wrong babe?"

Mary Margaret sighed when she realised that he was right, she couldn't hide that she was thinking about something with him. He could probably tell that the expression was one she had when she desperately wanted something, but he was too polite to say so. "I was thinking about what you said last night, before you fell asleep on me." She told him.

David's eyebrows furrowed as he tried to remember what he said, until it dawned on him that he had said that the loft was too small, they both knew that it hadn't just been a comment but a hint that they needed a new place.

"I don't want a castle, somewhere so big we'd have to hire staff like we had in the Enchanted forest... but it'd be nice to have an actual fireplace which warms the place up, instead of having to be chilly in the loft and hope that the people living underneath us have their heat on full so that it'll help warm our home. And a backyard where the kids could play and have a swing set and a slide, and a sandpit, and they could just run around and play, and in summer when it's hot we can have friends over and we can barbecue and entertain in the porch. "

David could picture a place in his mind, one they could move into, after all they had money from before the curse so money was no object. "A huge Christmas tree in the living room which the kids can decorate with their homemade ornaments, and more Christmas trees dotted around. A nice, spacious, place for us and the kids... a new start." He breathed out gently.

"We need a new house... well, an actual house" Mary Margaret said as though she was just realising it. Saying it out loud to David had made it suddenly very real.

"I'm sorry." David apologised quietly. "I shouldn't have said anything last night, I was just tired, I didn't have a filter."

"David, it's not your fault." She assured him as Neal finished feeding, she placed him on his play mat before returning to the couch to sit with her husband.

"I Know... but I know how special this place is to you and Emma, it was the place you lived and became a family before the curse broke, and then when you two got back and we all lived together it was our home. I'm attached to it too, but this is different." He looked over at his daughter, who despite his and her mother's talking, still hadn't noticed him. "It was Emma's first ever home, we saw what all the rest of the places she lived at, the closest she had to one was in a car with Neal, and neither of them should have lived like that, this is her first ever home. I should have talked to you about it more delicately, sat down and spoke to you, and then to Em when she's more grown up."

Mary Margaret placed her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him down to kiss him deeply. "You didn't do anything. I've been thinking about it a lot anyway. We'll have to wait until Emma completely a toddler to look at them... well if they don't find a way for her to be an adult again."

David smiled as he saw guilt in his wife's expression. "I have that feeling too." He told her making her head tilt in confusion again. "We're not going to find a way. I know how you fell, I want both Emma's too, but... she's really happy like this, I've never seen her without her looking stressed and closed off... not completely... We need to talk to Henry about what's going to happen with Em, then we have everyone meeting with us in a couple of days to see if they've found anything... if they haven't we need to talk to Emma when she's an adult."

"Well, her current adult toddler mix."

"It's going to be really hard for her to take, we'll have to make sure she can't run away again, can you ask Regina when she's here to make sure she can't magically open it?" David asked and his wife nodded. "She's becoming more and more... Emmy. If she finds out she can't be an adult again it might speed up her becoming Emmy not Emma." He was silent for a second. "It'd be better for Emma to not be snapping between two minds... but Henry loses his mom quicker, just after he lost his dad."

They were both silent, even the sound of the hot dog song on the end of the episode, didn't take away from the sobering silence between the two as they both thought.

The silence was broken by a little girl's voice excitedly shouting "Daddy!" and running over to the couch for her father to scoop her up, which he did.

"Hey Koala." David grinned as she clung as tight as a koala to him, he responded by hugging and rocking her against his chest. "Have you only just seen me?

"I was doin' colouring for you and helping Mickey."

David pressed a kiss to her forehead. It was adorable that she thought she had actually helped Mickey on the tv. "What are you colouring my clingy little koala?"

"It's a surprise for you so you don't forget me, and Nealy, and mommy, when you go to work."

David's heart melted. "Thank you princess, I can't wait to see it, but I'd never forget about you baby. Ever. And I'd never forget about mommy or Neal either.

He watched Mary Margaret pick up Neal from his play mat and walk over with their son to sit with David and Emma. He wrapped his arm around his wife and pulled her close. "Do you want to watch Mickey Mouse with me and mommy for a little while before you finish your colouring?"

"Yeah." Emma smiled and snuggled down so that she was cuddled as close as she could to her father, she was quickly distracted by the next episode of Mickey Mouse coming on. David reached into the pocket of his sweats and pulled out Mary Margaret's phone. He passed it over to her.

"I was wondering why you woke up." Mary Margaret smiled, her husband was as much of a morning person as their daughter usually was, she watched him put on a pout and giggled.

"Your evil step mother woke me up by ringing way too early."

"She's not evil."

"She is when she rings to let you know she'll be by midmorning, and reminds me that I have to leave you guys this morning, so I can't just claim that I forgot."

"You wouldn't do that." Mary Margaret said lovingly but knowingly. "For anyone, but this is Anna, you told me all about her she and Kristoff were your friends."

"I'm still blaming Regina." He told her with a smirk knowing that she understood his and Regina's relationship where they were family and would help each other, but they blamed each other and took the piss out of each other for fun. He leant his head down to kiss his wife again, first on the lips, then on her sensitive spot where her jaw met beneath her ear, then her lips again. He sighed gently as they pulled out of it. "I wish I could just stay home."

After their making out, which was tame compared to their usual but they were intently aware that they had kids cuddled with them, Mary Margaret believed that she knew the reasons why David wanted to stay home and she didn't blame him.
"I know, it's been forever since we've had," she glanced down at the kids who were distracted but she still wasn't about to use that kind of language in front of the kids, "private time. I know I had my check up to make sure everything was okay when Em was sick, and normally I would have totally been up for that, but we've had a... visitor," her eyes flickered down to Emma to show who she was talking about when she looked back up at David he looked amused but she continued talking anyway, "in our bed pretty much constantly. And even when we haven't I haven't been in the mood, with Neal only just down to sleeping more at night, and with worrying about our older baby... I'm sorry."

David couldn't help but chuckle at his wife's rambling. He leant forward and kissed her lips. "Snow, Snow," He said through a chuckle, "it's okay, I don't expect anything, nor do you owe me anything. I've not been in the mood either, everything that's been happening is tiring and stressful, in good and bad ways. I just meant that I want to stay home with you and our babies. It's been nice being able to just stay with you and our babies with only Em stuff to worry about, no big bad villain. We've had time to breathe... What? Why are you looking me like that?"

Mary Margaret had her head tilted with a small but growing smile as she looked at him. "You called me Snow." She smiled and watched him share the smile, it had been a life time since he had called her that without doing it to just get her intention, it felt just as natural as all of the time he had called about it back in their home realm.

"It's snowing?" Emma said suddenly hearing their conversation.

David and Mary Margaret both laughed.

"I don't know baby," Mary Margaret said, "but Daddy called me Snow because that's my other name."

Emma scrunched up her face. "No, it's not, your name is Mommy."

Mary Margaret 'awed' gently and kissed Emma's forehead. "My name is Mommy because I'm your mommy, but I'm also called Snow, and Mary Margaret." She saw that her daughter was still confused. "Daddy and I call you Emmy, don't we?" Emma nodded her head. "And we call you other names like Em, and Daddy calls you kiddo, and koala." She smiled at her husband's nickname he had started to call their daughter. "But your name is Emma. It's kind of like that. Daddy is called Daddy to you and Nealy, but his name is David, and I call him Charming."

"Oh... I'm hungry."

David chuckled at the anticlimactic way in which his daughter understood what they meant therefore no longer cared, and instead wanting breakfast.

Mary Margaret chuckled too. "Okay, but mommy's going to have to make it, because Daddy has to get dressed for work."

"Aww." Both David and Emma chimed.

Mary Margaret gave David a playfully chastising look before standing up with Neal, forcing David to spur into action.

"Hey babe?" David called making his wife look back at him. "Snow suits you."

Mary Margaret paused with a small smile on her face. "Soon" She said with a smile. Snow White was a beloved and respected Queen, a fierce warrior, a loving wife, and a soon to be mother. She knew that soon she would feel like being called Snow again, very soon, but she wanted to have a conclusion for who Emma would be first. It could wait.

~OUAT~

David smiled as he watched his wife and son leave. Then he looked down at his daughter, he knew they'd be spending time together that afternoon but he still hated having to leave her even for a few hours. "Hey Koala?" He was starting to like that nickname, it made sense with how cuddly and clingy she was as a toddler. "Daddy needs to get dressed, do you want to help me choose what I wear today? Then you can go finish your picture for me."

Emma grinned and nodded her head. "I wanna choose."

David gave her his charming smile as he smiled about her enthusiasm as she hopped up and held her hand out to him. He looked down at her as he towered over her, she was holding onto his hand but she was so small that she was only holding onto a couple of his fingers. She had her lion tucked under her arm held firmly in place with her casted arm. "Hey you know what? See that cast on your arm? We're going to go and see the nice doctor we saw..." He trailed off when he remembered that it was the adult version of Emma who met that doctor.

"The doctor who gave me the choccy milkshake?" Emma asked happily.

David smiled as he realised that she must have at least some of Adult Emma's memories. "Yeah, Koala, that nice doctor, she's going to make sure that your healthy, and then she's going to take your yellow cast off your arm."

Emma glanced down at the cast, then up at David. "It's goin'?... Oh, okay... Leo's arm's better like mine too."

"I'm glad." He told her as they walked over to the bedroom, he started to wonder what sort of memories baby Emma had, and if she was still the same Emma. She'd be his little girl no matter what but he was still curious. "Okay, you stay there I'll show you the things I have and you can choose." David grabbed random tops and a few random shirts and placed them on the bed.

"This one! An' this one. I like blue."

David picked up the long-sleeved top and a blue shirt Emma was pointing at. Suddenly his mind went back to standing in a house he was a stranger in, there was a welcome home party around, he remembered meeting a blonde lady and her son both of whom he immediately felt protective over. This was the outfit he wore when he first met Emma... well the first time that he wasn't wearing a hospital gown on the cold, hard ground in the middle of the forest. He smiled. She was definitely still the same Emma, the memories were buried deep, deep down, but in a good way, she seemed a whole lot happier.

"I like blue too, this looks perfect my baby Koala." He crouched down and held onto her sides to keep her still. "Thank you very much for your help. Now, how about you go back and do your drawing? Who are you colouring in?"

Emma shook her head making her whole body swing. "Nope, it's a surprise just for you, you can't know."

David chuckled and kissed the tip of her nose making her giggle. "Okay, you go finish it for me, and remember to drink your yummy milkshake, I bet you can't finish it before mommy makes breakfast."

"I can!" She shouted whilst she jumped once then she ran out of the room to go and finish colouring in and her milkshake.

~OUAT~

Emma obviously inherited her mother's slightly competitive edge as she finished her milkshake in record time, they managed to get most of her breakfast into her before she told them she had enough and went to sit and add the finishing touches to her colouring.

David finished up his toast and coffee, glanced at the clock then down at his plate and the bowl of cocopops he had been feeding Emma as she sat on his lap, he sighed. "I guess I better be heading off."

Mary Margaret watched as he stayed sat in his place. She leant forward and lips and ran her fingers through his hair. "It's just a few hours babe. You go and put together a search team and see if you can find her, then at lunch time we can all have lunch together again, then you can go and take daddy's girl to pick up some things, I'll make a list."

"Lucky us." He teased, stealing a kiss, then sighing again. He grinned as his son started loudly 'talking'. "Okay, okay, I get the hint, I'm going." He stood up and cleared the dishes from the David. When he turned there was suddenly a toddler next to him holding something behind her back, he shot a foot in the air from shock, his hand flying to his chest as he caught his breath. He crouched down next to Emma. "You surprised me." He told her with a smile which turned a little apologetic. "I've got to go to work now, koala, but I'll see you and mommy and Nealy at Granny's for lunch, okay?"

"Daddy, I made you this one for your work." She told him proudly showing him the picture Mary Margaret had carefully ripped out of the book for her. It was the outline of Snow and Prince Charming, the Disney version which David and Mary Margaret would usually hate, but Emma had clearly seen that they were a version of her parents. Her colouring was clearly that of a three year old, but she had natural artistic ability in thinking which colours to use, though it was understandably still going out of the lines.

David felt a pang of nostalgia when he remembered the last time he sketched- it was before Emma was born, a sketch of his pregnant wife... wearing incredibly little…. He quickly shook his thoughts away and held his hand out for the picture. "Woah, Emmy this is amazing, is it for me to put on my desk?"

"Yup!" Emma beamed. "That's you and mommy."

David chucked as he that Emma had tried to make his cape look like the plaid shirts he wore, his hair was yellow, and he had giant blue orbs for eyes. Even Mary Margaret's clothes were similar colours to her clothes she wore daily and like David her eyes were circled in a big circle of colour, only hers were green, and scribbled black hair which Emma had made to look short. "Wow Emmy, that's brilliant! I love how you coloured me and mommy, especially my cape."
On either side of the dancing prince and princess were two circles, both with lines going out of them, one with two green lines and a yellow scribble like David's hair, and one with two blue lines and a couple of lines of black at the top. "And I think this one is my like cheeky monkey boy, and this one is my little lion cub?" He grinned knowing full well that she had drawn herself and her brother.

Emma giggled. "Noooo! That's Nee and that's me!"

"Oh of course! Silly daddy." David said dramatically as his wife walked over to them. "You're my little lion though, see." He pulled up the hood of her onesie again so she now had the lion face and mane on her head.

Emma grinned and nodded her head. "I'm a lion koala."

David and Mary Margaret both chuckled. "Okay Emmy." David agreed. "Can I take a picture of you holding your picture?" When Emma nodded he quickly took a few snaps on his phone. "I'll take this with me to work this morning, but I'll bring it with me to lunch, then we can put it on the fridge so anyone can see it, yeah?" He pulled her into a hug to say goodbye.

"Yeah!" Emma said happily, but her face fell when she realised that David was getting ready to go to work. She clung onto his shirt. "Daddy stay." She whined.

David's heart broke. "Oh, come on baby, daddy has to go to work for a little while, you and Mommy can have a fun Mommy, Nealy, and Emmy day."

"Want a Mommy, Emmy, Nealy, and Daddy day."

"We'll have one of those days tomorrow, I promise, Daddy will be back soon you won't even notice me gone you'll be having so much fun." David could hear that she was close to bursting in to tears, he felt his heart break, then he felt Mary Margaret's hand on his back supporting him. He met eyes with hers and she gave him a comforting smile before taking Emma from his arms. He quickly kissed the top of Emma's head, then pecked his wife's lips, not as long as he usually would when saying bye to her. He kissed his son's head, and shouted "I love you all and I'll see you soon!" over his shoulder as he quickly left.

~OUAT~

Mary Margaret stood with her daughter in her arms, the toddler's head buried against her shoulder, she swayed side to side and dropped a kiss to the top of Emma's head. "Do you want to play or do you want to stay cuddling Mommy for a while baby?"

"Cuddles." Emma mumbled without moving other than to wrap her arms around Mary Margaret's neck.

"Okay baby." Mary Margaret was only too happy that she was able to carry Emma around as she cuddled her, she could tell that after only a couple of minutes that Emma just wanted to be cuddled and it was no longer her soothing her after David left.

She carried Emma as she placed Neal in his crib she had moved to next to the island in the kitchen while Emma and David were talking. And she continued to carry her as she started to get out bowls, fill them with ingredients, and turn the oven on.

Emma peaked her head out from her mother's shoulder to see Mary Margaret melting butter in the microwave. She looked over and saw the rest of the bowls and looked confused. "Are you having another breakfast?"

Mary Margaret chuckled. "No, Emmy, this isn't for breakfast, me and you are going to do some baking."

Emma's face lit up, she looked down at her clothes and then back up at her mother. "But I'm still in my jammies."

"I know you are, but I think we might end up getting a bit messy, so after we've finished baking and I've given Neal his bath I'll give you one."

"Yeah! Can I play with Nealy's bath duckies?"

Mary Margaret cuddled her closer. "Of course you can, you and Neal can share them." She got the glass bowl of melted butter out of the microwave and carried it over to the island where everything was. She place the bowl of melted butter down then placed Emma on the other side of the largest bowl. "You sit there, okay? First we're going to make some chocolate chip cookies."

"Mmm, I love chocolate. And cookies."

Mary Margaret laughed. "That doesn't surprise me. Okay my little baker, first we need to put the brown sugar and the white sugar into a bowl, can you help me tip it in?" Emma happily tipped it in with Mary Margaret. "Very good, mommy's got to do the butter by herself because the bowl is hot and I don't want you getting hurt." She poured it in making sure that her daughter's hands were safely away then let Emma help her stir the sugar and butter together. She helped Emma pour in the eggs and vanilla then they both stirred it together. "Do you like doing baking?" She asked her.

Emma thought for a moment. "I like doing it, but we've only done two times, when you and daddy didn't know you were my mommy and daddy, and when you and me and daddy made chocolate chip cupcakes."

Mary Margaret slowly nodded her head realising that she and Emma had some past during the curse in Emma's memories but she had no idea what yet. They would only find out when Emma aged up again and they watched them in the dream catcher which Regina would make later. "I know that I love baking with you, you're my best helper." She helped Emma sift flour into the mixture, getting flour all over Emma but it didn't matter. "What's your favourite movie?"

"Hmmm." Emma thought for a few moments before bouncing up and down on her knees. "I like Stitchy! And Lilo too, but Stitchy best!"

Mary Margaret grinned chuckling. "Stitch is very funny and silly, just like you." She booped her on her flour covered nose.

Emma giggled. "What's your favourite one?"

"I like The Proposal." She remembered watching that with Emma, it was one of the few romcoms Emma would watch happily with her mother, and that she actually laughed at. Mary Margaret opened up the chocolate drops to measure out as she gave her answer before realising that Emma would have no idea what that movie was. "But that's a mommy movie, I also like…." She scanned her mind but luckily had a lot of experience with kids movies between having a grandson and having been a teacher for years. "Meet the Robinsons, it's very funny, and I like that Lewis found his own family."

Emma nodded her head in approval but her eyes were on the chocolate. "That's lots and lots and lots." She said in awe.

Mary Margaret smiled and gave her a couple of the drops, she was amazed as such a simple act of kindness lit up Emma's face. "Do you want to help me put in all this chocolate to make it the most chocolately cookies we've ever made?"

Emma nodded her head enthusiastically and poured them in smiling all the while. "They make noises like rain makes when it's raining."

Mary Margaret stopped for a second to stare at her, overwhelmed with the love she felt for her, she kissed the top of her head. "You're absolutely right. I love you so much Emma, do you know that? No matter how small or big you are."

"Even if I'm small like Nee?" Emma said knowing full well what her mother, in her memories, would say.

"Even if you're small like Neal." She stirred the mixture letting Emma lick one of the spoons they had used. She saw Emma smile and she realised that it was the same one that grown up Emma would give when she told her something she had told Emma a million times. "When you were born you were even smaller than he was when he was born. You were born before you were meant to be, I think it's because you wanted to go on adventures, you were a little wiggly worm while your daddy wrapped you up in your blanket."

~OUAT~

She placed the cookies into the oven then she and Emma made brownies. By the time the cookies and brownies were out of the oven, Emma was covered in flour and mixture from the brownies and cookies. Mary Margaret giggled and snapped a picture of Emma covered in the stuff and sent it to David.

"Do you want to help me give Nealy a bath before I give you one?"

"Yeah! Is Nealy big to go in the big bath with me?"

"Not quite sweetie." Mary Margaret told her gently, she certainly wasn't planning on having them both in there when they both needed so much help. She set Emma up in the living room with her colouring book and strapped Neal into his bouncy chair beside her. She decided to give Neal his bath in the living room as it was the warmest point in the house. She filled the bath of water to the perfect temperature for her baby boy then carried it back through to the living room where she came across an adorable sight.

"That's Auntie Ella and Uncle Thomas, Uncle Thomas makes daddy laugh and mommy and Auntie Ella do this," She tipped her head back to try and imitate her mother's rolling of eyes which she hadn't quite figure out how to do properly yet. "Auntie Ella and mommy are friends and Auntie Ella really loves pink." Emma pulled a face of disgust. "You can like pink if you want to but I don't."

"Aww." Mary Margaret couldn't stop it escaping making both her kids look up at the noise. She walked closer to them and placed the bath down. "Are you colouring a picture sweetie?" She asked Emma while picking Neal out of his seat. She held her son to her chest, pressed a kiss to his forehead as she led him down on his towel she had placed down.

"Uh huh, it's Auntie Ella and Uncle Thomas, but they got drew all wrong like you an' daddy did." Emma told her, she moved her colouring book and crayons so she was led next to where her brother was on the towel, despite her interest in her colouring book when her brother reached his hand out to her Emma tenderly held it. "Nee Nee, you're too little to draw, I'll teach you in one or two weeks when you're three like me."

Mary Margaret smiled as she watched Emma talk to Neal who cooed and babbled back. She knew Emma had said the time scale wrong but she was only a toddler herself, it was to be expected. She unbuttoned Neal's baby grow and undershirt and took off his diaper. "Emmy, thank you for holding your brother's hand but can you let go of it for me so I can put him into his bath?"

"Okay mommy." Emma knelt up and watched Mary Margaret finish undressing the baby and lowered him into his bath, she walked forward on her knees until she was sat right next to the bath. She giggled as her brother kicked his legs enthusiastically splashing in the water. "He has splashy baths like me." Emma giggled holding onto her brother's hand again.

Mary Margaret was starting to feel a little jealous of the life they had in Emma's fake memories, it all seemed so happy, it seemed nice to be a normal family. "He does," her voice was soft, "and when I finished washing him we'll get you all washed and clean in the big bath."

Emma nodded her head but she was watching her brother with all the love in the world. He cooed and splashed, and Emma stared in wonder, she though that he was one of the most amazing people she had ever met… and he was only three months old. She watched Mary Margaret carefully washing his hair. "Nee used to have lots of hair when he first came, the it go-ed, now he has more again!"

Mary Margaret noted Emma's astonishment and was careful not to laugh. "He did have hair which went, and now he's getting more," she agreed, "that happens when babies are very little, I'm sure soon he'll have lots of hair like you, but I think… can you see what colour his hair is?"

Emma leant closer, smelling the powdery scent of the baby shampoo and body wash. "It's like…. Night time." She said frowning in frustration as she tried to remember what the word was.

"Black, clever girl it is like night time, like mommy's hair. Emmy and Daddy have the same, and Nealy and mommy have the same." Mary Margaret told her, lifting Neal out of the bath she wrapped him in a fluffy red towel pulling up the hood of the towel which was a little monkey, similar to the toy David had given to him. She swaddled him in the towel and cuddled him to her chest as she gently dried him off. "My cheeky little monkey." She cooed as he gave her a toothless smile and gently cooed back.

Emma looked up from her colouring to watch her mom and brother, she watched as Mary Margaret carefully dried his body, covered him in lotion, changed him into a diaper, and brushed his small amount of hair with a baby brush, all the while Mary Margaret was talking to baby Neal and replying as though having a conversation when he babbled at her. She felt a tug of envy on her heart. She was three, and therefore in her eyes a big girl… and her parents gave her extra help as she needed it… but she never had that at Neal's age, the only baths she could remembering having had had been traumatic, to say the least. She had them now, but she knew she hadn't always, it was hard.

Mary Margaret felt a pair of eyes on her and she looked over at Emma. She may now have fake memories but it was the same look that Emma had as an adult with her real memories where she was longing for something she couldn't get back. Mary Margaret sighed gently, she knew from things Emma had implied during their morning so far, Emma's fake memories hadn't even placed her with David and Mary Margaret for all her short life, they still missed out. "Emma, sweetie?" She called her out of her trance. "Mommy put two shirts on the couch for Nealy, can you choose one for him to wear for me? Then I can put him to bed and you can have a nice bath."

Emma grinned at her mother and nodded wordlessly as she stood up and turned around to look at the two options. Eventually she chose the Mike from Monsters Inc over the dinosaur one. She took it over to Mary Margaret and held it out.

Mary Margaret saw the little trepidation and gave her a warm smile back. "This one is perfect. You go finish your drawing and mommy will feed your little brother then I'll give you a nice bath okay?" She was glad when Emma nodded but she still see the effect of knowing that she had missed out on important things written on the toddler's face.

Luckily for Mary Margaret Neal was finished feeding fairly quickly and easily went down for a nap. She placed him into his crib in the master bedroom, grabbing some of the clothes Ella had given them which were tiny but sure to be a bit big on Emma. She grabbed one of the sets of baby monitors they had and placed one next to his crib and carried the other in her hand as she walked over to Emma who was concentrating so hard on her colouring that she had her tongue stuck out.

She crouched down in front of her and smiled as she watched her colour for a few seconds before running her fingers through her curls making her look up at her. "Let's get you into a nice warm bath baby, and get all this cookies and brownies mix off of you… before I eat you all up." She tickled her and pretended to eat her all up as she said the last part making her giggle before she scooped her up into her arms.

~OUAT~

The bathroom had had the heater on since Mary Margaret had been in there filling Neal's bath so it was now nice and warm. She set Emma down and started off the bath water, as the water streamed in from the faucet she pulled out her phone and added a nonslip bath mat to the growing list which included diapers, some toys, and a couple of sets of clothes which would fit Emma better than the hand-me-downs or the clothes which had grown too large for her since Mary Margaret bought them. When she looked down at Emma she was sat playing with the bath ducks on the floor. Mary Margaret knelt down beside her and brushed her hair back from her face.

"Mommy, the duckies are playin'." Emma told her mother with an easy smile as she looked at her mother who grinned back.

"Wow, they look like they're having a lot of fun. Do they want to play in the bath with you?"

Emma nodded eagerly. "They like splashing in the water, lots and lots and lots."

Mary Margaret pressed a kiss to her forehead, she couldn't believe how lucky she was to be able to know Emma at this age, just as she felt lucky to be mother to adult Emma. But knowing Emma as a toddler was beyond her wildest dreams, as soon as she started labour in the Enchanted Forest she knew she wouldn't be there for Emma, not until she was twenty-eight, but for that time she didn't care so long as her child had been safe… she hadn't been.
"Well, they'll have lots of fun splashing in the water with you." She told her. She stood up and went over to one of the boxes on the shelving, Emma had brought the box back from New York and given it to Mary Margaret as a gift, it was full of brightly coloured and glittery bath bombs, which Mary Margaret had insisted on sharing with Emma because she knew that she loved them too. She found the one she was looking for and went back over to Emma.
"Shall we put this into your bath too?"

Emma looked as the blue sphere with a white and pink swirl running through it. "A ball mommy?" She asked tilting her head to the side.

Mary Margaret giggled and shook her head. "It's a bath bomb baby, it's going to make your bath smell like peppermint and go all pretty."

"I wanna put it in." Emma said eagerly. She took it from Mary Margaret as the bath reached the required level and Mary Margaret turned off the water. Emma dropped it in and gasped as it started to fizz and turned the water glittery and blue with swirls of pink, yellow and white throughout it all. Mary Margaret turned the water back on and added some bubble bath to the mixtures.
Emma finally looked away from the bathwater and looked at Mary Margaret with wide eyes and an open mouth. "Woah! Mommy look, it's magic."

Mary Margaret smiled at Emma believing it was magic. "It is a bit like magic, isn't it, and it smell all yummy. Let's get you and your duckies into this nice warm bath, Emmy, you cast has to stay out of the water, but we're going to go to the hospital and get it taken off tomorrow and then you can have normal baths again." She said as she undressed Emma and placed her into the bath. She placed the toy ducks in, making sure that Emma's casted arm was out of the water, then watched as her baby started to play with the water and the ducks.

She tilted her head to the side, puzzled, as Emma started to put bubbles onto her face with her one hand. "What are you doing sweetie?" She asked as Emma giggled at herself in the mirrored metal of the faucet.

Emma turned and grinned proudly at Mary Margaret. "I'm daddy when he needs to shave!"

Mary Margaret burst into laughter, making Emma join in with her, causing a cycle of the two of them laughing with the other. Eventually they managed to stop laughing. "You look like Santa Clause." She told her taking a picture of Emma's 'bearded' face which she sent to David with Emma's comment that it's him when he doesn't shave.

Mary Margaret played with Emma's ducks for a little while before grabbing a cloth to wash Emma with. "Do you want mommy's pink one, or daddy's blue one?" she showed Emma the shower gels and smiled as Emma pointed straight at David's one.

"Daddy's one." Emma said despite Mary Margaret already squeezing it onto the cloth. "Is daddy coming home now?"

Mary Margaret set her a sympathetic smile. "Sorry baby, not right now, we'll see him at lunchtime." She started to wash the toddler, she thought that Emma's bruise must have been starting to heal, but when she reached Emma's back she realised that the healing might not be natural... at least not in the way she first thought. The mark on Emma's back, where she had been hit by the belt and would go on to have a scar for the rest of her life, was starting to shrink. Mary Margaret frowned, although Emma was becoming younger even when her mind was more that of an adults this was the first sign that she had actually changed. She was pulled out of her thoughts when water droplets hit her face as Emma splashed in the water. "Cheeky monster." She said tickling the child as she pushed the worry from her mind.

Soon enough Emma was washed and starting to look sleepy, Mary Margaret scooped her up out of the bath and wrapped her up in a bath towel almost identical to her brother's except her hood was a lion instead of a monkey. She carried her into the master bedroom and dried her off. She changed her into a clean diaper, undershirt, and jeans. "What top do you want to wear, sweetie, there's a Snow White one, or this really, really cool unicorn one." She held the unicorn one closer to Emma, wishing that Ella had gifted them more shirts in this size, these were the only two which would actually fit Emma, and as she remembered some of the more unflattering dresses she had been placed in as a child she decided to always give her children two options.

"That one." Emma said pointing at the shirt with the princess on.

Mary Margaret couldn't stop the small groan escaping her mouth as Emma chose the Disney version of her. "I hate Ella." She mumbled quiet enough to be sure that Emma didn't hear her. True to her morals she pulled the Snow White top over her head which she quickly added a red zip up hoodie to, it wasn't zipped up so it only hid part of the top, but it would keep Emma warmer which was what really mattered. "There you go, sweetie, very pretty."

Emma yawned as she grinned down at her top, she knew it didn't look like her mommy, but it still was. She much preferred the real story, but there was a certain amount of magic which surrounded the animated version, and she had known it before she had known her mother was the same person. She took hold of her mom's hand and looked up at her with love. "What're we doin' now mommy?"

Mary Margaret grinned, she could tell that Emma was exhausted, but she was obviously just as stubborn as her grown up version – Mary Margaret knew that if she told her it was nap time Emma would not sleep for as long as possible just because she had been told to do so. "I think me and my Emmy need to watch a movie, what do you think?"

She grinned back at her and nodded her head. "Yep, yep, yep!" She said enthusiastically before turning serious. "Can blankie and Leo watch too?"

"Of course they can. You go and pick a movie near the tv, I'm just going to make sure that Nealy's nice and warm." She watched Emma sleepily drift into the living room and over to the tv where all the dvds were. Mary Margaret finally took her eyes off of her knowing that she was safe.
She looked down at her baby boy, he was already growing so fast, she stroked her finger down his cheek watching him scrunch up his nose but he didn't stir. She could easily see David in him, his chin, his little ears where the same shape, the way his eyebrows came together in his sleep. She had listed these things to David one night, as they were just watching him sleep in amazement, she knew that David saw her in their son a lot more than he saw himself, she guess it was the way all parents saw their children. She tucked his quilt and blankets closer around him, made sure that his monkey toy was down near the bottom of his crib so it wouldn't suffocate him, she stayed staring at him for a couple of seconds before she fixed the blankets once more to fully assure he was both safe and warm, then she headed over to Emma.

Emma had found the Lilo and Stitch dvd and was now grinning down at it, she was so happy to have found it that Emma didn't even notice Mary Margaret sneaking up on her until it was gently pulled from her hands. "Mommy, I found Stitchy."

"Wow, you did didn't you, this will be a lot of fun to watch with you."

Emma grinned and somewhat reluctantly let Mary Margaret take the case from her, as soon as the dvd was in the tv she was lifted up and the two curled up on the couch, she cuddled her blankie and lion teddy close to her as Mary Margaret wrapped a quilt from on the back of the couch around the two of them.

"I love Stitchy but he's not here yet, maybe one day he'll come see us." She said as Stitch escaped to earth.

"Yeah… maybe…" Mary Margaret said much less enthusiastically, she wasn't sure how well an alien visiting their town would work out in reality, though she supposed it was rather cute.

"I watched this with Auggie and Henry. Henry's my uncle Henry but he's not old and he's my friend so I call him Henry." She said yawning halfway though her chattering.

Mary Margaret blinked a few times. She was getting used to Emma being a toddler, and even her having fake memories, but it was weird hearing her refer to Henry as her uncle. She knew he technically was her step-uncle as well as her son, but they ignored the uncle part usually, she felt a pang of hurt on behalf of Henry: she didn't think that anyone would be ready to lose a mother but gain a niece. "Yeah baby." She whispered stroking her hair.

Within ten minutes Emma was fast asleep cuddled up on her mother's lap as the movie played softly in the background. Mary Margaret looked around at the loft knowing that she could use the time to tidy up all the kids stuff which had somehow ended up… everywhere… but then she looked back down at Emma and didn't want to leave her. She made sure that Neal's monitor was by her side, despite being able to see his crib from where they sat, then begun to relax. Within a couple of minutes she dropped off too.

~OUAT~

As Mary Margaret slept her head was filled of dreams of a normal life. She was in a kitchen of a house she had never been inside but which felt like home, she was looking over a lesson plan similar to the ones she had made during the curse, she looked up to see Neal a little over a year old and eating cheerios in a high chair. She looked up as she heard a little girl call "Mommy!" and run over to her.
Mary Margaret lifted a slightly bigger version of Emma, than was with her in the real world, onto her lap. "Hiya baby, you all dressed for the day?"

"Yup daddy did it." Emma pointed at David with a proud smile as he walked into the kitchen with a charming smile on his face when he set his eyes upon his wife.

"Good morning, love." David said leaning down to kiss his wife, the same way he had for years, but it never lost its appeal.

Mary Margaret smiled against his lips. "Good morning, my Charming." She managed to restrain herself to pull away from his lips. "You both look very festive." She said noticing the Christmas sweaters upon the pair.

"Because it's nearly Christmas." David grinned down at her. "And you do too."

Mary Margaret looked down and sure enough she was wearing a red, slightly more tasteful, sweater herself. "Huh, Christmas." She said to herself. "We've not done one of those here before." She said again to herself but apparently Dream-David agreed as he nodded his head. Looking again around the kitchen she spotted the Christmas decorations around everywhere.

"I can't believe it's been a year already." David said looking down at Emma who was making pictures with Mary Margaret's toast.

Mary Margaret paused staring down at Emma, she looked like a three year old… but her Emma looked like a two year old despite being three… which would make this one four… and Neal one… "We kept her." She breathed out, meaning that they hadn't found a way to change Emma back to an adult.

"Of course," David said seriously he looked down into his wife's eyes, "we're never losing her again. I promise."

Before Mary Margaret could ask him what he meant he kissed the top of her and Emma's heads and headed out of the kitchen to the front door, tussling Neal's hair on the way. "I'll just get the newspaper."

Mary Margaret heard the door shut and she began to stir. She didn't open her eyes because she was still stuck in her dream. "Anything interesting?" She asked through a yawn as she opened her eyes, spotting Regina. She frowned when she realised she was in the loft, Emma was on her lap but suddenly much smaller and asleep with her thumb in her mouth and her blanket and lion clutched in her hand, Regina looked over at her with an eyebrow raise and an amused smile biting at the corner of her lips.

"Do you ever lock your door?" She asked by way of a greeting as she heading over to the crib where Neal was just starting to stir.

Mary Margaret yawned again and stood up with Emma cuddled close to her chest, she kissed her head before laying her down on the couch, tucking the quilt around her and she kissed her head again. Could they really keep her? She walked over to Regina and Neal rubbing her eyes. "You're the only one who's ever broken in her." She said pointedly.

"You ever going to let that whole me framing you for murder thing go?" She asked without malice, she smiled down at Neal in her arms.

"Nope, I'm planning on milking it for all it's worth." Mary Margaret told her. She looked over at Neal with a smile. "Does he need feeding?"

"He's okay for now."

"Good. Tea or coffee?" She offered, when Regina said tea she set about making two cups of tea for them to enjoy. "Have you been helping Elsa?" She said to make conversation.

"Do you not think I better things to do as mayor?"

"No wonder our tourism numbers are so bad." Mary Margaret shot back, knowing full well that she had been helping, but it was fun to fire back at each other.

"I had to take the forest." She grumbled. "I don't know why I ended up with that instead of a place without mud and slippery ice, but I blame your idiot."

"Do you believe you can see your future in dreams?" Mary Margaret asked suddenly.

Regina paused for a second. "I think sometimes it's possible, especially if magic is involved, I'm starting to believe that anything is possible in this town. Why do you ask?"

"No reason." She brushed off quickly.

There was quiet as Mary Margaret poured the tea into two mugs, one had a golden crown on it, the other with birds on it, one of those designs which seemed to only be for old ladies or fashionable women.

"It's been a long time since Henry was small enough for me to carry like this."

Mary Margaret looked back at her stepmother and smiled. "Yes, that boy is going to be bigger than very soon." Her eyes flickered to Neal in Regina's arms. "You could always have another, I know of a certain archer who loves kids as much as you do."

Regina rolled her eyes. "He has Roland."

"And you have Henry." She countered.

"Anyway, I can't..." She trailed off.

"You could adopt again, blood doesn't make a family, love does."

"I don't even know if Robin wants more kids, we've only just gotten through the whole 'his ex comes back from the past saved by your kid who then deaged so I can't properly yell at her' thing."

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes in return but she knew it was her attempt to distract her from the conversation. "But you are still together." She added with an excited smile.

Regina looked down at Neal to hide the smile on her face. "Snow White. You are worse than a child at Christmas. This is my love life, not some new toy, or a pony."

"That's not a no." Mary Margaret said in a sing song way, but her smile and excitement was genuine. She placed the mug of tea down in front of her and took Neal from her arms, not missing the slightly sad look she had when the baby left her arms. "Hiya my baby boy, mommy, and Emmy took a naptime too." She cooed.

"I think your mommy needs a lot more sleep." She took a sip of her hot tea as Mary Margaret glared at her. "I'm serious. You need a break. Why doesn't David do night du-"

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes, she and Regina now had a good relationship, to the point where she was fairly certain she was playing the over protective step mother role… if there was such a thing. "- David is up just as much as me. Emmy woke up during the night and he insisted on taking her for a drive. He's up whenever Neal wakes up needing a feed, and when Em has had bad dreams, or she's sick. He's a good guy."

Regina held her hands up in mock surrender but she held a new respect for David which shouldn't have happened as it shouldn't have surprised her that he was a good husband and father. He was just that sort of man. "Are you sure you want to spend your break away from the kids," her eyes flickered over to the couch where Emma still slept, "with a teenager, I mean Henry's great, but you and David could use a proper break where you can relax. I could talk to Henry about all this."

"You already have and I know you say he understands, he needs to hear it from us too, that no matter what we're here for him. We're his grandparents. "

Regina smiled, again it wasn't something which surprised her, but she was pleased with the ferocity in her tone. She never thought she would miss that until she spent twenty eight years seeing her so timid… it had gotten boring after a decade or so. She much preferred this version of her step daughter… so long as they were both on the same side. "Robin said he'll come with me to babysit the kids, Marian is spending time with Roland, if not I'm sure he could go with the Merry Men."

Mary Margaret's face lit up her approval but before she could say something there was a sleepy toddler's shout filling the loft, along with the patter of small feet as she ran over to the kitchen. Mary Margaret watched as Emma ran straight to Regina, shouting as she did so.

"Auntie Gina!"

Regina's eyes went wide at the name and the affection which went along with it, the love. Emma ran up to her and out of instinct she scooped her up. "Hello sweetheart, did you have a nice nap?"

Emma nodded her head yawning. "Me and mommy watched Stitch and Lilo." She told Regina pointing over at Mary Margaret who was smiling fondly at the sight in front of her.

"I like Lilo and Stitch too." Regina told her making a mental note to watch it with the toddler that night in hopes it would help with David and Mary Margaret not beign there. "Nani's my favourite."

"Mommy likes Nani too!" Emma said excitedly. "I love Stitch but he doesn't live here." She added sadly.

"What a shame." Mary Margaret commented sharing a look with Regina, neither were too fond of the idea of an alien coming to their town. "I'll get you a milkshake, some banana, and a cookie baby." She said, after seeing Emma in her dream she was aware of how small her baby was, every mothering instinct in her wanted her to grow, and to be healthy.

"Auntie Gina needs a cookie too."

Regina was about to protest but she saw Emma's face. "Sure." She said giving Mary Margaret a look before she could say anything.

"You're mommy's stairs mommy." Emma said as she watched Mary Margaret walk to the fridge.

Regina let out a puff of laughter. "I'm her stepmother- Step mommy."

Emma nodded slowly, turning her thoughts over in her head, she looked up at Regina looking at her with wide eyes which had hurt barely hidden inside. "Why can't I call you Grandma then? Me and Nee?"

"I- I…" She searched for words but found none. She could see this Emma had always wanted family, she needed it, she was so young but she hadn't even had that. She didn't want to be the one to deny her of that. "Okay." She relented through a sigh not taking her eyes off of Emma. "You and your brother can call me Grandma, but you tell your daddy that if he does it he'll be in trouble."

Emma nodded solemnly. "Naughty step."

Regina bit her lip to hold back a smile. "Naughty step." She agreed.

Mary Margaret returned with Emma's milkshake in the sippy cup (more were added to the list on her phone) and a plate with cut up banana and a chocolate chip cookie for Emma, she handed another cookie to Regina.

As Emma ate her snack and drank her shake Regina and Mary Margaret talked, Emma joined in every so often talking about random things, and Neal, not one to be left out, also cooed and babbled. Eventually she finished and Mary Margaret and Regina shared a look. Mary Margaret stood to place Neal into his crib to stare at his mobile which she made go around and play music.

She returned to where they were sat and pulled Emma into her arms before reclaiming her place. "Emma, do you want to help Re- Grandma do some magic?"

Emma nodded her head enthusiastically. "Yeah! Yeah! I wanna do some magic please."

Regina pulled out a dreamcatcher from her bag, like the one before this had been altered to see memories, but this one would pull out Emma's fake memories and store them until they were ready. "Okay, Emma, I need you to hold onto this as tight as you can, I'm going to wave my hands over you, and we'll make it change colours. Does that sounds fun?"

Emma looked at Mary Margaret with a smile, who gave her an encouraging look, then back at Regina with an even bigger smile. "Yup!"

Regina handed Mary Margaret the dreamcatcher and watched her position Emma's hands on it, as soon as Emma was holding on tight she started to wave her hands over her head.

"Pretty." Emma breathed out with wonder as she watched the dreamcatcher changing colours, slowly and soothingly.

"Wow Emmy!" Mary Margaret praised as she cuddled her close to her. "You're so good at helping Grandma do magic."

Emma leant back against Mary Margaret so she could be cuddled even closer as she stared down at the dreamcatcher.

Eventually the dreamcatcher sparked gold then went back to looking like a normal dreamcatcher, one easily bought or made, Regina took it back and tucked it safe inside her bag.

"I did it." Emma turned to her mother, one of the most important people in her life, wanting her to be proud.

"You did it." Mary Margaret kissed her forehead. "I'm so proud of you. Always."

~OUAT~

Mary Margaret carried Neal into the living room, leading Emma in by her hand, she placed Neal onto his activity mat to have some tummy time and sank to the floor with Emma who had grabbed her crayons once more. "Please can I colour in with you?"

Emma looked surprised that her mother wanted to do something as simple as colour with her, but then remembered that she did do things like that, she was a proper mom. She nodded her head. "I'm doin' Auntie Ruby one."

"That's a very, very good idea." Mary Margaret knew that her best friend would be made up with the colouring. She picked a flower to colour in and split her attention between talking to Emma, colouring, and playing with Neal.

Soon enough Emma and Mary Margaret had both finished their pictures. Mary Margaret was happy to see how much Emma seemed to love colouring, Mary Margaret enjoyed being able to do the calm activity, but it also reminded her of David who would often sit with a sketchbook in their bedchambers or out in the forest or countryside, and she knew from his stories that he had been just as interested in art as a child as he later did.

"Yours is beautiful, I'm sure that Auntie Ruby is going to love it." Mary Margaret praised.

Emma beamed at her. "Your flower is very pretty too, mommy."

Mary Margaret pulled her into a cuddle, as she always wanted to do when she heard Emma call her mom or mommy, she beamed when Emma wrapped her arms around her neck, even if the cast made it a bit uncomfortable for the two of them. She glanced at the clock and saw they had a fair bit of time before they met David at the diner, and although Emma had been perfectly behaved all morning (to the point that Mary Margaret had to tell her it was okay to make mess because she was scared to due to her childhood), she could tell she was getting a little stir crazy.

When Emma finally let go of the cuddle Mary Margaret placed either hand on her cheeks and looked into her big green eyes. "Would you like to go to the park and play on the swings?"

Emma shot up with excitement. "Yeah!" She shouted before starting to jump. "Yeah! Yeah! Park, park, park, park, park!"

Mary Margaret laughed at her chanting. "Okay, okay. Let mommy get yours and Nealy's warm coats and stuff then we'll get going."

Mary Margaret quickly dressed Neal in a snowsuit and hat, Emma in a coat, and bundled her into a hat, scarf, gloves, and the same as her daughter for herself. She took the kids downstairs to the entrance of the apartment block. She strapped Neal into his stroller and had Emma stand on the board on the back which was like a little skateboard attached to the stroller so Emma wouldn't have to walk. She snapped a picture and sent it to her husband telling him they were going to the park and would meet him at Granny's later, then the trio of Charmings set off.

Chapter Text

Mary Margaret had walked to the park with her two babies in tow in the cold. She knew that they would not stay for long at the park, despite having over an hour left before David could beg off work, they could just go and wait at Granny’s instead and drink some hot chocolate while they waited.

Once they got to the park Mary Margaret pushed the stroller down the path, which had been shovelled to get the snow off it, towards the play area. It was completely empty, but that was expected, the school age children would be in school it hadn’t snowed enough for a snow day, and most of the other parents in town were in their warm homes with their little ones, avoiding the snow. Mary Margaret knew she had made the right decision to take the kids to the park when Emma scrambled down from her board as soon as the stroller stopped moving, and she ran around looking at the untouched snow.

Mary Margaret watched her for a while before pushing her on the swing, it was clear Emma loved the swings but Mary Margaret would only push her so far, she was sure David would have pushed her up higher, and she knew that the swing Emma was in was safe and she wouldn’t go too high even with David pushing… but she still didn’t want to chance it. After a while Emma wanted out of the swing and she started to walk around playing in the snow.

Mary Margaret settled down on the bench with Neal nestled warmly in the stroller next to her, he had fallen asleep wrapped in a million blankets and fastened into a snowsuit, she smiled gently at him assured that he was warm and Emma was happy so they would stay there for a while. She looked over at Emma who was happily walking around with a stick she had found, making markings in the dirt and running around. She pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of Emma in the too big navy coat she had bought on that first shopping trip with Ruby, the bright orange fox hat, scarf, and mittens standing out in contrast to it.

She sent the picture to David and scrolled back through their chat from that morning. He hadn’t replied since before she and their children had taken a nap over an hour before. She smiled as she reread the messages and looked at the pictures: a selfie of she and Emma shortly before their nap, both cuddled up, Emma’s bubble beard in the bath, a picture of Emma and Neal in the top which Emma had picked – Emma looked proud despite the flour all over her, pictures of her and Emma baking. She was on the one which David had sent her just after he had left loft, of Emma in the kitchen with her picture she had coloured of her parents, when something was unexpectedly thrust between her face and phone.

She quickly moved her face away from it, her joints stressed ready for a fight, she suddenly realised that the thing between her and the pictures on her phone was a bunch of snowdrop flowers. She knew who it was before she even turned her head.

“David!” She said surprised. She took in his charming smile for a half second before she stood up and placed either of her hands on his cheeks, her cold face met his warm one as they kissed. “I thought we were meeting at Granny’s?” She kissed him again, small pecks on his lips, not giving him a chance to answer. “In an hour.” She continued to kiss him and felt him laugh against her lips as he kissed her back.

Eventually David placed his hands on her cheeks, both warming them up, and forcing her to stop kissing him. “We were but,” he was beaming uncontrollably, “we found her. Not just Anna, but Kristoff too.”

“What! David that’s amazing! They’re both here, or back in Arendelle?”

“They’re both here. Ariel offered to help look, she was swimming and then suddenly some coffer appeared in the water, she had Eric pull it up onto his boat because of how it appeared, they opened it up and they were in there, both of them.” He kissed his wife again. “Elsa found them both. Anna and Kristoff are fine, apparently Anna had a wishing star, she believed that she would find Elsa so hard that she did.”

She could see how ecstatic he that they had found each other, the couple knew better than anyone just how painful it was to be apart from those they loved, she saw the slightly sad look in her eyes and thought she knew why. She was brought into a softer kiss, and she knew that she did know why, he wished that they had had a wishing star when they were sent back to the Enchanted Forest, they would have gone back to find Emma and Henry.

“Daddy!”

They both looked over at the shout and saw Emma running through the snow towards them. She tripped over her own feet and they both rushed over, David reached her first and scooped her up.

“Emmy, are you okay? Are you hurt?” He was aware of how worried he sounded, and even as he looked her over despite her shaking her head, he was well aware that she wouldn’t have been hurt from the small fall. He was definitely a first time parent, and if Emma had grown up with them he probably wouldn’t have worried over such a small fall, but he was and she hadn’t so he did.

“Daddy, you’re here!” She threw her arms around his neck, she didn’t care a single bit about the small fall, she’d had worse.

David chuckled, both at how happy she was and at how silly he was being, he glanced at his wife and saw that she was doing the same. He kissed Emma’s forehead and squeezed her tight. “I am! I missed you so, so, much! But mommy sent me pictures of all the cool things you’ve done.”

“We made cookies! And I had one, and Grandma had one too.”

David’s face lit up.

“David.” Mary Margaret warned jokily she knew she couldn’t stop him teasing Regina, or her getting him back.

“I’m just glad Emma got Grandmato eat some of her delicious cookies.” David said trying to be innocent but the glee in his face was overpowering.

“Did you finded your friend?” Emma asked distracting David.

David smiled down at her. “Yeah I did. I found two of my friends: Anna who I met before I met your mommy, and Kristoff who I’ve known since I was a little boy, Anna is Elsa’s sister…” He tried to remember if Emma knew Elsa or not.

“Is Elsa happy now?” Emma asked. “She looked sad when she didn’t have her sister.”

David smiled gently. “She did. She missed her lots and lots, because when you don’t have family with you it makes you very, very sad.”

“I was sad without you when I lived with Auggie and Henry.” She said making her parents look confused about her past, but before they could ask her anything her face lit up again. “I’m hungry.”

David’s eyebrows furrowed. He wished he could know everything about her, he felt bad, just as he did whenever he didn’t know something about his adult daughter.

Mary Margaret placed her hand on David’s arm. “Regina did the dreamcatcher, she’s duplicating it, we can watch it when,” her eyes flicked to Emma instead of saying her name so that she wouldn’t know what they were talking about, “is a bit older again.”

David sighed gently. ‘If she grows older again’ he thought, he couldn’t quite shake that thought from his mind, that one day Emma would deage fully mentally and would not change back. He was losing hope that she would change fully back to an adult, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted her to. He wanted her to have a second chance at growing up, to grow up safe and happy, and with them. He shook his head feeling selfish.
His eyes met Mary Margaret’s and he saw that she could tell all of what he was thinking. He felt suddenly ashamed at his thoughts.

Mary Margaret slipped her hand down from his arm to his hand and she squeezed it.

David gave her a tight smile then forced a happier demeanour once more as he heard his daughter starting to talk to his son who had just woken again, very quickly the forced happy demeanour became a real one.

“Let’s go an eat.” David announced, he could see his girls’ cheeks and noses were pink from the cold and wanted to get them all into the warm as soon as possible, so he nodded towards the path once more. David placed Emma on his hip and Mary Margaret took control of the stroller once again and they walked to the diner.

~OUAT~

“One minute.” Ruby called without looking up, she heard the bell on the door ring, although the diner wasn’t particularly busy yet she was currently making a cappuccino and couldn’t look up. She finished the mug and placed it onto a tray along with the cup of tea and carried over to Archie and Marco who were sat together. She finally turned to see who was at the door, she saw her favourite family stood there, Mary Margaret with the stroller containing Neal and a tiny Emma in David’s arms, their coats were covered with snow. She ran over to them, she wanted to take Emma into her arms and hug her tight but she knew that Emma might not know who she was so she was forced to restrain herself. “Hi there.”

“Auntie Ruby!” Emma shouted, holding her arms out to Ruby, she wiggled so much in David’s arms that he nearly dropped her.

Ruby looked shocked and surprised, so much so she didn’t react straight away, finally she shook herself, she knew that David was struggling to keep hold of the wiggly little one. She cuddled her close to her chest and kissed the top of her head as gently as she could. “Hey there, pup.” She cooed, this little girl was her godmother, she looked too small but so perfect.

“I made you a picture! Mommy has it.” She pointed at her mother and Mary Margaret reached into Neal’s changing bag, though she supposed it was Neal and Emma’s now, she pulled out the picture Emma had drawn her, Emma took it from her mom then passed it to her Auntie Ruby. “It’s a blue home for you.”

Ruby looked down at the scribbled colouring in but to her it was perfect. “Thank you so much, my perfect pup.” She squeezed her tighter and kissed her head again. She kept cuddling the toddler as she caught up with her best friends, hearing about Elsa and talking for the first time in person about everything that had happened, being careful not to let Emma know what they were talking about. “Let’s get you all settled down and some food to warm you up, hey?” She said finally, worried about Emma’s recent hypothermia, despite her seeming very well. “Erm,” She bit her lip glancing down at Emma then up at David and Mary Margaret, “do you guys want her to sit on one of your laps? Or you can use one of the highchairs.”

“Highchair, thanks Rubes.” David grinned as he accepted his still wiggly daughter back into his arms. They followed Ruby to the booth and as Mary Margaret sorted Neal out David took off Emma’s coat. “I’m going to put you in this highchair to eat, okay kiddo?” His mind flashed back to the too real memory of Emma strapped in the booster seat, his heartbeat quickened as he braced for some sort of reaction, but Emma didn’t seem to mind or care about being in the highchair. He decided to strap her in knowing how wiggly she was, he didn’t fancy a trip to the ER due to her falling out and bumping her head.

David put in their order with Ruby, knowing what everyone liked and would eat, and he and Mary Margaret took their seats on either side of the table, Emma’s highchair at the end of the table between them, and Neal in his stroller. David and Mary Margaret listened to Emma talking until Ruby dropped off some colouring books wish Emma absorbed herself in.

David looked across the table, watching his wife fuss over the kids- making sure Neal was warm enough but not too hot, and making sure Emma had a bib on and that it wasn’t about to ‘fall’ off, or be pulled. He just smiled as his heart swelled, despite all of the drama he know one thing, he was completely and utterly in love with her. He gently took her hand and gave her a just as gentle smile, and she did the same back.

“I had a dream about you.”

David quirked one of his eyebrows and a cocky smirk appeared on his face. “Oh yeah?”

Mary Margaret playfully shoved him. “Not like that.”

“No pushing mommy.” Emma called but otherwise kept her eyes on her drawing.

“Yeah mommy no pushing.” David smirked playfully before looking down at Emma. “Don’t worry, my little Koala, mommy was just playing she would never hurt daddy, or anyone else.” He managed to avoid listing all the times he hadbeen injured by his wife before she was his wife, in the Enchanted Forest to tease his wife, but only because he knew Emma wouldn’t understand.

“I’m sorry.” She told them both, mostly for Emma’s sake.

“So what was your dream?” David asked. “I didn’t do anything wrong in it did I?” He asked her cautiously remembering one time he had upset her in a dream and she had been annoyed about it for days, despite knowing he didn’t do anything.

“No.” She looked down at their joined hands. “It was… It was nice. We were happy.” She looked back up into his blue eyes. “It was next year, Christmas, and we were all so happy.” She looked at their daughter who was just happily colouring in, oblivious to everything her parents were going through. “Neal was one and Emmy was…”

“She was still like this.” David guessed his voice full of sympathy. “And you felt bad about it?”

“It was all such a shock, but we were just sohappy. We were having our first ever Christmas.”

“Well that’s where it’s going to be wrong, we’re going to have Christmas this year, no matter the circumstances, and next Christmas everything will have sorted itself out one way or another, and it won’t be anyone’s fault if Emma stays little. We’re trying to find a way, but if there isn’t… No matter what we’re a family and we’ll always love each other and be together.”

Mary Margaret slowly nodded her head. “Yeah, I… I’m sorry it just seemed so real.” She looked up into his eyes and smiled at him. “How are you so good at this? Making me feel better?”

David smiled and brought her hand to his lips, he kissed her hand gently before placing their hands back onto the table. “We share a heart, my love, I know you as well as you know yourself or know me.”

The family talked until their food arrived, Emma enjoying her cut up dinosaur nuggets and potato wedges, she also tried bits of Snow’s lasagna, which she liked, and David’s burger and fries, which she liked even more. By the end of the meal Emma ended up with barbeque sauce all around her face and a big grin, both Mary Margaret and David had also started to relax and just enjoy their time as a family together.

“Let’s get you all cleaned up, hey?” Mary Margaret said taking out the baby wipes from the diaper bag. “Sweetie, come on mommy needs to wipe your face, you need to be nice and clean to go grocery shopping with daddy.” Mary Margaret tried to persuade her daughter who kept wiggling away from the wipe.

David picked up a wipe from the packet and put it on his hand. “Oh no, Emmy, there’s a hand monster!” He said dramatically, he quickly managed to wipe all of the sauces and cheese from his daughter’s face. He smirked at his wife. “One-nil.”

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes playfully. “Well, I’m going to feed this littlest monster soon, so that’s going to change.” She joked.

David chuckled but started to stand up to get himself and Emma ready to go. “Regina magic-ed the car here so I can give you and our little man a lift home?” He offered expecting her to except it.

“Actually I might wait here a little longer, catch up with Ruby, I’ve not really been able to speak to her.”

“Of course! Once things are slightly less crazy, or just whenever because everything’s always crazy,” he chuckled, “she should come over, I’ve missed her too.”

“That sounds good to me. Mary Margaret smiled. She took some of Neal’s things out of the changing bag that he would need and placed them in the basket of the stroller, as David placed on his and Emma’s coats and hoisted her onto his hip, Mary Margaret passed the diaper bag over. “There’s some juice boxes in there, and a little snack if she needs one, and a change in pull ups, and-”

 “-Mary Margaret, I’ve got it.” He chuckled gently. “I know how to look after her, and I have the list you sent me on my phone, we’re going to be okay. We’re going to have fun, aren’t we clingy Koala?”

Emma was grinning widely, showing all of her tiny teeth, clearly excited. “Yeah! We’re goin’ on an adventure!”

Mary Margaret bit her lip, but it was impossible not to smile at her little daughter, and at her husband who seemed just as excited. “Okay, I’ll see you both later, have lots of fun and stay safe. Regina’s going to get the things we ordered delivered later on so I’ll meet you both at home in a couple of hours.” She kept worrying about her daughter being out of her sight even if she would be safe with David.

David bent down to kiss his wife on the lips. “I love you, we’ll see you and Neal soon.” He bent down to let Emma kiss Mary Margaret too. David kissed the top of Neal’s head and Emma copied him being as careful as she possibly could.

~OUAT~

Within half an hour David and Emma had successfully driven to the huge supermarket near the town line, though not the main road the exited by, another closed off way and not somewhere David and his family often frequented. He got Emma and the diaper bag out of car and put the bag into the shopping cart. “Do you wanna ride or do you want to walk holding onto the cart?” He asked knowing which one he preferred.

“I can walk.” She said with pride.

David frowned. “Okay… well, if you want a ride you just tell daddy, okay?” She nodded her head and they started to walk. “Okay fruit and veggies first, I need your help to pick the very best ones, okay?”

“I can do that daddy!” She exclaimed. She started to help David, they worked through Snow’s list, David seemed to somehow get her excited about the food she normally protested. “I’m gonna have apples, and grapes, and bananananas, and Nealy can have some too.”

“I think that’s a very good snack idea,” he praised adding them to the cart, “but I think we’ll have to wait a while until your little brother’s ready to eat food like we do.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s a little baby, he doesn’t have his teeth yet like we use to chomp on food, he’ll get bigger soon but he’ll have to have all his food mashed down so it’ll be easier for him to eat it.” He added all the greens Mary Margaret had written on the list, of which there were too many, in his opinion. “Okay, potatoes now. Can you see them? We get a big bag of them.”

Emma looked around but her father pointing helped. “These are them!” She jumped up and down when she saw them. She watched David add them to the cart. “Daddy, they’re dirty.”

David was confused for a moment before he realised the potatoes had dirt on them. “Oh, yeah sweetie, they’re kind out meant to be like that, the dirt comes from them growing in the ground. If we’re going to eat them with the outside, the skin, we wash them, if we’re not we get rid of the skin then we wash them.”

“Oh, okay, that’s good, we’re not allowed to eat dirt.”

David shook his head with a smile, of course Emma had had to be told not to eat dirt. “Well, we need some carrots too, what colour are they?”

“Red- no!! Orange. They’re orange!”

“They are.” He leant down to high five her. “Well done buddy.”

“Oi!”

Even David jumped at the sound of the aggressive shout, his head shot to where it came from, to a certain Captain heading down the aisle towards them. The pirate was swaying dramatically as he walked, and was looking rather bedraggled, it was clear that he had been drinking for at least a few days. David’s nose scrunched up as the smell of alcohol burned his nose passage. He glanced down at Emma, she had moved a touch closer to him but otherwise seemed frozen, he took a step closer to his little daughter. “Hook, go home, you’re drunk.” He warned.

Hook laughed loudly and mirthlessly. “Oh I’m a drunk? I’m drunk?! Why the fuck does that matter to you. You have what you always planned, don’t you? You and Snow White,” he said her name as though it was venom, “playing mummy and daddy to two little brats. You finally get to have a second chance with her, I bet you’re the one who turned her into this. You stole her from me!”

Emma felt her knee’s shake as she listened to the man’s thundering voice, she was too scared to look up at him, she felt David trying to pull her back but she was frozen, she just couldn’t move. Despite the man’s loud shouting something else send a shiver down her spine. She turned her head and saw a prim and proper looking lady staring at her, her eyes narrowed, not at the man but at Emma, she was looking at her with disgust and hatred.

Realising he couldn’t tug her closer David took a step closer to Emma and pulled her against his leg. “Hook. I’m warning you, leave now and go and sober up on your own, or be forced to.”

Hook ignored  David’s warning. “Oh there she is, eh?” He shouted, around him shoppers had stopped and were watching him. He bent over to be slightly more on the toddler’s level but was still a few feet off from them. “The greatsaviour? Whose magic can do absolutely bloody anything, bloody got us back from the past-“

-David growled “Hook!” He wanted to punch him, he really, really wanted to punch him, but he didn’t want Emma to see him acting violent, it was all he could do to restrain himself -

“-But you ‘can’t’ make yourself a little bit bigger. Absolute bollocks!” He shouted making Emma jump.

A few security guards came running over to restrain Hook, and David picked Emma up, his hand went to the back of her head, and he rocked her gently trying to protect her from anymore of Hook’s abuse.  “Lock him up somewhere if you can, I’ll ring the station to lock him up for a couple of days to get him sober, and get them to sort out a restraining order.” He kissed the top of Emma’s head as he watched him being led away. He carefully adjusted Emma in his arms and felt that her pull up had leaked. “It’s okay baby, you’re safe, you’re safe. Daddy’s got you, the scary man’s gone.” He rocked her as he put in the call to the station, they could sort it out, he could give a statement later on. “How about we get home, huh?” He picked up the diaper bag, he paused when he felt her shaking her head against his shoulder. “It’s okay, Em, we’ll come back to the store another time.”

“I wanna do shopping now Daddy.” Emma insisted, looking up at him stubbornly, but her thumb was in her mouth.

David sighed, he knew that Mary Margaret wouldn’t be too happy with him carrying on, but he didn’t think that Emma being home would help her any more than just continuing. “Okay, we’ll carry on our shopping, we’ll just get you a new pullup in the restroom first, and you have to tell daddy if you want to go home, promise?”

“Okay Daddy.” She nodded her head in agreement.

David carried Emma in his arms as he pushed the cart to the restroom, he changed her happy that they would be getting new, better ones, for her as he knew she would need them. He carried her back out and stood in front of their cart. “Do you want Daddy to carry you around or do you want to go for a ride in the cart? You’ll be able to be closest to me in my arms, but in the cart you’ll be able to see me a little better.” He wanted to keep hold of her but he didn’t want to be yet another man who took choices away from her, and he wanted her to be reassured whichever she preferred.

“Wanna see you.” Emma said, her voice distorted around her thumb. David squeezed her tight and kissed the top of her head. She smelt more like a baby than before, he realised suddenly, he found himself both wishing he done something to Hook and being glad he hadn’t, because Emma was there. He kissed her again before slipping her into the cart. He placed his phone into the holder on the cart and brought the list back up. “Okay let’s see what mommy said to get, hey?”

~OUAT~

They worked their way through the list, quieter than they had when they first got to the store, Emma talked to him but she kept her thumb firmly in her mouth.

David turned down the baby aisle, having already collected the food on the list, he grinned at his daughter. “And now for Emmy and Nealy’s things.” He said trying to get her excited, luckily it worked, though she still kept the thumb firmly in her mouth. He didn’t notice the person following them. “You wanna help choose what plates and dishes you want buddy?”

“Okay.”

With Emma’s help David added kids plastic plates, dishes, and cutlery. He noticed Emma still had her thumb in her mouth so added some pacifiers into the cart.

“Doggy!”

David looked to where she was pointing trying to figure where the dog was. “Oh! This doggy here?” He picked up one of the dog shaped bottles. “He has bubble bath in him.” He looked at the one in his hand’s label. “Oh this is that cartoon about the dogs.” He realised. “Do you want the pink one, the fireman one, or the police one?”

“Not a pink one daddy, a police one, like you!”

David grinned at her saying police, it sounded like ‘please’, he added it to the cart and kissed her head. He added most of the other things they needed, sippy cups, bottles, some snacks, he even managed to find some bath and regular toys down the aisle, before coming back to the bit he was going to have to convince Emma of most.
“Okay, diapers now I think, can you help me choose Neal’s diapers?”

Emma nodded her head looking at the diapers on the shelf David showed her. “Erm…. The teddy bear an’ monsters ones, and Lighting McQueen!” She said excitedly.

“Oh silly Daddy!”

Emma and David both looked towards the voice, Emma had no idea who the person was and neither did David, she was a bit taller than Mary Margaret with blonde hair and was batting her eyes at David, David figured that she had something in them or something.

The lady continued  to speak to Emma. “Those diapees won’t fit you now will they little girly?” She placed her hand on the top of his arm, she squeezed lightly, smiling at the toned muscle. She started to talk to David instead. “Silly daddy, I think you could use a bit of a woman’s touch.” She tried to take them off of David and put them back on the shelf.

“Oh, no, these ones are for my son, he’s a baby.” David said trying to be polite and hint that he didn’t need any help. “Hey, baby, can you choose some diapers that you like best from this shelf? They have Dory ones and more that you like too.”

“Aw, you’re such a good father knowing what your little girl likes.”

“Er, thanks?” David said trying to listen to Emma instead.

“Dory, and Moana.” Emma said looking confused  at why the strange woman kept trying to talk to her daddy.

“Okay baby,” David added them to the cart along with some Paw Patrol ones too, “and some more of those doggy ones you like.”

“Daddy, can we get mommy a prize?”

“A prize? Oh a surprise!” He realised wondering why the lady was still laughing.

“Oh honey, I’m no mommy,” she laughed, “I’m Auntie Evie, not your mommy.” She looked back at David and her tongue flickered out to lick her bottom lick, turning up the flirt. “She’s so cute, maybe I could treat you and her to some ice cream…” she moved her hand up and down his arm. “and then you can treat me to a meal after that.”

David’s eyes widened as he realised finally what the lady was trying to do. He quickly moved his arm away from her. “Oh, no she wasn’t talking about you, she meant her mommy.” She kept staring. “My wife.”

She shrugged her shoulders. “The offer still stands.” She purred quietly.

“No thanks, I need to get a present for Emma’s mommy, my wife.  I’m very happily married, y’know to my wife, who I love.” He saw her continue to flutter her eyes at him. “My wife, Mary Margaret? Snow White.”

“Oh! Well, I need to be going.”

David stared open mouthed as the lady walked away, clearly scared of Mary Margaret. He heard laughing and worried that there was going to be another woman trying to flirt with him, but when he looked it was just Thomas. He rolled his eyes and groaned.

Thomas laughed a little more as he walked over. He noticed David glaring at him and the toddler who was clearly Emma looking at him as though he was weird. He held his hands up in surrender. “Don’t worry, you got rid of her quicker than I did.”

David shook his head still astounded that the lady hadn’t cared about him being married. He gave a little laugh and smirked. “Well, I guess my wife has a bit more of a reputation than yours, she did hit me the first time we met, with a rock, and shoot me with an arrow.”

“Hitting’s not good.” Emma chimed in. “If you hit you gotta go in the time out corner.”

Thomas ruffled her hair. “You’re right about that pumpkin.”

“Yeah I think we should remind mommy about that.” David agreed with a smirk.

David and Thomas talked for a little while, including Emma who was more than happy to talk to her Uncle Thomas, finally they said goodbye and David and Emma finished their shop. As David was packing up the car up two officers exited the store, pulling Hook out in handcuffs between them.

Emma whimpered when she saw the same glaring woman from earlier glaring at her from beside the sheriff car.

David picked Emma out of the cart and cuddled her close. “It’s okay baby, he’s not going near you ever again.” He couldn’t believe that the man who Emma claimed loved her would treat her like that for something she couldn’t help, well he could, but he hated that he would have to explain it to Emma the next time her mind got older. “Let’s go home and we’ll go see mommy and Nealy, and you can show them your new toys, and we can watch some movies, yeah?” He cooed.

“ ‘Kay Daddy.” She could still feel the glaring eyes on her, she just wanted to go home, away from them.

Chapter Text

David was having a very nice dream. It was one he had dreamed before, where he and Emma were dancing, only this time instead of saying that she had failed him Emma told him that she had saved him. And when, in his dream, she turned into a toddler, he didn’t think it was anything weird or wrong, he just lifted her up in his arms and carried on dancing, walking over to lie her in her crib in her nursery.

His dream was broken by feeling someone pinching him, his eyes snapped open, not sure what he would find. Emma was trying to use his arm, which was hanging down from the bed, to pull herself up onto the bed. An easy smile appeared on his face. He heard Neal making a couple of noises but he was clearly content to lie under his mobile for a while. He scooped Emma up and placed her on his chest, pulling the blankets over the both of them, he kissed her forehead. “Hey kiddo, you’re up early.”

“Daddy, is it Christmas now?”

David, somewhat embarrassingly, had to check his phone to know the date. He realised that it was nearly Christmas, December had just started, but they had all been so distracted they hadn’t noticed. He did notice that Emma was definitely young today. “Not just yet but it will be soon. We’ll have to all get ready for Christmas.”

Emma nodded sagely. “Decorate.”

“Uh huh, we’ll need to decorate. Did you climb out of bed and down the stairs all on your own?” He ran his hand through her curls which seemed to be even messier today, standing up on their own as though someone had rubbed a balloon on them. She nodded proudly and he frowned, he saw her worry and he pushed himself to sit up more while keeping her cuddled to his chest. “You can’t go up and down the stairs on your own baby, it’s not safe, you could fall and get hurt.” She didn’t look particularly happy at that but she didn’t protest, he knew that she wouldn’t be doing so anymore, baby proofing things had been delivered the night before along with some other of Mary Margaret’s purchases. “But guess what Mommy ordered?”

“What?” She asked excitement pouring out of her just because he was.

“She ordered you a brand new bed!” He made sure that his voice was quiet but still excited. He was relieved when Emma seemed excited about that, he didn’t want to have her upset, but he and his wife had been so worried about her falling out of her bed they knew she needed a toddler one she was so small.

“Sounds like your baby brother is awake,” he wrapped her blanket around her then stood up with her in his arms, “d’you wanna watch cartoons?” He yawned through his sentence, a newborn made you very tired, a toddler and a newborn even more so, he was discovering.

The three Charmings settled on the couch with the heating turned up to full and blankets and throws wrapped around the kids. Emma had decided to stay close to David so he had her on one knee drinking one of her shakes and watching PJ Masks, and Neal on the other drinking milk from a bottle which David was feeding him. He could imagine this being the next few years of his life, the kids growing but still waking up early, and him letting his wife sleep for a while by taking charge of them. Just a normal, happy family, without having to worry about bad guys or magic or saviours. And as each day passed it seemed more and more likely that they would have Emma as a toddler rather than an adult, he had mixed feelings about all of that, he missed adult Emma of course, but this was the reality of the situation and he was okay with it.

“Puppies! Daddy, my puppies!”

David grinned at Emma’s enthusiasm, Paw Patrol had come on, just like the he had gotten her some things of during their grocery run. “Wow, look it is your puppies.” She cuddled close as he burped Neal. He enjoyed staring down at his kids for a while, listening to the show and Emma’s reactions in the background. Neal was gurgling and cooing up at him, he was growing so much every day. “Which one do you think that you like best?”

“Marshall, he’s a fire dog, yours can be Chase, Nee can be Ryder he’s not a puppy but he’s still very good.”

David grinned at her including her little brother. “I think that’s a very choice buddy.” He watched Emma and Neal interacting, he had already made sure that they both had the toys he had bought them, the monkey and lion, and Emma was talking to him about them as Neal was moving his about, as he was gaining more and more hand-eye coordination. His kids were truly breathtaking. He felt a pang of guilt as he wondered excitedly about if he would soon be getting to see Emma growing and learning things too. They had a meeting with people to see if there was any way to turn her back, but as Regina, Elsa, and Gold hadn’t come up with anything yet, and Emma was getting younger and younger…

“Morning Charming.”

He didn’t realise that Mary Margaret was even awake, but then suddenly she was by his side, placing two mugs down on the coffee table. He leant forward and kissed her softly. “Good morning, my love.” Emma wiggled on his lap trying to get to Mary Margaret but David playfully held her back. “Nuh uh, Emmy’s all mine.”

A matching playful smile appeared on Mary Margaret’s face. She dramatically tried to ‘steal’ Emma back. “I want my baby.” They did that for a little while until Mary Margaret finally ‘stole’ her.

David placed Neal into his bouncy chair and moved to one of the many cardboard boxes, he started to pull things out.

Mary Margaret cuddled her daughter close. “We’ll have to start getting ready for our day soon, it’s going to be very busy, but mommy and daddy are both home with their babies.”

“I’m not a baby, mommy, I’m big.”

“You’re my baby, always , no matter how big you get.” She nuzzled her face against her daughter’s, her daughter nuzzled back, making Mary Margaret smile. “Okay honey, mommy’s got to make you, me, and daddy some oatmeal. But we got you something very special for meal times. Do you remember at Granny’s when you sat in the special high chair to eat?”

“Uh huh.” She nodded reaching up to touch Mary Margaret hair, playing with it a little.

“Well, mommy and daddy got you a special one all of your own. It’s so you can be a big girl and see mommy and daddy when you’re eating.”

Emma looked at her mom then over at her dad who was putting the high chair together. “I’mma go help daddy.” The three year old wiggled down off of Mary Margaret’s lap and she toddled over

Mary Margaret counted that as a win.  

They all ate their breakfast, Emma required to be helped a lot, even more than usual, she was distracted by the brand new high chair as though it was an amazing new toy or something.

As they finished trying to get their daughter to eat her breakfast both David and Mary Margaret unpacked the delivery from the night before. Mary Margaret folded up Emma’s brand new clothes, ones all in her style and not hand me downs like the temporary clothes had been. David had located the box with Emma’s new bed in, technically it was a cot bed but she was so small she needed one, he wasn’t sure how bigger Emma would react, or if she would ever be big enough to care as much as she once would.

David dropped a kiss onto the top of Emma’s wild curls. “Daddy’s going to go sort some stuff out, you be a good little girl for mommy, okay?” He remembered telling her to be good when she was an adult in Neverland, it felt like several lifetimes ago now.

Emma didn’t really seem to be too bothered by his absence as he walked up the stairs. He’d have to put gates on them later, first all he was going to sort out her bed.

As a new parent he seemed to have acquired the ability to see danger in absolutely everything. To him Emma’s bedroom looked like a death trap. They had talked about looking into getting a new house after Emma aged down completely. God, what sort of father was he, waiting for his daughter to become a kid again. He knew that he had to come to terms with that she would deage, he was already missing the adult version of his daughter, but he had to put his daughter first and right now the way to do that was to wait for her to deage and give her the best life he possibly could.

He had hauled some boxes up to her room and now he started to move things about. He pushed aside Emma’s bed, moving it to Henry’s side of the top floor for his grandson to use if and when he wanted. He also moved just about everything else, until all that made up Emma’s side of the was a dresser, a small bookcase, a rug on the floor and shelves on the walls. David shrugged off his shirt into just his tank he was wearing underneath, and with his toolkit he started to build.

Mary Margaret settled Neal down into his crib, knowing that they would be moving him soon, he looked so peaceful as she tucked his blanket and monkey around him, she was pretty sure that all mothers thought that but he looked so much like his father. She loved seeing Neal and David together too, David was clearly completely besotted by him, she wondered if Neal would be as much a daddy’s boy as Emma was a daddy’s girl. Talking about the devil Emma was suddenly at her side, she had spent the morning playing with her new toys with Mary Margaret and with Neal watching and trying to ‘talk’ to them. Mary Margaret crouched down and tucked Emma’s hair behind her ear. Ideally Emma would be going down for a nap now too, but they had to be going now, and Emma seemed pretty awake. “Let’s go see your daddy, huh?” She smiled and picked up her daughter into her arms. She kissed the top of her head. Her daughter now had that unique baby smell, did that mean that her body was deciding to stay a toddler?

They went up the stairs and Mary Margaret opened the babygate at top David had installed. David was on the floor, crossed legged, as he finished tightening a screw on the dollshouse he had placed in the corner, it was shaped like a castle and had figurines, all of which David had set up in their right places. There was a big toy box against a wall, the big aqua blue rug on the floor was the same, as was the dresser from Mary Margaret’s cursed life but David had attached some new handles to it in the shape of stars. Where Emma’s bed had once stood was now a crib, it was in the style of a sleigh bed, kind of like one which Snow and David had use in the Enchanted Forest and identical to one which they used for Neal. Unlike Neal’s this one had been converted, one side was completely off and instead it had a bed guard attached to that side, to stop their daughter from possibly falling out. The crib was officially called a Boori sleigh royale and as such it had the word ‘royale’ carved into the base, fitting for the children of Queen Snow and the Prince Regent, Prince Charming. David had added a new lamp more suited to Emma’s age, and a couple of nightlights plugged in, he had even added bedding to Emma’s new bed.

David looked up at his girls and smiled gently. “I still need to set up the changing table, and we need to bring up Em’s new clothes and some toys, but otherwise…” he trailed off and shrugged as he gestured to all of the work he had done that morning.

Mary Margaret bent down, placed one hand on his cheek, and brought him in for a kiss. When it finished she kept her face close to him, smiling as she looked into his blue eyes. “This is amazing. You’re an amazing father” She promised.

“Mommy, Daddy broke Nealy’s bed.”

Mary Margaret and David pulled apart laughing.

“He didn’t sweetie.” Mary Margaret cooed through a laugh. She beamed as David took Emma from her.

David lifted his daughter into the air above his head. “I didn’t break it, cheeky monkey.” He twisted her side to side above his head making her laugh before bringing her back close. He loved the sound of her laughter, it was so free and careless, he’d do anything to make her laugh like that. He blew a raspberry onto her cheek making her laugh more as he walked closer to the crib-bed. He crouched down beside it. “This is a different one, just for my cheeky little lion.” He realise that Mary Margaret had tried to tame her hair some, but it obviously hadn’t worked, David placed Emma on the brand new mattress keeping his hands on her sides still a little worried about her falling and hitting her head or something, he supposed he’d get used to it.

He realised suddenly that he was starting to move on with her being a child. He felt beyond guilty, there was his little girl, who was still Emma , and she needed him no matter what.
“This is your new bed, it’s going to be easier for you to get in and out of it without falling or getting hurt, like you did with the big bed. Daddy’s put some things in here for you and you can have some of your new toys upstairs too.”

“Me and mommy were playing downstairs.” Emma told him with a big smile, she wiggled out of his hold and under the covers to ‘try’ the bed out. It was very comfortable.

David looked from his daughter to his wife, who was beamed before grabbing the diaper bag and filling it with things for Emma, then back at his daughter again, clearly they had been having a lot of fun playing with Emma’s new toys. “That sounds like lots of fun!” He commented enthusiastically.

“Can they come up here and we can play?”

David’s smile turned sympathetic. “We can’t play right now buddy, we’ve got to all go out and run an errand, then we have some fun things planned for us all to do.”” He added enthusiasm to his voice but was dreading her realising where they had to go, he tried to look on the brightside, perhaps young Emma would be different, better… He had yet to watch Emma’s fake memories so he had no idea….

Getting all four Charmings dressed, supplies packed and into the car was the easy part, apparently. Neal stayed fast asleep and Emma seemed to be pretty happy for a young three year old who hadn’t taken their morning nap yet, they managed to pull up to the pediatric outpatients department of the hospital and got both of the kids successfully out of the out the car and into the entrance… then Emma started to cry.

Mary Margaret quickly took her into her arms and bounced her in her arms as she would Neal when he cried. “It’s okay baby, it’s okay, come on, we’re just going to get this cast off, your arms all betters now.” She tried to calm her, she watched David carrying Neal’s car seat to the front desk to check them in.

“I want it on.” Emma sobbed, she was clutching her yellow cast and wiggling in her mom’s arms trying to escape them, the automatic doors her goal.

Mary Margaret sighed, Emma was clearly now in a stubborn and contrary mood, but she knew she was only like that because she was scared and tired. She stood in the waiting area, sharing a sympathetic look with David who had sat gently rocking Neal’s car seat to keep him asleep. Mary Margaret began to rock from side to side. “It’s okay baby, mama’s here, mommy’s got you.” She kissed the top of her head. She quickly dug through the diaper bag and pulled out one of the pacifiers David had bought at the store with Emma, Emma clearly saw nothing peculiar with that as she used it straight away. “I’m here, I love you, no one’s going to take you anywhere, I’m going to keep you with me, me you Nealy and daddy are a family and we’re going to be together forever.” She cooed quietly and she calmed her crying to just hold onto Mary Margaret. She smiled gently, she didn’t like her daughter being upset, but she had calmed her down, she had to be happy about that.

Emma’s name got called and they went through to the little room, Emma was holding onto her mom for dear life, and looked terrified. In the room was the doctor who was going to take the cast off for Emma, and the doctor who had seen Emma not too long ago.

“Hi, I wanted to check in, and see how Emma was doing.” Doctor Ashdown smiled at the small family, looking sympathetic when she saw how scared and upset Emma was by this. She had been completely filled in about Emma by Doctor Whale, at The Charmings’ request. It was amazing to see someone who had been completely deaged, she had seen it in August as well, but this was completely different magic, it seemed to be purer more natural magic. She had looked for ways to help turn her back into an adult, also at the Charmings’ request, but there was nothing they could medically do.

“She’s er, really not a fan of hospitals.” Mary Margaret cuddled Emma closer to her, her toddler had calmed down now, in her noise levels at least, otherwise she was completely terrified and clinging to her. “She’s been having her milkshakes and taking her medicine every day, her asthma seems to have been okay.”

“That’s very good.” The doctor smiled encouragingly.

“But she seems to be getting younger.” David spoke up with a frown.

Mary Margaret felt Emma cuddle closer to and she sent a small glare at her husband. “It’s okay, Baby, Daddy’s not mad at you.”

David felt his heart sink. He scrubbed his hand across his mouth as though trying to get rid of the words which he had already spoken. He looked over at his daughter his eyes wide with hurt as he tried to show that he didn’t mean it. He moved to crouch in front of her. “I’m not mad, Emmy, I swear, I was just… I’m not mad, I love you so so much, no matter what, I promise.”

“And you don’t break promises.”

David smiled at her soft voice. “Yeah, princess, that’s right.” He presses a kiss to her forehead. “Okay, you sit with mommy and we’ll get that silly cast off of you, then we’re going to have a really, really fun day with our little princess and our little prince. Can you be a big brave girl and sit with mommy while the doctor takes it off for you?”

Emma bit her lip but then nodded bravely.

The cast technician used the special electric saw to cut off the yellow cast from Emma’s arms. Emma wiggled about a little on Mary Margaret’s lap as he cut it off, it tickled a bit, the vibrations.

Soon the cast was off of Emma’s arm. Emma wiggled her fingers a bit. “It looks funny.”

Dr Ashdown smiled at the toddler. “It will do for a little while but soon it’ll be back to normal, you have to be a little careful with it, it’s not used to doing all the different stuff your other arm is used to doing.” She explained making it appropriate for a little one.

Mary Margaret smiled and kissed the top of her daughter’s head. “Such a brave little one, aren’t you? I love you so, so much.” She praised.

David and Mary Margaret listened carefully as the doctor explained the care of Emma’s now healed arm, she did a quick check up on her too, she was a lot better than she had been, they supposed that the magic was working on her to change her body younger and a side effect was making her better quicker.

Emma was presented with a lollipop and a sheet of random Disney junior character stickers as they were discharged. David held onto Neal’s carseat in one hand and in the other he held onto his baby girl.

Snow smiled at her little family. She took a picture of the three of them with her phone, Emma was in a christmas sweater and leggings, and was smiling sleepily up at her, and David beaming with pride, he would never even think about disguising how proud he was to have his two kids, they were his world.

“Let’s go and get some lunch.” She announced, her and her husband shared a smile, they knew Emma would love the slight twist in their plan, her husband bent down a little to be able to kiss her lips. When he pulled out she smiled at him. “I love you, and our kids, so much.” She told him as though it was a promise.

“I know.” He smirked then chuckled. “That’s what Han Solo says right? I love you too.”

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes playfully but there was a big grin on her face. “Nerd.” She teased lightly.

Emma was asleep before they even got back to the car. David strapped her in to her car seat as Snow put Neal’s seat back in beside their girl, he was still fast asleep, they looked so alike and angelic while sleeping.

As their kids were both napping Mary Margaret decided to take advantage of the time by spending their time catching up on any kisses that they might not have had having been so busy. They also quietly talked about Emma’s fake memories which were on the dreamcatcher back at their loft, they knew they would have to watch them, but the last ones they had watched, the real ones, had destroyed them emotionally, they weren’t sure what they were meant to expect with this. They would watch them later on, when the kids were asleep that night, but today they would just have a nice day pretending that they were just a normal family.

After forty five minutes Neal started to wake and Mary Margaret moved to the back of the car to feed him, as she did her and David continued to softly talk, David tried not to distract the baby from feeding too much. David smiled watching his son, who was also dressed christmassy like the rest of the family, he was completely in awe of the three month old, so grateful that he got to raise him, he wished Emma had never suffered like Neal had. He just had to hope that Emma hadn’t suffered too much in her fake memories, though he wasn’t sure the likelihood of that considering what this Emma had said.

Eventually Neal finished and Mary Margaret moved to the front again and they set off.

Emma awoke to her dad leaning over her, her was undoing her car seat, and smiling softly at her. She yawned and blinked heavily, too curious as to why he woke her up to try and go back to sleep, she rubbed her eyes fiercely to try and wake up. “Daddy?” She said through another yawn.

David paused getting her out to press a kiss to the top of her forehead. “Hey sleepy girly.” He cooed. He felt bad waking her up, but she needed to eat, they had tried to give her lunch. He lifted her into his arms once again, placing her on his him as the diaper bag hung at his other side. “It’s lunchtime, kiddo, we’re going somewhere special for you being so good at the hospital.”

Emma smiled softly and she led her head against his chest and she slowly started to wake up. “‘Kay.” She yawned again.

Mary Margaret giggled gently at her sleepy daughter as she got the twin stroller from the back of the car. She set it up, ignoring her husband’s offers to help, she grinned smugly and triumphantly when she set it up easily.

David chuckled and placed his daughter into the strolled, Mary Margaret placed Neal in beside her. He watched as Mary Margaret fussed over the two kids, making sure they were strapped in fully and everything was okay. He was almost overwhelmed with how much he loved her.

“What?” She asked him, tilting her head to the side, as she caught him staring.

“I’m just wondering how I got so lucky.” He admitted.

Mary Margaret pulled him down to her level using his coat. “Because you deserve this… without all of the weird bits…” she added as an afterthought making him throw back his head in laughter.

“Where we goin’?” Emma asked.

Mary Margaret crouched in front of her and kissed her forehead. “We’re going to get lunch, honey.” She told her with a smile. “But not at Granny’s, there’s a special Christmas market on, so we’re going to get some food and do some fun things. I know we haven’t done a lot of fun things, or Christmas things recently, but we’re going to have a fun family day just me, you, daddy, and Nee.”

Emma looked as though Mary Margaret had just announced she was about to perform some form of miracle, she really didn’t seem to believe she would get to do something to do with Christmas. “Really really Mommy ? ” She tried to look around but couldn’t see anything. There was a hint of nervousness in her voice and in her eyes.

Mary Margaret paused for a half second. There was only one reason why Emma would be acting so excited and nervous. “Of course honey.” She placed her hands gently on Emma’s arms to get her to look at her instead of looking around trying to see the Christmas things. “Honey, I don’t know if you’ve ever really had a Christmas or done lots of Christmas stuff…” Suddenly the three year old looked ashamed, as though it was her fault. “That is not your fault. Do you understand me?” She was reminded of her own past, when she and Emma had been in the Enchanted Forest and Emma had told Mulan to cut down the beanstalk, like her adult Emma the toddler nodded as she bit her lip. “Good girl. We’re going to have lots and lots and lots of Christmases, but this one is going to be extra special be extra special, because we’re going to be together, as a family.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Emma brightened up after that and Mary Margaret kissed her forehead before standing up and she walked next to David as he pushed the stroller.

The Christmas market was spectacular. The entire field where the magic beans had once grown was covered in a layer of snow, on top of which there were many hut-like stalls. Some sold food while others sold gifts, holiday gifts, decorations of every kind. The stalls were lit with lights which lit up place and made it look even more magical even at midday.

They ate their lunch, from one of many diverse food stalls set up in the giant field, at a picnic table, Emma cuddled up on her mommy’s lap as they chatted. Once they finished eating they bought hot chocolates and David poured Emma’s into her empty new sippy cup and they sat her in the stroller next to Neal again.

They went around the stalls, having never celebrated Christmas uncursed all they had were Mary Margaret’s cursed and drab decorations so they bought all new ones - baubles, tinsel, lights aplenty, along with even more decorations, they had to make several trips back and forth to the car as their purchases grew too many to fit in the basket of the stroller. Emma seemed to be enjoying it to no end, they would have said it was like they were showing her magic, but they lived in a town of magic, that wasn’t too uncommon. Nevertheless, Emma was clearly amazed and in wonder, half at the market, half at what was to come, she chatted away about absolutely everything she saw to her parents and her baby brother.

David and Mary Margaret also bought presents for the kids, secretly of course, to keep the magic alive for both of the kids on the off chance that Santa Clause from their realm had not come over with the second curse. They knew that Neal wouldn’t know or care that he had seen some of his presents early but that didn’t matter, the act on the other hand did, he would have magical Christmases for as long as humanly possible. Both kids would.

Soon enough Emma was getting cranky, and in desperate need of her afternoon nap, especially as she had missed her morning one.

“We just have one last thing to do sweetheart.” Mary Margaret soothed kissing her head. “And I think that you’ll like this one.” She carried her in her arms as they headed to the back of the lot.

“It’s good to see you, old friends!”

“And you, Tiny, you’re looking well.” David greeted with a warm smile.

“And you, also, you all look happy.” He smiled at the little family, crouching in the snow to get a look at Neal in the stroller. “What a cute little guy. And Mary Margaret, she looks just like you.”

David looked at his girls with all the love in world. “I think so too.”

“So you’re here for a tree?”

“I sure hope so.” David joked looking over at all of the very many trees in front of them. “Or we’ve come to the wrong place.”

“Hey, honey,” Mary Margaret’s voice made Emma’s head snap away from the trees and to her, “do you want to pick out a tree?”

“A real Christmas tree?!” And just like that Emma was no longer tired but wiggling out of Mary Margaret’s arms and onto the ground.

They took their time, it was clearly very important to Emma that they had the right one, and when they found the right one they arranged the delivery within an hour from Tiny.

With the tree found, Emma grew tired once again, they knew more than ever that it was time to head home.

While the kids took their naps back in their beds, David and Mary Margaret decorated the loft, joking and kissing as they did. And when the kids awoke they spent their day as a family, they decorated the tree, watched a Christmas movie, ate dinner, bathed the kids, and eventually, put them to bed, taking several hundred photos as they did.

“Do you think they will have found something?”

Mary Margaret hesitated. She just wanted to watch her baby sleep, was that too much to ask? “I guess we’ll find out in a couple of days.”

“Snow.” He sighed using her real name, he needed this, he needed her real answer not for her to sit on the fence more than he needed oxygen. “That’s not what I asked.”

Mary Margaret finally tore her eyes away from their sleeping toddler. She looked down at the floor, sighed, then looked up at him. She wordlessly shook her head.

David nodded once and looked down at the floor. He thought the same. Perhaps it was just a normal feeling to have or perhaps it was parents intuition. He took his wife’s hand and gently squeezed it, both of their eyes went to their exhausted sleeping baby. Even in her sleep she was keeping her precious things close to her.

“She really loves that lion you got her.”

David’s smile widened as he continued to watch her. “Yeah, I didn’t think she’d love it that much… I was so excited to be a dad, all my life, but especially when you told me that you were pregnant, back in the Enchanted Forest…” he shook his head, his eyebrows flickered up for a second then returned to their usual place on his face, he shook his head again. “I didn’t expect it to be like this, that it would be so difficult and complicated, but I wouldn’t change Emma or Neal, or their stories and all the craziness surrounding their lives.” He looked at his wife. “Maybe this is just the next step of Emma’s story. We get to raise her and give her a proper childhood with whatever memories she has now. Maybe this is her way to finally get a happy ending, I’m pretty sure the universe owes her that, maybe this was always going to happen.”

Mary Margaret led her head against her husband’s arm, she pressed a kiss to it, still holding onto his hand. “Maybe.” They were silent for a moment, just listening to her breathe.

“We should go watch Emma’s fake memories.” Mary Margaret whispered reluctantly. “Before Neal needs feeding.”

Chapter Text

Emma had been so young for most of the day that it almost gave them whiplash when she woke from a late afternoon nap with her real memories back again. She was acting a mixture of young and a little older again, and she just wanted to add more Christmas decorations to her room just as excited about Christmas as the younger version of herself. Mary Margaret and David hated that they had to sit down and tell her that they had watched her fake memories, and that she needed to too.

They watched as a too tiny was put through the tree. Pinocchio heard her crying and picked up the baby. He apologised saying that her daddy should be with her. He had been versed by the Blue Fairy to give a made up name, she even told him what name to give.

When people found them he gave them his name and said that Emma was his baby sister. He refused to say anything about their parents other than that they had lost them.

David held onto Emma tighter in his arms. But both he and Mary Margaret looked at the tiny baby in August’s arms as the sat in the police station waiting for a doctor to come and check them over and CPS to send a social worker to collect the kids.

Emma watched as August left her at a few months old, alone in the neglect children’s home, to run away in hopes of being in a place that was even a little better. She didn’t blame him, she would have done the same, in a heartbeat.

They were in a room suddenly, a nursery, done up with all the best brands and tech.

“Emmy,” David said softly, “you don’t have to watch this bit.” He held her closer.

Emma shook her head but she hid a bit closer to her dad, the smell of him keeping her from being sucked in as the fake memories found a real home in her head, giving her two sets of memories.

When it had been just Mary Margaret and David watching the memories she had tried to pick up the baby, to no avail, again. This time she and David looked just and pained but they managed to still themselves.

The baby in the crib was older than the one they had just seen. She was dressed completely in pink. And she was crying, she did that a lot, normally no one came. Three people entered the room.

“I think this is best, it will be a brand new start for you, and with your new little one.” She smiled at the bump protruding from the woman’s stomach. “Before the adoption goes through, and with her not being one for a few days

“Dada.” The baby held up her hands towards the man who she thought was her father. Her hands made grabby actions to him but he did not pick her up.

“It would be different if she didn’t have all of her many problems.” He adjusted his glasses on his nose, watching the social worker nod in agreement, ignoring the baby calling for him who was becoming more distressed.

The baby’s crying started up again. “Mama.” She reached towards the pregnant lady.

“Oh honey,” she sighed sympathetically but did not reach for the baby either. “I’m not going to be your mama anymore, I’m sure you’ll find a perfect one someday. You’ll find someone who loves you, just not here.”

“Baby, I’m so sorry, I’m…” Mary Margaret cupped her daughters cheek, even these fake memories didn’t give Emma a happy or loving start, other than her and her husband hugging and kissing her her first few minutes of life.

They watched as Emma left the house and went to a new group home, then a couple of foster homes, they watched Emma grow a little older and suffer all types of cruelties.

Something they also counted as a cruelty was that Emma was never allowed to celebrate her birthday, or Christmas, or any other holiday. She was not allowed to grow up with hope or belief.

Yet she persevered.

She was three, by the time she ran away, so small, with an even smaller backpack with her blanket, a pacifier, and some food.

“I… I remember this.” Emma frowned. She looked to her mother. “Mommy?”

Mary Margaret pressed a kiss to her daughter’s forehead. “It’s okay baby, mommy and daddy are both here, we’ve got you.” She rubbed her back as David’s strong arms held Emma. “Your memories are going to still be in your head, and these new ones are going to be too, like when the first curse broke and mommy and daddy had Snow White and Prince Charming and Mary Margaret And David Nolan memories. It’ll be a little bit strange but it’ll be okay in a minute I swear.”  

“We just need to get through these memories,” he whispered, “then it’ll get better.” David soothed holding his daughter closer, he wrapped his arm around his wife, and held her closer too.

They found Emma under a bridge, she was just a baby, too young to be on her own in most places, let alone having just run away. She shivered with just a thin jacket and her blanket to keep her warm.

In David’s arms Emma shivered too.

“Emma, I found you.” A ten year old grinned down at Emma. In his hands was a big storybook. “My name’s August, I’ve come to help you find your real mommy and daddy.”

“I don’t have a mommy or a daddy.”

“You do.” He promised. He took off his own coat and wrapped it around Emma. “They didn’t want to give you away but they had to. They were cursed by an evil witch and no one can remember who they really are, but we can save them.”

Emma looked up at the smiling boy. Slowly a smile grew on her own face.

They went to the police station and a social worker came for them.

Soon they were in the social workers car on the way to a little town called Storybrooke.

They were stood outside of a familiar door. It opened.

“Mommy!’

Mary Margaret looked at her daughter who had a grin from ear to ear. “Yes honey, in this curse mommy got to foster you, just like you came to live with me really.” She had been just as happy when she and David had watched the dreamcatcher the night before.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot about that.” Emma said distracted as she listened to the social worker told Mary Margaret that August would be staying with Doctor Hopper.

The scenes changed and passed: Mary Margaret bonding with Emma, Emma learning to trust her, Emma playing, going to daycare, hot chocolate, August had made friends with a boy called Henry who was Mary Margaret step-brother, and they both visited Mary Margaret and Emma to read her fairy tales and help her believe, and Mary Margaret fell completely and utterly in love with the little three year old whose smile reminded her of someone… she just couldn’t remember who.

They watched as Mary Margaret took Emma to the hospital for her shots, the doctor’s office was currently closed, and Mary Margaret let Emma choose the way to try and get them out of the place, a little game Mary Margaret was letting her play just to see the smile on her face.

They came across a hospital ward and Emma managed to slip her hand out of her foster mother’s and she ran to the end of the ward to where a man was asleep in the bed.

He was hooked up to a million machines, he looked peaceful, like he had just fallen asleep.

“Daddy.” Emma didn’t mean to let out the worried whisper but she couldn’t help it. She felt herself being bounced a little and turned her head to look at her version of her father.

“It’s okay, kiddo, I’m here, I’m okay I promise.”

“You were hurt.” She said with a tiny whine.

David gave her a sympathetic smile, his mouth felt tight as he forced the smile not to spread too much, he didn’t like his daughter upset but he was touched that she was upset that even a dream version of him was hurt. “I know, but I’m all better now, I swear.” He shifted her in his arms and pulled down his sweated from the neck, he showed her the healed scars from the sword, it had been thirty years and he had been given plenty of time to heal. “See? This is why he, that version of me, is there. He rested for three years, he’s all better it’s just the curse, but I think it’s time for him to be woken too.” He nodded his head and the Emma who was identical to his baby Emma stepped much closer to the bed.

“Emma, we can’t be in here sweetie.” Mary Margaret looked around nervously, as though the Mayor would turn up at any second.

“He’s asleep, like Auggie and Henry said, he needs a kiss to wake.” She looked at her foster mother hopefully. “Pretty please Mary Margaret?”

Mary Margaret sighed sympathetically. “Honey, I know you think that this is the Prince-”

“-Prince Charming.”

“-And your daddy, I’m sorry honey but I don’t think that he is. He just needs more rest and medicine. We have to go home.”

Emma was becoming quite distressed. “But you have to wake him you’re the only one who can.”

“-Emma, I’m sorry-”

Emma started to cry as she held onto David’s still cold hand, she felt Mary Margaret pick her up, but before she could let go of David’s hand she gave it a kiss.

David awoke.

He wasn’t perfectly awake, he had the wrong memories, he was cursed just like Mary Margaret was. But he must have felt some attachment to his real family as he and Mary Margaret became friends, he would go and play with Emma and listen to her stories, and would joke and flirt with Mary Margaret.

When he and Abigail decided to split for good he was around a lot more. One day he was there when Emma woke up, after that he was around a lot more, Mary Margaret explained to her that she and David were dating and made sure that Emma was okay with that. And she was, she really was, but she was still just a foster kid, and she and her friends were becoming more desperate for the curse to break.

David’s curse broke first, when he held Emma’s blankie, he looked heartbroken when he realised that his wife was still asleep. He also looked torn that he had to wait until Mary Margaret went to go and make hot chocolate.
“Hey baby.” He whispered to the little girl. His eyes teared up and he hesitantly rubbed her cheek with his thumb.

“You knew!” Emma shouted excitedly watching the memories as though they really were real.

Mary Margaret and David shared a little worried look. “Yeah, Emmy, you woke me up.” David assured her. “In this version of memories.”

“David?” Emma tilted her head looking like her mother. She could tell something was going on but she wasn’t sure what.

“It’s daddy, baby, you woke me up. I remember everything.” His daughter threw herself into his arms. He held her tight for the first time since he had put her into the wardrobe. “Mommy’s not awake yet but I promise she will, Daddy will make sure.”

David subtly worked with the kids trying to break it.

Eventually he led Mary Margaret to Gold’s shop where he had found Emma’s mobile. She touched it. She remembered.

They were a happy family for the first time, but where making no progress in breaking the curse, but something else was on Mary Margaret’s mind.

An apple turnover was delivered and she placed it to the side, she meant to throw it into the trash, but before she could she was distracted, she needed to tell David the news, she didn’t mean to leave it where Emma could get it.

“David, I’m pregnant, we’re going to have another baby.”

Emma took a bite of the apple turnover. And fell into a deathlike sleep.

The panicked for ten minutes, then kissed her, together.

The curse broke.

“We broke the curse.”

David looked down at his daughter saying it as the same words were echoed by the toddler in Emma’s memories.

“Yeah princess,” he cooed, “we did.”

They were not happy for long. They had only just told Emma that she was going to be a big sister when she and Mary Margaret fell through a portal to the Enchanted Forest.

Emma was terrified but Mary Margaret was mostly able to soothe her, keep her safe from Cora, she learnt how to be a mom in a weird world with magic.

They got back and started to try and live a normal life, Regina and Mary Margaret finally talked and healed their relationship, deciding to become family not just for Emma and Henry’s sake, but for theirs too, everything was going smoothly … until Henry was kidnapped and taken to Neverland. The Charmings were the first to volunteer to go with Regina, Gold, and Hook to go and save him, he was family. They tried to leave Emma with Belle, but Emma hid on the Jolly Roger, a stowaway, she was going to find her new step-uncle.

Mary Margaret and David did not put her down the entire time, and Emma didn’t want them too, she was terrified, they wished that she had just stayed at home, especially with Pan who seemed to have it out for her, to make her feel unloved.

They found Henry and got him back, but Pan was there too, and he cast his curse.

Emma tried to cling to her mommy and daddy.

David felt his Emma clinging tight to him and he didn’t blame her. He had already seen and gotten used to what was about to happen. He rocked his daughter in his arms as his wife rubbed her back.

“It’s okay baby, it’s just memories, remember?”

Emma looked panicked, unsure of what was real or not.

“Emma, look at me. It’s okay. I’m sorry you have to see this it’s the only way for you to be able to know these memories when you’re a bit big still. This didn’t happen, we’re here, and it’s never going to happen I swear.”

Emma listened to her mom’s words and nodded somewhat hesitantly. She didn’t loosen her grip on David.

Emma, Henry, and August had not spent their entire childhoods in the Enchanted Forest, if they didn’t go now they would fail to exist.

“Honey, Mommy and Daddy are going to find you.” Mary Margaret held her daughter as close as she could with a slight bump.

“Daddy will always find his girls.” David promised but he was crying.

“You have to go with Auggie and Henry, we will find you, Auntie Gina’s given you pretend memories, but we’re going to find you and we’ll give you your real ones back. As soon as you see one of us you’ll remember.” It broke her heart to have to force her daughter to let go of her and leave her.

Regina had made sure that August, Henry, and Emma would stay together, they were sent to a children’s group home for two whole months. It was hell for them, they both felt like something was missing.

Then their social worker called them into the office. David, Regina, and Archie were there, their curses broke, Emma ran into her daddy’s arms. David, Regina, and Archie had come with ‘proof’ that they were Emma, Henry, and August’s parents respectively.

They spent a month trying to protect Emma and the unborn baby from Zelena, when Neal was born she kidnapped both of the Charming children. David managed to save them both, but he picked up Neal first and Emma tried to pretend that it didn’t hurt.

The memories were over and they were suddenly back in the loft.

Emma led against David’s chest. She felt her mom rubbing her back and turned her head to look at her. “Mommy.” She mumbled.

“I’m here, baby.” Mary Margaret soothed. Neal was asleep against her own chest, since they had shown Emma her fake memories their daughter had been holding onto both of them. She watched her daughter for a moment then stood up.

She carried Neal over to his crib. She gently placed him in his crib, watching his eyes flicker as he tried to stay awake, she pulled the blankets up over him and tucked them around him. She brushed her finger down his cheek. “None of that, little mister, it’s bedtime now. I’ll see you at one in the morning.” She pressed a kiss to his forehead, made sure his toy monkey was at the bottom of his crib.

Mary Margaret walked back over to her husband and daughter and slipped her out of his arms as she sat in the seat beside David. “I can’t begin to understand how hard this is for you sweetie, but we know what it’s like having two sets of memories-“

“Yeah, David Nolan wasn’t very good-“

Mary Margaret carried on as if David hadn’t interrupted “-You can talk to us about it if you want or need to. Mommy and Daddy will help you put memories in order.” She rocked her baby girl a little but Emma didn’t relax. “Honey… is there something more? It’s okay you can talk to  us, no matter what.”

Emma stayed quiet.

“Come on Kiddo, you’re not alone anymore, no matter which Emma you are, you can talk to us.”

“It’s hard.”

Mary Margaret nodded slowly. “I know honey, but the more you talk the easier it’ll get.”

“Not that… It’s harder to be big me…. I’m trying but…. I need to keep doing… for Henry…”

David and Mary Margaret shared a look. How could they encourage their daughter to just let go ? If they did they would lose one version of their daughter, and that may be selfish, but they couldn’t bare it. How could they possibly encourage their daughter to, in a sense, die?

Mary Margaret cuddled their baby closer. “It’s okay baby, I’m sorry, I’m just… I’m so sorry, Mommy and Daddy are here, we’re always going to be here.” She kissed the top of her baby’s curls.

David wrapped his arm around Mary Margaret and cuddled her closer to him, he gently took his daughter’s hand, rubbing the back of it with his thumb, it was weird seeing it out of a cast, like seeing the adult part in their baby girl disappear. His heart broke but he smiled his charming smile. “Hey, do you want to hear the story of how mommy shot daddy with an arrow?” He smirk a stole a kiss from his wife when she rolled her eyes dramatically.

“And mommy will tell you what really happened, without Daddy being dramatic.”

Emma snuggled down in her Mommy’s arms, allowing herself to let go, for just a little while.

Emma eventually fell asleep and Mary Margaret and David felt exhausted having had to watch and go through that again.

“David, she never had a Christmas or a birthday or, or anything. I know Henry and August tried to put together a good birthday for her, but even then...”

David pressed a kiss to the top of Mary Margaret’s head. “I know. I know... “ He sighed deeply. “I know her magic’s helping her hold it back but the longer she holds back the younger she’ll end up being, and her memories will just get worse, more condensed  …. Unless someone comes up with some sort of miracle tomorrow.”

Mary Margaret was silent, she was not hopeful, not even slightly.

Chapter Text

To say that Emma had been unsettled since watching her fake memories through the dreamcatcher was an understatement. The next day she was acting odd, a mix between young and old as she had been before, but now she seemed to be snapping back and forth, and was distressed by the whiplash she was experiencing. She was experiencing a mix of two histories and was frustrated trying to stay as old as she could. She clung to them from the moment she woke up, crying whenever they put her down, David and Mary Margaret had to try and juggle between holding Emma all the time and looking after Neal, along with day to day sorting out things in their home.

David sat in the rocking chair they had put in Emma’s new room, gently rocking the chair Emma was curled against his chest, she was still in her pyjamas they decided not to get her dressed that day, it was just easier. He looked down at her blonde curly hair, which was untamable, and her little pink cheeks, she had cried when she hadn’t been able to see Mary Margaret who was trying to get Neal to nap downstairs. David had eventually gotten her to settle down, assuring her that mommy was downstairs, that they weren’t going anywhere, she would see them when she woke up.

He sighed gently, he wished he could just stay sat in the rocking chair until she woke up, but he knew that he couldn’t. He and his wife had invited a variety of people around to their home to talk about Emma; this was their last chance to see if there was anyway to get Emma to be big again, and to stay big, but… he wasn’t hopeful. He wasn’t sure which would be better for her, truthfully, both of her pasts real and fake where extremely hard for her. She deserved a happy life and he found that she was a lot happier as a child, he hadn’t said it out loud but he thought that she might be better getting a second chance at childhood, he just felt guilty that Henry might be about to completely lose another parent.  

He dropped a kiss to her white blonde curls as he stood up, one of his hands rubbed her back before moving his hand to cradle her head, he slowly lowered her into the crib-bed, trying to undo her hands from his shirt.

Emma let out a whine in her sleep scrabbling to keep hold of her daddy.

“Shh, shh, shh, it’s okay, my little koala.” He whispered trying to calm her without waking her, he grabbed her blanket and her lion, he pulled her hands from his shirt and quickly placed her items into her hands. She settled back down. He tucked her covers around her and kissed her forehead. He stood up, staring down at her for a few minutes, just watching her sleep, he watched her eyebrows furrow, instinctively he reached down and brushed his thumb against her cheek, her face relaxed again.

“Night night, Emmy.” He whispered. He forced himself away from the crib, he turned on the night lights, and made sure that the baby monitor on the changing table was switched on. He stayed for a couple more minutes before leaving the room and going downstairs once again.

“Is she asleep?”

“Yeah.” David smiled at Mary Margaret, she looked just as worried and anxious as he was feeling. He tugged her away from the kitchen sink and into his arms, his hands on her cheeks, he pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead.  “It’s going to be okay, my love, I promise…. I, today, at least… we…”

Mary Margaret smiled, she knew how hard he was trying, trying to find the words to an impossible situation. “We’ll get a definitive answer.” She filled in the break in his sentence. “We get to know that there really is absolutely no way to change her back, she gets to know, we, we have enough- enough time-.” her voice got caught in her throat she dropped to a whisper, “We have enough time, the chance, to say goodbye.”

David pulled her closer to him, so that her head was resting on his chest, he gently rested his chin on the top of her ash hair. “I know, my love, I know.” He whispered after a long pause.  

Eventually they pulled away from each other. “I love you.” He said like it was a promise. “And no matter what we aren’t going to lose each other again, I swear. We will get through this.” His hands were on her cheeks, his thumbs stroked her cheeks and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“I know. I love you too.” She stood on her tiptoes for a moment to press a kiss to his lips. “Thank you for being my rock.”

“Thank you for being mine.” He responded without hesitation. He dropped his head and kissed her again, a much longer and deeper kiss than before, only pulling away when someone knocked at the door. “That’ll be everyone coming to talk about Emma.”

“Yeah.” Mary Margaret sighed. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Soon their small apartment was full of people, including two small children, Regina had been the first to arrive, followed closely by the others.

“So, shall we got started?” Gold still felt a little uncomfortable being around all of these do gooders , less so Belle, Regina, and David who had strung up a friendship with since he had helped him win over ‘Lacey’- even if he had changed his own ways for the better he didn’t want to be like them, truth be told. He wanted this over quickly, too, he felt sorry for the Charmings, he too was a childless father.

“We’ve just got to wait for Blue, she’s pretty much ancient, she might know some way which other fairies might have forgotten.” David placed a mug of tea down in front of him, giving the others tea or coffee as per their preferences.

Gold raised his eyebrows as he rolled his eyes. “Brilliant.” His voice was completely deadpan.

Mary Margaret bit her lip to suppress a smile, she had always found the fairy tricky and hard to trust, more so after she had insisted on sending Emma through the magic wardrobe, not to mention that she never seemed to be around to help the town, she always seemed to leave it to others.

There was a knock at the door and Mary Margaret somewhat reluctantly stood up from her place at the table to open it. She opened the door and stood aside to let Blue inside, the woman was in her usual rather prudish looking clothes despite no longer actually being a nun, followed quickly behind her was a scruffy man in dark leather clothes.

“Oi!” David stood up, his blood boiling, at the sight of the intruder . “Get the fuck out of my home!”

“ I invited him.” Blue put herself between David and Hook, both of the men looked surprised, as did the rest of the ensemble seated at the table. “Hook here is very useful.” She checked that her smile was as soft and kind as she meant it to be, and turned the smile on David and Mary Margaret. “He is as old as Rumpel, and has travelled across many realms, he knows a lot about different magic and spells… you do want your daughter to be able to resume having her own life, after all.”

There was something in her voice which made Mary Margaret want to scoop up her children or her bow to protect them, but she didn’t know why she felt like that, so she shared a look with David before reluctantly nodding her head.

“Mary and I would do anything for our daughter. We will always put her first and do what’s best for her.” David glowered.

Both Blue and Hook, wisely, sat at the far end of table, away from both Mary Margaret and David.

“Now we have our two new best friends , perhaps we should begin.” Gold said, eyeing both the fairy and the pirate, he didn’t trust them. Not at all.

“Yeah, thanks Gold.” David turned his head to the other side to look at Regina. He already knew what she was going to say. But he asked regardless. “Have you found anything? Anything to…”

Regina squeezed Mary Margaret’s hand gently but couldn’t reach David, she smiled sympathetically at him, they all knew what would be said, she had already had this discussion with them, this was more of a formality. “I’m sorry. I searched everything, every spell, or potion, even hexes, there’s nothing, nothing which could safely turn her back into an adult.”

“O-Okay.” Her voice got caught in her throat, she smiled hopefully at Tink, making sure that her smile conveyed that she shouldn’t feel bad should she not have anything.

“If this was a simple spell from Neverland I’d be able to, but this isn’t like anything I’ve seen before, it’s like it’s just part of her, meant to be… I’m so sorry.”

David took hold of his “It’s okay, Tink, thank you for searching though.”

“I’m here if you need any help with anything else, please just let me know.” Tink’s heart ached for the family who had gone through so much already.

They slowly went down the table, one by one, each person with a different expertise: Neither Elsa nor Anna knew of anything from Arendelle which could help Emma age up again. Nova and Grumpy told them that there was no possibility that fairy dust would work on Emma’s situation. Belle had scoured books to no avail. And Gold, as ancient, as powerful as he was didn’t know of a way which would be able to turn Emma into an adult, safely and with her real memories, or even who she was as a person, it simply wasn’t possible.

Blue and Hook stayed strangely quiet throughout all of the conversations and arguments happening around the table. Hook was eyeing Blue suspicious, until she leant closer to him and whispered something, his demeanor changed and he nodded his head.

Archie had been invited too, he may not know about magic, not like the others, but he was a good judge of morals, helping weigh up options.
He was needed there.
“From what I’ve seen of Emma, and from what you and the others have told me, Emma has had an exceptionally hard childhood, both times, and no matter what this is going to have a massive effect on her. This is obviously complicated by Henry, and their relationship is very close though it’s far from a typical parent child relationship, I think that it’s something which could continue to strengthen even if Emma stays as a child. So the argument is really about what is best for her, thinking of her as the child she already is most of the time, she deserves to be able to heal from her past and have another chance, with her parents.”

Everyone slowly nodded clearly all stuck in their own heads, no one disagreeing with Archie’s opinion, Mary Margaret and David were the quietest, still holding onto each other’s hand.

Mary Margaret noticed the quiet fairy, who hadn’t appeared to have aged a day since Mary Margaret was a young child, she realised she was uncharacteristically keeping her opinions to herself. “Blue, I assume you haven’t been able to find a way either.”

Blue smiled slowly. “Snow White, there is always a way, especially when you’re as old as I am, I know of an old cure, one I doubt Regina or Rumple have even heard of… A potion, with rare ingredients I’m sure that between the good pirate and myself we can precure. There is a chance to change your daughter back into the adult saviour she is meant to be.”

“What potion?” Regina narrowed her eyes.

“It was one made during fairy experiments, when I was a young fairy, when a group of fairies were testing their abilities… as you know we are able to age others down, I know of a potion, I had numerous results-”

“-It had three results, two of which were death.” Rumple interrupted glaring at the oversized flea.

Regina was glaring too. “That was an experimental potion at best , the fact it even worked once was a miracle, I read about it in one of my mother’s books.”

“We are not putting Emma’s life in danger.” Mary Margaret’s voice was dangerous as was the look she levelled Blue with.

“You’re being selfish,” Hook’s chair scraped against the wood as he stood up, “you want to make her different, take her away from me, away from all of us! She is my happy ending! I will get Swan back, no matter the cost!”

“You’re touching a hair on her head-!” David started to respond but Blue interrupted him.

“You have to put the town first too, Emma is the saviour that’s important, what if one day she is not there to save your son? What about his destiny? You shouldn’t have put her through that wardrobe if you’re not willing to do what it takes. She is not just your daughter, she is the saviour, she has magic which hasn’t been explored, she has a role to play! ”

Mary Margaret stood up with even more anger on her face than Hook had, if looks could kill then Blue would dead several times over.. “That is not down to Emma she isn’t owned by the town. She and Henry woke everyone from the first curse she is under no obligation , she saved the town, but she is a person, not an object or a weapon!”

David was about to agree with his wife when he heard Emma crying and whimpering over the baby monitor. He stood up and pressed a kiss of support to Mary Margaret’s temple. “I’ll get her.”

David was trying to focus on his breathing and his anger as he went up the stairs to the loft to find Emma, he was so lost in his head that he nearly ran into the child in front of him.

“Henry?” The thirteen year old looked up at him sheepishly. “I thought, your mom said that Robin was looking after you and Roland, how did you get here?”

“I went up the fire escape up to the roof, I wanted to listen in, but I knew if I was near the kitchen one of you would see me, I could listen better up here too, without the laundry room.”

David nodded slowly and with respect. “That’s a smart idea.” He placed his hand on his grandson’s shoulder giving him a knowing look. “But do you want to tell me why? ” He heard Emma calling him but he kept his eyes on Henry, giving him his full attention, he needed him right then, and no matter what Henry was always going to be his family, to all of them.

Henry sighed, looking down as his sneakers scuffed against the wooden floor, he wanted David to get Emma, he didn’t like having to hear her upset or her being upset at all. “I’m not ten anymore, Emma’s my family too, even if she can’t be my mom anymore I want to be- I want to be part of this, I want to help, I don’t want to feel…”

David pulled him closer as the kid trailed off. “You don’t want to feel helpless… I know the feeling, bud…. And you’re right, we shouldn’t shut you out of these things, I think we’re just all so worried and stressed we want to protect you from feeling like that- it’s a parent thing, but I know we’re not really protecting you, you’re feeling that anyway.” He felt Henry nod against him. “Let me grab Emma but then we can go downstairs, we can all talk, your mom and grandma.” David started to move but came to a jolted stop when Henry didn’t move.

“Gramps?”

“Yeah, kid?”

“My mom, Emma, she’s not going to get big again, is she?”

David looked down at him, trying to think of a comforting lie, like the ones his mother tried to tell him when his own father had died, he couldn’t do that. “No buddy, the potion you heard Blue talking about would kill her, we just can’t do it.”

“I’d rather have her, even if she’s a toddler, if she only remembers me in the fake memories I watched in that dream catcher, I could be like an uncle to her?”

“You’re one in a million kid.” He always took David’s breath away, but this time even more so,he was trying his best to be so understanding.”I know you’d be a perfect uncle to her like you are to Neal.” He knew technically he was the nephew but as Regina was basically Mary Margaret’s mom it worked.

Henry nodded, it hurt that he was going to lose Emma as a mother, but he would rather she was still alive and in his life.

David let himself into Emma’s section of the room, through the baby gate, Henry on his trail though a little apprehensive.

“Hey, hey, hey, baby girl.” David’s heart broke seeing tears rolling down her pink cheeks. He swooped her up into his arms and held her close to him, his hand on the back of her head as he gently bounced her in his arms.

“I didn’t know where you were.” She mumbled when she could finally speak once more.

“It’s okay, my little koala.” He soothed being clung onto by his daughter, he could tell she was still a mix of a baby and her adult self. “I was just downstairs, talking to mommy and a few others, I’m here now. And I found Henry too.”

He soothed her a little more upstairs, with Henry chipping in, helping to distract Emma so the others could finish talking, they all knew his opinion on this, he and Snow weren’t going to risk Emma’s life so there was only one option, they had to give her a second chance at a childhood.

He eventually carried Emma downstairs, he rubbed Emma’s back holding onto her as he tried to calm Regina’s worry that Henry was okay, and that he needed to now. He noticed Emma snuggling closer to him while shivering, and followed her line of sight, to where Hook was stood next to Blue, in all black leather, his hook gleaming, looking fiersome even as the twinkling christmas tree lights reflected on it. She was clearly scared.

He felt his stomach turn.

He had a bad feeling about this.

Chapter Text

The kids were up fairly early the next morning, as was becoming a habit for the family, they managed to get Emma to lie in their bed for a little while as Neal fed, but eventually she got bored so David set off to make breakfast as the toddler wandered around staring in awe at the christmas tree which they had decorated the other day, and all the decorations and lights which had been strung around the downstairs.

They all ate their oatmeal, Emma sat in her highchair playing around a little more of a child than an adult even in her mixed state, she was clearly finding it harder and harder to keep hold of her adult mind, she had already admitted that it was physically painful for her, it broke their hearts and they were planning on telling her what would happen soon later on, they wanted her to have at least a little time being carefree that day.

“Em, Emmy, stop running around buddy.” David sighed, he should have taken getting Neal ready to go out, the three month old was always trying to grab the things in their hands as they tried to get him dressed and put his little soft shoes on, but Emma had devolved a little since Mary Margaret had gotten her dressed, now she was giggling and running away from David as he tried to put her coat and boots on her, only certain things she said were an indicator that she had a mix of her memories still. She tried to run past him but he hooked his arm around her waist pulling her into his arms. “Gotcha!” He kissed her cheek as she giggled and wiggled in his arms as he tried to wrestle her into her coat.

Mary Margaret looked over at the pair as she zipped up Neal’s snowsuit, she loved how good a father David was, and how in love with him Emma was, she kissed Neal’s head snuggling him close, she adored her family so much. “Honey, you have to let daddy put your coat and boots on or we won’t be able to go out, it’s all cold and snowy out there.”

“Where we goin’?” Emma tilted her head to the side looking at her mother.

David mouthed a ‘thank you’ to his wife for distracting their oldest and quickly zipped up the coat and worked on the boots.

“We’re going to visit Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff, sweetheart, we’ve not seen them in while, Anna wants to show you how to make some decorations we can hang up on our tree.”

“Really?” Emma beamed not noticing her father putting her shoes on successfully. “We can put them on our tree here?”

“Of course!”  David shifted her in his arms onto his hip.

“And we’re going to keep them for years and years and years.” Mary Margaret smiled.

“Let’s get going then.” David was smiling from ear to ear as he led them out, Emma in his arms, Neal in Mary Margaret’s. “I know Anna’s very excited to meet you, and to meet mommy, she knew me even before you mommy did, and Kristoff knew me when we were both very little.”

Mary Margaret smiled as her husband chattered away, he was clearly so excited to show off his family to his old friends, of how far he had come from the somewhat angry young man Anna had met still resenting his own father.

Soon the family arrived at Granny’s Inn which the Arendellians were staying inside of.

Anna had been watching out the window for about an hour now, despite Kristoff and Elsa both reminding her that they wouldn’t be there for some time, David and his mother had been beyond kind to her, they had caught up a little when David had helped rescue her and Kristoff, David had gushed about his wife and kids, telling her and Kristoff all about Emma’s situation, it was clear to her how much he adored his daughter no matter her age. She and Elsa had gone not long after Emma had woken up the day before and the she couldn’t properly meet and get to know Mary Margaret while in the situation they were all in the day before.

She saw car pull up into the snow covered parking space, and could barely contain her excitement, she rushed outside, Elsa and Kristoff not far behind her. David chuckled helping Emma out of her car seat and placing her down to stand on the snow, he saw how excited Anna in particular was.

“Hey Anna.” There was still laugher in his voice as he grabbed the baby bag they had put together for Emma while Mary Margaret did the same with Neal and his things. He felt Emma leaning back against him, he crouched down, his hand on her back reassuringly. “Hey Emmy, these are my friends, Anna is Elsa’s sister, and she taught me how to sword fight, and Kris was my friend when we were really really little.”

“Littler than me?”

David smiled softly at her small, shy voice. “A little bigger than you.” He kissed the side of her head.

“Hey there Emma.” Kristoff held out his hand and shook hers awkwardly.

“Kris, she’s a kid, not a forty year old businessman.” David chuckled, he stood up and hugged his friend who used to be like a brother to him, as he did he felt like a brother again. He placed his hand on the top of Emma’s head. “Hey kiddo, did I tell you that Kristoff has a reindeer?”

That caught Emma’s attention. “Really?!”

Kristoff smiled and crouched down in his new Storybrooke clothes. “Yeah, he’s not with me here, he’s back home. He’s called Sven, he’s my best friend, other than your father- your daddy.”

“Oh.” She was a little disappointed. “Can I see him when you go home?”

“We might not be able to-” David started to say.

“-Of course you can.” Kristoff would figure out a way, somehow, Emma seemed to take after David in that when she was sad or disappointed she looked like a kicked puppy, he didn’t want to have to see that look.

Anna managed to contain her excitement, just, over seeing them: she hugged Mary Margaret and beamed as she stroked Neal’s cheek. “Hi, Mary Margaret it’s so nice to meet you, I mean meet you again, and thanks for taking care of my sister, and helping find me, David told me you helped a lot-”

“-Anna, breathe.” Elsa couldn’t help herself from smiling seeing how happy her sister was.

“It’s nice to properly meet you.” Mary Margaret was beaming as she pulled Anna into a hug, being careful of Neal. “I’ve heard so much about you, from Elsa and from David, I need to hear absolutely everything about David, anything I can tease him over.” She send a smirk over to David knowing there was plenty Anna and Kristoff could tell her.

“I have lots of stories, I would love to tell you.” Kristoff called over.

David groaned. He looked down at his daughter. “Least I have you and Neal, huh?”

“I wanna hear daddy stories too!”

David groaned again as the rest of them laughed. He tossed Emma into the air before placing her back onto his hip. He gave Anna a half hug so that Emma wouldn’t be squished. “Hey Anna, Elsa said you’ve found about a million things for us to do, isn’t that right, Emmy?” He squeezed Emma gently, encouraging her to at least wave at Anna.

The wave seemed to be good enough for Anna, for the time being, she grinned enthusiastically, so enthusiastically that David was a little scared, but Emma looked more excited.

Anna was an avid fan of christmas. When she was a child her parents had put a big christmas tree inside of her bedroom and allowed her to decorate it with whatever she wanted, it was only as she got older that she realised it was instead of Elsa’s bed, the two had made up for it the last christmas they had spent together, after Elsa had become queen. Just because she was in a different realm didn’t mean that she wasn’t going to be just as christmassy. She had asked around for tips and advice, and Ruby had shown her something called ‘the internet’ and ‘pinterest’ and it was full of crafts.

Emma was sat painting a bauble as David came back over to her having been talking to Kristoff on the other side of the room. “Whatcha painting kiddo?” He crouched beside her at the coffee, table his hand on her back, rubbing it slightly.

“Stars daddy.”

“Stars?”

“Uh huh, I like stars, and Santa Claus has to go past all of the stars to get here.”

David let loose his easy, trademark, smile, letting out a breath of a chuckle as he did. “Is that right?”

“Yeah…. I like stars.”

David stayed quiet knowing the tone Emma used, slow, as though caught inside her own head.

“I didn’t see lots of stars when I lived in the city.”

David watched her distant look turn to a small, confused frown, mixed between two set of memories, two lives. “Y’know, I reckon we could see stars here, at home, from the roof, and we’ll have to check and see.”

And just like that Emma’s frown faded and a smile appeared on her face, she nodded her head. “Yeah, I wanna see.”

David smiled and kissed her forehead. When his lips touched her forehead he closed his eyes as though in pain, he knew that if she was her old self, even a little bit, the frown would have stayed longer on her face. He didn’t want her to see that sad look on his face knowing that she would feel guilty and sad with or without explanation. He plastered a smile back on his face. “Can I make some decorations with you, kiddo?” His smile turned genuine when she nodded and moved over a little so that he could share her space.

They all ate lunch together, all making decorations for the loft and for the inn, in the afternoon they continued to catch up as Neal and Emma napped. Later, Mary Margaret, David, and the Queen and princess, and prince, of Arendelle all entertained and played with the two children.

Mary Margaret sat watching Kristoff and David chase Emma around the table, catching her and tickling her, then letting her go to chase her again.

“David’s such a good father.”

Mary Margaret realised that Anna had said it, that it hadn’t just been her own thoughts. “Yeah, as soon as the first curse broke, when Emma was an adult, he knew when to give her talks and when to just be there . He had her figured out way before I did. And now with all that’s happened… he’s still an amazing father. Not just to Emma, to Neal too.”

“When I first met him he seemed so angry at his father, he was kind and nice and clearly good and meant for more, but I didn’t know if he’d ever decide to become a father, I thought he might be scared of becoming like his father.”

Mary Margaret nodded her head slowly as Anna spoke. “Yeah, there were a few days after I told him that I was pregnant with Emma he was terrified, he went out for a hunt one day to try and sort his head out, we ended up having a long, long talk. Then, he’s told you about us being seperated from Emma and ending up back home?” Anna nodded. “Well, not long after that I found out I was pregnant with Neal, he was even more terrified that time, because he thought that he had let Emma down and would fail the baby too, it took a lot of talks and him saving a princess for him to have the faith he could do it.” She cuddled her baby closer and pressed a kiss onto his head.

“The kids clearly love you so much too.”

She gave Anna a slightly sheepish smile. “Thank you. So, you and Kristoff are getting married?” Her face lit up and she started to talk all about it.

“Do you live with your mommy and daddy?” Emma asked Kristoff , she was sat between him and her dad, on the floor in front of the coffee table, decorating a yogurt pot to look like a bell, David was covering a pinecone with copious amounts of glitter, while Kristoff was trying to construct something with lollipop sticks.

“Oh, erm, no, I never- they weren’t…-” His eyes darted scourering for help. “I live in the palace with Anna, and Elsa too, but like a different part of it.”

“Oh.”

Kris’ heart broke as he heard how downbeat the toddler sounded. “But, I, I used to live with people, well trolls, who loved me.”

“Trolls?” Emma’s head tilted to the side. “What’re they?”

“They’re like big stones which were alive.” He was very grateful to be in a different realm than his adoptive family just then, he wasn’t sure how they’d react to being called stones, probably not well.

Later that evening they were joined by Regina and Robin: The former of which came to tell the Arendelle royal family that she had been able to create a doorway into their realm, that their kingdom was safe and running well, so the royals decided to stay for a few more days to say goodbye to their friends, the latter was soon roped into playing with the toddler and other men, and was soon named ‘grandpa’ by the mostly-toddler.

Elsa was hesitant to use her magic around Emma and Neal but at Emma, and Mary Margaret’s, encouragement, she soon showed off her powers, even going as far as creating a snow and ice adventure outside for everyone to play before dinner.

Soon Emma was getting whiny, clearly tired, and Neal was just as in need of his crib, so David and Mary Margaret set off home, but not before Robin and Regina strong armed them into going on a date night while Regina and Robin babysat.

Later that night the Charmings were home once more, their handmade decorations carefully placed on the table to be hung around the room and on the tree the next day when Emma would be more awake to help them. While David settled an already asleep Neal into his crib, Mary Margaret was deeper in the bedroom, with Emma, getting her changed into a new diaper and some warm pyjamas, quietly.

“What’s wrong mommy?” Emma held her hands up in the air so that Mary Margret could pull the pyjama top over her head, she smiled as her head popped up through the head hole, saying ‘boo’ instinctively, her mother smiled back at her and a kiss was pressed to her forehead, perhaps for a little too long.

“How could anything be wrong when I have such an amazing daughter?” She kissed her forehead again before reaching for her earlier discarded coat. She heard the kettle boiling, and David moving about the kitchen, from where she and Emma were in the master bedroom lit by the bedside lamps, but she kept her eyes on her daughter. “You do know that I love you, don’t you, so so much.”

Emma didn’t even have to think, she never thought about hesitating, a few months before she would have made an awkward joke or comment, or ran. But now if felt like the most natural thing in the world, she knew that her parents loved her, so utterly and completely. “I know. I love you too Mommy.”

Mary Margaret continued to smile, somewhat bittersweet, at her daughters earnest words. She let Emma rub her eyes with her first before helping her into her coat, this is the most grown up she had seen her in a while, but that wasn’t saying much, she was struggling to hold onto the remnants of her previous life, desperately. She watched Emma wince and it took her a second to realise that Emma wasn’t wincing at anything she had done, it was at the pain of being an adult, or as much as she possibly could be one.

She picked her daughter up into her arms and held her tight, cuddling the toddler to her chest, Emma’s blonde curled head rested on her shoulder. She wished she could take her daughter’s pain away, but she couldn’t, only Emma could do that, and only when she was ready.

“Where we goin’ Mommy?” Despite her tiredness there was a thrill inside of her at the mere idea of getting to go somewhere, possibly on an adventure of some kind, in the dark winter night.

Mary Margaret grabbed the baby monitor which was linked to the one next to Neal’s crib and carried Emma toward the kitchen where David was holding a tray of mugs, different sizes two adult sized ones and one small mug, marshmallows poked out the top of two of them. “We thought we would have hot chocolates on the roof.”

“I think you might be able to see some stars too, Emmy.” David added, he was smiling too but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes, he nodded to Mary Margaret to lead the way, they wouldn’t be far from Neal and knew he was safe.

The fire escape was past the kitchen, the door was just next to the laundry room, only a few people even realised it was there, it was the Charmings’ very own rooftop garden retreat.

They went up the stairs to the rarely used roof, there was a table and two cushioned benches set out in an ‘L’ shape, a couple of solar lights but the family was always so busy they hadn’t had the opportunity to do the place up. The view from the top of the building was amazing, the lights of all of the buildings in the large town lit up the ground but the light couldn’t reach the sky, leaving them with an unblemished view of the stars dancing over Maine.

David heard Emma gasp as he handed his wife and daughter their mugs of hot chocolate, he gave her a smile, temporarily forgetting his own heavy heart. “Told you you’d be able to see the stars, Kiddo.” He watched his wife cuddle Emma close and help her sip her hot chocolate. He sipped his own and let out a heavy breath of air as he swallowed it, leaning back so that he was leant back. His eyes turned to his wife and daughter, Emma was staring at the stars, somewhat sleepily, whereas Mary Margaret’s eyes were on Emma, her arm wrapped protectively around Emma’s waist, her hot chocolate untouched. David so loved them, with all of his heart, along with Neal.

They sat quietly for a while, David moved to sit on the bench beside his wife and daughter, he wrapped his arm around Mary Margaret, she leant against his chest, she stroked Emma’s hair as David hummed a melodical song, an extremely old song in both this and their home realm, like something out of The Hobbit or something.

Emma let out a big yawn, snuggling up to her mother, trying her best to stay awake.

David took hold of his daughter’s hand, brushing his thumb over her tiny knuckles. “Emmy?” He whispered.

“Yeah daddy?” She yawned.

“Me and mommy need to talk to you about something very important… are you in your big head.”

“Yeah.” She her voice took on a small quality and she cuddled closer to her mother, but she winced in pain letting her parents know she really was being as old as she could be.

“Honey, do you remember when everyone was here the other day, Mr Gold, Elsa, Regi- Grandma, and some of the fairies?” Emma nodded so Mary Margaret swallowed and continued. “Well, they were, they came to talk to us, about magic.” She heard her voice wobble, there was a lump in her throat, and her vision blurred as her eyes were covered in tears. She felt her husband’s familiar hand on her own, she tilted her head to look at his blinking and a tear falling from one of her eyes, when she met her husband’s eyes he squeezed her hand. She could see his blue eyes glistening in the moonlight as he coughed to clear his throat.

“Those people were trying to help Grandma find a way to make you big again, like you used to be,” her brows were furrowed as she tried to battle through the two sets of memories, “when you were the same size as mommy. They tried really, really hard, but there isn’t a way to change you back, soon you’re going to just be little, and that’s okay, but we love both big and little you the same, we all do… do you understand what I’m telling you?” He asked, he had to be certain.

Truth be told, what little amount of adult there was left in Emma had been expecting this, not because she was a pessimist, but because it was so painful keeping her adult memories that it didn’t even seem right anymore. She thought that if there was any form of a cure it wouldn’t work on her, she was too far gone. It was like she was destined to fall off of a cliff, she was just holding on by her fingertips to say goodbye, she had to keep holding, just a little while longer, even if it no longer felt like just pins stabbing her but knives. She still had things she needed to do while she could be this version of her.
“Yeah.” Despite having been expecting it, tears started to run down her face.

Her voice came out so small, so childlike, so soft, it was how Mary Margaret could tell that Emma was telling the truth. She cuddled her closer not sure what she could possibly say. Emma turned in her arms to face her and cuddled herself even closer, she understood, Mary Margaret could tell. David moved from his seat to theirs so that he could cuddle his girls close.
All of them crying for all they were losing, and all that they were gaining, bittersweet and inescapable.

The Charmings would always lose their babies somehow.

Chapter Text

David finished plugging in the final wire to the camcorder and placed it on top of the tripod, he looked at the screen and focused it so it was in focus and zoomed in enough on his daughter on his and Mary Margaret’s bed, on her lap was her blanket she played absentmindedly with the ribbons, a frown on her face. He sat on the bed, she didn’t notice, too caught in her own head. He took her tiny hand and squeezed it, gaining him her attention. “You sure you want to do this now baby?” He could see it was painful and exhausting for her forcing herself to be an adult right then, especially after the night before.

Emma nodded,  squeezing her eyes shut and biting the inside of her lips, before tilting her head all the way back to be able to look at her father. “I’ve got to, it’s for Henry .” The word Henry was so loaded with meaning, so many different emotions, and it was all David needed to hear to nod too, at the end of the day any of them would do anything for Henry, they’d walk through fire, or feel like they were being stabbed, like Emma was feeling like right then, for that boy, that young man now.

“Okay, kiddo, if you need me or mommy you just call for us, okay?” He watched her nod, then kissed the top of her head, cuddling her close for a second before standing up. “Okay, three, two, one-.” He hit play then waved to his daughter before leaving his bedroom walking to check on Neal who was playing in his baby bouncy chair.

“Hey Henry.” Emma awkwardly waved at the camera. “It’s me, well, mostly me, big me, I still know that you’re my son, but everything’s getting harder and it’s starting to go. Soon all the big me will be gone forever, my mommy and daddy told me last night, they said Grandma is telling you.” She didn’t even notice these names which she called her family by now it just seemed normal. “So I wanted to give you some of my things, like my old things, they’re in a box, there’s some I need you to give to my mommy and daddy but I’ll tell you all about that later. I’ve been tryin’ to think of what to call this cause you always give things awesome names. So I thought that this one could be called, erm,” she had to think hard to remember what word her dad had told her for it, “ Operation Legacy ! You could probably come up with a better name for it but that’s the best I can do.” She took a deep breath, trying not to show the pain she was in.

“The first thing and most important thing you need to know, is that having you, and you finding me again and bringing me home, that’s the best thing to happen to me. You’re the best thing I’ve ever made, I know it’s only a little down to me, but I love you so much, I’m so proud of you.”

Emma continued to speak to the camera, unguarded, straight from the heart, words she needed to say, and words Henry would need to hear, for the rest of his life.

David placed his hand on his wife’s back and her coffee down on the table at the same time. “How’s it going?” He asked her quietly, mindful of his son now asleep, and of Emma just behind the curtain separating their sleeping quarters, jesus they needed to move to a house with walls.

Mary Margaret finished writing the sentence and pressed stop on the dictaphone, she had finished, she looked down at the paper in front of her, then up at her husband. “It’s finished, that’s everything she can remember about Neal… It doesn’t seem like a lot, considering they were together for months, but it’s all she can remember about him.” She frowned a little, it had been an idea she and Emma had come to early in the morning when Emma had woke early and was clearly distressed by her future, about what she was leaving Henry with and without, most importantly she wouldn’t be able to remember things to tell him.

So Mary Margaret had her say all the things she could possibly remember and Mary Margaret recorded it, things Neal had said, or done, places they had traveled, words of wisdom she had known Neal would have wanted passing on. Mary Margaret placed the dictaphone into the cardboard box.

“Rumple will know some things, and maybe if Henry wants to we can track down people Neal was friends with in New York, and The Darlings, we can find him more, even if we have to go to New York with him to do it.”

Mary Margaret smiled at him, then pulled him down to her, she kissed him slowly and lovingly.

David smiled in surprise at her when they pulled apart. “What did I do to deserve that? I need to know in case I need it to get out of trouble.” His grin turned a little mischievous and there was a glint in his eyes.

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes playfully but kissed him again. “You’re just such a good role model for the kids, ours, and our grandson. They’re so lucky to have you.”

David’s cheeks changed to a light shade of pink. “They deserve it, they’ve all been through so much, even Neal- he got kidnapped and used in a spell!”

She took hold of his hand and squeezed it. “I know. I think that we should ban them all from ever being kidnapped, if they get kidnapped we get to be overprotective and never let go of them for at least three years.”

David chuckled and pecked her lips. “I love you Mary Maragre- Snow White.”

Mary Margaret was surprised about the power calling her by her actual name seemed to have, she felt a little more confident, a little braver, a little more right in her own skin. “I love you, my Prince Charming, David.”

He took a seat beside his wife letting her head rest against his chest as they enjoyed the peace and quiet for once. He let out a little chuckle. “Did she?” He nodded his head towards the shoe box, it was painted in black, or perhaps just a dark blue, with blobs of a greenish glow in the dark paint, and silver stars stuck upon it.

Mary Margaret tried to stop the smile coming on her face but she couldn’t stop it. “Yeah, she said it needed to be special for Henry.”

“She’s pretty adorable.” He watched the curtain open and smiled. “Talk of the devil.”

“I finished.” Emma made her way over to her parents, she stood in front of her parents, she debated climbing up but didn’t feel like trying to do so, instead she held her arms up to her mom who picked her up and placed her up on her lap, cuddling her close.

David went to turn the camcorder off, and brought the memory card from it in a case to put into the box for Henry.

Mary Margaret noticed the red of Emma’s eyes, the pink of her cheek, she knew her daughter well enough to know that she had been crying. She kissed the top of her head. “Are you okay… That’s probably a silly question, I can’t imagine how hard this is for you, you’re so brave, my baby.”

Emma cuddled closer to Mary Margaret. “Mommy, it hurts.”

Mary Margaret’s heart broke. “Oh baby, I know. I’m so sorry.” She rocked her, subtly, back and forth, trying to calm her at least a little. “We can try some medicine?” She suggest.

David had overheard and grabbed the medicine, passing it to Snow as he placed the memory card into the box. “There we go.” He watch Mary Margaret pour out the right amount for Emma’s age and Emma pulling a face at it. “Come on, kiddo, we’ve been through this, you have to take the medicine mommy and daddy give you.”

“Daddy, can we go see the horsies? With Henry? Please, you promised.” She looked up at him with wide eyes.

David’s mouth fell open and he let out a breath, trying to find the right words to say, he fidgeted and looked at his wife as though he was stranded and needed help. “I… I don’t think that’s a good idea Em, you’re clearly very tired, and the bigger you try to act the more it hurts and the harder it is for you. Anyway horses are dangerous, you could get hurt, especially with the snow outside-”

“-But you promised...” Emma’s bottom lip wobbled, she felt a lump appear in her throat, and her eyes watered.

“Emmy, come on, you’ve gotta understand-” one look at her nearly crying told him that she was a whole lot younger than she had been before, clearly slipping, it must have taken all her effort to make the video and to try and remember everything about Neal. He didn’t think that she did understand, she didn’t have an adult’s brain or logic, right now she was only clinging onto memories, that was all that was left of the adult Emma.

“I think it’s a good idea.”

“What?” David’s eyes bugged out, his wife could easily win protective mommy of the year, but she was willing to let their daughter go on a living deathtrap? Sure in the Enchanted Forest she would have been in a sling with them on horses from as soon as she could hold her head up on her own, but that was neither here nor there.

“It’s a good idea.” She gave David a knowing look. “For the three of you: you, Emmy , and Henry .”

David suddenly got it, why despite the worry, why Mary Margaret thought it would be good: There would only be a few more times, at most, that Emma would be able to actually remember Henry, at least the true memories rather than the fake ones she was gaining. “Okay.” Emma’s face absolutely lit up. “But you have to take that medicine.”

Emma let her mom feed her the medicine, only pulling a face at the aftertaste, she grabbed her sippy cup off the table and drank some of the shake mixture. “Done, can we go now please?”

“Honey, you have to do what daddy says, and he’s going to take the stroller, it’ll be sat up not led down like it is for Nealy, but you need to go in it so you don’t get all tired and you’ll be able to play with daddy and Henry for longer.”

“Okay.” Emma was reluctance and showed it through pouting just a little, though not on purpose.

“Good girl. Right, daddy will ring grandma and ask if Henry can come, why don’t you let mommy get you ready?” David took out his cellphone and hit dial on Regina’s cell, her picture was of the movie version of her, he hoped that she would never actually see it. “Hey grandma-” He walked into the bedroom to chat, smiling as Regina shouted at him for daring to refer to her as that.

“Okay honeybun, let’s get you ready.”

“I need wellies mommy.” Emma said excited to be able to wear them.

“Actually, honey, we’re going to put your boots on you, they’ll be better in the snow and you need them for the horse riding.” She grabbed them and placed them onto her daughter, adding a coat, scarf, gloves, and a beanie with ear flaps and two wool stringy things hanging down. Mary Margaret was struck by the memory of a storm during the first curse, when Emma was working as sheriff, Mary Margaret had forced her to actually wear a coat and a hat very much like the one Emma was wearing right now, instead of just her little red jacket.

Henry was puffed to the stable by his mom, she and Robin had explained that there wasn’t a way to ever be able to change Emma back a couple of days ago, after Regina had been to talk with his grandparents and the other magic users, Regina had also been ranting about how stupid Blue was to even consider a potion which wouldn’t work and would almost certainly kill Emma, but Henry didn’t worry about that, his grandparents would never let that happen.

He watched David pick Emma up out the back of the car, his mom- no, Emma , he had to get used to that - Emma was wiggling in David’s arms, trying to get out of them. David placed her down and the toddler ran as fast as she could to him. He swayed as she crashed into his legs, wrapping her arms around him, he was surprised at how easily he smiled.

“Henry!”

His smile stayed on his face at how she couldn’t say words quite correctly, even his name the ‘r’ came out as a ‘w’, he picked her up into his arms used to doing the same with Roland, though Emma was years young and so much smaller and lighter. “Hey Ems, my mom said that you wanted to spend the day with me and gramps.”

“Uh huh, I promised you.” Emma nodded determined, but frowning a little, she had promised him, hadn’t she? “And I wanna see the horsies… daddy said they’re not scary…”

“They’re not.” Henry assured her. “And my one’s the best.”

“Hey kid.” David pulled his grandson into a half hug careful to make sure that Emma wasn’t dropped during it.

Henry put Emma down and she immediately started to play in the snow, he looked at his grandpa, then quickly threw his arms around him, he felt David hugging him back, his hand on the back of his head. “Sorry I haven’t been around much.”

“It’s alright, Hen, we understand, it must be very hard. Sorry we haven’t been seeing you recently, bud, it’s just been so chaotic…”

Henry knew that it had been, and that his grandparents didn’t want to force him to spend time with Emma if he wasn’t comfortable with her. “It’s okay, I get it, and ,” he shrugged somewhat self consciously showing that he was acknowledging the space they had given him, “thanks.”

“Anytime, kid, no matter what you’re always going to be my and Mary Margaret’s grandson. Now, do you want to show Emma your horse first?”

“Yeah.” He grinned and couched in front of his- well, his Emma, gaining her attention. “Do you want to see my horse? You can even help me feed him.”

Emma dropped the snow immediately and stood up, taking hold of Henry’s and David’s hands.

Inside of the stables the horses all made a noise seeing David and Henry, recognising them by sight and by smell. Emma instinctively moved closer to her dad, and he picked her up straight away, but carried on walking at his grandson’s pace.

“It’s okay, kiddo, see they were just saying hello.” He soothed his daughter.

As he did he was watching Henry grab the treats, when Henry was a lot younger and David had first got him his horse Henry had tried to constantly give him treats, but as he had gotten older he had learnt that they didn’t need treats all the time, he had also gotten very good at riding, thanks to lessons from David and Regina.

“Just saying hello?” Emma asked quietly, rather uncertain about whether he was telling the truth, the horses seemed absolutely massive to her.

“Yeah,” it was Henry who answered her before David could, “me and gramps, your daddy, told them all about you, and my mom, your eh, grandma.”
It was weird calling his family these new different names to the toddler who used to be his mom, but weirdly, for some reason, it made sense, like finally being able to see the end picture of a jigsaw, well… perhaps it needed one of two pieces to fall into place, but he wasn’t sure exactly what they were.

Emma took one of the horse treats when Henry passed it to her, she looked at it, trying her best not to take a bite out of it just to see what it tasted like…

David noticed this look and redirected her. “You have to hold your hand out like this,” he gently manipulated her hand so it was out, palm up, the treat upon it, “or the horsey might accidently nibble you.”

Henry held a treat the same way and offered it to his horse who happily ate it and Henry stroked his fur between his eyes going down to his muzzle. “Do you want to give him yours?”

David moved closer so that Emma, still in his arms, could hold her hand close enough to the horse.

When the horse ate the treat out of Emma’s tiny hand she giggled. “That tickles.” Both Henry and David were smiling at her.

“He’s called Arod, from Lord of the Rings.” But she seemed not to remember what that was. They had gone to see the last Hobbit movie together when they were in New York, the midnight premiere, she had let him stay off school the next day and they had gone again, probably not the most responsible parental decision but he was glad of the experience and the memory, even if she wouldn’t remember. “Why don’t you stroke him?”

Emma did, smiling as she did.

They stayed with Emma stroking Henry’s horse for a little while, David chatted a little to one of the stable hands, Emma didn’t really listen to her dad, Henry, and the woman though, she was more interested in the horse right now.

“Right, kid, do you want to get you and your horse ready to ride, I’ll get me and Em kitted up, then we’ll go on a short ride. As long as you’re happy to ride in the snow?” He checked.

“Of course, I’m not a kid anymore gramps, I’m thirteen.”

David chuckled, sure that one day Henry would realise how young thirteen is, and remembering feeling exactly the same when he was his age. “Okay.” He watched Henry head to grab his helmet and change into his riding boots, once he made sure that he was doing that and grabbing Arod’s things, he walked with Emma in his arms away from that horse.
“Me and you are going to ride on my horse, okay?”

“You have your own horse here?”

David smiled gently. “Yeah, I have a horse, and mommy’s horse is here too, shall we see him while Ms English gets my horse-horsey, ready?”

Emma nodded her head and David carried her down to see Mary Margaret’s horse, from when she had been known as Snow White. The horse was just as white, with a white mane, and white fur.

“He’s called Roman.” He stroked the horse and Emma hesitantly copied him. The horse was as kind as Mary Margaret was, and relished the attention from Emma. “When you were in your mommy’s tummy he used to always sniff and blow her tummy where you were.” As though listening, Roman did the same thing again, this time sniffing a blowing on Emma’s face, making David laugh and Emma beam and giggle.

He let her be fussed over by his wife’s horse, and give him treats, for a little while, before putting a helmet onto her head, and one onto his, trying to be a good example even if normally he forwent one, once they both had them on David led her to the stable, where the stable hand had been getting his horse ready to ride.

Emma looked at the massive horse, it was like her mothers, but a little bigger, and it was white but with grey speckles and a dark grey almost black mane, though she didn’t think of it as a mane, instead she was calling it the horse’s ‘hair’ in her head. “Does he have a name too?” She asked her dad, touching her helmet, not used to wearing one.

“Yeah, he’s called Arion, because he can go really fast.” He scratched the horse’s ears when it lowered its head, David knew he liked that, but the horse was more interested in Emma in his arms, and just like Mary Margaret’s horse, and like David and Mary Margaret themselves in how much he was fussing over David’s daughter.

Eventually Henry led Arod out and David led Arion out, placing Emma on the saddle before swinging himself up, holding on tight to her, and starting Arion following Arod.

Despite Arion not going fast Emma was beaming and giggling, it felt like he was going so fast to her, being so much smaller. She watched Henry and his horse trotting and begged her father to do the same.

David was having the time of his life getting to spend time with his daughter and grandson, especially as Emma seemed to have slipped younger again and found the horse riding magical, but he was terrified that she might fall off and get hurt, or get scared, or would just start crying or something, he was knew he was just worrying, but he was a dad, he was meant to.

Eventually he knew Emma was getting too cold out in the snow, despite wearing winter clothes and having him cuddling her close, and he could see his grandson’s cheeks were pink and he was clearly cold, so he led his horse back in and jumped off the horse with Emma in his arms and motioned for Henry to do the same.

“Henry, I’ll do the horses can you-.” he nodded his head down at Emma, he wasn’t about to let her wander around while they put the horses away, especially as she had only some real memories and was acting like a little kid.

“Wha- Oh, oh yeah!” He cottoned on. “Hey Emma, do you want to go outside in the snow for a while?” “Yeah! Bye horsies!” Emma said starting to take off but Henry quickly took hold of her hand and started to lead her off himself, worried she might accidentally get stood on by a horse or something.

By the time David had shut both the horses up and made sure they were comfortable enough and had enough food for a the rest of the cold day Emma was leaning against Henry.

“She’s tired.” Henry stage whispered to his grandfather.

“I’m not!” Emma whined, she held her arms up to David, her bottom lip sticking out.

David scooped her up into his arms. “Of course you’re not.”

Emma led her head onto his shoulder, relieved that he believed her.

Henry hid a laugh at his grandpa’s obviously sarcastic promise, but a look at Emma told him that she believed David’s obvious lie.

David led the kids to the car. Henry automatically got in the front, he switched on the radio and turned it down low, he remembered his mom always pointing out that she did that for him when he was a baby and wouldn’t sleep so she’d have to drive for hours.
David put Emma in her seat in the back, making sure she was securely fastened in the carseat, he reached into the diaper bag, her knew she didn’t need a change, but she did need something else if she was going to take a nap. He picked put her blanket and her lion plushie, her hands went out automatically for them.

“Here you go, honey.” He said soothingly, he tucked the blanket over her legs as she hugged her lion, he knew that she wasn’t fully the toddler that she would be because she had at least some of the real memories, but she was acting like a toddler. He kissed her forehead and checked the straps once more. “We’re going to drive around for a little while, okay?”

He got up front and started to drive, taking the long way round, talking to Henry about the teenagers life, and glancing at Emma in the mirror every so often checking that she was still asleep.

“I was thinking we could go to the movies before sundaes and the arcade?” He suggested pulling up the the movie theatre.  

“Seriously?” Henry was beaming. “We get to do all of that?”

“Yeah, I’ve not been able to spend a lot of time with my favourite grandson lately” He reached over and ruffled the teen’s hair, who immediately fixed it, making David smirk. “Anyway, if I don’t get food into you two both of your moms and grandmas are going to kill me, I figured we could watch a movie while we do, think of it as a little christmas treat.”

Henry glanced back at Emma. “She’s asleep.”

“I’ll wake her up to eat then she can take a nap on me while the movie plays.” David smiled as he looked back at his daughter snoozing cuddling her lion close, and she must have found one of Neal’s pacifiers as she had uncapped it and was sucking on it in her sleep. But then he caught sight of his grandson who was staring at Emma a little too long. “This must be really hard for you, at any time, but especially after losing Neal, your dad.”

Henry gave a half shrug. “It wasn’t like I really got to know him for long.”

“My father was, well, he was a bastard.” He saw a small look of glee on the teen’s face at hearing him swear, he glanced at the mirror to make sure Emma was asleep, he looked back at Henry giving him a knowing smile. “But when he died, despite everything, it hurt like hell. In fact it messed me up for a very long time.”

“I miss him every day. I wish I had known him for longer, I wouldn’t change being with my mom she’s the best mom, but I wish I had grown up with him too.”

“I’m really sorry that Emma didn’t tell Neal about you.” He told him sincerely. “And that you didn’t get more time with him. You deserved to have a dad in your life. I know you have Robin in your life now, but I know it’s not the same.”

Henry nodded somewhat sadly. “Yeah, Robin’s great, he really is, he doesn’t treat me any different from Roland, but I miss my dad. My mom… she said that the feeling will fade, but that it’ll always be there?” He saw David nod in agreement. “I don’t know if it’s going to be better and worse with my, with Emma, ‘cause I’ll be seeing her a lot, but she won’t be her.”

“I think about that a lot too.” David admitted. “So does Mary Margaret. She’s still fundamentally Emma, but it’s like we’re losing a daughter and gaining a different one. I already know that it hurts a little when she can’t remember something, or when she has completely different memories.”

“I’m glad she’s getting to stay little.” David turned his attention fully to him then, clearly surprised. “I loved her kind of being my mom, here, and then when we both had fake memories, and I’ll still love all the memories we had, but she deserves a chance to have a happy life, I watched her old memories and her new ones, none of them are happy, but at least she’ll have a happy future, she won’t have the pressure of being the saviour, or having magic.”

“When did you get so wise?” David asked, genuinely astounded by how caring and empathetic Henry was, and how good he was at expressing his emotions.

“I guess I learnt from my family, especially you and grandma, even if you make rubbish dad jokes.” Henry laughed at David’s look of pride he wasn’t sure if it was at Henry’s compliment or at his insult. “After we watch the movie if Emma’s asleep can we go christmas present shopping? I haven’t got Emma anything yet, I brought money, I can pay for it.”

David smiled knowing that that’s what his wife was doing at the toy store that day, having both made a list of toys for Emma, Neal’s were already bought and wrapped. “Of course, but you don’t need to worry about it, I’ll pay for it for you, save your money for something fun for you and your friends.”

David woke Emma up at the start of the movie to eat a little kid size hot dog, immediately after she fell asleep cuddled to her dad’s chest, she stayed asleep all through the rest of the movie and while David helped his grandson find a toy for his daughter. Impressively she woke up as soon as Henry mentioned the sundaes.

“Can I have a soda daddy?”

“No, Emmy, I don’t want you going all hyper.”

Henry saw Emma’s bottom lip stick out, he had just ordered a coke, and he knew that she used to like them when she was bigger. He tapped her arm. “Y’know if you want to get something you gotta ask again, say please, and do this look.” He showed her the puppy dog eyes which he had used to get his way with something with pretty much every member of his family, even Emma, once upon a time.

Emma copied the look, turned it up to ten, then looked back at her father. “Pretty please daddy.”

David groaned and threw his head back, when he looked back he sent a playful glare to his grandson. “You two teaming up is going to be the end of me, isn’t it?” He playfully grumbled. “You can have a small one, but no telling mommy, okay Emmy?”

“Shh, it’s’a secret.” She put her finger to her lip.

That made the two guys smile.

While David was ordering at the counter Henry talked and played with Emma making her giggle and tell him all about her lion.

“It’s a shame.”

David jumped. “Blue. What are you doing here?” He glanced back at Emma and Henry, trying not to sound too hostile to the fairy.

“I was just in for a scoop of strawberry.” She looked over at Henry and Emma. Her mouth tugged into a smile as though it was being mechanically controlled. “They’ve always been so close, haven’t they?”

“When I was cursed they were together when they found me in the forest, and then when I was at Abigail- Kathryn’s cursed house warming party for me they were there, they were the only ones I wanted to talk to.” He also remembered how much he wanted to see his wife, not that he knew who she was then, he remembered talking to Henry and Emma very fondly.

“It’s a shame, so soon after losing his father too, now he’ll technically be an orphan, like Emma once thought she was.”

“What do you want?” He saw the hint of surprise in her face at how fiercely he had asked that, she was lucky that Emma and Henry were there, he didn’t take well to someone trying to manipulate him by using his kids or grandson.

“I’ve been alive for longer than you can even imagine .” She stated. “I’ve never made this potion but I promise you that I can cure her, for her, for you, for the town, for Henry . You trusted me to save her life with the wardrobe once, trust me again.”

David squared his shoulders, narrowed his eyes looking down at her, he lowered his voice. “If I remember rightly you lied to me and my wife, you made it so that instead of me and Snow Emma grew up alone and abused, to the point that you wouldn’t believe. Now, I think you should take your ice cream and leave. Leave me and my family alone forever. And never, never , try to manipulate me again like you just did, especially by trying to use Emma or Henry, you won’t like my next response if you do.”

He glared at her as she grabbed her cup of ice cream and went. He watched her until she was out of sight before getting his and the kids food and drinks, by the time they were ready he had plastered a smile back onto his face so Henry and Emma wouldn’t think anything was wrong.

Henry spotted that his grandfather seemed to be a bit on edge after getting the ice cream and the cokes, but decided against mentioning it, he didn’t want Emma to worry or be scared. “Hey Emmy, Gramps, your daddy, said we can go to the arcade after these, I’ll teach you how to play the games, and we can win you tickets, right Gramps?”

David finally tore his eyes away from looking for Blue back to his family, letting the thoughts of the fairy go, she wasn’t really a threat, she’d get bored of trying to make some potion (which he knew was just to boost his ego) soon, and she’d leave them alone. “Yeah, I’m sure Henry’s an expert at the games, we’ll see if we can win things with the tickets.” He reached over and helped her get some ice cream actually onto her spoon. He let out a deep breath, allowing himself to relax again.

Chapter Text

The night had been hellish, Emma kept waking up from nightmares, and as soon as one of the got her settled Neal would be awake, red cheeked and crying, several times during the night both of the kids were awake and crying at the same time. When it got to four in the morning ang both of the kids were still waking up crying David moved the crib next to the bed so he would be close and could be settled from their bed, and Mary Margaret brought Emma downstairs to sleep in their bed. They swapped so Mary would be next to Neal so it would be easier to wake up and feed him, and David walked around cuddling their eldest child, humming and gently bouncing her until she was nearly asleep, then climbing into bed alongside his equally exhausted wife. 

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When the alarm went off at six Mary Margaret quickly hit snooze, hearing her husband groan at the noise she felt a little better that they were both feeling the same, she shut her eyes trying to get some more sleep. 

The sleep only lasted twenty minutes before Neal was awake and fussing for a feed, waking Emma up, who started to poke and prod David. David woke up as Mary Margaret picked Neal up out of his crib. “Hey sunshine, you want to try and get some more sleep?” He suggested hopefully. 

Emma shook her head with fervour. “I’mma’wake.” 

David scrubbed the sleep from his eyes, he sat up, his hands holding onto Emma so she wouldn’t fall, he placed her onto his lap instead. “Okay.” He sighed, he kissed his wife’s cheek, sharing a look at each other, it was going to be a long day. “Hey Emmy, how old are you?” He saw her frown a little. “Can you show me with your fingers.” 

Emma looked down and her hands, counting them out loud. “One, two,three! Three!” Emma announced with a proud smile holding them up to show David. She could see a small tight smile on David’s face and another on Mary Margaret’s face. “I’m thirsty.” 

David’s brows furrowed then he blinked a couple of times in realisation. “Oh. Oh! Thirsty , I thought you said thirty.” 

Emma’s head tilted to the side. “I’m not thirty.” 

David swallowed deeply and Mary Margaret held onto Neal just a little tighter. “Yeah, yeah kiddo I know, Daddy was being silly. Come on I’ll get you a drink, and make mommy and daddy some coffee.” He came to the sudden realisation that there were very few of these mornings, where they’d wake up not knowing how old their daughter was left. He stood up holding Emma on his hip. 

Half asleep he poured some juice into a cup for Emma and passed it to her as he started the coffee off. He only just pressed for it to brew when he heard a splash. He looked down at Emma and saw that she had tipped the juice all over herself and look like she was about to cry. “Oh-.” He stopped himself from swearing and scrunched his eyes shut before crouching in front of his daughter. “It’s okay, it’s not your fault baby, I was silly forgetting to help you or to give you your sippy cup.” He rubbed her pyjama-ed arms with his hands, warming them up and attempting to comfort her. 

It took her a minute to look a bit more relaxed again. 

It stung his heart remembering that even in her version of memories she had been hurt, shouted at, and outright abused for less than spilling her drink over herself. 

“Let’s get you out of these sticky jammies, yeah?” He knew that she would need to have her diaper changed anyway, he may as well give her a bath. “You stay there, I’ll get your robe to keep you warm while I run you a bath and get you some clothes.” He quickly nipped into the bathroom and grabbed the robe they had gotten Emma, it seemed tiny to him, but he knew it would be big on Emma. He appeared back in the kitchen in front of her daughter. He helped her out of her pyjamas and undershirt until she was in just her diaper, then helped her into her robe, tying the sash. “How about you go sit with mommy and Nealy while I run your bath?” It wasn’t really a suggestion but Emma seemed to be happy enough to take his hand and be led back to the bedroom he shared with his wife. 

Mary Margaret looked up when she heard two sets of bare feet padding towards her room on the wooden floor. She felt Neal trying to turn her head and stroked his hair. “Come on you, I know you’re hungry.” She admonished gently and quietly. She raised one of her carefully groomed brows when she saw Emma in her mickey mouse dressing gown, and only that it appeared. “Oh?”

“I was silly and gave her the wrong cup.” David informed Mary Margaret making sure that his language was in no way blaming Emma. He scooped Emma up and placed her onto the bed beside Mary Margaret and Neal. “I’m going to throw her in the tub, I thought it would be best for her to be here with you while I do that and grab her some clothes for today.” 

“Good plan.” Mary Margaret gave him a look that told him she understood as he looked apologetic at interrupting her time with Neal. They loved their daughter, but weren’t planning on leaving her alone for even five minutes without supervision, they could only imagine what she could get up to. She was their daughter after all. 

Emma immediately crawled across the bed until she was near Neal’s feet, leaning against one of her mom’s arms. She watched David disappear from sight  and cuddled closer to her mom. 

Mary Margaret wrapped her arm around the toddler looking down at light blonde mess of curls. “You okay, honey?” She felt her shrug and snuggle closer. “Do you just need cuddles from mommy?” She watched her nod and she cuddled her closer. “Well that’s okay, sometimes you just need cuddles from mommy.”

David quickly warmed some milk and stirred in chocolate pediasure powder in one of Emma’s sippy cups, and made himself and his wife coffee, he downed his entire mug and poured another one, carrying them through to the bedroom. “My lovely wife.” He placed her coffee on the bedside table beside her. 

“My hero.” She didn’t think that she had ever needed coffee more than she needed it right then, though she’d have to wait for Neal to finish to be able to drink it, and she didn’t want to interrupt her cuddle with her daughter and her son. 

“And my little cuddly koala.” He handed Emma the sippy cup then gently cupped Neal’s head as he fed for just a few seconds. He gave a big yawn before smiling sleepily at his family.
“I’ll go start her bath.”
He saw how Emma was not wanting to move from Mary Margaret and how much Mary Margaret was clearly liking having her kids close.
“Actually, I think we could all do with some cuddles and breakfast, we can do baths later.”
He leant down and kissed his wife as his daughter made noises of agreement as she drank, he settled on the other side of Emma with his own coffee, happy at delaying the bath.

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David was a bit more awake as he started running his daughter’s bath later on, he added the bath mat in case she slipped, bath toys, and bubble bath, he felt very domestic as he did so, hearing his wife talking to their kids in the other room through the open door, he reminded himself that soon he’d have this all of the time. He was smiling as he stood up and went back to the living room. 

Mary Margaret was sat was Neal cooing on her lap as Emma flitted around looking at the christmas tree and decorations, singing her own made up christmas songs, he leant against the doorway of the bathroom which opened onto the living area he grinned as he watched his family. Mary Margaret noticed him and shared a smile but he could see her worry, he already knew what about. He hooked his arms around Emma as she tried to run past him.
“Okay monster, bath time.” He placed her onto his hip before leaning down to kiss his wife. “It’ll be okay, she can stay home with me while you, while you g-o.”
He spelt out the last word so Emma didn’t understand. He felt Emma leaning in his arms, pulling him further down, or trying to at least. He looked down and saw Emma had copied him in leaning down, trying to kiss Mary Margaret.

Mary Margaret smiled and obliged. She felt bad afterwards, about leaving. 

“Look, you think while I bathe this little sea monster, if you want to take them both that’s fine, if you want to take just the baby that’s fine too.” 

“Thank you.” She gave him a small smile, there was a lot on her mind, but she was always knew that her husband wouldn’t pressure her. 

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David was happy that his daughter loved bathtime, he knew just how stubborn she could be, and he had heard from other parents how some toddlers despised bathtime, but he only just about got her undressed before sitting her down in the tub.

“Daddy ‘s’it puppy bubbles?” 

“Yeah, honey, it’s Paw Patrol ones, the ones we got the other day, do you remember that?”

“Uh huh, we got sippy cups too.” 

“That’s a very clever girl.” He praised, relieved that she had, at least, those memories sticking. He watched her scoop some bubbles into her hand and sniff them in, causing her to cough when some of them went up her nose. “You okay sunshine?”  

A smile quickly returned to her face and she nodded her head enthusiastically. 

He chuckled, he kept being surprised at how quickly she could bounce back to being happy, consistently happier than he had seen her when she was an adult, which both stung and gave him a weird sense of pride. 

He grabbed the wash puff and added some of the kid’s body wash she had picked out at the store, lathered it up, and started to clean the juice-sticky skin of his daughter.

 The cuts he had seen two months previously, when she had first deaged, had faded, the hand print shaped bruise was now just a few slight shades of greeny-yellow splattered around, and he could only see them because he had known it had been there. He gently washed her arm, which had recently been in the cast, interrupting her playing for only a couple of seconds. 

The only, physical, mark left was the mark on her back, and even that had healed a bit with the cream they put on it, he knew there were deeper psychological scars, but she was looking a lot healthier than she had been when she had first deaged. 

“Ahhh water falling!” Emma tipped water from one of the plastic tea cups down onto one of the play figures. 

David chuckled. “Oh no! A waterfall.” He made sure that he had cleaned her everywhere before sitting back to let her play for a little while. “Y’know I used to see waterfalls when we lived in the Enchanted Forest. When I was younger me and some of my friends used to play in waterfalls in the summertime when it was hot, we used to swim to the bottom of the waterfall, and sometimes there were gold coins, treasure .” He watched her eyes grow wide and face lit up. 

His heart felt full. 

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Ten minutes later David was leading a now clean, dry, and dressed Emma back into the living room. Mary Margaret was moving around the room putting some of Neal’s things into his diaper bag.

“Where’s Nealy going, Mommy?” Emma skipped over to her mother’s side. 

“Erm...” She bit her lip, she thought she had made her mind up, but seeing her little girl’s big green eyes looking up at her she was rethinking her decision, and feeling the doubts which had brought her to her decision in the first place. 

“Hey, Emmy, why don’t you go and play with your toys for a little while.” David easily distracted the toddler. He placed his hand on his wife’s arms turning her to look at him, and softly smiling at her. “She’ll be okay with me, here, while you and Neal are at Mommy and Me club, it’s okay to want to, need to, just spend a bit of time with the baby and the other moms.” 

“It’s not that. I don’t need, I don’t want time away from her. I just… I don’t feel like…” Her voice grew quieter and she turned her head to face Emma, it felt as though she had to tear her eyes back to her husband. “I don’t feel like I deserve her. I carried her and gave birth to her so long ago, but… I feel like I cheated, I, we, made her, but even in her fake memories we weren’t there to make her who she is. So many moms in the group had to try so hard to have their babies, Aurora and Philip tried for a year, Ariel even longer… I feel like I-I-.”

David pulled his wife into his arms, he cuddled her close, burying his nose in her hair, he could feel her hands holding tight to his shirt, his back. “You didn’t, you didn’t cheat, babe.” He whispered. “You didn’t. You didn’t cheat getting her, Snow.” 

He held her arms, pulling her back a bit so he could look into her watery green eyes, calling her by her real name without realising yet again. One of the tears dropped and he tenderly wiped it away with his thumb. 

“We’ve been through so much to have her at all, especially how she is right now: hell, even you being able to get pregnant meant having to cure the poison, then all the battles, finding out you were pregnant with her and still having to rule, all the scares during the pregnancy, Emma being born so early, then when we were, when she was an adult you were still there for her. We went through all of that, you went through all of that. Our family, how it’s going to be, how it is now, it was weirdly put together, for sure, but that doesn’t mean you cheated to get Emma, or that you’re any less her mom. I’m sorry Aurora, Ariel, Philip, all of them went through a lot, but so have you. You didn’t cheat getting Emma. And your allowed to feel like you deserve her, that you can take her with you if you want to.” He pulled her back into a hug when he knew that had gotten through to her. 

Soon Emma, dressed in her little overalls was next to them, biting her lip. Mary Margaret looked down and saw that her daughter looked sad, she crouched down, all her previous worries had faded and were now replaced with worry over her daughters worry. “Oh my baby, what’s wrong?” She brushed the hair out of her daughter’s face. 

Emma tilted her head to look up at her mother. “W-Where’re you ‘n’ you Nealy going?” 

“I’m, we’re going to Mommy and Me group,” Emma seemed to not have much of an association with the group name, “it’s like a club, we sing songs, and learn things about how to be the best mommies we can be. There are some kids who are your age, a little older who go too. I was hoping that you’d come with me and Nealy, you can make some friends, play a bit, if you would like to?” Emma leant forward to be held by Mary Margaret and she quickly took her into her arms, standing up, and rocking a little. She felt bad to have even thought about not taking Emma in case other moms were upset. “I’ll take that as a yes.” She kissed the side of her daughter’s head and watched David putting together Emma’s diaper bag. 

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Once at Mommy and Me, at the new playgroup building, Emma didn’t seem quite as relaxed or intent on being there. At first Mary Margaret thought it was because she had thought that David would be coming, she had looked rather sad about having to leave him, as had David, but he had told Mary Margaret that he needed to do a little last minute Christmas gift shopping, but would pick them up at the end so they wouldn’t have to walk home in the snow. But even inside Emma was stuck to her side, clinging onto her leg. 

“Honey, there’s other kids doing some crafts over there, like you did with Anna yesterday, do you want to go and play with them while Nealy sees his other baby friends?” 

Emma shook her head and tried to move even closer to her mom but she couldn’t. She kept hold of her mom’s jeans. “Wanna stay with you.” 

Mary Margaret could just about make out the mumbled words. Adult Emma wasn’t the biggest fan of other people. It appeared toddler sized Emma was downright scared of other people, particularly those she didn’t know. It made sense, having seen her fake memories, but it hurt to see her daughter like this nevertheless. “Okay, my baby, you can stay with me and your brother if you’d like to.” She wasn’t going to force her to leave her side if she was scared. 

Mary Margaret moved to where a group of moms stood, including Ella who owned the new playgroup, holding her son in her arms and her daughter’s hand. 

“Hey Mary Margaret.” Ella sent a big hug to her old friend and an even bigger smile. “Hi there Neal.” A sparkle appeared in her eyes when the youngest Charming smiled and kicked his legs, making excited noises. She realised that Emma was with Mary Margaret she shared a small “Aw” with her friend, before crouching down in front of the toddler. “Hi there sweetie pie, your mommy said you’d be coming today,” she had also been warned that Emma had fake memories, “do you want to play with the other big kids? Alexandra’s over there drawing pictures with the others.” 

Emma shook her head and hid her face against her mom. She felt her mom’s hand 

“She’s a little shy.” Mary Maragret explained quietly, she reached into the baby changing bag and pulled out Emma’s lion, Emma quickly snatched it and cuddled it close to her. “She’s going to stay here with me a little while, until she’s more confident.” She explained. 

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As the group started Emma stopped hiding her head against Mary Margaret, but she didn’t move an inch from her side. 

Every so often the other moms in the group kept trying to encourage her to play princesses, or mommies, or restaurants, Emma shook her head, and Mary Maragret kept telling them Emma wasn’t a girl girl, and that she was shy, Emma played quietly at her side, every so often she would whisper a statement or a question to her mother. 

Over halfway through Mary Margaret was started to regret not just bringing Emma but going at all, Neal was still grizzly and teething, and Emma was so shy, and right then the other women and princesses in the group seemed to annoy her. She didn’t understand why Ella thought Alexandra not wanting to wear dresses, or another woman worried about here baby being a little chubby were problems at all. She was losing her daughter, she soon would completely have lost her, and gained a new chance of raising her, a chance she wasn’t sure she deserved. 

Ariel had clearly noticed how she was feeling, she began happily chatting about all the different things she had done that morning, each of them more catastrophic than the last, before long they were all laughing. 

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Emma started to relax the longer they were at the group. Eventually Alexandra and Melody, the four year old girls of Ella and Ariel respectively, came over to Emma and encouraged her to join them in doing some christmas crafts, they promised the three year old that they would be really close to her mommy. Emma gave her mom a hug and followed the other girls, holding the lion close as she did. 

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Mary Margaret was relieved to find that by snack time Emma was happily talking to Alexandra, Melody, and a couple of others. She was easily the smallest of the toddlers, there was even a couple of two year olds, but she was happy, and she was getting healthier, and that was all that mattered to Mary Margaret.

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Emma didn’t really want to leave, by the time the group ended she was happily playing with her new friends, she didn’t want to go and was trying to ignore her mom dressing Neal to go. 

Then she heard a cough ring out across the room, one clearly trying to get the attention of someone. She looked automatically. She dropped the toy she had been playing with and bolted across the room towards David who had just appeared. 

“Daddy!” 

David easily scooped her up into his arms. “Hey Koala,” he cuddled her close, surprised at how much he had missed her in the nearly three hours they had been apart, “I missed you. Did you have fun?” 

“I made friends with Alex and Melody and Charlie and Harry.” She announced her voice full of pride. 

“Woah! That’s so many friends! Did you do some crafts?” It wasn’t hard to see that she had, she was covered in glitter. He let her down so she could show him the pictures and crafts she had made, and so he could collect them to take them home. 

Mary Margaret watched her husband and daughter with a smile as she got herself and Neal ready to head home, she could see some of the other women swooning at how handsome her husband was, and what a caring father he was, they could look she knew he was all hers. 

Ella passed her a few presents, two for Neal and Emma which everyone in the group was given, and a few more from Ella and Thomas, and Ariel, and Aurora, Mary Margaret had already given her out. 

“Ready to go?” David ducked his head down to peck her lips, he was smiling widely at her, they stood close, he had Emma in his arms and was holding onto the things she had made. 

“Let’s go home.”

Chapter Text

David had Emma clinging onto his leg crying, and he felt like crying too, or at least just calling the date night out with his wife off. Neither of them had been particularly keen to go on one, but Regina and Robin had convinced (so strongly it was actually forced ) them to take one; they hadn’t been on one in ages, before Neal was born, and they weren’t likely to be able to take another one in a while as they would be getting used to having two kids under four. 

Mary Margaret looked like she wanted to cancel it too, she was looking down at Emma crying, and holding Neal tight in her arms, he was chewing on a teething ring toy which had been in the freezer. Before she knew it Regina was taking him from her former step daughter’s arms. “Gina-.”

“ We will be fine . You two need a date, this isn’t a suggestion. You two need to take some you time. Me and Robin have the kids handled.” 

On cue Robin appeared next to David, crouching beside Emma, in his hand was a plate of christmas themed cupcakes and cookies, three of each. “Hey Emmy, I thought we could have some snacks while we play, what do you think? There’s one for me, and grandma, and for you, you can choose which ones we have.”

Emma stopped crying, thought for a minute, before letting go of her father’s leg. She nodded at the man she had dubbed grandpa, she hugged her dad for a second before looking up at him. “Are you gonna come back?”

David felt really bad then he crouched down and pulled her into a big hug, kissing the side of her head. “Me and mommy will always come back to you, no matter what. We will always find you, remember?” He felt her nod against his chest. “Okay, good, so you get to have lots of fun with grandma and grandpa and be really good. And when you’re asleep in bed me and mommy will come home and you’ll see us in the morning.” 

Mary Margaret walked over and gave Neal to David before picking Emma up into her arms and hugging her close. “I love you so much, pumpkin, you have lots and lots of fun with grandma.” She pecked several kisses onto her baby soft face.

It took a while, and a lot of gentle urging from Robin and Regina but eventually they managed to get Mary Maragret and David to leave. 

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They may have left the loft, under duress, but that didn’t stop them from sitting in the truck both stilled and silent, but there was a shared understanding between the two of them. 

“She seemed really upset, didn’t she?”

David was only surprised that he hadn’t said it first. “She did. And Neal has been teething and hard to settle.”

“And it’s christmas time! We should be together as a family.”

“Not to mention that Emma’s fake, her new , memories aren’t happy and what if she gets upset?”

That settled it, for David and Mary Margaret, David opened his door as Mary Margaret’s phone chimed. 

“David, wait.” 

She held out her phone, a message from Regina, a video of Robin throwing Emma into the air, Emma’s giggles rang out inside the truck. She watched David reluctantly close his door again. “Regina said we should go on our date, well she also threatens to come down and make us leave, but I’m sure she’s mostly just saying that to sound scary.”

“Yeah…”

She took in her husband’s pout. It took her a minute to realise why he was pouting. “Didn’t you tell her to have fun and play with her grandpa?” Mary Margaret’s eyes sparkled. 

“Well, yes, but…but...” David spluttered.

“You’re adorable when you’re jealous, you know that right?” Mary Margaret laughed. “Now let’s go, before Regina uses the truck for fireball practice.”

David grumbled but started to drive. 

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David had secured them reservations at the new italian restaurant down the far end of Main Street, they were seated quickly and ordered drinks and food. 

They spent their time talking about their kids and not so subtly texting things to Robin and Regina, they were worried about their kids who they had never left with babysitters before, and they wanted to make sure that Regina and Robin remembered everything. 

David just finished reminding Regina that Emma needed her lion to sleep with, and to give her the inhalers before bedtime, he placed his phone onto the table with a sigh. He shared a look with his wife. “Maybe we should stop texting them every five seconds?” He gave a sheepish chuckle. 

“And talk about something which isn’t our kids?” Mary Margaret giggled. 

“Deal.” 

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Regina watched Robin throwing Emma into the air and catching her with worry but with a smile, Emma’s laughter rang out, the mayor was glad she had brought him along she wasn’t sure she would have been quite so good at distracting Emma from Mary Margaret and David’s departure. 

She walked over to the couch with the baby in her arms, smiling down at him, and talking to him in a baby voice. She picked up one of his rattle toys.
“She’s going to vomit over you if you keep holding her like that.” She called over to Robin, he had Emma upside down right over his head.

Robin pulled a face and quickly righted her. 

“What’s m’omit?” 

“Vomit?” Robin walked over with Emma to the couch and sat on the floor with her, pulling over the pack of duplo blocks. “Grandma means you’ll be sick.” 

“Oh.” Emma nodded, she pointed over at the plate of treats Robin had placed on the table. “Can I have a cake? Pleaaase gran’pa?” 

Robin smiled. “Sure Em.” He grabbed the plate from the table and brought it back, he held them out in front of the toddler. “Do you want to choose one for me and one for grandma too?” He smirked over at Regina, she pulled a tongue at him making him laugh, he knew that she loved that she got to be a grandmother to Emma and Neal, as much as he loved being called grandpa, even if he didn’t feel nearly old enough to be one.

“Santa for me,” she took it into her hand, “snowman for grandma.” she picked it up, toddled over to Regina, passing her the cupcake with white frosting.

“Thank you dear.” 

Emma went back over to Robin who was watching Regina with Robin fondly. “Rudolph reindeer for you.” She smiled and passed it to him.

“Thank you, monkey.” 

Emma grinned then looked back at Regina with Neal in her arms and frowned. “Nee-Nee doesn’t have one… he can have mine.” 

“That’s very sweet of you dear, but Neal is too little for cupcakes just yet, it’s very good of you to share.”

Emma settled down beside Robin to eat her cupcake, once she was done she started to build with him, Robin and Regina were both talking to her about Christmas, which she was very excited about. 

“I’m gonna get more toys.” She told Robin, heading off to the master bedroom to find some more duplo. 

Robin smiled watching Regina smiling at Neal who was babbling to her. He missed babies that age, and Emma’s age, Roland was such a good baby… he would have quite liked another baby… he wondered if Regina felt the same.

“We’re pretty good babysitters.” Regina remarked to him.

“We’re excellent babysitters, Neal and Emma are good babies, I know kids act differently around their parents but they’re a piece of cake to look after.” 

“I was thinking the same!”

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Eventually they realised that Emma was taking a while. 

“I’ll go find her, she’s probably just fallen asleep playing in there.” 

“Okay, I’m going to sort out this one some milk, Mary Margaret said that he settles down around this time.” She smiled as he kissed her. “They’re so much easier than Henry was when he was little.” She joked.

“Same with Ro, he had a habit of climbing trees when I wasn’t looking and sleep walking through the forest.” Robin laughed then walked to the master bedroom. 

David and Mary Margaret had put christmas decorations up in their bedroom, and it was clear which ones Emma had made, and Mary Margaret and David clearly treasured those the most as they were displayed in the front. There were Emma and Neal’s things all around, including a couple of newer photographs of Emma and Neal, the former of which was a toddler in them. 

But there was no sign of Emma herself. 

Robin frowned. He checked to see if she was under the bed, but all that was there was rolls of gift wrap and a box labeled ‘kids’ presents’. He walked through the kitchen, hoping Emma had decided to find ice cream or candy or something. 

“Have you lost something?” Regina was bouncing Neal in her arms as she laughed at him not knowing why he was looking so confused. 

Robin was about to answer her when he noticed the bathroom door was ajar, the light was on, and the tiled floor was shiny with…

“Oh shit.” Robin murmured before darting to the bathroom, Regina hot on his heels. 

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“Emma!” 

Emma looked up when she heard Regina’s gasp.
She had been going to get the toys to play with Robin, but on her way back she had heard Regina and Robin calling her a baby, and she wasn’t a baby, she was big! She decided to prove it, and her young, wild, unpredictable magic had decided to help her.

Robin was careful not to slip on the tiles as he reached over the bath to turn off the taps. The place was like a paddling pool, the water on the floor was up to Emma’s knees, he didn’t know how it was staying in the bathroom though… unless. “Magic?”

“I, I guess it’s as immature as…” She nodded her head at Emma instead of saying her name, referring to her as one of the babies made her turn the bathroom into a paddling pool she didn’t want the toddler trying to prove herself in other ways. Regina sent magic towards the water, just in case Emma’s magic was to fail. She placed Neal into his crib before quickly returning to the bathroom.

Robin crouched in front of Emma, her pyjamas were soaked, and even with the heat on full in the apartment it was too cold for her to be in them much longer without getting a cold. “We know you’re a lot bigger than Neal, it’s just something we say, you know Roland is big right?” He watched her nod, he gently took hold of her hand, rubbing the backs of them with his thumbs to show she wasn’t in trouble. “Well even though he’s a lot bigger than you he’s still my baby.”

“Oh… Is Hen-ry and Rolo your baby too?” 

Regina smiled softly at her. “Yeah, they’re both my babies, you’ll always be your mommy and daddy’s baby, and my grandbaby.” 

Emma smiled. She looked around the bathroom, biting her lip as she did. “Am I gonna be on Santa’s bad list now?” 

Robin scooped her up into his arms. “I’m sure Father Christmas will understand, you were just trying to be big and help us, you just have to be careful around water, it can be dangerous and you have to be with an adult around water like that, okay?” She nodded to him and he cuddled her closer. 

He and Regina shared a silent conversation. 

“I’m going to get you into some dry jammies while Grandma cleans this up with her magic, okay?”

“Okay.” Emma said easily.  “Christmas jammies please?” 

“Of course, let’s go and see what we can find.” He pecked a kiss onto Regina’s cheek as he carried Emma passed her. 

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When they finally allowed themselves to relax Mary Margaret and David had a very nice meal out, they even treated themselves to dessert. 

David motioned for the cheque and paid while Mary Margaret went to ring Robin and Regina, she and David had been talking about how they used to love going on dates to the movies, David paid and thanked the waiter, tipping them generously, before walking over to his wife near the door, who finished her phone call as he reached her. 

“Is everything okay?” 

“Yeah, Regina just sounded a bit tired, that’s all. She says we should definitely go watch a movie, in fact she was really insistent.” She let her husband help her into her coat. And pressed a kiss onto his cheek in thanks. “I wonder if she and Robin will have a baby.” 

David knew the sparkle in his wife’s eye, he knew that Regina and Robin would both be questioned by Mary Margaret about their future. “I think that mostly depends on how well our children are behaving.” He held the door open for his wife and chuckled, he loved his daughter no matter her age, but it seemed that as a toddler she still had her mischievous nature, he just hoped for their sake that she was behaving herself and was fast asleep.

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Robin quickly had Emma changed into a clean diaper and a pair of rudolph themed pyjamas, it was clear how excited Emma was for the holiday, he wasn’t surprised. Although a version of Christmas and of Father Christmas existed in the Enchanted Forest he had found that this world’s version was even more magical and hyped, his own son was more excited than Robin had ever seen him. 

“Let’s get you some milk and we’ll watch a christmas movie.” He told her lifting her back into his arms, he knew there was no chance she would be able to sleep right then, and there was very little chance that she would be asleep by the time David and Mary Margaret got home.

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Robin settled down on the couch next to Regina who was already feeding Neal. He set Emma in the middle of the couch but she climbed up onto his lap as soon as he pressed play on Arthur Christmas. He smiled and handed her the bottle of warm milk, soon she was cuddled up and mesmerised by the movie. 

“I think you’re her favourite.” Regina whispered to him with a smile. 

“I think it was the cupcake bribe.” He smirked. 

“He’s santa’s baby!” 

Robin grinned at Emma having decided that he and Regina were right in regards to offspring being babies, but now she was going to be calling any and all offspring babies. 

“Mary Margaret rang while I was cleaning up the bathroom,” Regina stroked Neal’s downy black hair, “she and David have decided to go to the movies, she asked if that was okay with us, I said it was, that way we can pretend that everything went smoothly.” 

Robin wasn’t surprised that was Regina’s plan. He let out a small laugh. “That sounds like a good plan to me. If they found out they nearly had a swimming pool instead of a bath they might not have another date night until Neal is twenty one.” 

“Considering how she was before she aged down I push that to Neal being about thirty eight and she’s forty… at least.” 

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Before long, Emma and Neal were both fast asleep in Robin and Regina’s arms, there was something soothing about babies sleeping cuddled up to them, and before they could turn off the children’s movie Regina, then Robin, fell fast asleep.

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Mary Margaret and David settled in their seats as the previews played, they had chosen a mystery movie, one they could focus on, they hadn’t been able to watch one of these movies for a while as they couldn’t sit down uninterrupted with the kids around. 

David wrapped his arm around Mary Margaret’s shoulder, she cuddled close to him. 

As the screen played the opening credits David and Mary Margaret quietly dozed. 

They didn’t wake up until an usher eventually woke them, nearly an hour after the movie finished. 

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Robin and Regina woke with a jolt, Robin first and Regina soon after, neither realised they had fallen asleep. Robin looked over at his girlfriend who was yawning, and looking so relaxed and unguarded. 

He picked up his own phone and read a text from Marian (who had taken to texting surprisingly quickly): There was a video from Roland, tucked into his bed at Marian’s apartment, he had two toy monkeys tucked in with him, one from Regina and him, the other brand new one must have been from Marian. He pressed play and Roland chattered to him about what a good day he had and that he loved him and Regina, he said goodnight. He had been celebrating christmas early with Marian, Robin would be having him on the actual day, he missed him a lot, but he was glad that he and Marian were bonding. 

“He’s so sweet.” Regina smiled, Robin turned his head and smiled back, she had been watching it over his shoulder. “Henry says goodnight, he’s having fun at Hansel’s, he’s going to find Emma turning the bathroom into a swimming pool funny.” 

Robin let out a quiet laugh. “I suppose it was rather funny. We best get these babies to bed, I’m sure their parents will be home soon.” 

“We’re not telling them about the bath incident.”

“Deal.” Robin nodded eagerly, he didn’t want to give up the possibility of babysitting them again, he rather liked being a grandfather to the pair. “I’ll tuck this one up in her crib bed.” He stood up with Emma in his arms, he made sure she had her blanket and lion. 

He was used to carrying Roland up to bed when he fell asleep early, and once Henry when he was sick, compared to those two Emma weighed nothing. 

He found himself missing having a young child as he tucked her under her Christmas themed covers, he turned on the night light for her.

“Dada.” Emma mumbled without opening her eyes. 

Robin crouched down and rubbed a couple of circles onto her back. “No buddy, it’s, it’s grandpa. You go back to sleep, dream about Father Christmas and all the gifts you’ll be bought.” He smiled to himself as she settled back down, he clearly had the magic touch.

He headed back downstairs and found Regina stood next to Neal’s crib, watching him sleep. “I’ve got to admit I miss having a baby.” 

“Me too. It’s been a long time since Henry was so little, but I love him and Roland so much, I just wish I…”

Robin knew what she wouldn’t allow herself to say. “We could have another child? We have the resources, we’re a loving family, we could give any child a really good home.” 

“I can’t-.” 

“I know.” He gently took her hand. “But there’s other ways, surrogacy, IVF, adoption.”

Regina slowly smiled. “I think we should look into it… Maybe in the new year?”

“That sounds like a good idea to me.” He pecked her lips before kissing her yet again, his hands cupping her cheeks.

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Mary Margaret and David eventually appeared back at the loft, when they walked in, they were met with the sight of Regina and Robin, cuddled up on the couch, they looked like they needed to sleep for a few days. 

Robin and Regina stood up to greet them with smiles. 

“How was your night out?” Robin asked clapping David on the back.

“Yes, did you finally relax and forget about the kids?” Regina gave Mary Margaret a look.

“Wh-Oh, oh yeah, we watched an action movie.” David lied. 

“And then we grabbed a couple of drinks at the bar.” Mary Margaret piled on. “How did it go here?”

“Oh it was quiet.” Robin lied.

“Yeah, Emma’s been in bed for a couple of hours, she was as good as gold. We watched some christmas movie, I can’t remember which one, they all blend into one after you’ve watched more than two.”

The two couple smiled at each other, each pretending to believe each other’s lies, and both were in need of a full night’s sleep. 

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David and Mary Margaret thanked Regina and Robin and as soon as they were gone they got ready for bed, checking in on their two kids who were peacefully sleeping. 

“We’re still young and cool, right?” David wondered climbing under the covers. 

Mary Margaret joined him, cuddling close to steal his warmth. “Oh yes, yeah, totally…. We shouldn’t tell them we basically just slept, should we?” 

“Definitely not. They’ll never let us live it down.” David didn’t hesitate to answer. “I had fun though.” 

“Me too, I’m happy doing anything as long as I’m with you.”

Chapter Text

Mary Margaret woke up feeling David moving out from underneath her, the next thing she realised was that her name was being called, she yawned and looked around to Neal’s crib, but he wasn’t making a noise, nor was he old enough to be shouting ‘mommy’. 

David let out a soft chuckle, he lay a kiss upon her forehead. “It’s Emma, I’ll go get her, you get some more sleep.” 

“My Prince Charming.” She said lovingly, her voice was slurred with sleep. She watched him leave but didn’t fall back asleep, instead she picked Neal up from his crib. “Hello my beautiful boy.” She beamed as he gave her a wide smile. “Oh! Your teeth finally came through! You’re growing up so fast!” She nuzzled her nose against his making him giggle. “Are you hungry?” 

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Emma was stood holding onto the bars of the stair gate when David got upstairs. 

“Hey Koala, you’re awake early!” He lifted her up into his arms giving her a kiss as he stepped into her room. 

“Daddy it’s Christmas! We need to see if there’s presents!” 

“Woah, hold on wiggly worm.” He had to switch her to his other arm to stop her from falling as he carried her over to the changing table. “It’s not christmas just yet, Em.”

Emma’s face fell, her eyes widened, she had the same ‘kicked puppy’ face her father sometimes wore. “Not Christmas?”

David felt bad, he kissed her forehead and cuddled her closer before placing her onto the changing table. “Not quite yet, just three sleeps.”

“Three sleeps?” She held up her fingers.

David placed another of her fingers up so that it was showing three. “Yeah, three sleeps then when you wake up I’m sure Santa will have come.” 

Emma debated whether it was acceptable or not, for a few seconds, before nodding. “Okay.”

“Good girl. Can you lie down for me to change your diaper, kiddo?” 

“Uh huh.” 

David quickly changed Emma’s diaper before doing her pyjamas back up. “Did you have fun with Grandpa and Grandma last night Emmy?” 

“Yeah.” Emma beamed. “I made a bath and watched christmas movies.” 

“Oh, that sounds good.” He smiled not really understanding. “Let’s get you some of your milk and we can see mommy and Nealy.” 

“We goin’ the mommy playgroup again?” 

David smiled as she snuggled her head against his chest. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Not today, Emma, it’s finished for Christmas for a little while, did you enjoy it yesterday?” 

“I liked my new friends.” 

David’s smile widened, he hadn’t realised that she hadn’t really had friends in Storybrooke when she was an adult, maybe this time around in her new life she would have more friends. “I’m glad you’re making friends, we’ll make a playdate for you all soon.” He promised her walking down the stairs. “Chocolate or vanilla milk?” He knew what she would answer.

“Chocolate!”

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He quickly mixed up a bottle of the pediasure chocolate shake and carried it through to the master bedroom along with Emma.

“Morning Emmy.” Mary Margaret smiled as David sat beside her on the bed, Emma moved so she was cuddled against her arm as she sat on David’s lap. 

“Mommy.” Emma grinned, she picked up David’s arm to wrap it around her so he didn’t feel left out as she snuggled against Mary Margaret’s arm. “I got chocolate milk.” 

“I see that, Neal just finished his milk too, did you get lots of sleep last night lovebug?”

“Uh huh.” She nodded then took a long sip of her milk from her bottle. “Did Nee have chocolate like me?” 

“No sweetie, he has milk from me, maybe he can have some when he’s older.” 

“...Okay I’ll share with him mommy.”

Mary Margaret kissed her forehead. “You’re such a good girl.” She gently sighed and leant back against her husband who wrapped his arm around her. 

David pressed a kiss onto her crown, he could smell the faint trace of perfume from their dressed up date night the night before. “Everything okay?” 

“Everything’s perfect. It feels like everything has finally calmed down.” 

David knew what she meant, it felt like Emma was finally stable, that this was their life from now on, and David was more than happy about that. 

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The Charmings arrived at the christmas market early, most of the stalls had only just set up, but already there was a smell of roast chestnuts and gingerbread in the air. 

David took Neal with him to track down some coffee for him and his wife, while Mary Margaret took a very excitable Emma to have her face painted. 

Mary Margaret sat on the chair with Emma on her lap, trying to keep her as still as possible while a lady dressed as an elf painted an elf on her cheek. 

“Mommy you’ve gotta have it too.” 

“I have to have my face painted too? Maybe later sweetie we have a lot of shopping to get done.”

“Please mommy?” Emma sent her the puppy dog look Henry had taught her to use on David only the other day. “You gotta get a snow on your face.” 

Mary Magraret let out a small sigh. “Okay, I’ll get a snowflake on my face.” She sent the lady a smile and handed over two dollars, the lady began painting. “You got your daddy’s puppy dog look, you know that?” 

“I’m not a puppy.” Emma giggled and looked at her cheek in the mirror. 

“Cool face paint, Ems.” 

Emma jumped but, hearing the familiar voice, turned around to face it. “Hen-ry!” She shouted in excitement. She threw her arms around the lanky teen’s legs hugging him tight.

“I missed you too bud.” He gently placed his hand on her head. 

“Hello my handsome grandson, what are you doing here?” 

“Grams!” Henry’s cheeks tinged pink and he looked around at some of the more attractive teenage face-painters around to see if they heard, they had. He looked back at his grandmother, Emma had moved away from him and was now staring at him in confusion. “Gramps said you guys were all shopping for christmas presents for each other today, I thought I’d tag along and grab a few things, if that’s okay?” 

“Of course it is! Isn’t it Emmy?” She rubbed Emma’s coated back trying to get her to stop being so reserved and staring.

Henry crouched down and gave Emma a small, encouraging smile, he could see pain flickering on her face as she tried her hardest to remember who she really was to him, not just their relationship from her new memories. 

“You don’t have to try and remember your old memories, Emma.” He told her quietly, he was pretty sure that she didn’t understand what he meant, but he had to say it, for himself and for any subconscious part of her which was still fighting the inevitable. “You don’t have to remember who I used to be to you.” He bit his lip. “You can let go. I’ll still be here with you, no matter what, I love you, every version of you. You don’t have to keep fighting, let yourself have a new chance.” 

Emma tilted her head to the side as Henry spoke, she didn’t understand what he was going on about, but some part of herself stilled to listen and when she saw tears glisten in his eyes she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him as tight as possible. “Don’t cry Hen-ry.” 

Henry stood up holding Emma in a hug, he smiled hearing her voice, he knew that even with her little she cared about him, and that was all that mattered. “Okay Emmy.” He whispered to her. 

“Do you want a rudolph on your cheek? Or a snowman? It’ll make you happy.” 

Henry let out a small laugh at her attempt to fix everything. He looked to his grandmother who was giving him a loving and concerned smile. He hugged Emma closer for a minute before setting her back down onto the ground. “That sounds like a good idea, that you.” 

Mary Margaret handed over the money to the woman running the face painting stall and Henry sat down on a chair beside her, his cheeks becoming pink again when it was one of the teenage girls who was the one to paint his face. 

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When David made his way back over he had two cups of coffee, a big cup of hot chocolate, and Emma’s sippy which also contained warm-hot chocolate, along with a box of pastries. 

Mary Margaret smiled, he had clearly known that despite Henry’s uncertainty the boy would show. 

“Coffee?” Henry asked hopefully, he was a teenager and it was before eleven, after all. 

David was about to say Regina wouldn’t approve, and that he remembered Henry being eleven and trying to drink coffee while Mary Margaret and Emma were in the Enchanted Forest and Henry was awake for three days, but he realised that Henry was trying to seem cool in front of a girl. “Sorry I forgot to get you one.” 

“It’s okay gramps.” Henry smiled, for once he hadn’t tried his best to embarrass Henry, it must be a christmas miracle.

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The family split up into teams of two, after demolishing their second breakfast, to shop for gifts agreeing to swap over after lunch. 

Mary Margaret pushed the stroller with Emma inside it and Henry beside her, happily talking to her grandson about everything she had missed in his life while busy with everything with Emma, she reminded herself not to feel bad about feeling relaxed for the first time in what felt like a lifetime. 

She and David had bought most of the kids’, including Henry’s, presents, but neither could resist adding some more as they went around, as secretly as possible. 

But Henry was finding it difficult, he had gotten David and Mary Margaret their presents, he had even gotten Neal’s present weeks ago, but he had no idea what to get for Emma, he hadn’t known what to get for her when she was an adult, and somehow now it was even harder as nothing seemed special enough.

Emma had was napping in the stroller and his grandma was looking at photo frames to add to what he could only guess was an extensive christmas gift to David. 

Henry wandered down the stalls a little, the markets were starting to get busier now, it was hard to hear what the market place people were shouting, trying to flog. At the end of the stall there was an elderly woman, in front of her were carefully carved wooden toys, some were more figurines for around his age, but there were a lot for much younger children.

He tilted his head to the side when he saw the pots of paint all around the stall. “What’s the paint for?” 

“It’s for the toys, you can paint them however you wish, I have some painted too, but I always thought a present is best with a little bit of the person who loves them inside.” Something chimed in Henry’s heart, it was exactly what he had been looking for, something Emma would like and be able to use now, and would be something personal. 

He looked at the different things in front of him. There were some ambulances, police cars, average cars of various shapes and sizes, including one which looked an awful lot like Emma’s bug. There were sets of families, painted different races and with different looks, leaving only their hair and clothes to paint. He found one which looked the most like his family, Emma’s family. “Can I have the bug, this family, and a set of paints?” He dug into his coat pocket for his wallet, grabbing out the money as Mary Margaret appeared behind him. 

The lady smiled at him, placed the items into a bag for him, she handed him the bag along with his change. 

Henry placed the bag underneath the stroller where Emma was cuddled with her soft toy lion. 

“She’s going to love it.” Mary Margaret assured him. 

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Through the day Henry picked up a few more presents for his friends and family, Emma seemed especially clingy to him, and he found that he spent most of the day forgetting that she had even once been his mother. 

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That night, after Mary Margaret and David had dropped him off home Henry retreated to his bedroom, Roland had tried to convince him to watch a Christmas movie with the rest of their family, but Henry just promised he watch one another time with him.

Instead he wrapped up the presents he had bought his family, he loved Regina but he knew his mother well enough to know what she would snoop to see what he had bought her, before settling down at his desk to begin painting Emma’s Christmas present.

Chapter Text

David didn’t know how Emma was going to cope in the two days leading up to christmas, she had already been so excited that Mary Margaret had to feed her breakfast that morning, as she had just been wiggling and chattering about the holiday in her high chair instead of eating. After that she had asked every ten minutes if it was ’nearly christmas yet’, it was both adorable and made him dread the following day, Christmas Eve, she would surely be a handful then.

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Luckily their family, led by the ever organised Mary Margaret had planned to have an outing to the pantomime which was being performed at a theatre which had been erected in the town hall, she had said it was to try and give the excited children, Emma, Roland, and to a lesser extent Henry, something to do as they counted down the time. 

Truthfully they were all excited, especially the adults: Mary Margaret and David were spending the first christmas with their kids, at any age, they had also invited Ruby as they hadn’t seen her much over the past couple of months with everything happening with Emma. Regina and Robin were excited to spend Christmas with Henry and Roland, and after gentle persuasion from Mary Margaret they had extended an invitation to Marian, who had accepted it gratefully. 

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As David sat watching the production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,
(a smart choice he thought as there would be an uproar in the town if they had chosen to perform one of those bastardised ‘fairy tales’ like the ones shown outside of Storybrooke),
nestled between his wife and his grandson, with his daughter on his lap, he felt like the luckiest man in the world. 

Everything finally felt settled, and he was starting to not think about how much he missed adult Emma, it was like when his mother had died, at first he missed her all the time, but eventually that started to fade and he started to not think about her, now when he thinks of his mother it is just with fond memories, he wondered if one day he would do the same thinking about the adult Emma had once been, but would never fully be again.

He heard Emma giggle and point towards the stage at a funny bit and his slightly troubled memories drifted away. 

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“Mommy!” 

Mary Margaret temporarily looked away from Ruby and toward Emma, who was sitting in a high chair next to David. They had commandeered several tables in centre of Granny’s and placed them together to create a long one to all sit together to have a feast for their dinner.  

She smiled, Emma had managed to get pizza sauce all around not just her mouth but her face, she was looking a little sleepy and the whine in her voice told Mary Margaret that she would be fast asleep before they even made it onto dessert. “Hey baby, do you want to sit with me?” She watched Emma nod and stood up to get her out of the highchair.

“I’ll pass her over.” David stood at the same time as his wife, he wiped Emma’s face with a baby wipe to get rid of the sauce, he took the messy bib off of her before taking her into his arms. He kissed her forehead. “You sit with mommy. We’re all here with you kiddo, you’ve got a whole big family now.” He whispered into her wild blonde curls before passing her over the table to his wife. 

Mary Margaret cuddled her close and her daughter twisted so she was practically curled up in her lap. Mary Margaret looked over at David and mouthed to him, within a few seconds he passed over Emma’s beloved lion teddy. Mary Margaret passed it to Emma. “Mommy’s going to have some dessert, you can have some of mine, you can share, or you can just snuggle with me.”

“Snuggle.” Her mother’s woollen knitted dress felt soft beneath her cheek, and it smelt faintly of her mother’s perfume, it was very comforting indeed. She cuddled her lion close to her too, he smelt like home- like her mommy and her daddy. “Maybe share too.” She added, keeping her options open.

Mary Margaret and Ruby both heard her and gave a little giggle each, it was so Emma to be nearly asleep but still ready to ‘share’ more sweet food.

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Henry walked up to the counter a little later on, everyone had finished their main course and were all deciding on dessert, but he knew that he would be having the biggest sundae on the menu. Ruby was at the counter talking to a few people about something quickly, he walked over and asked for a refill of his drink, he passed the glass over.

It took him until then to realise that the infamous pirate was sat at the counter, cradling a glass with amber liquid inside, but he wasn’t drinking it, he was too busy staring - no, glaring at the table, at Emma. 

“Why the hell are you staring at her?” He demanded, the pirate hadn’t been expecting it and turned to look at the teenager. “Just leave her alone. If you really loved her you’d accept this and that she’s happy, the rest of us have, even Emma has. Leave her alone .”

Hook downed his drink and left wordlessly.

“You’re getting tough, kid.” 

Henry blinked in surprise, he hadn’t realised that Ruby had been watching the exchange. He shrugged his shoulders. “I just want to protect her.” 

She threw her arm around him and pulled him into a half hug. “You’re a good kid, your grandparents and your mom, and Emma, would be proud.” Speaking of them, she glanced over at her two best friends, she bit her lip, Hook hadn’t actually done anything… but something about it set her on edge, even if she couldn’t fully explain why. 

“Don’t tell Grandma.” Henry said as though reading her mind. “He’s just a jerk who has problems, but if we all ignore him he’ll quickly give up, he’ll sail away soon. It’s been a really nice day, Grandma and Grandpa haven’t looked worried once, I don’t want them to hear this and ruin that.” 

Ruby knew he was right, it was probably nothing and it would worry them probably needlessly. “Okay. Hey, you excited for Santa Clause coming tomorrow night?” She laughed as he rolled his eyes. “I’m serious, he was a thing back home, maybe he came over with the second curse…. I guess we won’t know unless you’ve been good all year ...” She teased. 

“Ruby! I’m not a little kid!” He whined making her laugh louder. 

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Three hours later Mary Margaret wrapped herself in a dressing gown over her warm pyjamas, and drained the bath water. It had probably been the most relaxing bath she had taken since she was cursed, as suggested by her husband, the kids had been fast asleep since before they had even finished dessert and hadn’t even awoke when David and Mary Margaret changed their diapers and got them dressed, David promised to listen out for them waking while she managed to take some me time’ for once. 

She walked out of the bathroom to see David closing the lid of one of the christmas present boxes. “What’s this?” 

“Well I know we had a couple of little bits left to wrap, and I can almost guarantee that Emma will be a pain to settle to sleep tomorrow night, so I figured I should finish them off now, while it’s all quiet here.” He picked the box up and walked past her towards the bedroom, kissing her cheek as he passed. 

Mary Margaret decided to follow him. “That’s a really good point, I didn’t think of that, thank you babe.” 

“Anytime.” He tucked the box under the bed before kissing her again. “Do you want to watch a movie that isn’t a cartoon?” He asked in a conspiratorial style whisper, as though not watching a kids movie had to be kept a secret or it wouldn’t happen. 

Mary Margaret giggled, her face close to his, she pressed a kiss to his lips which she deepened for a few seconds. “I would love to.” 

“Awesome, I would say let’s watch a christmas movie like Die Hard, but I know I won’t win that fight.” He chuckled. “You pick anything, I’m just going to go and brush my teeth.” He noticed Emma’s lion poking out of the baby changing bag. He picked it out and held it up. “I’ll tuck this under her arm or we’ll have her awake and crying at four and refusing to sleep.” 

“Which would probably wake the baby too.” She pulled a worried then grateful look. “Hurry back.” She climbed under the covers and flicked the television on.

“Anything for you, my love.” He gave a deep, silly, bow before leaving the room. 

Chapter Text

David brushed his teeth thinking about what a nice day they had, like Mary Margaret he felt as though everything had finally settled down, he had seen Emma looking a little confused over memories but not much more than any three year old would. He knew that she was nearly entirely young now, she was so much more relaxed in herself, she was starting to be able to be the new version of herself, and they were all okay with that. 

He rinsed his mouth out and picked up the lion soft toy, he smiled a little, he was proud that it was so important to her, that he had chosen it and it was important. 

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He took the stairs two at a time, wanting to get back to his wife, spend quality time with just her. 

Emma’s bedroom wasn’t quite dark, it was slightly illuminated by the nightlights which led stars across the room.

He crept over, he loved his kids but he’d rather she stayed asleep so he could spend some time with Mary Magraret, one on one. He let out a little quiet breathy chuckle, Emma was always moving about in her sleep and tonight there was no difference, all her duvet and blankets were all bundled together in a heap which he knew she was bundled under. 

He reached the crib, trying to see Emma, he tucked the lion into his pocket, he lifted the blankets to smooth them out. 

His heart stopped. 

His hand reached out. 

Nothing. 

He ran to the light switch, switching on with such haste that he almost broke it. 

“EMMA!” 

“EMMA!” 

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Mary Margaret was flicking through Netflix in bed, impatiently waiting for her husband, she picked a movie she knew David would sit through with minimal complaints, though if he did start complaining she could always distract him…

She would later come to regret sighing as she heard her husband shout Emma’s name over the baby monitor, she thought that she had just done something she shouldn’t have, after being told the truth about Emma’s bath while Robin and Regina were babysitting a few days previously. She didn’t notice the tone in his voice, the heart stopping, world shattering tone, not until he shouted Emma’s name again. 

Mary Margaret was upstairs in seconds, her eyes went from David’s empty arms, to the empty crib. He wasn’t searching for her, there were blankets thrown off of her toddler bed and doors of the changing table were thrown open. 

“She’s gone.” 

David’s voice was so quiet and broken that Mary Margaret barely heard it. Somehow it still echoed around her brain, like a nightmare, David was still but it spurred Mary Margaret into motion, throwing toys to search in the toy box and doll house castle, flinging open doors to things Emma wouldn’t be able to reach, just in case. 

A sense of deja vû made David’s blood freeze, he felt that familiar feeling he had felt a couple of months before, when he had awoke feeling something was amiss, he felt like that now, perhaps he had felt like that before he had even ascended to her room, he was just so caught up in his own happiness to notice. Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid, and selfish , how could he have done that? He was meant to be her father! He was meant to put her first!  

Shit. 

If something happened to her, if he didn’t find her, then….. 

He shook his head trying to focus himself on what was happened, on how to find her, but also at his wife who was frantically searching. She must feel it too, mustn’t she? 

“She’s not here.” His voice was quieter than he expected. “I don’t think she’s here.” 

“We need to look anyway.” Mary Margaret’s voice came out harsher than she meant it to, it wasn’t aimed at him, it was at the fear building inside of her. 

He knew, logically, that she was right. “Okay. Let’s split up, you search here, I’ll start searching outside the apartment, nearby, just in case, I mean it wouldn’t be the first time.” 

Mary Margaret swallowed deep. “Okay.” She took a deep breath. “Okay, ring me if you’ve not found her in twenty minutes, I’ll do the same here, if we can’t, if we can’t find her we’ll start a search party.” 

“Yeah.” He nodded quickly. “We’ll find her.” He hesitated only long enough to promise again he’d ring and to hear her to promise back and to pull on his boots and coat before running down the stairs and out into the frozen, midnight, Christmas Eve snow. 

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David was not really awake, at least that was how he felt, like he was watching his search from outside of his body. 

He watched himself searching the street desperately, the falling snow hit his pyjama pants soaking them, but he didn’t even notice. 

In his head he kept repeating that should would find her soon, she would be around here, she would just have run away after a nightmare, they would just have to fit some house alarms they’d be woken up if she did this again. Or maybe there was still some tiny bit of Emma which was still adult Emma and she had left for some reason, maybe she was sick and disoriented or something. There had to be a reason which wasn’t the thing that any parent dreaded... 

When he checked the time on his phone he realised he had already been outside and searching for fifteen minutes, there was no way he could cover much more ground, not in time… 

He found himself racing to the door of a small house close to Granny’s diner and pounding on the door. 

When it was eventually thrown open he came face to face with a snarling woman and an older scarier woman with a crossbow. 

Granny stopped aiming the crossbow at the mans face when she realised it was David who was standing, panting in her doorway, in the early hours of Christmas Eve morning.

Ruby was even more worried, she had known David for years, she knew nearly everything about him, she knew he smiled easily and when he was worried he tried to hide it so not to scare others. David looked terrified: his face was ashen, he was breathless, and he kept looking back behind him. She tried to usher him inside, something dangerous must be after him for him to be this scared, but he shook his head in refusal. “David what’s going on? What happened?”

“Emma.” He panted. “Emma. She’s she’s gone, she’s.” He trailed off several times through his short breathless sentence to look back behind him, as though expecting the toddler to appear, she did not. “She’s gone: missing.” He repeated. 

Ruby heard her grandmother gasp, but Ruby didn’t have enough time to react to her missing goddaughter, her time as part of the resistance with David and Mary Margaret had taught her how important time was. When someone was missing, especially a child, they had very little time… especially in Maine in the middle of winter. “Missing? David, did someone take her?!” She demanded. Anger curled inside her, in the gaps between her cells, becoming part of her. 

“N-No. No. No she can’t be- she’ll have had a nightmare or, or she, she can’t be taken.” He stammered over his words as Ruby said his fears aloud. He shook his head as her words rang around it. “Ruby I need to find her, I need to find her now. I can’t lose her.” His voice broke and he knew that if he didn’t find her he wouldn’t survive. He wouldn’t be able to go on. “Help. Please.” 

He should have known by now that he needn’t even ask, Ruby was soulmates with both David and Mary Margaret, not in a romantic way but in the sense of being triplet souls, they understood each other in a way which needed no words, in battles they moved like dancers, a triple threat, and in  missions they worked like one they didn’t need words because their minds were so alike that they would all come to the same conclusions and solutions. He needn’t ask, beg, as soon as either of them needed her she was there. 

Ruby gave her grandmother a look so quickly that she worried the older woman might not notice it, but she realised she had when Granny announced she would call ‘the others’, Ruby didn’t waste anymore time, there was a flash of light made even brighter by the snow, and in Ruby’s place was a wolf.

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Mary Margaret called Regina as soon as she had received a phone call from Granny who David had spoken to, as it happened Regina had already heard the news, Robin had been rung by Granny asking for him to join the search party, and she was on her way over. It was thirty minutes since she had gone upstairs and found David alone and motionless, thirty minutes since her world had started to fall apart, thirty minutes since she had last taken a breath. 

“Mary Margaret? Mary Margaret?! Mary Margaret! ” 

“Grandma?”

For some reason she did register the name Mary Margaret as her own, it took her only grandchild calling her grandma to pull her out of her stupor. “What?” She asked blinking back the tears which had taken root in her eyes but had not fallen, yet. 

“I was just calling you, did you not…?” Regina shook her own head. It did not matter. 

She slowly took in the downstairs instead, she knew that Mary Margaret could not be focusing because the entire downstairs looked as though a tornado had hit it, everything had been pulled out of cupboards, chests had been pulled over, blankets and cushions spilling out of them. There was a photograph of Mary Margaret and David on a date night which must have fallen off a table or shelf during the search, it had smashed. Regina picked it up. She slowly spread her hand from left to right, the glass melted back together, in seconds there was no sign it had ever fallen. She placed it on the dining table. 

“Robin told me that they, Ruby, don’t think that she’s run away.” 

“Her blanket’s gone.” Mary Margaret’s voice sounded distant, remarking on something like the weather, far away. “She wouldn’t run away. Not anymore.” 

Regina would normally argue, she was someone who believed that under the right circumstances anyone was capable of anything, particularly bad or dangerous acts. But she knew what Emma was like now, she was a toddler who needed a lot of help, she had magic but it was not consistent and she didn’t know how to use it, she couldn’t even undo the babygate yet alone make it down the stairs on her own. 

“They’re doing a search of the town now, apparently Ruby’s in dog mode, she is trying to find any scent of her. I know you’ve done a search, I’ll search with my magic too, if you’d like?” She offered. She knew she would not find anything, but she was trying to help her former step daughter feel a little more certain, some assurances before having to step up the search to apply to Emma not having run away, but having being taken. 

Mary Margaret felt as though she was taking in every other word. She gave a jerky nod. She should be out there looking with David. She temporarily debated going now, leaving Regina and Henry to watch Neal, but if someone took one of her children what was to stop them coming back and taking her other child?

Henry felt lost, Regina had tried to convince him to stay with Marian when she and Robin had dropped Roland off with her,Marian had been more than happy to watch the teenager, but Henry refused, pointing out he could help with Neal, and Emma was still his family. Regina hadn’t bothered to waste anymore time arguing. 

Henry felt out of place in the loft, it was completely unlike how he had ever seen it, it took him a solid minute to realise it hadn’t been the result of someone breaking in, it had been his grandmother, a lady who had a set place for everything. What was worse was that she looked as though she was empty, she did not even look scared or angry, she looked as though her body was empty, her soul was somewhere else. If they didn’t find Emma… if they didn’t find Emma, Henry Mills was certain that Mary Margaret would not surprise. 

He suddenly wished that Emma was an adult again, that he could hug her, that Regina wasn’t busy and that he could curl up on her lap like he had when he was young and had nightmares about losing his mother. Instead he walked over to the crib and picked up his nephew who had been quietly crying from the moment they had entered the apartment. He wondered if the baby could tell that his big sister was missing. Neal stopped crying and cuddled close to Henry, taking hold of the boy’s pyjama shirt in his chubby little hand. 

Regina’s search of the apartment was swift, she searched three more times, just to be on the safe side, but there was no sign of the toddler. She gave a tiny shake of her head but didn’t remark upon it outloud. None of them had been expecting Emma to be there. “Show me where you found her, tell me what happened, exactly what happened.”

Regina wasn’t surprised that her son followed her and Mary Margaret up the stairs, she was relieved really, she didn’t want him too far from her either, not until she knew exactly what was going on. 

Mary Margaret recounted what had happened, from their journey home from the meal which Regina and Henry where both at, tucking Emma into her crib after dressing her, all the while Emma didn’t stir. How she and David were about to watch a movie in bed. That she didn’t hear anything. 

Regina tried her best to search Emma’s bedroom, but she didn’t truly know what she was doing, only what she had seen on television, only David and Emma were trained in this sort of thing, and David was leading the search on the ground. “Are you sure you didn’t hear anything.” 

“Nothing.” Mary Margaret insisted. “Noise bounces around this place, if there had been a footstep we would have heard. And we had the baby monitor up there, there was nothing, no one .” 

Regina frowned. “How about while we were out? Was there anyone while we were at the show or the diner who were staring more? Or who talked to her or you? A stranger or anyone you know? Anyone who has a problem with you. Here or back home?” 

“No. No there was no one. And the last person to have any problem with us was you, so unless you’ve done anything to her it’s not our fault .” Her voice turned fierce and the look in her eyes made Henry realise why she had made such a scary opposition to different villains, including his own mother. 

Henry walked over towards Emma’s crib, Neal still in his arms. In the glow of Emma’s night light shining around the room like a lighthouse he could have sworn he had seen something, a glint of tiny light. The light shone on the are again as the light came back around. It could have been glitter, it would make sense with a toddler who he knew had some a lot of art and crafts in the lead up to Christmas… 

“Mom.” 

Regina turned around, surprised that Henry was interrupting, but the serious tone in his voice was enough to chill her blood. “Henry?” 

“There was someone.” He said, his heart dropped, even more than it already had. “There was someone, and I think she took Emma.” 

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The snow had turned to sleet, as the night swiftly turned to day, and it was so cold that even as he ran David could not feel his legs. The princes Thomas and Philip had both joined their search party, along with Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Mulan, among several others he had not even spoken to, they had woken up several streets calling Emma’s name, but he didn’t care about that either. He kept running, keeping up with Ruby, just, if he stopped he would be forced to think, and his mind was a minefield right now.

He ran around the park which Emma loved, though there were none of her beloved ducks in sight, it was too cold for them. He didn’t know where ducks went when it was so cold, he knew Emma would have asked him, he wondered if she would ever be able to ask him anything again.

He was brought to a halt by someone pulling him by the arm, he wasn’t easy to stop, in fact he was trying to continue to run and search so intently that he nearly dislocated his shoulder, it was a small miracle the Kristoff had been able to bring him to a stop, but the Arendellian was used to dealing with stubborn reindeer so perhaps it shouldn’t be that surprising. 

“Kris! Let go.” He tried to pull his arm free. “Let me go! I need to find her! I need to find Emma.” 

Kristoff had known David for a long time, long and well enough that he had never understood how anyone could have seen David as scary or threatening, he had assumed he and Mary Margaret had never been successfully invaded because the queen could be scary enough for the both of them. But no. David’s words were spat at him with a growl so dangerous that Kristoff wondered if he were secretly a werewolf like the diner waitress was.
“You won’t be able to find her like this. That wizard, the Dark One, Rumplestills-kin, or whatever he’s called, he and his wife are here. He wants to help. He wants to talk to you.” He kept hold of his friend and placed his other arm around his shoulder firmly leading him towards where some of the others were gathered around the Dark One. Robin nodded to him when he noticed him bringing David back over, as did Ruby, the three of them were very worried about both Emma and about David. And what might happen should the worst happen. 

“David I’m so so sorry.” Belle started when the men came over to their huddle. “We want to help.” She gave a look to her own husband prompting him to talk. 

“I’ve managed to search the area.” Rumple fidgetted uncomfortably under the looks of so many heros relying on him. “She’s nowhere in sight. The magic can’t find her in town.” 

David frowned and slowly turned his head from looking down at his own shoes to at Rumplestiltskin. “She’s been taken from the town?” 

“No. That’s not what I think has happened. I think someone, something, is using very strong magic to hide her. We need to get back to your loft, I need to talk to you and Ms Blanchard. I need to ask you something. I want-” He pulled a face not used to saying what he was saying.

Belle took over. “We want to help. We’re going to find her David.” 

David nodded but frowned. He needed to be doing something , if he wasn’t he would feel as though he was helpless and useless. He looked back at the several people outside of the huddle still searching. 

“Let them carry on searching.” Ruby told him. “You never know.” They all knew but at least it took a little of the pain from David’s frown. She didn’t care if the dozen people lost a night’s sleep, not if it made David feel a little better.

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Emma had woken when she had been taken. At first she thought it was her father taking her into his arms, but the strong arms holding her were rough and clumsy. She had tried to yell but no noise came out, she tried to look at the two people in the darkness, the silhouettes were similar to those of her parents but they were different enough for her to be certain they were not. 

The light hit them and she realised one of the people was the angry man from the store, the one her daddy had promised she would never see again. He smelt as strongly of alcohol as he had the other day, she knew the smell from past foster parents. 

The other person was the one who scared her more. The lady had also been in store that day, the lady was dressed as prim and proper as she had been that day, and there was something about her which made Emma want to hide. She tried to call out to her parents again but her voice had still been silenced. 

Then there was a sudden pain as something hard hit her head and her room faded to darkness. 

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“What do you mean?” Mary Margaret demanded. “Who was there? Who took Emma?” She tried to run through all of the women she knew in the town but none of them would take Emma. “Was it a stranger? Did someone else come to town.” 

“No, No.” Henry shook his head. “I barely noticed her. Hook was there last night, staring at Emma but me and Ruby got him to leave.” 

“Hook.” Mary Margaret growled, taking a step towards the stairs.

“No,” Henry’s voice stopped her in her tracks. ”I don’t think he could do this, he’s always drunk there’s no way he wouldn’t leave a sign, and he wouldn’t be able to get up here without falling down the fire escape, that’s if he even knows about it.” 

Mary Margaret considered this and nodded. Urging him to continue. 

”I think, I didn’t realise it until now, but I think, I know I saw Blue there too.” The serious urgent tone in his voice told his mother and grandmother that he was not guessing, that he was right. ”She was staring at Emma, really creepily, and she left seconds after Hook went. I think she took her. There’s glitter in Emma’s crib, but I don’t think it’s glitter, can you?” He looked to his mother. 

Regina walked over to the crib and held her hands up over it. There was a blue light as her magic hit the trails of fairy magic. Her mouth fell open in shock, she didn’t like the head fairy but she had never expected this, she didn’t even understand why Blue would possibly think about taking Emma. 

The arm on Mary Margaret’s arms stood up, she was filled with a cold icy anger, despite her fear and anger she placed her hand on Henry’s back telling him wordlessly that it was not his fault. ”We need Charming back here now.” This she could handle, this was terrible and unthinkable, but at least this she could put a plan in place to solve, it was better than the unknown.

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“I want my mommy and daddy.” Emma sobbed as soon as she regained consciousness. 

She had a handcuff like the ones her daddy used for his job tightly clenched around her wrist, and forcing her to stay tight against the wall. ”Am I a-rest? Are you the police?” 

The man and woman who were stood on the other side of the room didn’t give her an answer.

She didn’t know where she was, it looked like someplace in a fairy story, in the illustrations, and it was freezing cold. She was underneath an open window which was letting sleet inside and hit her, soaking her pyjamas. She was cold and scared, her chest felt a little tight as she sucked in the frozen air, she knew if her mom and dad were there they would make her take her inhaler. 

“My daddy will find me.” She insisted fiercely. “And you’re going to be in big big big trouble!” 

Hook opened his mouth to speak but Blue took a couple of steps towards Emma instead. 

“They asked us to take you. They don’t want you anymore, they gave you to us.” 

Emma’s heart stopped. That was what she had always feared. But they had promised that would never happened…. Maybe Grandma and Grandpa had told her the trouble she had caused the other night… maybe that had changed their minds. 

“You’re now mine.” Blue smiled at her slowly, it was meant to look kind but the girl shrank back. “You’re very poorly, but don’t worry, I’ll make you well again. I’m going to fix you and then you will help me do what I want.” 

Hook felt a shiver run through his spine at her words.

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The loft seemed smaller with so many adults plus Henry and Neal cramped inside, they had pushed a couple of spare chairs around the kitchen table so there would be enough. 

Regina sat at one of the ends, beside her was Henry, his grandfather and step-grandmother on his left,on Regina’s other side squeezed Kristoff, Anna, and Elsa. Robin was sat on a stool slightly set back between Henry and Regina.

 Ruby was perched restlessly on the edge of the armchair which Kristoff had insisting on dragging over for her. 

There were stools for both Mary Margaret and David, but neither sat down, they couldn’t. 

Neal was still wide awake but now in David’s arms, he was using the baby as an excuse to pace, he was full of restless energy and he was only just restraining himself from grabbing his sword and running after Blue, he knew it would be pointless to try and find her considering they were having to have this meeting now with three of the foremost experts of magic in the town.

 He wanted to run his sword right through Hook and Blue. He was sick and tired of losing his kids and still being expected to only behave noblely. 

Like David, Mary Margaret was forcing herself to stay inside of the loft, she had fetched her bow and quiver of arrows and was wearing them, and like David she was imagining hurting, killing, Blue and Hook. She would stand for this no more. Unlike David her anger had stilled her, she stood barely able to listen to everyone around her, it took her delayed seconds to realise that when people said ‘Mary Margaret’ they expected her to be listening.

“What I don’t get,” David growled, “is why you’re so keen on helping us now?” His anger was rightly or wrongly aimed at Rumple. “Ever since Emma aged down Belle’s had to force you to even think about helping us. But suddenly you’re what? An upstanding citizen?”

Kristoff had known him while he was young and angry, so had Anna when he was a little older, but this was another level. He was barely keeping it under check, perhaps on account of his grandson in the room or the baby in his arms.

“I swear if this is just another one of your schemes, if this is all part of your plans to …” He shook his head slowly his threat hanging in the air. “I remember you manipulating everything, my entire life, just to get Regina to cast this curse and for Emma…” He sucked in his breath, saying Emma’s name hurt his heart.

Rumplestilskin was surprisingly calm. “To be born.” He finished for the younger man. “You’re right. I did, I did it for my son, I would do anything for him, I’m sure you’d understand, especially right now. Though I am sorry that it caused hurt for the two of you.” His voice was soft and only intended for David and Mary Margaret. “And things are different now, we’re, we’re friends .” He said the word as though he was trying to read a word he had ever seen before. “Anyway, she’s different. She’s dangerous .” 

“Dangerous? She’s a fairy.” 

“Do you know how old she is?” He raised an eyebrow. “She’s ancient. My own mother knew her, long before she ever had me. The Blue fairy is ancient, she’s been alive for a millenia, you don’t stay alive for that long by accident. Trust me.” 

There was a pregnant pause.

“How do we find Emma?” Mary Margaret stared between Rumple and Regina, figuring they would know. 

“I think there might be a way, I may need Belle’s help looking up the exact details of it.” He looked to Regina and Elsa in turn. “What I remember is that it requires at least two magic users, I think between the three of us we should be able to find her.” 

“Of course, anyway in which I can help I will.” Elsa said straight away. 

“Just tell me what you need.” Regina said without a moment of hesitation. She would do anything to help Mary Margaret and David, and she would do anything for Emma, she was trying to be brave for them and for Henry but she was terrified for her granddaughter. She had been missing for several hours now. 

“David, Mary Margaret.” Ruby said trying to get their attention, David heard but Mary Margaret didn’t seem to. “Why don’t we get to planning various attacks?” 

David nodded but he realised his wife was still staring at Gold. “Snow,” he didn’t realise his slip and his wife had responded straight away, “let’s plan, we’ll need all of us, if she’s as dangerous as Gold says.” 

She nodded, relieved yet again to be making progress, even if it felt as slow as waiting out a flood. She looked at her grandson and gave him a soft, sympathetic, smile. “Henry.” 

“I know.” He said bravely. He knew he should be feeling tired but he felt full of energy. “I can’t come. I get it. I’ll look after Neal for you.” 

Mary Margaret, Snow, hesitated for a minute. “Okay, thank you. If we’re gone too long, more than a few hours we’ll send someone to help you out with him.” 

“Granny will do it.” Ruby told him. “That means she’ll bring lots of sweets.” She tried to sound enthusiastic, but she was too tired, and Henry was too old to be distracted by things like that.

David let out a sigh, and with it he let out some of his anger, the rest he compressed ready to use against Hook and Blue, for now he placed his hand on Henry’s head and half heartedly ruffled his hair. “Thanks bud.” His voice was so soft, especially compared to his earlier outbursts. 

David looked across at Snow, they had a silent conversation, just between the two of them. 

They were going to save their daughter. No matter the cost. 

Chapter Text

Killian Jones was beginning to really regret any and all of his actions which had led up to this moment. 

They were in a small rundown cottage  in the forest, the cottage was so old he wondered if it had been built when the colonists had arrived in this country, from the non-magic version of his own country. With the age the cottage came with old house problems, he had a heavy leather coat on and had tried to start a fire in the hearth but it was still freezing, there was a constant dripping as the windows and roof dripped and leaked. 

But that wasn’t what he was regretting, in fact if it were just that he could cope, he had been in worse places. No, what was the worst was the smell that was now protruding from the room Blue had set up a cauldron in. It was hard to fully explain the smell, in fact he tried he was trying his very best not to think of it, but it was impossible to ignore. He remembered when fruit had rotted in the hold, or gotten infected, while they were on long journeys, and he knew the smell of rotted human flesh, from his days of plundering, except this time he didn’t have the adrenalin to take his mind off of it. There was a thick grey fog creeping out of the cauldron as Blue stirred it, muttering incartations as she did so. 

“Are you certain this will, er, do the job?” 

Blue glanced against him and looked back into the cauldron again. “Of course.” She told him shortly. “You do want her back? Don’t you?” 

“Of course.” He told her so fast that when it came out he started to wonder if that was still the truth. “But that smells like you set fire to a grocers, and looks even worse, the Charmings are powerful no matter how annoying they can be, it’d be stupid to make enemies out of them for no reason.” 

Blue sighed. She let the ladle drop, there was a loud twang as metal hit metal. “I am the most powerful and knowledgeable being to have ever existed, you think that I can’t handle a simple potion?”
Her words came out through gritted teeth, her voice was resentful not necessarily at Hook but at all the people like him through the years who had underestimated her. At Mary Margaret and David who had refused to let her make this potion to save their daughter, at the others who said it wouldn’t work, at all of those meddling people trying to avoid destiny.

“I didn’t say that.” He said carefully. He reached for his hip flask, he knew it was empty but disappointment still stabbed at his heart when a single drop hit his tongue, no liquid confidence then. “What you said to her earlier…” He trailed off.

Blue gave him a stony look. “When she ages up again she will remember this.” She pointed out matter-of-factly. “She will remember that only you and I fought to bring her back, she will know that you fought for her, she will hate the Charmings and come to us instead, you will have your true love back once again…. You’re not losing your credence, are you, Captain Hook?” 

Hook gritted his teeth at the mocking way she said Captain. It was a challenge and he’d be damned if he didn’t rise to it. “Of course I’m not.” 

“You did bring that ratty blanket when you took her.” 

“My hook got caught on the blanket.” It had not. 

There was whimpering coming from the room which they were holding Emma, yet again. “Go and shut her up.”

Hook felt torn between asking her exactly how she supposed he do that, and telling her that he wouldn’t hurt any kids, and not wanting to think that he was inefficient or a dead weight. 

But then there was a screaming siren which filled the cottage, drowning out the sound of Emma’s crying, Hook jumped and pulled his sword out of its scabbard and held it defensively in the air. “What sort of demon-!” 

Blue rolled her eyes but the effect was taken away by the frantic fear in her eyes, she hadn’t had quite enough time, it was almost ready but there wouldn’t be quite enough time to give it to Emma. She supposed she would have to deal with the Charmings and their posse first then. Emma would not miss them, and perhaps it would work out better this way, perhaps she would be easier to control with only Blue and Hook around. 

“It’s a magic alarm. I made it to detect magical being’s overstepping the property boundary, or to detect the Charmings.” 

Hook realised now why Blue had taken so much blood, he knew that some had gone into the potion, he had thought she had just taken the rest to scare the toddler, no not the toddler, Emma , he had to stop thinking about her as a toddler, he would get Swan back soon, he had to believe that. Still he lingered. “This isn’t what I signed up for.” 

“You should decide which side you are on.” She told him, her voice was low and dangerous, there was no fear in her voice, she had no qualms in getting rid of him too. 

Hook paused for a minute. 

He gave a single nod. 

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It was evening by the time they had finally located where Emma was being held, nearly a whole day since they had last seen her, Regina and Rumple transported all of the who could fight, Henry was the only one left in the loft, in charge of Neal. Even with magical transportation they could only reach a certain area around the perimeter before they were stopped and had to walk. 

She stared through the woods, just about able to make out a building in the middle of where Regina had sensed the barrier, her daughter had been here this entire time… if she had just known she could have saved her sooner… She didn’t even understand why she had been taken.  

“Snow?” 

She turned straight away and came face to face with the group, they must have said something to her and she hadn’t heard them, or maybe they had just called her name and she hadn’t heard them. That one seemed a little more likely, she kept forgetting to listen out for the name Mary Margaret, she kept forgetting it was what she had been called. David kept calling her Snow though. Maybe this was as good a time as any to reclaim it. 

“Yes?” 

“Rumple was asking what we wanted to do. I was thinking we could do the same as we did with The Battenberg?” 

Snow looked around the area and back at their group assessing both for a minute. 

“What’s Battenberg?” Anna asked Ruby quietly, she had been given a sword to use, as had Kristoff though she was the better swordsman. 

“It was a prison Regina used to have for the people who opposed her reign.” She said there was no blame in her voice, just the facts. “It was set up a bit like this, it was highly defended by magic, we tore it down and saved as many as we could.” 

Snow finally looked back at David. “Yes, that should work.”
She bent down and found a pebble of the frozen forest floor. She tested the weight in her hand, then threw it deep into the brush. As soon as it hit some invisible barrier a roman centurion made purely of stone appeared, sprung from magic and the earth.
“They’ll know we’re here now.” She pointed out, the element of surprise might have been helpful, but it also might have put Emma in more danger.
“Regina you lead Robin, Kristoff, Belle,and Anna, destroy as many as possible, there will only be so many of them. Elsa, Ruby, go with David,” she looked at her husband, who nodded in a silent agreement, “protect him from the centurions, he’s going to go after Hook.” She turned her head to look at the Dark One. “You’re with me.” 

Rumplestilskin was surprised at the trust he could see in Snow White’s eyes, she was relying on him, she was trusting him to do what was right, to help save Emma in return for nothing. He nodded her head at him, an unspoken contract, a promise he would fight to the death to protect her and Emma.

“Let’s save our daughter.” Snow’s words were so firm that there would be no possibility of any other outcome. 

The group wordlessly readied themselves for the fight of their lives. 

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All around them the sleet fell like frozen javelins onto their cheeks, but they didn’t care, not one bit, they didn’t even notice it. 

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The centurions seemed endless to David, it seemed that no sooner than the took a step than yet another was there. He, Snow, and Regina’s groups had split up, he just had to trust that his wife would be able to look after herself, and he knew she would be able to. 

Ruby and Elsa fell into perfect unison, particularly for two people who had never fought together, Elsa froze centurion after centurion and Ruby tore the frozen earth apart with her powerful jaws. 

David didn’t have the time or concentration to admire their work, though, no sooner than he had stuck down his seventh centurion did he catch sight of a man in a dark leather coat running away from the house, towards Regina’s group a sword in his hand. 

David changed his direction to charge directly at Hook.

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Snow White had forgotten about the adrenaline which came with battles such as this one. 

She raced through the woods, firing off arrow after arrow, Rumple was by her side, firing balls of fire, water, air, and ice at the centurions destroying them. 

She kept up with his record, in fact she surpassed it, she completely obliterated every centurion statue she set eyes on, with both a warriors and a mother’s rage spurring her on.

She was running towards the building, what she could now see was a cottage, Emma was here, she had to trust Regina, Elsa, and Rumple about that, so she would most likely be in there. As she got to about a hundred yards away from the cottage she noticed the centurions parting out of the way of a woman. 

Blue. 

Snow fired a couple of arrows at two centurions about to attack Rumple. He looked over at her and nodded a thank you. Snow nodded her head towards Blue. Rumple nodded back and ran with Snow towards her, clearing centurions as they ran. 

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David was surprised that he reached Hook so quickly, he had thought that Hook would have been in significantly better shape than he was, but apparently he had underestimated himself. 

”Keep them clear, he’s mine.” He shouted to Elsa, he knew Ruby would already be doing so, but he had never worked with Elsa before, he couldn’t rely on her instincts in case they were wrong. 

Hook spun around as David got close to him, he lunged with the sword Blue had magicked up for him, he felt the vibration go through his arm as their swords connected, David was quicker than he had expected. 

Hook had to work fast to avoid being sliced when David span with his sword aiming to slice open Killian’s front. He moved back towards David, aiming for his shoulder, managing to slice the prince’s leather jacket open, he caught a glint of rich red blood run down his own sword but David didn’t seem to notice. In fact David just switched the hand his sword was in. Oh that wasn’t fair. It wasn’t many who could fight proficiently with both hands, David was more than proficient, this really wasn’t fair, Hook was good but he only had one hand, and even with the adrenaline it had been a while since he had used a sword and it was already starting to feel heavy. 

David fought with a sword the same way in which an artist could paint with a brush, it was an extension of himself, and an artform. He twisted and turned and twirled like a dancer moving on instinct to hit Killian’s weak points. 

David finally sought the right opportunity, he brought the pommel of his sword down hard against Hook’s head, he twirled the sword to point the tip at the pirate’s chest, but as he fell back David knew he had managed to knock him out. 

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Blue hadn’t seen the coming, in fact she thought, assumed, that Mary Margaret would be safe atop the small hill, she would have a bow and arrow which would be dangerous, but she would be in one place. 

No she didn’t expect her to be on the ground, fighting one on one, she didn’t expect her to come up behind her. 

She heard Mary Margaret’s shout first, she span around and found an arrow aimed directly at her heart, only a few yards away. 

Luckily she had already had the foresight to conjure up a sword, she took it out of the scabbard now, looking at her no one would guess that she was good with the sword, she had been practicing for a millennia after all.

“Where is my daughter?”

The demand was forceful and clear. She would put an arrow through her without a second thought, Blue knew that for certain. She twitched her free hand ready to destroy her, but she suddenly realised why she hadn’t when she first saw Mary Margaret. She was feeling a particular type of drained. She glanced to her side and saw Rumplestilskin stood with his hands out, he was concentrating hard, he was disrupting her powers. She had to hand it to the Charmings, they knew how to talk people around to their side, she had never had that gift she won by destroying those who opposed her.

Perhaps this time she would have to try. 

“I can save her.” She narrowed her eyes. “Mary Margaret this is what Emma would want. I can make that potion I told you about, I know how, I can save her like she would want to be saved. Not like this! Not when she can’t even remember her real life, she won’t remember the truth about you, about Henry, about her destiny!”

Snow kept the arrow aimed directly at her heart. “That potion would kill her. We all know it would. Don’t you dare suggest we’re doing this to be selfish. We would do anything for Emma, anything , this is the only outcome where she stays alive, even Henry has come to terms with this, your so called potion would kill my baby.” She felt her voice shake, she didn’t really want to kill anyone, but if Blue made a move she would let the arrow flow without any hesitation. “Why are you even doing this? Rumple said you’ve been manipulating us for years… is he right?” 

Blue tilted her head so it was led on the opposite shoulder than it had been favouring first. “I suppose. I suppose he is right.” She debated leaving it there, but it wasn’t often she got to brag about what she had been doing, how spectacular she had been in planning all of this, she was safe to do so now, they would end up dead like she had made all the others. 

“When I was a young fledgling fairy, before your world was even formed, so long ago that I cannot exactly remember how long…” She trailed off for a moment. “I was only young, learning my craft, being told we were to help humans. I thought they must be right. I didn’t know any better. Until I had a dream, it showed me the future, my destiny, what I was made to be.” 

“Oh brilliant,” Snow mumbled, “she’s batshit.”
How had she not noticed this before?
She didn’t realise she had said it outloud until she heard Rumple snort with laughter. She looked over at him and could see the strain of controlling Blue’s magic, normally he would have found this whole thing amusing, or would have at least mocked Blue. 

“Emma is the saviour.”

“She’s already been the saviour, she saved us all, she broke the curse.”

“That’s not what the saviour is for, the saviour is for the final battle. She will be the saviour then, she will be an adult, she will win and destroy her .” She didn’t bother to say who the lady she was talking about was, they didn’t need to know. “When the world is full of chaos and strife… well, when is there a more important time for magic?”

“You’re doing this to, for…” She scrunched her face up trying to understand it. “This is about getting rich ? It’s about money?” 

The disgust was clear in her voice and Blue understood that. “No.” She told her firmly. “I’m doing this to regain the power I once lost. Mary Margaret , did you really think I had survived this long by being… good ?” An amused yet confused smile appeared on her face. Humans were so funny.

”It’s not Mary Margaret. My name is Snow White Charming, and you hurt, you took, my daughter.” 

Snow White let the arrow fly. 

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When Hook awoke he found himself on the frozen ground, sleet beating down on his face, with David Charming holding a sword at his face. He wasn’t going to bother fighting it anymore, he had already been regretting joining Blue, he wasn’t going to die for her, especially as now he’s sober he was fairly certain the fairy was insane.

He went to hold his hands up in surrender, but he found them almost stuck together, it took him a second to realise that he was handcuffed, his hook was no longer attached to him, he could see it hooped through Ruby’s belt. She was human now, the last time he had seen her she had been a wolf, considering how good David had been with a sword he would have preferred she had dealt with him instead. 

“Don’t fucking move.” 

He sucked in a breath. “I won’t.” 

“She wasn’t yours .” David clenched his teeth. “She was never yours, you kissed a couple of times, your weren’t courting, you weren’t true love, she never belonged to you.” 

Hook wanted to protest but it hit a note of truth that even he could see. He remembered the few times they had kissed, always in high stress times… perhaps… perhaps the prince was true. 

“I….” He didn’t have the words. He didn’t know what to say, he wanted to apologise but he thought that might make David hate him even more. He gave a tiny nod. 

The sword was still hovering over him, all it would take would be a little slip, no one around would care if David carried out an execution, it’s how they would have done it in the Enchanted Forest.

David suddenly felt the ache from the stab in his shoulder. His blood boiled, looking down at the man who had stolen his daughter, he cut a pathetic figure now though. “You’re not worth it.” He sheathed his sword in the scabbard around his hip. He moved away from him. He nodded to Ruby.

“You’re under arrest.” Ruby pulled him up to his feet. “We’re going to have a trial and you’re going to be in jail for a long, long time.”

“You’re not going to kill me?” 

“That’s not how we do things here.” David told him firmly. 

Ruby started to lead him out of the forest, they would wait for Thomas to bring the car to take him to jail, they’d have a trail as impartial as they could, he’d eventually be held in the prison they had created in the mines where King George now resided.

“She’s gone, Dave.” 

“What?” 

“She’s not swan anymore. She… She’s gone.” 

He sounded so broken then David very nearly, almost, felt sorry for him. “She’s Emma. She always has and always will be. We love every version of her.” His voice was soft yet certain, there was no question of it, there never would be. He rolled his shoulder trying to subtly test it out, it hurt but he still had most of the movement, it would be fine. “Where is she?” 

“Cottage.” Hook told him simply, he allowed himself to be led away by Ruby without another word. 

“Thank you.” David nodded at Elsa. 

“Anything for the Charmings.” She promised him. 

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Blue had disappeared into a cloud of blue smoke the second the arrow reached her. 

Snow didn’t lower her bow, she loaded another arrow, just in case. “Is she gone.” 

“She’s gone from this realm, she won’t be back anytime soon, she used all her energy up on all this.” He nodded his head towards where the others were still fighting the statues, but now they were staying down once they were slain. 

“She’s not dead.”

“No.” He knew she didn’t expect Blue to have died. “But she won’t be able to hurt your family any time soon.”

Snow nodded her head, David literally skidded over at that moment, Snow reached out to help him avoid a fall. “Hook?”

“Arrested. Rubes has got him. Blue?” 

“Gone. Banished.” Her eyes flickered to the cottage. “Did Hook-?”

“Em’s in there. Hook,” he spat his name out as though he tasted poison, “said he thinks she’s gone, big her.” 

Snow nodded her head. It seemed pretty final if even the very desperate Hook was admitting it, but she would only believe it when she saw it herself.” She glanced to Rumple, he seemed a little shaky, weaker, how Emma did when she had used a lot of magic.

“I’m going to help the others.” He told her. “Go find your babe.” 

They didn’t need to be told twice.

Chapter Text

Neal had been quiet since their family had left him and Henry alone in the loft. 

Henry felt like a guest in the apartment where he had once lived. He found himself wandering around it, it was smaller than he remembered, not because of the mess which was still all around despite of it. 

He wandered back to Neal’s crib, it was half seven and he knew from half listening to his grandparents proud rambling that the baby would stay fast asleep. 

As the baby slept Henry picked out his own features in his infant uncle, they had the same chin, he thought, like Henry’s grandfather and Neal’s father. Henry thought about his father, Neal’s namesake, he wondered if in years to come he would find himself picking out features of his father in his uncle’s face in simple desperation of feeling some connection to Bae and his still living family. Perhaps he would have to wait until the distant future when he would have children of his own. 

He knew that technically Neal was his uncle but it felt as though it was the other way around, he wondered if it would come to feel like this with Emma, when his thoughts turned to Emma it made an ache appear in his heart and his throat. He tried not to think about what was going on, if his family was saving her in time, if they would be safe too. 

He eventually tore himself away from his uncle. The loft was lit up by lamps and christmas lights which decorated the tree, there were more boxed up by the side which David had been going to string up on Christmas eve, but instead he was fighting to save Emma. He knew if his mom, Regina, were there she’d tell him to turn on the main light to avoid eye strain, but there was a magic which came with the smaller lights making the difference. 

He thought about the memories he had been shown, Emma’s fake memories, her new memories. He thought about the care home , he couldn’t help but wonder if her would have ended up in a home like that one if his mom hadn’t adopted him, or if he would have been adopted by someone else, if he had would he ever have even found Emma and his Grams and his Gramps? Probably not. 

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There were more rooms in the cottage than either David or Snow had thought there would be, they were all small and in some areas the ceiling was so low that David had to duck his head. Despite logically knowing neither Blue nor Hook had any more co-conspirators both David and Snow kept their weapons up, ready to attack or to defend, if it came to that. 

The smell inside the cottage turned their stomachs, it smelt like burning flesh, human flesh, they moved quicker. 

The source of the smell came from the third room. It looked like a Halloween scene inside of a funhouse designed to not quite scare people but to creep them out enough that it would play on their minds for a long time.

The cauldron was at the centre of the room, it was an old one, the copper was rusted, and there were marks from various bubbled over potions from the past still marking the metal. David kept his sword up as he pushed his sweater up over his nose and mouth as he took a closer look, despite his best efforts to keep it away he choked on the thick smog rolling over the sides of the cauldron and into the air. There was no fire burning beneath the cauldron but the liquid still bubbled and boiled, the potion first seemed to be pure black, darker than anything they had seen before, but as it moved it was clear that it wasn’t really black, it seemed broze when it moved. 

Snow plucked one of the feathers from the end of one of the arrows. She dropped it from a foot above. 

The feather set on fire from the outside in.

 A chill spread from her brain through her body. 

They had not found Emma yet.  

“We should get Regina to take a look at it, Rumple too.” 

Snow just nodded in agreement, there was no one in the room, she led the way out and into the last room. 

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Henry jumped out of his skin when he heard three firm rasps on the door. He froze trying to make as little noise as possible, three knocks sounded again, this time he looked around for a weapon but all he could find was a roll of christmas wrap, he picked it up and when there was yet more knocking he opened the door. 

When he would later recount the story to his mother he would realise how potentially stupid it was for him to have opened the door with only a cardboard tube to protect himself. 

“Hey Henry, Granny sent me over with these.” If the teenage delivery boy thought it was weird for Henry to be holding a roll of paper wrap in his hands like a baseball bat he didn’t mention it. “The diner is packed, she wanted me to ask how you’re doing here? She can still come if you need any help with your nephew?” 

Henry didn’t correct him that Neal was his uncle not his nephew. He dropped the wrapping paper and took the bags of food from the boy who was a few years older than him. “No. No I’m good, the baby’s asleep, tell her she doesn’t need to come.”

“You sure?” 

“Yeah, I’m good. Thanks Simon.” 

“No worries, give her a call if you need anything, or if you want more food.” 

“Thanks.” He said again. “Oh wait.” He fished his hand into his pocket and found a twenty. He handed it over. “Happy holidays.” 

The teenager’s eyes bulged. “Oh, honestly you don’t have to-.”

Henry shook his head. “It’s okay man. Happy holidays.” He repeated closing the door. 

He wasn’t sure if Granny remembered every single diner patrons favourite foods or just her favourite patrons’, but when he settled on the couch and pulled out the food he found a double cheese burger, curly fries, onion rings, and a mint choc chip milkshake, along with a paper bag of cookies. 

He turned on the television, there was a holiday special of some sitcom on one of the channels, he left it on even if he was finding it hard to find anything lighthearted right then. He checked his phone in search of any news about Emma, from his mom or his grandparents, but there was no news from any of them. 

He remembered in the old days, before any curse had been broken, before he even knew of any curse, it used to be just him and his mom. The stern mayor may not have outwardly shown it, but she secretly loved christmas, or maybe she had only loved it since adopting Henry. He remembered Christmas Eves being allowed to stay up late and watch Christmas movies with his mom, he supposed it wasn’t really that late that he stayed up but it felt it, it felt magical. 

A lot has changed since then, his family has grown to include Emma, his grandparents, his uncle, his paternal grandfather and his step-grandmother, not to mention Robin and Roland, who didn’t officially have any permanent titles but he was pretty sure within a year or so Robin with be his official step father. 

He missed it being just him and his mom, but he also wondered if it was in part just that he was growing up. No matter what he knew that having such a big and loving family was worth giving up it being just him and his mom the entire time. He’d give up that forever if it meant Emma was safe, he knew that Regina would too, even if she would pretend that she wouldn’t. 

He found a couple more Christmas specials from different seasons of the show which he watched as he slowly made his way through the meal Granny had lovingly put together. 

He threw the rubbish from the meal into the trash can and found it full. His grandpa was always complaining if people found it full and didn’t empty it, he wondered if he’d see his grandpa again, he shook the thoughts from his head. He took the trash bag from the bin and threw it down the trash chute outside of the apartment door. 

He shut and locked the door behind him, as he had been told to do, when he entered the loft again.

The mess his grandma had made during the search was severe, he knew she would hate the mess when she came home, she wouldn’t be able to sleep until she had tidied it up. 

He spurred himself into motion, tidying up the mess room by room starting Emma’s upstairs, which had the least mess, at least  then when his grandparents and Emma came home they would be able to relax. 

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They lowered their weapons the second they saw her. It was still dark but the moonlight from the open, uncovered, window was enough for them to know it was her and that she was alive.

Snow reached her first, she had been the one to enter the room first, the first to see enough to drop her weapon. “Emma!” Her voice came out as a strangled cry. She fell to her knees beside her. She felt tears roll down her face as she looked at her baby’s little face. 

“Mommy.” Emma let out in a sob. 

“Emmy.” David’s voice was just as broken hearted, not in a bad way but in a good way, it had been a long hard journey to get to this point, he had been dying with every moment. 

“Daddy?”

She looked so small, so scared, so cold. He felt a pang of disgust and anger seeing her handcuffed to a wall. Bile rose in his throat. It was barbaric. He suddenly regretted not roughing Hook up some more than he had. “Snow.” He quietly got her attention, he nodded his head at the metal cuffs. 

“Emma, baby, look at mommy.” 

“Why?” 

Snow couldn’t quite place the hurt in Emma’s voice just yet, she was too busy trying to assess her for any injuries, or any sign that Emma had drank the potion. “Daddy’s going to, well he’s going to get you unstuck. It might be a little scary, look at me, okay?” She cupped her toddler’s cheeks forcing her to look at her. 

David drew his sword out, it’s beyond razor sharp edge made short work of the metal chains. They’d have to get Regina or Rumple to remove the actual cuffs though. He wasn’t going to even chance hurting her. “All done, you see? You’re so brave.” He praised. He looked her over like Snow was doing. “Are you okay? Emma did you drink anything the lady gave you?” 

Emma drew herself into a ball with her back against the wall. She shook her head. “Wasn’t ready.” She mumbled. 

Snow frowned, okay at least she hadn’t drank it, but she had still been in this cold house for a whole day, and she was still acting differently. “Okay that’s good. Emma what’s wrong? We can go home now.” 

Emma shook her head.

“Emma?” Was all David could get out. What had they done to their baby?

Snow was surprised at her own resolve as she managed to question her. “Emma why not? You want to go home, don’t you?” She looked torn which just worried Snow even more. “Emma can you please tell me why you’re upset? You won’t be in any trouble at all.” 

Emma hesitated for a minute or two. “Gave me away.” 

They struggled to even hear Emma’s mumble. When David finally figured out what she said it broke his heart. “Emma we didn’t give you away, Emma I promise, we will never give you away.” 

“They took you Emma, we were trying to find you.” 

Emma turned a sceptical eye to her mother. 

David reached into the inside pocket of his leather jacket.”If we weren’t searching for you then why would I bring Leo the lion? He missed you lots and lots, like me and mommy and Neal and Henry and grandma and grandpa. We all missed you so, so, so much. You were taken from us, we would never give you away, ever .” 

It seemed that the teddy and the words, and perhaps David and Snow’s loving looks, were enough to convince her. 

Emma’s face softened. 

Snow pulled her into her arms. It felt as though she was smaller than Snow remembered, but it was just because of their day apart, she was damp from sleet and she was so cold she was shivering. “It’s okay, baby, you’re safe. Mommy and daddy are here.”

Perhaps it was mother's instinct but she could tell that the metamorphosis was complete. All of the old Emma was gone, whether it was gone before she was taken or during Snow did not know, all she knew was that she had lost a daughter and gained one all at the same time. She would celebrate now and when she had time, when she was alone, she would grieve the loss of her daughter. 

David instinctively pulled his own jacket off, his daughter was cold, he wanted to help her. It was his job to look after her and in his eyes he had been letting her down, sure it was all in his head but that wasn’t the point. 

He hissed in pain as he pulled it off, the adrenaline from the battle had worn off, pain was starting to burn through the stab wounds on his shoulder. 

He squeezed his eyes shut when he heard his wife’s gasp. He knew what was coming. 

“David! You’re hurt!”

“I’m fine Snow, ‘tis but a scratch’.” He tried to lighten the mood with a quote but when he met his wife’s fierce eyes he knew she wasn’t easily distracted. “I’m fine, babe, honestly, let’s just get our baby home. I’ll be fine.” 

But in Snow’s head she saw her husband lying on their oldest child’s nursery room floor, bleeding very much like he was right now, only that time he was seconds from death. “No. No you’re getting checked out.” 

“Snow-.” 

“Please.” Her voice broke a little. “This is just one of those things.” They had discussed it before, this was one of the things she couldn’t cope with, David couldn’t cope with Snow falling into a deep, deep sleep, it reminded both of them too much of their true love’s death. “Emma needs to be checked out anyway.”

She had a point and David was relieved that she was giving him an added reason to go, he was stubborn, and sometimes it was for the worse. “Okay, but there’s no way we're staying overnight.” He gave her a look to tell her he was serious. 

“Deal.” She stood up with Emma in her arms, she held her as tight as she dared, she was scared to hurt her and scared to let her go.

“We goin’ home now?” 

David stood, he pressed a kiss to the top of his daughter’s head, trying to ignore the pain and to pretend to be excited. “We’re going to go to the hospital first, Daddy got into a super cool sword fight so I need a bandaid put on my shoulder, and while we’re there the docs are going to check over you and also mommy.” He smirked at the look his wife gave him. “Then we’ll go home and get a lot of sleep.” 

“Santa.” 

“Huh?” 

“We gotta wait for Santa. Did he come? Did I miss him?” 

After all that had happened to her in the last day, the fact that this was the thing which seemed to worry her most was that she might have missed christmas made Snow smile, it was so Emma. 

David checked his phone. There was still a couple of hours until midnight. “No, kiddo, we haven’t missed him. We’ll get this all done and then we’ll go home and we’ll leave a glass of milk and some cookies for Santa Claus.” 

“An’ a carrot for rudolph…” She paused for a moment. “An’ carrots for the other rudolphs.” 

They would leave as many carrots out as she wanted.

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He came to his grandparent’s room last, he was find cleaning all the others, but despite the situation he couldn’t help but be a little worried he’d find something, well, disgusting.

He found presents instead, presents under their bed, presents in their closet, presents in every hiding present he could find.They were all perfectly wrapped, some with elegant ribbon and bows, some with bright, colourful, cartoonish wrap.

The largest selection of presents were labeled from ‘Santa Claus’, in writing he knew was his grandfather’s. With these were three folded up pieces of fabric: emerald, scarlet, and gold. He unfolded the top one, holding it up in front of him. It was Neal’s, there was a beautiful snowy scene of a snowman stitched onto a deep blue patch in the center, on top of which was ‘Neal David’ stitched onto it. The next was the scarlet one, in the center was an embroidered Santa Claus, beneath was ‘Emma Ruth’. Henry smiled at that, he liked that she had a middle name too. He held up the last one, this was slightly more elegantly embroidered, a woodland scene in delicate gold threat, the only hint of other colour was at the center, scarlet on the tip of the golden reindeer’s nose. ‘Henry Daniel’ it announced proudly. He smiled at that too. Despite everything this was his grandparents telling him he was just as much a part of their family, and always would be.

There were presents from his grandparents to each other, a couple to Emma, a couple to Henry, a couple to him. Then there were ones to Regina, Robin, Roland, Ruby, Granny, the Arendelle royal family and several other close friends.
He separated them, ones from them and ones from ‘Santa Claus’: he let out a little puff of laughter at his grandparents’ insistence of giving him at least thirty presents from ‘Santa’.
He remembered his grandpa telling him excitedly about his plans to have presents for family under the tree and presents from the imaginary Christmas figure into the christmas sacks. David had been so excited about it, it was what he had dreamed of as a child, Henry hadn’t really understood that, having grown up in a house where the tree brimmed with presents, but then he remembered his grandfather had not. Neither had Emma, in the real past, or in the fake memories, even when they had been in New York him, Emma, and August, Henry had tried to make it a nice christmas for them, but it wasn’t the same. 

In that moment, Henry decided to make it the best Christmas Emma had ever had. A Christmas her parents, his grandparents, would have to work hard to keep up with. He put the presents into the sacks first, triple checking that they were the correct ones, and carried them one at a time into the newly tidied living room, including his own. It was what his grandparents wanted. 

Next he shoved as many presents under the tree as would fit, but most of them ended up piled around the tree, like in the movies. 

There were still some packs of lights he had found while tidying. He paused looking at them for a moment. 

He dragged a stool from the kitchen island and started to decorate. He covered the ceiling in lights, wrapping them around the beams of the ceiling, throwing the light strings like a cowboy. He wrapped lit artificial garlands around the bannister of the stairs, leading right up to the top of the stairs then along the landing rails. 

He added a large portion of lights to the ceiling of his grandparents’ room, and the windows, and the bed, and every surface he could. He knew that Emma would love it, it would be magical for her, and it would be magical for everyone else because Emma would be home . He had to keep repeating that to himself, she would come home.

Once he was finished he checked on Neal. The baby was still dreaming peacefully. Henry gently stroked his cheek, he was still surprised that babies had skin that soft, he had heard it in movies and tv shows and in adverts, but it was true.

He pressed a kiss to Neal’s forehead. 

He plodded back over to the couch, he still had a bed here but it wouldn’t feel right to settle down upstairs, he wanted to be waiting readily when they came home.

He flicked an old christmas movie on the television and turned the volume all the way down. 

His cell phone chimed. He fumbled as he tried to retrieve it from his phone as fast as possible, hoping for news of any kind. No, it had been the wrong noise for a text, or even a call. It had been a notification, it was officially Christmas. 

A memory suddenly appeared in his mind, he had been young, young enough now that he wondered for a moment if it was simply from a movie he had watched, but he knew in his heart it wasn’t.
He had been about four, he held his mother’s hand as he pulled her down the stairs, his eyes eventually fell upon a bright red bicycle with stabilisers and a bell. H
e hadn’t thought he could convince his mother, but he had only had to ask once for his mother to take him outside, he was in pyjamas still, with his boots and coat, he rode up and down the snow covered sidewalk with Regina coaching him.
He rode his bike for what seemed like hours and hours, but probably wasn’t, they stayed outside until they couldn’t feel their fingers or noses anymore. He was pacified with having to head back indoors by unwrapping his other gifts and drinking warm apple juice. 

He fell asleep still thinking of that memory, and his dreams were surprisingly peaceful, a small Christmas miracle.

Chapter Text

He may have been injured but he still found a small sense of relief that the doctor on call that Christmas Eve night was Doctor Ashdown, covering for the ER doctor who was presumably making merry, at least it was the doctor which Emma liked. 

Doctor Ashdown took one look at Emma who was shivering and being held tight in her mother’s arms, and David who was clutching onto his bleeding shoulder, and she led them down a corridor, through the ER, and into a private room on a quiet ward. 

“It’s quiet here. I would have thought it would be full of people who’ve drunk too much eggnog.” David winced as he jostled his shoulder, still trying to make small talk, as his mother had ingrained in him.

Libby Ashdown paused at David seemingly being naive over his own pain, he kept shooting worried looks at his daughter, but didn’t shed a tear over the dried blood on his hands. “That comes later, it’s still early, wait until it hits three, that’s the worst time- I’m sure you know what that’s like.” 

David nodded, he looked back over at  his daughter, he wanted so badly to hold her but he didn’t think he’d win a fight with Snow right then.
“I don’t know if you heard about what happened-.” He was cut off with a simple nod from the doctor, she didn’t say a word though, it took a few moments for David to realise that it was because she didn’t want to learn gossip or to upset Emma. He was grateful for that.

“David if you’d like to-.”

“I’m not being looked at until I know Emma’s perfectly fine.” 

“David.” Snow gave him the same imploring look she had been giving to him earlier to get him to even agree to being checked over at sometime soon. 

David shook his head, completely unaffected by that look, for once. “No.” His voice was as firm as his wife had ever heard. “Not until Emma’s okay.” 

“There’s a bed right next to hers. Another doctor will check you over right on that.” She nodded her head to the bed next to the one Snow and David were perched on with Emma on her mother’s lap. The bed was maybe four or five feet away, less than a Snow lying down, but evidently this was too far for David’s heart to bear.  

“Daddy?” Emma’s voice was a quiet squeak in the empty room, her eyes were heavy with sleep yet wide in alert, her brow furrowed looking at her father trying to figure out what was going on with all the adults. 

David took one of Emma’s tiny hands into his own, his thumb stroked the back of her palm and over her knuckles, it was still just as soft as Neal’s but had a slightly blue tinge from the cold. “No. Please check Emma over. I’m okay.” His voice, despite the certainty in his tone was soft and quiet, the same volume as the beeping of the medical machines which were made to fade into the background.

The doctor bit her lip so not to call him stubborn, she chasticed herself, she normally had no problem staying professional, but there was something about the Charmings which sucked her into their world where every emotion was just turned up a notch.
“Okay. Once Emma’s fine I’ll check you over.” She wouldn’t put it past the sheriff to try and worm his way out of any treatment and didn’t want to inflict him upon another doctor. 

Checking Emma over was fairly easy. The easy part was because Emma seemed to like her more than she did other doctors, and was tired enough to allow herself to be poked and prodded for measurements, and was easily distracted by her parents while Doctor Ashdown inserted an IV into her arm to give her liquids and steroids. 

“She’s going to be okay.” She assured David and Snow, (as she had learnt Mary Margaret was going by once again), for the fifth time. “She’ll probably have a cold from being in the low temperatures and the rain, but she’s okay, just keep her warm and rested.” She didn’t say what she really thought: that the conditions Emma had been held in probably should have been a lot more affected. “Bring her back in for a check up in the new year, I’ll check her over.” She held her breath without realising as she thought about how to word her question. 

“She’s gone.” Snow’s voice was quiet, answering her unasked question. 

There was a sadness in her voice, one which struck Doctor Libby’s heart, it was one she had heard often back when people talked about their lives back in the Enchanted Forest a mother who had lost a child. 

“She’s Emmy now. Fully. I can tell.” Snow knew she didn’t have any proof about that, none that a doctor like Whale would accept, but this doctor gave her a sympathetic nod, she didn’t give her commiserations nor did she give her congratulations, for this Snow was grateful. 

Instead Libby smiled softly at Emma, producing a small chocolate shaped figure wrapped in foil so it resembled a santa from her pocket, along with a small roll of christmas themed stickers. “You’ve been very good and brave Emma, well done, I know your mommy and daddy are very proud of you.”

Emma was tired and stayed curled into her mother, the tape holding the IV itched her skin but she refrained from scratching or picking at it, despite this she still managed to smile at the doctor. It was a small, more cautious than usual, smile, but a smile nonetheless. For once her mother and father didn’t try to get her to say thank you.

“Can you continue being really good and sit with your mommy until your medicine’s done, I’m going to get some food sent up for you too.” She handed over the chocolate and stickers and received a yes from Emma in return. “Your daddy’s got a little bit of a hurt shoulder, I’m going to put some special bandages on it for him, but we’ll just be over there.” She pointed at the bed she had shown David earlier. 

“Honestly doc I’m-.” David shut his mouth when he received a look from both his doctor and his wife, even Emma was looking worriedly at him. He sighed but pressed a kiss to the top of Emma’s head before moving to sit on the empty bed. 

David’s shoulder required eight stitches, it wasn’t the worst injury he had received, but it still stung. 

As David was stitched up and medicine flooded Emma’s body an orderly brought in a tray of sandwiches, chips, juice, and gingerbread men. It was only when Snow and David ate that they realised how hungry they must have been, they practically inhaled the food, even Emma ate more than they thought possible for a three year old awake through stubbornness alone.

Finally stitched up Snow had given up the hold of Emma, reluctantly though she knew it was fair, she pressed a kiss to David’s injured shoulder before he took their toddler from her arms. 

“Feels better already.” He assured her, smiling in a way which hinted that it was because of her kiss.

The doctor triple checked all of the Charmings before finally discharging them, she hadn’t asked them but it was Christmas Eve, no Christmas day now according to her watch, and despite everything Emma was three years old and every three year old deserves a visit from Santa Claus. 

As they left the room Snow extended an invitation to the new years eve party she and David would be throwing, for Dr Libby Ashdown and a significant other, Snow and David felt some form of connection with the doctor and had decided to roll with whatever fate had instore for them.

***----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carrying Emma into the loft David felt the same nerves he had felt when he was carrying Neal into the place for the first time when he was a newborn. Both of his children had been snatched when they were within the same place as him. He felt as though he had let them down, majorly. 

He knew that it wasn’t totally his fault, neither his nor Snow’s, in either Emma or Neal’s kidnappings. But it didn’t take away the guilt. 

He wondered if maybe he should talk to Archie, professionally, which was progress on his part he supposed, he never would have sought out therapy before Emma had been turned into a toddler. He was growing up. 

He was lost in his thoughts while walking up the three flights to the loft but came to a sudden stop when he heard his wife’s gasp. Panic spread through him for a fraction of a second until his brain reclassified it as happily surprised rather than horrified. 

“Oh my...!” Snow gasped. 

David realised why she had been so dumbfounded when he walked into the place and found hundreds of lights strewn across the ceiling like the stars across the night sky. There were new hand drawn pictures on the fridge which were all Christmas themed, most were by Emma but even from a distance David could tell that Henry (at some point) had made one. One of the most notable differences was the presents he and Snow has bought were now under the tree, he glanced into the living room and saw Henry asleep on the couch, the presents from Santa were readily in the sacks. 

Robin and Regina were sat at the table, mugs of something hot in front of them, they smiled as David and Snow walked in with a half asleep Emma in David’s arms. 

“Did you do this when you got here?” Snow asked them, ready to chastise them and thank them, they should have been resting after the fighting earlier. 

“Not us.” Robin held his hands up in surrender.

“Henry.” Regina told them with a proud smile. 

David looked over at his snoring grandson with pride, even if he wasn’t able to see David’s pride right then. David wasn’t sure what the time was but it must be late, or early. He was about to comment on it but he heard Emma mumble against his shoulder. He couldn’t make out what she was saying. “What was that, koala?” The nickname slipped out easily. 

“Pretty.” 

David’s smile widened. “It is, isn’t it?” He finally checked his watch it was two in the morning, and officially Christmas Day. “How’s Neal?” He asked as Snow walked over to check on the baby in the crib. 

“He seems good, I gave him a bottle when we got here, Henry was already asleep but he would have told us if there was anything wrong. How’s Emma?”

“She’ll be okay, we have to take it easy, but she’s… she’s Emmy.” 

“Ah.” Regina gave a single nod to show she understood.

Robin broke the silence. “David how’s your shoulder—?”

“It’s fine. Grazed. Barely notice it.” David brushed off barely letting him finish him his question. 

“He has it stitched, they went deep, David was lucky. He’s got to rest it and he has pain pills.” Snow gave her husband a look. He was as bad as Emma sometimes. 

David rolled his eyes but pressed a kiss to his wife’s cheek. “I’m going to get this one into some pjs which aren’t paper thin and from the hospital.” 

Snow watched her husband and daughter as they headed up the stairs. She turned back to Regina and Robin. “Is that bitch going to be back here again?” 

“No.” Regina told her with absolute certainty. 

***----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

David changed his toddler into a clean diaper and a pair of fleece footie pyjamas he took her back downstairs. Emma would be sleeping with him and Snow tonight. And the next night, and the next, probably for the rest of the year, then maybe they’d reevaluate. 

“Daddy?” 

“Yeah baby?” 

“Santa’s really gonna come?” 

David smiles softly. He knew this was her first Christmas, but it was really something that she could be so excited about Santa despite having been kidnapped a day before. 

“Yeah he really is, as soon as we’re all fast asleep.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Let’s go say bye and night night to Henry, and Grandma and Grandpa, huh?” 

Emma yawned but nodded her head. 

***----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

David brought Henry into a half hug when he got downstairs and found Robin, Regina, and Henry getting ready to head home. 

“Thanks kid. I’m proud of you. Thanks for doing all of this and for looking after Nee.” He said quiet enough that only Henry could hear him, he supposed Emma technically could but she was a toddler who was struggling to stay awake and really didn’t care about anything other than Santa Claus. “You’re my favourite grandson.” 

“I’m your only grandson.” Henry pointed out but squeezed him tighter. 

“That’s lucky then.” 

“Emma’s okay, right?” 

David realised he was still hugging tight so he could keep their conversation quiet. “She’s going to be okay. She’s got her new memories now, only them.” 

“I figured.” He admitted. “She had nearly completely lost them when we were out for the meal. She sill remembers me but she thinks I’m just like an uncle?”

“Yeah.” David sighed softly. “She loves you.”

They pulled out of the hug and Henry smiled at his mom- at Emma. “Before I go home maybe we can put some milk and cookies out for Santa?”

She was as excited as a half asleep toddler could be. 

David somewhat reluctantly passed her over to Henry. He watched the two of them carefully, scared to let her out of his sight, he suddenly felt a warm hand in his own. He looked down, Snow’s Hans was clutching his own, giving it a gentle squeeze, he looked up and they shared a smile. She understood him completely, she felt the fear and guilt that he did, together they’d get through it. 

***----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emma fell asleep as soon as the three of them settled into bed. 

It took Snow and David a lot longer, Emma was led on David’s chest as usual, despite this both David and Snow kept checking to make sure she was there and still okay. 

“How’s your arm?” 

David hesitated before straight out lying. “It’s a little sore. I think it only bled so much because it was over my other scars.” He waited in the quiet dark for his wife to say something. He wondered if she had fallen asleep or if he had possibly upset her, reminding her of the first time they had lost Emma, and she had nearly lost him. 

“You’re going to have quite the scar.” 

David let out a soft yet surprised laugh. “Yeah, I guess I am. Maybe I’ll get a tattoo.” He smirked not sure if he was being serious himself or not. “Regina say that there’s a way to track Blue?” 

Snow shook her head before remembering they were in the dark. “No. She thinks that she’s been sent to a different realm though, she used a massive amount of magic to travel, she and Rumple think that it sent her back to where she came from.” 

“Good. If she comes back here, ever …” he trailed off not wanting to think such dark thoughts. 

Snow had been thinking similar thoughts. “Rumple tested the potion when we left, Regina was telling me while you were changing Emma. The potion wouldn’t have worked, it would have… it would have melted her from the inside.” She tried not to show the fear but it seeped in anyway. 

“We found her in time.” David wrapped his arm around his wife. “And we’ll make sure that we never lose her again.” He swore. 

Chapter Text

The Charmings woke up the latest they ever would on Christmas day in their lives. They were simply too exhausted from their busy days saving Emma, even Neal seemed to have followed his parents’ and his older sister’s examples and decided to have a lie in, after waking up for long enough for his mother to feed him and to fall back asleep. 

David eventually woke to someone prodding his cheek, he was getting used to being woken up that way, by his daughter at least. When he woke he came face to face with the pair of wide sparkling eyes which belonged to his daughter. He was relieved to see a wide smile on her face. “Hey koala, you sleep good?” 

Emma nodded enthusiastically. “Uh huh. Can you get up now?” 

“Can I get up now?” David chuckled. 

“Yes you can.” Emma sat back on her haunches.

“Why do I need to get out of bed? Is today an important day?” David laughed and sat up, he winced at the tugging in his shoulder from the stitches, he smiled at his wife who was climbing out of bed, smirking at him trying to wind their toddler up. 

“It’s CHRISTMAS!” She shouted the last word into his ear, making David wince, and Snow laugh at the karma of it.

“Okay.” David groaned. He picked his daughter up into his arms and allowed his wife and son to lead the way. “Let’s go see if Santa left you any presents.”

As soon as Emma caught sight of the presents in the personalised sack she wiggled in David’s arms until he had no choice but to place her onto the floor. 

“Daddy! Mommy! Santa came!” She ran over to the sacks which were being held upright by the couch. She nearly ran into them when she skidded to a stop and looked back at her mom and dad. “Are they for me?” 

David and Snow shared a small smile, David squeezed Snow’s hand before walking over to Emma. “This one is yours Emmy. They’re all from Santa Claus, I think he’s very sorry he couldn’t send you some in the past couple of years. Do you want to open them up? I can help you.” 

Emma didn’t hesitate any longer, she started to pull the presents out, she dropped onto the ground and started to tear the paper open. 

Emma unwrapped the presents as though it was an olympic sport, but Snow and David didn’t mind that, they just wanted her to have a good time, and she clearly was. 

Snow helped Neal unwrapped all the presents they had bought him, they told Emma they were from Santa too, being so young he didn’t really care about the actual presents but he loved the brightly coloured sparkling wrapping paper.

By the time the sacks from ‘Santa’ were empty there were two mountains of toys and books, craft and art sets, along with more than a few boxes of chocolate and candy. 

When she finally unwrapped her last present she stilled and quietened. 

“Emmy, it’s okay, you still have more presents, there’s one from Nealy and one from mommy and daddy underneath the tree.” Snow ran her hand through Emma’s wild curls trying to comfort her. 

“I got lots of presents already.” Emma’s eyes were wide in amazement when she looked up at her mother. “Santa really came?” 

It nearly broke Snow’s heart at how she sounded as though she felt lucky, when really this should have been every Christmas morning, like it would be for Neal, and for the rest of Emma’s childhood. “He really did. He couldn’t make it when you were littler, he tried, he tried really hard, but…” 

“He was stuck.” David suggested. “Like mommy and daddy were stuck here. He was too.” He squeezed her tightly and kissed the top of her head.  “He’s never going to miss you out again.” 

Emma’s mouth spread into a wide smile which was only temporarily interrupted by a series of sneezes, but she clearly wasn’t too bothered by it. “Daddy, can you open this?” She held out one of the presents to him which he opened for her. 

David watched Snow watching their children playing with their new toys, Emma coughed and sniffled every so often which made both Snow and David winced but they let her play for now, David loved his wife constantly but never more than when he saw the look of absolute, encompassing, love Snow had for their children.
David wiggled over closing the tiny gap between him and his wife. He nudged his nose against the side of her face before kissing her crown. “I love you so much.” 

Snow smiled warmly and turned her face towards her husband, she tilted her head up and kissed his chapped yet warm lips, using one hand to cup his cheek. “I love you so much too.” She pressed a kiss to his sweater covered shoulder. “We made the cutest babies.” 

“Well, they have a cute mom.” 

“Not so bad yourself, Charming .” 

“We both know you gave that nickname to me ironically.” He smirked knowing that most of the dwarves still thought Snow had been serious when she had given him the nickname. “These two also inherited your good heart.

“You swept me off my feet.” She kissed him again but pulled away with a sigh. “I should go see what we have in, it’s nearly midday, it’s too late to do all the traditional Christmas food we used to have back in the Enchanted Forest.” 

David had been thinking about the same thing. “We could have our meal tomorrow? I can help you put something together now?”

She nodded then shook her head in turn.“I’m going to get you and our little lion medicine too, you both need it. Why don’t you get the presents from us and the kids to each other out from under the tree? I’ll be back in a minute.” She pecked his lips before standing up and heading to the kitchen. 

David smiled down at his son who was happily slobbering over one of his new toys, chewing on the toy dogs arm. He ran his hand through his growing dark hair. “You’re growing too fast big man.” He told him but couldn’t hide his pride.

He crawled under the tree, the almost overpowering smell of fir tree assaulted his sense but the associated with Christmas here and in the Enchanted forest made it a good smell. He could kiss Henry, he had put the presents David was looking for right at the front. He grabbed them then a two presents in the same type of wrap, they looked like they were wrapped in solid gold. There was a shiny scarlet tag on each. David smirked. Of course Snow would choose to add an extra hidden present from Santa for each of their kids, making it more magical. 

David settled down on the floor again, the wrapping paper caught both Emma and Neal’s attentions. When Snow walked back over David handed Emma the last present from Santa and passed Neal’s one to Snow.

“Who’s it from, you an’ mommy?” 

“Santa.” David told her, sending a smirk to Snow who smiled back.

Snow helped Neal unwrap the present, there was a beautiful light brown curled fur teddy bear in a scarlet woollen sweater, it somehow smelled like their castle at home, the gardens she and David loved to roam while Snow was pregnant. How the hell had David found one so perfect? She couldn’t ask him right then, she wasn’t chancing Emma overhearing and figuring out that Santa wasn’t real in this realm. 

Emma unwrapped a yellow strapped watch like bracelet. David read the instructions on the back and realised why Snow must have bought it, it played calming cartoons on the screen which might help Emma when she was being difficult, but it also had a tracker. It made a lot of sense. He grinned at Snow, she must have gotten it because she had run away before, but after the night before, losing Emma, it couldn’t have been a more helpful gift. 

***----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Snow and David were stuck, they had slept in for longer than they had meant to, and having been busy the night before they hadn’t remembered to take the turkey out of the freezer, if they had been up early they probably could have defrosted it, but now it was too late. 

“We have some of the pizzas and mozzerella sticks we got for the party, we could do them? Or I think we have some turkey dinosaurs?” David suggested trying to lighten the pressure a little. 

“At least it’d be turkey.” Snow sighed.”We could do the Christmas meal food tomorrow?” 

David pulled her into an embrace, he knew that she had been looking forward to finally celebrating as they had in the Enchanted Forest, they both had been looking forward to it, but Snow had wanted Neal and Emma’s first Christmas’ to be perfect. “As long as we’re together this is the best Christmas ever.” 

Snow knew he was right, she still wished she could offer her kids more than just the usual, she looked over and saw Emma playing with the Flynn doll Neal had given her, she was hosting a play tea for him and some of her other toys with the tea set which had been in her christmas sack, she had even included her brother who was sat in his chair babbling to his sister with one of the play cups in his hands. 

“You’re right. I love you, David.” 

“I love you more, Snow.” He dropped a kiss onto her lips so gently that the two had barely even touched. “And I’m glad I get to call you Snow again.” 

Snow knew what he meant, it felt as though she was finally accepting a piece of herself she had been trying to keep out for so long, worried she wasn’t worthy of the title of Badass after being Mary Margaret for so long. She wanted to tell him that, how glad that she had finally realised she could be both, how it had taken her so much longer than others to realise, but she didn’t know how to word it without feeling stupid, instead she brought him into a kiss, hoping it would be a sufficient substitute to convey her feelings. 

There was a knock at the door. 

Snow knew that Captain Hook was locked up safe and secure under the hospital, and Regina and Rumple had assured them that Blue would not be around, still she opened the door and prepared to attack or defend depending on which was needed. 

There were no assailants, instead she came face to face with Ruby and Granny, both holding serving platters covered in foil. 

“Merry Christmas.” Granny greeted with a smile which widened when she realised that they had successfully surprised Snow. 

“We assumed you’d have other things on your mind and be too tired to be doing a lot of cooking, so we brought some sausages wrapped in bacon, and a turkey. We don’t want to intrude.” 

“Come in!” Snow stepped aside letting the two women in. “Please stay, I’ll get some vegetables cooked, Emma and Neal would love to have you both here, this is so kind of both of you.” She shut the door behind them and ushered them inside. 

David welcomed them both with a hug and was about to grab their presents from underneath the tree when there was a knock at the door. 

Snow was still close to it and opened it up again. Snow came face to face with Regina, Robin, Henry, Roland, and Marian, the last of which looked a little sheepish, in all their hands were dishes of what smell like vegetables and stuffing. Snow looked from Regina’s face to Ruby’s, she could tell from the look between the two of them proved Snow’s feelings were correct: they had planned this between them. Snow’s upbringing would have told her to be ashamed that she hadn’t been able to perfectly provide Christmas dinner for her entire found family, but she had learnt that being helped wasn’t a character defect. She smiled and let them all in, greeting them in turn, being particularly kind to Marian knowing she was finding her place in the town still. 

“Wait for us!” Anna’s voice was unmistakable and Snow threw her door open to stop it shutting on the Arendellians’ faces. Anna, Kristoff, and Elsa all stood with covered desserts and wrapped presents. 

***----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Their Christmas dinner was better than they had ever experienced back in the Enchanted Forest, it had the delectable food similar to what they would have had there, but it was the company which made the dinner better than any Snow or David had ever had. The loft was full of laughter and tales.

***----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the dinner the adults all slumped onto the couches, Regina had magicked up more seating, in mini food comas, David was the first to move, having been tugged out of his seat by Emma and Roland, he ducked his head underneath the tree and pulled out the presents for their guests.

Henry found that he had even more than he had put into the sack the night before, which he had been told were from Santa with a conspiratorial look from his grandfather, he got more labeled from Grandma and Grandpa, and Emma, and Neal, along with some from Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff, and Ruby and Granny. Roland and Emma also ended up with a lot of presents in front of them so he didn’t find as bad unwrapping them all. 

He wasn’t disappointed by his loot, his christmas sack included a couple of video games, several books and movies, candy, new headphones along some other things. Snow and David had bought him some new boots for horse riding which looked a lot like some Indiana Jones would wear, there was also a new coat which looked both cool and like a blessing when he thought of the early morning horse rides David promised him. There was a wooden box full to the brim with tubes of paint, coloured and sketching pencils, along with a couple of pads of paper, from Neal, who he had to move the pencils away from swiftly to stop the baby from grabbing them and chewing on them. There was a collection of hardback comic book omnibuses from Emma, along with a spiderman hoodie, and a few pop funkos to sit on his desk, he thanked them all before opening the gifts from the others.

Emma had received a cool yellow car and a family from Henry, Henry had called it a bug which was funny because the car wasn’t a bug at all, Emma had seen bugs like ants and ladybirds before. But she happily played with it straight away, giggling when David would roll it past her and she would stop it by standing in front of it. She missed it and it rolled underneath the christmas tree, she chased after it, skidding on her stomach underneath the tree. She emerged with her car tucked under one arm and a present held in her two tiny hands. “Daddy!” She shouted excitedly, she ran over to him coughing but her excitement was stronger than her illness. “Who’s’it?” She asked him passing it over. 

David frowned as he took it from Emma. It was a small box in pure silver paper. There was a green tag. Henry Daniel Mills. Was the simple message on it. “Henry.” He told his daughter. She held her hands out to him. He plucked the car from underneath her arm. “Let’s put this safe, you don’t want to drop it. Take it to Henry, don’t unwrap it yourself.” He was forced to add, she found she enjoyed unwrapping presents, they had found this out when she had tried to unwrap at least one of everyones’ presents that afternoon, some like David had let her.

Henry chuckled at Emma’s mix of a small pout and her excitable rushing over to him holding out the present. 

He didn’t know what to expect when he wrapped it. It was a small black leatherbound book, he assumed at first it was a notebook, but when he opened it to see if it was a lined notebook or a sketchbook he came face to face with a photograph of himself and Emma, when in her apartment in Boston when he had first met her. The image was moving. He dropped to a crouch on the ground, bowled over by emotion as he flicked through the book, watching the images perform their silent plays. His dad was there too. Always with him, always looking at him with the love both Robin and David tried to but fell just short on, it was the complete and encompassing love they only looked at their children with. 

This was a book of memories, videos on the handmade paper too thin for any technological unit, videos no one had ever taken. Each page was bittersweet, memories he cherished but memories which stabbed at his heart because both Emma and Neal were both gone and never coming back. They were both dead, in one way or another. 

He flicked to the last page as he fought back tears which stung his eyes. On the last page was an image from the diner when he, Emma, and David had visited on their own, he and Emma were laughing freely, it was from David’s view point, but Henry knew for a fact that David hadn’t taken a video. 

“Who,” his voice caught in his throat and he had to cough to clear it. He could feel everyones’ eyes on him, some were trying to be subtle about it like Marian and Elsa, others like Snow and Emma were openingly staring. “Who’s this from?” 

David tilted his head towards Snow wordlessly, and his wife did the same, tilting her head towards David. Both froze, they frowned. David strode over to Snow to tell her he knew she had bought the special gifts for Henry, for Neal, and for Emma, and she whispered that they weren’t from her she had assumed they were from him. 

Emma stood at Henry’s side her smile was as wide as her face. “It’s from Santa!” She told him, unaware of her parents confusion. 

She said it with such confidence that Henry had no choice but to believe her. He flicked back to an image of him and Neal and Emma back in Granny’s diner. Emma had just flicked whipped cream onto his nose and Neal was watching Emma with what Henry knew was love.

“Who’s that?”

Henry sucked in a breath. “That’s my dad, and my mom, my other mom I used to have two, your Grandma and, and her.”

Emma paused. “Oh.” Her smile appeared at full wattage and a knife stabbed into Henry’s heart when he realised that Emma hadn’t paused because she remembered, but because of his unusual parentage. “And you!” The toddler stabbed at the moving slightly younger Henry in the photograph with her finger. “You got an ice cream.” 

Henry’s smile was small and soft, and just a little broken, as he spoke his voice was quiet and tender. “Yeah. Yeah I do. You wanna play something Emmy?” He wrapped the book back up in the silver paper and placed it back into the sack gently enough so not to jostle the people inside of the book, he didn’t know the rules on these sort of things, and he didn’t want to hurt the remnants of his parents inside the book. 

***----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The solemn mood was lifted by Elsa, who conjured up ice cream complete with toppings which made even Henry smile. 

The evening went on with a buffet style meal of leftovers from the Christmas lunch and bits and pieces David and Snow had managed to find. But stories fed them too, stories of love, and adventure, and foolishness, stories which led them all to each other. 

***----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Emmy, do you want to sit with me?”
Snow was crouched beside David and Emma, Emma was on David’s lap, she was now in pyjamas and was starting to look rather miserable from the illness which was firmly setting in, she was tired and whingy but had gone back to sitting with David and some of the others who were setting up a board game.
“We’re going to put on a movie.” She brushed her hand through her hair feeling her temperature subtly.
“Neal and Grandma are going to.”
So were Elsa and Marian who had apparently hit it off, a friendship or something else, and were laughing together. 

“No.” Emma dragged the word out in a whine, she shook her head. “Wanna stay with Daddy. Wanna play too.” 

Snow let out a gentle sigh at her stubborn toddler. 

“It’s okay.” David said, his voice low just for Snow, he kissed her slowly, shallowly, securely. “She’ll probably fall asleep here with less tantrums.” 

David was right, Snow knew that, if she tried to get her to fall asleep she would tantrum over whatever she would miss out on. She felt her husband’s lips move against her own as he spoke, she suddenly longed for them to be alone, for the kids to be asleep, she finally felt as though nothing bad was going to happen, she could finally enjoy it all.
“Okay. I’m going to go and stop Regina from stealing our youngest.” She hadn’t realised she’d said it at normal volume and not at a whisper when she heard Robin laugh. 

“Good luck with that.” 

Snow smiled mischievously at her husband. He rolled his eyes at their silent conversation. He knew she would go and sow the seeds in Regina’s mind at her and Robin having a baby, if the seeds hadn’t already taken root of course. 

Snow settled onto the couch. She watched in amazement at the tired Neal who was babbling softly to himself, holding a strand of Regina’s hair as though it had hidden words upon it. She turned her head to Marian and Elsa, newer members of her put together family, then at the group playing board games, paired up under Granny’s instruction, who was surprisingly the most competitive. 

Emma was small, cradled in David’s arm as he played one handed, she was mostly asleep and he would whisper words which came into his mind into her hair, possibly commentating on the game, possibly telling her how much he loved her. 

Snow sighed contently.

Chapter Text

The loft was alive with noise, lights, and people, so many people that it spilled out onto the fire escape and the roof, for those seeking air.

It wasn’t everyone in the town, nowhere near in fact, but it contained a considerable amount of the royalty in the town. Not because it was a royal party or ball but because this was a celebration the Charmings were throwing for their family and friends, and they had many brave and loyal friends. 

Snow played the perfect host, there was food on every available surface, catered to all tastes, there was good music playing, and there was pleasant and joyful conversation. 

Snow looked over at David when she heard him laugh loudly, he was watching Ruby and Kristoff shove as many of the small sausage rolls into their mouths, she smiled in spite of herself. She carried the plate in her hand across the room, greeting people she passed, she headed towards the living room. 

The presents the kids had received over the christmas period were piled in both Emma’s bedroom and around the sides of the living room, still the loft didn’t seem to have enough room to hold all the family’s things anymore. They had out grown it. Snow no longer thought of that as a bad thing to move away from it, it wasn’t the thing holding them all together anymore. 

Emma was sat crosslegged next to the coffee table, her and new friends Melody and Alex along with a couple of others from the moms and tots group. Emma wasn’t hard to spot, she was the one dressed up in a lion onesie, a Christmas present from Snow and David which she had refused to take off, she wasn’t the only one in fancy dress, a couple of the girls were in princess dresses, while Alex was in a prince’s outfit. Emma was also the only one with a running nose and red cheeks from the temperature she was running, but like the other children she was laughing and smiling. 

Snow crouched beside her daughter, she placed the plate down onto the coffee table, it was packed with food for all the children who were currently playing. Snow retrieved a tissue from her pocket and wiped Emma’s nose.
“There we go.” Emma made the same amount of fuss as she would have had she been an adult and Snow had wiped her nose.
“Are you kids having fun?” She was rewarded with all of the toddlers telling her about the game at the same time, she had no idea what it actually was but they were all having fun, they were all around Emma’s age.
She had expected Roland to be with them, but looking towards Henry and his friends she saw the six year old tagging along. She had a feeling that Neal would be the same with Emma.

Snow pressed a kiss to Emma’s forehead, feeling her temperature, the medicine was working. “I’m going to go talk to daddy and auntie Ruby, I’ll be around if you want me.” She was surprised by Emma throwing her arms around Snow’s neck. 

“Love you mommy.” 

Snow squeezed her as tight as she could without hurting her. “I love you too, more than the moon and the stars.” 

Emma gasped. “The firework stars!” 

Snow smiled, they had tried to explain the fireworks they had bought for this night to Emma, they had explained it as sort of like colourful stars in the sky, and Emma had hung onto the idea. “Yes we’re going to have the fireworks a little later, then it’ll be the new year, me or daddy will come get you to carry you upstairs.” She paused for a second imagining going to find Emma to take her onto the roof and not finding her. Her heart skipped a beat. She tried to soothe her fear by cuddling the toddler close and breathing her in. “Wait for Mommy or daddy, don’t go by yourself.” She whispered to Emma. Emma couldn’t find fault with this and nodded before going back to playing with the others. 

Snow walked over to David and hugged him. She knew he understood. He kept glancing over at Emma when he thought no one was watching, checking she was still there. She felt him squeeze her for a beat then kiss her head. And like that her worries were momentarily soothed.

As she listened to gossiping theories over why Ella had not come yet Thomas and Alex had, and why Aurora and Philip had arrived separately and spent the entire time avoiding each other, she allowed herself a glance at Emma every so often, and slightly less glances at Neal who was being shown the Christmas lights by Robin. 

***----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

David rapped his fork upon the champagne flute once, twice, three times. Most people who were floating around on the roof had heard rumour his speech would be on soon and had come down in time, the loft now felt claustrophobically small, and he swallowed down his nerves seeing all eyes on him. He look at Snow who was holding who was just about awake in one arm, and Neal was in her other arm his head rested on her shoulder, he was fast asleep. He smiled when he noticed the supportive smile on his wife’s face, it warmed him. 

“It’s been quite a year for all of us.” David started, he paused hearing everyone laugh in agreement. “We’ve been in two realms, we’ve lost our memories,” he look towards his grandson, “and gained them again. There's been deaths, but there's also been births. And I know that in my family, at least, there’s been a very busy past couple of months. Myself and Snow would like to thank you all for your help during this time, particularly to those who helped in the search for Emma last week. Obviously we are currently down one sheriff, and due to having a baby and a toddler I will be stepping down as sheriff, in my and the other place will be Ruby, Robin, and Thomas, who will be your new sheriffs, and Eric and Philip will be starting a land and sea rescue- they all agreed on the promise that I’ll supervise both the rescue and the sheriff's station, but I know that’s just a ploy to get me to do all the paperwork.” 

David hand pointed his glass in turn at each of the people he had mentioned and everyone had laughed at his last remark. 

“Our visitors from Arendelle will be heading back to their kingdom tomorrow, though I’m sure things are running smoother without Kristoff.” He sent a grin towards his childhood friend. “Regina, Elsa, and Rumple have worked together to create a permanent door to Arendelle, and they will be working to find a safe way to open doors to other kingdoms.” 

There was a quiet excited chattering around the room at the possibility of at least seeing their old homes again. 

“I don’t know what this year will bring, all I know is that next years party will be thrown in a bigger home.” He and others laughed. He held his champagne glass high in toast. “To a year of health, wealth, and loved ones.” It was an old toast from home. He laughed as he added to it. “Hopefully it’ll be slightly more relaxed than this one though, I’m starting to get gray. Happy new year!” 

***----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

David cornered Henry just before the Mills and the Hoods were about to leave. 

Henry raised his eyebrow when his grandfather thrusted a box in his direction. “Another present?” He smirked, not displeased, but his grandparents had already spoilt him over the Christmas period.  

“It’s from Emma.” 

His voice was soft and tender, so soft and tender that Henry knew it was what his mom had left him. He nodded once and took the box. “Thanks.” 

The next thing he knew his grandfather drew him into a hug, his hand on the back of Henry’s head, how he had hugged Henry since the curse had broken, how he hugged Neal and Emma. 

Henry knew there were people around them and now he was a teenager he had started to avoid people seeing his family being embarrassing. But this time he buried his head against David’s shoulder, he nearly pulled back when he felt David wince a little at the contact with his healing shoulder, but David kept him in a firm hug. 

Henry breathed in David’s familiar cologne, tears formed in his eyes, he squeezed them shut, the tears leaked out of hes eyes onto David’s dark sweater, all traces of them hidden when they pulled away from each other once more. 

And Henry left. 

Chapter Text

Henry shrugged off his coat and threw it onto his bed, it had been brand new but after going riding every morning with his grandfather it was now ready for a wash. It was about a week into the new year and Henry had seen his grandfather every morning while they went horse riding, but otherwise had avoided the loft. It wasn’t Emma’s fault, or Snow’s, but it still felt weird to be around there. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to move on or not. 

He collapsed into his desk chair. On the desk was the book he had received from Santa Claus, he was still shocked he was a real man, but he supposed it made sense in a town full of story book characters. 

Also on his desk was the box. He had flicked through in when he had first received it, but he had quickly put it all back, he hadn’t been prepared. He looked at the closed box again now. Would he ever truly be prepared? 

He let out a sigh. “Come on Henry.” He mumbled to himself. He grabbed the box and finally opened it. 

***----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There were more things in the box than he had remembered when he had glanced inside before. There was a stack of paper with words on tied together with a ribbon. There was a voice recorder thing he thought was called a dictaphone, there was a small clear box with a memory card on it, there was a sticky note attached in David’s writing ‘A video from Emma. Operation Legacy’. 

He opened his laptop and stuck the memory card in waiting to play the video. 

While he waited for it to load he looked inside of the box, pulling out the items. 

A pair of glasses.
Shoelaces Emma used to wear around her wrist, after Graham had died.
There was a mood ring like the ones sold in the plastic eggs in the vending machines at the store.
There was an old video camera and a pile of tapes labeled with different things and different years.
There was a pile of photographs, for her as a baby to before she had aged down, with people he knew and didn’t know, and there were names and short explanations on the back in Snow’s writing.

There was an old ipod, it was scratched and scuffed on the mirrored back, but there were some purpose ‘N+E’. “Neal and Emma.” Henry whispered with a smile growing on his face. A few years ago he didn’t even know his biological parents’ names now he had something from the time they were actually together. He pressed the center button and the screen came on. 

There was a lot of music but only one playlist on the ipod ‘I luv u’, he pressed on it and saw all of his father’s favourite music, he was pretty certain this ipod had been Neal’s, his father’s. 

He undid the ribbon and read the papers, each had memories of his mom, a couple of his dad, all kinds of stories he had never heard. They suddenly meant the world to him.

He finally looked back at his laptop and opened the video. 

Emma, the young version of her, was on his grandparents’ bed. He took a look at her face, her charming smile, and realised it wasn’t just the young version, it was the adult version too. When she still had memories. 

“ Hey Henry”

He watched as she waved and smiled. 

He sat back in his desk chair and watched her talk. She talked non stop for nearly forty minutes. Every so often she would wipe her eyes, and Henry found that he was having to wipe his eyes too. She gave him advice, told him some funny stories, and some sad ones, and told him how much he meant to her, how he had saved her time and time again and made her a better person. She told him she was proud of him. 

“The last thing Henry.” Emma stared directly into the camera. “You need to find your own story. When you’re old enough. You shouldn’t stay in town and be content to be part of others’ stories, we all love you, your mom, your grandparents, me… but you deserve your own story, you deserve adventures, and danger, and love. Most of all you deserve love. Please find your own adventure Henry, you’ve always wanted to be a hero, and you already are one, you’ve saved the town so many times, but I think other worlds need you too. Don’t just be content. Don’t do anything unless it makes you happy. I love you.” 

The screen blinked to black.

Henry wiped his eyes, unaware that tears had started to fall. Despite the silence from his laptop he could hear Emma’s voice urging him to find an adventure. To leave the town. To explore realms. He hadn’t put much thought into it before but he suddenly realised that he couldn’t possibly stand to spend his entire life in this town, to find a job in a store, and to stay here forever. Reading stories instead of living them.

***----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Henry placed everything back into the box. He placed it on a shelf of his bookshelf, beside a picture of him and Emma. 

He pulled out his cellphone and pulled up the group chat he had with his grandparents. 

“Hey, can I come over today?” 

He got his response back pretty much straight away. 

“Of course!”

He put his phone back into his pocket and left his room, shutting his door behind him.

The town clock struck nine.

He was finally ready to start the year anew.