Since we are on a winter break, I decided to keep my sanity by attempting my luck in fanfiction. :) This is going to be more of a Snow/Emma tandem. I just can't get enough of them. They are my new favorite, my new Lorelai/Rory. Ha! Please be kind.. Rewind.. Just kidding.. Hope y'all enjoy.
Emma smiled as she surveyed the already cramped diner. Everyone seems to be in a very happy mood, and who can blame them? They are finally back home, with her family. Henry has not left her side, and she would not have it any other way. Snow and James, her parents, were pretty much glued to one another as well. As if her mother could sense her thoughts, she met her eyes and smiled. A smile full of love, a smile that was only saved for her, and that almost brought Emma to tears. Snow walked up to her with James in tow.
"Hey. How are you holding up? Ready to head home?" Emma gave her parents a smile and looked over Henry.
"Yes. I can't wait to take a long long long hot shower and then sleep on a real bed." Emma said wistfully. Her parents laughed and said thank you and goodbye to everyone in the diner. Before leaving Snow gave Red a long hug and thanked her for helping James and keeping an eye on Henry. They promised to catch up soon.
When they got home Snow and Emma stood by the door with big smiles on their faces. Emma will be the first to admit how much she missed her home.
"I am so happy you are both back. And just in time for Christmas." Henry said happily.
"Yes. And we will make sure this will be one to remember." Snow promised her family.
After Emma tucked Henry in for bed, she went in for that long shower she has been longing for. When the hot water hit her body, she suddenly realized that she was back home. She broke down and let herself cry. While stranded in the fairy tale world, her original world, she tried really hard to keep her emotions in check. There were times when she didn't think they would ever make it back to Storybrooke. She would never see Henry again, and she would not get a chance to get to know her father. She thought about Cora, and her failed attempt to take her heart out. All her life, she has trained herself to be guarded, to not trust people, walls up, always Emma versus the world. And now she has her family, who gave up everything to give her a chance, her best chance. Emma cried, no, sobbed as she thought of this. As she thought of Henry, her father, who fought Regina's men until the end, her mother, her mother who loves her unconditionally, who yelled at an ogre to leave her daughter alone, who as Mary Margaret gave her a home without hesitation. Her mother who gave her away to save her, and as much as that hurt, she knows exactly how it felt. Because she felt it too when Henry was ripped from her arms. Emma suddenly realized what it all means. After all those years of searching and being alone, she now understand everything. She finally got out of the shower and changed in her pajamas. She checked on Henry one more time before going downstairs.
"Hey Mare, sorry I took forever. But the shower is free."
Snow smirked at her daughter. "I was just about to check on you and see if you fell asleep in there."
"I almost did. Well I think I'm going to bed now. Unless you guys um want to talk?" Emma said almost whispering.
"I know you and your mother are very exhausted. And Emma, you are home now and well, we have all the time to talk about anything."
Emma looked at her father and as if she had no control of her actions, she hugged him. James was caught off guard and looked at Snow. His wife gave him a teary smile. He held Emma with such longing. After 28 years, he finally got to hold her again.
When Emma finally let go of him, she said "I'm sorry. I should have done that when the curse broke. But..."
"Oh Emma no. Don't apologize. Thank you. You don't know how much that means to me."
Emma smiled at her father. She then walked over to her mom and gave her a hug too.
"I still have not taken a shower and now you are probably going to be smelling like dirt and forest."
Snow said laughing though she held her baby tight.
"It's ok. I don't care about that. Ok well I'm going to bed. Goodnight." Giving her parents one last smile, Emma headed to bed.
Emma woke from a dream and forgot where she was. She then realized she was back home, in her own room, with Henry snoring softly beside her. She laid back down and tried to relax. She doubt she can go back to sleep now. Back in the fairy tale land, each of them had to stay up and keep watch. She thought of Mulan and Aurora. She hoped and prayed to whoever was listening that they were safe, and that Aurora got her heart back. She sighed and decided to might as well go and get some water. As she descended down the stairs, she smelled a familiar smell. She then saw her mother sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of hot chocolate, drowning in cinnamon.
She smiled. "What? You didn't want to share so you didn't wake me up?" Emma joked.
"Oh Emma! You startled me."
"Sorry. But why are you up? Are you ok?" Emma ask worriedly.
Snow got up and started to make another cup for her daughter.
"I'm ok. I slept a little then I woke up feeling disoriented. When we were back there.. I had to make sure I was only half asleep. I had to be aware of everything. And when your father woke me up from the apple curse, sleep was never the same for me. And now after going through it again.." Snow stopped herself and looked at Emma. She shouldn't be telling her this.
"You have been through the sleeping curse twice. That room.. I.." The realization hit Emma hard and she felt like she couldn't breathe.
"I'm sorry Emma. I was not going to tell you but you would know I was lying anyway. But I am ok. When I think of everything our family went through, I just get this overwhelming feeling and I know that it is my fault. This curse, Regina would have never unleashed it if it weren't for me. And we would have never missed out on you growing up. Sometimes.. I think maybe I should have never let your father take you to the wardrobe.. I should have..."
"Mare.. No.. Don't do this to yourself. I get it now.." Emma did not want to see her mother in pain.
"I need to tell you though. I owe you that. Is that ok that we talk about this now." Snow asked cautiously.
Emma nodded her head. Snow made more hot chocolate and they moved to the living room to get more comfortable. Before Snow continued their conversation, she smiled at the scene before her She couldn't believe she was home, with her daughter, having hot chocolates and sharing a blanket.
"Emma, what I told you when we were in your nursery, I meant all that. I never thought I would see that place again. And now that I have seen it, I just can't help but feel so angry and... just angry. I missed out on everything. Your first word, your first step, just everything. When I found out I was pregnant with you, it was the happiest day of my life, but then I realized that Regina would do anything to hurt me and I knew she would try to get back at me through you."
Snow tried to slow down and calm herself. She has waited to tell Emma everything. And so far Emma seem to be taking it all in very well.
Snow continued. " When your father took you away, I was sure my heart was ripped out literally. Regina might not have been successful with ripping my heart out herself, but that night, when we sent you away, she finally did it. And I want you to know that I will forever live with that, sending you away. And you thinking your parents did not want you, and they abandon you on the side of the road. Emma if I could have, I would have gone with you. I would have given anything to go with you."
And with that Snow broke down sobbed. All Emma could do was hold her mother and let her cry and get it all out.
"Wait. No. The wardrobe took two people. I thought maybe you wanted to stay with James that's why August came through with me."
Snow was in disbelief. She wasn't sure she heard Emma right.
"What do you mean August came with you? Emma you're not making any sense."
"August. Or you know him as Pinocchio. We were sent to the same foster home but he.. well, he left me."
Snow was sure she was hearing Emma right but her mind was reeling. The blue fairy lied to them? Geppetto? And Jiminy Cricket? Did the dwarfs know as well? Why would they do this?
Emma was about to say something when Henry came down the steps half asleep.
"Hey why are you up? Is everything ok?" She asked her very sleepy son.
"Yeah. I woke up but you weren't there." He said with a little panic in his voice.
"Sorry kid. We couldn't sleep. So we were just um talking.."
"K. Well can we go back to bed now? And you and Sn- grandma can talk tomorrow? And is that ok that I call you grandma?"
Despite the shock she was feeling, Snow laughed. "Yes. It is more than ok Henry."
"Ok kid let's go back to bed." Emma looked at her mother, "I can put him back to sleep and come back down?"
"No Emma, it is late. Go be with Henry. We can talk in the morning."
"Ok if you're sure. Goodnight."
"Goodnight sweetheart."
Snow watched her daughter go back to her room. She replayed what Emma just said about the wardrobe. Could August be telling the truth? There were so many questions running in her head. She wanted to wake up Charming and tell him about it. She wanted to find the Blue Fairy to ask her. What if Emma was right? How was she going to accept that?
There was only one way to find out...