Scorns of Time
grumpy goes on living.
Grumpy, once he leaves the mines (not his choice—never his choice—) refuses to look at the fireflies. And their house in the woods has multiple fireflies, so he spends his nights inside reading.
(He told them about the fireflies. He shouldn't be mad about their endless fascination, but he wasn't renamed Grumpy for nothing.)
Grumpy never tells Snow about the fireflies. Of course, she knows why his brothers spend their nights outside. Snow understands even if she doesn't remember. Together, they spend their nights telling each other about palaces and boats and flying; but never once about fireflies or falling in love. Besides, they don't even know what love is.
(Except he sees the way Snow lingers over the words coming out of her mouth, puzzled over things she doesn't understand. He still dreams of Nova with her wings and pink dress. They know what love is. They just don't know how to get it back.)
(Nothing ever lasts.)
After months of the same routine, apples and princes are popping up in the corners. Snow's dead, and then she's not but she's different, so similar to the girl in the jail cell who dreamed of true love, Grumpy remembers. And with Snow suddenly gone—(too soon, but he can't really blame her)—and he changed—because Snow has that kind of affect—(and besides, he promised)—Grumpy starts to watch the fireflies with his brothers. Sometimes, he's so lost in the moment that he forgets Nova won't be there when he opens his eyes, and Snow's not waiting for him inside to tell a story of something she doesn't understand. Reality is cruel like that. The two people Grumpy has ever truly cared for aren't coming back.
(He tried. Two months after she left. He got all the way to the castle doors, ready to tell Snow that he kept his promise, that he remembers the fireflies. But…he just can't. And besides, Snow had promised that she'll visit. …He can tell her then.)
She does visit—about six months after she left. They don't know what to say, though, and Grumpy can't bring himself to remind her of the fireflies. For an hour, there's nothing but pleasantries and glances until Snow blurts that she's pregnant, after starring hard and long at the ground.
"I wanted to name her Nova," she apologizes. "But I didn't want to hurt you. And Rumplestiltskin…. James is adamant we call her Emma even though he hates the man."
It's Grumpy's turn to stare hard and long at the ground. "How far along are you?"
"Four months. To the day."
(He ignores the fact that it's been exactly four months since he turned his back on the castle doors.) Grumpy nods, and finally looks Snow straight in the eyes. "Congratulations. Really."
She gives him a large grin. Offers her hand, and says, "Come back to the castle with me. I miss you."
He takes it, and vows to tell her about the fireflies when he arrives.
Except, castle life is busier than he expected. There are plans and prophecies from a queen he's never even heard of, and he barely sees her, because most of Snow's free time is spent with James. Not that he's mad, but he'd sometimes like to do more than talk of what-may-happen.
And sometimes, they do. It's not often, but he treasures those moments as he treasures time with his brothers. He and Snow share stories about palaces and boats and planned play-dates with little Emma. (All a farce, but it's hard not to: hope is always the easiest to hang on to.)
He doesn't want to leave Snow alone with James, but she had asked, and besides, it's part of the plan. He defends the castle—defends Snow—with such adamancy, but it's not succeeding, but he tries and tries and tries—
(his last thought, before darkness descends, is that he never told snow about the fireflies.)