"Emma, honey will you please just slow down for a second so we can talk!"

Snow panted as she moved ahead of the Neverland group and towards her daughter who was now quickly barging through the forest – a melting pot of emotions overtaking her following the latest revelations from their time in the echo cave.

She needed to escape for a while, from everyone –her parents more than anyone else, and she was doing what she does best.

She was running. It was only when she walked past a sharp branch that sliced through her skin did Emma stop and wince at the stinging sensation that ran up her arm.

"Shit!" she huffed putting a hand across the wound.

The accident allowed time for Snow to catch up, and she latched on to her daughters arm – she wasn't going to let her run again.

"Emma! You hurt yourself!" Snow said worriedly trying to examine the cut, when Emma quickly shrugged away from her touch.

"Don't." Emma said coldly, refusing to meet her mother's eyes.

"Em-"

"I said don't. I don't want to talk to you"

"Well I'm your mother, and I say, we're going to talk."

"Maybe I don't wanna talk?! Emma started to yell –angrily.

"Maybe I don't want you to baby me- to act like a mother to me, because you're not. Mothers are supposed to be there for their children during the good times, the bad times, and the ugly times."

Tears began to well in Emma's eyes as she became increasingly frustrated, trying to find the right words to put 28 years of pain, sorrow and loneliness into.

"Mothers are supposed to be there to comfort you when you scrape your knee, and cheer you on when you're running in cross country. To hush you back to sleep when you wake up in a puddle of sweat, screaming from nightmares. My reality was a nightmare –except I didn't get to wake up – I've been trapped in a nightmare for my entire life. You were supposed to be there, and you weren't... you weren't there for me."

Emma's yell turned to a small whisper, her voice cracking slightly.

She was already bent, chipped and broken- but she refused to shatter completely.

She rebuilt that wall of hers and her tone grew angry once more.

"But hey, at least the curse made it so that you're still young and fertile" Emma said, venom lacing her words.

"You can just act like none of this happened – like I don't even exist - and have another kid – give it a mommy…a daddy…a nice home – a nice life."

Hot tears were now freely falling down both mother and daughters cheeks.

"Em-"Snow tried to reply, but Emma cut her off.

"No. Don't give me the 'we love you so much, and you're perfect to us' bullshit because we both know that's not true. If I was a perfect daughter for you, I would be enough, but I'm obviously not- I'm not enough..."

Emma's eyes softened

"I've really been trying, but I'll never be enough for you."

She then turned on her heel and stalked off into the forest once more, leaving Snow to drown in her daughters words.

She wiped away at her tear stained cheeks and made a silent promise to her baby girl.

She was going to prove to Emma just how loved she truly is, and that having another child will not change the love her or Charming have for Emma.

After a moment, she felt Charming's strong, comforting grip on her shoulder.

"She'll come round…you'll see." He said in a low voice.

"I sure hope so." Snow replied - the couple then walking hand in hand after their daughter -their beautiful, smart and ever so stubborn, daughter.


Just something that came to mind following 3x06