AN: Hi all! This idea came about while watching an episode of Reba, and if you've ever watched the show you'll probably know this plot line! I'd like to thank icings (Justine) for reading over my story for me and if you haven't read her current story Freedom Love, GO DO THAT!
The only thing I own is a new laptop and a ring that looks like Snow's.
David was walking up from the stables, ready to wind down from the day and spend the evening with his girls. Emma was only six months old but he was already wrapped around her tiny fingers and hated having to spend the day away from her and Snow. Climbing up the last few stairs, he could hear his wife in their chambers down the hall. Smiling, he quickened his pace, all the more eager to be with his family.
Entering their room he spotted Snow lying on their bed with Emma across her chest. Both of their eyes were closed, but Charming could hear his wife quietly singing to their daughter while stroking her back. He silently walked in the room trying to not to disturb the peaceful scene in front of him. Carefully easing himself onto the bed, he turned on his side while propping his head up with his hand.
Letting her voice die out, Snow opened her eyes and turned to look at her husband.
"Hi," she murmured while letting her fingers continue skimming up and down their daughter's back. David only leaned forward in reply and carefully placed a kiss to her temple. Leaning back he sighed, perfectly content to stay like this for the rest of the evening. But before he could suggest the idea, Snow was sitting up, trying to not wake up the now sound asleep Emma.
"Where are you going?" he questioned, confusion coloring his tone. Snow chuckled softly before replying.
"Our little princess was taking a nap, but when she woke up crying not too long after I set her down I brought her in here hoping a change of scenery would calm her. Now that she is back asleep, I'm going to return her to her crib where hopefully she'll stay asleep until dinner." With that Snow exited the room, leaving David staring after her. Laughing at his wife for leaving so quickly, he got up from the bed and followed her to Emma's nursery.
Once reaching the room, he leaned against the frame and watched his wife tuck their daughter into bed. "I thought you wanted to stop going to her whenever she woke up crying?" he whispered while strolling into the room. Walking up behind his wife, he wrapped his arms around her waist and let his chin rest on her shoulder. Sinking into her husband's arms , Snow sighed but didn't reply. Mistaking her silence for guilt, Charming held her tighter and pressed his lips to her neck.
When some of the nursemaids mentioned to Snow that they should probably let Emma cry herself back to sleep instead of always going to her, they had tried to follow the advice, but neither were too keen on having to listen to their daughter cry and ended up going to her anyway. Both Snow and David would have loved to forget the idea and just go back to how it was before, but neither wanted to let the other down and cave so soon.
"Everyone says it's the best thing to do," Snow finally replied, resting her hands atop his and holding them tight.
"I know it's hard," he whispered against her skin, "but it will get easier." Hopefully he thinks.
A few hours later, once Emma had awoken from her nap, the small royal family spent the rest of the evening together. It was obvious to any person who saw them that the young couple were completely and utterly in love with their daughter. So much in fact the two parents often argued over who got to put the infant to bed.
On this particular night, David had convinced his wife that since she got to spend the day with Emma it should be him who got to deal with bedtime. Gently cradling his daughter in his arms, he sat down in a rocking chair in the nursery and began rocking them both.
"Ok, princess, here's the thing. Mama and I are both trying to do what's best for you, but it would be helpful if you cut us some slack. We can only let you cry for so long without going crazy and caving in. So if you could sleep through the night, your mama and I would appreciate it." David placed a kiss to his daughter's hand that was wrapped around his finger.
Once she had fallen asleep in his arms, he rose from the chair and carefully placed her into the crib. Letting his finger gently stroke her cheek for a few minutes, he prayed that tonight would finally be the night his baby girl would stay asleep.
It was a little past midnight when Snow awoke with that feeling in the pit of her stomach. She could never explain how she knew but she was always able to tell when Emma was crying, even from several rooms away.
Quietly rising from the bed as to not wake Charming, she grabbed her dressing robe from a chair and slipped through the door. As she made her way down the hall, she could hear her daughter's faint cries. Arriving at the nursery, she reached for the door to push it open, but then stopped.
No, she thought to herself, you have to let her calm herself down. It's the right thing to do. When Emma's cries got louder, Snow again reached for the door and grasped the handle but again didn't open it. When she heard the cries soften, she slowly backed away from the door and turned back to her room.
Not even five steps away, the cries again got louder. Unable to ignore them, the princess went back to the nursery door. With her hand on the handle and her head resting against the door, Snow let the tears slip down her cheeks.
Charming rolled over in his half asleep state and reached for his wife, wanting to hold her closer. When his arms were met with empty sheets, he shot up and looked around the room. Realizing what the lack of Snow meant, he climbed out of the bed and went straight to Emma's room.
As he walked down the hall, he could hear his daughter's soft cries. Confused as to why Emma would still be crying if Snow was with her, he quickened his pace, worry settling in his mind. Before he turned the corner of the hall, he heard another person crying. Concern growing inside him, he dashed around the corner only to be met with the sight of his wife sitting with her back against the nursery's closed door, tears streaming down her face.
"Snow!" he gasped crouching next to her. "What's wrong? Why are you sitting out here?" Snow shook her head unable to speak. David sat down and pulled her into his arms. "My darling, please tell me what is wrong."
"I can't do this anymore, David," she finally choked out digging her fingers into his arms.
"Do what?" he whispered against her head, slowly rocking her.
"This! Letting her cry and not doing anything about it! It's cruel and….and..."
"Shh, it's ok. It's ok. We don't have to do it anymore," he replied, cutting her off.
"But it's what we're supposed to do!" Snow sobbed into his shoulder, her voice muffled.
"Says who? Who says we have to let Emma cry and do nothing about it? She's our daughter, Snow. Ours. No one else's. We decide how to raise her and what we think is right for her and for us."
"But…"
"No. No 'buts.' If anyone has a problem with how we raise our child they can deal with me, which I'm sure none of them would want to." Snow chuckled and burrowed deeper into her husband's embrace. Charming opened his mouth to speak again but was interrupted by a loud cry from inside the nursery. Snow tensed in his arms, her shoulders shaking harder with sobs. "Go get her, Snow."
Pulling herself from his embrace, Snow stood up and at last walked into the nursery. Charming followed her inside and watched as mother lifted daughter from the crib and hold her tight in her arms. As Emma's cries subsided and she nuzzled her head into her mother's neck, Charming put his arms around both, holding them in a tight embrace.
"She can sleep with us tonight, right?" Charming laughed at his wife's question.
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
Curled up on their bed with Emma wrapped in Snow's arms, both parents were finally able to breathe easier for the first time in weeks.
"I have a confession," Charming whispered while running his hand through their daughter's hair.
"Mmm? And what would that be?"
"I never thought we should let Emma cry through the night. I only agreed because it was what you wanted." Snow's eyes snapped open and turned to face her husband.
"I only agreed because I thought it was what you wanted!" she replied in a hushed tone, trying not to disturb their sleeping child. Shaking her head, she turned back to Emma and pressed a delicate kiss to her head. "Well from this point on, we only do what we both think is right.
"Couldn't have said it any better myself," David whispered pulling his girls closer. Snow smiled and curled deeper into his embrace, careful not to squish their daughter.
"Besides," he murmured, placing a kiss on both their heads, "she looks happier sleeping in your arms than in her crib anyway."
Thank you for reading! Reviews are always appreciated...