Fingers trailed through long locks, gathering the strands behind her and wrapping a bow around the mass to keep curls from straying into her face. Legs bent at the knees, snuggling beneath each other as she settled herself into a comfortable position. With a huge smile on her face, she reached out to the chubby limbed girl clinging onto the chaise.

"Today's the day, my big girl," blue eyes sparkled with excitement, "I know you can do it."

Golden spray sprouted from the girl's head, crowning her with a halo as light from the window streamed across her brow. The baby began to whine, voicing her uncertainty. But her mother was only more insistent, "You can do it. Come on, Emma. Come to Mommy."

One little foot stepped toward Snow, while hands continued to grip tightly to the chaise. Snow nodded encouragingly, the smile never straying from her face, "That's it. Come here."

Left hand released first as another tentative step was taken, big blue eyes staring questioningly. Snow leaned forward a hair, nodding again. Emma dropped her right hand and steadied herself on unsure feet. Slowly one wobbly step was taken in the direction of her mother. Tears pricked Snow's eyes as pride filled her.

"Look at you! Good job, Emma!" The excitement in her mother's voice brought a giant smile to the baby's face. Without looking away, Snow's voice rose to call out of the room, "Charming! She's doing it!"

A shuffled half step was taken as her father's voice called back, "Doing what?"

"She's walking!"

The crashing sound of something being knocked over echoed as hurried footfalls proclaimed the running of an overjoyed father. He burst into the room just as Emma fell over and landed onto her butt, "She's walking?"

Snow looked up at her husband as the first tear spilled over, "Three steps. Three!"

"What a good girl!" Four strides and he was by their sides, kneeling down to pick up is infant daughter, "I'm so proud of you, Emma!"

Baby giggles erupted as pudgy hand gently slapped Charming's cheek. Snow reached for her as she spoke, "Let's show Daddy."

The pair shifted apart and Snow steadied Emma on her feet. Charming reached out encouragingly as the giant grin exploded on Emma's features. Before long she was slowly making her way to him, arms outstretched. When she tumbled forward into his arms, both parents cheered and the babe screeched happily.

"She's growing so fast, Charming." Snow wiped a tear from her eye, "Time is passing too quickly."

"Don't go kicking her out of the house yet, Snow." He teased, "I think we've got a least two more years with her."

"You know what I mean." Her eyes rolled.

"Just yesterday she born. And now she's walking. Before you know it she'll be attending her first ball, learning to ride a horse, and finding her own prince."

Ivory palm stroked down the wild curls as mother stared wistfully at daughter, "At least two more years, right?"

"Oh, at least." He grinned, "Three if we're lucky."