Hey Guys! The wait for the next season is almost over - thank goodness! I plan to write a second chapter ASAP, but hey, a little encouragement *cough cough* review, would go a long way (motivation + work = results) :P
The crack in the curtains said it all for Emma...it was morning, but not just any morning, it was the morning of the one day that she had been dreading for months. Emma groaned, how could everyone find this day so happy? Even the sun was shining brightly, and Emma did not think that she would ever be able to do so much as to leave this bed. Emma curled herself further into her blankets before her thoughts were interrupted by the creak of her door.
"Good morning Emma. It's time to wake up Hun, Henry will be here in an hour!" Snow greeted cheerfully, opening the curtains causing the sunlight to explode around the room. Great. Even the sun was mocking her. Emma grumbled "Can't" before curling into the blankets further to block out the sun.
"Come on Em...it's Henry's birthday! It will break his heart if you don't celebrate" Snow said happily. This made Emma feel incredibly guilty, what was she supposed to do? Everything just felt so heavy. So hard. Deciding that she was in no condition to run, Emma tried the next best thing.
"Go away Mary Margaret" Emma mumbled into her pillow. Snow felt the room drop about ten degrees, Mary Margaret? What was going on? She was 'Snow'...and - more often that not, even 'Mom', but she hadn't been Mary Margaret for months, years even.
"Em..." Snow started, she wasn't really sure what to say. To be honest, Snow had no idea what was going on. "What's up? Are you sick?" Snow asked, wrestling with the blankets to gain access to her daughters forehead. Emma flung her arms out randomly, before answering Snows question with "not sick". Snow sighed, frustrated "Emma, please talk to me...I can't help you if I don't know what's going on" Snow pleaded, before carefully peeling back the blankets to reveal Emma's tear stained face.
Emma stared at her mother for what felt like hours before rolling away from Snow and pulling the covers back over her face. "Em-" Snow started, and that was all that it took for Emma to release the laboured sobs that had been burning the back of her throat for what had felt like centuries.
Snows heart crumpled for her daughter, and she felt like she would collapse into a puddle of tears then and there, Emma very rarely cried - she was a tough cookie with a reputation to upkeep. Snow lay down beside Emma and rubbed comforting circles on her back, trying desperately to not feel hurt by Emma's practically routine flinch when she did so. It wasn't long before Snow found herself giving in to her motherly instincts and hugging Emma fiercely, whispering that everything would be alright, not only for Emma, but also for herself. Snow was afraid, she did not know why her daughter was so upset. Had somebody hurt her? Was Emma in danger? Should she be afraid also?
Soon enough, Emma's cries had developed into nothing more than double breathing, and Snow found herself retreating a few inches to give Emma space to turn around. Emma never did turn around, but instead, spoke in a voice that - to Emma's credit, did not waver nearly as much as it should have, "Mom, I don't think I can get up today. Can...I...can you-" Emma paused and attempted to swallow back the weight that had gathered in the back of her throat "I need you to tell Henry that I love him, but I can't see him today. Just tell him I'm sick or something" Emma pleaded before cocooning herself deeper into her blankets.
Snow just lay there staring at the ceiling, what was she supposed to say? She agreed that Emma was in no state to get up, but she also could never tell her grandson that his mother didn't want to see him, besides, Emma being "sick" wouldn't stop him anyway, he loves her. Snow decided to repeat what she had said before, "Emma...honey. Please talk to me".