The birth
Thanks to those who pointed out the paragraphs. Honest folks, it was the copy and paster here. As a student teacher I'm utterly mortified! Anyway, take 2...
Hello again oncers! Sorry I've been away a while, blame my uni! Anyway, a new multi chapter is on it's way very soon, back to daily updates! Until then, here's a little oneshot I've put together Much thanks to Crowned Tiger again who was a big help with this!
It all happened so quickly. Just as it had with Emma. One minute Snow was taking laundry out of the machine, the next she was bent over double in pain. It took her a moment to realise it was her leaking and not the machine.
"Emma!" She called out, trying to hide her pain and panic as much as possible. "Emma it's time!" Snow immediately heard Emma thumping down the stairs and through to the kitchen where she was.
"Now?" Emma croaked. Snow nodded. "Right, ok. I've gotta call dad…"
"No!" Snow panted. "First, get me to the hospital! Grab my hospital bag from my room, fling it in the car and come get me!" Emma nodded, sprinting off and doing as she was told. She ran back to Snow and supported her to the car. Snow could feel Emma's hands shaking as she helped her.
"Are you ok?" She asked, as calmly as possible. Emma gave a little laugh.
"You're in labour and you're asking if I'm ok?" Snow gave a tiny smile as Emma helped her into the front passenger seat before sprinting into the driver's seat. Snow held on for dear life as Emma sped through the town to the hospital.
"Do you really think this speed is necessary?" Snow suggested gently.
"Hell yeah it is! Besides, perks of being town sheriff, I can go as fast as I want." Snow could see she was fighting a losing battle and went back to clinging for dear life.
Emma tried to come to a halt as gently as possible in the hospital car park before again supporting Snow, this time into the hospital.
"We need someone, now!" Emma yelled as soon as they were inside. Within seconds a team of nurses were upon them getting Snow onto a bed and wheeling her into a room. Emma was never far behind, and as soon as they were in the room and the nurses were busying about, Emma came to Snow's side and took her hand. Snow gently, but firmly, released her hand from Emma's grip.
"They won't let you use your phone in here. Go out of the room and call your dad." Snow instructed her. Yes, she did want David here, but she also wanted Emma out of the room. She didn't want Emma to see her like this. She wouldn't be able to control the pain much longer. Emma seemed reluctant. "I'll be fine." Snow assured her. "Go, he won't want to miss this." Reluctantly, Emma did as her mother had asked and left to call her dad. After a very brief conversation (David didn't want to waste time on the phone) Emma made her way back into the room. She'd barely taken a step inside however when Snow shook her head.
"No Emma, stay outside." Emma was shocked, she hadn't expected that.
"I can't leave you in here on your own!" She tried to reason with Snow.
"You can, and you will. I don't want you to see me like this. Please, out."
"Mom, have you forgotten I've done all this before? I know what it's like."
"That's completely different from seeing your mother go through it and you know it." Snow tried to explain to Emma. Emma gave a great sigh and looked to the floor.
"If it was me you wouldn't leave even if I asked." She mumbled.
"Yes, but again that's different. Your dad will be here soon, I won't be alone long. Please honey, don't make me get the nurse to force you out."
"Fine." Emma grumbled, stomping out of the room. Snow knew Emma wasn't happy about this, but she was just trying to do the right thing. She didn't want Emma to see her in pain.
Emma sat with her arms crossed on one of the plastic chairs in the waiting area. She caught a glimpse of her dad skidding by, looking for them.
"Dad!" She yelled. David screeched to a halt, whirling around and looking at Emma. He ran over to her, and Emma pointed to the door of Snow's room. "She's in there waiting for you. She won't let me in…" She grumbled. David sighed and kissed Emma's forehead.
"You know she's not doing it to upset you. Sweetheart, are you sure you want to wait here? You'd be a lot comfier at home. I promise we'll call you as soon as…"
"Not a chance." Emma cut him off. "I'm staying here." David didn't have time to argue with her, so simply nodded.
"If you insist. But make sure to get yourself something from the canteen, ok?"
"Yes, ok, fine. Now go!" Emma commanded. David didn't need told twice. He scooted off again and barrelled into the room.
"David!" Snow cried, relieved. Sweat was pouring down her face, and now that Emma was out of sight and earshot she could fully release the pain. He came over by the bed and took her hand, kissing the side of her head.
"I'm here. It's ok."
"Emma?" Snow asked between pants.
"She's fine. She's sitting in the waiting area. I tried to convince her to go home, but she was having none of it. Don't worry, I made sure she understood she was to get something for herself from the canteen." Snow nodded, squeezing his hand slightly as the next contraction hit her.
"This is going to be a long day." She half joked. Charming gave a small laugh.
"But by the end of we have a brand new baby." He said gently. He couldn't believe how excited he was to be a father again. Snow nodded, she would need that thought in her head at all times to help her through this.
"Emma." Someone whispered, shaking her awake. Emma groaned in response, wondering why her bed felt so hard. "Do you want to meet your little brother?" Emma's eyes shot open and she bolted upright. She saw her dad grinning at her.
"It's a boy then?" Emma said sleepily. David nodded enthusiastically, offering her his hand to help her up. Emma took the hand and allowed David to help her to her feet.
"Sure is. Come on, your mom's waiting for you." Emma felt her heart racing as she walked through to the little room where her mom and little brother were. David held the door open for her, and Emma walked in. She stopped on the spot when she saw him in Snow's arms. Snow smiled at Emma then looked at the baby in her arms.
"Look Andrew, someone very special has come to see you. Your big sister, Emma." Emma felt tears in her eyes as she walked over to the bed. Snow started to scoot over on the bed.
"No, don't move." Emma said frantically. "I'm fine here." Snow gave a little chuckle.
"Emma, you said yourself that you've done this before. You know I'm not going to spontaneously combust." Snow said, patting the space beside her with her free hand. "Besides, I want you beside me." Gingerly, Emma got on the bed beside Snow.
"Do either of you want anything?" David asked from the foot of the bed. Emma shook her head.
"Could you get me some water, David?" Snow asked.
"Of course." David answered coming up to her and kissing her head and the baby's before leaving to get the water.
"Do you want to hold him?" Snow asked, after David had left. Emma nodded, and Snow carefully handed Andrew over to her. When she did, she gave a choked sob sound.
"Are you alright?" Emma asked, panicked. Snow nodded.
"Yes, don't worry I'm fine. It's just… my baby, holding my baby. It's a beautiful sight." Emma cocked an eyebrow at her.
"I think the drugs they gave you have rattled your brain a little mom." She pointed to Andrew. "Baby." She said in a patronising voice before turning her finger to herself. "Adult." Snow gently poked Emma in the shoulder.
"Haha, very amusing. You know I don't care how old you are, or the circumstances. You'll always be my baby."
"So you say…" Emma mumbled, looking at her brother.
"Emma?" Snow asked. "Do we need to talk?" Emma had been nothing but supportive since she and David found out they were going to have another baby, this was totally new. Emma shrugged.
"It's nothing really… I'm just being silly…"
"It's not silly if it's upsetting you. Tell me?" Emma gave a great sigh and tried to stall, but Snow kept staring at her, waiting for an answer.
"Well, I'm glad he's a boy. It makes it easier…" Emma began before pausing. Snow reached out and placed a hand on Emma's shoulder.
"Makes what easier, honey?" Snow gently probed her. Snow could see Emma's bottom lip quiver slightly.
"That- that you can move on now. I mean, if it was a girl you could go back in time almost, erase everything, have everything as it should have been. At least if it's a boy it's a little different." Snow could see right through Emma's ramblings.
"Emma, were you worried if it was a girl we'd replace you?" Snow asked her. Emma didn't need words to answer for Snow to know she was right. Snow gently took Andrew out of Emma's arms and put him in his little hospital crib beside her. She then turned slightly and tilted Emma's head so they were making eye contact.
"Emma, I could have one hundred baby girls and that wouldn't make you any less special to me. I love you and Andrew equally, and so does your father. Yes, I would have loved to have raised you as well, but I can't change that. That doesn't mean I would ever want to replace you. You're my daughter and I love you." Without any warning Emma burst into tears.
"I'm sorry!" She wailed. "I-I'm being selfish. You should be focusing on Andrew now, not me." Snow spared a look at her little boy, still sleeping beside her.
"He's going to have a lot of my attention for the next few years. I'm sure he doesn't mind sharing me with his big sister just now." Snow said gently. She pulled Emma closer to her, holding her close and stroking through her hair. "Let it all out." She instructed. Emma couldn't help but follow her mother's orders. She just sat there and wailed as Snow patted her back.
"Hey Snow, sorry about the wait, the line was… Emma, what's wrong?" David asked, noticing Emma crying in Snow's arms. He checked Andrew sleeping in his crib, sat the water down on Snow's bedside table and came around to beside Emma. Emma by this point had jolted out of Snow's arms and was hastily wiping her eyes.
"Nothing." She said quickly. "I'm fine." David raised an eyebrow.
"Sweetie I wouldn't call bawling your eyes out fine. What's the matter?" Emma stayed stubbornly silent, leaving Snow to answer for her.
"Emma was worried that she was going to be replaced by this baby given our family circumstances." Snow explained. David's heart broke for Emma sitting there, going slightly pink.
"Like I told mom I'm just being stupid…"
"Hey," David interrupted her. "As I'm sure your mom has already told you you're not being stupid. Believe it or not this is perfectly normal for new big siblings, even if the circumstances are a little different" He said with a grin. "Yes, Andrew will take up a lot of time, but that doesn't mean you'll be getting shoved out. We have time we have to make up for with you too, and it wouldn't be fair to take that from you." Snow took one of Emma's hands and placed it on her stomach.
"You spent nine months watching your brother grow in here, but I think you've forgotten you grew in here too. You may have stopped being carried in my belly, and you might be too big to carry in my arms now, and I'm sorry you never properly had the chance to be. But Emma, you will always be carried in my heart. You and Andrew are the only two people who have heard it beat from the inside. You can't have someone hear your heart like that and not love them forever. You understand, yes?" Emma nodded, looking at the floor.
"I'm sorry," Emma said, wiping her eyes. "I'm just…just…"
"You're tired honey." Snow answered for her. "You should go home and sleep." Emma shook her head in reply.
"I can't." She mumbled. "Henry's not back from New York with Neal till Monday, and you guys will be here. It's too quiet on my own now. I don't like it." Emma admitted. She went to get up. "I'll just go back to the waiting room…" she said, but Snow caught her arm.
"You'll stay right where you are. Lying across chairs is not a proper, comfortable sleep. I don't mind buddying up with you." Snow said, gently nudging Emma's side. Emma gave Snow a funny look.
"You've just had a baby and you're worried about my comfort and sleep? I can't be as selfish as that, you need a proper rest. I'll be fine in the waiting room, honest…"
"Emma," Snow said gently "Hush. You'll be doing me a favour staying here. My maternal instincts seem to be on a reboot now so I'd rather have you both close. Now, copy your brother and lie down and go to sleep." Emma gave a small smirk, but did as she was told. She felt Snow's hand running through her hair.
"Mom?" She asked. "What are you doing?" Snow quickly withdrew her hand.
"Sorry, like I said, instinct reboot. I'll stop if you want?" Snow offered. Emma shrugged.
"Knock yourself out…." She mumbled, acting like she was too tired to care. The reality being she had never felt so safe, or loved. Snow smiled happily, continuing the action well after she knew Emma had fallen fast asleep. Charming came over and bent down beside Emma, gently moving a stray hair from her peaceful face. He looked over to Snow. "How are you really feeling?" He asked her.
"Sore." She admitted, finally taking her hand away from Emma's hair. "But it will pass quickly enough." Charming seemed unconvinced.
"I know you don't want her upset, but you need a proper rest too. Why don't I take Emma home and stay with her there. I can carry her to the car and then to her bed so there's not need to wake her. She won't be alone that way…" David went to hook his arms under Emma's legs, but Snow spoke up.
"No." She whispered frantically, drawing Emma closer with one arm. "No, please don't. I wasn't just trying to appease her when I said I wanted them both close, it was the truth. Besides, that wouldn't be fair to her. She'd feel lied to, and like I'd chosen a bed over her. She'll never admit it, but she needs me. And I need her too, I need both of them. They're part of me- equally. We agreed when we found out we were having another child that that didn't affect Emma. We would work twice as hard and still be able to give her the time she deserves." Snow explained. "Anyway, it feels right her being here. Like all the pieces of a jigsaw are finally together now that we're all here." David smiled at her, understanding what she meant. He got up, and walked over to Andrew's crib. His son's crib. He did not have words for how proud he was. So as not to wake him, he very slowly picked him up and cradled him in one arm. He slowly sat down on the edge of the bed beside Snow.
"There," He whispered to her. "Both of them, right beside you." Snow smiled lovingly at her son.
"I must say Charming, we do have rather beautiful children, don't we?" Snow commented. David smiled.
"More than simply beautiful, my dear. This little man is going to have all the girls chasing after him." David said with a grin. Snow chuckled.
"Well certainly if his sister is anything to go by." David's grin faded.
"That's not funny." He muttered. Snow rolled her eyes.
"Sorry, I meant if his sister's any example to go by he'll be single for the remainder of his life, dreaming of fairies and unicorns. Better?"
"Yes." Charming stated. "Much more accurate. Isn't it, Andrew?" He cooed to his son. "Don't you worry," He whispered. "You can let the girls chase you, but don't tell Emma or she'll expect me to stop coming after Hook and Neal with my sword. And yours too when you're old enough." Snow rolled her eyes slightly, settling down herself. The jigsaw that was her little family was complete. And that is how it would stay.