Here we go - the first chapter of the fourth story in the "Common Ground" series! And somehow it started out with a Snowing scene, which I almost never write, but okay. Just so you know, this takes place right after the end of "Common Ground" (assuming they left the t(r)oll bridge and went directly back to the sheriff's station) and - timeline wise - during the nineteenth chapter of "Between Us." I swear the timeline will start getting less confusing soon, but I felt like I wanted to write the rest of the day that they came back to life, so this happened.
"You give me one good reason why we shouldn't throw a humungous celebratory party at Granny's!" Snow White demanded of Emma and Baelfire.
"Because," Emma drawled. "I don't want a 'humungous celebratory party,' and we were just at Granny's this morning."
"Besides," Baelfire added. "I'm 99.99% certain that I'm not going to be the only man proposing in the next couple of days."
"Then can we do a party after all of the proposals?" Snow bargained. "Wait, who's proposing to who?"
Baelfire sighed, answering, "Killian to Mama, and Daniel to Regina – but don't say anything."
Snow almost squealed with glee in the middle of the sheriff's station and the exasperation Emma felt disappeared. It was impossible to feel anything but sheer joy for long at all when she had Baelfire alive and at her side and as of half an hour ago his engagement ring on her hand. This whole day so far had been an entirely surreal experience, considering that she and Rumplestiltskin had gone to the Enchanted Forest and cast a spell to bring four people back to life.
Baelfire, who was at her side.
Arabella, the daughter Belle had miscarried in her earliest days at the Dark Castle.
Milah, Rumplestiltskin's ex-wife and Captain Hook's soon-to-be fiancée.
Daniel, Regina's first love and soon-to-be fiancé.
Emma genuinely didn't have the words to express how happy she was.
"So, what's the actual plan here?" Snow asked, changing the topic. "Where are you going to be staying, Baelfire? We have room at the apartment, if you'd like."
"We do?" Charming spoke up from his desk, eyes widening a little.
"For Baelfire, we do," Snow said, looking over her shoulder at her husband.
"I'm afraid my dad might skin me alive for that," Baelfire admitted before paused, obviously considering something before he said, "You know what? Maybe not." He held up a finger and fished out his phone. "I'd like to come over and spend the rest of the day with you guys at least; let me just make sure I won't-"
He broke off, suddenly looking a little sheepish, and Emma got why, filling in, "Get in trouble with Mommy and Daddy?"
"Mom and Papa," Bae shot back with a smirk, putting his phone to his ear. Then he drawled in a sugary, coaxing tone to the person on the other side of the phone, "Hi, Mom!"
Emma almost cracked up when he grinned at her and she realized he'd called Belle on purpose. Smart man. He proceeded to tell his step-mom what he wanted to do, and could she "please keep Papa happy?"
Belle must've said something because Baelfire paused then smiled and said teasingly, "See, I told you it was out with the old!" He jerked the phone away from his ear and laughed, putting the phone back in place to say, "I'm teasing, Mom, and you know it! Thank you… Oh, yes! Of course she said yes! And tell Papa that she loves the ring. I'll see you tomorrow… Breakfast at Granny's would be great."
He was still chuckling as he hung up the phone, declaring, "Am I the only one who thinks that Mom's something of a miracle worker?"
"No," Emma said. "But I'm more interested in finding out how she became 'Mom' to you."
"We spent a lot of time together grieving and trying to bring somebody back to life; as you now know, that tends to create a rather interesting bond."
"You have your mom – and Mama Milah – and I have my papa and my dad," Emma peered pointedly at Charming as she added, "Who I love very dearly and could never find a replacement for."
"I know," Charming admitted, getting up from his desk and going to pull Emma into a hug. "I love you too."
"Speaking of fathers and children," Baelfire asked, turning to Henry, "Where are you going to be staying tonight?"
"With Mama," Henry said, nodding towards Emma. "But Mom's already asked me to have supper with her and Daniel tomorrow evening, which I suspect is going to lead to me staying the night if she has her way."
"Of course she'll want you to get to know Daniel," Snow offered. "He's going to be your step-dad."
"Yeah," Henry muttered. "It's just… I think I've seen him before, and I wish I could remember where."
"I'm not sure that's possible, Henry," Emma said hesitantly.
Henry shrugged, willing to let it go for now when Baelfire said, "So, I actually wasn't it town long enough to get a good look around. Could I maybe borrow a couple of tour guides now that we've told the good news?"
Henry bounded to his father's side as Emma slid her hand back into his and just like that they were heading back out of the sheriff's office.
David sighed as he watched them go, wrapping his arms around Snow's shoulders from behind.
She kissed his wrist, asking, "Sad sigh or happy?"
"Both."
Snow's smile was exactly "both" as she murmured, "I know; me too. You saw how happy she was, though."
"I did," David nodded with another soft sigh.
"Hey," Snow turned around in his arms, laying her hands on his chest as she pointed out, "At least she's not trying to move on from his death with Hook."
"She was never going to fall for Hook," David nearly growled.
"Given time, that might've been wishful thinking," Snow pointed out.
"Nope;" David replied with certainty. "Hook still hadn't given up on the memory of Milah anymore that Emma was ready to get over Baelfire's death."
"Well then, I guess it's a good thing that both Baelfire and his mother are alive again, huh?"
David nodded, smiling at his wife's chipper tone as he agreed, "Very good. Henry was so giddy, and I don't know that I've ever seen Emma smile so widely."
"She was about to start bouncing off the walls," Snow chuckled.
"Do you blame her?" David asked, tilting his wife's chin up for a kiss. "She had just gotten her beloved back alive again. That's worth smiling over."