The Flipside of Holidays
Disclaimer: Nope. I don't own a thing here. I'm simply playing in this sandbox for the time being. Man, imagine what would happen if the show-runners did let me play in their sandbox and I got to make all of my Swan Cricket stories canon. So much smut! Man, that's what I should have asked for this Christmas. Well, that or they just make Swan Cricket canon . . . and had copious amounts of lemony goodness . . . or just that Raphael Sbarge gets to narrate EVERYTHING! Oops, I'm digressing here. Silly me!
Summary: Christmas is about family and Emma finally got a full-blown family Christmas, parents, boyfriend, and son included. New Year's, on the other hand, proves to be somewhat problematic. Swan Cricket fluffiness.
Okay, obviously, it is past Christmas, but we can always have a "Once Upon A Time" New Year's story, featuring our favorite characters.
Also, that preview for the new episode tomorrow has me worried about our favorite therapist-shaped cricket. If something bad happens to the precious Archie, I would be very upset and will have to create an AU, in which Archie is alive and well and continuing his beautiful relationship with Emma and Henry!
But, aside from being worried that something terrible will happen to Archie, I hope that everyone had a superb holiday, regardless of what they celebrated.
On my end, I received season one of "Once Upon A Time" and I get the feeling that I might be watching that to receive some inspiration . . . or just to goo over Raphael Sbarge. I mean, come on! Okay, I really am trying to keep from gushing but, if you've read ANY of my stories, well, then you know how much of a fangirl crush I have on this man. Darn it, I'm in grad school! Ah, who'm I kiddin'? He's at the top of my celebrity crush list.
Regardless, that's enough of my nerdy, fangirl ramblings. Let's get on with this!
There was something about Storybrooke, Maine that made every single holiday seem extraordinarily idyllic. Emma had realized that during her first year in town and now, in her second year here, with her relationship with Archie pretty well stabilized, a healthy relationship with her son, and her biological parents around, things were definitely looking up for her and she had been able to enjoy spending Christmas in Storybrooke.
It had been a very enjoyable Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, in all regards.
Emma had had to rush around, getting presents for all of the important people in her life, but she had succeeded in the matter, somehow. As usual, Archie had been the hardest to shop for, but the look on his face when he opened the new leather messenger bag (with several books he had been pining after for months, a new scarf, and a travel mug – with a selection of his favorite teas – inside of it) was perfect. Archie had surprised her with two new charms for her bracelet (a sword and a dog leash), a new pair of really nice gloves, and a brand new coffee-maker for the sheriff's office (because Charming had broken the old, somewhat crappy one that had been there and Emma was not amused by the distinct lack of coffee at the sheriff's office as a result).
On the other hand, Henry had been surprisingly easy to shop for. Books were a top priority, naturally, along with some new clothes (Emma forgot how quickly kids grew sometimes) and a couple of new comics that Henry loved, but she and Archie had agreed that they were going to get him a proper, custom-made saddle, since Henry had taken to learning to riding a horse.
All of this had made for a fun Christmas morning.
Henry had insisted that Regina be included in part of the festivities because, as he had fervently explained, the former Dark Queen was doing her best to improve upon herself. Emma had seen some of those changes, even in the brief time that she had been back in town. The two of them were butting heads with far less frequency and Regina was legitimately trying to work with them to find a way around the curse-imposed barrier around the town. On top of it all, Archie swore up and down (or as far as his doctor-patient confidentiality would let him) that Regina was showing significant improvement from how she used to be.
Those accolades from both Henry and Archie went a long way in Emma's book. While there were still things that she held against Regina, she found that the Mayor was a surprisingly civil dinner guest on Christmas.
By the time that Regina, Snow, and Charming were out the door on Christmas and Henry was settled onto the couch with a brand new historical fiction book (courtesy of Regina), Emma had felt a sense of contentment wash over her. It had taken a good amount of effort to get Snow out the door, especially since the pixie-cut brunette had been adamant that she and Charming not leave until the dining room and kitchen was spot-free. Emma and Charming had shared a laugh at that.
Archie had made hot chocolate for himself, Emma, and Henry and the three of them had settled in for a quiet end to Christmas in the living room, curled up with books and music by the fat tree covered with a star, multi-colored lights, and a spread of ornaments that bespoke much of each of their personalities.
The days immediately following Christmas had been relatively peaceful and quiet. Emma enjoyed the lack of problems in Storybrooke. After everything that she and Snow had gone through, simply to get home again, the quiet of the town and the love and comfort being provided by both Archie and Henry were not things that she was taking for granted. If the week between Christmas and New Year's was anything to go by, then New Year's would be just as enjoyable as Christmas was . . .
. . . except when Emma woke up at three-thirty in the morning, on New Year's Eve, extremely nauseous and in dire need of the toilet, feeling utterly icky and sore.
Archie had been roused by her sudden bolting from bed and the soft sounds of her retching into the toilet. Emma was only aware of his presence when he gently pulled her hair back behind her, hands rubbing her shoulders.
It wasn't until she felt certain that she was not going to make a second dive for the toilet bowl and went to rinse her mouth out that she got a good look at him. Archie didn't look so good either and Emma's suspicions were confirmed when he did a copy-cat of her actions and it was Emma's turn to rub his back while feeling her own stomach turn horribly.
Neither one needed a doctor to confirm it. They had both succumbed to the flu with no warning and that just sucked.
Roughly six hours later, Henry found them curled up on the bathroom floor, Emma mostly awake and partially on her side with Archie's head on her stomach. Archie had only managed to pass out about an hour and a half before, shortly after the sun came up. They were both absolutely miserable and Emma gave Henry a pleading look.
"I think I'll call Grandma and Grandpa," Henry said cautiously.
"Thanks, kiddo." As Henry went to go find a phone, make the call, and let out and feed a whining Pongo, Emma nudged Archie. He grumbled and groaned at that, a perfect indicator that he was most definitely not well. "Come on, Archie, Henry's calling Snow and Charming."
He turned some so that he was looking up at Emma.
"Does that mean I have to move?" he asked, his face still a little green and not in a good way.
Emma shook her head. She knew the feeling.
"Not if you don't think you can."
She struggled to push herself into a seated position, made a little bit easier when Archie lifted his head enough for her to slide back enough to use the wall as a way to prop herself up. Emma gave Archie a weak smile. He slid over and settled his head onto her lap, curling onto his left side.
"I feel like shit," he admitted, coughing heartily. "Have I mentioned that I hate the flu?"
Emma laughed some before sniffling and having a coughing fit of her own. "I think you might have mentioned that once or twice." She leaned her head back against the wall, relishing in the coolness it provided to her. Absently, she draped her hand across Archie's chest, exhaling heavily. "We're going to have to leave the bathroom eventually, you realized that, right?"
Archie groaned unhappily at that thought.
"Your mother's going to fret, when she gets here."
It was more of a statement of fact than a question. Emma managed a smile though, looking down at her boyfriend.
"Oh yeah, I would expect nothing less from her."
And, sure enough, a half hour later, when Snow and Charming did show up, Snow was cooing and coddling the both of them. The brunette had managed to rouse them both, corralling them back to the bedroom. Emma was sorely tempted to collapse back into bed and one look at Archie confirmed the fact that he was having similar thoughts on the matter. Snow, on the other hand, made it apparently clear that they were going to change (into what, she didn't really care) and come down to the living room, where food and medicine would be waiting for them.
It was only because of the fact that they were both sick that neither one of them particularly cared about staying in comfortable clothing, especially since her parents were around.
When they made it downstairs, Snow informed them that Regina had been informed of their bout with the flu and was more than happy to take care of Henry until they were both better. Emma mused that that was probably a good thing, since she didn't want Henry to get sick and Regina kept Henry's room made up and waiting for him at her house, should he ever want to stay with her.
Her relationship with Henry's legal mother was strange, to say the least. Since everything had gone down with the breaking of the curse, Regina was far more relaxed about who Henry lived with, since she had only his best interests in mind and she had told Emma, not long after her return from the Fairytale world (and after Emma and Archie had emerged from their weekend holed up in the house), that the only way that Henry would trust her would be on Henry's own terms and she didn't want to force the matter.
But that was all very much beside the point right now.
Snow, as Archie had so astutely predicted, fretted and mothered them both, despite both Emma and Archie protesting her actions. Charming had managed to corral and occupy Henry while Archie and Emma were settling down onto the couch and Snow was pretty much forcing food onto them.
It went like that for the rest of the day – Snow in full-blown mother mode and Charming calmly counter-balancing her, even after Regina picked up Henry for the rest of the day. Pongo seemed to have taken to Charming exceptionally well and the Dalmatian, in all of his dog-like wisdom, pestered Charming, every time he wanted to go out for a walk – or out for a drag, as it was the case with Charming.
Apparently, Charming hadn't quite picked up that Pongo was a lot stronger and a lot faster than he looked, much to both Archie's and Emma's continued amusement.
Emma was perfectly content to cuddle with Archie.
Eventually, they were both settled down enough for Charming and Snow to feel confident enough to leave them, since Emma had pointed out that both she and Archie were responsible adults and were perfectly content to lie on the couch and get better. Snow wanted to mother them more, but Charming had managed to talk his wife down from that. They reached a compromise of Snow and Charming stopping back in around dinner time with food that both could stomach – namely mashed potatoes and other similarly mild foodstuffs.
Emma was grateful for that and Archie just didn't want to move.
That meant that, at one o'clock in the afternoon, on New Year's Eve, Archie Hopper and Emma Swan were laying on the couch, under blankets and in extremely comfortable food, with medicine, tea, water, and mashed potatoes in front of them, and the television switched to the old movies channel. It was wonderful.
"Happy freakin' New Year," Emma mumbled, as she leaned against Archie, putting her head into his shoulder.
He laughed weakly.
"It's not the new year yet," he chided, wrapping an arm around her, squeezing her lightly.
Emma groaned.
"Sentiment's there anyway."
"That's true." He pressed his lips to the top of her head. "But this is nice though." Emma looked up at him in question. Archie gave her a smile and continued, "You and me, having a nice, relaxing New Year's. Absolutely no pressure or anything. Just us."
She smiled in return.
"Yeah, it is nice." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek lightly. "Thank you."
He tilted his head to the side.
"For what?"
"For being you," she replied, explaining."You make me feel safe and wanted. I feel right when I'm with you and that's all I could ask for."
Archie shared her smile. A little blush crossed his cheeks.
"I do what I can."
It was Emma's turn to laugh weakly.
"Just keep being you and you'll keep me happy, Archie."
"I will do my best," Archie promised, pulling her close to him. She molded against him, pulling the blanket over top of them.
"You always do."
And, with that, they settled in down to watch old movies, as the old year rang out and the New Year came in. They didn't make it to midnight. They both just fell asleep on the couch, curled up in one another's arms, blankets covering them and the television playing softly. There would be time enough later for them to clean up from their flu-induced mess and to celebrate New Year's with Henry and her parents.
In that moment, it was just Archie and Emma, together and safe and right, and that's how it was meant to be.
Okay, so this is a bit sappy, towards the end, but I hope you like it. I mean, I needed to write something that was entirely sentimental and fluffy and Swan Cricket.
As mentioned earlier, I'm seriously hoping that nothing bad happens to Archie in "The Cricket Game." I really want him to stay safe and in one piece. If something bad happens to him, I will be quite upset and you will see me create an AU that runs parallel to the show, but maintains that Archie is still there because, darn it, Archie's just too good of a character to let go of and I'm quite attached to him!
Anyway, that's enough of me ranting. Please review and let me know what you think of this sappy little piece of fluff. And, as I always say, I will have another story written and posted just as soon as the Muse gives me some inspiration.