I just had to, I couldn't resist, Charming family fluff is my life.
Emma told them the worst of her times in that nether pit of a house, and the couple had been gaping with their mouths closed when she finally met their eyes. David cleared his throat, he had been speechless for the first time in his career, he couldn't say anything that would be of any consolation to this girl, and his heart ached for her.
Mary Margret grabbed her hands, always the comforting one, people warmed around her, and she them. "That's never going to be your life again, Emma, I will make sure of it, both of us will." She looked to David, he nodded. "And tomorrow, we'll have a warrant, and the other kids will be safe, too. Okay?" She soothed, Emma nodded weakly, and again allowed herself to be pulled into a tight hug, courtesy of the teacher.
As they embraced, Mary Margret and David shared a look, silently communicating that they needed to do something quickly to help the girl who was in a quite fragile state.
"Are you hungry?" David asked, Emma inhaled and wiped her eyes as Mary Margret released her.
"Yeah." She said in a shy voice.
"Me too, why don't we go grab some grub?" He stood, and extending his hand to his wife and the other to Emma, both accepted and they soon found themselves in his truck, on the way to, apparently, the best diner in Philly.
It took about ten minutes of listening to their banter before they pulled into a space aside an all-night diner labeled Granny's. The trio took a seat at a booth in the far back corner, a bright and cheery waitress popped up soon after.
"Hey guys, who's this?" She asked, her name was Ruby, Emma noticed, she was tall and looked like a model, she chewed a piece of cinnamon gum, Emma could smell it from where she sat.
"This is Emma, she's a friend of ours." David answered.
"Geez, kid, you get beat up or something?"Ruby asked, touching her lips where Emma's was spilt.
"Ruby!" Mary Margret scolded.
"What! I just wanted to know if the other guy looks worse!" She replied, Emma couldn't help but laugh, despite it all she'd kept her sense of humor, in most cases.
"No, it's okay, I actually fell, and the road looks fine, it was pretty one-sided." Emma shrugged, but she wore a smirk.
"Heh heh, I like her." Ruby nodded, she then pulled out her notepad and held it up, ready to write. "What're you having?" She asked Emma first.
"Uh, burger with the works." She answered. "Onion rings please." She looked to Mary Margret and David for approval, they smiled at her a 'yes', then ordered for themselves.
"So," Emma said, pushing her hands into her lap. "Where are you going to take me after this? Because if it's back to the orphanage, I'd rather take my chances out in the world." They both looked stunned and Emma actually regretted asking, but she felt it was needed.
"We weren't going to take you anywhere, not unless you have somewhere you have to be, or want to be." David raised his brows in question, she shook her head. "Well, excellent, then you'll be coming home with us." He smiled, and then their food was placed before them.
"Thanks." Emma smiled up at Ruby.
"It's my job," Ruby winked, Emma flustered, she hadn't a clue why.
The young blonde wanted to scarf up her food as soon as she saw it, but her open would was not allowing such insolence, so she took small bites, careful not to mix the two. Even having to eat like a fairy, she finished soon after the couple, and after bidding adieu to the spunky waitress, they were headed back in the direction of the suburbs, traveling down the same road Emma had come on, she feared they would take her back to that awful place. Her fears subsided when a right turn was made and they pulled into the drive way of a quaint two-story house that didn't look at all like the others.
Emma smiled, she loved the house, it looked like a dollhouse, all perfect and adorable, it suited the couple well. They entered, Emma wandered into the darkened foyer, a light was switched on and she was revealed a large spiral staircase to her right, and a cozy den to her left.
"You must be tired," Mary Margret began as she hung her coat over the rack.
"Yeah," Emma let out, she was actually exhausted, standing was even a chore. "Should I take the couch?" She asked.
David laughed heartily, Emma was unsure what was so funny, but let out an awkward chortle anyway. "Only if you want to, but we have a bed upstairs that you might like better."
"That'd be awesome," Emma grinned, she hadn't slept in a bed in two years, after that man had moved them into the basement for good.
"Follow me," Mary Margret said and they trailed after her up the stairs, when suddenly a cry sounded out through the house. "Oh, dear." The teacher said and increased her speed, opening up a door just right of landing
Emma stood by the stairs unsure of what to do, as David stepped into the room after her, motioning for Emma to follow, she stepped into a blue room with twinkling lighting the the shape of airplanes lining one wall, and murals painted onto all. Some of the thing's she could make out were of dragons, fairies, and other mythical, magical beings. She decided she liked this room, when she looked over to the couple, Mary Margret cradled an infant in attempts to soothe it's mutterings.
"Emma," She whispered, snapping the teen in question out of her stupor. "Come meet James." Emma smiled and moved to stand next to the woman, she stared down to the face of an infant that was all David. His features were scrunched in a bitter punch, the only notion that he'd been crying.
"He's precious, how old?" She asked.
"He's nine months." David answered as Mary Margret placed James gently back into the crib, they weaved out of the nursery and showed Emma to the room she would stay in. Opening the door revealed royal purple walls, a large bed centering with all white bedding, and white twinkling lights that dangled from the ceiling. At the far and were two more doors and a bay window, but the view of the outside was cut off by shutters that were in their shut mode.
"There's a bathroom through there, I can bring you some clothes until we get you some of your own." Mary Margret told her, Emma turned bleary eyed.
"I don't know why you guys are being so nice to me, but thank you." She said, and the couple were surprised when pulled into a group hug by the teen herself. "So much." She finished.
"It's no problem, I'll be right back with some clothes, okay?" Emma nodded and went to the bathroom where she began to strip herself of the sticky garments.
Mary Margret walked in just as Emma removed her shirt, countless lashes and brushed decorated her back, she found the same scene when the girl turned and revealed her stomach.
"Oh, Emma." The teacher said. "I'm sorry, I should have knocked." She said hurriedly and began to back away.
"No, no, it's okay, they don't even hurt anymore." Emma said, not wanting to make the woman uncomfortable, she lied and poked on the bruises, but she surprised herself when it actually did spark some discomfort. "Okay, that one, that one does, but not all."
The teacher smiled softly and handed her the clothing she'd promised. "We'll talk about this in the morning." She said, Emma nodded.
"Thanks again." Emma said shyly.
"Oh, you don't have to thank me, I'm happy to take care of you." She smiled and left the room, the door clicking softly behind her as she checked on her sons once more before joining David in there bedroom. He had a displaced look on his face, she furrowed her brows as she moved to wrap her small arms around his broad shoulders.
"What's eatin' you?" She asked, resting her chin on his shoulder. He sighed and melted into her.
"She has your chin," He said, she backed away and looked at him like he were a ghost.
"What are you talking about?" She asked, but she knew.
"Emma, she has your chin, she looks like you, what if it's-" He began, but she shook her head, tears were coming once more.
"No, no, David don't say that, you know how I feel about this." She backed away from him, but he stood, his eyes shown with the promise of tears, and wide-eyed, he grabbed her so she had no choice but to face him and listen.
"Her name is Emma, she resembles you and me, she's fifteen, don't tell me you didn't put this together already." He said, she continued to shake her head in denial.
"You don't really think," She began, he nodded, she choked up at the thought of this girl being the very one she'd given up for adoption when she was only fifteen herself. She poured into her loving husband and began to weep for the mistake she'd made years ago.
"It's okay." He said. "This is fate, fate brought her back home to us, Snow." He used her nickname for the first time since college.
"She's going to hate us, we can't tell her, David, we can't." She said, he shook his head.
"How long do you think that's going to work, Snow? You know you can't keep a secret." He said looking her dead in the eyes.
"I know, but what else are we going to do? We have to protect her, we can't let her down again." Snow tried to convince him, but to no avail.
"We don't have to do it today, or tomorrow, or even anytime soon, but we do have to tell her." He said, she nodded, he was right.
"Okay, but let's be sure first." She compromised, he looked deep into her before giving her a placid kiss on her teary lips.
"Okay, we'll be sure." David agreed, he helped his wife dress for bed before slipping in next to her himself. They slept wrapped up in each-other as they both tried to forgive themselves all over again for giving Emma up in the first place, but they found no solace and fell into equally restless spells of sleep.
Emma stood under the hot spray of the shower as she let it burn into her skin, it felt better than any explanation she could give, and she was more content in that moment than she could ever remember having been. She washed over her whole body as the scent of wild cherry filled the cubical. After washing her hair with little complaints from her lips when stray suds would travel over wound, she stepped out and into the leggings and oversized tee she'd been given. They fit well and she went to sleep in the cloud of a bed, dreaming of all the wonderful things in life as she couldn't come up with a reason to be anything but happy in that moment.
When she woke, she stretched out, loving the way her bones would crack and her muscles would ache in that oh so sweet way. Opening her eyes she was face to face with a young boy, he couldn't be any older than ten, he was staring at her like she was some kind of freak in a circus.
"Hey?" She said, he tilted his head, even more confused.
"Who're you?" He said.
"That depends, who're you?" Emma countered, he giggled, she looked at him sourly as he hopped onto the bed next to her.
"I'm Henry," He answered, she just nodded. "Your turn." He urged.
"Uh, Emma." She answered, he gasped and ran to his parents room, emerging with a knit blanket of white and purple trimming.
"This is you?" He asked, pointing out where it was stitched 'Emma' into the fabric.
"No, I mean probably not, I just got here last night." She replied.
"Oh, okay." He looked defeated. "Anyway, Mom made breakfast, she wanted to know if you were hungry." He looked around. "Are you?" Henry asked, not giving her time to answer.
"Yeah, sure, lead the way." Emma replied, he grabbed her hand and pulled her down the stairs to where the scent of bacon, eggs, and pancakes greeted them.
"Good morning," Mary Margret greeted as the two, led by Henry swept into the large and bright kitchen. She looked at Emma and gave the brightest smile she could see without thinking twice. "You look beautiful." She said.
Emma looked at her like she just exploded a hamster. "Uh, thanks." She answered, taking a seat at the empty table.
"How are you feeling?" She asked, serving them each a full plate before making James a bottle of formula, organic of course.
"Better, how about you, you look tired?" Emma returned, the woman did indeed look worn out, and her exasperated sigh was all the answer Emma needed.
"I didn't sleep to well, had a lot on my mind," Mary Margret trailed off. "Work and stuff, nothing I'd want to bother you with." The woman covered her tracks.
"I'm sorry, but it wouldn't be a bother, you have to remember that I haven't had regular conversation in quite a while." Emma drowned her hot cakes in maple syrup, Henry laughed to himself before attempting to do the same, but a glare from his mother stopped him and he only let enough spill out to cover the dish.
"I guess you're right, but who wants to talk about work?" She laughed and chewed thoughtfully on some eggs as Emma shrugged and did the same. "So what should we do today? I mean, what do you want to do?"
Emma thought about the question, scrunching her face in a way that reminded Snow of Henry way too much. "Anything sounds fun, I'm pretty easy to please so whatever you come up with I'm sure I'll enjoy."
Mary Margret smiled at her cooperation and ease, Emma fit right in to their family, but she knew there was a good reason behind that.
"How about we go shopping, I'm sure you'd like some new clothes." Snow suggested.
Emma looked unsure, she didn't want this woman to do anything more for her than she had to, she'd already shown her more than the usual kindness.
"I insist." Mary Margret said when she could see the teen reeling back towards answering a negative.
"Okay, we'll shop then, but nothing extravagant." Emma compromised.
"Oh, of course not, just the necessities." Mary Margret agreed to disagree, but she was going to shop for her daughter the first time, and she'd be damned if she didn't go overboard.
The family finished breakfast and got ready for the day as Emma insisted upon doing the dishes while they showered and dressed. After about an hour they regrouped in the mudroom, pulling on a coat each before crowding into the car, Emma in the front, and the two boys in the back.
"Yay!" Mary Margret exclaimed as they sped off to the mall. "I love shopping, I never have time any more with work, and then all my free time elsewhere is spent with the boys. This is going to be so fun! What do you like to wear? When I was your age I was a goth," She laughed and continued on rambling as Emma and Henry's eyes met in the rearview mirror. The boy mouthed a 'sorry' and Emma just winked at him and laughed silently, listening on the the woman in the driver's seat.
After getting caught in a jam, they made it to the mall in decent time. Getting out of the car was an ordeal in it's own and Emma found herself cracking up as Mary Margret struggled to open the stroller, hitting it against the pavement quite violently. After that cluster, the car seat jammed and they spent a good five minutes arguing over what was wrong before Henry simply told them to move, and unlocked it with ease.
"We loosened it up." Emma deadpanned.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Henry replied, walking ahead. The two girls shared a look before breaking out into laughter once more.
They finally made it into the mall, and Emma was enthralled by it all, she'd never been to a mall and the two that had found it amusing and adorable as she asked and ogled over the simplest things.
"Why does that look like a cabin?" Emma asked as they neared a Hollister, once in front of it Emma breathed in and nearly choked on the scent of perfume. "Oh, no, never, we need to escape."
"My thoughts exactly, though they do have nice jeans." Mary Margret agreed, hurrying after the excited teen. "How about here, they have cute stuff for kids your age." She pointed to a Forever 21. Emma took one look and shook her head.
"Too frilly." She explained. Snow nodded and followed her over to the American Eagle, where Emma found jeans and tees galore. Trying on all types of styles and washes, she decided on five pairs after the teacher's insistence she get more than just the one, then repeated the process four times over. The same insistence was pushed upon when Emma tried on tees and cardigans, ending up with a medley of nearly 20.
Mary Margret didn't let her see the price as she paid, she wanted Emma to understand she was doing this because she wanted to, not because she saw the girl as a charity case. They went to a few other shops and picked out small items at each, tees and a couple of skirts before coming to a close outside the shoe store.
"Shoes?" She asked Emma, who glanced down at her beaten up converse that at one point were white, but now a dirty shade of gray with scuffs and holes aloof.
"I kinda like these." Emma tried to scoot away from being splurged on anymore.
"Shoes it is." Mary Margret said and pulled her children into the large shop. Emma moved about the aisles, she already knew she wanted Converse, they were the best. Wasting no time she picked up a pair, gray in color with green rubber. She held them up to Mary Margret who nodded and ordered a staff member to retrieve her size in that color and another. Emma decided not to fight her kindness and asked for a maroon pair, as well.
Their escapade now over, they sat in the car buzzing about where to go to eat.
"Ugh, Mom, no more salad, I'm turning green!" Henry answered when she suggested Sweet Tomatoes.
"They have other things!" His mother argued.
"Let's go to Urban's!" He suggested, she looked at Emma.
"It's cheese steak sub's, you can't really say you live in Philly until you've been initiated by Urban's." She said, Emma beamed and nodded.
"Sounds awesome." The blonde agreed. They all ordered up, Mary Margret making sure they got a fair serving of vegetables as well as meat and cheese, then the family sat at a bench watching the world go by as they enjoyed their subs.
"This. Is. Amazing." Emma said, swallowing, she looked kindly to the woman she was blissfully unaware to be her mother. "This has been the best day of my life, thank you all so much."
"That means so much to hear, Emma, we're so happy to have you with us." They both smiled before finishing off the rest of their food, and sitting to digest a moment as they people-watched.
"Gross that guy just picked his ear and sniffed it!" Emma called out, secretly pointed over to the man in question.
"Let's see where he goes." Snow laughed, they watched as the man walked over to a woman and shook her hand, using the same hand that had just been knuckle deep in ear wax.
"Grody." Henry agreed, then they all went back to the station wagon and headed home. David's cruiser was parked on his side of the drive, his truck left at the precinct.
"Daddy!" Henry called, jumping his father, who scooped him up and kissed his cheek. "EW!" His son exclaimed, wiping the remnants of the kiss away with the back of his hand. David felt his heart stop, he knew in that moment that Emma was really his daughter, he could see himself in her eyes, and a tear fell down his face.
"What's wrong?" Emma asked when she saw the emotion upon her arrival. "Do I look bad?" She said, looking around for a mirror to examine.
"No, I'm sorry, you look beautiful. I'm just happy to see you looking so bright today." He smiled, she returned it. "So what did everyone do today?" He asked, hanging on to every word as Emma reran her mental record of the day with a shine in her eyes that he hadn't seen the night before.
"So, yeah, we had a great day." His daughter finished. "How about you, what's new in CopLand?" She joked.
"I'm glad, but not much, but we did manage to get a warrant for those people, they'll be sent out in about an hour to collect the kids and arrest those bastards." His fists balled when he thought of what he was going to do to the sleaze that hurt his daughter, along with other innocents, to him that was inexcusable.
"Really?" Emma looked shocked. "Can I come?" She asked, he looked taken back.
"What? Why would you want that?" He asked.
"They'll be scared of you guys, I don't want them to be afraid, please?" She asked, pleating with her eyes, he nodded.
"You won't be afraid?" David asked.
"Yeah of course I will, I'm scared just thinking about it, but you'll be there to protect me, right?" She looked at him, hopeful.
David nodded, wrapping one arm around the small teen. "Of course, I'll be right by your side the whole time." He agreed.
"So let's get this son of a bitch!" Emma exclaimed, terror and excitement fought against one another within her, giving her a rush like no other.
"Emma!" Mary Margret scolded from the kitchen.
"Sorry!" She sang, but David was laughing with her.
"Alright, Snow, we're going to go get this son of a bitch!" David called, Emma burst into giggles as his wife yelled at him to keep his language in check.
How am I doing so far? (;