Emma caught up with Henry on the main street of town ambling home with a large bag on his back full of homework he needed to do. She watched him a moment wondering how he would take moving, but he was getting older and she knew he would need space once he was a teenager and she wanted to give him everything. She jogged up behind him and ruffled his hair to playfully annoy him "hey kid want to grab a hot chocolate at Granny's with me? I got something I need to tell you..." she looked down a nervous smile on her lips and clearly worried. brbr
Henry stopped walking and looked up at her his brow furrowed with worry and unsure whether this was a good or bad something. He took a deep breath and nodded "sure mom I'd like that...but before we go in is this good or bad, you know just so I can prepare myself?" brbr
Emma sighed and smiled softly as she played with the edge on her leather jacket, "well it's good news I think I am just not sure how you're going to take it that's all kid!" he looked up at her for a moment before shrugging and heading over to the popular cafe. Emma followed along though she had no idea how she was going to explain this or how she was going to tell her parents! brbr
They slid into a booth about half way back and she caught Red's attention who nodded meaning the usual was on its way! She got comfortable and fidgeted as Henry simply rested his arms on the table and watched her, "so are you going to do that long or are you going to tell me what's going on?" he asked simply which reminded her that stretching this out was doing neither of them any good! brbr
Sighing she shuffled closer to the table and bit her lower lip before looking up at her son, "well the thing is that the apartment is getting pretty crowded, in fact with a baby and us Mary Margaret's place is, well we don't have much privacy and now I am seeing Hook I realise that things are changing and that's not a bad thing..." she paused as Ruby bought their drinks and looked as if she was about to say something but changed her mind when she saw the looks on their faces. Once she was gone Emma carried on, "well today I bought us a place of our own...it will mean you get a room to yourself and your grandparents can enjoy baby Neal without us always under their feet...what do you think?" brbr
Henry looked thoughtful before smiling, "I think it will be better I know we are all struggling to get time alone, and now I am getting older I need somewhere quiet I can do my homework! So where did you buy?" he asked as he made a start on his hot chocolate. brbr
Emma let out a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding and swallowed hard her throat suddenly very dry. Shaking her head she ran her fingers through her long, blonde curls and looked him in the eye "now I need you to keep an open mind ok? But I bought Zelena's old farmhouse..." she paused waiting for his reaction but he was staring at her in total shock. She frowned and shook her head again forcing a smile "I know but she is gone and the place was in my price range and a lot more land and house than I could have afforded without the whole it belonged to an evil witch thing! But we can do the place up and get it just how we want it, we could have animals if we wanted and grow our own...ok I know I am not exactly good at farming, but granddad is and I know he would help...say something?" she asked hoping for something positive. brbr
Henry swallowed his hot chocolate and looked up at her, "well I can see why you bought it, I mean nobody is going to are they? And I know we could make the place amazing and its quiet there and you would get some peace when you aren't at work...but bad things happened there!" he said with a shrug. brbr
Emma slumped back in her seat and pushed her spoon into the cream which was quickly melting. She stabbed at the drink a few times before looking up at him "so you won't move there with me? I mean maybe my parents will move there and we could stay in the apartment..." she said more thinking out loud than asking his opinion. brbr
Henry reached over and touched her hand making her look up at him, "no I mean, yes I will move there with you! You must have a good idea what you want to do there and I mean you do everything for everyone else you deserve to have the house you want!" brbr
Emma smiled and sighed in relief before leaning forward "shall we go tell your grandparents? I think I will wait to break the news to Mr Gold, but Mary Margaret and David will need to know they will have more room soon!" Henry smiled and gulped down the rest of his hot chocolate before they headed home to break the news. brbr
By the time they got home Henry had convinced Emma that they would take the news well and she was actually excited to tell them. His reaction had taken away her fears somewhat and as they walked in she could not wait to break the news. Snow was stood in the kitchen with baby Neal in one arm and the other placing milk and cookies on the counter for Henry's after school snack. David was sat reading the paper and had clearly been catching his wife up on current events, Emma hung her jacket up and took a deep breath. brbr
Snow noticed her trepidation and moved towards her with a look of concern "Emma honey what's wrong? Has something happened?" brbr
Emma smiled and shook her head "oh no nothing like that it's good news I am just a little nervous" she said as both her parents looked at her clearly wondering what was wrong. "Well you see I...since my date with Hook I...well I realised how crowded it is here and with Henry growing up we all could use more space for privacy..." brbr
Before she could say anything else Mary Margaret spoke up "you are moving out? You don't like living with us anymore?" brbr
David stood up and wrapped an arm around his wife "I am sure she didn't mean it like that, I mean be honest this place is a little crowded you used to live here on your own!" he said tenderly kissing his wife's temple as his other hand stroked his son's head. brbr
Emma let out a relieved sigh of relief "exactly mom I just think we need space, and I know I am a city girl, but I kind of wanted somewhere out of town so we can have some space and it's a farm I knew you would like that dad and it needs work doing so we can all chip in to get the place done up..." brbr
Snow shook her head her smile fading "you have but face Emma, what's the problem?" brbr
Looking up at her mother she swallowed the lump from her throat and forced an awkward smile "well it's just that it's Zelena's old house..." brbr
Both parents started talking at one and Emma staggered back a step trying to listen and also trying to keep her excitement. Holding her hands up she waited for them to get quiet "I know! I know ok? It isn't like I just rushed into buying this place without thinking!" She sighed and waited for both parents to calm down "I got it at a good price because of the stigma attached to the place, and it's a lovely house I remember thinking that when we were searching it! I have some ideas for how to do it up and Henry can have his own room and me and Hook can have some privacy..." brbr
David looked like she had just punched him in the stomach "wait you are going to ask the pirate to live with you?" brbr
Emma shook her head and bit her lower lip "no I just...I love him I mean I do and I can't help thinking of one day and I would like to have a place for us where we can call it ours and home and be happy...I know bad things happened there, but once it is painted and I replace the kitchen and bathroom, maybe get some kind of garden set up people will think of it as mine not hers!" brbr
David ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation, but Snow laid a hand on his arm and spoke up "well it sounds like you thought it through and I know everyone will help out as much as they can. Have you told Hook yet?" she asked trying to sound nonchalant. brbr
Emma shook her head and grabbed her jacket again shrugging it on, "no but I want to, I just wanted you three to know first. Look I know this is a shock and not me, but it feels right I mean I want to be where you are not in some big city where I never get to see you all! I'm going to find Hook and tell him...I'll grab something to eat out so don't wait for me ok?" she said as she headed out the door wanting to get breaking this news out the way.