*AN* Than you so much for your kind reviews! Favorites, FOLLOWS :) You are making this easier to write. Giving me more inspiration to just let my ideas flow. There will be Charming family stuff, David Emma chapters coming. As those are super important to what Emma is going through, but right now the big focus is on Snow and Emma. Emma has to learn how to re adjust and have Snow as her mother and not Mary Margret. She has to find peace with in that. I am having fun exploring walls going up and then coming down and then going back up with Emma and her family.
Enjoy! Lots of love!
Chapter 4
Snow caught up to David Emma about three blocks from Mr. Gold shop. David had made it pretty far. He was speed walking just trying to get Emma home to the safety of the apartment.
He slowed once he realized Snow was calling to them.
Snow sped up her own pace to quickly catch up to her husband and daughter. "Hey" She greeted as she reached up and placed her hand on Emma's back "You ok?"
Emma wiggled out of David's arms and blushed "I am fine" She promised "Just short"
David pulled Snow into his side and kissed her temple giving her the reassurance that she needed. "Did you get any other answers?"
She shook her head before turning to Emma "How's your body feeling?" Snow asked
"You went through a lot at Regina's"
"um" Emma sighed "My head hurts, and my eyes are burning. My body feels achy."
"Oh Em" Snow sighed "What do you say when we get home we have a little something to eat and then get a little rest in?"
Emma sighed and rubbed her eyes "Home feels far away" She mumbled as David reached down and scooped her up again. "Come on kiddo, I'll get home quickly" He promised.
She didn't protest and the three walked the rest of the way to the apartment in silence. Once inside Emma wiggled out of David's arms again and kicked off her shoes and threw her coat on the ground as she ran into the kitchen "I need a cup of coffee!" She declared as she tried to crawl onto the counter only to have Snow pull her off and set her back on her feet.
"Go put your stuff away" She indicated to the stuff causing Emma to groan "But I want to get a cup of coffee!" Emma argued
"Go put your stuff away" Snow said again as she pulled out a juice box that she kept on hand for Henry's lunches.
Emma groaned but went and picked up her shoes and tossed them into a basket by the door as she grabbed her coat "Um, I can't reach the coat rack" She snapped
"Put it on the back of a kitchen chair' Snow shrugged as she pulled out a box of Mac and Cheese.
Emma grumbled as she stomped over to the chair "Stupid polka dot dumb cute kids coat" She muttered to herself as she hung it up on the back of the chair and then turned and stuck her tongue out at it. "You're ruining my life polka dots"
Snow turned to keep from laughing and to show Emma she wasn't listening to this tantrum.
"Now I am home and useless, the least you could do is give me some damn coffee" Emma declared stomping into the kitchen placing herself in front of Snow glaring up at her.
Snow exhaled as she bent down and picked Emma quickly not caring if it wasn't as gentle as she would normally do. She marched her over to one of the counter stools and deposited her onto it. "My daughter is Emma is this amazing young woman, who I am very proud of, and I won't let anyone talk about her that way. Even if it is you! Do you understand? You my gorgeous girl are not useless!"
"I can't do anything around here! I can't go to work!" Emma glared
"You are limited" Snow agreed "But not useless"
"That's true" David agreed "You still have voice, which you are making very loud and clear to us. You can still help with Henry. You can still help me walk through things at the station"
Emma shoulder's slumped "But I can't even reach the sink."
"I'll get you a stool" David shrugged "And a few other things" He said grabbing his keys and coat "I am going to run some errands, stop in the station and then get some cocoa at the diner. Maybe walk Henry home once Regina is done." He said quickly sensing that Snow and Emma just needed some down time together.
Snow nodded as David went to Emma and ran his hand down her back "If something comes up at the station that I don't know anything about I can call?"
Emma nodded "Yeah, but since you took care of it while I was in another world I think you'll be fine."
"It'll be easier this time, having you close by" He smiled "Be kind to yourself" He whispered "You are precious to this guy."
Emma blushed and looked down, she spotted the juice box on the counter waiting for her. She grumbled something about not being a child but took the juice box and quickly shoved the straw into it greedily drinking it down. Trying to distract herself from the attention that was on her.
"If you need anything call?" David asked his who gave a nod "I will" She promised "But Emma and I are just going to have a quiet afternoon. Get some much needed rest in."
David nodded as he grabbed his coat "I'll see you soon" He promised before leaving.
"Coffee" Emma demanded once David shut the door.
Snow grabbed two bowls out and grabbed a few forks as she checked on the Mac and Cheese she had started. "I am not giving you coffee Emma."
"That's not fair!" Emma argued "I am still me!"
"You in a small body, your body doesn't need caffeine today. It may prevent it from getting in the rest it needs."
Emma sighed "Fantastic! The next twenty years as I re grow is just going to suck"
"I highly doubt it will be another twenty years" Snow shook her head "You'll figure it out before then."
"You don't know that!" Emma grumbled
"Yes, I do know this, because I have faith you Emma" Snow said leaning on her elbows onto the counter. So she could lock eyes with Emma. "You may not have faith yourself right now, but I have faith in you and that's what is needed right now."
"I don't know how" Emma shook her head "I don't know how to be small and helpless. I don't know how to not provide for myself. I don't know how to fix this!"
"You need to talk Emma" Snow reached out and grabbed her daughter's tiny hand and squeezed it "If you can't talk to me, or your father what about Archie?"
"A shrink?!" Emma squeaked "Do you think I am crazy?"
"No of course not" Snow shook her head "I just think you have a lot of pushed away feelings and emotions that you don't know how to deal with on your own."
Emma sighed "I don't want to talk to Archie"
"Then talk to me baby" Snow said desperately "Please, talk to me."
"I don't know how" Emma shook her head as she pulled her hand back "Not now, not now that you're my mom. I've had a mom. I don't know how to be a daughter.." Her voice cracked and tears began to fill her eyes.
"One baby step at a time" Snow whispered reaching out and touched Emma's cheeks with her fingertips. "I don't really know how to be a mom either, I am just trying and going with what my gut tells me is right."
"The Mac and Cheese" Emma pointed as she turned her attention to the pot that was starting to boil over.
Snow quickly turned her attention to that while Emma stared at the counter. "I guess your right" She said as she watched as Snow stirred the pot of Mac and cheese.
Snow put the pot back on the stove and went to the fridge. She pulled out a bag of carrot sticks and two containers of apple sauce. She waited for Emma to continue as she finished the task of setting up their lunch.
She placed Emma's plate in front of her and put one beside her and came around the side and sat down next to her. "What am I right about?" She finally asked when Emma hadn't said anything.
"Carrots?" Emma questioned raising her eyebrow at her mother "Really?"
"It won't kill you to eat a little healthy"
Emma crinkled her nose as she shoved her carrots to the side and picked up her fork "You were right about being a mom" She said shoving a bite of pasta into her mouth.
Snow watched her daughter intently, the scene in front of her made her heart ache. Her little girl really was a little girl at this moment. It seemed her long gold curly locks were extra long and extra curly. Her big green eyes extra green. Her little pouty lip extra pouty. Her hands little and round. Had Snow had raised her little girl, sharing meals like this would have happened all the time. Maybe not Mac and Cheese but meals.
Snow purposely picked up a carrot and took a bite as she watched Emma swallow her first big bite "Being a mom, I don't know how to be a mom either. I have no clue with what I am doing with Henry. I just do what feels right. What my gut tells me."
Snow took another one of carrots and took a dramatic bite "Good carrots" She commented
Emma crinkled her nose "Do you think that's going to get me to eat it?"
"It was worth a try" Snow smiled at her daughter as she nudged her slightly with her shoulder causing Emma to miss a bite of Mac and cheese. She gasped and then started to giggle at the mess she made
"That was your fault"
Snow winked "And I'll clean it up" She took another thoughtful bite of her carrots while Emma continued to work on her Mac and Cheese.
"If neither one of us know how to be a mother" She said softly "But we both go off of what we feel. For the love of our child right?"
Emma nodded "It's a second by second thing."
Snow swallowed her bite and turned on the stool and turned Emma slightly in her stool so they could look at each other. "Maybe you and I can work the same way as mother and daughter? Maybe you can just try with what feels right. We start slow and figure it out together."
Emma studied Snow's green eyes. Nothing was said for a few minutes before she gave her a little smile "Does that mean I have to eat my carrots?"
Snow laughed as she tickled Emma's side causing the small version of her daughter to let out a real innocent giggle. It was music to Snow's ears. "You're a nut."
Emma took a deep breath "So we don't have to know how to do this? What if I fail you?"
Snow shook her head and pushed her own plate aside and quickly grabbed Emma and brought her to the counter and set her down right in front of her. Her little legs dangling on either side of Snow, who placed her hands on Emma's knees. "Emma, I need you to listen to this, and I mean really listen."
Emma swallowed her bite of food and nodded as she could tell how serious her mother was.
"There is NOTHING, baby and I mean nothing you could do or have done that would ever make me stop loving you! Or letting me see you as a failure."
"But"
Snow shook her head "No, my turn to talk."
Emma instantly shut her mouth.
"There will be days where I get upset with you, there will be days where I will raise my voice to you. There will be days where you and I may need a time out from each other. Those moments will never stop how much I love you. How much I will always love you!"
"But you don't know my past!" Emma argued as she burst into tears.
Snow began to cry with her daughter as she reached up and wiped Emma's tears with her thumbs "I want to know your past, I want you to tell me them. I want to be there for you. I want to hold your hand." She shook her head "No, I want to do this" She reached up and pulled Emma down from the counter onto her lap and held her tightly against her. "I want to hold you."
Emma began to cry harder as she buried her face in Snow's shoulders soaking her shirt with her heavy tear fall.
"It's okay" Snow whispered into Emma's ear as she put her hand on the back of Emma's head and cradled her to her. "It's okay sweet girl. Just cry baby. Just let it out. I am not going to leave you, never again. I am here."
Emma continued to cry holding on tighter her hands gripping the back of Snow's shirt.
Snow stood and carried her daughter up the stairs finding her baby blanket back she grabbed it and placed it over Emma's shoulder's before propping herself up on some pillows on the bed as she just held her sobbing daughter.
"You don't know my past" Emma sobbed "You're not going to love me when you know."
"Those are lies that you are believing that are not true" Snow whispered "Think about Henry. Think about him and how much you love him. Is there anything that he could tell you that would make you stop loving him?"
Emma sniffled against Snow's shoulder and shook her head "No, but.. He.."
"No" Snow cut her off "There isn't, and that my sweet, sweet, feisty Emma is how I feel about you."
Emma's sobs began to die down and she found herself unable to fight her eyelids from closing. She let out a shaky breath before she allowed to sleep to over take her.
Snow sat there with silent tears rolling down her own cheeks as she held onto her daughter tightly. Tears for time lost, tears for the pain her daughter suffered through, and was suffering though. Tears of joy for just holding her daughter close to her, feeling warm body pressed against hers. It reminded her of being pregnant with Emma. Holding her close with her own body. The connection she felt being pregnant was the same feeling now. "I got you baby girl" Snow whispered to Emma "And I am not leaving you ever again. I will always love you. You are safe. Emma Ruth Swan you safe in my arms and I don't mean physically in my actual arms as you are right this second."
Emma shifted slightly in her sleep but stayed asleep. "David and I are going to be here with you every step. You will figure this out, and we will be there with you. Every step, that I promise you baby girl. Just rest and know you are safe."