The first thing Emma did when the four strangers walked through the door with matching concerned looks was take a step closer to Archie, something that only the man himself missed as he focused on the poor family.
Mary Margaret was the first to step forward to give Emma a hug but aborted mid motion when a look of alarm crossed over her daughters face, so instead she put out her hand as she introduced herself, "Judging from what little I've heard about what's going on this is going to sound strange but I'm your mother, Mary Margaret." She sent a questioning look to Archie before adding, "Also known as Snow White but we'll get into that later." Emma returned the handshake but seemed hesitant. She chose it ignore it though as she continued, pointing behind her at her husband as she told her, "And this is your father, David, also known and Prince Charming or Prince James." Emma nodded to him rather then moving closer. Keeping with the introductions Mary Margaret gestured to Hook as she told Emma, "This is Killian Jones, or Captain Hook, though most of us simply call him Hook. He's the man you've been dating."
Henry didn't really give Emma much time to react to that as he grew too anxious and stepped up to his Mom, hugging her as tight as he could. Without thought Emma returned the hug and knew who he must be simply by the feeling he brought out in her. All but whispering she said, "And you must be Henry, my son." Emma felt the young man hug her tighter.
After a few moments, mother and son pulled back to smile at one another. It was with a goofy grin that Henry told her, "Don't worry, Mom. We'll fix this, you'll see, we always do." Emma just laughed as she mussed up his hair.
Clearing his throat softly, Archie got everyone's attention before leading them into his living room so they could try and fill Emma in on some of the things she had forgotten. For a few hours they tried to tell her things they thought were relevant, the things she needed to know, but things were slow going. After everything she was told she would look to Archie, who would have to confirm that it was true. Shortly after midnight everyone was getting too tired so Archie decided it had been enough for one night.
When Emma made it clear she would be staying where she was no one fought her on it but she didn't miss the concerned look that her supposed family all sent toward the man named Hook. The more information she gathered the more she doubted her relationship with the man but Archie had told her who he was to her so she had to believe it. Though, she supposed, he might not have been privy to any trouble in paradise, as it were. She was only pulled from the thought when Henry, her son, a boy she instantly thought of as her son, announced he would also be staying then. Emma thought about protesting for a moment but didn't, the boy made her feel better.
After a long hug from Mary Margaret and an even longer and tighter one from David the couple left with Hook, promising to be back in the morning. As the three left behind watched them leave Emma was overwhelmed with the sense that they were her parents, she could feel the paternal love coming from the two in droves. She still wasn't sure about Hook though. She could feel something there, something she couldn't quite grasp, but she didn't feel like it was what everyone was telling her it was. It was more friendly than romantic, plus she couldn't feel any of the trust in him she felt for the others. That was how, once again, she found herself contemplating Archie. Looking over to the man she asked in a joking manner, "And who are you supposed to be Dr. Archie Hopper?" She raised a playful eyebrow as the man blushed.
It was Henry that answered her, enthusiasm clear in his voice as he told her, "He's Jiminy Cricket." Henry smiled broadly as he said, "He's the town's conscience."
Emma smiled back but before she could respond Archie cleared his throat awkwardly saying, "Well then, I think it's time for bed." He cast a quick look around, as if looking for something, before continuing, "Henry, you can take the spare room, and Emma, you can take my room, I'll sleep on the couch."
Something mischievous flashed in Henry's eyes that Emma saw before the boy was asking, "But Archie, you slept on the couch last night with Mom, doesn't your back still hurt?" A look crossed Archie's face like he was thinking about denying it but when he said nothing, not wanting to lie, it was clear what the answer was. Emma gave the kid props as he almost managed to say with complete innocence, "Why don't you and Mom just share your room?"
Archie turned a shade of red that was actually a little alarming but more so endearing to Emma. Before the red headed man could stutter out a response she looked at him with a small smile as she told him, "I don't mind if you don't."
Unable to actually vocalise a response Archie only nodded slightly and that was how he found himself slipping into bed next to Emma. He was careful to keep a large amount of space between them as he settled in. Taking a slow and deep breath he managed to calm himself down a little.
Breaking the slightly tense silence Emma asked something that was on her mind. "Why did we sleep on your couch last night? What happened?" She tuned over so she was looking at the doctor as he stared resolutely at the ceiling.
He seemed to think over his answer before finally telling her, "You've been having nightmares, or rather one reoccurring one, so you came to see me yesterday at my office. Last night you were having trouble sleeping, which you told me has been an issue for a while now, and I guess you decided to go for a walk. You ended up here shorty after three thirty in the morning. After we talked you started to fall asleep, so I let you. You seemed at peace so I didn't want to bother you. I fell asleep to."
She could tell he was glossing over stuff and she didn't want that so she further asked, "Why couldn't you just get up and leave me on the couch?" She saw him shift his eyes to her for a quick moment before looking back up to the ceiling.
He was fidgeting with his hands as he quietly told her, "You fell asleep in my arms, I couldn't move without waking you." He was breathing shallowly as he answered her next question before she had to voice it, "You were seeking out comfort. We were hugging when you fell asleep."
She could see the man was blushing even by the dim light of the lamp that was on and Emma took mercy on him as she said, "So you slept uncomfortably on a couch all night simply because you didn't want to wake me up?" When all she got was a slightly jerky nod in response she further observed, "And you woke up at three thirty in the morning just so I could talk to you?"
This time he looked at her a little longer before assuring her, "I was already awake anyway, it was no trouble." He was looking out toward the window this time so he missed the concerned look that crossed her face as he further added, "That's part of the reason I don't usually drink."
Her brows were furrowed now as she shifted closer, leaning on her elbows, as she asked, "Why were you drinking and still up at three thirty in the morning?"
Archie looked a little panicked as he finally shifted his gaze to her and left it there, opening and closing his mouth as he kept abandoning his words before they could start. Finally, after Emma put a hand on his upper arm, he said lamely, "I was upset about something." They both knew she wanted to ask more about it but she didn't. She could see the desperate, pleading look in his eyes and held her tong. Instead she patted him on the shoulder a few times before leaving her hand there and settling back in. When she closed her eyes Archie turned off the lamp, took off his glasses and settled back, quietly saying, "Good night, Emma." As an afterthought it seemed, he added, "Sweet dreams."
Emma found herself smiling goofily as she whispered in return, "Night, Archie."
