A couple of people have asked about Emma not being allowed to nurse again when she saw her brother. I wrote it that way because I was worried if I did allow her to people would hate on me lol. But, seeing as I have been proven wrong I have re-wrote the ending for the chapter. I don't think it comes up in the next few chapters, but if it does I'll be sure to change it :). Thanks for the support!
Things quietened down somewhat after Maleficent's original threat to curse Snow and David's children. Emma seemed to have forgotten her, or put her down as a bad dream. Only twice had she appeared so far. Once when Snow was looking after Emma, and once when David was. Both of them kept Emma distracted so she didn't see or hear her, knowing Maleficent couldn't get too close.
Snow sat watching as David and Red ran about the meadow near the castle playing with Emma. Emma kept asking about getting her own pony, but was still far too young to ride by herself, so settled for playing horsie with daddy and auntie Red instead.
"So sweet, so innocent…"
"So unreachable." Snow replied, without having to turn around to know it was Maleficent talking to her.
"For now, yes. But I will find a way to her Snow. And this other child of yours. I take my grudges very seriously dear. And you should see the new curse I've made especially for your children…"
"Let me make it perfectly clear." Snow said through gritted teeth. "You will never hurt my children. You are no more than an irritating ghost here. Charming and I will never let you or anyone else hurt them…"
"But you already did, didn't you Snow? That's right, I do my research. You messed up Emma's life once already, what's to stop you doing it again? You're clearly not very good at parenting. I mean, for someone who loves her daughter so very much you're replacing her awfully quickly."
"I am not replacing my daughter." Snow snarled. "Emma is and always will be part of this family." Just then Snow felt a sharp pain in her stomach, felt something wet dripping down her legs…her waters had broken. Maleficent cackled.
"We'll see how long that lasts…" she said, fading away.
"Charming!" Snow bellowed. He looked over to her, Emma still on his back. "It's time!" She called. Charming went into immediate action. He took Emma from his back and handed her to Red, dashing to Snow's side.
"We have to get you back to the castle to see Doc." He said, helping her to her shaking feet. "It's a good thing we brought the wagon today. He was about to lead Snow over, when she pulled back.
"One second." She hissed through the pain. She looked over to Emma, Red had carried her over by now. She motioned to Red to bring her closer, which she did.
"Emma baby, mama needs you to be a good girl for auntie Red. I'll see you real soon, ok? And when I do, you'll be a big sister!" Snow told her. Emma just looked confused.
"What going on?" She asked. David came round and kissed her head.
"What's going on is you're going to get to spend the rest of the day with your favourite auntie while daddy takes mommy to see Doc, ok?"
"Emma come too." She said, reaching out for them. David shook his head.
"No baby, not just now. You'll see us very soon, ok?" Emma's little bottom lip quivered, she just didn't understand. David knew it didn't seem fair to her, but there was no time to explain better. He helped Snow into the wagon before releasing one of the horses from it and handing the reins to Red so she and Emma could get home. He then got into the driving section of the wagon, and start to ride off as fast as he could.
"Don't let her out of your sight, not for a second!" Snow called back to Red. "I love you Emma!" She called to her daughter. Emma just stared after them, watching the wagon disappear into the distance.
"Hey, don't be sad little missy." Red said, bouncing Emma slightly. "They'll be ok, you'll see them again real soon. And when you do, you'll have a new little brother or sister! Won't that be fun?" Red asked her. Emma shook her head.
"No." She answered quietly. Red sighed.
"You'll be ok pup, I promise. Come on, let's go have some quiet time." She said, taking Emma and sitting down under the shade of a tree.
When her auntie Red did take Emma home, she still wasn't allowed to see her mommy or daddy. Had she done something naughty? Did she upset them? Mommy seemed pretty upset when she left with daddy… Emma didn't see her parents the rest of the day, she had to stay with auntie Red and Granny. They were fun and gave her lots of cuddles, but they weren't mommy and daddy.
"Daddy does bed time." Emma whimpered as her auntie Red tucked her in.
"I know princess, but not tonight. He'll put you to bed tomorrow I'm sure." She told her. Emma tried to be a big girl and not cry, but she couldn't help a few tears coming out. Red gently wiped them away. She lay down on the bed with Emma and pulled her close.
"It's all going to be ok pup. You'll see. Don't worry, auntie Red will stay with you until you fall asleep." Emma nodded, sniffling. She drifted off into an unhappy sleep…
"Emma." Someone whispered, shaking her. "Emma, baby. Time to get up." Emma slowly blinked her eyes open. Feeling that auntie Red wasn't there. She'd left too. She looked up and smiled.
"Daddy!" She said, raising her arms up to be picked up. David scooped her up and cuddled her close. "Hey baby girl. I missed you!" Emma's excitement at seeing her daddy faded, and she burst into tears.
"You lefted me!" She wailed. David gently rocked her, trying to soothe her.
"I know princess, I know. And I'm very sorry you felt like that. But daddy had to go with mommy to see Doc very quickly. Do you know why?" He asked. Emma nodded.
"Yeah, because now I'm a big sister." She sniffled.
"That's right princess, you now have a baby brother! And he and mommy really want to see you." David said, getting up to take Emma through. Snow had been asking for her, she was worried about how Emma felt after they left.
"Mommy want to see me?" Emma asked.
"Yes Emma, very much so." David assured her. Emma still didn't believe him. David carried Emma through to his and Snow's room, where Snow was currently nursing their son.
"I brought someone special to see their mommy and new baby brother." He said quietly. Snow smiled, she'd been waiting for Emma. Emma poked her head over her daddy's shoulder.
"Mommy!" She said happily. She wiggled, trying to get down. David put her down on the bed and she scrambled over to her. Snow wrapped an arm around her and scattered kisses on her head.
"I missed my girl!" She said. Emma looked over at the baby. Snow noticed. "Emma Ruth, meet your baby brother, Graham Leopald." Snow said.
"Gway-um." Emma said quietly. Only then did she notice what her brother was doing.
"Ne-mis!" She cried. She looked up at her mother, pouting. "You said they'd gone away." Snow stroked her cheek.
"They did go away for you, princess. They came back for Graham because he's a baby and he needs it." Snow tried to explain. Snow had weaned Emma off of using Emma using nursing as a comfort just around the time she turned two. Emma swivelled around and shuffled to the edge of the bed, folding her arms across her chest, trying not to cry again. Snow reached for her, stroking through her hair.
"Oh Emma baby, don't be like that." Snow said.
"Not your baby." Emma answered coldly. "He's your baby now." Snow and David shared a painful look. It was like a bit of the old Emma was back. Her walls, she was so little and yet they could see her trying to build them again already. They silently agreed that they would not let that happen again. There was a pang of pain in Snow's chest as she realised this is how it had begun before. With Emma being abandoned for a baby. Graham finished feeding and Snow put him in the little Moses basket by the bed. She reached an arm around Emma's middle and pulled her closer.
"Listen to me, Emma Ruth." Snow said in her ear. "You will always be my baby. Just because you have a little brother doesn't change that. You're my baby girl, Emma. Having Graham doesn't mean I love you any less." Snow pulled her top back up and sat Emma on her lap. "I suppose Graham won't mind sharing on the odd occasion." She said, as Emma settled herself. Snow didn't want her to feel like Graham had anything special compared to her. And it certainly did calm her back down. Emma finished, and when Snow pulled her top back down Emma rested her head against Snow's chest and went back to sleep.
"She'll be ok." Snow said, stroking her cheek. "She's just a little overwhelmed. We just need to make sure she still gets time with us too. Time together, and some one on one time." Snow said. David nodded.
"I got her some wooden swords made. Need to teach her to fight the boys off early, especially with Hook threatening to come back. Not that'll she'll need to do any fighting." David said, looking lovingly over to the crib. "My boy will look after his sister." Snow rolled her eyes.
"Whatever you say dear."