A/N: It's finally Friday! :) I'm so glad after working a 12 hour day yesterday! Plus we have 9 Days to Once! :) Anyway, Happy Friday and here's an update! :) Enjoy!

Chapter 11: Mind Games Part 2

"Daddy!" Emma yelled as sat up with her hand reaching out. "Daddy!" Emma cried.

Snow had been sitting on the couch, but as soon she heard Emma cry out she ran to her daughter. "Hey, Emma! It's okay." Snow said as she sat on the bed taking Emma in her arms.

"Mommy...where's Daddy?" Emma cried into her Mom's shoulder.

"He's at work still." Snow replied with a frown. "Did you have a bad dream, honey?" Snow asked as Emma continued to cry.

Emma nodded. Snow didn't want Emma to wake up Neal so she picked up Emma in her arms and walked over to the couch. "Do you want to tell me about it?" Snow asked after she sat down on the couch and adjusted Emma in her lap.

Emma shook her head side to side and then buried her face in her mother's shoulder to cry more.

Snow grabbed the blanket off the couch and laid it over Emma. "I've got you, baby." Snow murmured as she rubbed her daughter's back and leaned back on the couch arm.

Snow was starting to think that her daughter would never stop crying when her crying subsided. "Emma, do you want me to try to call dad?" Snow asked softly.

"Yeah." Emma said quickly, but then started to regret it. What if he didn't want to talk to her again?

Snow picked up her phone from the coffee table and dialed her husband's number. The phone rang and rang until it came to his voicemail message so she left a message. "David, if you have time call me back. Emma wants to talk to you. Talk to you soon. Love you." Snow said before she hung up.

"I'm sorry, baby. He must be busy, but I'm sure as soon as he can he will call us back." Snow said softly.

Emma couldn't keep the cry from slipping from her lips. She knew he wouldn't call back because her mom told him that she wanted to talk to him not her mom. He didn't want to talk to her, he didn't want to see her. It was just like her dream...he hated her.

"Emma, sweetie, don't cry. He will call back as soon as he can and he probably will be home in a couple of hours." Snow comforted her daughter; maybe calling David wasn't such a great idea.

Emma knew she needed to toughen-up and stop crying, but she couldn't seem to control it.

Snow tightened her grip on her daughter and kissed her on the top of her head. She started rubbing Emma's back again as she closed her eyes hoping David would call back soon. She didn't like Emma being so upset, especially when it was over something as simple as wanting to talk to her Dad or even see him.

After a few more moments of Emma crying, Snow decided to try to distract her daughter. "Let's watch some television." Snow said as she turned the tv on. There was an episode of Andy Griffith on that she knew Emma had watched before and enjoyed. Slowly, Emma took her head out of her mom's shoulder and turned her head towards the TV, but didn't let go of her Mom or move from her spot curled up with her Mom.

Snow looked down as she heard Emma giggle and was relieved that Emma was starting to feel a little better.

'Goober, do it again!'

"Judy, Judy, Judy. Judy."

Emma giggled again in her little kid's voice as she watched Gomer and Goober.

Snow smiled and kissed Emma's forehead as they continued to watch the scene.

***OUAT**************OUAT***************OUAT***

"Oh look at the time, I need to start dinner." Snow said as she looked at her phone, 4:45. David still hadn't called back and it didn't look like he would be back for a while especially if the storm started and created problems. "Do you want to watch more TV or help me?" Snow asked. Soon after they started watching Andy Griffith they saw that they were having an Andy Griffith marathon.

"I'll just watch more TV." Emma said and then turned to look at her Mom. "What are you making?"

"Chicken strips." Snow replied.

"That sounds good." Emma said as a grin before shifting off of her mom so that she could get up to make dinner.

"I figured you would approve." Snow said as she got up. "Are you going to be okay?" Snow asked as she lightly touched Emma's face.

"Yes, mom. I'm fine." Emma said, feeling more like her normal self.

"Ok, good." Snow said with a smile before heading to the kitchen to make dinner.

***OUAT**************OUAT***************OUAT***

"Green beans? Yuck!" Emma complained as her Mom put her plate in front of her.

"They aren't that bad and they are good for you." Snow argued.

"I don't care if they are good for me, I'm not eating them." Emma responded defiantly.

"If you want dessert you will." Snow replied with smirk.

Emma's eyes widen. "What's for dessert?" Emma asked.

"Eat your green beans and you will find out." Snow answered.

"Oh alright, but I'm not going to like it." Emma said with a frown.

Snow just shook her head at Emma's comment. Then she heard thunder outside which startled Emma and Neal. Neal started crying so Snow picked him up out of the bouncy seat. "Hey, it's okay. It's just a little thunder." Snow said as she held Neal.

Snow had noticed that it had been getting dark outside, but the thunder was a new development. She hadn't heard from David, but she had assumed he was busy. She would call him, but she didn't want to bother him, yet she was worried about him.

Emma looked to the door and then back at her Mom. "When is Dad coming home?"

"I don't know, honey. He was warning people about the storm that was coming and making preparations for it. He said he would get home as soon as he could." Snow said softly.

"Ok." Emma said trying to keep the sinking feeling in her gut from ruining her appetite and her mood. He wasn't coming home anytime soon and he hadn't even called them back.

Snow saw Emma's face fall as she told her what she knew. She really hoped David would call or come home soon. "If he could be here he would." Snow added.

"I know." Emma said quickly, so that her mom would get off her back about it. She didn't believe her though, because she was wrong he didn't want to be there.

"Are you going to eat those green beans?" Snow asked with a grin.

"I'll get dessert if I eat them?" Emma asked, but she wasn't hungry anymore. But she had to keep up the pretense that she was fine.

"Yes." Snow replied and then watched as Emma stabbed a green bean with her fork, examined it, and stuck it in her mouth. She made an over exaggerated disgusted look as she chewed and ate it.

"Gross. How can you like those things?" Emma complained with another face.

Snow rolled her eyes, but looked outside as it started to rain. She got up to look out the window and then went to get her phone to see if maybe David had called and she missed it. She didn't have any calls, but she did have a text message from him.

Sorry, today has been ridiculous busy! I'm hoping to come home soon unless anything happens from the storm. It looks like it is starting now, make sure you guys stay safe. Love you. -David.

Snow sighed as she started to type back.

It's okay. We just miss you. Stay safe. Hope to see you soon. Love you. -Snow.

***OUAT**************OUAT***************OUAT***

Emma managed to finish her food including the green beans. Snow got out the ice cream from the other night and made Emma a similar bowl of it that David made the night before for her.

Snow cleaned up the kitchen as Emma ate her ice cream in front of the TV as she watched more Andy Griffith.

The rest of the night went by as Emma later joined by Snow and baby Neal watch TV as the storm started to really get going. David, however, had not made it home.

"What happen?!" Emma yelled as the TV and all the lights went out at the same time. They could only see when the lightening lit up the sky. The storm was raging outside making plenty of noise from the wind, rain, and thunder.

"Electricity went out." Snow replied. "Ok, Emma, can you hold your brother while I go and get some candles and flashlights?"

"Mom, I can get them." Emma complained.

"Do you know where they are?" Snow asked skeptically.

"Well no." Emma answered.

"That's what I thought. Here hold your brother." Snow said as she handed Neal to Emma, making sure that she had him before standing up. " She was about to go when a little voice stopped her.

"Be careful, Mom." Emma said fearfully. For some reason, this storm was scaring her despite the adult in her that was saying it was fine and to just suck it up.

"I will, but I'll be right back." Snow assured her daughter, before heading across the room.

Emma couldn't help the fear that was starting to take root as she heard her Mom walk away. She really wished her Dad would come home then she would feel safe, but he hadn't called or came home and it was already 7:50. Her mom kept making excuses up for him, but she knew the real reason for his absence.

Another loud crash of thunder startled Emma and Neal causing a cry to slip from Emma's mouth and Neal to start to fuss in her arms.

Snow heard Neal crying so she hurried up and found the candles and the two flashlights she had. She set a candle down the table and lit it before heading over to the living room to light the next candle to put on the coffee table. "There we go."

Snow turned to take Neal from Emma, but noticed that Emma had been crying. She took Neal from her arms and sat next to her putting her spare arm around her. "It's okay now. We are safe." Snow murmured to Neal, but also to Emma.

"When's Dad coming home?" Emma asked with a shaky voice.

"I'm not sure, honey. Hopefully soon." Snow murmured to her daughter, holding her a little tighter.

There was a moment of silence before Snow decided they need to do something and she had the perfect solution to their problems. "Once upon a time there was a princess on the run from an Evil Queen, which just happened to be her step-mother when the princess robbed a certain carriage. The princess figured it was a just one of the Queen's carriages, but to her surprise it wasn't her carriage. The princess jumped on the carriage and stole a pouch of jewels before taking a horse to escape from these royals. However, the prince came after the princess and tackled her to the ground. He was about to hit the princess when he said, 'you're a girl.' The princess answered, 'woman' and hit him with a rock. The princess got away as the prince yelled 'You can't hide from me. Wherever you are, I will find you.' The princess remembers looking back and smiling at the charming prince before riding off. This although it seemed like the end of their story was in fact just the beginning of their story." Snow finished with a small smile at the memory.

"Don't stop there!" Emma spoke up from beside her.

"We will have to continued it later because you my dear have to get to bed." Snow replied with a chuckle at Emma's eagerness.

"But, no. It's not even...well I'm not sure what time it is, but it's definitely not time to go to bed." Emma complained.

"Emma, do you remember what I told you when it was time for a nap? That there are some things your four-year-old body needs that your 29-year-old body didn't need. Well this is one of those things, an earlier bed time." Snow finished.

"What time is it?" Emma asked slowly because if it was before 10 she wasn't going to bed.

Snow found her phone. "8:15."

"I'm not going to bed!" Emma shouted.

"Emma, lower your voice. You are going to bed. Let's go." Snow said standing up with Neal and walking over to his crib to lay him down. The storm had calmed down a considerable amount since just a little while ago.

Emma, however, didn't get up from the couch instead she stayed on the couch with her arms crossed, only the light from the candle showing the scowl on her face. She wasn't going to bed at 8:15 that was just wrong. Plus her dad wasn't even home yet. She looked to the door hoping he would come through it, but he didn't.

Snow settled Neal and then walked back over to Emma. "Emma, come on let's go get your pajamas on and get you into bed." Snow said softly.

"NO!" Emma yelled at her mother. She wasn't sure if it was going to bed early or not getting to see her father that was making her more upset.

"Emma, I'm trying really hard not to lose my patience with you, but if you continue to yell at me you will regret it. Now, let's go." Snow said sternly as she took Emma's hand.

Emma heard the warning and stood up to let her Mom led her through the dark loft. She knew when to stop bothering her mom, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to make this hard for her Mom.

Snow took the candle with them as they walked up to the loft. She set it on the bedside table once they got in the room. She let go of Emma's hand and lit the candle that was on her bedside table. David had made sure that everyone had a candle by their bed just in case they had a nightmare. He always told them that the candle kept the nightmares away. She smiled as she lit the candle as she thought of the day that he told her that everyone needed a candle by their bed.

"Ok, let's get you changed." Snow said as she grabbed the pajamas that she had laid on the bed for Emma.

"No." Emma replied stubbornly.

"Emma, that wasn't a question." Snow said softly before starting to help Emma out of her clothes, but Emma wasn't helping her at all. "Emma we can do this the easy way or the hard way, it's up to you, but it's going to happen." Snow said with a sigh.

Emma was pushing it and she knew it, but she couldn't help it. She kept giving her Mom a hard time, but her mother managed to get her undressed and dressed without her help.

After getting Emma to brush her teeth as well, Snow pulled the covers back and just picked Emma up and put her in the bed much to Emma's surprise. Snow pulled the covers up and then tucked them around her before sitting on the side of the bed. "Emma, soon you will be back to your normal self and be able to do everything you did before, but for now you are just going to have to deal with earlier bedtimes and naps." Snow said softly before kissing her daughter's forehead. "Do you want to hear a little more of the story?" Snow asked.

"No." Emma replied as she turned away from her Mom, but then felt bad for treating her Mom like that so she turned back. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm being so mean, but I guess I'm tired." Emma tried to explain.

"Oh Emma, it's okay. I know this is hard on you. I love you." Snow replied.

"I love you too, Mom." Emma said with a smile.

"Goodnight, Emma." Snow said as she kissed Emma's forehead again.

"Night, Mom." Emma said as she closed her eyes.

Snow smiled and left the room with the candle she came with leaving the one by Emma's bed lit.

Emma opened her eyes again when she knew her Mom had left. She would stay awake and listen for her Dad to come home. He had to come home soon. Maybe he had just been waiting for her to be in bed before he came home and now that she was he would come home. Emma couldn't help the tears that sprang to her eyes as she came to that conclusion. She missed her Dad, yet he wanted nothing to do with her.

She cried herself to sleep, not even realizing it when she fell asleep not long after she decided to stay up.

Please Review!