Sorry this was longer than normal, I had writers block, and the previous chapter's had a basic framework from the original drabble, however from now on they don't, so the wait may be slightly longer (only by a day or two, so it'll be just over a week between the chapters), but hopefully it'll be worth the wait.

As always I love hearing your views on the chapters!


"And I think I know one of the people King George has working for him." David sighed. "When I was pretending to be my brother, George tried to keep me naïve as to how he kept his power. I was merely meant to be a pawn in his game, to foster a relationship between myself and Kathryn, to gain him wealth and even more power than he already had."

"Kathryn as in Abigail, right?" Emma said with slight distaste, she wasn't the biggest fan of her in Storybrooke, the smallest possible part of her that wanted to believe what Henry had told her didn't like the fact she was what was keeping David away from Mary Margret, and had completely avoided her since the curse was broken.

"She was just as trapped as I was, Em," David smiled at Emma's slightly embarrassed look, he thought it was pretty adorable that Emma stuck up for her parents and their love, "she wanted to be with her true love as much as I did. But before I disobeyed George's wishes, I learnt some of what George was up to. There was a man, Robert, he was an illegitimate son of one of king George's kinsmen. Robert possessed abilities, he can manipulate peoples dreams make them see what he wants them to, that went hand in hand with his… sociopathy or whatever. He quickly became George's indirect way of controlling any adversaries."

"So I got tricked by some bloody Sandman, brilliant." Emma had never felt so stupid; how could she have fallen for something so… so stupid?

"No." David said firmly, "Emma, I've seen the people that George had him use that form of dark magic on, it was his favourite form of torture. I've seen the toughest warriors go up against that and come out much worse than you did. I know what you're thinking, and you aren't stupid, or weak; you're the opposite and you were brave enough to tell your mother and I what happened in your dreams: most people didn't. It'll be hard for that to be used on you now," he paused and took her hand, "as long as you talk to us about any dreams you have, we'll be able to help you." He inclined his head so he was facing Mary Margret slightly more. "If they are trying to get at Emma in this way, they probably think it's working."

"Which means they might not try something else." Mary Margret said with a hint of hope.

"Hopefully," David sent her an encouraging smile, "we'll keep her close by just in case, but this might buy us some time." He said slightly quieter.

"Why would they be trying to get to me?"

Mary Margret and David turned back to Emma, their eyes were wide, as though they had forgotten that Emma was there.

"Mom? Dad?" Emma asked in a quiet voice, the fear was sewn together with fake bravado, which was failing her the longer her parents were silent. "What's going on?"

Mary Margret looked at David quickly, he sent her a look as if to ask her if she was sure, she just nodded then took his hand.

David squeezed Mary Margret's hand. He temporarily took his hand back from Emma and instead placed it on the back of his wife's head; he leant forward and tenderly kissed her on the lips, for once Emma didn't make any noises of protest at her parent's displays of affection, when Mary Margret finally pulled back from her husband she nodded once more then turned back to Emma.

Mary Margret saw the fear on Emma's face appear once again at how her parents were acting, she squeezed David's hand, and in one fluid motion she and David took their daughter's hand.

"Emma," Mary Margret said, "how much do you know of the circumstances, from Henry's book, around your Grandma Ruth's passing?"

"That's your mom, right?" Emma asked David, trying to remember the story.

David smiled at her "Yeah, she was."

"She was attacked by George's knights, right?" Emma frowned. "You tried to save her, but she tricked, you," Emma replied to her mother's question, "into drinking the water, because you were poisoned."

"He poisoned me by making me infertile. George had always known that you father wanted children, that's why he was so hopeful that he and Kathryn would have an heir to both of their kingdoms, which would guarantee him unlimited wealth, and the chance to manipulate the child. Once David had opposed him, George set about getting his revenge, using your fathers greatest wish against him. He tried to stop me from having kids, obviously he failed- "

"-And while your mother and you were in the Enchanted Forest, he destroyed Jefferson's hat, he said he wanted to see my face when I realised I was never going to see my wife and daughter again." He could feel the muted anger that he had felt that night, thinking he'd lost his girls again – as soon as he had found them. He felt a smaller hand squeeze his right one.

"But you got us again." Emma reminded him, she daren't even think of the possibility of being stuck in the Enchanted Forest; not getting home, not being with Henry, never getting to know David as her father, Neal not being born…

"You're right," Mary Margret said encouragingly, "and we're not losing each other again. But, you do see why we're worried, Emma?"

Emma nodded, but was clearly trying to put things in order in her head, trying to think of a plan to help her family.

"And why we're not letting you or Neal out of our sight," David rolled his eyes when he saw Emma raise her eyebrow, indicating the lack of Neal in the room, "starting as soon as we're home." He smirked.

Emma let out a small laugh which turned into a cough. "What do we do now?" Emma asked, wanting to get started on a plan, to find George, and keep her family safe.

David raised an eyebrow at Mary Margret, and watched her suppress a giggle. "Now, kiddo, we wait for Doctor Whale to discharge you." he told Emma.

"Can't we just go?" Emma practically whined.

This time Mary Margret couldn't contain her laugh, partially due to relief at not having to hide the truth about George from her daughter, and partially because of the familiarity of Emma's intentions and eagerness. Not that either David or Mary Margret had any more intention of letting Emma actually go outside on the hunt for George than they would let Neal, after all, she was still very ill.

"Sorry, Em, we need you to be discharged properly." David said sympathetically. He stood up from where he was perched on the bed and moved the over-bed table closer to Emma. "Here, why don't you try eat some of your breakfast." The 'offer' was more of an order and Emma, finally and begrudgingly, began to pick at her breakfast.

"I'll go get us some coffee," Mary Margret said quietly, as she started to walk to the door, David followed her, "I have a feeling we'll need some."

"Yeah, I think you might be right."

They both looked over at Emma who was gazing into her bowl of cereal, as if it held the secrets to life itself, before she started to pick at it; clearly not enjoying the cereal as it was not brightly coloured and full of sugar like her usual go to.

"How come I have the feeling that you're escaping to get coffee for a certain reason?" David narrowed his eyes accusatorily in a jokey manner.

"Because you have good instincts," Mary Margret teased light-heartedly, "I should be back by the time you've finally convinced her to eat her fruit." She smirked, she stood on her tiptoes and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips then quickly escaped from the room, before David could protest.

*OUAT*

David walked quickly back over to Emma, she crossed her arms over her chest, but he held a hand up before she could start her argument. He picked up the banana, along with the empty milk carton, and hastily threw them in the trash. "Don't tell your mother." He pleaded.

Emma gave him a wide smile and quickly nodded. "Is she seriously going to try make me eat healthily?" she asked hesitantly.

David gave a hearty laugh, "Afraid so, kiddo." he sat back down on the side of the bed, Emma seemed more concerned about her mother's healthy eating plan than having to come up with a plan to stop George. "She's just looking out for you: she wants to prevent you from getting ill."

"'She'?" Emma asked with a smirk, "Does that mean you're not going to force me to eat rabbit food?"

David smirked back "Eat your breakfast, Em."

*OUAT*

"I would be happier if you stayed in for another day," Whale said seriously, looking up from Emma's file, "but I can see you're not keen on that, and being somewhere where you're uncomfortable might slow your process."

"So you will discharge me?" Emma asked, obviously not prepared to take no for an answer.

Whale glanced at David and Mary Margret, then he turned back to Emma, "Yes," he sighed, "I will discharge you. I'm going to prescribe you some medicines:"

Mary Margret and David stood to attention, listening to Whale as though they were about to be told the location of a holy grail; Emma on the other hand rolled her eyes, she knew that her parents were going to be over the top and protective when they heard the list of medicines.

"Prednisolone, six tablets three times a day- steroid tablets to bring the swelling down in your lungs which will help control your asthma while you're ill. I'll prescribe you antibiotics to treat your pneumonia, and you can take cold medicine with these to keep your fever down and control other symptoms."

"Will those help her asthma as well?" Mary Margret asked while she twirled her wedding ring on her finger.

Emma looked to David, she hoped that he would stop her mother from bombarding Whale with questions, but he looked just as interested in Whale's answer as she did.

"No, I'm prescribing Emma inhalers which she'll take every day for the foreseeable future." He looked back at Emma. "I assume you remember how to take inhalers properly still?"

"Yeah," Emma looked down as she avoided her parent's hard stares, obviously they weren't over her evading telling them about her asthma, "is it just a blue one?"

Whale nodded at Emma, glad he wouldn't have to explain how she had to use one. "You'll also have a brown and a green one." He informed her.

"What's a green one do?" she frowned.

"What do all the inhalers do?" David asked in a concerned tone.

"Emma will be using green, blue, and brown inhalers; they'll send medicine directly to her lungs." Whale smiled. "The blue one is a reliever, to be taken when Emma starts to feel her chest becoming tight and an asthma attack coming on. The brown one has steroids in it, it prevents asthmatic attacks by keeping the lung walls uninflamed." Whale smiled, he would never have thought these scientific advancements possible where he was originally from, he still had moments of awe when he thought of the things people in the Land-Without-Magic had come up with. "The green is taken with the brown every morning and night; it helps control the symptoms of your asthma for up to twelve hours."

"Thanks." Emma coughed. "Can I go now?" she asked before anyone could try suggest she stay there for even longer.

"Yes. I'll have one of the nurses bring you a wheelchair, hospital policy, I'm afraid; just until you're in your car." He added quickly when Emma started to protest. "I'd like to see Emma as an outpatient in about a week, while you're sorting out her paperwork to leave, please have a nurse book her an appointment." Whale told her parents, he knew it would be quicker to tell them directly, than to watch Emma try to convince them she would do it another time.

"Thank you, Doctor Whale." David said sincerely, he held his hand out to the doctor, and smiled as the man shook it.

*OUAT*

Emma flicked the belt buckle impatiently, hissing quietly in pain when the metal collided with her nail, she looked up to see her father looking at her through the rear view mirror, his eyebrow raised in amusement. "Mom's taking forever." She complained grouchily.

"She's not taking that long, Em." David didn't bother to turn around in the driver's seat, he could tell that she was just tired, she obviously hadn't slept much the night before. "We'll be home soon, and we'll get you all set up on the couch, then we can all relax for a little -" David paused as Emma quickly dived into the overnight bag which was on the back seat next to her. "Em, what's wrong?"

Emma paused from pulling clothes out of her bag. "I don't think I packed my… I might have forgotten… we have to go back!" Emma said frantically.

"Emma. Em, calm down." David commanded, he turned around in his seat to properly look at his daughter. "I put your blanket in there, it's at the bottom so it definitely wouldn't fall out, and your mom double checked. It's in there, I promise." Assured David, he smiled as Emma sat back in her seat.

Emma looked out of her window, when she spoke her voice was quiet and slightly distant. "I just… I can't sleep without it."

"Did it help you sleep when you were a kid?" David enquired, he placed a hand on Emma's knee lovingly.

Emma looked at her father in surprise, she hadn't meant to speak out loud. But she saw no judgement in his face so she carried on talking "Yeah, it was one of the only things I had with me all the time when I was a kid, in even the noisiest and worst foster homes." She saw David look down in guilt, and felt the anxious feeling start to bubble up, she hadn't meant to make him feel like that. "It always made me feel better."

David looked up surprised, he would have thought that if anything, Emma's blanket would have served as a reminder as to what she had missed out on, or would have made her angry that they weren't there for her.

"It was always soft, and it smelt of home; I didn't know it at the time, but it smells like you and mom, and of the Enchanted Forest." Emma took hold of her father's hand.

David beamed at her, he watched as Emma fought to keep her eyes open, "Hey, pass me over your bag I'll stick the clothes back in it." he said waking her up.

Emma sleepily handed the bag over and rubbed her eyes with her fist. "When is mom getting back here?"

David rolled his eyes at Emma's complaint, Mary Margret had only been gone twenty minutes- tops, and had to wait for Sneezy to get all of Emma's medicines ready. Before he could remind Emma of this, he saw Mary Margret leaving the store, with a big paper bag wrapped in her arms. "She's here now," he finished putting Emma's clothes back in the bag for her and moved her blanket to the top of it, then climbed out of the car and opened Emma's door to place the bag next to her once more; "put your seatbelt back on, Em."

*OUAT*

"Hey." He smiled at his wife as she approached the car. "Did you buy the entire store?" he laughed while she approached the car and he was finally able to see how full the bag was.

"Most of it is Emma's medicines," She explained, "and the rest of it is things to help with her breathing and pneumonia, just anything I hoped would work."

"Hey, she's going to be okay," David promised her, he slipped the bag out of Mary Margret's arms, and took hold of her hand, "she's a fighter, it's going to be hard keeping her resting, but we'll do it. We'll get through this, we'll get Emma better, and we'll sort George out." he told her with such confidence that she almost completely believed him.

David opened Mary Margret's door courteously then placed the bag in the boot before getting into the driver's seat.

*OUAT*

Emma felt herself relax when her mother got in the car, knowing her father would join them momentarily, she was too tired to speak so instead just gave her a welcoming smile.

Mary Margret smiled back affectionately, "We'll go get your brother then we'll go back home." She turned back to face the front when David joined them inside the car. "Why don't we pick up some food from Granny's while we're there? Emma needs to have food with her tablets anyway."

"Yes!" Emma hollered from the back before David had a chance to answer.

David chuckled as he started up the car "I think she was asking me, Emmy." David teased as he started to drive towards Granny's.

Emma glared at him. "Please?" she asked quietly, she shot him puppy dog eyes through the mirror, though she knew she probably didn't need to.

"I guess it couldn't hurt." David replied to Mary Margret, he saw Mary Margret's eyes sparkle having guessed at the look which accompanied Emma's plea, he rolled his eyes back at his wife. He was surprised at the silence in the car, both Mary Margret and David had expected Emma to make some comment or remark, when she didn't he looked worriedly through the rear view mirror at her. He smiled at the sight he saw.

Mary Margret felt David's hand touch her just above the knee, when she met his eye he cocked his head back to direct her attention towards Emma in the back seat. She felt her heart gush with love.

Emma's legs were pulled up towards her chest, the large hoodie was pulled up so her mouth was hidden inside it, and her head was rested against her first both of which were resting against the window; her eyes were closed.

Mary Margret turned back to David and beamed at him, "She's exhausted." She whispered to him, her tone was loving but tinged with worry, but worry at more than just Emma's energy levels.

David took Mary Margret's hand, tenderly, and interlocked their fingers, he brought them to his lips and kissed the back of his wife's hand. "Let's go get our son, and get our kids home." He said equally as quietly. He kissed her hand again then let her go so he could start the car again.

Before he could start the car Mary Margret grabbed the lapels of his jacket and pulled him down towards her. Their lips crashed together in a desperate hunger, the longer their lips were pressed together, the lighter they felt; their fears over Emma's health, both of their children's and grandson's safety, and their fears over whatever else George could be up to; seemed to dissipate. When they eventually broke apart they were both slightly breathless.

*OUAT*

"Just a few more steps, kiddo." David encouraged Emma, he shifted the bag full of her medicine slightly in his arm, then jerked his left shoulder up so Emma's hospital bag wouldn't fall off. His other hand was firmly on the small of Emma's back, he had offered to carry Emma up the stairs but she had protested against that option profusely.

Mary Margret had taken Neal ahead to the loft, along with the bag of food, when it became clear Emma was going to need to take the stairs incredibly slowly. In one look between she and David, they had decided that she would go up the stairs first with the slightly restless Neal, and would set up the food, and create a place on the couch topped with pillows and blankets for Emma to sit, should she refuse to rest in her bed.

They finally made it up the stairs, Emma was sure that the only thing that kept her upright during the trek was David's hand on her back, not that she would tell him that. She desperately wanted to just collapse on the couch, but when she reached the loft door she stopped so abruptly that David bumped into the back of her. The shudder which ran through her was partially due to the coldness she had felt since she had fallen ill, but also because of the sight of the green chipped door, though this time the number was the correct way around. She felt her father's hand leave her back, dread raised within her as she feared she was actually within another dream. Before the fear could take over her, David took her hand, and squeezed tight enough to ground her, but not too hard as to hurt her.

"It's okay, kiddo, it's not your dream." he brushed his thumb along Emma's knuckles he could see her visibly relax. "We'll stay right here until you're ready to go in." he assured.

Emma squeezed David's hand back and took a moment to steady her breathing, she nodded once towards him and allowed him to slowly lead her in. She kept hold of David's hand even as they walked into the loft, and felt relief when he didn't shake her off even when she could tell it wasn't a dream.

Mary Margret looked over at them in worry. "I was wondering where you two had got to." She said light-heartedly but the way she was twisting her ring on her finger told David her true feelings, Emma would have picked up on it too, had she not been about to fall asleep on her feet.

David placed Emma's bag of medicine down on the table, and placed Emma's bag down on one of the chairs, he let go of Emma's hand but quickly wrapped it around Emma's shoulder and pulled her close into him. "Why don't you go sit down on the couch." He kissed the top of the head.

Emma shook her head, instead she went and sat on one of the chairs around the table, once again she rested her head against her hand.

David sighed, picked up the Emma's bag of medicine and walked over to the kitchen, he rubbed a couple of circles onto his daughter's back as he passed her.

*OUAT*

"She's just as stubborn as her mother." David joked quietly to Mary Margret, he went and stood behind his wife, both of them looking at Emma who had shut her eyes but wasn't fully asleep. He doubled over slightly when Mary Margret's elbow made its way into his rib. He quickly snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her back to lean against him, his head darted forward to press a kiss against her cheek. "Is Neal down for a nap?"

"Yeah, he was almost asleep by the time I carried him in, he can sleep for about an hour, or we'll be up with all night." She leant her head back and could feel David's head gently rise and fall, she covered his hand with hers. "I put the food in the oven to keep warm, we can sort Emma's tablets out then put it out. Was everything okay? You took a while to get up to the loft."

"Yeah, she was just exhausted by taking the stairs, I offered to carry her a few times but…" he trailed off without needing to explain, they both knew how stubborn their daughter could be. "She also wasn't overly sure about coming inside here."

Mary Margret turned around to face David quickly, her eyes were wide, and she spoke louder than she had meant to. "What! Why?" she glanced back at Emma, and was relieved to see that she had not stirred, or at least has not bothered to open her eyes.

David placed his hands on either of her arms "Her dream." he said explained quietly. He bent his head closer to hers, and spoke quieter still "I wish I had killed him when I first saw him. If I had, Emma wouldn't have to suffer, she wouldn't be afraid to be in her own home."

"It's not your fault, if you had tried to kill him then you may not have survived, this isn't your fault. It's George's. And we will get that man, and any of his men out of our town, and out of our lives." She weaved her hands through his short hair as she tenderly kissed him, she smiled against his lips as they moved against hers. She moved back and watched David's puckered lips turn into a pout at the loss of contact, she smirked back at him. "But today, we're just going to focus on our family, we'll sort this out tomorrow." She informed him, discouraging any arguments he might have, using a firm and commanding tone.

"Yes ma'am." David winked, he quickly pecked his wife's lips once more, then started to unpack Emma's medicine. "This is a lot of medicine." He frowned.

Mary Margret looked at all of the boxes. "It sure is, let's just hope it works."

"It will, I'm certain of it, so long as she rests."

*OUAT*

"Emma, sweetheart, it's time to wake up." Mary Margret lightly scratched circles on her back. She watched Emma look up drowsily, she felt her temperate with the backs of her fingers then brought them down to stroke one of Emma's flushed cheeks. She tucked a golden curl behind her ear. "Are you hungry?" She asked, she watched as Emma shrugged and shivered again. "You need to take your inhalers and have something to eat."

Emma nodded once then rested her head against her mother, her head felt heavy again, her eyes drifted shut as she felt her mother run her fingers through her hair.

David walked over to the table carrying three drinks glasses, he smiled softly at the sight of his wife and daughter, Emma's eyes flickered open when she heard a glass gently being brought down upon the table. David walked over to the lounge and grabbed one of the folded up blankets and wrapped it around his daughter's shoulders. "I'll bring over her tablets, and then her food, I doubt she'll be awake enough to take them after she's finished eating." He said just above a whisper to Mary Margret.

"Good idea"

"You were right, by the way, she does turn into a koala when she's ill." David smirked then made his way back to the kitchen.

"Here you go Emma." She gently moved Emma away from her slightly and passed her the blue inhaler. She watched as Emma take the blue inhaler, managing to stop herself from coughing until after she had done it, then she repeated it with the brown and green inhalers. She handed Emma two paracetamol, "That should help bring your temperature down."

David placed Mary Margret's and Emma's plates down in front of them on the table, then went to grab his own food.

Emma quickly took the large yellow and red antibiotic tablet, then six tiny white pills were handed to her. "No thanks." Emma tried to hand her mother back the tablets.

Mary Margret frowned and moved her hand back so Emma couldn't let go of the tablets. "Why?"

David brought over his own food and, he too, frowned at Emma. "What's up?" He asked, sharing a look with Mary Margret.

"I just don't want to take them." Emma shrugged.

"That's not a reason Emma." Mary Margret responded. "If you don't tell us the real reason, we won't be able to help and come up with a solution."

Emma shrugged again wordlessly.

"Fine, I'm sure we can crush them up to put into your pasta then." Mary Margret opened her hand expectantly.

David quickly took hold of Emma's wrist before she could pull it towards her. "Emma, tell us what's wrong." He commanded. He kept hold of Emma's wrist as she weakly tried to pull away but she kept her lips firmly shut. He gently opened Emma's hand, met with surprisingly little resistance, and took the tablets out of it. He turned to Mary Margret, "Please can you crush these up?" He slowly started to pass over the tablets, he waited for Emma to interrupt him, before his hand could open to pass over the tablets Emma spoke.

"I don't want to be sick again." Emma said quickly. "Those tablets always make me feel sick."

"I'm sorry that they make you feel sick, Emma," Mary Margret smiled sympathetically, "but I'd rather you were able to breathe. So how about we try this, you can take them as slow as you like, that might help."

"You shouldn't feel quite so sick when you take them on a full stomach." David smiled.

"How do you know that?" Emma furrowed her eyebrows.

"I read the leaflet which came with them." David said proudly.

"Instructions suck." Emma teased.

David raised an eyebrow but didn't respond, Emma had long since declared her disdain for instructions, since they had both tried to build Neal's crib.

Emma heaved a sigh. "Okay I'll take them, but if I throw up, I'm not going to be the one to clean up."

"Deal." Mary Margret smirked.

Emma slowly took all the tablets, thankfully without throwing up, then she stared in confusion at her drink. "Wait, why am I drinking juice? I always get a soda."

David chuckled that Emma had only just realised what she was drinking.

"Drinking sodas too often can worsen your asthma." Mary Margret replied simply as she started to eat her own lunch.

"What? How do you know…" Emma spluttered "I mean, what makes you think that?"

"You're not the only one who can use the internet, Emma." Mary Margret said firmly.

Emma sighed, it was times like this her parents were the age they technically were, at least then they'd find it harder to find out this information to use against her. "You could have just asked me."

"Emma, you hid your asthma from us in the first place, I wasn't sure that I could trust you on this one." She said, firmly, but not unkindly. "I did my own research."

Emma squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. "I'm sorry." She moved her pasta around her dish with her fork "I'm used to dealing, ignoring it, by myself. I didn't want to burden you."

David reached across the table to hold Emma's free hand, while Mary Margret placed a hand on her forearm, he drew her attention to him by rubbing circles onto it. "You couldn't burden us if you tried, we're your parents, you don't have to deal with things by yourself."

"And you never have to again, we're with you for the long run, we'll be right at your side; so much that it'll start to annoy you." Mary Margret smirked.

"I'll stick even closer to you when it starts to annoy you." David chuckled, it was not secret he enjoyed annoying Emma.

Emma faked a groan "Can't you guys annoy Neal?" she pushed some more pasta around.

"We will when he's older, so right you get all our attention, at least when it comes to this." Mary Margret laughed.

David and Mary Margret carried on pleasant conversation as Emma ate a little more of her food, she could feel herself growing tired again.

"Emma?"

"Huh? What?" she asked as she jerked awake.

"I asked if you were finished." Mary Margret smiled.

Emma looked down at her pasta and was surprised to see she had eaten less than half of it, she was sure she had eaten a lot more than that. She looked up and nodded.

David and Mary Margret stood up at the same time, David placed his hand on her back, letting her know wordlessly that he would clear the table.

"Let's get you over to the couch." Mary Margret smiled again at her daughter.

"Can I take a shower first?" Emma pulled a face of disgust "I smell like the hospital."

Mary Margret looked wearily at Emma, she didn't want Emma to overdo herself, on the other hand it might do Emma some good. "Okay, make sure it's a quick one though, I'll go get you some clothes to change into."

David walked over to stand next to Emma. He smiled when she automatically leaned against him, her head rested against his stomach, he ran his hand through her golden hair; he remembered when her mother's hair was that long he could see the slight curls which Emma had clearly inherited from Mary Margret. "Are you sure you're up to taking a shower?"

Emma nodded "I want to get this hospital smell off me." Even though she was no longer in the hospital the smell alone was giving her an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She felt David's hand leave her hair and reappear on her back, she closed her eyes as he started to rub calming circles onto her back, the same as he often did to Neal when he was trying to settle his son.

"Maybe you should take a nap after you have your shower."

Emma lifted her head up, abruptly, and looked up at him with a look of abhorrence on her face. "I'm an adult: I don't take naps."

David nodded in mock-serious understanding way. He was finding it hard not to laugh, especially when Emma had followed her serious sounding statement by rubbing her eye with her first covered in his oversized hoodie.

"How about we watch a movie instead?" Mary Margret suggested as she walked over to them with Emma's clothes in her hands. She giggled as both Emma and David jumped, not having heard her, Emma hesitated for a second then nodded. "Don't be too long, I don't want you over doing yourself!" She called to her daughter as the blonde stumbled towards the bathroom.

*OUAT*

Emma shivered as she left the warm bathroom, she was half tempted to go back into the room, but then she heard her brother 'talking' to her parents around the corner so decided against that idea, she had missed him more than she would have thought she would, even if she had only seen him the other day.

Neal was the first one to spot her, he pulled himself up onto his feet and ran towards her with his arms in the air, shouting "Emmy!" as he did so.

Emma crouched down, letting her brother wrap his arms around her, her sudden movement caused her to become light headed. She fell, sitting flat on the floor, Neal giggled as he fell with her. "I'm okay." She assured her parents who were at their side within a second.

"You have to be careful with Emma, Neal, she's poorly." Mary Margret told her son as she swooped him into her arms.

"Emmy?" Neal asked, his tone was sad with sympathy.

"Yes, you have to be nice to Emmy." She'd smiled back at him.

"Come on, let's get you to the couch." David helped Emma up, he looked for a second thoughtfully at her, "Can you walk there, or do you need some help?"

"I can walk there, I just felt a bit light headed." She allowed her father to lead her over to the couch.

David surveyed her with a critical eye. "Okay, you're staying on the couch for the time being."

"I was just a little light headed."

"And you're just staying on the couch for a while." David countered.

Emma crossed her arms, unhappy, at her father's decision. But quickly uncrossed them as a cough raked through her body. Once she had finished her coughing fit she was gasping for air.

"Blue." Emma heard her mother say.

"It's okay, kiddo, here; take this." David pressed the blue inhaler into Emma's hand. He watched as she took it and her breathing slowly calmed, easing to a heavy and slightly quickened pace which had become Emma's new norm.

"Couch." He repeated as he tucked a quilt around Emma, who was now too tired to argue.

"Let's watch a movie." Mary Margret pressed a disk into the dvd player before Emma could see what it was. She sat in the free seat next to Emma, with Neal and his knitted toy dragon in his chubby hands.

David made to move from the arm of the chair he was perched on, to sit on one of the armchairs instead.

"We could make room for you." Emma said quickly, she moved closer to her mother's side, and looked expectantly at David.

He quickly took up residence, despite the couch obviously not being made to sit three adults, a toddler, and a dragon. He could have sworn that once he had settled down, Emma moved closer to him, he could tell this was what his wife had meant when she had referred to Emma becoming a human koala while ill.

"Woof!" Neal declared with glee when the familiar advert came on.

"Yes Neal, it's Bolt." Mary Margret praised, Neal had recently become obsessed with watching the film. He had made Emma watch it a few times, albeit reluctantly, and it had almost made her fall asleep then, so she was hoping that her daughter would definitely fall asleep this time.

Emma's head rolled back with a groan "I hate this film." She crossed her arms.

"Emmy. Share." Neal said, drawing out the word, which he was so often hearing from his parents. He didn't exactly know what it meant, other than his parents would say it when he crossed his arms before he could start a tantrum, exactly as his sister was appearing to do at that very moment.

"Yes Emmy, share." David mimicked.

"My name's not Emmy, you gave me my name, you could at least use it." Emma said sulkily. But her words contrasted with her actions as she moved even closer to her father

David draped an arm around Emma, his hand rested on his wife's shoulder, his fingered traced patters absentmindedly.

"Do you have to be this grossly-loving while I'm sat between you?" Emma complained half-heartedly.

David smiled but did not remove his hand.

*OUAT*

"Neal, don't play cars on your sister, play with them on the ground, buddy." A deep voice called kindly.

The voice roused Emma from her sleep, she opened her eyes to meet blue ones, as close as they could be without actually touching her. Her head darted backwards in shock at the person staring at her, it took her a second to realise it was her little brother.

"Emmy!"

"Cra-" she stopped herself finishing that word, if Neal started copying her language like that "You scared me squirt."

Neal just giggled, then passed her one of his to cars.

Emma twirled the wheels of the car as she woke up properly. She was led on the couch, her head slightly upright with three pillows behind it, her parent's had clearly got that idea from the hospital, a quilt and a couple of blankets were firmly tucked around her, so much so that she could barely move; but she still shivered slightly so she brought the quilt even further up so it was tucked under her chin. She looked around, but couldn't see her parents anywhere. She carried on unenthusiastically playing with Neal, smiling as she watched him crash the cars he held in either hand into the one she held, yet still her parents did not appear; normally she was sure that her parents had a sixth sense when it came to where their family were and what they were doing, but now she wasn't so sure. She occupied herself by playing with her brother, who was now including his toy dragon in the car chase/crash, eventually Emma managed to hold his attention for long enough to ask what was on her mind.

"Hey, squirt, where's mommy and daddy?"

"I'm right here, kiddo." David spoke before Neal could give an answer, he had been leaning on the wall, watching his children play both of them oblivious to him; he was overjoyed to see how well they got on despite their massive age gap. "How are you feeling?" he asked as he walked over to her.

"I'm fine." Emma said quickly, she could feel the pink rising in her cheeks, knowing that her father had heard her asking her little brother where their parents were.

David let out a breathy laugh and sat on the side of Emma's bed. "Of course you are." He felt her temperate with his hand as she rolled her eyes at him. "Prepared to back that up?" he challenged.

Emma took the thermometer he offered her, confident about what the result would be, she pulled herself to sit up more as she waited for the thermometer to beep, "Where's mo-" she started to ask quickly growing bored.

"Ah, ah! You have to be quiet or we won't get the right temperature." David silenced her "Your mom's in the kitchen, we were just tidying the loft up, then I came to check on yo… on Neal."

Emma raised an eyebrow, luckily the thermometer beeped and Emma took it out of her mouth, "Nice save." She said dryly.

David ignored her, he swiped the thermometer out of her hand and frowned as he read it, he turned it off and glanced at the time on his phone. "You can some more medicine in about an hour."

"Do I get to know what it is?"

"No, you can just let us worry about that." David watched Emma look confused for a second, then she looked down with a small smile on her face, he couldn't help but feel as though he had passed some form of test. "You fell asleep before Neal's film had even begun, I'm starting to think that you don't like it." he joked with feigned innocence.

"It's the worst film ever." Emma complained, she rested her head against her father's arm dramatically. "I don't understand why he always has to watch it."

"Aw, well," David mocked "next time you can choose what we watch."

"Hey sweetheart, how are you feeling?" Mary Margret walked over to her family, she had obviously heard Emma awake and talking, as she handed Emma a mug of tea. "It has lemon and honey in it, it should make your throat feel better." She smiled as Emma sipped the drink, she knew it wasn't her daughter's drink of choice, but it would help her more than coffee or hot chocolate.

"Regina's going to bring Henry by in a little while."

"What?" Emma almost spat her drink out at her father's sudden revelation.

"He wanted to come see you, they're only going to stay for a while, you still need to rest." Mary Margret explained. "Is that alright."

"Yeah…. Yeah, of course it is. I just didn't think Regina would wat him to get ill." She hadn't told her parents about her dream concerning Henry, nor about the fear of any feeling he may hold about her giving him up.

David and Mary Margret shot her concerned looks but didn't question her anymore.

*OUAT*

Henry quickly set up the Wii for him and Emma to play a game of Mario Kart, Regina, Mary Margret, and David, had all decided to go and talk in the kitchen to avoid hearing the competitiveness which Henry and Emma always exhibited while playing the game. Neal had decided he wanted to play too, Henry gave him an unplugged control to make him believe that he too was playing.

"I'm sorry that I didn't get to see you at his age, at least not properly." Emma admitted as the game started. "I had the memories your mom gave us before we left for New York, but…"

"They became blurry." Henry finished, he had expected that Emma's had started to fade, to become harder to remember, even his own were becoming harder to recall though a lot of them were rooted in his true memories so he was at a slight advantage. "It happened when I broke my memory spell, before Neal was born." He said sympathetically.

The two carried on playing in silence for a while, the only noise was energetic music and the repetitive sound effects as the two played for a while in silence.

"When I was your age, I was angry, very angry." Emma said as she fell from third to fifth place. "I didn't understand why my parents didn't want me, after the anger passed, I felt resentment… for a long, long, time, even after I found them properly, I couldn't help but feel the same. Even now, sometimes it's hard, not to feel resentful at them, or at least wistful that they hadn't given me away."

Henry focused on his game controller, he hesitated before he spoke. "I felt like that too, for a while. When I was younger and I didn't know who you were, or who my family were." He said quietly he watched his mother copy how he looked down at the controller. "But then Grandma gave me my book. I saw how your parents gave you up so you could have your best chance; I hoped that that was why you gave me up: to give me my best chance." Henry dropped his controller and threw his arms around Emma. "I didn't know what you gave up until we came back here from New York, until I remembered all the things which my other mom got to see." He pulled back from Emma to look into her eyes. "I'm not angry anymore." He promised.

"I'm sorry." Emma whispered so quietly that not even Henry heard her.

*OUAT*

"Did you ask them if they wanted a drink?" Mary Margret asked David as he walked back over to the kitchen.

David shook his head and walked over to the fridge, he opened it, hid his face as he wiped his eyes. Then brought out a jug of juice. He poured two glasses full then turned back to Mary Margret and Regina. "They're talking right now, but I'll some over for them in a couple of minutes."

"Are you okay, hon?" Mary Margret asked quietly.

David nodded his head minutely, but he stayed silent.

Regina pretended not to see Mary Margret giving David a concerned look which he ignored, their hand clenched together behind the counter.

*OUAT*

Emma had been quiet for the rest of the evening.

After Regina and Henry had left, Henry looking slight redder eyed than he was when he had arrived, Emma had tried to stick fairly close to her parents.

David looked over to where Emma sat at the counter. Before Emma had attached herself at the hip to them both, David had explained to his wife the conversation he had overheard.
It would appear that Emma's head was filled with thoughts about this conversation Henry's own past revelations over his parentage issues had brought up her own, though some part of her distractedness, and clear feelings of vulnerability which were making her, for lack of a better word clingy, were due to her medication and illness.

"Mary Margret?" David got her attention. "I'll sort dinner out by myself." His eyes drifted down to Emma, who sat once again fighting to keep her eyes open. "What do you say, Em, breakfast for dinner?" he asked enthusiastically, he pulled her into his side, he felt relief when Emma didn't tense or pull away.

Emma took a minute before she looked up at her father "What?" she asked confused, she had obviously missed something.

"It doesn't matter Emma," Mary Margret nodded at David, she walked over to Emma and helped her stand. "Come on, baby, we'll go play with Neal while your dad makes the food."

*OUAT*

David swung the tea-towel onto his shoulder when he had dried the last plate. Emma hadn't moved from the stool, she had sat on at the island, since Mary Margret had taken Neal to bed. Although she had been speaking more than she had earlier on, she still seemed worried about something. David counted out the amount of tablets Emma had to take, he knew that Emma would be hesitant to sleep that night after her previous night's dreams, and that other problems were on her mind which would make her hesitant to be away from he and her mother. He needed some way to help her relax, to make them all relax really, the next day would bring the stresses of both Emma being ill, and trying to conduct the hunt for a sociopath and the men helping him.

"I love you, kiddo." David told her as he placed the tablets and a drink in front of her.

"I know." She said as if it surprised her how easy it felt.

"Good." He smiled. "Take your tablets" He pressed a kiss onto her head then he set about putting the dried dishes away.

Once he had finished he saw that Emma was moving the six steroid tablets around on the counter, making pictures out of them. He should have known that those would be the hard ones to get her to take.

"I'll give you a cookie if you take them."

Emma reached for the outstretched cookie, but David moved it from her reach before she could take it.

David raised an eyebrow expectantly.

Emma slowly took all six of the tablets, and sent him a smile, which was the picture of her father's, when he gave her the cookie.

Mary Margret walked over to them, Neal having finally fallen asleep, she rubbed her hand on Emma's back. "How about we watch a movie

"Will it be one of your boring chick flicks?" Emma asked, after hearing the adventure filled love story her parent's shared, the others seemed nothing but dreary to Emma.

Mary Margret rolled her eyes "No Emma, it won't be one of those, I don't think I want to her your father and you making sarcastic comments for the next two hours." She teased.

Emma looked to her father, waiting for him to make some suggestions.

"It's up to you, Em, after all, it is your turn to choose." He smirked, referring back to their previous conversation.

Emma thought for a second, running through a mental list of dvd's she owned, until a thought occurred to her. "How about Thor?" she suggested.

"What's Thor?" David questioned.

Emma's mouth fell open "How could you not know what Thor is?" she said astonished. "We're definitely watching it now. It's about a superhero, alien, demigod type guy, and his evil brother. Oh and he has lots of cool warrior friends who help him. Trust me, you'll love it." she said confidently, however when she stood up, she waited for her parents to walk with her.

*OUAT*

"She was right, that was a good film." David whispered, as the after credits scene finally passed, Emma had long since fallen asleep against her mother's shoulder.

"It was," Mary Margret smiled, obviously David would be wanting to watch more of those superhero films, no doubt Emma would be joining him, "though now we have to her up to go to bed."

David stood up and moved in front of his wife and daughter. "I'll carry her." He shook his head. Even if she was half asleep, they would have a hard job trying to convince Emma to leave their side, even David felt nervous at the thought of his daughter being away from him. Similar panic he had had when Neal was first born rose within him once more, what if she got ill during the night, or had a bad coughing attack, or worse an asthma attack.

He carefully picked his daughter up and carried her up the stairs to her room. Mary Margret followed them up a few seconds later, she pulled the covers down, and set the pillows up just like before, then she nodded at David to lay Emma down.

Apparently, Mart Margret had felt the same concern at leaving Emma, as she had brought up the baby-monitor they were given as a gift. "This way we'll be able to hear if something's wrong. She won't like it, but this is how it has to be." She told him as she placed it half behind a picture frame on Emma's chest of drawers.

David smiled warmly at his wife, he bent down and pressed a kissed onto Emma's forehead "Night, princess, we're here if you need us." He whispered, then switched placed with his wife.

"Good night, sweetheart, and sweet dreams." She said before she, too, kissed Emma's forehead. She straightened up, before she moved away from the bed, she turned on one of the battery powered candles David had gifted Emma, which now resided on Emma's bedside table.

*OUAT*

"Your grace, the shepherd and his family are close to the Evil queen, if we were just to attack her we would be able to draw them out."

"No." the blading man commanded, he looked at the large map of the town, black and white chess pieces were set in different places upon it. "The Mayor may not be the same as she was in our homeland, but she is still dangerous, if you touch one hair on the head of her son…. Well, I will never get my revenge. Keep her and their friends busy, then we can move to strike the shepherd."

"You think he'll give in without a fight?" the voice belonged to a man who sat staring into the flames of the grand fire. The dip of the scar on his face was only exaggerated by the flicking light.

"I'm not a fool, of course I know he'll fight. That will make it all the sweeter when he is powerless to me: when he'll lose everything no matter how hard he tries." The old king gave a cold and callous smile, which sent chill down the spines of all who saw it, even the large man by the fire. George turned to one of the smaller men by the door. "Go wake him. It's time for him to give the girl a bedtime story."