Just a quick little note to answer a couple of guest reviews :) 1: To the guest that asked about Graham's name. I didn't like the name that they used Neal. For one thing, Henry may have wanted to use it in the future if he has a son. I chose Graham because he spared Snow's life, so if it wasn't for him Emma, "Neal" and Henry wouldn't exist. Hope that clears it up! 2: Thank you to the guest who pointed out I hadn't added characters in the story properties! I thought I had, but obviously missed it in the excitement of getting it posted :P
Snow and David really did try their best to balance work life and family life. They knew there were times when they both had to work to run the kingdom, and they had chosen one nanny to look after Emma and Graham, always together when neither parent could be there. They still did their best to try and have them with a parent as often as possible, but particularly for Emma, only having to deal with one other person (well, except for auntie Red and Granny for a special treat) looking after her made a huge difference. But Snow and David had already planned a surprise for Emma that day. Snow desperately wanted to get away from royal life, bossing people around, and just be with her family. They'd planned a family picnic to their favourite meadow. Snow and David had also decided that Emma was old enough to go swimming with her father in the lake there. David came up to Graham's nursery, where his children were Serena-their nanny- often looked after them.
"Where are daddy's little monsters then?" He asked, going in to the room.
"Daddy!" Emma shouted excitedly, running over from her dolls house and into David's waiting arms. "Look Nina (Emma's nickname for Serena), look Gway-um, daddy!" David chuckled, picking her up.
"Have you been a good girl this morning?" He asked her. She nodded. David raised an eyebrow over at Serena, knowing that Emma still had three months of the terrible twos left and it seemed she planned to use every second of them. Serena just smiled at him.
"They've both been very good today." She backed up Emma.
"I no have any ac-idents!" Emma boasted.
"Good job baby." David said, kissing her cheek. "Well, since you've been such a good girl and Graham's been such a good boy, what do you say we all go to the meadow together and have a picnic?" He told her. Emma clapped her hands happily. "I'll take that as a 'good idea daddy'" David chuckled, setting her down and taking her hand. He walked over to Graham's crib, scooping him up with his free arm. He thanked Serena for looking after them, as he or Snow always did when taking over, and left to join Snow at the stables where she was waiting.
"Mommy!" Emma cried, letting go of her father's hand and running at Snow. Snow picked her up and twirled with her in the air. She delighted in seeing her daughter so happy.
"Hey princess, ready to get going?" She asked her. Emma nodded enthusiastically. "Good. You just wait there one second then and we'll get you up on the horse." Snow told her. Emma waited patiently as Snow tied a sling around her to place Graham in. Once he was nice and secure she got up on her horse. She had another strip of cloth ready to tie Emma to her to keep her up on the horse if the ride got a bit bumpy. David handed her up and Snow tied the cloth around both their middles. David and Snow had agreed that both the children should travel with Snow so that should they be ambushed David could hold them off whilst Snow got away with them.
Together, the family rode to the quiet little spot that Snow and David thought of as their safe haven. They enjoyed a peaceful picnic together, before Snow and David sprung their little surprise to Emma.
"Emma," Snow said, getting her daughter's attention. "Daddy and I had a little talk, and we both think you're old enough now to go for a little swim in the lake with daddy, does that sound fun?" Emma nodded enthusiastically. She was barely able to stand still enough for Snow to change her into some old clothes to swim in. When she and David were both ready, Emma practically dragged him to the edge.
"Just a second there angel." David said, stopping her and bending down so that they were eye level. "You're old enough now to go in the water, but you're not quite big enough to swim by yourself yet. So you need to stay with daddy, ok?"
"Ok, ok, let's just go in!" Emma demanded. David rolled his eyes, so like her mother.
David took Emma into the water, delighting in her little giggles as she splashed about.
"Look mommy!" She called up. "I'm a mermaid!" Snow chuckled.
"Is that so?" She said. "Well what a pretty mermaid you are." She then turned to her two month old son. "We'll need to tell auntie Ariel about that, won't we?" She cooed.
Time passed, and Snow knew it was late afternoon. She wanted to be back home before nightfall. It would be dangerous for them to travel in the dark. Besides, Emma was still scared of the dark.
"Ok you two!" Snow called down. "Time's up. Time to get dried off, changed and back home for dinner." Emma pouted.
"No leave!" She whined.
"Yes Emma. Time to go home now. Come on, you've been such a good girl all day. Don't spoil it." Snow warned her. David gently carried her to the edge of the lake. But before he had the chance to take her hand and lead her over to Snow who was waiting with a strip of cloth to dry her with Emma darted away back into the water.
"Emma!" Snow yelled, getting up. David followed a split second behind her. Even then, Emma had a chance to go too deep and was submerged under the water. She could only have been under for a second. But it was enough to make Snow's heart skip a beat. David quickly yanked her out. Emma gasped, shocked.
"Are you alright?" David asked her, panicking. Emma didn't answer, just burst into tears.
"Well we at least know she's breathing." Snow commented. David put her down and took Graham from Snow so she could check Emma over.
"Emma," Snow said calmly. "You don't need to cry. You're alright." Snow said, beginning to dry her off. Emma cried hysterically for another couple of minutes before calming herself, giving the occasional little cough.
"There," Snow said, finally managing to wipe her face. "That's better." Snow sighed. "Emma that was a really silly thing to do." Snow said calmly. "Daddy said you were too little to go into the water by yourself. And mommy told you it was time to get dry so we could go home before it got dark. You didn't listen to mommy and daddy, did you Emma?" Snow asked her. Emma looked down and shook her head. "No, I thought not." Snow said, changing her into her dry clothes. David came back from getting changed himself. Snow put Graham back into his sling and got up onto the horse. David then picked Emma up to hand her up to Snow. Snow noticed his frown.
"We'll talk about it more when we get home." Snow said, taking Snow. She then knew why David frowned. Emma was boiling, despite giving little shivers. "Once you've seen Doc."
"Nooooo" Emma whined, slouching back against Graham's sling. "No like Doc, he gives icky medicine." Emma whined.
"Well, hopefully that will remind you why we don't go into the lake without mommy or daddy." Snow reprimanded her. Emma had gone swimming plenty of times back in Storybrooke, but in clean, warm pool water. The lake water was reasonably warm, but Snow and David weren't keen on it being swallowed, thus why Graham wasn't allowed in at all. David shrugged off his jacket and wrapped it around Emma before getting on his own horse. This was now going to be a long week.
