II
Chapter Twelve
II
Present day
II
Despite Henry's eager chatting far into the night, Emma wakes up early in the morning. For a while she just lies awake, letting her mind wander. This is going to be her home for a while, this Storybrooke. She's given Henry a promise, she's accepted a job and she's established some sort of rapport with David and Mary Margaret Nolan.
A brand new world, this. Storybrooke. Henry's world, possibly to become hers as well. Possibly.
She turns over on her side to regard Henry sleeping in the bed next to hers. He looks so young when he sleeps, and she can almost see the baby he once was in his face.
The one she gave up.
Pushing that thought away, she rises from bed, giving Henry a gentle shake. He stirs immediately, giving her a wide smile as he opens his eyes.
"Come on, kid," she says brightly. "Let's see how your parents are doing."
II
Mary Margaret always knows when her husband is lying. It's so obvious to her she wonders how anyone else could be fooled by it, but apparently they are. Because David is telling Dr. Whale the headaches haven't come back at all and he's fine, and Dr. Whale is believing it.
She's not.
"David," she says sternly the moment Whale leaves the room. "You should tell him."
He gives her a slightly guilty look. "It was just a slight headache couple of times during the night. I'll be fine. I just want to go home. I just want to take you all home."
She nods as he takes her hand. "I want to go home too."
"You will," he assures her. "I'll take a few days off work and stay home to look after you. I'll be at your beck and call; your every desire will be catered to."
"Every?"
"Every," he assures her in a low voice, leaning forward to kiss her. She leans into it, moaning softly as he deepens the kiss and moves his hand to her ear.
"Mo-ooom! Da-aaad!" Henry complains from the door, a tones of resigned exasperation to his voice. David smiles against her lips for a moment before breaking the kiss, giving her a look that promises to pick it up later.
"Good morning, Henry," David says as he turns around, opening his arms as Henry runs into them. Lifting him up, he brings their son up high enough to hug Mary Margaret as well.
"Morning, mom," Henry whispers into her hair, and she hugs him back fiercely. From the corner of her eye she can see Emma watch it all.
"Good morning, Emma," she says. David, still holding Henry, turns as well, and Emma seems a little uncomfortable suddenly being the center of attention.
"Survived the night, I see."
"Yeah," David answers lightly. "You survived as well, I see."
"Yeah, yeah," Emma says just as lightly. "Touch and go there, but I managed."
Mary Margaret laughs, as does David and Emma. Only Henry makes a face at being the joke, but then smiles a little secretively as well, clearly secretly enjoying it.
"They're going to let mom come home today," David tells Henry, who beams. "What do you say we go home and make it ready for her?"
"Yeah!" Henry agrees, and David winks at Mary Margaret as he leads their son out.
"I better go," Emma says, but Mary Margaret holds up a hand.
"Wait, please. Henry seems to have had a great time with you."
"Yeah, well. He's a great kid."
Mary Margaret nods several times, forcing back a lump in her throat. "David and I, we've decided that if you want to, you can be a part of his life. Spend time with him while you're here."
Emma seems to digest that for several moments. "You know it was a closed adoption and that you don't have to, right?"
"We know."
Emma blinks back what might be tears, offering a strained smile. "Thanks, I... I appreciate that. I'll let you get some rest."
She slips out and Mary Margaret leans back, feeling strangely uplifted by it all. Perhaps this is the beginning of a good thing after all. Perhaps this will all work out. Perhaps.
II
"You do realize this is against medical advice?" Dr. Whale says, as he's said several times now. Belle just nods this time. "All right, I will discharge you."
"About time," Belle mutters angrily, watching him walk out while he's shaking his head. So be it. He wouldn't be the first one she's refused to please.
He's not going to be the last, she thinks as the Mayor walks into her room. He looks more unaffected today, looking at her with more composure. But she hasn't forgotten his visit last time nor what Regina told her.
"Good morning," he offers. "I assume you've been well taken care of?"
"What do you care?" she asks smartly, gauging his reaction. "I don't even know you."
"You don't know me," he agrees. It sounds almost sad. "Why were you in such a hurry to leave town? You could have caused Mrs. Nolan serious injury. You were both very fortunate."
"Doesn't feel like it," Belle says sharply. "Are you here to tell me I'll be facing charges?"
"No. I've seen to it that you won't."
She steps out of the bed, watching him as she walks closer. He doesn't move, not even when she gets right up in his face.
"What, am I supposed to thank you for that? You expect gratitude? Don't you know I'm the heartless one?"
"You're not heartless," he says emphatically.
"No? Do you know why it feels like I have no heart? Why it hurts? Do you?"
He is silent, but something in his eyes seem almost pained.
"Until you're ready to tell me, leave me alone," she says sharply, tip-toeing as she leans forward and kisses him. Hard, not a caress at all, yet his lips remain soft against hers.
As she breaks the kiss, she gives him a slight shove. He looks at her with such a controlled face she almost wants to scratch at it, see what's underneath what he wants everyone to see. There must be something beyond his act, beyond his riches, beyond this. Instead she walks off, feeling the heart beating in her chest contract sharply as she does.
Funny. It's almost as if it isn't hers.
II
David sees Emma come out of his wife's room a little hurriedly, then pause further down the hallway and lean against the wall. She looks a little dazed.
Carefully, he approaches, pausing a few feet away to lean against the wall as well.
"You all right?" he asks gently. She looks up startled and he realizes she hasn't heard him approach.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I thought you and Henry had left already."
"I had to sign some discharge papers and Henry wanted to see Regina's father. Henry Mills. He's got a heart condition, he's been in hospital a long time."
"Henry Mills," Emma repeats. "I'm guessing the similar names are not a coincidence?"
"You're guessing right. We named Henry after him. Mary Margaret, she volunteered at the hospital before we had Henry, our Henry. She brought Henry Mills flowers every day. He became a good friend. He likes Henry, I think he likes to think of himself as an honorary grandfather."
"It's nice to have a family," Emma observes and he knows, just knows Emma Swan would have liked one more than anything. How any parent could have given up a child like Emma, he has no idea.
"Yeah," he agrees softly. "It's nice to have a family."