Trials and tribulations of Princess Emma Swan
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything to do with once upon a time. Wish I did because if I did season 2 would be starting Sunday.
SUMMARY: Emma's past, present and future.
PREVIOUSLY: Emma had told snow about bae but she has just found out that henry had overheard.
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Jiminy didn't know what to say. Emma sat there and was having a hard time; henry was running for the door. Jiminy thought Emma would grab him as he went past her, but Emma didn't move a muscle. It was like she was paralyzed. They heard the office door slam shut.
BANG
Emma seemed to snap then, henry had just run off but as soon as Emma went to stand up she found that she couldn't breathe. She was hyperventilating. She wasn't aware that jiminy had come over to hear.
"That's it Emma, deep breaths in…. and … out." Jiminy was trying to get Emma to breathe properly so it would calm her before she passed out.
Emma wasn't aware of anything except that henry knew. The more she thought about henry the tighter her chest felt. She was sure her chest was being crushed on the inside.
Jiminy rang Prince James. "Prince James you need to come to my office. Emma is hyperventilating. No I have tried to calm her. Henry mentioned that Emma was raped. No henry is not here, he ran off. I think that is why Emma can't calm down. I don't know Prince James he just left."
After jiminy replaced the receiver he looked around his office for a paper bag or something similar so Emma could breathe into it and hopefully calm down.
SOMEWHERE IN TOWN.
James knew that when Emma calmed down she wouldn't be pleased if he didn't find henry first. He knew this because she was so much like snow, and snow would be furious. He had three choices but he knew I would only one was acceptable. 1 choice: go to Emma and look for henry after she was calm. Not happening Emma would be angry at him for that.
2 choice: leave Emma hyperventilating and look for henry first. That too wasn't going to happen snow would be angry with him for that.
That left the only choice he could make. Drive home while looking for henry to get snow. Then take snow to Emma so she could calm her or at least try. While snow was with Emma he would find henry.
James drove in the direction of home.
He picked snow up and brought her up to speed with what was happening. She told him to just drop her off outside and go find henry. Snow watched as James pulled away to go find their grandson, before she walked in.
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When snow walked in the sight she saw was worse than when Emma had actually told her about bae.
"Emma honey?" snow just wanted to get Emma attention. But Emma didn't look up. She did answer sort of. "he." Hiccup "knows." Hiccup "that" hiccup "I was" hiccup "that" hiccup "bae" hiccup. She stopped talking then. Snow had known henry knew James had told her and jiminy had told him. Snow didn't say anything she just sat next to Emma and held onto her daughter. Emma's breathing had started to slow to a normal pace after a few minutes, but it didn't last very long because as soon as she had calmed down enough to breathe and allow oxygen into her brain, her brain kicked in.
"My god, mum he knows. He left I have to find him. He can't be out there rumple might get him. I have to find him. Mum he thinks that I don't love him. That I can't love him, because of how he came about. I do I swear I do. He was the only good thing to come from my last placement. I have to go." Emma was trying to break the hold snow had on her to go find her son. To tell him he was wrong that she had loved him. She had loved him before he was born, she hadn't lied about that. But she also had to tell him that she did and would always love him. Snow would release Emma, so Emma started to struggle against the hold.
"Emma honey calm down your fathers looking for henry. He will find him." Emma stopped struggling but she didn't calm down. "This is my fault. I should have kept my mouth shut. If I hadn't said anything then James wouldn't have overheard and shouted. Which means henry would still believe his father was a hero, a firefighter, a good man who saved lives. He wouldn't know his father was a brutal man, who had interfered with a minor. He should never have had to know that." Snow felt the guilt overpowering everything with in Emma. She felt Emma's guilt as if it were her own. She didn't know how to make this alright. So she just held Emma as tight as Emma would allow.
JAMES' TRUCK
Snow had given him a quick list of places henry would go. He had checked the new park but henry wasn't there. He had checked his old castle, but still no henry. The woods where he was found after the coma, the dinner and Pinocchio's. But he had come up empty the only places he thought that could be left was rumples, but he didn't want to think about that or Regina's. The problem with checking Regina's was if he wasn't there then Regina would know and ask questions, and get hostile and Emma didn't need any of that right now. He did one last sweep of the town before he went to Regina's. It was the only place he could think of.
REGINAS
"Hold on I am coming" Regina shouted, she was just coming out of the kitchen.
"Prince James a little early for the meeting aren't you." Regina asked.
"Regina I need to know if henry is here. He ran away from Jiminy's not long ago and I was checking the town in case he was wondering. It is dangerous with rumple out there. So I came here last hoping he was here and safe."
"He isn't here James. I had better have another look. Or why don't you get the sheriff to do it." Regina replied in an even tone. James knew she was hiding something.
"Regina please if he is here just tell, me so I can tell everyone he is safe. He is having problems at the moment with something he overheard and he didn't stick around to listen fully. So please I just need to know if….."
"HE ISNT HERE." Regina screamed. She calmed down then. "I got a message on my phone telling me he had had a fight with Emma and he was sorry for everything bad he had ever done. But that he was safe. I looked as soon as I got the message but I couldn't see him anywhere. I was trying to ring Emma to find out what has gone off but there wasn't an answer." "So why don't you tell me what has happened and why the hell my son has disappeared." Regina was getting nasty now.
"It isn't for me to tell you. Regina, let's just say henry overheard a private conversation that has upset him and he won't let anyone explain it." Regina just gave James a look of contempt "if he comes or calls again will you please call me to let me know he is with you." James asked as he walked back to the truck.
Regina closed the door and headed back to the kitchen for the sandwich she had been making. She took it up stairs with her.
"Here you go henry, you should eat something." Regina spoke to the boy currently laid on his old bed.
Regina had been home when she had heard the front door. The moment henry had seen her he had run into her arms crying and apologizing for every bad thing he had ever done. He also apologized for making have to put up with him. She had tried to get him to talk but all he could do was cry. She knew James, snow and Emma were no doubt worried but she didn't care henry had been and would always be her priority. Even now, he was laid on the bed just saying no one could love him. She wanted to find out what had happened so she would have an excuse for taking him back but he still wouldn't talk. At 5 she would make sure Emma and the rest knew he was here but she had 4 hours till then. If she could help henry then Emma might let henry spend time with her that way she could slip him the potion that would help him forget Emma. Forget storybrooke, forget who she was and just remember she was his only mother and she loved him. She sat on the edge of the bed watching as henry ate his sandwich, she was rubbing his back or brushing the hair from his eyes every so often hoping to calm him down.
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James arrived at the office to find jiminy outside his door.
"What's going on jiminy why are you out here?" James had asked; hoping he didn't sound too worried.
"We know Emma prince James she isn't a big fan of letting people see her vulnerability. I thought it best to leave her and snow alone. Did you find henry?"
"No but I am pretty sure Regina has him. She wasn't her usual self. She was hiding something and I think she was hiding henry but I can't be sure. There was something just off about her. Do you know what I mean?" Jiminy didn't reply but after 28years of being a therapist he knew exactly what James was talking about.
Emma was still curled up on Jiminy's sofa with snow when James walked in. he looked solemn so snow knew he hadn't found him. Emma on the other hand hadn't noticed yet that James was there. Emma didn't even move a muscle when snows cell phone started to vibrate against her side. Snow managed to get the phone and swapped places with James. James snow held Emma in his arms while snow answered the phone.
Just as she went to press the answer button she noticed Regina's names was on top of the incoming call.
"Hello Regina"
"Snow I wasn't sure I was going to do this but I had too."
"Had to what Regina?"
"Henry is here, he came just before James got here but he was so upset and wouldn't talk, and I didn't want to let James know to upset him more." Snow just listened as Regina continued.
"He is asleep right now on his bed, I thought that just before the meeting happens Emma could come and talk to him. He thinks no one loves him so what is going off." Regina hated being kept out of the loop. Especially since whatever it was involved henry.
"Regina I can't tell you what has happened, all I can say is henry has heard half a conversation and isn't willing to hear what was said completely. Is he really ok, I know you said he was upset but is that all."
"Yes snow he was crying and apologizing for everything, he has me worried. But please let Emma know he is safe here, and will be here for wen Emma is. I would say maybe an hour before the meeting stars."
Snow thanked Regina before hanging up.
When snow had hung up Regina thought that she had successfully gain points with snow which meant with Emma too.
Snow walked back into the room. "Henry went to Regina's, he is a sleep at the moment so she suggested you might want to go about 4 and talk to him before the meeting starts." Snow could see the relief in charming's face, but Emma just nodded.
Snow, James and Emma where all getting ready to go to Regina's. It was getting close to 4pm, but Emma was suddenly very nervous what happened if henry wouldn't talk to her, or if he wouldn't listen to her. Emma decided that she had to tell the whole group about who bae was, at least then when she brought him her they would all protect henry. She didn't have to tell them the whole truth just that he was henry's father and a nasty piece of work. The thing was if she spoke to henry first and he exploded which she couldn't blame him for doing it if he did, but then everyone would know and feel sorry for her. She didn't want that, she knew she would be able to put on a brave face if she only told the half of the whole story. She knew snow wouldn't buy it but hopefully everyone else would. She was still thinking of how to do this without them finding out all of it. Henry won, he was the most important and she had to talk to him no matter what happened, and no matter what they all found it. During the drive to Regina's Emma turned to snow and James. "Can you guys tell Regina why henry is upset? I don't want her thinking I have hurt him. I would rather she not know but if she does then the three of you will be able to protect henry from HIM better. You don't need to tell her about the how henry was born just that bae is his father and he is a mean piece of work. I would rather she think I slept with an older married man than what actually happened."
"Of course Emma we will tell her that henry found out you had lied about his father being a fireman, because you didn't want to admit who he was and that's why he is upset. That should work."
"Thanks."
Regina was surprisingly nice when she opened the door. "Hi he is in his room upstairs I can take you up there."
"Actually Regina charming and I were hoping we could talk to you. Emma asked us to tell you what happened to upset henry. So would it be ok if Emma went up and we spoke down here before everyone arrives." Regina didn't like this, she wanted to hear Emma and henrys conversation, but at least she would find out and if she kept up the cooperation act she might be able to get time with henry and win him back.
"Of course why don't we go through to the kitchen I will make tea will we talk. Emma go on up. Its straight up the stair and the first door to the left as you look from the top step." Emma nodded and headed up. She knew where to go she had been in his room before but didn't say anything. Regina led the two others through to the kitchen.
Snow had started telling Regina the half true side of the story.
Emma stood at the entrance to henry's room, watching him on his computer.
"Hello henry" Emma said softly.
"I don't want to talk to you." Ok Emma thought henry was still hostile.
"So don't talk then Kidd, just listen." Emma said, she didn't need him to speak she just need him to understand things, to tell him everything.
"I got it ok. You were raped, because YOU WERE RAPED, you got pregnant. You got pregnant with me. I understand. I remind you of him. You can stop lying now. My father wasn't a fireman he was a rapist. He wasn't a hero, he was a rapist and you can't love me because I am HIS SON." Henry's voice had been going up and down throughout his speech. He was softly crying.
Emma went up to the computer chair and wrapped her arms around him. Henry struggled but Emma didn't let go. She wouldn't let him go. She put her lips to his ear and whispered. "I lied because I don't want this to happen. I don't want to lose you again. You were the best thing to happen, to me then henry you helped me get through what had happened and I love you more than anything in this world." Emma was still holding him.
"You don't love me you can't. I wouldn't love me if I was you." Henry muttered. Emma heard him and said the only things she could think of.
"You're not me henry, you are my son and I am your mother. But as for loving you, henry I have proof I that I love you more than anything. I broke this curse, I woke you up. And all I did was tell you I love you and kissed you. Even the blue fairy said it. It was true loves kiss. How can you say I don't love you? I broke a curse with the love I have for you. Isn't that proof enough. That I love you."
Henry looked at her, really looked at her. "You did, you broke the curse. You do love me." He spun in his chair so he could hug her as tightly as she hugged him. "I am sorry. I should have talked to you. Will you tell me everything now?"