Prompt:
AU Snowing and their first night with Emma putting her to sleep. (Based on when Snow said in 2x03 "you never even got to spend a night")
Snow doesn't want to put her daughter down.
For the whole day, Emma has stayed in the arms of either herself or Charming. Neither of them really want to let go, as if fearing that if either puts her down, she'll gone. Maybe it's Regina's threats and the whispers of a failed attempt at casting a terrible curse. Maybe it's just first-time parent anxiety. Either way, they've held their daughter the whole day and not let go once.
Snow has found herself marveling at how Emma feels in her arms and how Emma looks in Charming's; and every time Snow has met Charming's gaze, she's known he feels the same way. Their daughter. This is their daughter, so long awaited and already so loved.
And now, now it is night. They should put Emma to bed, they are putting Emma to bed. They're just finding it hard to let go.
Charming's arms are linked around her stomach as Snow leans back against him with Emma in her arms. They're both watching the crib with the unicorn mobile above, as they have for what feels like an eternity.
Emma doesn't seem to mind. She's sleeping in Snow's arms as if that is all she needs, as if her mother's arms are far better than a royal nursery.
"You need sleep, Snow," Charming murmurs against her temple, pressing a soft kiss against it as well.
"I know," she murmurs back. "You do too."
And yet, neither of them make a move. They just stand there, Emma making a few soft noises in her sleep. So tiny, their little daughter, yet she'll grow to a wonderful woman, and somehow, Snow doesn't want to miss even a second of it. Not even this first night. Not when it feels like they came so close to losing it.
Her husband seems to pick up on what she's thinking, as he so often does.
"We can sleep right here," Charming whispers into her ear. "I'll let us some blankets and pillows and we can stay in her nursery all night."
She looks up at him, knowing he must see the love and the gratitude on her face, because his lips turn upwards. Softly, he kisses her.
"I'll get us what we need," he says, leaning down to kiss Emma's forehead gently. "I'll be back soon."
Snow watches him slip out the door, hearing him give a few instructions in a soft voice to the servants outside. Probably they'll find the royals wanting to sleep on the floor of their daughter's nursery quite strange, but Snow doesn't care. Doesn't care at all.
"Emma," she says lovingly, feeling the weight of their child in her arms. Their daughter. Their family. It is strange thing that happiness can feel so strong that it is almost unbearable, yet here she is holding it.
As Charming reenters the room with pillows and blankets, he gives her a soft smile and she nods. While he makes their bed, she finally leans over the crib.
"Goodnight, Emma," she says softly, kissing her daughter's forehead before lowering her into the crib – and their daughter sleeps on happily, unaware of how her mother and her father curl up in each other's arms on the floor next to her.
Spending the night here is more for their sakes than Emma's, Snow knows. Their daughter is sleeping happily, oblivious to the world. She won't even remember this, this first night in her nursery.
But they will. And one day they can tell her about the first night she spent her and she'll laugh at her silly, overprotective parents – but know she was so wanted that her parents couldn't even let her go the first day or let her sleep alone the first night.
Because to Snow and to Charming, Emma was all they ever wanted.