No need to pinch yourself...you're not dreaming. I have another chapter for you guys!
I have been really inspired lately, plus I've had a lot more time to write, so I've been trying to pump these out quicker than usual. Plus I really wanted to get this chapter out on Thanksgiving, and I did it!
For those of you worried about Emma's fated death...stick to the end. I promise, even if you do not want to read about her dying, things are not always what you think. Have faith that everything will work out in the end.
Also, just to ease some of your minds...I would be disappointed if Snow and Charming never had another son. While it may not be happening now, who knows what the future holds?
A huge thank you to my marvelous beta, ladywolf101!
Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans! I, unfortunately, am not able to return home to see my family today, so if you do have the chance to be with the ones you love, tell them how thankful you are for them. As for me, I am thankful for my friends and family, but I am also very thankful for all of you. My readers have helped me discover my love for writing, and I will be forever thankful for that.
Now, on to the chapter...enjoy!
They may have missed it the first time, but they were here now and so, so excited. Not that she minded. She wanted them here to see something that had been ripped from them.
Her first steps.
It had only been a few days since she had woken up, but Emma had been continuously getting better. She still ached everywhere, but her doctor had said that her muscles were strong enough to try moving, so here she was. She had wanted to dive in, and being able to walk again would make her feel a lot less like a gravely ill person, which she wasn't.
Sure, it wasn't her first time ever walking, but that didn't matter. Her head told her that she knew what she was doing, but she wasn't sure if her legs would be cooperating. She hoped they did. After all, it wasn't every day that her parents got to experience something new with her.
So it was her first steps (after being in a coma), but she had decided to ignored the second part.
Her mom had cried when she asked them to be there. David had looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the world, but Snow had completely broken down. Emma had expected tear-filled eyes, but her mother hadn't been able to hold anything back. Not that she blamed her. It's not every day that your child asks you to help her learn how to walk again.
So, here they were. Emma and her parents and a floor for her to walk across.
She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her legs dangling down. Her toes brushed against the cold floor, and she was grateful that she could feel in her feet. She had been worried about that. Her mother stood across the room, a huge grin on her face, one that made Emma smile as well. Her father stood next to her, prepared to catch her if she fell. He would always do that.
But what if she fell? What if she couldn't walk and she just couldn't remember how? What if she couldn't learn again? She had no idea what she would do if she couldn't walk anymore. She would be devastated, that much was certain. She would feel like she had let down her parents, who were so looking forward to this day. She wanted to make them proud and to give them this special moment, but what if she failed? What would she do then?
"Are you ready, Emma?" Snow asked, breaking her from her thoughts. She needed to stop doubting herself. It was time for her to do this, no matter what happened. She just needed to try.
Emma nodded and cleared her throat. "I am."
"Okay. Then...come to Mama," Snow whispered, her eagerness slipping out for a moment. Emma saw the flash of longing and sadness run across her mother's face. She knew that it killed her parents to think about all they had missed, and she hoped that today started to make up for that. Even just a little bit.
Emma nodded before reaching towards her father. Her hands tightly gripped his arms as she moved off of her bed and onto the floor. She placed her feet firmly on the ground, and even though her body was screaming in agony, she chose to ignore it. She was standing.
"Okay Emma, you're off to a good start. Let's try taking a step, alright? I'll be right beside you the entire time," her father told her as he held her up.
She felt her fingers dig into his arms as she tried to move past the pain that was shooting up her legs. She didn't know if she could take a step, it hurt so much.
"Dad," she whispered around her gritted teeth. "Dad...I don't know if I can do it. It hurts."
He looped one of his arms around her, and she could feel him holding her up so there was minimal pressure on her feet. "If it's too much, we can stop here. It's great enough that you are standing, we can try walking later."
"But...I want to do it. I want to walk. I just don't think I'm strong enough."
Her dad placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her face up to look at him. "Emma, you are one of the strongest people I know. If you want to do this, I know you can. I believe in you. But, I will also support you no matter what. If this is too much today, then that is okay. If you want to keep going, then I'm right here."
She nodded as she leaned into his arms. "I want to at least take a step. Just...don't let me fall, Daddy."
She could practically see his heart melt in his eyes, but he quickly composed himself. "Never, Emma."
She tightened her grip on him as she put more weight on her feet. It hurt, and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her fathers arms were around her, and she felt safe. When she opened her eyes, she saw her loving mother across the room. Her parents were here for her and they loved her so much. She could do this, because she had them by her side.
Emma lifted her foot and placed it in front of the other. She gasped from the pain, but she didn't want to stop. She wanted to walk to her mother.
It was excruciating. Each step hurt just as much as the one before, but she fought through it. Her father whispered words of encouragement to her as he guided her across the room. Her grip on his arm was so tight that she was certain that her fingers would leave light marks, but he didn't seem to care.
Her mother was holding her hands out towards her, and she was just a few short steps away. "Come on, Emma. You can do it," she stated as Emma took a second to catch her breath and prepare for the next burst of pain.
"You're doing it, Emma. You've got this," her dad told her as he placed an encouraging kiss to the side of her head.
She braced herself, and three steps later, with tears in her eyes and her legs on fire, she reached out and grabbed her mother's hand. She had made it. She had walked again. She could walk again.
"That's my girl," her mother said, her voice shaky as she squeezed Emma's hand.
Her legs collapsed under her, and true to his word, her father caught her. He lifted her into his arms and kissed her forehead as he began to carry her back to bed. "You did it, Emma. You were great." He laid her down softly before pulling the covers up over her. "That's enough for today. You were amazing, but you don't want to exert yourself. We can try again tomorrow if you're up for it."
"I am."
Her mother moved to stand by the side of her bed, and she lightly ran her fingers through Emma's hair. "We are so proud of you, sweetheart. Thank you for sharing this with us, it means the world."
"Now you've seen me walk for the first time. I wouldn't have wanted anyone else here."
She meant it. She was glad that her parents had experienced a first with her. It had hurt a lot and it had been difficult, but she had walked. She couldn't have done it without the physical and emotional support that her mother and father had given her. They were here for her, and she loved it. She loved them.
And she, Emma Ruth Swan, could walk.
She missed her son, but she knew that she needed to give him space. Henry had a lot to process about Regina's death, and Emma would give him all the time in the world. She wished that she could explain herself, but she knew that one day that chance would come. But for now, she waited.
Her mother said that he continued to go to school like normal, but at home, he was distant.
Her father said that Henry refused to talk about it whenever he brought it up while driving his grandson to school.
August said that Henry came to see him a few times after school, and they talked. He never elaborated or told her outright what he discussed with her son, but she was happy to know that he was at least talking to someone. She knew that he looked up to August and that they got along well, and she figured that was because August was a father figure for her son. She was glad that Henry had this in his life, and she just hoped that if her son wouldn't open up to her, he would share something with her boyfriend.
A sharp series of knocks at her door pulled her out of her thoughts. She assumed it was her mother, as Snow made a point to visit every day. However, her mom's knocks were much softer and not nearly as fast...
Needless to say, she had not been expecting this visitor.
"Henry?"
"Hey," he quietly said as he pulled the door behind him and shuffled towards her bed. "I know it's been a week, but I just had to think about some stuff before I saw you again."
Emma nodded. "It's alright, I understand. I want to make sure that you get the time and space you need to process what happened."
He pulled up a chair and sunk down into it. "I'm sorry I ran off. I shouldn't have."
"You don't have to explain yourself to me. You have every right to do what you did. And honestly, if the roles were reversed, I would have done the same. It's okay to walk away if you really need space, and I'm not mad at you for that," she gently told him.
He played with a loose string on the edge of his jacket as she spoke, and he refused to make eye contact with her. She realized that it was a big enough deal that he was even here, so she was content with him not looking at her. She recognized that he was really trying even though it didn't exactly appear that way. She figured that he would be closed off like this for quite some time, and she could accept that and she vowed to work with him no matter what. This was about where he stood on the matter, as she already had her closure. It was his turn.
Henry drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair as he sighed. "I've been talking to August. He is the one that said I should come here today," he revealed as he continued to tap out a rhythm. "We didn't really talk about what happened, but he suggested that I needed to come to you if I ever wanted to feel better. He told me that you know more than I do, so I should at least hear you out."
"Do you agree with August?" she asked as she wrung her hands together.
"I think he knows what he's talking about...so yeah. I figured if he thinks it's a good idea for me to come here then it probably is."
She breathed a sigh of relief. At least he admitted that he thought it was best to come see her, even if he had been nudged in this direction. Now she could start to mend things with her son even though he hadn't thought to come here himself.
Emma took a deep breath before she dove in. Things with her son were very rocky, and she needed to do her best to do right by him. She had vowed to be the best mother that she could, and making sure he understood what happened was part of that. But before she could explain anything, she needed to give him a voice. He needed to get his feelings off his chest so that she knew where he stood. She wanted him to be able to voice any and all concerns before she even told him her side. That was fair to him.
"Henry...there is a lot I want to explain and a lot I want to talk about, but before that happens, I'm going to turn it over to you. I want you to tell me exactly how you feel and exactly what's going on in your head. After that, if you don't want to hear me out today we can be done. You get to govern how this conversation goes, because I am here for you and I want what's best for you."
He folded his arms across his chest as he looked up at her for the first time since he arrived. There was something in his eyes, but it wasn't anger. He didn't seem mad at her. He just seemed...hurt and confused.
"I don't know where to start."
"Just tell me how you feel. Don't hold anything back."
"I'm...upset. With you," he started. He uncrossed his arms and leaned forward, resting is elbows on his knees. He looked away from her again, but she didn't push him not to. "I just never thought that you, of all people, would kill someone. You're the Savior, not a killer. And...I just want to know, why her? Why Regina? I know that she did a lot of bad things and that I hadn't wanted to be part of her life while she was evil, but she still raised me. Why did you kill my mom?"
"Henry, not a day goes by that I don't regret what happened."
"I believe you, I really do, but that doesn't change a thing."
Emma bit her lip as she nodded. "You're right. It still happened, no matter how awful I feel about it. I can't change the past, and I wish that I could take it back but I can't. I can't make it right no matter how much I try." Her eyes clouded with tears, and she quickly brushed them away before Henry noticed.
Henry ran his fingers through his hair, and she was caught off guard by how much he looked just like his grandfather. "Look, it helps that you feel bad about it. That shows that you care. But...I can't get past the fact that you chose to end her life."
"No I didn't," she stated, causing his eyes to snap up to her. She knew that she promised to let him have his time to completely vent, but she needed him to understand. She needed him to know what truly happened on that day. "I didn't want to kill her."
"What does that mean?"
"It was an accident," she whispered. "Regina thought you were dead. She was angry. August and I ran into her on the street, and she attacked us. She hit him with magic and I just lost it. I wanted to hurt her, I wanted to cause her pain, I can admit to that. That was wrong of me, I should have taken the higher road and been the better person. But I was weak. I gave into my anger and I threw magic at her...but I lost control. I couldn't stop it, it just exploded out of me. And I killed her. Yes, it was my fault. But I didn't mean to, you have to know that."
He had remained silent with his eyes trained on her throughout her entire explanation. She saw a thousand emotions clouding his eyes, and as soon as she finished speaking, she waited. It was his turn to respond, and she was ready for however he reacted to her revelation.
"So...the accident you had that landed you here was the same thing that killed her?" he slowly asked, his voice shaky. It was as if he was trying to make sense of everything as he spoke to her. She could see the uncertainty written on his face, but she could also tell that he wanted to believe her more than anything.
"Yes."
He nodded. "Okay."
"Okay?" she questioned, as she had been slightly thrown off by his answer.
"Okay...I can forgive you. Not all at once, but since it was an accident and you regret it, I can forgive you. Just...in baby steps. I need time to sort through this, but I'm not going to shut you out anymore."
Her lip had started to quiver, and she could tell that he noticed, but she didn't care. "Thank you, Henry. You're a good kid, and you are becoming an amazing young man."
He smiled, and she swore that it felt like her heart stopped. She had missed that more than anything. Things may not be perfect between her and her son, but they were being mended. That was all that she could ever ask for, and she wouldn't waste this chance. She would make things right slowly but surely, and while she did that, she would prove to Henry that she was trying to be the best mother that she could.
After weeks of physical therapy and non-stop encouragement, Emma was getting to go home. Sure, the doctor would have preferred to keep her longer, but Emma had been pushing herself to progress much faster than most recently awakened coma patients. Plus it helped that Snow knew how to care for and aid in the recovery of someone who hade been under a coma, and David knew how to actually recover from a coma. They were a dream team when it came to home care, and watching her parents convince countless hospital workers that they could handle it had been pretty entertaining. Their hovering would be overwhelming, sure, but she had reached a point where it didn't bother her nearly as much.
So, onThanksgiving Day, Emma got to go home.
She had been signing papers all morning when her parents knocked on her hospital door. They both wore goofy grins, and she knew that they were probably more excited for her to come home than she was.
"Guess what day it is..." her mother said in a sing-song voice that made Emma roll her eyes but smile at the same time.
"I know, you've been texting me all morning," she stated a she scribbled her name once more and flipped the page. "Geez, why do they need so many forms?" she mumbled under her breath.
David placed a duffel bag with some of her things on the foot of her bed before sitting by her feet. "Your mother is just excited, as am I. We've missed you, and we can't wait to show you the new place."
Emma glanced up at her father and smiled before stating to chuckle. "Yeah, Mom is so excited that she didn't even take her apron off."
Snow quickly untied it and draped it over your arm. "It's not my fault that I've been up cooking for quite some time. Speaking of which, I need to check on dinner's progress..."she said to herself as she whipped out her phone.
"Your mother left Henry and August in charge of the food while we picked you up," David explained as he started to organize the large pile of papers that were scattered across Emma's bed. "I told her that she didn't need to go all out, but she insisted. Technically this will be our first real Thanksgiving as a family...since last year didn't go so well." He grew quiet, and Emma nodded in understanding.
"Today is a good day. I'm going to be home and we have a lot to be thankful for. And besides, she's just acting like any good mom would today. It's her job to make sure we eat so much that we can barely move."
David laughed as he handed Emma her forms. "Let's be honest, I didn't protest all this food too hard...you definitely get your love of food from me," he told her, earning a quick high five.
With that, Emma signed her last form and triumphantly clicked her pen shut as she placed the paper on top of the rather large stack. "I thought I would never finish those!" she exclaimed as she threw the covers off. "Now, I'm ready to get out of this hospital."
Snow ended her call and returned to her husband and daughter. "Let's get you home. I've got a little something to celebrate before working on the food some more. This may be a holiday, but we are celebrating you coming home for the first time in months."
"Are you sure the potatoes can wait?" Emma asked with a smirk.
Snow gave her a teasing glare. "Make fun of it all you want, but I am the only one in this family capable of making a proper Thanksgiving dinner. You better remember that when you stuff your face tonight, young lady." She broke into a smile when Emma stuck her tongue out, causing David to laugh. "Alright, let's get going before you and your father become even more immature."
Emma gave her dad a quick fist bump, and she couldn't help but wish that she had had this her entire life. David and she would have been the jokesters that got into trouble, and Snow would have spent the days getting after them, all with a smile on her face. Her childhood should have been filled with moments like these, where she just felt good and happy. Today especially, she really thought about what he was thankful for. As a kid, there hadn't been much, but now things were different. While she longed for so much in her life, she had mountains of things to be thankful for.
She quickly snapped out of her thoughts and grabbed the duffel bag. She retreated into the small bathroom to quickly change, and she was happy to discover that her parents had brought her favorite sweatshirt and sweatpants. As she changed, she caught a glance of herself in the mirror, and she stopped for a moment just to stare.
She had known that her injuries would be awful, so she had avoided looking into a mirror for quite some time after waking up. She was afraid of what she would see. About two weeks ago she had caught a glance of her body, and she had almost instantly burst into tears. She had always thought of herself as beautiful, and while she wasn't vain, she had always been careful to take great care of herself. She genuinely liked how she looked, but now, she didn't even recognize herself. Scars littered and morphed her skin, and she couldn't help but think she was ugly. She knew that it wasn't true, but there was a voice in her head that screamed that she was now ruined. It hadn't taken long for her mother to hear her crying, and after a few hours of soothing words, Emma had accepted her scars. They were a part of her now, and they didn't make her less beautiful. And they didn't change who she was on the inside, which is what mattered most.
Her father and mother had spent a lot of their time convincing her of that, and now, she was starting to believe them. And more importantly, she loved having people that cared that she was hurting over this. They made her feel beautiful again, and she was forever grateful that she had the most loving parents in the world.
She looked away and finished dressing, glad to finally toss away the hideous hospital gown that nurses had insisted she wear, much to her complaint. Just being in her own clothes again boosted her spirits, and while she was already pumped to head home, now she was on top of the world.
Once she exited the bathroom, she noticed that her father had already piled up all of her personal belongings that she had been keeping in her room. With a smile he took the duffel from her and loaded it up before swinging it over his shoulder. Her mother walked over to her and grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze.
"I'm going home," Emma stated with a grin.
"Yes, you are, sweetheart," Snow said, her eyes brimming with joyful unshod tears.
"Come on, kiddo," her dad told her as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Let's get out of here."
The walk out of the hospital wasn't long, but she still had to rely on her hovering parents to make sure she wouldn't fall. Her walking was getting better every day, but sometimes it was more reliable than others. As soon as she left her room, she heard applause come from all the nurses and doctors. She smiled at them all, as she had genuinely grown fond of the people who had cared for her all this time. And she could clearly see how excited they all really were for her.
Before she knew it, she was climbing into David's truck, sliding right in between him and her mother. She looked back at the place that had been her home for almost nine months. She hated hospitals, and she wouldn't miss it. Yes, she would miss seeing some of the nurses and doctors every day and cracking jokes and making small talk, but this wasn't where she belonged. She belonged with her family in a house that she hadn't even seen yet, but that didn't matter. Her home was where her heart was.
When driving to the new place, they passed the apartment building. Her first home...the first place where she felt loved. Her mother noticed her face when they drove by, and she gently squeezed her fingers. Emma gave Snow a sad smile, silently telling her mother that even though she would miss that place, she was okay.
Soon they reached a small neighborhood. The houses were all made of brick with large porches and huge trees in the yards. They were houses that Emma had always dreamed of living in. When she pictured a happy family, these were the homes she had always thought of. Plus it didn't hurt that they all had white picket fences.
Before she really got a good look around, David pulled into a driveway, and Emma's breath caught in her throat. This was it. This was her new home.
The deep red brick was beautiful, and it went well with the large oak doors and shutters on the windows. Lining the walkway were dozens of flowers, she believed they were the ones her mother called 'snowbells' but she never had been a flower person, and huge rose bushes lined the porch. There was a swing hanging on the edge of the porch, and she couldn't help but smile. She had always wanted that. It wasn't a grand mansion or anything, but it just looked like a home. She could see why her parents had fallen in love with it so easily.
"What do you think?" Snow asked as she wrung her hands together. "I know it's not the apartment but-"
"I love it," Emma cut her off.
David exited the car and walked around to open the door. He helped Snow out before letting Emma grip his arm as she placed her feet on the ground. "You good?" he mumbled as she gained her footing. After she nodded, he gave her a smile. "Would you like to see the inside?"
Emma nodded, and she grabbed her mother's outstretched hand. She let Sow guide her inside, all the while taking in every little detail.
The front door opened up to a small entryway. A set of stairs to the right was mirrored by a hallway.
"Upstairs is the master bed and bath, plus three other bedrooms and one of those Jack-and-Jill bathrooms. We've made one bedroom into an office for everyone to use. Henry's room is the farthest from ours because that one had a reading nook that perfectly fits a bean bag chair. Then there is the nursery, which I currently filled with nothing but boxes of furniture until your father puts things together," Snow finished, slightly out of breath. It was glaringly obvious how excited her mother really was about this grand tour.
She was led down the hallway, and she couldn't keep her eyes off of the walls. They were lined with pictures of their family. There were many that she hadn't even known were being taken, yet they captured smiles and happiness unlike anything she had seen before. They looked like a family that had nothing but love to give one another, and the sight caused Emma's eyes to slightly tear up. As she wiped them away her father noticed.
"Are you okay?" he asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder, an action that had strangely become really calming.
Her mother turned to look at her, and she gave both of her parents and encouraging smile. "I'm okay. It's just...I've never had my picture on the wall before. It's nice to be a part of something."
David pulled her into a side hug as he kissed the side of her head. "Well, you're a part of this family, Emma. And we love you more than anything."
Snow reached forward and brushed a few stray tears away. "And we always will."
"I know," Emma said as she nodded. She took her mom's hand once more. "Alright, show me the rest of my home."
Her parents shared a loving look before Snow continued her tour. There was a half-bathroom and a laundry room before the hallway ended, leading them in a cozy living room. There was a large fireplace, and much to her surprise, her parents had invested in a new tv. The living room wasn't nearly as cramped as the one at the apartment, yet with Snow's personal touches around the room, Emma felt like this could truly be a proper gathering area for their family.
The dining room and living room blended together, and there was a new table right in the middle. She couldn't help but noticed the few folding tables that had been set up, no doubt in preparation for the feast that would take place tonight.
Through an archway, Emma could see the kitchen, and soon she was being led into it. The appliances were new and there were granite countertops, and on the whole, it was a lot bigger than the one at the apartment. The best part was that they still had a bar, just like back home. Emma could already tell that her mother-slash-part-time-chef adored this place, and she was glad for that. A bigger kitchen meant that Snow was more likely to cook, which made Emma really happy.
The best part, however, wasn't the kitchen itself. It was two of her favorite people bustling around the kitchen with their backs turned to to the tour group. And, based on their lack of turning around, Emma guessed that they were extremely invested in the tasks that they had been assigned.
August was wearing one of her mother's flowery aprons as he pulled something out of the oven. Henry, also clad in an apron, was standing over the trash while carefully peeling potatoes.
Emma cleared her throat, causing them both to turn around, their faces instantly lighting up.
"Mom!" Henry exclaimed. Things with him had slowly but surely gotten better, and while she knew that he still had a few mixed feelings, things felt like they were back to normal with her son. That's all she ever wanted. "You're back already! We were going to put up a sign but Grams needed us to work in the kitchen for her."
"Which, from the looks of things, you two have done quite well," Snow told them as she inspected their handiwork.
"There was a slight panic over pie crusts, but I managed to pull through," August stated as he took his oven mitts off and limped toward Emma. He had been working with his own physical therapy, and while he still carried a crutch with him just in case, he could pretty much walk completely on his own. "Good to be back?"
She nodded, and he quickly pecked her cheek. "It's good to be home."
"Have you seen my room yet?" Henry asked as he wiped his hands on the apron, earning a slight disapproving look from his grandmother.
Emma shook her head. "Your grandparents have just showed me this floor so far. How about once I'm done with that we can head up and I'll take a look?"
He grinned before grabbing her hand and pulling her to a large glass door. "Check out the backyard. There is a lot of grass, plus some huge trees. Gramps even put up a tire swing for me," he told her as he pointed out all of the aspects of their new yard.
"Huh. So this is what it feels like to have a yard," she muttered.
"Tell me about it. I didn't realize how much I missed it when we lived at the apartment. Not that I didn't love it there...but this is nice," he told her.
Emma felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned around to find her mother with a slightly nervous expression on her face. She raised her eyebrow, and Snow cleared her throat as David moved to stand next to her.
"We were wondering, Emma, if...if you would like to see your room," Snow quietly said, hope in her eyes. Emma could tell why. They had said that they built her a room, so this was basically a second chance for them. She had never used her nursery, but now, they were giving her a room that she would spend a night in. This gesture from her parents meant a lot to them, but more than that, it meant the world to her.
"Yeah. Yeah, I do."
Snow pointed out a mud room and the door to the garage before leading her to two doors. One was a large pantry, much to her delight, and the other opened to a set of stairs.
Her father took the lead, and she carefully walked down as she prepared herself for what would be down here. Her mother had told her bits and pieces, but she still had no idea what to expect. No one had ever built her a room before.
As soon as she saw it, her mouth dropped open.
There was a lounge area with the old tv with a couch facing it, and Emma could picture countless movie nights down here. There was a desk against the wall, and a few small picture frames sat on top. On closer inspection, there was a school photo of Henry, a picture of her family at Granny's New Years Eve party, and one of Henry as a baby. Other than that the desk was bare, but she could picture herself doing a bit of work from home here. On the other side of the room, her bed had been set up with nightstands on either side.
But it was the little details that was really in awe of.
She remembered telling her mother long before the curse even broke that she like the colors light blue and grey. She had never thought that her mother would remember that, yet this room was proof that she had. The walls were painted the perfect shade of blue, giving a calming effect to the room. Her bedspread was huge and puffy and a bright white, and a few blue and grey striped pillows sat on it. The couch was grey, and it held blue pillows of its own. There was a large painting of white roses on her wall, but that wasn't her favorite decoration. Above her bed hung four large wood letters painted grey.
They spelled 'Emma'.
"Look, I know it might not really be your style but I just wanted to put a room together for you and once I got started I just wanted to make it perfect," Snow rambled as she and David remained standing by the foot of the stairs. "If you hate it we can redo everything, no questions asked-"
"I love it," Emma stated as she turned to look at them for the first time since she laid eyes on this room. She didn't even try to hide the few tears that were rolling down her cheeks. "This...is wonderful."
Snow stepped forward. "Really?" she asked, her voice small.
Emma nodded as she stepped towards her parents. Without saying a word, she pulled her mother into a hug and beckoned her father to join them. "It's perfect. Thank you so much."
"We've always wanted to give you the world, Emma," David stated as he cupped the back of her head with his hand.
"You do that everyday, just by loving me," she confessed. She heard her mother's breath hitch before both of their arms tightened around her. Emma closed her eyes as a smile graced her face.
Sure, this house felt like a home.
But her real home was right her in her parents's arms.
That was where she belonged.
Having her daughter come home had lifted her spirits more than she could ever describe. Every so often she stole a glance at the living room, only to burst into a smile every time she saw her child. After touring (and loving, much to Snow's delight) the new house, Emma had collapsed against the couch and immediately started watching the Thanksgiving parade. She had proceeded to shoo her two helpers out of the kitchen, and they both ended up taking seats on opposite sides of Emma. It hadn't taken long for Henry to lean against his mother's side and August to thread his fingers through Emma's.
Every time she looked at the living room she couldn't help but think that this is what a real family looked like. As a child she had pictured royal ball gowns and tunics with fancy feasts and dancing when she had thought about her future family, but right here and right now, this made her happier than ever.
Although, she didn't have much time to dwell on the matters of family, as she had mountains of food to cook. Sure, she could have used the help and she appreciated every hand that was offered, but she didn't mind working alone. After all, this was her first real chance to put on a proper Thanksgiving dinner.
She had distant memories of dinners alone from the curse, but she knew those were fake. The year Emma had come to town had made her excited to make dinner. Even though they had only been roommates for a few weeks, she had already felt a really close bond with her. But after Emma's confession of not ever really celebrating Thanksgiving, she had opted to dial it back. She had made the bare minimum, keeping it simple but still making it memorable, and Emma had loved it. Of course, at the time, her daughter didn't admit to a thing, but she had been able to tell by the spectacular mood Emma had been in. That had been a good year. However, last year had not been. She had decided not to dwell on last year, so she didn't. Instead, she invested herself into this year.
As their first real, true, happy Thanksgiving together, she was going above and beyond. And she loved it.
Being in the kitchen all day didn't even bother her. Yes, her swollen ankles ached and her hands were sore, but she loved to cook and she loved making this feast for her family.
Well, she wasn't just feeding her family. It was more like a small army.
They had discussed it with Emma, and she had been clear that she wanted August there. He was definitely becoming a member of the family anyway. Well, after that, they had invited Gepetto and since Jiminy was practically a member of that family, he had been invited as well. Much to her surprise, it had been Emma's idea to just expand it even further. Her daughter had stated that she wanted everyone that was family there, included people the weren't related by blood. Naturally, seven dwarves, Red, Granny, and Belle and Rumplestiltskin (Emma had been on the fence about him, but they adored Belle and owed her so much, and those two were joined at the hip).
She wasn't cooking everything for the meal, as she had made assignments to most of their guests (except the dwarves, they couldn't cook a thing), which took a lot of the load off. Still, she had a lot to prepare.
Just as she was finishing up one of her pies, she felt strong arms snake around her before a few light kisses were peppered to the side of her face. "I finished setting the table," David told her as he rested his chin on her shoulder.
She closed her eyes and leaned back against him. "Thank you, Charming."
"Now, will you please get off of your feet and rest for a bit?"
She sighed and turned around to face him. "I still have a lot to get done, there isn't time for me to take a break. You worry too much. I'll be fine," she told him before she kissed his cheek.
He drummed his fingers on the table, and she didn't miss his slight eye roll. "You, my dear, are ridiculous. You acted this way with Emma and now you're doing it again."
"Doing what?" she asked as she returned to the pie.
He pulled it away from her and lightly grabbed her hands. "You refuse to admit that you are tired and sore but I know you, Snow, and I can tell that you are. No one is going to say a word if you sit down every once in a while. And, at the rate you're going, you're going make yourself go into early labor."
"I'm fine," she stated without breaking eye contact with her husband. She was not about to back down, not now.
He reached up to cup her face, which was her weakness and he knew it. "I know you want to do it all. But, you have got to take care of yourself as well. Please, for me, just take a break. You don't even have to leave the kitchen. You can sit at the bar and tell me exactly what to do and I'll work on dinner for you."
Sometimes she hated how easy he could win her over. No matter how hard she fought it, those eyes just pulled her right in, and when that happened, she never could resist her Charming. Snow leaned forward and lightly kissed him, and she could feel him smile into it. "I love you."
He wrapped his arms around her and she nestled her head under his chin. "I love you too." She could feel his fingers brushing against her back, and after a moment, she felt him slip her apron off. "Alright, my dear, you are officially off duty." He tied the apron around his own waist before ushering her towards one of the bar stools.
She took a seat, and she would never admit how much relief flooded through her. Being on her feet all day wasn't something that she minded, but it had started to hurt. Judging by the smirk plastered across David's face, he could tell how grateful she was to have a break. "I hope you know that this isn't for long. This is just me taking a breath for a tiny moment before I will get back to work."
He finished washing his hands and turned to her. "You are impossible," he muttered as he leaned across the bar to kiss her a few times. "Now, tell me what you need me to do."
As it turned out, her husband followed her orders in the kitchen quite masterfully. He listened to each instruction carefully, and she admired the steady hands he used as he performed her various tasks. She found herself not wanting to move from her spot, as she much rather preferred watching him from here as he worked.
Just as he was adding a finishing touch on the green beans, she couldn't help herself from completely admiring and adoring her husband. "I'm thankful for you, Charming."
He grinned as he placed a cover over the beans and wiped his hands off. "Really? Tell me why," he promoted as he set his rag down and circled the bar so that he could lean right next to her.
She ran her thumb over his scar a few times. "You are the best husband I could have asked for."
David shook his head as his face fell a bit. "No, I'm not. I make a lot of mistakes, and I could do better. Especially after the curse broke and with everything that has happened, I haven't been doing my best. I've done a lot of things wrong and there is a lot that I wish I could take back."
She was startled by his confession, but he just said things that she had suspected for some time. For some reason, now felt like a really good time to bring up some of her own worries. "Me too. I haven't been doing very well either," she admitted. "I just feel like for a while there, at least for me, I lost sight of who I really was. I had Mary Margaret in my head telling me that I wasn't good enough or that I didn't deserve all of this...and sometimes I believed it."
He took a seat and scooted it as close to her as he could. He reached forward and took her hands in his, his thumbs rubbing circles against her skin. "I know what you mean. David Nolan was weak...and when things got hard, he won over sometimes. I've said and done some things that I've regretted, and that's all because I let him govern how I was going to act as a spouse."
"It's as if the curse went farther than making us forget who we were. It changed us."
He nodded and then moved to lean his forehead against hers. "Look, it may have made us doubt what we have between us, but in the end, no curse will ever destroy it. As husband and wife, we've experienced some twists and turns. But no matter what, we've pushed through. You are not Mary Margaret. You are strong and confident and loyal and brave. And Snow, not only are you good enough...you deserve the world."
"And you aren't Mr. Nolan anymore. I know that you think that you aren't as good as you could be, but you aren't him. You aren't the guy who broke hearts and who didn't know how to be a companion. You're a good husband. You put your heart and soul into this marriage and you would do anything for this family. We have grown a lot since the curse broke, and we have become stronger than our cursed selves. We found each other again, Charming."
He tucked some of her hair behind her ear as he gave her the smile that never failed to make her blush. "I'm thankful for you too. I'm thankful every day that I married you. And from now on, I won't ever let you forget that. I'm not going to let David Nolan win anymore. I am not him, and I am going to be the husband that you need and deserve."
"The same goes for me. I'm done acting like Mary Margaret. It's taken me a long time to realize how much of a hold she had on me. From now on, you're going to get the wife that you married. The wife that is absolutely head over heels in love with you," she promised as she kissed the scar she gave him all those years ago. He turned and moved to capture her lips when the heard a groan behind them.
Emma walked over to the fridge to get herself some water as she scrunched her nose up. "Really guys? Do you really have to be all over each other like teenagers?"
David gave Snow a quick look and smile before initiating a series of deep kisses.
"I love you more, Snow."
"No, I love YOU more, David."
Emma groaned once more. "Come on guys, break it up! Just because you are True Loves does not mean that you have to prove it all the time. Believe me, I of all people will never forget how much you actually love each other," she told them as she left the kitchen, a look of minor disgust plastered across her face.
"See, we have got this marriage thing down. We've already mentally scarred our daughter on a holiday and we haven't even eaten yet," he said with a chuckle as he hopped off his stool. "Speaking of food, Granny and Red should be arriving soon, and I still need to finished up the potatoes." He planted a kiss on her cheek before moving back towards the food.
"David?"
He looked up from washing his hands. "Yes?"
"I'm glad we talked. About...where we stand with each other. With everything going on, I haven't wanted to bring up you and me."
"We've put our kids first, as always. And now that our two daughters and our grandson are safe and sound, we can work on us. We can work on being better," he stated as he leaned across the counter.
She grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer to her so that she could lightly kiss him. "I love you, Charming."
"I love you too."
Thanksgiving had been a really wonderful holiday, in David's opinion. After a day filled with friends, family, laughter, football, and a whole lot of food, the day was finally winding down. Rumple and Belle had been the first to leave, followed by the dwarves and Jiminy. Granny and Red had insisted on helping clean up, and they retreated only after every surface of the kitchen and dining room were spotless. Gepetto had stuck around in order to give August plenty of time with Emma, but after a long day, those two had finally decided to head home. Now it was just the immediate family, all in stages of exhaustion.
Henry had eaten more than anyone, and he was sprawled across one of the couches. All his energy had been zapped, and David figured that it would stay that way until his grandson had completely digested everything he had inhaled.
Emma had claimed the armchair, and she curled up in it under a blanket as her eyelids had become increasingly heavy. It hadn't been hard to see that as soon as August had left, she had immediately started giving into her exhaustion.
He sat on the end of the large couch, and Snow leaned against his chest with her feet propped up on the other end. One of his hands gently rubbed her shoulder while the other played with locks of her hair. She had finally admitted that her feet hurt, and after he had rubbed her swollen ankles, she had proceeded to cuddle against him, and he could feel her slowly start to drift off.
"Let's all say what we are thankful for," David quietly suggested, causing his family to perk up a bit.
"I'm thankful that Mom is home," Henry stated as he shifted on the couch.
"We all are," David said as he looked over at his daughter, who offered him a smile.
Emma sat up a bit as she pulled the blanket tighter around her. "I'm thankful that I'm finally home. And not just from the hospital, but for the first time in my life having a place that really is my home. I'm thankful for my son and that I get to be his mother. And I'm thankful for my father and mother who love me more than anything."
"I'm thankful that I get to be your mom, Emma," Snow told her as she shifted against David. "And I'm thankful that I get to be your grandmother, Henry."
"I'm thankful for this family. I'm thankful that we are all together, as we should be, and I'm thankful for the love that's in this home," David announced as he pulled Snow closer to him. He heard her sigh with contentment, and Emma nodded as he caught her eye. Upon further inspection, Henry had passed out.
The room fell quiet once more, but that didn't matter. It was nice to just be together as a family, as they should have been for years. But, they had each other now. The past was in the past, and what was important was the fact that they were all together now.
He had a grandson, a daughter, another on the way, and a wife, and he loved them all so much. David couldn't believe how lucky he was and how much he really had to be thankful for each and every day.
Who doesn't love a ton of fluff?
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. I really love you all.
The next chapter is currently in the works, and I hope t keep this momentum up! Fingers crossed.
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought!
