Summary: Emma discovers her little brother's magic is more advanced, and has come in, earlier than they envisaged, much to Snow's disdain. He needs to learn how to control it. Regina's happy to oblige...


Granny's Diner – One week later

Emma had just returned from her jog. The first decent run she'd had since she found out she was pregnant ten months ago. She'd finally been given the all-clear by Hilary, following her own six-week postnatal check-up yesterday, and she'd intended just a short run from the house, down to and around the docks, and back up the hill again, to begin with. A distance of only three miles. But, at less than a mile from home, she realised just how unfit she'd become, in less than a year.

She stopped by a bench overlooking the harbour, seeing some of the crew working on the deck of the Jolly in the distance. Killian probably among them. She'd left Hope and Lizzie with her parents earlier that morning, agreeing to meet at the diner around eleven. So, after walking the final few hundred yards and now out of breath, she opened the café door, to find Snow and David sitting at the largest table in the room, with Lizzie in her grandmother's arms. David was busy doing something with Hope, as she sat in her highchair alongside him. Ruby, now heavily pregnant, sat on a counter stool, talking on the phone. They waved to each other as Emma walked over to her family.

"Hi folks. Did those little horrors behave themselves?" She dropped down in a chair beside Neal. "Any problems?"

"None whatsoever, sweetie. They've been perfect angels, haven't they David?"

"Certainly have. Hope's drawing me a picture, aren't you, lovely?" he beamed down at his granddaughter, her face smeared in yogurt, a spoon in one hand and a crayon in the other, concentrating on the paper. He looked up at his eldest. "You okay, Emma? You look tuckered out!"

"Only managed halfway up the hill, and I had to stop! Nothing like as fit as I thought I was." As she spoke, a young waitress she vaguely recognised appeared alongside, placing a large black coffee she hadn't asked for in front of her.

"Ruby told me to bring you your usual?" the girl explained, both looking back to see the pregnant wolf still sitting, but talking to Leroy. "What can I get you?"

Food ordered, she sat back to wait for her bacon sandwich with her family, looking at them all. Snow was in her element; the tiny blonde in her arms, as she fed her a bottle Emma had expressed that morning. Hope mumbled something to David, presenting him with her lines and squiggles she'd drawn on the back of a menu, and her grandfather beamed at her, as though she'd just created a masterpiece. Then she saw Neal, who was sitting next to her, studying her with a curious smirk on his face.

"You okay, bro?" I know that face -what's he up to?

"I'm good. Pull my finger, Em?" he lifted a hand, offering her his digits.

She sniggered. "Nice try, kiddo - but you can't do that sort of thing when we're eating!" Imagine what her mother would say if he farted at the table!

But the devious smile never left him, although his voice sounded a little…distant. "Fair enough," he turned the pointed finger into a flattened palm. "Gimme five?"

"Okaaaay." Suspicion aroused, she brought her own palm up, without thinking, to slap his back. However, as the flattened hands were about to touch, instead of a slap, her hand went straight through! As though it never existed, out the other side, causing her to lurch forward! As her other hand fell down to his leg to stop herself toppling, that one also went through him onto the chair itself, stunning her momentarily. "WHAT IN HELL?" she gasped, shocked.

A roar of laughter close by, made her lift her head up in surprise, to find Neal sitting at the next table, his hand in the air with his palm raised, a mirror image of him a second ago!

"Gotcha!" he yelled, delighted at tricking his big sister, the rest of the table only just beginning to realise what he'd done.

"Neal?" Her initial surprise turned to grudging admiration as it dawned on her that at eight years old, he'd just performed some magic she hadn't seen before. "How the hell did you do that?"

"Neal!" his mother yelped. "How many times have I told you? No magic in public places! And only when you're out with Emma or Regina!" then she glanced at her daughter. "And Emma, please don't swear in front of the children!"

Neal was about to defend himself when, realising his big sister had also just been ticked off, merely smirked, winking at Emma before moving back to sit next to her again. She grinned, dropping an arm around his shoulder, whispering, "Neat trick. Did Regina teach you that?"

"Nope. Uncle Robin. He showed me how, when he used it to catch a rabbit…"

"A rabbit?"

"Yeah. He called it a doppel-something. He sent it to the other side of a tree, like I just did. The rabbit thought he was behind him, and ran straight towards us, instead. It was really clever!"

"A doppelgänger? Clever. You should teach me that one! Anything else?"

"He's got this invisibility trick he learnt off Merlin. He said that-"

"Emma, please don't encourage your brother!" Snow interrupted. "It's bad enough having both of my children using magic, without you two conspiring. You do know he almost got suspended from school this week, don't you?"

"Mum, we have magic, okay? We can't help it, it's inside us. Sometimes, you talk like we're a couple of circus freaks! You do know Lizzie and Hope have it too, don't you? And I don't see why…hang on, what do you mean - suspended?"

Snow glared at her son. "He magicked a boy from his class onto the school roof!"

He glared right back. "I told you, he was picking on Mina! He was holding onto her neck! And you promised me you weren't going to say anything! You promised!"

"Neal, don't raise your voice to your mother!" David interrupted them. "Snow, he happens to be right, you did promise him not to talk about it any more! Now, please calm down, both of you, you're putting Hope off her lunch. Or is it her drawing, as she seems to be eating her crayon now?"

Looking down, Emma had to grin as her two-year-old seemed to be now using a piece of banana as a crayon, smearing it into her earlier drawing. The messy sight had most of the table making noises and chuckling, lightening the atmosphere once again. "Dad, do you want me to take her off you?" As she spoke, the bell on the door tinkled as Regina and Marian walked inside.

"Hello, Locksley ladies," greeted Ruby from her stool. "Finally escaped? Where's the beautiful baby today?"

"With her beautiful, but less tired daddy, we hope," Marian replied for them. "Doing some daddy/daughter bonding, while the mummies get a decent break." She looked down at the woman's baby-bump. "And how are you doing, Ruby? You're glowing. What are you now, seven months?"

"Just over. Starting to get seriously uncomfortable, to be honest! I'm jealous of Regina and Emma having got this all out the way. Emma's little one's over there, with her grandparents…" Marian looked to her side and saw Regina had already left her to go to their table and was now standing over Hope Jones, kissing her cheek. "You sit yourselves, I'll send over one of the new girls."

"And how's my favourite Nolan?" said Regina, giving a hug to Emma's brother, who she hadn't seen since before the birth.

"Okay, but I really missed you, Gina!" Neal hugged her back. Since Neal's magic had started to release, nearly eight months ago, Regina had, at Merlin's suggestion, occasionally taken him under her wing to teach him how to control it, even though she couldn't actually demonstrate due to the pregnancy. His sister had also been involved from time to time but, also being pregnant, with a child of her own to deal with, she hadn't been involved anything like as much.

"I've missed you too, my love. You know something? Now I've had Honour, I can use my own magic again, without feeling dizzy! So I can give you some real lessons. Would you like that?"

"I'd love it! Could you, please?"

"Of course," she saw the frown on Snow's face. "If of course, your parents are okay with it, that is."

"We might need to step things up a bit," said Emma, getting her attention. "The kid's got some new moves! He showed me something just now that I can't do yet, making himself appear in two places at once! Can you do that?"

"Self-projection? I've tried it a couple of times, but it's difficult to master." She turned to Neal again. "You can do that already?"

"I practiced it on the farm. You wanna see?"

"No!" his agitated mother interrupted. "Not again! Neal, we've already discussed this. Now eat your lunch. We'll talk to Regina about your lessons…later."

David huffed, turning to place his hand on her arm. "Snow, we've talked about this. Neal's got magic, just like Emma. It's nothing to be ashamed of, or embarrassed about. In fact, quite the opposite."

"You weren't the one having to go grovelling to Patricia, or apologise to that poor boy's parents to stop your son being suspended! It was bloody embarrassing, David!"

"Bludy embazzing!" yelled Hope, with a huge messy grin.

"Mum, don't swear!" said Neal and Emma, almost as one voice, before looking at each other and roaring with laughter. Snow, seeing their reaction, huffed angrily, got up from the table before passing Elizabeth into David's arms, and storming out towards the restrooms.

Regina was perplexed. "What's got into her?"

"An incident at school yesterday," David dropped a kiss on Lizzie's cheek. "Neal took out someone who bullied his friend, by dropping him onto the school roof. They had to get Derek out with the big ladders to get him down. Nobody got hurt but, it was awkward for Snow. She does work there!"

Regina walked behind Neal, resting her hands on his shoulders. "His magic seems to have come in a lot earlier than Emma's, or mine, that's for sure; and it is rather powerful for someone so young. Must be because he's surrounded by more people with magic. Why don't you let me have him for a day this weekend? Maybe Saturday? I can help him with some restriction spells to help control the impulses." David silently nodded. "Marian, would you mind looking after Honour and Margot then?"

"Of course not. You go ahead."

Emma watched her brother lean back, beaming up at her best friend, in silent thanks, as she dropped a kiss on his forehead. She's so much better with children than adults. "Gina, if you're doing that with Neal, would you mind me joining in? I've hardly practised magic since the birth, and I could do with a refresher. Especially if the kid here can do things I can't! Killian's off all day, so he could look after Lizzie…"

"Good idea," said Marian. "Emma, why don't you ask Killian to bring them both over to our place for the day? I'll make us some lunch, and we can go over the bookings for the new season, when you two take Neal off? I'm sure us 'muggles' will be fine handling the babies without you both..."


The Following Saturday

"Shoes off, dear!" called Regina from behind him, as Neal rushed into the mansion once she opened the door. He did so in an instant. "Hang your jacket –!" he hadn't heard that one, instead just charged up the stairs to get to Roland's bedroom. Although Robin's boy was a good two years older than Snow's son, Roland had become a bit of an idol to Neal. The boy who had grown up in the forest, in tents, hunting with his dad and the Merry Men. The boy who knew how to catch a rabbit, climb a tree and swam like a fish, faster than anyone. After he'd first seen the older boy's army-post bedroom and tree house, he'd nagged his parents for something similar. Roland, always as considerate as his father, found the attention flattering.

"Jeez, that kid! He never seems to stop, does he? Wish I had half his energy," said Emma, following in behind her, carrying shopping bags they'd picked up on the way back from the vault.

"I'm sure you were just as annoyingly energetic at his age!" said Regina, as they took their boots off, before walking into the kitchen. "Giving birth does rather sap the energy levels, doesn't it?"

"Tell me about it! I did my first jog this week, and felt like I was going to collapse after only a couple of miles. I only went down to the docks and back. It was pathetic!"

"Well at least you're able to jog. Whereas some of us..."

"Sorry, I forgot to ask. Did you get those stitches sorted? Any problems?" To Emma, one of the nicest things about the close friendship and trust they'd developed over the years, was the fact she and Regina could now tell each other anything. Neither woman had ever had a big sister or close friend like that in their troubled pasts, and it was an unspoken gift for both of them.

"There was some sort of infection, so she's given me some medication and painkillers. I should be better in a week or so."

"Good. Well if it makes you feel any better, I haven't had sex since giving birth, either! It was the same after having Hope. It feels like everything's falling out down there, doesn't it? If Kill called out my name, he'd probably get an echo!" she started to chuckle, even as she said it.

"Thank you for that unnecessarily graphic description, Swan!" she replied tartly, but unable to hide her own grin as she rolled her eyes. "Try not to tell Hope or Elizabeth that in future, or I guarantee they'll never make you a grandmother!"

"Sorry. Still, true isn't it? I kinda feel guilty for him; me not being in the mood and all. But at least you don't need to feel guilty about Robin and Marian; they can take care of each other, after all…"

"You should really consider a career in counselling? Perhaps Archie Hooper has a vacancy…"

"Excuse me, ladies?" said a deeper voice from behind Emma, catching them by surprise. Emma blushed as Killian stepped around them towards the kitchen sink. "I'm just making a coffee for Marian, as she's nursing Honour in the lounge. Lizzie's asleep and Hope's in there playing. You two want one?"

"Erm…please," groaned Emma, hoping he hadn't heard them. "Everything been okay here?"

'Fine…" Killian pulled out cups from a rack. "Young Roland's been in his tree house, and outside most of the time. Hope's been drawing, and we've had time to plan the summer excursions on the Jolly. We launch in May."

"And Honour and Elizabeth?" asked Regina. "Any problems?"

"None whatsoever. Quite the opposite in fact. Whenever they cried for any reason, Marian put them closer to each other. It seems to calm them both remarkably quickly. We even had them share a cot a little earlier. It's odd, but they appear to feed off each other's emotions. I just fed and changed Lizzie, and she's taking a short nap. Go on through, and I'll bring these in. Unless you'd rather both stay here and talk about your respective love lives? Or lack of them?"

Stepping into the lounge, the first thing Emma spotted was Regina's wife propped up in a comfy armchair, cradling their own six-week-old, nursing her. It took her a few moments for Emma to realise, as Regina stepped in behind her, that something was different. Marian was feeding her. Breastfeeding her! "Oh, sorry Marian! When he said you were feeding, I just thought he meant a bottle. Do you want some privacy?"

"Hi Emma. No, not at all, come on in. She's almost finished."

"Thanks," she drew closer, seeing an apparently contented Honour suckling on her, some milk sliding down her cheek. "I didn't realise you could feed her yourself? I mean, I've heard of wet nurses and stuff, and read about people doing it for other women's babies, but I thought you had to have recently had a baby yourself?"

"Apparently not. I was giving her a bottle feed a few nights ago, once we persuaded Gina to let us help, and my milk came in without warning. So this one…" she looked up at Regina, who walked in and around to her, giving her a light peck on the lips, "…can finally get a decent night's sleep! So, we can both feed, and express, for Robin to use the bottle."

"That's brilliant! I could do with that. Kill, we need another wife to help me out here…" she joked, as he entered the room with a tray.

"Fine, I'll start interviewing then. Polyamory seems to be in vogue in Storybrooke these days. I think you prefer brunettes?" he smirked, earning fierce glares from both Emma and Regina, but a big grin from Marian, who stifled a laugh.

"Gina, did you tell Emma about what we found out at the hospital?" Marian passed the baby over to Regina, who placed her on her shoulder, to burp her. "About me and Honour?"

"Oh. No, I'm sorry, it clean slipped my mind! Should I have? I wasn't sure who you wanted people to know…"

"Swan, it would appear that Marian here, is a biological mother to Honour," said Killian, "And so's Regina."

"Uh? Sorry, did you say Marian? Both? What, are we talking 'magic' babies here? Last time I heard, you needed a man involved somewhere down the line. Ask Ruby, she had to go find one!"

"Robin is Honour's father, in all ways," Regina tried to clarify. "But, after we had her DNA tested, it would appear that Marian and I are both her natural mothers. Magic is a strange thing. I wasn't going to say anything to anyone unless Marian specifically wanted me to." She smiled down on her, kissing the top of her head.

"I want people to know. I'm proud of it."

"Well, erm, congratulations Marian, I guess?"

"Thank you, Emma. Gina, how did Neal's 'magical morning' go?"

"Rather well, considering it's his first full lesson. He's rather bright, and a surprisingly attentive pupil; unlike his big sister," she smirked as Emma rolled her eyes. "Rather different to my own first magic lesson with the imp! He had me dangling from a castle wall!"

"Sounds familiar," said Emma, "You had me dangling from a bridge! But then again, Neal's always been your favourite!"

"Very true, I'm glad you noticed! Anyway, it would appear that over the last couple of months he's picked up some new magical skills," she looked at Marian. "Several of them from our own fiancé."

"Robin? He never said anything. He hardly ever sees him. Although, now you mention it, Neal does hang around Roland quite a bit, so that could explain it. Why, is something wrong?"

"Not wrong, but...unfamiliar. Rumpelstiltskin taught me, and I taught Emma. But Robin was taught by Merlin, in a highly intensive mind induction. There's things there I need to understand. So it might be useful for Robin to join us for the next lesson. Or Merlin, for that matter."

Marian sniggered. "Are you seriously saying you of all people, need to be taught magic by Robin? My Regina, haven't you come far?"

"Not 'taught', dear! Let's just say he has a few skills I would like to better understand."

"I keep forgetting Robin's got magic too," said Emma. "I haven't seen him use it since I was with him waiting down in the harbour for you guys to come back in. He'd just had Merlin's induction, and he told me about the new powers. I didn't believe him, so he used it to read my mind. Weird!"

"And to confirm the colour of your knickers, I gather?" said Marian, grinning at her.

"He told you?" Emma's cheeks flushed at the embarrassing memory. When she'd challenged him to prove his x-ray powers by telling her what colour underwear she had on. She'd said it in the heat of the moment and had momentarily forgotten she'd gone commando! She'd never told Killian the details, and he was now looking at her suspiciously.

"Knickers?" he asked, puzzled. "Why would Robin be concerned about your underwear?"

"Flesh tone!" Regina interjected, to save her blushes. "Flesh tone coloured, he said. Jones, your ever-doubtful wife didn't believe him, when he told her he could now see through solid objects whenever he wished. So, she challenged him by asking him what she was wearing under her jeans. Isn't that right, Emma?"

"Erm, yeah…that's right," mumbled an awkward Saviour, grateful for the get out.

He scratched his beard, considering what he'd heard. "In that case, I need to remember never to wager money against him at a card table!" Then he looked at Emma. "And good job you decided to wear some knickers that day, don't you think?" Marian and Regina both chuckled as his now pink-cheeked wife glared back at him

"Killian!" However, her embarrassment was spared by her cell phone coming to life. The station?

"Sheriff Jones," she answered. Even the others could hear a clearly anxious voice on the other end. "Mulan? What is it? What's going on?"

"Emma? It's David. He's been involved in an accident! His patrol car's been hit by a truck."

She went numb, her face changing from pink to white in an instant. "What? Dad? How…how is he?"

There was a pause on the other end, seconds that felt like hours. "Not good. They've taken him in to hospital in an ambulance a couple minutes ago. Hank's on his way there now. It's serious Emma!"

The others saw her jaw drop, Killian rushing to her side as he saw her knees wobble, clamping his arm behind her back, to stop her falling to the floor. "Swan? What's happened?"

She almost dropped the phone. "It's dad! A truck's hit him…"