Summary: Emma makes a discovery.


The Swan-Jones residence

Snow stayed by David's bedside the entire first night, the whoosh of the respirator and the heart monitor's incessant beeping being the only noises heard. Emma had finally, after her husband's and mother's constant pushing, decided to go home and try to get some sleep but, with Hope and Lizzie staying over at the Locksley residence, she barely slept a wink, waking Killian several times in the night. The following morning, at a little before five, he found her in the kitchen, making coffee.

"I guess you've given up trying to sleep? You best pour me one of those, while you're at it."

"Sorry, babe." She had dark rings under her eyes, which looked sore. "I couldn't get back down." She poured him a cup alongside hers, handing it to him. "I need to tell Neal about dad this morning. I'm dreading it!"

"Let me do it? No disrespect love, but the way you're looking, it may come across worse than it is. We don't need to alarm the boy more than necessary."

"Alarm him? Killian, dad could die! After Merlin left, Whale gave me some more details. Dad's brain's swelling from the injuries. If that swelling pushes down on something he mentioned, then it's all over! Then, they'd have to get his heart out quick, otherwise mum dies too!"

"I know, love. You mentioned it, several times. I'm just saying…let's just let the boy know that his father's condition is very serious. Don't tell him anything else unless things deteriorate?"

"I guess. Whale said they were going to do some sort of 'chilling', to make his head colder, to reduce the swelling if it got worse. He said we just have to wait, and hope."

"Speaking of which, I'll go over to the Locksley's and collect the girls. Leave them with me. Is that milk of yours in the fridge still okay to use?"

"I wouldn't. I'll express some more." Then her mind went to how she left them last night. "Shit! I think we only left two bottles! I'd best get over there…"

He rested a hand on her arm. "Calm, it's all in hand love. I spoke to Marian last night. She says they'll try her with theirs. One advantage to having two nursing mothers in one home, right?"

"I guess. Though I'm not sure how I feel about another woman breastfeeding my own baby."

"I really wouldn't worry about it," he gave her a sad smile, looking her over. "Now, why don't you run yourself a relaxing bath, and give yourself a decent hair wash? I'll bring you in another coffee."

"Bath? Hair wash? You trying to say I stink or something?"

"I'd never be so uncouth, love. But you had a long day yesterday, and you've been up all night."

"You know I can spot a lie, Killian Jones, but I can also tell avoidance when I hear it! Anyway, I wouldn't argue. I do look like a bag of shit right now. And my hair looks like I've been dragged through a hedgerow backwards! You're right, I'd better go bathe."


Storybrooke Hospital

It was just after eight, three hours later, when Emma returned to the ward. Realising the sight of her father wired up to all the equipment might be upsetting for Neal and the babies, she left Killian to go talk with them and bring them home if necessary. Walking into the emergency ward reception, she was surprised to find her mother talking to the nurses, with a coffee in her hand, rather than by David's bedside.

"Mum? Everything ok?"

"Hello Emma darling," Snow kissed her on the cheek, then looked at her tired eyes. "Did you manage to get some sleep?"

"Not really. How's dad?"

"No change. The nurses are going in there every ten minutes. Ruby's in with him right now. She brought some clothes over from my place, and virtually ordered me to go shower! She also brought me some breakfast, which I couldn't face. Then she told me off for not eating it, saying David would be annoyed if I didn't eat properly. Then lovely Jenny here…" she looked across to a young nurse typing behind the desk, "…just got me a hot coffee and a bacon roll."

"Clothes? Mum, I could have popped home for you before I came here! You should have said."

"You need sleep too, my love, and I didn't want to disturb you after yesterday. Now, I need a little fresh air, so I'm going to go outside and walk around the block for a few minutes. Have you spoken to Neal?"

"Nope. We agreed Killian should do it, in case I get a bit…um…you know?"

"I do. You're right, he'll probably be calmer about this. You go through. I'll be back shortly…"


A minute later, she was about to enter the room where her father had been moved to, when she noticed the door already open. She spotted Ruby, her back to her, resting on the edge of the bed, talking to him. She smiled to herself, remembering how close the wolf was to both of her parents. They went way back, according to Snow. But what struck her was the tender way Ruby was resting his lifeless right hand against her now large baby-bump, stroking it. She was about to announce her presence, when Ruby spoke again.

"We all need you back, David. Neal and Emma still need you around for a long time yet. And what about those beautiful little granddaughters? And Henry, of course. They all need their grandpa! You know, every time I see Henry come back, he reminds me more and more of you when you were his age? All muscles and chest!" Listening in warmed Emma's heart. Ruby knew so much about her parents' past, and she only got little snippets of it from time to time.

But what she said next, threw her completely!

"And I can't wait for this one to meet them. We weren't planning on telling anyone the sex before the birth. But under the circumstances, I thought you of all people needed to know. It's a boy, David. You've given us a son! Can you feel him?"

Emma could hardly breath. David's? Had she heard right?

The air left her lungs as she stepped back from the door, into the corridor. His son? Wide-eyed, she watched Ruby lift David's hand from her belly, kissing the back of it, and holding it in her own.

"Sorry, could I squeeze past?" said a voice from Emma's side, making her start. She turned to see a tall nurse, pushing a wide trolley with some sort of machine on it, looked at her, smiling.

"What? Oh...erm...sure...sorry!" she moved back against the wall, to let her through. As she passed, she looked back into the room to see Ruby, now standing, looking straight at her, her father's hand back on the bed.

"Emma? Sorry, I didn't even notice you were there! Come on in. Snow's here somewhere. She just popped out to get cleaned up and something to eat. She'll be back in a minute…" The tall brunette noticed the Saviour wouldn't look at her. Emma seemed unusually startled. Nervous even.

"Yeah...I saw her a couple minutes ago." Her mind was racing. "She went for a walk outside. To, um, freshen up."

"Good idea. She was here all night. Emma..." she walked right in front of her, "I'm so sorry about your dad! Your poor mum. How're you bearing up?" she opened her arms to give her a hug, but Emma stepped back, away from her, looking down to avoid her gaze.

"As well as could be…under the circumstances."

"Of course." Ruby couldn't fail to notice the blonde's frostiness as she refused to look up at her. Had she been there all along, listening? "Well, Dot and I are thinking of you all. If there's anything we can do for you in the meantime, like looking after the girls or something? Just let us know, okay?"

"Sure…yeah, thanks." Still looking down, shuffling awkwardly from side-to-side.

"Okay. Now you're here, I'd best be off, as they only let two of us in at once and your mum might be waiting outside? Take care, all of you…" she moved to try and kiss her cheek, and Emma almost flinched as she again moved even further back.

She'd definitely heard her!

She quietly stepped past her and into the corridor, leaving Emma standing alone.

The moment Ruby got into the reception area, seeing Snow had still not returned, she pulled out her cellphone and typed a message to her oldest friend:

'I think I might have caused a problem with Emma! Call me?'


Emma's mind was a whirlwind as she sat down on the chair next to her unconscious father. Dad got her pregnant? But she's mum's best friend! He'd never be unfaithful, would he? She remembered how he was married and living with Kathryn when she first met him, but having an affair with the then Mary Margaret. But that was before the curse! Then she remembered something Snow told her months ago, about Ruby and Dorothy finding a donor? But they're supposed to be anonymous, aren't they? Then she remembered Ruby resting her dad's hand on her belly. And kissing the back of it. She also looked guilty when she spotted her standing outside! How could Ruby do that to her?

All these thoughts were whizzing around, as she looked at the silent figure in the bed. Dad, an adulterer? Well, he certainly had form, what with Kathryn… Then she was awoken from her thoughts by someone walking in. Snow.

"Ruby's gone already? Oh, that's a shame, she only just got here!" she squeezed beside Emma's chair to lean over and drop a kiss on David's forehead. "Have you been talking to him? Did you get another reaction?"

Should I tell her about Ruby? How can I? It'd break her bloody heart! "No, no reaction. Not yet."

"Emma, you look like you've seen a ghost! Something happened? Apart from your dad, I mean?"

I can't do that to her, Not now. "No. I'm…I guess I'm not feeling too good. You know, I think I'm going to get some fresh air myself." She stood. "Do you mind?"

"Of course not. Your father knows you were here, that's the main thing. You get off and get some sleep. I'm staying." Snow watched her stand, seemingly oblivious to everything around her. "I was going to call Regina later, to let her know I'd like Neal to come over tomorrow. Do you think-" she stopped as Emma seemed to completely ignore her, walking out the room. Something's wrong. Killian? The baby?

She bent down to pick her phone out of her bag, sighing when she realised she'd once again, left it off since last night. Switching it back on, she was ready to call her son-in-law when half a dozen texts came through, each offering a familiar 'beep' sound. She quickly glanced at them, before seeing the most recent, left by Ruby less than ten minutes ago.

'Snow, I think I might have caused us a problem with Emma! Call me?


Once she'd left the hospital, Emma took a long walk down the hill towards the docks to clear her head. Sitting on that familiar bench overlooking the quays, she looked down at the watch Henry had brought her as a present from his European trip. It was just after nine. She'd spent less than half an hour in the hospital. Less than half an hour to see her father, who could be dead shortly. She'd wanted to spend time with him, but the moment she'd heard Ruby's words she couldn't get out of there fast enough.

'It's a boy, David.'

'You're going to have another son! Can you feel him?'

Surely David wouldn't have cheated on her mother? As the thought went around and around, in her mind, she realised she may have been overreacting. But the loving way the woman had kissed the back of his hand. How she'd stroked her fingers through his hair. That bothered her. She could imagine the look on her mother's face if she'd seen her do just that. And the guilty look! Like she'd been caught. She stared over the harbour, looking at she ships docked. The most magnificent one there, as usual, was Killian's pride and joy, the Jolly Roger. What that magnificent ship had seen over three centuries (she called it a boat once, and the glare of contempt from him guaranteed she wouldn't do that again) would fill several of Henry's storybooks alone! People were milling around it, preparing it for the launch in two weeks' time. Tourists would be travelling on it shortly, having no idea it was the real pirate ship, from a real land of magic. As the ship was bathed in sunshine, she looked out to sea, over the horizon. She'd long come to understand what attracted her husband to a life on the ocean. The chance to escape, even temporarily.

It was as these thoughts swilled around, that her phone buzzed with a new text. Snow.

Mum: Emma, you need to come back. Something's happened. Bring Neal.

"Shit!"

Fearing the worst, Emma teleported straight to Mifflin Street. Explaining the urgency to Regina, the brunette had insisted on coming with her and her brother to the hospital. The three of them teleported straight there. As Regina once again walked them out of the cupboard, she put a hand on the Saviour's arm.

"Emma, it may be bad news. Are you sure you want to take Neal in there? I'd like to be there for you both, if…" she stopped herself, looking down on the boy.

"Bad news? Em? What bad news, what's happening?" The pair winced, knowing he hadn't even been told of his father's accident yet. Emma wilted under his shocked stare.

"Neal..." Regina dropped to her knees. "Your father's been involved in a road accident, when he was in his patrol car. He's in here, and your mother's with him." Emma mouthed a silent 'thank you' to her friend. "But we need you to be a big, brave young man when you see them, all right?"

"Dad's been in an accident?" his face went white. "Is he…alive?"

"He is, bro, but very, very poorly." His sister finally added. "We'll let mum know we're here before we decide whether it's okay for you to go in there. But you need to know, before you see him, that there's some tubes and things in him right now, helping him to breath and listening to his body."

"Is he going to die?"

Jeez, kids cut through all the bullshit, don't they? The women looked to each other, unsure how to answer, when Ruby reappeared in the reception area, but this time with Dorothy walking in beside her.

"What the hell are you doing back here?" asked Emma, coldly.

"Snow asked me to come back. She said it was important. I brought Dorothy, just in case…"

Regina couldn't fail to notice the icy glare Emma sent the wolf, and was just about to ask what was going on, when Snow herself appeared from the wards. "Good, you're all here!" She walked across to Neal, silently pulling him into her arms and dropping a kiss on his head. "Ruby, thanks for coming back so quickly! Regina, Dorothy – it's nice to see you both."

"How's David?" asked Regina. "Emma said there's been a change?"

"There has. He's improved slightly, but he's still unconscious."

"Improved?" gasped Emma. "But...from your message, I thought he'd got worse! I raced over to her place to grab Neal, to get here like you asked. You scared the shit out of me!"

"Language, Emma, Neal's present!" she softly rebuked her. "I only said that something has happened. It don't know what happened when you two were here earlier, but by the time I got back, that machine monitoring your father was going crazy! The doctors said it's a good sign but want to know what happened to trigger it. That's why I asked you back. That, and, just in case things do take a turn for the worse, I need to talk to you. Both of you." She turned to the young nurse at the desk. "Jenny, which room did you say we could use?"

"That one over there, Mrs. Nolan," she pointed to a door. "It's a little meeting room. Nobody's using it for a couple of hours."

"Thank you. Neal, Emma, come with me please? You too, Rubes." Regina, you can go in and see David, if you want? Jenny can show you which room." She looked at the last woman. "Dorothy, it's two visitors at a time, so you can go in with Regina to see him, if you want?"

"I'd rather she was with me, Snow!" said Ruby. If Emma was going to go ballistic at her, she'd need all the support she can get!

Snow nodded, walking towards the meeting room door, opening it to let everyone in. Emma held on to Neal's shoulder, wondering whether her mother was going to give her more bad news about David, but just wanted to stay positive for Neal. Seeing a square table and chairs, she followed him around one side, both siblings sitting. However, when she saw Ruby and Dorothy, the former looking wary, move to sit opposite, she glared back.

"Why does she need to be here?" her voice as icy as before, making Ruby flinch. Dorothy sat down next to her, taking her hand in her own.

"You'll find out in a minute!" said Snow, firmly. "I asked her to come back, because of something you may have overheard this morning!" Her harder tone with her daughter surprised Emma.

"Wait – you knew?" What the hell's going on?

"Of course I knew. It was my suggestion!"

"Well I don't! What are you talking about?" yelled Neal. "Somebody want to tell me what's going on? Why I'm in here, instead of seeing dad?"

"Sorry, my love," Snow sat next to him, dropping a kiss on his head. "I'll take you in to see him in a minute, once the doctors have left. But there's something I need to tell you and your sister. It's about Ruby's baby." He looked confused, while Emma's brow arched.

"You know how Ruby and Dorothy are two of our best friends, don't you?" He nodded. "Well, for some time now, they wanted to have a baby of their own. Either by adopting a baby, like Regina did with Henry, or get help."

"Miss Stevens told us about eggs and sperm at school, in the sex education classes. But Rubes and Dottie are girls! How can they have a baby?"

"By going to something called a fertility clinic. And getting them to arrange to get sperm, from someone they call a 'donor'."

"That kinda makes sense. So that's what you did, Rubes?"

"We tried to, Neal," said Ruby, feeling slightly awkward. "But they wouldn't let us have any…"

His mother cut in. "It seems the lady who runs the clinic, doesn't think that it's right for two women to love each other, live together and have a baby. So, they have to go to the back of the waiting list. Or try to find a baby to adopt."

"That's not fair! They'd be great mums!" The two women opposite him beamed at his words.

"Thanks, Neal, it's lovely to hear you to say that," Dorothy spoke for the first time. "But unfortunately, there's still a lot of people who think two women like us, or two men, living together or marrying each other, is wrong."

"That's just stupid! Doctor Whale's getting married to his boyfriend next year, and he's a doctor! And my friend Pip's dad's got two wives, and he's the mayor! And Aunty Gina and Aunty Marian. They're married…"

"You're quite right, my love, it is stupid," said Snow. "But they've got Philip and Robin if they want babies, haven't they? Ruby and Dorothy don't have that…" she looked to see Emma's reaction to what she had to say next. Knowing her superpower could spot a lie easily, she had to be careful how she said it. "So, last year, your dad and I discussed it, and offered for your dad to be a donor for them. Ruby and Dorothy said yes, and in a couple of months' time, they'll have a baby all of their own…"

"So…" his mind worked it through, "that means he's going to be a dad again? And I'll be a big brother?"

"Well, Ruby and Dorothy will be bringing the baby up, and he or she will be living with them. It'll be their baby, not mine or your dad's, but-"

Ruby interrupted. "Yes Neal, you will be a big brother!" she looking directly at Emma. "It's a boy. Your dad, with your mum's blessing, has given us the greatest gift we could ever hope for."

"And what are you gonna do," the Saviour glared at her mother, "…if and when word gets out that David's got another kid in town, eh?"

"It will get out, Emma. And if anyone asks, and Ruby and Dot don't mind, I won't deny it! I'm proud of my husband for being willing to help them."

"Proud? For what – him siring another woman's kid? Not exactly difficult is it, just pulling himself off?" That was a low blow, but even if she felt guilty for saying it, her anger was now in charge over her reasoning. "What happens if these two split up? Does he get custody, and you have to raise it? Dad could have been killed yesterday, and you'd die with him! Where would that leave the poor little bastard? Alone, like me?" she stood, knowing her mouth was running away with her. Desperate to leave, she clambered around the desk, past Snow, to reach the door. "What is wrong with you people?"

"I think it's great, mum!" said Neal as his sister made to leave. "Dot and Rubes are our family too, aren't they?"

Snow had been stunned by Emma's over-reaction. Despite her tears and emotional apology last year, and her reconciliation with her dad, there was still all that underlying angst from having to be raised as a orphan. Would it ever go? She had hoped that her daughter, having given birth to two more children, in a loving marriage to Killian Jones, would have helped ease her soul. But clearly, it was still under the surface.

"They are Neal, they are…" Snow watched, as a flustered Emma, clearly not wanting to talk, disapparated in front of them, to heaven knows where. Maybe not to all of us…

As the remains of the white mist evaporated, Ruby looked up at her best friend, who looked sullen. "I'm sorry, Snow! If I had any idea it would cause you this sort of-"

"No, Ruby! I already told you, I have no regrets. And nor does David! This isn't your problem, it's mine. I don't think she'll ever really forgive us for putting her in that wardrobe!"

For the second time that day, Emma sat on the same bench overlooking the harbour, her mind elsewhere as she tried to process everything she'd heard. How could they do that, to me and Neal? My own father - a sperm donor, even though he already has a family? That's just… She tried to tell herself it was wrong. Gross even. He already had kids! Me for one! I missed growing up with them completely! And now he just creates another one? That's when she felt a cool breeze, and recognised the electric pulse, of magic happening right behind her.

"Not now, Regina," she sighed, rolling her eyes, but looked straight ahead over the harbour. "I really don't want to talk about it!"

"I'm not Regina," said a young voice right behind her, making her head swivel up.

"Neal? How the hell did you get here?" The moment she said it, she knew it was a stupid question. The two of them had spent several hours yesterday with Regina, introducing him to teleporting for the first time. As it seemed he could already duplicate his image, the queen thought he was ready. "How did you find me so quickly?"

"I could smell you - it wasn't hard. I just followed that…"

"Smell me? Kid, I don't know if I should be offended or what. You're the second guy today that said I needed a bath. I'm starting to take it personally!"

Her brother gave her a sad smile, as he moved around to sit beside her. "Not that sort of smell, stupid! I meant I can smell your magic. It's different to Gina and Robin's. I just told myself to follow it…"

"You can actually 'smell' magic? Neal, you've got some seriously weird magic going on there! I've never heard Regina talk about smelling it before." She raised a brow at him. "So, come on then, out with it – what do I smell like?"

"Well…it's hard to explain really. It's like that smokey stuff that Parson Joe uses in church," he sat a little closer. "It's nice though! Gina's smells like that appley smell she puts on. Robin's is woody…"

"Typical, I get incense and he gets wood." Could have phrased that better Swan! She smiled back, draping an arm around his shoulder. "You do realise, little bro, that when you're bigger, you'll be showing Hope and Lizzie all the tricks? Maybe you can be the new Saviour."

"I'd like that! So…you stopped freaking out about Ruby's baby, yet?"

She frowned at him. "What do you think?"

"Having a little brother? That'd be cool! When I grow up, if I had some friends who wanted a baby like they do, but couldn't have one, I'd like to help them like dad did. Why are you so upset? Is it something about you having to grow up without mum and dad there...again?"

"Why would you say that?"

"Honestly? Cos you keep throwing it back at them every so often, when you get upset! It's like, every time you get angry at them about something, you keep bringing it up. Mum usually cries afterwards, and dad has to take care of her."

Now she felt like a colossal turd. Was that fair? "It's a bit more complicated then that, Neal! If you'd spent the first twenty eight years of your life thinking you'd been dumped on the roadside, like I have, you might understand!"

"Maybe. But they have told you they had to do it, loads of times, haven't they? You would have died otherwise! Have you read Henry's story book about mum and dad?"

"Not for years. I'd forgotten all about it since we got back from the Underworld. I'm not even sure where it is. Why?"

"Because it's got pictures of mama crying, after dad had to put you in the wardrobe. She was supposed to go in there with you, but the Evil Queen ordered her soldiers to kill you both, even though you were only a baby! They got there earlier than mama thought they would..."

"You saw that? Does Henry have the book still?"

"He keeps it at Mr. Gold's house. There's several books. Apparently, new pages get written every time Henry comes back from college."

"I'd like to see them, but I won't ask Gold. He really doesn't like me very much! It's…complicated. So, you don't mind knowing you'll be having a little half-brother running around town?"

"Why should I? Doesn't mean dad'll love me, or you any less, does it? Nope, Ruby's mum's best friend, so she's kinda family, in a way. And the baby's going to be Dot and Ruby's, isn't he? Dad's not going to be living with them, or anything. He's just that…donor thingy...that mum said."

Emma felt a hint of shame for her overreaction. It was odd how she assumed the worst at one point, even that David had been unfaithful! He didn't deserve that. And not only did Snow know, she came up with the idea of him being a sperm donor in the first place! Was it really wrong?

"You've got a wiser head on your shoulders than I had when I was your age, little bro!" she pulled him against her shoulder, a little tighter.

He surprisingly, for his age, responded by giving her a quick peck on the cheek. "Younger bro, not little bro! And don't tell anyone, but, despite you being a permanent grump these days, I still love ya, 'old sis'!"

"Old? Hey, less of that, you!" she nudged his side, trying to stifle a grin.

"You started it!" he smirked. God he's starting to look like Charming. "Anyway, are you going to take me back to see dad? Or sulk out here all day?"

"Bloody cheek! Seems you're the magical smart ass these days – why don't you poof us back there?"

"I'll try! I've never moved someone else yet. You can be my first!"

"Hmm. On second thoughts, I don't want you scaring anyone half to death – I'll do it." She took his hand. Moments later, they vanished in a plume of white smoke.