Chapter 1 Cradles

Emma and the other residents of the small town called Storybrooke were happy for once to have some peace. No dark curses or evil witches wanting to get revenge or more power. Emma had recently bought a reasonable-sized townhouse for herself. Henry normally spent Monday to Friday with Regina the former Evil Queen. While he stayed with Emma on weekends.

Only having the boy stay for two days out of each week didn't stop Emma from seeing Henry every day. And why should it? Regina drove the boy to school in the morning and Emma picked him up after school sometimes with doughnuts which were their little secret. Regina didn't hate treats like doughnuts but thought they shouldn't be a weekly treat. Every once in a while was okay.

It's not like not having Henry on weekdays was bad. Being the town sheriff meant that Emma typically had long hours on weekdays. So what little free time, she had on those days, she put into decorating her new house. It wasn't unusual by any means for Emma to wake up early, she was a firm believer that people didn't really need seven-eight hours of sleep.

Five-six hours of sleep was perfect for the saviour. Emma got off her couch, she tossed her fleece to one side. She then stretched before; she made her way upstairs to have a quick shower. She knew she would have a second shower in no time. But still, she found that she thought better when showering.

Once out of the shower, she made her back downstairs wearing black trainers, black jogging trousers and a grey running jacket. There was no point in turning the living room light on. Her vision was good in the dark. She walked over to the coffee table and picked up her mobile and called Snow White. It only took around two minutes for Snow to answer.

"Mom," Emma said.

"Emma it's six in the morning." Snow replied yawning shortly after.

"Oh, sorry I guess I'm still not used to sleeping in." Emma apologised.

"You should try."

"I decided to call to see if you would like to spend the day together. Dad will be with Henry teaching him how to ride a horse after school. I'd thought it will be good to spend some one on one time together like the old days." Emma told her mom. How stupid of her not to think it might have been too early for the ex-princess now teacher to be up.

"Sure, I love too anywhere particular?" Snow asked.

"No, not really maybe just browse a couple of stores. I need to pick up some groceries." Emma answered.

"Didn't you go grocery shopping the other day?" Snow asked.

"Yeah, but I forgot a couple of things and Henry will be staying over in two days," Emma explained.

"Is eight okay?"

"Eight is good; I'll see you at Granny's. I'm going for a run." Emma said.

"It's dark outside Emma." Snow pointed out.

"I'll be fine; Storybrooke is the least dangerous place I've lived in." Emma replied dismissing her mother's comment about outside being dark.

"That doesn't give mommy a lot of comfort." Snow told Emma.

"I'll see you soon enjoy your sleep," Emma said before ending the call.

After her run, she returned to her house and had another shower to wash away the sweat she made while running. She changed into some jeans, a top, boots and her iconic red jacket. Before meeting up with Snow at the diner. Snow had already managed to get them a booth. Emma approached the booth and sat down opposite Snow.

"David is still sleeping." Snow commented.

"You do look a little tired." Emma said.

"I was up late marking school work." Snow replied.

"It wouldn't hurt giving Henry an A."

"EMMA! I can't play favourites. Besides, he's doing quite well solid C's." Snow scolded.

"Only joking." Emma said.

The two sat and ate together for a good hour and a half. Before they started shopping together. A couple of hours in Emma decided to go into Gold's store with Snow who followed after her. Emma wasn't looking for anything in particular. A couple of minutes into browsing Emma heard Snow gasp. The saviour turned away from some creepy dolls, she was eying and walked over to her mother.

She was standing near two cribs. Wiping away tears.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked.

"Oh, nothing sweetie." Snow lied.

"I know that's not true. It can't be that bad." Emma responded.

"It is." Snow insisted.

"Some things are better shared." Emma reminded her mother.

"You were a miracle Emma," Snow said.

"I know, the whole saviour thing." Emma replied.

"No, not because you're the saviour. Not long before we defeated the Evil Queen, I had the displeasure of meeting King George. Your uncle's father, he spiked my drink with a special substance…" Snow started, Emma felt sick surely George wouldn't drug Snow and force certain acts on her.

"George didn't r…" Emma interrupted. Emma prayed that her mother wasn't hurt in such an evil and twisted way.

"No, he didn't Emma. But what he did do was just as twisted. The substance made me barren unable to have children." Snow explained.

"Well, I'm here it clearly didn't work."

"That was because your grandma Ruth slipped me, the last droplets of water from an enchanted lake; if she drank the water she would have survived. The water reversed what George did allowing me to have children again." Snow explained.

"Brave woman. I still don't see why you're crying over two cribs." Emma said she didn't ask a lot of questions about her grandparents. She didn't want to bring up any hurtful memories.

"You are the eldest of two Emma. You have a twin brother, he wasn't important in the grand scheme fate wise. But your father and I loved you equally. We planned for me to go into the wardrobe, while pregnant with two of you. But we never had the chance. I never got to name him. I had faith that somehow, someway you two would find one another. I guess I was wrong. These are your cribs; we had them made just for the two of you." Snow explained to Emma.

"This is a lot to process," Emma admitted, she always assumed she was an only child. She always thought her worst-case scenario was that she had other siblings and that her parents only cared for them not her.

"You probably hate me right now, that I kept such a big secret." Snow sobbed.

"I'm not mad at you just the situation. Mom, I promise we'll find him. We'll bring him home." Emma told her mother.

"What if he doesn't want to come home? What if he wants nothing to do with us?" Snow asked.

"He will want to come home everyone wants a family deep down inside," Emma responded.

End of chapter 1.