Happy 10th Anniversary to Once Upon a Time! Here's a special little vignette to help celebrate the day. Takes place in the Finding You Always Universe. It helps to have read it, but not completely necessary. Lots of Charming family fluff with Regina and reflection on how they went from enemies to family, as Snow prepares to give birth to their fourth child. Enjoy and let me know what you think!
A Long Way:
A Finding You Always Vignette
2008
Twenty-four year old Emma Nolan strolled through Boston with a coffee tray in hand. Though she was perfectly happy with her life in Storybrooke with her parents, siblings, and five-year-old son, she had not been able to skip the opportunity to apprentice with a real bail bondsperson. It was only a few weeks and her parents had urged her to go, telling her they were fine taking care of Henry for her. She was reluctant to leave her son and also, because her mother was nine months pregnant and now two weeks late.
"Okay...one vanilla latte for you and a hot cocoa with cinnamon for me," Emma said, as she sat down on the park bench next to her boss.
"Oh and blueberry muffin for you and two bear claws for me," the blonde added, as she took a big bite of her pastry. Her boss raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"Two bear claws?" Cleo Fox asked.
"I'm away from home and my Mom isn't here to lecture me about eating too much sugar and no veggies," Emma replied. Cleo shook her head.
"Your Mom knows you're twenty-four, right?" she asked. Emma snorted.
"My Mom will be telling me to eat my veggies when I'm forty," she quipped.
"Okay...well, you may be seeing her soon, because I think we're close to catching this guy," Cleo said.
"Really?" Emma asked. She nodded.
"We just got an anonymous tip and I think he's checked into a sleazy motel on the other side of town. Are you up for it?" she asked. Emma nodded.
"Let's go," she agreed.
Snow opened her mouth, as he fed her another bite of ice cream and she rubbed her swollen belly. Things were quiet and he had come home a bit early. He would soon head over to pick up Henry from Ella's daycare, but for the moment, he and Snow were enjoying some dessert.
"Mmm...she loves ice cream," she said. He chuckled, as he massaged her swollen ankles. They were sitting on the couch and she had her legs in his lap.
"I think you like ice cream," he teased. She looked at him coyly. They heard the door open and their teenage twins came in with Regina.
"Hey guys...how was horseback riding?" David asked.
"Awesome…" Leo said energetically. Nothing made him happier or put him in a better mood than a day with animals and nature.
"Yeah…Aunt Regina is a really good teacher," Eva agreed, as the older woman hugged her with one arm. When the twins were born, things had still been a bit icy between her and Snow. But over time, thanks to her love for Robin, Roland, and subsequently, the twins, she and Snow had become friends and eventually had grown to be very close friends as they were now. Still, the twins had always called her Aunt Regina. When they were little, that was all she had ever been comfortable with, even though she was technically their step-grandmother. But Leo and Eva had dubbed her Aunt Regina, almost if they knew what she needed at that time.
But with Snow's latest pregnancy and nearing due date, she had found herself considering her role with the new baby. She knew her step-daughter loved the idea of her role as grandmother to her kids, but didn't say much, and truthfully, she couldn't see this one calling her Aunt Regina. She had been there from the very beginning with this one. Snow and David had even invited her to attend doctor appointments and from the first moment Regina saw the sonogram of little baby girl Charming, she had been in love and knew that only the title of Nana would do with this one. If she ever decided to come.
Snow was two weeks late and miserable, because it was hitting record highs, even for July, in Storybrooke. She spent most of her days now in the air conditioned house and loathed the idea of going out into what she was calling the surface of the sun these days.
"Has it cooled down at all out there?" she asked.
"No...it was a little better in the woods on our ride, because we took the trail down by the creek. But it's still scorching out there," Regina replied.
"Ugh…" Snow groaned, as she sipped at her hot cocoa. Regina raised an eyebrow.
"You know it might help if you didn't drink hot cocoa in July, right?" she asked. Snow rolled her eyes.
"She wants cocoa...all the time. What am I supposed to do?" Snow asked, as she rubbed her belly.
"You can come along any time, my sweet girl," she cooed to her belly.
"She will...she's just not impatient like her other siblings," David joked, as he kissed her belly. She smiled at him.
"Doesn't Paul think it's time to induce labor?" Regina asked.
"He says we can if it goes on too much longer...but he isn't concerned. And we've done most of the things to try and induce labor," he said, giving his wife a sly look, which she returned. Regina rolled her eyes.
"Too much information," she grumbled, but then remembered something that she had in her car.
"Oh…I brought something for the baby," she said, as she ran outside to get it. When she returned though, she found David helping her off the couch and calling to the twins.
"Her water just broke...looks like it's time," he said, as the twins came running down.
"Eva...get the go bag," David called, as she retrieved it from the closet.
"Okay...let's roll," Regina said.
"Oh...but Emma's not home yet," Snow fretted.
"I'll call her, my darling. I know she'll get here as soon as she can," he promised, as he kissed her hair and they made their way out to the car.
Emma looked on proudly, as she and Cleo stood off to the side, while the Boston PD arrested their bail jumper.
"That was a nice collar," one of the young detectives said, as he approached them.
"Thank you detective, but my young apprentice gets most of the credit for this one. She has a knack for tracking down scum," Cleo said, as he turned to her.
"And you are?" he asked.
"Uh…Emma Swan," she answered, using the alias of Swan.
"Detective Chase Olson," he said, introducing himself, as they shook hands.
"Nice to meet you," she replied.
"Ever thought about going to the Academy?" he asked. She shook her head.
"Nah…I like life in my small hometown most of the time. I got most of my training with my Dad. He's the Sheriff of our town and I'm one of his deputies," she replied.
"If you're this good...you should be working on a real police force," he said.
"Thanks...but I like raising my son in a small town. The city is nice to visit, but a little goes a long way for me," she replied. He smiled and nodded.
"Can't blame a bloke for trying," he said, as her phone rang.
"Excuse me," she said.
"Hey Dad," she answered.
"Hey Em...your Mom just went into labor. You think you can make a beeline for home?" David asked.
"Yeah…I'm on my way," she said, as she went back.
"Uh Cleo...there's a family emergency at home. I need to go," Emma said. Cleo nodded.
"Of course...we're done here and I'll be in touch with other cases," she replied. Emma smiled.
"Thanks!" she called, as she hopped in the bug and hit the highway home for Maine.
Snow cried out, as another contraction hit and he dabbed her forehead.
"Why is it so hot in here!?" she whined.
"The air is on full blast, but it's having trouble keeping up with this heat wave," Whale said, as he entered the room.
"Ugh...what is he doing here?" Snow whined.
"Hello to you too," Whale deadpanned.
"Where is Paul?" David asked sharply.
"Relax Your Highness...he's on the way. I'm just helping out and thanks to you, I have to take extra patients," he complained.
"How far apart are the contractions?" Whale asked.
"Still about seven minutes apart," Regina answered.
"She may have a while then...let's see how much she's dilated," he said.
"Beat it Whale," David growled. He smirked, as Paul walked in.
"Can't blame a guy for trying," he said, as he left and Snow sighed in relief a bit.
"Sorry about him…" Paul said, as he checked.
"Not quite to ten yet...so it may still be a while," he said. Snow groaned, as fell back against her pillow and David dabbed her forehead again with a cool cloth.
"Why is she taking so long. The other three couldn't wait…" Snow complained.
"I know, my love...she'll be here before you know it," he promised, as they shared a loving glance and he kissed her forehead.
"Oh Regina...you said you had something for the baby?" Snow asked curiously. Her step-mother smiled and handed her a gift bag. Snow opened it and found a lavender knitted blanket. It was similar to Emma's, only lavender in color and didn't have a name yet.
"You made this for her?" Snow asked in surprise. She nodded.
"I asked Granny if she wouldn't mind if I made this one...and she happily agreed to let me handle the blanket for this one. We can add a name later," Regina replied. Snow's eyes filled with tears and she sniffed.
"Thank you...I love it and I know she will too," she cried, as Regina gently hugged her. Another contraction hit at that moment and it was a big one, as David held her and she cried out.
"Okay...we are fully dilated now. It's time to start pushing," Paul said.
"Oh...but Emma isn't here," Snow cried.
"She will be, my darling...she's on her way," he promised. Snow pushed through the contraction and fell back to her pillow for a brief moment.
"You're doing great...the next one is coming," Paul coached as her next contraction came and the head crowned.
"Okay...we have a head. This is a big push!" he called, as Snow pushed and then fell back against David briefly.
"Ugh...why couldn't it be winter," she complained, as he dabbed her forehead.
"It's almost over...one more big push," Paul said, as Snow pushed again and finished delivery. There was a cry and the three of them stared in awe at the small, wriggling baby girl.
"She's here," Paul said, with a wide grin, as the nurses cleaned her off and wrapped her up, before placing her in Snow's arms.
"Oh...oh look at you…" Snow said, as she looked at her. David sniffed and swiped his tears away, as he gazed down at her.
"She's so beautiful...just like her mother," he said, as they shared a tender kiss. Snow soon passed her to him and he cradled his tiny daughter.
"Leave it to you to deliver your baby on the hottest summer day on record," Regina said, smiling at them. Something struck Snow at her statement.
"Summer…" she uttered.
"What?" David asked, as he watched a smile spread across his wife's face.
"That's what we should call her...Summer," she said. He grinned.
"I love it," he said, as he kissed her and then their tiny daughter.
"So…Nana, would you like to hold your granddaughter?" he asked. Regina sucked in a breath of air to keep the tears back and nodded, not trusting her voice. David gently placed her in Regina's arms and a wide smile spread across her face.
"Hello Summer...I'm your Nana," she cooed, as the tiny infant wrapped her tiny hand around Regina's finger.
"I'm going to give you everything and spoil you so much. And no one will ever hurt you, because if they do, they'll suffer my wrath. You'll be in my protective bubble," she promised, as Snow and David looked on fondly.
"Can we come in?" Leo asked, as he and Eva poked their heads in.
"Of course…" David called, as their fourteen-year-olds hurried in and gazed down at their new baby sister.
Hours later, Emma finally arrived, after picking up Henry and came into the room with her son.
"Emma!" Snow called, as her eldest daughter hugged her.
"Hi Mom...wow, I guess she's here," Emma said, as she held Henry, so he could look down in wonder at his new, tiny Aunt.
"This is your baby sister Summer," David said. Emma grinned.
"I love the name…" she said.
"And I see she has a blanket too," she added.
"She does...her Nana Regina made it for her," Snow said, smiling at her step-mother.
"Yes…and I think it's Nana's turn again," Regina said, as Snow handed the baby to her and she cuddled her new granddaughter again. They had truly come a very long way.
Happy Tenth Anniversary to Once Upon a Time!