Rumple takes Gideon for a short break n New York, without telling Belle. She's not pleased.
Henry introduces him to an interesting lady and Emma, with Robin's prompting, knows she needs to make things right with her parents...
Henry's Flat, Cambridge
"Henry, my boy! Take your uncle off me, would you? I've got a case downstairs and a taxi driver waiting."
"Sure, grandpa. Hand him over..." Henry took Gideon's car seat from Rumple. "Blimey, he's put weight on, hasn't he? It's only six weeks since I last saw him. Has he got a brick in that diaper?"
"Aye, but not in the way you're thinking!" He grinned. "Perhaps his nephew could change him?" He left, popping out the room and down the stairs to pay the driver. Rumple had left his car and own luggage at the Boston hotel he'd booked earlier that morning, before taking a taxi to his grandson's residence.
"Hi, Gideon, remember me?" Said the muscular twenty-one-year old, placing the car seat down on the table, before lifting the ten-month-old from it. "I'm Henry, your neph - oh God, phewey! You're as smelly as hell! Oh well, I've had to do it for my sister so, here goes..." He rummaged in the side bag, to collect the little changing mat, nappy [diaper - US] and wipes. As he started, a voice came from the front door.
"Henry? What are you - oh, who's this?" The young brunette spotted the baby. "You been keeping secrets from me, Henry Mills?"
'Hi Sofe. Hardly! This is Gideon, he's my uncle. His dad's paying for his taxi downstairs…"
"Uncle? That's some age gap? Mind you, he is seriously cute," she watched Henry in admiration, as he expertly removed the wet diaper, cleaned and wiped him quickly and replaced it with a clean, dry one, all in the space of less than a minute. "I see you've done this before?"
"Yeah, my sister, Honour. And, as I told you the other day, my two mums had two more babies, only seven months ago. Practice, I guess?"
"I remember you saying. You do seem to have some odd things going on in your family!"
He chuckled. "Yeah, you could say that. Here, do you want to hold him? He's getting seriously heavy!"
"Yeah, I love babies. Come here, Uncle Neal." Sofia collected the smiling baby into her arms.
A minute later, Rumple walked back into the room a minute, surprised to see his son now being carried by a stranger. "And who might you be?"
"Grandpa, I'd like you to meet Sofia. She's a good friend of mine, and staying in the next rooms along. Are you alone on this trip?"
"We are. I needed a break, and thought a weekend in the city, and hopefully some time with my grandson. I've also have some business to attend to with my lawyer in Boston."
"So you're Henry's grandpa? It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. You've got a very handsome son. When Henry said his grandfather, I imagined someone…older?"
He could tell by her eyes darting between the two of them that she was confused. "Henry's father, Bae…Neal, was my first son, by my first marriage. Sadly, he's no longer with us. Gideon here's my child by my second wife."
"Oh, that explains it/ You look far too young!" she flattered him. Looking at his bespoke suit, she could see he was clearly a man of wealth. "Are you staying local? With a baby, I'll guess you'll need some space?"
"A hotel in downtown Boston. We're only here a couple of days. But Henry, I was hoping to use some of the time to plan our trip?"
"Of course. The earlier the better. How about you have dinner with me tonight? There's a pretty good Bohemian restaurant near here with sofas and stuff so Gideon will be fine. Unless you've got plans?"
"No, my boy, that would be perfect. Unless, you have other plans?" he looked across at the young woman, who seemed to be a bit disappointed. Clearly she was keen on his grandson and perhaps had plans for them. "Perhaps young Sofia here would like to join us?"
"Well…I wouldn't want to be in the way."
"Nonsense, dearie. Any friend of Henry's is always welcome!"
Back in Storybrooke
"Ariel, have you seen my phone? I haven't seen it since yesterday, and I'm wondering if Rumple's left me a message. It's just not like him to take him and go like that! I should have heard something by now."
Various thoughts swam through her mind, the main one being, 'Has he taken him for good? After all, we're no longer together, are we'? But she dismissed it as being paranoid.
"Where did you last use it?" Ariel's hand slipped around and down the sides of the sofas, scanning the room for the missing phone.
"Yesterday. Just before you came over. I had it in the back of my…" Then she realised where she could have left it. She went upstairs, followed close behind by the redhead, back into her bedroom. As Belle looked under, Ariel slid her hand around the edge of the mattress, before finding it between the mattress and the footboard. "Here, I got it! Must have fallen out of your skirt pocket when we…" she smirked back at the beauty, remembering what they had been up to.
"Thanks." She looked back at her, their cheeks pinking at the memory, as she turned the phone on.
"I don't regret it, Belle. I hope you don't either?"
"Of course not. I told you I was free; I just wish Rumple hadn't caught us like that! God, it was so embarrassing!"
"Me too. I just couldn't believe he was so calm about it?" Having switched it back on, Belle's phone went off, alerting her to a series of new texts. She frowned, opening them:
Rumple: Belle, sorry to give no warning, but I decided to take Gideon with me on a short trip to Boston. We'll be gone three or four days. He's quite safe, and it's not like you'll be alone? I'll call later.
Rumple: My call went to voicemail. I'm still driving. Speak to you later.
Rumple: Still no answer from you. Could you call me? Still in the car. Gideon fast asleep.
Rumple: You appear to have disappeared. Perhaps with your new friend. Call me.
Rumple: Still not answering, I see? I trust you are having a good time? Please call me?
Rumple: Still no word back? Perhaps if you were to extract yourself from your girlfriend's thighs…
Then finally, the last one:
Rumple: I've checked in to the Bostonian. I only mention this because I have our son aboard and you may wish to know his whereabouts.
Belle groaned at the texts, though stopped worrying about her son for a moment, knowing he was in the best of hands. However, she still felt angry at having her estranged husband just take him off like that, without warning. "He could have bloody well told me he was going! He's my son too!
"Well, at least they're safe. And you'll have him back in a couple of days." She pulled her arms around her, holding onto her elbows from behind and pulling Belle's back onto her front. "Besides, you've have some free time on your hands now, don't you?"
Belle's scowl slowly morphed into a smile as she turned in her new lover's arms to face her, resting her hands on her shoulders, while Ariel's moved around her waist. "And what are you suggesting we do with all that time, Miss Tritonsdottir?" her eyebrow raised suggestively.
"Well, research for one thing!"
"Research? Into what precisely?" Belle lifted her face to place a light kiss on the other woman's lips.
"Into whether we can both peak in the position we were in, when we were so rudely interrupted?"
'Hmm, well, I would hate to stand in the way of research." She sniggered, before Ariel drove their mouths together in another ferocious kiss, pushing her back down on the bed.
Mifflin Street
"Dammit!" Emma slammed the phone down. "I was sure Ashley could do it, but Sean's taking her off for the weekend."
"Problem?" Robin walked in. "What's going on?"
"Our shopping weekend in New York. It's not 'going on'! No one's available to babysit Margot and Honour. You'll have Roland, Hope and Faith, so you're going to be pretty well maxed out anyway. All the usual suspects can't do it…"
"Really? What about your mum and dad? I spoke to David first thing this morning. Didn't look like he was up to much this weekend?"
"No, not them!" she said with a bit too much force, instantly making him suspicious. "They're going to be away!" she said, slightly defensive.
"Well how about Ruby and Dorothy? Couldn't they help?"
"Best not. We're not exactly on good terms right now."
"I'm sorry, what? Why? Emma, what's going on?"
"It's nothing. It's just...I had a bit of a falling about. With dad, about mum."
"Oh. Well you've started, so you might as well tell me everything?"
So she did. She told him about her father's comments. About her just using her mother when she felt like it. About her reacting, saying she'd had no parental example for twenty-eight years. About how she snapped at him and then, once he'd left, how Ruby jumped on her, telling her to leave.
"When was the last time you went over there, or invited Snow out, without Regina?"
"Last week, when I dropped the girls off."
"And when you weren't asking her to babysit? When did you last go around there? Again, without Regina or the children?"
"I – um, I can't remember." her voice a little less confident now.
"When was the last time you called her for a chat? Again, without wanting something?" His tone wasn't accusing, just…surgical. Emma didn't answer, just raising her eyes and looking a little awkward. "When was the last time you took her a card, asked her out for a drink, or told her you love her? Like she and David do to you, all the time?"
She stayed silent as it dawned on her that what her father had said may have had some truth in it. Since she and Regina married, she had distanced herself from them, her mother in particular. "Perhaps I could try a little harder."
"Perhaps." He agreed. "Perhaps you could make it up to her, by giving her what every mother wants for her daughter?"
Which is? Inform me o' wise one? O' expert in feminine logic. What is it that every mother wants?"
"The chance to arrange, or take an active part in, her daughter's wedding? Let her get properly involved, to organise and take some of it off your hands. She shouldn't have to ask, you should be asking her! You seem to forget Emma, that your mother is a remarkable woman, and extremely capable of organising things and people when the need arises. I'm seriously surprised you never asked her already. Why did you let it get to this?"
"Because I can handle it myself! Because Regina doesn't want her involved! Because…"
"Emma, I love Regina as much as you do. She's an incredible woman, but even I know she has an irrational contempt for your mother's opinions on virtually everything, just because of who she is! Sadly, it sometimes translates into pettiness and stupid comments, which can be surprisingly childish. And I say that as a soulmate!"
"I'd love to hear you say that to her face!"
"I have done, actually. She couldn't possibly deny it. Those two have a weird past. A kind of love/hate relationship. It must be very hard to ever fully trust someone who's spent half their life trying to kill you. And before you say she's not that woman anymore, don't you think I know that? I, for example, could never trust her sister as far as I can spit, no matter how she's changed! Tell me, did Snow even know you were going to marry Regina in New York?"
Her silence spoke volumes. "How did she react when you first told them you'd got married without her?"
It took a few moments, remembering their faces at the time. "I've been a bitch, haven't I?"
"Probably. Do you actually want to have a relationship with your parents?"
"That's a bloody stupid question! Of course I do."
He ignored the harsh tone. "And do you love them? Do you love Snow and David?"
"Of course I fucking well do! Robin, that's hurtful." she almost snarled the words. Again, he carried on, regardless.
"And do you think you can expect their love automatically, without them getting some back from you? Or do they have to do all the work?"
Emma stood, clearly irritated, glaring back at him, before walking towards the door, grabbing her keys o the way. As she opened it, she stopped, almost about to leave, before lifting her head , dropping her shoulders, and sighing. Turning quickly, she marched back to her fiance, before getting right in front of him, grabbing the lapels of his jacket and planting a loud, angry kiss on his lips, her hands now moving either side of his head as she worked harder into it, before pulling away just as dramatically.
"Thanks. I probably needed to hear that," It was followed by another angry kiss. "I love you, Robin Locksley!"
His face broke into a warm smile. "I love you too. Now go tell your mother the same thing?"
Henry's Flat
"So Belle's moved back into your place, so you can both look after Gideon? But you're still not back together?"
They sat at the dinner table, comfortably replete, watching Sofia kneeling a short distance away, entertaining Gideon with a play toy.
"That's the sum of it. And Ariel's currently staying with us too. She and Belle have become close. I mentioned they'll both be coming with us to the UK?"
"You did. When you said they've become close, do you mean 'close'? I mean, are they…?"
He nodded. "They share her room." And her bed, and her body; he thought, uncharitably.
"In your own home? And you're all right about that?"
"We're separated, Henry. I'm perfectly fine. I just wish to see Belle happy, in whatever form that takes."
"Well perhaps we've a chance of finding someone for you, too? Boston's a busy place, after all. Lots of interesting women here, without so much…baggage or history?"
"Well who knows? At least here I don't have a raging demon whispering in my ear constantly when I'm here! That's a welcome relief. Frankly, my boy, I see our forthcoming trip as my chance to broaden my horizons. I may be interested in looking to live elsewhere on a more…permanent basis."
"Leave Storybrooke? You can't be serious?" The young scholar could hardly believe his ears. "You created that place! It's yours, even more than mum's!"
"And it would be perfectly fine without me. Henry, you'll be travelling soon, and you'll settle somewhere, though I think it unlikely to be a backwater in Maine. Baelfire has long gone, and I vow to keep Gideon close. There's nothing for me back there. I have wealth, so it's an option."
"But your business? The properties? And if you stay away, won't you age and eventually…die?"
"Yes lad, eventually. As all people should, in the end. I've lived centuries, but I'm not sure I want to live forever. It's one of the reasons I want to see Belle happy and settled. A mother for Gideon."
"I didn't even know she was into women?"
"Nor me. Yes, well, love is love. And people change. Still, never mind all that. Tell me about your thoughts on the trip? You said you wanted to travel to England first?"
"I need to see Oxford University, and talk to some people about the induction. So from there, we could go to Stratford-on-Avon, Shakespeare's birthplace? And London of course, then up to York, and head north."
"I checked York too. There's a hidden magical settlement close to there. A small hidden town, slightly bigger than Storybrooke. You have a great-great-great grandmother who once lived there. I may have other distant relatives, so I'll break from you for a few days if you decide to do something else?"
"That's fine gramps. Well after, I'd like to travel to Scotland. Edinburgh mainly, then up to the Highlands…" Henry spent the next few minutes outlining his travel plans. Rumple outlines his own ideas and soon they came up with the outline for the trip.
"Excellent," said the now invigorated Dark One, "I'll start booking tickets. Passports have been obtained, so we'll leave next month."
"That's great. So, I'm fairly free this weekend. How about I show you the sights of Boston?"
Back in Storybrooke...
It was another hour before Belle, having shared a leisurely bath with Ariel and changed, finally phoned Rumple back. She'd been furious with him earlier, for having taken Gideon away without asking her to join them. Would he have even bothered asking? However, she knew raising her temper at him could be counterproductive; so she stayed her hand, knowing a calmer approach would probably work better:
"So, when did you decide to drive to Boston? It would have been nice to be consulted."
"First thing this morning. About four o' clock. I didn't sleep. When Gideon woke up an hour later, it seemed the best time to take advantage of the traffic. I did leave you a good few messages, but it seems you were…occupied? Or slept in."
"Rumple, I couldn't find my phone! I had no idea you'd even left town. I only found it this afternoon."
"And you chose not to call me till this evening?"
"I was just…angry, okay? I didn't want to face you in that mood. I've calmed down now. What are you doing in Boston, anyway?"
"Seeing my lawyer and broker. Plus planning the trip with my grandson."
"You've seen Henry? Where? What did you do? Did you speak to Emma or Regina beforehand?" Immediately she said it, she knew that was a stupid question!
"Why on earth would I do that? Henry's a grown man. Gideon's had a fine afternoon, and evening, with his nephew and a nice young lady friend. We're just outside a museum now, and our boy is being pushed around quite contented."
~oOo~
As he carried on the his call with his estranged wife, Henry and Sofia, pushing Gideon in his baby carriage, were also discussing an interesting topic.
"So, your grandpa! He's quite a cool guy. I loved that little history lesson he gave us. Quite the character, isn't he?"
"He's seen so much, Sofia. That's why I want to spend some proper time with him. He's the only link to my dad I have left." He could hardly tell her he was the Dark One, could he? Or that he's at least three hundred and fifty years old. Nope. Just that he was an 'interesting' guy.
"He dresses quite formally for here though, right? I mean, I love the designer suits, and the black shirt and tie. Natty! Though, perhaps a bit too serious? Especially for a tour around Europe."
That got Henry's little grey cells turning. "Well, I guess he could do with a change. Especially with a baby in tow. Sofe, you mustn't say anything to him about this, right? But his, sort of, ex-wife seems to have just come out. He's alone at the moment, and I'd love it if you could help, so he can go out to make some new, possibly lady, friends. Or just someone nice around here, or even when we go away. Perhaps he could do with a change of wardrobe?"
"Are you asking me to give your grandfather some sort of makeover?"
"Well, it's more your sort of area of expertise than mine, isn't it? Your mum owns that clothes chain, after all. You're going to be running it one day! She must know what a middle-aged businessman should be wearing when he's not being a middle-aged businessman, right? He's wealthy enough to afford it, so if she appeals to his pride…"
"If you put it to her that way, she'll think you're incredibly sexist and patronising! But, having met him, I think she'd enjoy the challenge! But I've got a better idea. It's not my mum but my gran that actually owns the business. She loves daft challenges like that, and, as Granpa Weiss passed away some years ago, I think she'd enjoy meeting him. That accent of his would definitely work on her! You get talking to him, and I'll give her a call?"
~oOo~
That evening, Henry's grandfather had been much easier to persuade than expected.
Sofia's grandmother had also been put in the picture. In return for a lovely dinner with her favourite grandchild, Gabriella Weiss easily agreed to help young Sofia, in getting her close friend's grandfather to look more fashionable to women. That evening, at a more upmarket restaurant than Henry would usually frequent, Rumple was introduced to Gabriella, their respective grandchildren watching the interaction.
"Mrs. Weiss, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Rumple nodded, kissing the back of her hand. "I'm Henry's grandfather. Please call me Angus?"
"And you should call me Gabrielle, or Gabby! It's lovely to meet you too, Angus. Sofia tells me you have a little boy with you?" She positively twinkled as she looked at him.
"Gideon. He's just over eight months. Two of your charming granddaughter's friends are babysitting him around the corner. Henry and I are keeping tabs on them on our phones." He smiled back. For a woman seemingly in her late fifties, she was in remarkably good shape. Clearly an intelligent, outgoing type. Rumple gave her a small flirty smile which brought a small grin from the woman. "Gabriella Weiss? Forgive me, I'm not from this city but, I've seen that name somewhere else?"
She beamed back at him. "Probably on one of the shop fronts, or perhaps one of the billboards." she brushed it off.
"Grandma, stop selling yourself short," Sofia rebuked her. "Angus, please forgive her, she always does this! 'Gabriella Weiss' is a fashion chain, with about thirty stores on the East Coast. Granny built it the whole business, from scratch!" She said, proudly.
"Did she now?" Rumple was clearly impressed. Looking at her, he could see she was a lady of some wealth and success. "Well congratulations to you, Gabrielle. It's always lovely to meet intelligent and clearly refined company, especially in the business world!"
'Oh stop that. I got my lucky break early. After my divorce from my first husband, I went back to my maiden name. We're Swiss, you know? From the settlement, I started it with my two daughters, Giulia and Greta. Giulia is Sofia's mother. Greta sadly passed away five years ago..." Her joyful expression faded at the memory. Seeing it, Rumple instantly stepped forward, taking her hand in both of his and stroking the back gently.
"I'm sorry to hear that. I do understand how you feel. My first boy, Neal, Henry's father, was killed nine years ago. You may heal, but you never forget, do you?"
She looked up, a tear ready to fall. "So true, Angus. I'm sorry to hear about your son, too. We appear to have something in common." The pair stared intensely at each other. "But there is always hope for the future. And your wife, his mother?"
"Milah, my first wife, died many years ago. Some years later, I married someone else. Gideon's mother. But we're now estranged."
"Oh! So you are now technically, single again?" Her spirits rose at the interest of this kindly man. He seemed very well dressed, his suits clearly bespoke. And his gentle Scottish burr was just lovely to her ears.
"I am. But my second wife is also involved in Gideon's upbringing. She still lives with me, though she has someone in her life, now. It's all amicable, and I wish her well."
"How very mature and sensible of you. Angus, I think I'm going to enjoy this evening!" She led the group into the restaurant.
The four of them would go on to have an excellent dinner and drinks. Henry went to pay the bill quietly at the front desk, without a fuss, as his grandpa David had previously taught him; only to find that Rumple had already beaten him to it, putting his own credit card behind the bar and making a substantial deposit before they even started the first course. Henry smiled back at the older pair, who had never stopped talking since they arrived.
He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. "They seem to be getting on very well, don't they?" Sofia, nuzzled his ear. "Who'd have thought it. Your grandpa and my granny?"
The following day, everything was taken out of Henry and Sofia's hands.
His grandfather had already called Gabriella. They'd met at one of her stores. She suggested some additional clothes for him for his trip, arranged for two of her best staff to fuss over Gideon, once she'd finished fussing over the baby herself, while persuading Rumple to take about eight different, more casual but nonetheless designer, travel outfits and accessories. Nobody seemed to be ringing up any bills, and when Rumple brought out his charge card, he was told firmly to put it away.
"This is on me, Angus. For your lovely company last night. No arguments, no refusal. My shop, my rules!"
"Well in that case. If you insist, then I must insist on buying you dinner, Gabbie!" he was enjoying time spent with this bright, mature lady.
~oOo~
That evening, after Henry insisted he and Sofia babysit, Rumple took Gabriella out for a splendid evening, taking in a cocktail bar and a fine seafood restaurant, before he escorted her home. She'd insisted on inviting him in for coffee. Neither of them had done this for quite some time, but before long they finally kissed. The following kisses slowly became more heated, and within an hour the pair eventually wound up in the master bedroom of her chic twelfth-floor apartment. With moonlight shining through the large windows, they didn't have sex, they made love. It was soft, gentle and oh, so needed for both of them!
"Angus, that was wonderful." Gabriella breathed, as she lay with her cheek on his chest. "It's been quite some time for me!"
"Same goes for me. About five years…" Apart from his brief fling with the ladies in the town hall, but now was not the time… "Gabbie, you've no idea how much I've enjoyed being in the company of such a beautiful, intelligent, woman. I think you may have given me a new lease of life, along with the makeover!" All of that was completely true!
"Thank you. Angus, we both know we're a bit too long-in-the-tooth to be star-crossed lovers. You have your life, and I have mine, but I hope we'll stay friends forever? And if you're ever inclined to do this again, provided neither of us is otherwise attached, you should know that I'll always be most willing!"
"As will I, dearie. Friends forever, in whatever form. I think Henry's generation has a term for it. Friends with Benefits? A little crude for my taste, but it encompasses it rather well, don't you think? I hope you find the love you deserve. I eventually found it instead in my sons. I still love my wife, but we became estranged after something happened five years ago. She appears to have found her love in the arms of another woman. But I'll always want to be in your life, and you in mine. You're very special, Gabbie Weiss!"
"But your wife. Belle, wasn't it? You said she'd moved back in with you for the sake of Gideon? That must still be difficult for you?"
"Not really. Gideon still needs his mother. I love her, but I'm not in love with her." Even now, he wasn't sure that wasn't still true.
"Well I'm pleased you're both sensible enough to put his interests above your own, unlike so many of us. Now, I know you need to get back to the hotel but…perhaps we can enjoy each other for a little longer?"
The Nolan Farm
As the evening sunlight slowly faded over the farm and surrounding trees, Snow stood at her kitchen window watching David, in the distance with Fluffy, their treasured and loyal sheepdog, rounding up the fractious thirty or so lambs to get them into the barn.
"Fluffy! What a ruddy stupid name for a sheepdog." she chuckled to herself, knowing it was Neal's choice of name. Her seven-year-old was upstairs, finishing his homework and this evening she was looking forward to planning their two week's vacation in New York and Boston, where they were planning to meet up with their grandson. Now the former princess and rightful Queen of the Enchanted Forest stood, watching her True Love, finishing his day.
Their decision to retire had been a good one. David still carried out his Deputy Sheriff role two days a week and Snow, her part-time teaching role at Storybrooke School, but now they had plenty of time to spend with their son as he grew. Only one thing was missing. Time with her daughter. Having lost Emma on the day of her birth, it had been twenty-eight years since they were reunited, by which time she was a strong, independant young woman, already with a child of her own.
Holding on to Emma had always been difficult and it took a long time for them to gain her trust. Snow's wrong decision many years earlier to steal Maleficent's egg only denting it further. Emma's brief spell as the Dark One, leading to the ultimate death of Killian Jones, had changed her markedly. As they cared for their depressed daughter, she saw the lights dim in the eyes of the once fearsome and beautiful young woman. Killian's death led to her alcoholism and own near-death, before the combined efforts of friends, doctors and yes, as always, Archie Hopper, slowly brought her back to them. Seeing her move in with Regina as they helped each other cope with their losses, had been a very big surprise. That the two women would go on to fall in love, an even bigger one. Snow now regretted her own reaction to the news, only remembering the fierce former queen who had murdered her father and spent years trying to kill her, murdering so many of the friends and allies in the process.
However, David had taken a far more liberal view of the relationship between their daughter and Snow's stepmother, seeing the benefit and recovery it brought to his own child. As Emma and Regina grew ever closer, Snow felt she was slowly being kept further and further back from Emma's life. A life she'd risked all to protect. Only one thing mattered to Snow as much as her children, and that was the constant love and devotion of her darling David. The man who had stuck with her through thick and thin, woke her from a curse, gave his own heart up for her to get back to Emma, put up with all her nonsense with understanding and tenderness, put his life on the line so often and cherished her throughout. Her warrior. Her lover. Her True Love.
That's why it had been a bitter blow to hear how Emma had dismissed him earlier. At least according to Ruby's version of events. David had said nothing, refusing to even talk about it. However, his suggestion of taking her away for two weeks was a welcome relief.
As her mind drifted, she was brought up suddenly, almost dropping her cup, at the sight of a white cloud appearing in front of David in the distance. As the mist drifted, it left a woman standing in front of him. Emma! She could only watch from the window. Too far away to hear.
~oOo~
Outside...
"Dad?" Emma's lip was trembling.
He looked up in surprise, several of the lambs having taken flight, scared off by the magical mist. Fluffy went off to round them back up.
"Emma? What are you doing here?" David saw the red eyes. "You okay?"
"No. I'm so sorry!" her voice shook with nerves, as she stood waiting for his reaction. He didn't hesitate, just oved acros to envelope her in his arms. She almost fell into him in relief, tears starting to flow. "I'm so, so sorry!" she mumbled again, and something else, but it was indecipherable.
Snow watched from the window, guessing what was being said, with a few tears of her own now threatening to fall.
"Mum, what's wrong?" said a worried voice beside her. "Why are you crying?"
"They're happy tears, Neal. Nothing to worry about!" assured his mother, not taking her eyes off the scene outside.
~oOo~
"I've been such a selfish bitch!" she sniffled, as he wiped a tear away with his thumb, his other hand holding her to him. "Ruby was right!"
"Ruby? What's it got to do with Ruby?"
"She…sort of gave me a bollocking!" Definitely one of Robin's terms! "After you left. She said I was a fucking idiot. And she's right..." she pushed her head back into his chest. "She said she saw you nearly die. All to save me! She got upset when I called it bullshit."
"Oh, that? Yes, well, you are my little girl, after all." God, how he wished she still was! "You'd have done the same thing for Henry…" he added, dismissively.
"Can I see them? The marks? She said you've still got them..." Emma pointed at his chest. "Please dad. May I see?"
~oOo~
"What's he doing down there?" asked Neal, as they both watched his father open up his shirt front to his daughter, exposing his chest.
Snow smiled down at him. "he's doing something that perhaps he should have done years ago, Neal." She watched as in the distance Emma appeared to be now tracing her hand over the largest scar that still remained, over forty years later.
"You're father's showing Emma just how much he loved her when she was a baby. And how much he still loves her."
~oOo~
Ten minutes later, Emma appeared at the kitchen door of the farm, her nerves back once again. Snow said nothing, merely looking at her with interest.
"Can you forgive me?" she breathed.
Snow smiled, slowly opening her arms. "Always. Come here." Emma jumped in, just as she had done with her father earlier. The two women hugged tightly, as though their lives depended on it. "Always."
Many tears were spilled over the next few minutes, and Emma apologised several times, after which she felt emotionally drained.
"Come to New York with me, mum? Come and help me find my wedding dress? Come and help me plan for my wedding?"
"Perhaps. But you have a wife now, Emma. You should go talk to her, first. I know Regina has always had a problem with being around me, and she has her own ideas."
Emma silently nodded. "I will, but I still want you there. I'm sorry I haven't said it much but…I do love you mum!"
"That's all any mother really wants to hear, my love." Snow pulled her in for another cuddle, looking at a smiling David over her shoulder. "I love you too, sweetheart."
~oOo~