The first day of school

AmyRose asked for a oneshot of Emma telling Snow how kids used to pick on her in school. Snow comforts her and tells her that the older royal kids used to bully her too.

"Do you think he'll be getting on ok?" Snow asked, pacing up and down the station. "What if he's crying because he misses one or all of us? I'll call the school just now to get an update…"

"Mom." Emma sighed, pulling the phone back from her reach. "Neal's getting on fine. In fact, he's probably loving it." Neal had just started kindergarten, and Snow was terrified for her little boy. She had joined Charming and Emma at the station for company, in an attempt to stop her worrying about Neal, but it wasn't working. She'd been trying to get in contact with the school around every half hour. Charming was being strict with Snow. He knew calling wouldn't help her or Neal. So Snow waited until Charming was out on a call before trying again. Fortunately, Emma was just as firm as her dad. Snow huffed, sitting back down. She looked over at Emma, tilting her had slightly.

"I would have been exactly the same with you, you know." Snow pointed out. Emma smiled, still looking at her computer screen as she filled out her report.

"I'm sure you would have." Emma said gently. Snow kept on looking at Emma. Maybe this was a conversational opening.

"How was your first day of school?" She asked her daughter. Emma shrugged.

"I don't really remember. I had more than enough to make up for it though. I moved school more than most." Emma reminded her mom. Snow nodded glumly. She kicked herself for forgetting that.

"Well…were any of them good?" Snow asked, looking for a glimmer of hope. Emma shifted on her seat uncomfortably. That was an awkward subject.

"Some were. Some…not so much." Snow pushed off on her swivel chair so that she ended up beside Emma.

"Emma I'm sorry." Snow said sincerely, placing her hand on Emma's knee. Emma shrugged again, folding her arms uncomfortably.

"It's ok…some schools were friendlier than others. I ended up at this school in Annapolis. I was in a group home at the time and was mostly wearing secondhand stuff that was too big for me. Kids can be cruel." Emma explained. She didn't need to provide more details for Snow to understand the painful memories behind what Emma was telling her. "I only lasted a few weeks before I ran away to Baltimore. I was determined to get on a bus and travel somewhere new where nobody would know me or that I was an orphan. Before I got to the bus station my social worker picked me up. I was put in a new home in Hartford in Connecticut for being so troublesome. It was at least better." Emma explained. Snow didn't ask any more questions. She knew now wasn't the time.

"I was one of the younger royals amongst our allies." Snow told Emma. "Basically all the other princes and princesses liked to make snide remarks to me about being motherless. When I got a stepmother I thought it would end. It only got worse." Snow took a deep breath, her own painful memories coming to the surface. Emma placed her hand on top of her mom's.

"Ok, so neither of us had the greatest kids around us at times. But we're not Neal. Most of the kids in his class are from his preschool class. He knows them and they're all little pals. He's going to be having a great day, mom. Stop worrying about him." Snow sighed.

"I know he'll be having a blast, but I can't help worrying. It's a mother's prerogative to worry about her kids." Snow squeezed Emma's hand. "No matter what their age." Emma rolled her eyes playfully. No matter how hard she tried, there would be no stopping her mom worrying.