A parallel birth

Just one of my own *6x09 spoilers!* based on Snow being present at Gideon's birth.

I do hope I get some more requests coming in guys, it's been a hard week without any. Hope you haven't given up on me yet!

"It's ok, just breathe." Snow urged the expectant mother, clutching onto her hand while Emma held Belle's other hand, rubbing circles on her back and mimicking the breathing motions.

"Easy for you to say." Belle grunted. "You had painkillers." Snow gave a sad smile.

"Not the first time I didn't." She reminded Belle. "They don't make a whole lot of difference anyway." Snow lied. "Just focus on your breathing. Focus on the fact you're soon going to have a tiny baby all of your own in your arms." Belle looked rather distant at that, almost like she was having a daydream.

The whole process was relatively quick. Snow presumed it was probably to do with the magic used to speed up the pregnancy; it probably sped up the labour too. Belle's son had only been born a couple of minutes when she requested that the Blue Fairy be brought into the room. Snow thought this was quite odd for a woman who had just given birth, but she presumed Belle had her reasons. Emma quickly got Blue from another room in the nunnery and brought her to Belle. Snow stood back with Emma and allowed Belle to have her conversation with Blue.

Snow recognised something familiar in Belle's eyes. A sadness mixed in with the happiness only the birth of a child could bring. It was a look Snow had never seen, only experienced. It was the look she had before she had to put Emma through the wardrobe.

"No." Snow whispered. She worked out what was going on before Belle made it clear by asking Blue to take Gideon away to a place of safety. Emma went to protest, to try and convince Belle to keep her son, that they would protect him from Rumplestiltskin, but Snow caught her daughter's hand. Emma looked back and saw Snow shake her head, the tears clear in her eyes. Emma was about to ask her mom what was wrong, why she trying to convince Belle to keep her baby, when she understood. Of course Emma knew the pain of giving up a baby, but at least she'd had months to make her decision. She was sending her son into a world much better than that she could give him because of mistakes she had made. Belle had only had hours to decide her son's fate, because of a villain too powerful to stop…much like Snow had to do all those years ago for her.

Snow turned her head away from the scene, it all becoming too painful. It brought her right back to her bedroom when she handed Emma over to Charming to send her little girl into the unknown. Emma understood. She had never been able to empathise quite so much with what her mother had to do for her to keep her safe from the curse. But being here, seeing how distraught Belle was at having to do this to keep her son safe…Emma finally understood. She moved over, wrapping her arms around her mom's shoulders. Snow reciprocated, holding Emma tight to her. For a brief moment, Snow closed her eyes, pulling herself together for the sake of both Emma and Belle. She had Emma back now, she had to hold onto that. If not, what was stopping her from breaking down every day at what she and Charming had lost?