Stay by me

avc.382 asked for a oneshot of Snow being overprotective and clingy with Emma like she was with Neal in season 4. Emma notices, but doesn't know how to tell her mom to stop. They end up talking about it.

Amy: Didn't I already write that?

There are 6 chapters in total tonight, and I'm too excited to get them posted to wait till tomorrow evening to post on someone else's laptop so it might be a bit of a wait between chapters because, for some reason, my laptop takes a huff with this story now! Although I am going to try a different way to post, so fingers crossed there won't be a major delay. But I really wanted to get them posted because I love waking up to your reviews and requests :).

Emma was beginning to feel a bit like a caged animal. Even when she was allowed to leave the house, her mom seemed to be insisting that she come too. No matter where Emma was going. Even when she was at work with her dad, her mom was calling the station every five minutes to check on Emma. She was refusing to let Emma go on any missions to try and take down the Snow Queen. She said it was because Ingrid had history with Emma and that made her more dangerous, but Emma knew there was more to it than that. She was trying to be patient with her mom, but she was struggling. She couldn't live with someone breathing down her neck. The final straw came when Emma wanted to go out to get the week's groceries.

"Ok, just give me a second and I'll get Neal in his car seat then." Snow told her. She dashed out the room to get Neal ready. Emma watched after her. Snow had strategically not even given Emma a chance to say she could go alone. But Emma wasn't letting it go this time. When her mom came back into the room with Neal's car seat dangling from her arm, she decided this had to stop.

"You can stay here with baby bro. It's fine. I don't need any help. There's not that much to pick up and I have the list. I'll see you when I get back…"

"No no! I insist!" Snow said quickly. Emma sighed.

"Mom, you really don't have to follow me everywhere." Emma said directly. Snow blushed slightly, having been caught out.

"Emma, Ingrid is clearly after you. I'm not giving her a chance to take my daughter away from me again…"

"This isn't all about Ingrid though, is it?" Emma said gently. Snow fell silent, meaning Emma knew she was right. "I know you're scared about her, you don't need to be, but I know that won't change. No, there's more to this than that. Why won't you let me out by myself? It's like you've been glued to my side these last couple of weeks." Emma explained. Snow knew there was no point in hiding the truth from Emma. Even if she did, her daughter would see right through it.

"I'm sure it wasn't exactly secret that after your brother was born, I became a bit of a helicopter parent." Snow began. "I was so terrified. I had come so close to losing him…like we lost you." Emma could feel her mom's pain in this. She knew how hard it was for her to raise Neal when she never got to raise her. "Then Ingrid came into town, and it yet another fresh reminder of everything I missed with you. Another fresh reminder that even after thirty years people still want to take you from us. Well never again. I might have failed to protect you when you were a baby, but I'm done losing you. My heart couldn't take it again and neither could your father's. I refuse to give Ingrid, or anybody else, the chance to take my daughter from me. I'm your mother, Emma, it's my job to keep you safe. I'm just sorry that I didn't do it for you sooner." Hearing the guilt in her mother's voice made Emma feel dreadful. Did she really think that little of herself?

"You didn't fail to protect me." Emma said quietly. "You did what you had to do to keep me safe from the Evil Queen. You didn't know what the dark curse would be like. You couldn't control what she would do to me if I did end up being cursed with you both. I'm not mad at you or dad for giving me away. I know now that you were giving me my best chance. You were keeping me safe in the only way you could for all those years. Mom, I love you, but this…following me everywhere, you don't' need to do that." Emma told her as gently as possible. "I promise you that I am safe. Ingrid isn't going to try and hurt me. Even if she did try and take me, I'm not scared, do you know why?" Snow looked at Emma, waiting for an answer. Emma smiled at her warmly. "I know that you and dad would find me. We're good at that in this family. You don't need to be with me constantly for me to know you're protecting me." Snow gave Emma a watery smile. She quickly wiped away her tears.

"I know I'm being overprotective." Snow admitted. "I can't help it. You and Neal, you are the world to your father and me…but I will try and ease off a bit. Just a bit though." Snow emphasised. "So I guess Neal and I don't have to come with you to get the groceries, but you'll be taking your phone just to be on the safe side, won't you?" Emma grinned as she got up.

"If I get attacked you'll be the first to know."

"Not helping!" Snow chastised her, throwing a cushion in her direction. Emma laughed to herself as she grabbed her keys and left. She understood why her mom was the way she was. She guessed some compromise in the situation was fair. At least to start with.