One gained, one still was lost

neongenesisevang asked for a oneshot of Emma being clingy to Henry after giving birth to Eira. She's thinking about all the years she lost with him. Snowing try to comfort her, leading to bittersweet emotions.

"Come on kid, you went out last Saturday." Emma pouted. "I thought you said we could watch a movie together this weekend?"

"Yeah, I did, and we still can." Henry said, trying to be as patient as possible. He knew his mom wasn't' getting as much sleep with the new baby, but neither was he. He needed a break. "We can watch one on Sunday." Henry hated the way his mom's face fell. "Come on mom, don't be like that. I'm screwed either way here. I promised Violet I'd take her out on Saturday. We haven't been out since Eira was born because you…you seem to want me around a lot." Henry said, trying to be as gentle as possible. "Please?" Emma sighed. She knew she'd been awful clingy with him lately.

"I suppose." She agreed. Henry smiled, kissing her cheek.

"Thanks mom, you're the best." He thanked her as he went upstairs to finish his homework.

"You handled that well." Snow praised Emma from the couch. She, Charming and Neal had popped round for dinner. Neal was upstairs in Henry's room playing one of his videogames. Emma smiled as she gently rocked Eira, holding her baby girl close to her.

"I know I'm being a helicopter parent with him right now." Emma admitted to her parents. "He's dealing really well with me. It's just…hard, ya know? Seeing how tiny Eira is, and knowing she has a big brother that I never got to see tiny like that." Emma sighed, trying not to cry. She didn't want Eira feeling the tension.

"Here." Charming said. He came over and took his newborn granddaughter from Emma. He held her gently in one arm, guiding Emma with the other. "Come sit down." Emma followed her dad, sitting on the couch between her parents. Only then did she allow herself to get a little teary. "It's hard to describe." Emma sniffled.

"You don't need to." Charming said quietly. "We know exactly how you're feeling." Emma looked at him. She was too sleep deprived to make the connection between her situation and theirs not so long ago.

"You have a little brother, Emma." Snow gently reminded her. "One who we get to watch grow day by day. He too has an older sibling who didn't grow up with their biological parents." Emma couldn't believe she'd been so thoughtless. How could she not have connected the situations?!

"We know it's hard, trust us." Charming said, gently squeezing Emma's shoulder. "But it does get easier. You'll start to remember you still get to have both children in your life now, and that's what really matters. It can't change the past, but nothing can. You're best enjoying what you have now, instead of mourning what might have been. Plus, if things had been different with Henry, you might not have Eira now. It's worth remembering that too. Your relationship with Henry is different, but that doesn't mean you love him any less than you love Eira. That will never change." He promised her. Emma nodded. She understood that the situation would always hurt for her, just like it always would for them. But they were right, dwelling on the past wouldn't improve that. She had to look forward to the life she had now with both her children in it. Otherwise the pain might eat her up inside.