Snow's safe place

SecretLoveCara asked for a oneshot of Snow going into more detail in 3x3 when she tells Emma about her living somewhere like Tink's treehouse.

"Because it's just a place to sleep." Snow said, the realisation hitting her.

"What would you know about that?" Emma commented. Her mother was a princess. She'd never had to struggle a day in her life. Why did she sound so…empathetic? Snow rolled her eyes as she smiled. Had her daughter not listened to her story at all?

"I didn't always have a canopy bed and a palace. I had a place like this too once."

"You did?" Emma asked, failing to hide the surprise in her voice.

"A tree stump." Snow replied, happy Emma was showing interest in her life. "When I was running from the queen. Believe it or not, I understand this Tinker Bell." Snow finished. Emma felt so stupid. How could she have forgotten her mother's time as a bandit? One of the few things Emma felt she and her mother might be able to connect over. They were both runaways from bad situations.

"What would you have done if you hadn't won your kingdom back?" Emma blurted out. She hadn't meant to say it out loud, but it was out now. Snow looked at her.

"What do you mean?" She asked. Emma bit her lip.

"You met…David when you were a bandit, right?" Emma clarified. Snow nodded. She couldn't deny she hoped one day soon, Emma might get over being unable to call them both by their proper titles. "If you hadn't defeated Regina, do you think you guys would have stayed together?" Snow smiled sadly. She knew what Emma was really asking. She wanted to know what her parents would have done in a remarkably similar situation to what her own would have been.

"You father and I love each other, Emma. That would never have changed. If we hadn't gotten the kingdom back, then we would have built a home together, even if it was around that tree stump. It was a safe place for me. It would have become a safe place for your father too, I would have made sure of that. Then, not long later, a safe place for you as well." Snow said, asking Emma's unspoken question. Emma nodded, moving away to inspect another area of the treehouse. That was enough emotion for one day. Snow's eyes followed her daughter's back. That was a big leap forward for them both. Maybe some good would come out of this trip after all.