Time with Granny

avc.382 asked for a oneshot of Emma watching Granny spoil Neal when she's babysitting. Emma asks her mom if it would have been the same with her. Snow tells Emma that it still could if only she asked. She's too embarrassed to say anything, so Snow asks Granny to spend an afternoon with both of them.

For the most part, Emma dealt very well with watching her little brother get everything she never got a chance to have. But every so often, Emma would see something that would make her curiosity get the better of her. Like when she came by the diner to pick up Neal, since Granny had been watching him all day. She saw the bond the pair were already forming, how Granny was just like that to Neal; a granny. Emma hardly had any proper parental figures in her life, let alone grandparents. She was happy Neal would have that kind of relationship in his life as he grew up, but still, Emma couldn't help but wonder. Would she have had it too, had things been different?

Snow could see Emma seemed deep in thought that night.

"What you thinking about?" Snow asked her, sitting down beside her on the couch.

"Nothing much." Emma lied. Snow frowned. She didn't believe there was nothing going on in Emma's head.

"Come on, try me." Snow pushed her. Emma sighed, sensing her mom wouldn't let this one go.

"It's nothing, really. It's just…sometimes I see things happening with Neal, and I wonder if I would have been treated the same." Emma told her. Snow's heart sunk for her daughter. She knew seeing all the love Neal was surrounded by was hard for her sometimes.

"How do you mean?" Snow asked.

"Today with Granny." Emma said quietly. "She's looking after him a lot right now with all of us working. They're forming a close bond. He loves spending time with her, and no wonder, she spoils him something rotten. Do you think…do you think if the curse hadn't have happened, I would have had that kind of relationship with her?" Emma asked. Snow smiled warmly. It was only natural that Emma would wonder these things.

"You still could have your own version, if only you would ask." Snow answered her. She could see Emma blushing at only the thought. "Hear me out. Obviously it would be very different from the relationship Granny has with Neal. But she was the lady who made your blanket. She would have loved to have had that time with you like she's getting with Neal. She still would. Spend some time with her, Em. She doesn't bite. Well, not now that she can't turn anymore." Snow joked. Emma laughed, more out of how awkward she was feeling.

"I don't know, mom. Things are different now." Emma got up and sighed. "Guess it's just something else to accept, huh?" She commented sadly before she headed up to her room. Snow watched her go, frowning. No, Snow didn't think this was one of those things Emma simply had to accept. So the next day, Snow would have a quiet word in Granny's ear about possibly spending some more time with Emma, explaining how Emma was feeling. A few days later, Granny would subtly ask for Emma to help cover a shift at the diner, only for Emma to not be needed after all. But since she was there, she may as well hang around for a while…