This story is dedicated to the amazing OncerSware(k)JateBazeGirlscout22. I got this (former) little one-shot idea from their story, 'Already There.' It's an amazing story and she is an amazing author! So you guys should definitely check her stories out:D
Disclaimer: I do not own the Once Upon A Time plot nor the wonderful characters or anything else relating to the show.
I know I know it's way overdue as always...I want to give a HUGE shout-out and thank-you to red lightning for ALWAYS keeping me on track with my posting for this story:) Thanks!
Emma ran out of her room expecting to be far ahead of Snow.
Snow stood in the kitchen, fully dressed and ready, doing the dishes. "Got enough cash to buy us lunch?" she teased.
Emma huffed in fake annoyance. "Shut up," she said getting an eye-roll from Snow. Emma put her red leather jacket on and walked to the door. "You ready?"
Snow dropped the towel on the counter, "Yeah let's go!"
Emma opened their apartment door and mother and daughter walked out to Emma's bug.
Ten minutes later Emma knocked on Archie's office door.
"It's open, come on in!" Archie called.
Emma opened the door and walked in, Snow following close behind her daughter. "Hey Archie," Emma said.
"Emma!" Archie exclaimed polishing his glasses. "How can I help you and Mary Margaret?"
"I was wondering if you could help me build a case against Regina to get custody of Henry," Emma told him.
Archie gestured to the couch, "Yes of course! Why don't you and Mary Margaret have a seat," he suggested.
"Thank you Archie," Snow told him as she and Emma sat side-by-side.
Archie grabbed a clipboard and pen, "Okay what evidence do you have against Regina to show she is unfit to be Henry's mother?" he asked sitting down into his chair.
Emma looked at Snow who nodded. "Well, I don't really have much of anything but all the evidence from Mary Margaret's case pointed right to Regina being the one who kidnapped Kathryn."
Archie chuckled a little and looked up, "Emma that is nowhere near hardcore evidence, you of all people should know that."
Snow put her hand on Emma's shoulder. "Archie, Regina is a sociopath, I know that, Emma knows it, you know it too, please is there anyway at all you can help?"
Archie took of his glasses, "Well, I can try."
Emma's face brightened. "Thank you Archie!"
"It's not a problem at all. What about Henry? How do you think he's changed since you got here?" Archie asked as he put his glasses back on.
Emma bit her lip and looked at Snow for help.
"He's been skipping school these past couple weeks...but other than that, I think Henry has been a lot happier since Emma showed up," Snow told Archie and gave Emma's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
Emma relaxed at her mother's comforting touch. "And he's made some friends. Ava and Nicholas."
"And Paige," Snow added smiling.
Emma nodded, "Yeah. So does that help at all Archie?"
Archie nodded and wrote some things down on his clipboard. He paused and looked up, "And what about his fantasy? With the fairytales?"
Emma held back a grin. She looked at her mother and the two of them held back giggles. "We're still going along with Operation Cobra," Emma said as Snow leaned into Emma's shoulder laughing.
"Did I miss something?" Archie asked raising his eyebrow.
Emma shook her head, "Nah Mary here just had an eventful night," she teased and patted her mom's hand. Emma and Snow stood up, "Thank you so much for all the help Archie. Can we keep doing this?"
Archie stood and shook Snow and Emma's hands, "Yes of course. How about you and Mary Margaret come by next Saturday and update me with any more evidence you have for your custody case?" he suggested.
Emma nodded, "Okay sounds great! Thanks again Archie! Mary Margaret, you up for lunch?" she asked as they walked out.
Snow smirked and punched her daughter's arm playfully, "Seeing as how you're buying, I'm starving!"
Emma groaned, "Don't remind me!" she pouted.
Snow grinned and laughed at her daughter. She threw her arm around Emma's shoulder. "Now Emma dear, let's be mature," she teased.
Emma laughed, "Oh yeah, I'm the immature one!" she said sarcastically. "Who started the fight with the dish soap last night?"
Snow grinned and took her arm off of Emma's shoulder, "Actually, I wouldn't have done that if you wouldn't have smacked me with the dish towel!" Snow countered and ran to Emma's bug.
"Oh okay blame it on your daughter instead of taking the blame yourself!" Emma said throwing her hands in the air defensively. She jogged to her car where Snow sat on the trunk.
"You are slow," Snow stated matter-of-factly and smirked as she got into the car.
Emma stuck out her tongue at her mother, "And you are a big meany mom, so that-I believe-makes us even." She started the car and drove over to Granny's.
Snow rolled her eyes and opened the car door. "Will it make you feel better if I buy lunch?" she asked her daughter.
Emma flashed her mother an innocent grin as she got out of the car. "You'd do that Mommy? For me?" she asked, her voice imitating that of a 5 year-old.
Snow slammed the car door shut, "I should, but I'm not that nice. And you are definitely NOT five years old honey."
Emma pouted. "Worth a shot," she muttered. "Let's go get some lunch then."
Snow giggled, "Awh my sweet baby girl didn't get her way? How bout I buy dessert and you buy lunch?" she offered.
Emma nodded as they walked up the stairs to Granny's. "I think that's a fabulous plan!" she exclaimed.
Snow laughed and held open the door for Emma. The moment Emma walked in, she froze.
"Good afternoon Sheriff Swan," Regina's ice-cold voice rang through.
"Hi Emma!" Snow heard Henry say happily.
"Hey Kid. Mayor Mills," Emma acknowledged and walked to a table across from Henry and Regina, Snow following close behind.
"Good afternoon Madam Mayor," Snow said coldly. On the inside, Snow shuddered, this was the woman who had killed her father, tried on multiple occasions to kill her, killed Graham, again tried on multiple occasions to harm Emma, and Snow's poor grandson had to live with her!
"Miss Blanchard, how is Mister Nolan?" Regina asked smirking.
"David is fine thank you. Hello Henry," Snow said smiling at her grandson.
"Hey Grand-I mean Miss Blanchard!" Henry said hoping Regina hadn't noticed his slip-up.
If Regina did notice, she didn't show any sign of it. "Henry, I'm going to run to the bathroom alright? And then I'll drop you off at Archie's."
Henry nodded, "Yes Mom."
Snow saw Emma cringe when Henry called Regina 'Mom.' Snow sat down across from her daughter. "So Henry," Snow began. "How's your day been?"
Henry shrugged. "Same as always Grandma. The Evil Queen is keeping me as far away from Mom as possible," he said sadly.
Emma smiled softly as Henry called her 'Mom.' "Y'know Kid, Grandma and I went to visit Archie this morning. He's going to help us build a case against Regina."
"Really?" Henry exclaimed grinning.
Snow nodded, "Really."
Henry's eyes widened, "Mom! What if you convince Archie to let you take me out for ice cream instead of doing my three-hour session? Then I can hang out with you and Grandma!"
Emma chuckled, "I'm game. We're going to eat lunch first and then we'll be over so Regina doesn't get suspicious. Deal?"
Henry nodded, "Kay!" He turned back towards his table as Regina walked out of the bathroom.
"You ready Henry?" she asked.
Henry nodded, "Yes ma'am." He grabbed his bag and stood up waiting for Regina to walk out.
"You go on out to the car Henry, I need to have a word with Sheriff Swan," Regina said giving Henry a smile.
Henry cringed inside, but smiled back, "Alright, bye Emma! Bye Miss Blanchard!" he called and waved as he walked out to the car.
Regina smiled until Henry walked out of the diner; she turned towards Emma and Snow. "Sheriff Swan—"
"Oh cut the crap Regina! Stop being formal with me, I know you hate my guts, so just say what you want to say and then leave us in peace. Mary Margaret and I are trying to have lunch," Emma spat and smirked.
Regina stood a bit straighter, "Alright then. Miss Swan, I want you to stay away from Henry, no ifs, ands, or buts. I don't care that you're his birth mother; I don't care if you think you're a better mother than I am. You wanted a closed adoption, remember? A closed adoption meant you didn't want contact with Henry. You didn't want anything to do with him. We had this discussion when you first showed up, and I really didn't want to bring it back up. No matter what you try and do, Henry is my son. You may have given birth to him, but you did not care for him. And just because you think that since he's seemed happier since you arrived means I'm allowing you back into his life. Well, think again, Henry will never be your son." She turned to leave but Emma stood up and grabbed Regina's arm.
"You wanna bet?" Emma countered glaring.
Snow stood. "Emma…" she warned.
Emma ignored her mother and continued to focus on Regina. "I told you this before, you tried to hurt my friend and now I'm going to take Henry back. Because you deserve the pain I went through during Kathryn Nolan's case. I. Will. Get. Henry. Away. From. You," she spat and let go of Regina's arm. "Good day, Madam Mayor."
Regina turned and stalked out of the diner to her car.
Emma sat back down, a sick look on her face. Snow touched her arm gently, "You alright Emma?"
Emma shook her head, "I don't think I'm very hungry anymore…"
Snow sighed and stood up, "Neither am I. Come on, let's go home, we've got about an hour before we told Henry we would meet him at Archie's."
Emma nodded and stood slowly. She walked out of the diner out to the passenger side of her bug. "Can you drive? I feel sick."
Snow took the keys from her daughter and they drove home in silence.
The moment Emma walked into the sanctity of their home; she ran to her room, flung herself on her bed, and broke down into sobs. Snow ran into Emma's room and sat down beside her. She pulled Emma into her arms and rubbed her back. "Shhhh," she soothed. "It's okay honey, it's going to be alright." Emma just continued to cry. Snow pulled her daughter close and kissed her head.
After a good twenty minutes Emma sat up, her eyes red from tears. "I'm sorry Mom. It's just when Regina started to talk about the closed adoption...I-I never wanted to give Henry up. I didn't want to give him up for adoption at all. But everyone…everyone said I wouldn't be able to take care of him, that I was unfit to be a mother. And then of course, I got arrested…When he was born, I knew I just needed to give him his best chance, and that wasn't with me."
Snow wiped the tears off of Emma's cheeks, "Hey, that all in the past now. Why don't you go shower and I'll make some lunch. Then we can go meet Henry alright?"
Emma nodded and stood up, "Okay thanks." As she walked off she turned around. "Hey Mom?"
"Yes sweetie?" Snow asked as she stood to go to the kitchen.
"Thank you."
"For what Em?"
"For giving me my best shot. I love you."
"I love you too sweetheart," Snow said and smiled as Emma walked into the bathroom.
Awwww:) Sweet mother-daughter chapter! So here's the deal guys:
I'm leaving tomorrow morning for a 3-week trip all over Europe with my family. Which means I'll be unable to post any chapters...I SWEAR I'm not abandoning them at all in fact I'll have like triple updates for all of them when I get back because I've got 2 13-hour flights to write like crazy:)
The next chapter is going to be really important in Emma and Henry's relationship and explores Emma's past(credit for idea goes to red lightning)
~OUAT~
red lightning: glad you liked it! thanks for keeping me on schedule:)
russianeyes718ouat7ncis: So glad you love it! I do too;)
OncerSware(k)JateBazeGirlscout22: yeah Snowing is pure perfection! And hope you liked the mother/daughter moment:) hehe love our jokes!
thistwinklingstar: haha same! glad you like it:)
Aod4L: Glad you liked it! and hehe I still giggle a little when i read the part of your review with the bacon xD
Supernatural-Girl17: Hope you liked this chapter!:)
~OUAT~
Again reviews rock my world! I'll update the moment I get home June 15th. PROMISE!