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.
This chapter and the rest of the story is also dedicated to red lightning who gave me this idea that basically shapes the whole rest of the story:) Also dedicated to Laugher. Lover. Fighter who gave me the idea in the daddy-daughter moment and who edited this chapter for me and has proofed the next ones:D also this chap is dedicated to crowned tiger who helped me with the writers block i had in this chapter:)
Love you all!
Snow walked out of her bedroom and smiled looking at Emma and James curled up on the couch, Emma's head resting on James' chest, his arm draped around her protectively. She noticed Emma shiver a little bit. Snow tiptoed into her room, grabbed a blanket from her bed, came back out, and gently placed the blanket over the sleeping father and daughter.
Emma stirred and opened her eyes to see Snow laying the blanket on top of her. "Morning Mom," she mumbled.
"Hey sweetheart, sleep good?" Snow asked.
Emma stood up quietly. "Yeah, first time in a month I haven't had the dream," she admitted.
"That's good Em. So I was wondering…can we go into my room for a minute?" Snow asked.
Emma shrugged. "Yeah sure. Lemme grab a banana real quick. I'll be right there."
Snow smiled and walked off into her room. She sat down on the bed, contemplating how to tell Emma, her daughter, that she was pregnant.
Emma knocked on the door. "Hey," she said walking into the room and sitting down next to Snow on end of the bed. "What's up?"
"Emma…First, I want you to know that I love you more than anything in the world. I can't keep this from you any longer, so I'm just gonna come out and say it…I'm pregnant."
Emma opened and closed her mouth a couple times trying to decide what to say. She closed it and kept it closed; staring at her mother in shook.
"Em? Are you alright?" Snow asked in concern. Snow noticed how Emma's eyes had filled with at first recognition and understanding, then plain anger and panic.
"So…you're just going to start over and leave me out?" Emma said softly, her voice filled with anger. "You're gonna have another kid that you'll be able to do everything with. Everything you couldn't do with me. You're just going to forget about me because of this second chance?" Emma asked standing abruptly.
"No Emma that's not what this is about," Snow pleaded, closing her eyes. She should have expected this response; she knew Emma still had a couple walls put up from the resentment she had carried as a foster child with no parents to care for her. "Emma, this isn't what it means at all. You are my daughter. You mean more than life itself to me." Snow told her standing up as well. She reached out to take her daughter's hand but Emma pulled back sharply.
"No I don't. If I did, you wouldn't have gone and gotten pregnant," she spat. "You would care about my feelings. You would know that I don't want to be forgotten. But obviously, you don't care enough about me and my feelings. So don't tell me that I mean more to you than life itself. Because that's a load of bull crap Snow." Emma turned on her heel and ran out of the room, tears streaming down her face.
"Emma Swan you come back here this instant!" Snow shouted as Emma slammed the front door. She froze, realization coming over her. What have I done? she asked herself.
"Snow?" James called from the living room. "Is everything alright?"
Snow's hands went to her mouth; she began to shake with sobs. She shook her head and tried to form the word 'No.' on her lips, but it came out as a strangled cry.
James came running into the bedroom where he saw Snow standing. He took her into his arms and tried to soothe her. Snow melted in his touch and completely broke down sobbing. "James…baby…Emma..." she sobbed.
James rubbed her back. "Emma ran off because she felt replaced by the new baby?" he guessed.
Snow could only nod.
James lifted Snow's chin and cupped her face in his hands. "Hey, it's going to be alright. I'll go find Emma, talk some sense into her. You lie down alright?"
Snow kissed him softly. "Go find my baby girl Charming," she whispered.
James nodded and gently let Snow go. He turned and ran out the door in search of his daughter.
He found her ten minutes later, standing at the toll bridge, looking out at the forest landscape, drinking a hot chocolate. James walked over and tapped her shoulder. "Mind if I join you?"
Emma shook her head. "Yeah. Please James; I just need some time to myself…" Emma whispered.
James stayed anyways. "First, you will call me Dad, never again do I want you to call me James young lady, and you know that. Next, you are going to go home and apologize to your mother. And you are never going to act like that again, you understand young lady?" James demanded angrily.
Emma turned and looked towards her kind and loving father. "I'm sorry Dad; I know I shouldn't have acted like that. But…I just can't help but feel that you guys are trying to replace me. It's just my whole life I never had anyone, and then finally, when I actually got people in my life who actually mean something to me, you and Mom just decide to have another kid. I can't help but feel like you're trying to replace me."
James set his hand on her shoulder lovingly. "Emma, we didn't plan on this happening. But it did, and we can't help that it happened. You can't run from your problems like this Emma. I won't allow it."
Emma sighed. "I know it's just hard for me to accept this."
"Yes Emma, but you need to face these problems. Promise me you'll never run from us again," James said sternly.
Emma nodded. "I promise."
James smiled and pulled Emma close to him. "Good, I love you sweetheart."
"I love you too Dad," she said softly. Emma leaned into his chest and felt that same sense of peace come back over here from the night before.
James rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "Did you know this is around where your mom and I first met? And that right here on the 'toll bridge' is where I fell completely in love with her?" he asked.
Emma looked up at him. "Really?" she asked in surprise.
James nodded. "Really. It's quite a good story actually; we'll have to tell you and Henry the story tonight."
Emma grinned. "Can you tell me just a little of it now?" she pleaded.
James laughed. "Oh alright, I'll tell you about when I knew I was in love with her. She had stolen my pouch containing a lot of precious jewels and sold them to band of trolls. I convinced her to help me get them back. When we came to the troll bridge—as it was called then—the trolls attacked. They knocked my sword from my hands and were about to throw me over the edge of the bridge. Your mother was about to run off but something stopped her, her heart I assume. But she took the small pouch of fairy dust she had around her neck and threw it on the trolls, turning them into the tiniest creatures. She saved my life that day. Skip ahead to when we saying goodbye…
"Here's this," I said handing her the gold pouch.
"And this is yours," she replied, handing me my pouch. "What's so important in there anyways?"
I opened it and pulled out my mother's wedding ring. "This. I know not your style," I admitted with a slight pang of sadness.
"Well, there's only one way to find out," she said smirking. Your mother took the ring from my hand and slid it onto her ring finger. She held up her hand, inspecting the ring. That was when I knew I would never be able to marry my betrothed. I only wanted that ring on her. She wrinkled her nose and grimaced, taking the ring off. "Nah, you're right, not my style." She handed me the ring. "I'm sure your fiancé will love it."
"Yeah," I said sadly. "If you need anything—" I began.
"You'll find me," she finished smiling.
I nodded. "Always." I paused and smiled at her. "Well, goodbye Snow White," I told her and bowed.
She bowed lower. "Goodbye Prince Charming."
"I told you, it's James."
"Nah, still like Charming better," she teased. We laughed. She turned around and walked off, leaving me heartbroken that I hadn't told her the sudden feelings that had erupted.
"Wow," Emma said quietly. "I always thought Snow White and Prince Charming met at her castle…"
"Nope, we met in the woods, and after that day, I was hopelessly in love with her. Now, I'm sure your mother is worried sick, we should probably get home," James said, changing the subject.
"Yeah, you're right, I need to apologize to her."
"Mom?" Emma asked, knocking on Snow's bedroom door. "Can I come in?"
Snow looked up from her book, eyes red. "Yeah…" She sat up and wiped her eyes.
Emma walked in and sat down on the edge of her mother's bed. "Mom, I want to apologize. I overreacted, just like I always do. It's just, I finally got parents. And I couldn't help but feel that you were trying to replace me," she gushed.
"Oh Emma, I would never replace you. You are and always will be my baby girl." She took Emma into her arms and held her close. "I love you so, so much Emma, and no one will ever replace you."
"I know, I am just so stupid sometimes." She paused for a moment. "Dad's taking Henry out for a drive, you know, some 'guy time.' So I was wondering if I could tell you something really important."
"Of course Emma, you can tell me anything. What is it?"
"I wanna tell you about Henry's father…" Emma said softly.
"So Grandpa, what's up?" Henry asked practically bouncing up and down in his chair.
"Well kiddo, what would you say to having a new aunt or uncle?" James asked softly.
Henry's face broke into a goofy grin. "Grandma's pregnant isn't she?" he exclaimed happily.
James smiled. "Yes, she is buddy. And I'm so glad you are okay with it."
"Me too Gramps!" Henry said happily.
"Oh Emma honey, I had absolutely no idea," Snow said sadly and pulled her sobbing daughter back into her arms. She rocked her back and forth comfortingly. "Shhhhh, baby, it's okay."
"I k-know. It's just so hard to talk about th-this," Emma sobbed.
"I know baby, I know." She stroked Emma's hair gently. "Just close your eyes; and it'll all go away sweetheart."
Emma nodded and closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed considerably, and soon she was fast asleep in her mother's protective arms.
"Grandpa?"
"Hm?" James asked as he drove back towards the apartment.
"Do you think the Evil Queen will come after me?" Henry asked in worry.
James sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I think she's going to try. Because no matter what people say, no matter how evil she is, I think Regina actually does love you Henry. So yes, I think she is going to try and come after you, but believe me Henry, we will not let her harm a hair on your head."
"I know you won't Grandpa," Henry said smiling.
"C'mon kiddo, let's go inside," James said turning off his truck and hopping out.
Regina opened Belle's cell door. "Belle, time to go."
Belle stood up slowly and walked over to Regina. "Where are we going?" she asked.
"To pay a visit to a dear, old friend. Now come on." Regina turned and walked out, Belle following suit, still somewhat confused.
Ten minutes later, Regina walked into Rumplestiltskin's shop, having told Belle to wait outside until she called her. "Hello Rumple," she said coldly.
"Your Majesty, to what do I owe the…pleasure?" he asked in sarcasm.
"I need a favor Rumple, I need your help to get Henry back, and run Miss Swan out of town."
"Now Your Majesty, why would I do that? The lad seems perfectly happy with Miss Swan."
"Because Rumplestiltskin, I have something you won't be able to refuse, come on in dear," she called behind her.
The door slowly opened and Belle walked in calmly. Rumple took a sharp intake of breath. "Belle?" he asked. "How?"
Belle looked at him and smiled. "Yes, Rumplestiltskin. It's me."
Rumple "ran" over to her, more like limped really, he did have a cane after all. He drew Belle into his arms. "Oh Belle, I thought I'd lost you," he whispered.
Belle felt tears come to her eyes at the reunion with her lost love. "You never lost me Rumplestiltskin. I love you."
"Yes. And I love you too." He held her tightly, still not able to believe this was real.
Regina coughed quite loudly. "Are we done with this sappy reunion Rumple? I do have business with you."
"What is it you need Your Majesty?"
"A way to get back my son."
"It's quite simple really, but you're going to need to figure it out yourself," Rumple told her, unable to take his eyes off of Belle.
"What are you saying Rumple?"
"You lied to me. You told me Belle was dead. It was you wasn't it?" he demanded. "You took her and imprisoned her. Didn't you?"
Regina laughed, "I honestly don't know what you're talking about Rumple."
"You liar. I won't help you. Not when you've had Belle all these years and lied about it."
"I guess I can always take her back then. Or I could just kill her," Regina suggested. She shrugged. "The choice is yours Rumplestiltskin. The information I need, or the girl dies."
Rumple looked into Belle's pleading eyes. She couldn't go back there. "Alright," he said swallowing hard. "You need to threaten the thing Miss Swan loves just as much as Henry…you need to threaten her parents…" he said softly.
"Perfect, thank you for your service. Enjoy your…girl 'Stiltskin." Regina turned on her heel and walked out.
"Why did you do it?" Belle asked. "Why would you work with such a vile woman?"
"Because Belle, I couldn't lose you…not again. Not after I'd just found you. I love you too much," he said softly and caressed her cheek.
Belle leaned towards him slowly and held her breath. She closed the gap between their lips ever-so-slowly. And the pair couldn't have felt happier.
So soooo sorry about this extremely late update! But I've got the next to chapters written so updates will come quick:D And yeah Regina is the devil...;)
~OUAT~
crowned tiger-thanks girl!
OncerSware(k)JateBazeGirlscout22-thanks girl! and yep we all want to kick Mark really bad;)
red lightning-thanks! and again sorry bout the crazy late update:\
oldmcpiper-Thank you so much! You have absolutely no clue how much that means to me to hear you say that:) Hope you liked Emma's reaction to the baby
Aod4L-Enough fluff for ya?;)
bejaymamazing-Aww thank you so much! Hope this chapter was just as good!
MagicofTrueLove-OMG I KNOW YOU;D hehehehe why thank you dearie:) Love you boo!
~OUAT~
Dang I love you guys for sticking with this story:) I'm so glad that ya'll like it so much! Again I'm apologizing profusely for the horribly late update:\ hope this made up for it! Please please review! If I get at least 10 reviews I will update tonight or tomorrow
Also if any of you want to fangirl with me about the new season 2 pics and promos and such just PM me;)