So packing and cleaning is more boring than I could have ever imagined. Lucky you though, that means a chapter sooner than expected. FYI Once I'm all settled in my new place, plan for a new chapter every three days.

This chapter is literally just fluff, well you know a little angst. Hope you enjoy! Keep up those reviews. 3A

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After ice cream David and Snow walked hand in hand with Emma in between them toward the group home. As they got closer Emma's steps got shorter. Snow noticed first and had a silent conversation with David.

David crouched down to eye level with Emma, "Princess, you know we aren't going to leave you here forever right?"

"Yeah, I know. It's just that…" Emma trailed off without finishing her thought.

Snow knelt down and grabbed both of Emma's hands, "It's just that? We will listen to whatever you need to say, you just have to say it."

Emma took a deep breath, "It's just that Ms. Clara isn't really nice. And…" Emma looked between David and Snow, mustered up all her courage and finished as quickly as she could, "And the other kids pick on me all the time. I don't want to be there any more. Please can't you just take me away. We could run off to Canada or something."

"Sweetie, we can't run because if we start running then we're never going to be able to stop." Snow stroked Emma's cheek.

"We want to do this right Em, and the only way we can do that is by making sure we go by the governments rules."

"But… But you're my real parents! You're supposed to take care of me! I'm supposed to be with you!" Emma had tears streaming down her face and she was hitting David with all her might.

David stayed calm, letting Emma get her frustration out. He waited a few moments and then gently grabbed her arms. He pulled her closer to him so that they were eye to eye. "Look deep into my eyes Emma. I'm going to tell you something and I need you to believe every word that I say. Do you understand." Emma nodded and began intently staring into David's eyes. "You are our daughter. We love you more than words can describe. We are going to get you out of the group home and you are going to live with us forever. We will always find you."

As David finished Emma allowed the tears to fall once more, she pulled her arms from David's and slung them around his neck. "I believe you," she whispered into his ear.

David stood up with Emma still wrapped around his neck. He held out his hand for Snow and they walked back to the group home. When they arrived David set Emma on the ground. Emma walked up to the front door and opened it. When she pushed the door fully open the screams of all the other children became blaringly loud. David grimaced and Snow took a deep breath, this next part was going to be the hardest thing since sending Emma in the wardrobe, that they'd ever have to do.

A short, plump lady in her late 40s early 50s walked around the corner with a child on her hip and one running laps around her. "Alright Jimmy, go play. We have guests." She lifted the child off her hip and held her out toward Emma, "Go take Candice to the playroom Emma." Emma took Candice and walked toward the playroom, she looked back and caught eyes with Snow. Snow winked back at Emma which caused Emma to slightly smile. "Hello," the lady drew Snow back to reality, "my name is Clara, I run this group home. Are you looking to adopt or foster?"

David spoke up first, "Actually we were wondering if you could give us the information of Emma's social worker."

Clara scoffed at David as if he were joking, "Huh, you don't want Emma. She might have charmed you outside, but she's no angel. She's got a file a mile thick and she's a flight risk. I've had teenage boys who seem like saints compared to that little hellion. No, you don't want Emma. How about I show you around and you can look for another little girl who's not quite so spirited."

Snow and David laced their fingers together, both holding the other back from snapping at Clara. Snow composed herself quicker, "Can you please give us Emma's social worker's name? We'd greatly appreciate that. Thank you."

Clara walked over to a desk with papers strewn all about, "Well, when she does run you away you can always come back for another more normal child." She handed a paper to Snow who took it quickly from Clara's hands.

"Thank you very much, we'll see you again I'm sure." David ushered Snow out of the building as quickly as he could.

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It took them a little while to both calm down as they walked toward the realtor's office, but once they were a block away they both took a deep breath and looked at each other. "We have to get her out of their David. That lady is horrible. How could they let someone so vile watch children?" Snow was shaking at this point, near tears.

"Listen Snow, we're going to get her out and after we do she'll never have to be near someone who says a bad word toward her again. We are going to make sure that she knows exactly how special and amazing and wonderful she truly is. Now, let's go see if we have a house waiting for us." David placed a tender kiss on Snow's lips and then they both walked into the realtor's office hand in hand.

"Mr. Nolan, great news!" Linda, their realtor came rushing toward them. "You're paperwork went through and they're pleased with your offer. You can move in next Monday if you'd like."

"That's amazing!" David walked over to Linda and extended his hand, "Thank you so much for all your help. When do we need to come in to sign paperwork and get the keys?"

"Well, I won't be in the office tomorrow, but I will be in for a few hours on Saturday. Would you be able to get here around say 2 o'clock?"

David looked at Snow, who nodded, "That sounds perfect. We'll see you then."

David and Snow walked out of the office. Snow looked at David, "Guess it's time to go shopping. We need to get furniture."

"Well, at least these are my good shoes. We should probably stop at the store and get some clothes for ourselves and Emma. Also, I think we might need to think about getting a car."

"It's like you can read my mind. How about this, I know you don't like furniture shopping, you go and get us a car? By the time your done I should have most of the shopping done. I'm just going to go to a big furniture store and get everything there, it shouldn't take too long."

David wrapped his arms around Snow's waist and pulled her toward him, "That sounds like a fantastic idea. What store are you going to go to?"

"I was thinking that furniture depot that's a block from the school. We went by it on our way to the park earlier."

"I remember. I'll meet you there in an hour or two. What kind of car should I get?" David released Snow from his hold.

"Nothing too fancy, not a truck, you can get a truck later. Look for something with a big back seat and trunk. Don't get a red car!"

David chuckled at Snow, "Of course dear. No red. I will meet you at the store."

As David was walking away Snow remembered, "Oh, David, wait. Do you have the address to the new house?"

David pulled out a notepad from his jacket, it was always there from when he was co-sheriff. He scribbled the address down and handed it to Snow. They kissed and parted ways.

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David was quick at the car shop and was able to find a light blue Bronco that was in good working order. He spent some time filling out papers and contacting an insurance company. An hour and a half later and he was on his way to the furniture depot.

When David walked through the door he spotted Snow sitting at a dining room display filling out a paper, he walked over to her. "Hey beautiful."

"Hey charming. I'm almost done. Just finishing up this last paper. We will have furniture delivered on Monday at 4 o'clock." Snow signed the last piece of paper and stood up.

David grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms. "I got us a beautiful car, well it's more like an suv, but still it's a motor vehicle that will get us where we need to go."

"Wonderful." Snow kissed him and stood up. She walked over to the register. The man behind the counter talked for a few moments and then handed Snow a pink piece of paper. "Alrighty, let's go get some clothes and all the other things a house needs."

David looked at his watch, "How about we wait till tomorrow, or even Saturday? There's no rush. Let's go get some dinner and then maybe call Emma's social worker."

"That sounds amazing."

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After dinner Snow and David made their way back to their hotel. Once they were settled David dialed the number to the social worker's office. They weren't expecting anyone to pick up since it was past 5. "Hello, Emory Slater speaking. How may I help you?"

"Hello, Emory. My name is David Nolan and I'm here with my wife Snow. We'd like to talk to you about one of the children in your care, Emma Swan."

"Ah, yes, Emma Swan. What would you like to talk about concerning her?"

"Well, about 8 years ago we had our baby girl stolen from us and we believe that that little girl is Emma. We'd like to see what we need to do in order to determine if she is our child and how we can get her into our custody once you've determined that she is."

There was a long pause on the phone, David thought that perhaps Emory had hung up, but he didn't hear the dial tone. Snow took the phone from David, "Ms. Slater, are you still there?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm sorry. It's just, this is a lot to take in. We've been searching for Emma's parents since she was placed in our care. Can I ask who stole her from you and how you were able to track her down?"

Snow spoke, "We were both twenty years old when we had Emma, my step-mother didn't think we were going to last and that we couldn't take care of a baby. She had me give birth at a convent and after I was able to hold my baby for a moment, she was whisked away by the nuns. I gave the nuns her baby blanket and asked that she be wrapped in it before they brought her back, but they never brought her back. We were told that Emma had passed away and that we weren't able to see her again because the nuns don't believe in touching dead bodies or something like that. A year ago my step-mother was on her deathbed and she told me that Emma didn't die, that she was sent away. There was a mix up with the caregivers and somehow Emma was misplaced. We've been searching for her ever since. We've been looking at newspaper clippings and lost children reports from around the time that Emma was born, we found the one of her abandoned on the side of the road and I recognized the baby blanket in the picture. We just want our baby back. Can you please help us?"

The line went quiet for a moment and then David and Snow heard the rustling of papers. "Ok, here's what we can do. I'm going to need to do a DNA test on you all to make sure that she really is your child. Then, I'm going to have to make sure you have adequate housing and enough income to support yourselves and Emma. I've been with Emma since she was first put in the system, if this all works out I will try my hardest to make the process go as quickly as possible."

"When can we come in to do the DNA test? And how long does it take to get the results back?"

"I can schedule one for tomorrow after Emma gets out of school. We should have the results in by next Tuesday. If the results are positive I will bring them to you on Tuesday and tour your house. I will need you to have documentation from your jobs stating that you work there. I'll also need copies of your birth certificates, drivers licences, and insurance. If everything pans out you could have Emma with you by Wednesday."

"We'll get all of that ready for you. I actually work at Emma's school. She is in the classroom right across from mine, would it be ok if we brought Emma to the DNA test tomorrow?"

"You're a teacher Mrs. Nolan?"

"Yes."

"That's great, I won't have to do a background check on you, we can just get a copy from the school. Mr. Nolan where do you work?"

"I work at an animal clinic. They said that they did a background check on me, would you like me to get you a copy. I can bring it tomorrow."

"That would be great and a lot less paperwork for me to do. Do you know where Boston General is?"

David looked at his map and found the hospital easy enough. "Yes."

"You'll go in through the outpatient entrance and I'll be waiting there for you. Emma will recognize me so it shouldn't be hard to find each other."

"Thank you so much Ms. Slater!"

"You're very welcome. I think I might be just as excited as you!" I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, bye."

David hung the phone up. Snow and David stared at each other for a few minutes, neither of them moving a muscle. Snow was thinking about how easy everything was and how quickly the story flowed from her about how Emma was taken. She couldn't believe that in less than a week she would be able to have a new house, a car, a new job, and her baby with her. It was almost too much for her to comprehend. David was thinking about all the things he was going to have to do in order to get their house ready. How many dressers was he going to have to build? Was he going to be able to get it all done by Tuesday. He was beginning to panic, but at that moment he caught sight of Snow and they locked eyes. They were finally going to get their baby, they were going to be a family. Each of them took a deep breath. David moved to sit next to Snow on the bed. They both sunk down and David wrapped his arms around Snow. They stayed like that until the next morning when they both woke up feeling lighter than they had felt in a long time.

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I hope you all enjoyed. I'll be back as soon as possible. 3A