The Best Big Sister
Disclaimer: I wish, but no, I don't own the characters/show.
Author's Note: This one came completely out of left field. But here it is, as much family fluff as you can possibly imagine. Enjoy.
She hadn't planned on being there. It just happened that she was, and she can't leave, not now, the death grip on her hand aside.
But exactly what she's there for doesn't hit her until her mother's cries make her ears ring, and another person, a much smaller person, echoes them.
"It's a boy!" she hears shortly after, and it finally sinks in.
A boy, a brother, she has a baby brother.
In an instant the cord is cut and the little boy wrapped in a blanket much like her own, this time with a green ribbon, and presented to Snow.
"James, sit down before you fall down," Emma instructs, watching her father reel at the news and making Snow laugh through her tears.
Prince Charming immediately complies, and Emma rubs at her sore hand as she turns on her side of the bed to see her baby brother. Leo, she remembers Snow throwing the name around, after his, her, grandfather.
"He's perfect," she smiles, watching as Snow hands James the baby for the first time before pulling Emma in for a hug.
"He is, just like his big sister."
The compliment makes her face redden, but she manages a nod.
"Here, Emma," she hears James say as they pull away, and before she can react her arms are full of newborn.
She hasn't held a baby since Henry and even then it wasn't for long. But instinct takes over, and as she adjusts her hold her eyes make contact with his.
He's already taking after Snow, those big green eyes open and studying her, fuzzy black hair spiked on his head by the static of the blanket.
"Hey little brother," she tries with a smile, rocking him, looking to her parents for guidance but they're too busy kissing to notice. Yet again, Emma resists the urge to roll her eyes. Having loving parents was great, but she's still scarred from walking in on them in the kitchen. She's never looked at that one counter top the same way since.
Luckily the baby in her arms starts to fidget, giving her an exit strategy from those horribly awkward memories. And as soon as her attention is on him again the kid stops, looking at her way too inquisitively for only being minutes old. It's like he's expecting something of her, and she's drawing a serious blank. But then she opens her mouth and the words come pouring out.
"Okay, let me lay it out for you. I'm Emma, and I'm your big sister. You're already an uncle to my son, Henry, and I'm the same age as our parents. Long story, I'll explain later. What you need to know right now is I will protect you. I'm the Savior or whatever and that's what I do. And you're in great hands, kiddo. Mom and dad, they love us a lot, and that's pretty awesome. And don't worry if you ever get lost, we've got that covered too. Call it a family tradition. Got all that?"
He's still staring at her, but then his little hand wriggles out of the blanket, and she reaches for it, feeling his tiny fingers on her index finger. It's almost like they're shaking hands on it.
Looking up with a smile, she tries to ignore the stinging behind her eyes as she sees both her parents crying openly at their children interacting.
But then the little guy starts to squirm again, and Emma doesn't have to have been around babies for years to know that face.
"Okay, okay, food's coming. Here's mom," she quickly eases him back into Snow's arms, smirking as her mother laughs. But then watching mother and son, she realizes-
"Henry! Oh man, I better go get him. Think he'll be finished by the time we get back? The kid's been dying to see his uncle ever since he found out."
"He should be, yes," Snow nods, grabbing Emma's hand and squeezing, "Go get your son."
"Right."
She gets up, ready to give the new parents some space as well as get some herself. Even after everything, the love that practically radiates from them is a bit much after so many years without.
"Emma, wait!" she hears at the door, frowning as she turns.
"James?"
"I just- Thank you. You didn't have to be here but you were, and we- it means a lot."
She doesn't have to hear the "love you" that James almost ends on to know it was what he meant, and her tears well unbidden.
"Oh god, now you've got me going," she laughs, wiping at the unexpected moisture.
What she doesn't expect even more is for James to wrap his arms tightly around her, much less press a kiss to her forehead, but he does all these things anyway.
"Now, go get my grandson, he needs to meet his uncle," James winks, and Emma laughs before heading out the door to find an impatiently waiting Henry.
"That's our little girl," James whispers, sitting down beside his wife and pressing another kiss to her lips.
"And this is our little boy," Snow sighs, leaning against her husband as her son nurses.
It's the most bittersweet feeling, they'd never gotten this peace, this time with Emma, and it's written on their hearts and faces whether they say it aloud or not. But still, James finds a reason to smile.
"And he has the best big sister in the world."
"Yes," Snow smiles back, "yes he does."