Chapter 2

Early the next morning James woke up to a small arm resting on his face and his own body nearly hanging off the bed. Henry, as it would seem, was a bed hog.

With a slight chuckle he pulled himself out of the bed to get started on a new day. He gives the boy a playful shove, "Hey kid. Come on... time to get up. Let's go wake Snow and Emma."

He headed down the stairs and walked through the curtain of the bedroom only to find Emma enveloped in Snow's arms as they were both still sound asleep. He smiled to himself but couldn't help the words that escaped him. "Aww, now isn't that sweet?"

Startled by his booming voice in this quiet morning Emma's eyes pop open as she backs into Snow almost knocking her off the bed. "What the hell? You scared the crap out of me!" Emma says as she sits up and puts a hand over her heart to calm herself.

He puts his hand to his own mouth to muffle a laugh. "I'm... I..."

Snow who caught herself before she could slip off the bed sits up. She starts to laugh quietly as she wraps her arms around Emma, awkwardly cradling her to her chest. "James! You scared the baby."

They all laugh at this as Emma rolls her eyes. "Ha ha... very funny guys."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you Emma. I just wasn't expecting to see such a precious sight when I walked in here." He says as he smiles warmly.

"Yeah well... I'm not the one she's mad at remember?" Emma says hoping to get the attention off of herself.

"That's right. I forgot I was upset with you. What are you doing talking to us?" Snow asks with a playful smile.

"Well, I woke up with Henry all over me. He practically pushed me off the bed."

"Yeah, he's a major bed hog." Emma says.

"Hey!" The boy in question protests from the living room. "I am not!"

"Yeah Henry. You are." James counters. "So... if I make us all some breakfast would you be willing to forgive me?" He playfully pouts at Snow.

Emma looks over her shoulder to meet eyes with Snow and smiles as she waits on her response.

"It wouldn't hurt but we'll just have to see how breakfast turns out. If you ruin my kitchen you may be sleeping with Henry another night." She says as she winks at Emma.

"Okay, well I'll start on breakfast while you get up and dressed. Take your time... I have to get reacquainted with the cupboards." He says with a laugh.

"Reacquainted with the cupboards?" Emma asks. "Do you mean that while we were in the other world you actually did some cooking around here?"

"Yes. Is that so hard to believe?" James asks.

Henry chimes in, "He only made spaghetti and pancakes... and he made that a lot. I'm tired of spaghetti and pancakes."

Emma and Snow laugh as they take in Henry's anguished face. "Henry, you love pancakes." Emma says. "It can't have been that much torture for you."

"Yeah!" James shouts from the kitchen. "You were not complaining then!"

"Well as long as I'm not cooking breakfast I think I'll take a nice long shower." Snow says climbing out of bed.

Emma crawls back under the covers as she watches Snow gather some things from her dresser. Soon Henry is making his way into the bedroom. He launches himself on to the bed. "Are you going to get up or not?"

"The shower is taken. I have time to be lazy." She reaches out to grab him by the arm. She yanks him under the covers with her and holds him to her. "I'm surprised you didn't give James a black eye last night. You are THE worst sleeping buddy."

He laughs at her but snuggles up all the same. "When are you going to start calling them Mom and Dad?"

"Henry..." she starts to scold. "I don't have to call them that just because they're my parents. I mean... I'm not used to it and they aren't complaining."

"I bet they'd really like it if you did though."

"Yeah well... I'm not ready. I mean I never asked you to start calling me Mom."

"I know... and I don't always. Sometimes I forget and I call you Emma."

"Ya see? Old habits die hard. I mean I don't even address them at all if I can get away with it. I'm afraid I'm going to hurt their feelings when I call them the wrong name."

"Well... it's not really that complicated being a family you know?"

"Henry? When are you going to start acting like a kid and stop giving me advice. You make me feel so inept." She laughs as she tickles him.

"Hey! Hey stop!" He laughs. "I'm sorry that I'm smarter than you!" He struggles to say through her tickles. "I'm sorry! Stop!"

"Alright alright... I'm done torturing you." She says while hugging him tightly.

Snow eventually makes her way back in to the bedroom, smiling at the scene before her. "Shower's all yours Emma. Henry... can you help me make the bed?"

Henry nods and starts to get up. Emma takes her time, watching the expression on Snow's face change. She can't quite make out what she is seeing. It's not that she seems upset. It's more like she's a bit sad. She gets out of the bed and stands in Snow's way as she is already reaching out to make the bed. "What's wrong?" She asks quietly waiting for Snow to meet her gaze.

"What do you mean?" Snow asks just as quietly avoiding that very gaze.

"You seem... I don't know..." She shrugs and rolls her head. "Upset."

"I'm not upset." She says with a forced smile.

"Yeah... sure..." Emma smiles at her attempt at a front. "Come on, tell me." She pushes.

"No... It's nothing I just..." She grins and tilts her head trying to think of what it is she wants to say. "Just seeing you two together just then. It just..." She smiles brightly and it seems that she's getting emotional as her eyes are glistening.

"Hey..." Emma says trying her best to sound soothing. "What is it?"

"No. I'm sorry... I'm acting like an overemotional idiot." She shakes her head laughing at herself. "It's nothing really. I was just... moved... or should I say I was touched that's all. That you are both able to be so open with each other." She says trying to brush off this conversation.

Emma gives a glance around the room not sure she understands what Snow is trying to tell her. She purses her lips as she's lost in her thoughts for a second.

Snow moves around Emma to start tending to the unmade bed. She nods at Henry to get his help.

It's obvious that Snow is not going to continue to explain herself so Emma heads upstairs to gather some of her things and head back down to shower.

*** Thanks again for the reads and the reviews have been great... for my self esteem I mean. :)