A/N: Four separate readers have asked for a CS interaction with Gilmore Girls and this is the product of those enthusiastic prompts - Emma and Snow have been watching the show together as a form of Mother/Daughter bonding, but it has had some unexpected consequences, namely Henry, Killian and David have all been watching too and are a little…invested. Basically it's total fluff with married CS in the future. Also if you have not seen the full series of Gilmore Girls, there are slight spoilers, just an FYI. Anyway, thanks for reading!
In her life before Storybrooke, when Emma was still living in Boston relatively alone and without any real connections, there hadn't been many bright spots in her world. She was isolated and uninterested in being close to people back then and even though the walls Emma had kept her protected, they also always made it feel like something was missing. Most of the time Emma denied those doubtful thoughts, pretending everything was actually alright, but every once in a while the pain and longing for something she never knew returned.
In those moments, Emma had a few avenues that felt like relatively safe ways to let herself dream of a different way of living. Television was one of them, and Gilmore Girls especially was the constant guilty-pleasure show she sought out. For one hour each week, Emma got to have access to a whole new world that was happier, lighter, and more well-rounded than her own was.
And really, how could Emma not want to watch such a narrative? She'd never had a family and this show was all about what made a family enough. It came down to a mother and her daughter, just two people again the world, and Emma always thought that was a beautiful thing. Sometimes it sparked questions about why her own mother had given her up, but mostly Lorelei and Rory's easy flowing wit and constant jokes ebbed away Emma's regret.
Back then Emma also found the setting hilarious. A small town where everyone was in each other's business so profoundly? Places like that could never exist despite how picturesque and inviting they seemed on the show. Neighbors didn't meddle and scheme that way, at least not Emma's neighbors. No it was a figment of imagination that Emma could indulge with one night a week - her tiny dose of family and community before she returned to the loner she was.
But since finding her actual family and discovering that there were small towns like that in the world (some of which were also harbors of magic created by curses and all sorts of other fun stuff), Emma lost touch with the show. She was too busy running around Storybrooke and through realms saving people to binge on her old favorite series until one day her mother casually mentioned loving Gilmore Girls too.
"In my cursed life I always dreamed of having a daughter like Lorelei did. They didn't need men, just each other and everything worked out for them. Through heart ache and everything they had their best friends in their family."
It was nice for Emma to see that her mother and she had something new in common, and when a stretch of down time came between big bad villains trying to mess up Storybrooke, Emma and Snow decided to rewatch the series together. So once a week Snow came over and she and Emma binged on two or three episodes. They got to sink into a story that had nothing to do with fairytales or heroes and villains. It was awesome, and one of Emma's favorite new activities to partake in with her mother.
"Do you think that we could ever talk like that?" Snow's question from the chair across the room where she held Neal in her arms made Emma smile. There was so much hope in her mother's voice, but there was just no way. The Gilmore women were on a different level.
"Would we really want to? No one would understand us. Imagine trying to break down a town crisis to Leroy like Lorelei would." Snow laughed at the preposterous notion.
"Maybe you're right."
Emma was about to respond that she definitely was when talking between David, Killian, and Henry in the kitchen caught her attention. Emma stilled for a moment trying to hear better forgetting the show in front of her as she did.
"What is it?" Emma shushed her mother and gestured backwards. Both of them casually looked over their shoulders and listened in.
"You really think Rory is going to leave Dean? He loves her, and he's been with her through some pretty big stuff." Emma couldn't tell if her father was kidding, but he sounded pretty serious.
"That's not easy to do. High school relationships have no shelf-life, at least not in this town." Henry spoke with an authority that made him seem like the youth guru and Emma watched as Killian and David nodded.
"Aye, but when you watch the show they keep throwing Rory and this Jess fellow together. He's a mysterious stranger with more wit than the other lad, and the lass clearly pines for him. Look how angry he makes her, but she never can seem to walk away."
David bristled at Killian's assessment as Emma bit her lip. Killian might be new to this world and to Netflix as a whole but he was always one to work out a pattern, and he'd assessed how formulaic some stories could be right away. She was weirdly proud of him in this moment for seeing what the writers intended even if it wasn't actually a big deal.
"I think it's a test, and they're gonna pull through." Killian shrugged at David's words, but Emma could see Killian remained unconvinced.
"I'm not saying they should breakup Dave, I'm just saying you can't argue with what's right in front of you." Emma watched as her father crossed his arms over his chest.
"Well I guess we'll see. But it's going to be Dean and when it is I'll be all too happy to say I told you so." Snow sighed pitifully across the room.
"Oh, David. If I would have known he'd get so attached I'd have told him sooner." Emma gave her mother a sympathizing smile. They both knew how this series ended even if that ending was seasons away.
"What do you think they'll say if we tell them they're both wrong?" Snow shrugged.
"Probably better to just say nothing." Emma and Snow returned to watching the episode, but distraction came calling again when the title sequence played, specifically when the singing started.
"Where you lead, I will follow…" Emma bit back a laugh at her father's rendition of the theme song. Seriously, he'd heard it that many times that he knew the words? She and her mother looked back over to the kitchen.
"Anywhere that you tell me to…" Oh God, now Henry was in the middle of it too! This was too much, but none of it could compare to when Killian slid back into the kitchen and sang the rest.
"If you need – you need me to be with you…"
"I will follow where you lead." They all sang the last part together and Emma and Snow were left gawking in their direction. The three of them didn't seem to notice though, staring instead beyond Emma and Snow to the television. They all then proceeded to watch more avidly than Emma or Snow ever did.
"Maybe we're watching this a little too frequently." The words from her mother were the last bit needed to push Emma over the edge, and her initial laughter eventually boiled over into a full-blown fit. In seconds Snow had joined her and they were both nearly crying from it when David spoke again.
"If you're going to laugh like that, you should pause it. Don't want to miss anything." Emma and Snow looked between each other before laughing all the more. David didn't seem to understand that the reason for the laughing was because of them.
In the midst of her happy outburst, Killian came to sit beside Emma, offering her the popcorn she'd been secretly wishing for as he pulled her back against him on the couch. Emma took the action as more than a thoughtful gesture, but an admission that he was interested in the show and would be joining just as David and Henry looked about to.
"How'd you know?" Emma asked when she finally calmed down and Killian chuckled.
"We've had enough Netflix nights for me to know your ritual, Swan." Emma pressed a light kiss to his lips for the thoughtfulness.
"There's only one problem." Killian's brow rose in silent question. "Now that I'm eating for two, I don't know if sharing is an option."
Killian's smile at her reminder of their good news lit up the whole room and Emma found herself returning it. He was so fantastically excited for the new baby and Emma was too. Sure she was terrified, but it would all work out. As long as they were together she knew that would be enough.
"We are in for an interesting new tale if this child is a girl, love. I'm not sure I can handle all of this. Any little princess of ours won't be dating until she's married." Killian waved his hook towards the television screen and Emma smiled.
"I hardly think that's realistic, Killian." Her husband sighed.
"Alright she can date when she's thirty. But that's as low as I can go." Emma laughed and curled up against him, sinking back into the show.
A few more times both she and her mother had to convince the boys that this was not how all female interaction went. It was a television show that dramatized life, but they all seemed slightly skeptical and Emma even heard Killian whisper to Henry that he should probably take some notes. If this was what wooing a young woman in this world was like, Killian would be of little help.
When they finally put the show to rest after a few more episodes though, Emma had to admit that her life today was so much better than the dreams this show prompted years ago. Now she had everything: parents, a true love, an amazing son, and another kid on the way. And yes, they might not have the traditional family, but they were all happy, healthy, and safe and that was truly more than enough.
Post-Note: So there we have it. A little bit of fluff for today before the premiere tonight that I hope you guys enjoyed! Thanks for reading, and thank you to my lovely readers for recommending it. For those of you with other ideas I have a few shows that have been requested (Outlander, Parks and Rec, Community) but I am always willing to take on more!