Chapter 8 — Fourth Day

This time, Emma woke up in her bug. In her crashed bug, actually. She hit a tree. Much to her amazement, the bug was okay, just a bump on the front of the car. She looked at the time. Great, four more days. It was still dawn. The sun hasn't rise yet. So she drove back to the apartment and if her memories serves her right, by breakfast time Mary Margaret and David will come home with little James. She got a lot to do.

Great, I forgot to do the shopping. Nevermind. I need to clean the loft first.

She hasn't got the time to actually clean up the debris and the demolished coffee table and chairs that Zelena has broken. She drove to the apartment, wondering if she really will fall asleep for eternity, what kind of dream world her mind would fabricate for her. She smiled when she remembered her subconscious told her that she's smarter than everyone tend to believe. So if that's true, she actually will have quite an adventure ahead of her.

Upon arriving in the loft, she cleaned up everything she could get her hands on, especially the ruckus that Zelena made the other day. After it was finished Emma nodded to herself and decided to take a shower. When she's finished putting her clothes on, she went out to the groceries store (it's open now) and buy a few basic things that was they needed. She texted a few persons while trying to shop for her parents and her new baby brother.

Emma: Morning kid. I'll be busy today but if you want you could come by the loft to meet your baby uncle.

Henry: Sure, I'll drop by if I could Ma. I'll talk to you soon?

Emma: Sure kid. Love you.

Henry: I love you too.

The simple declaration from Henry could always brightened her day. Ah, she needs to text Ruby as well. Oh, and David.

Emma: David I'm grocery shopping. Need anything? You guys coming home right?

David: Some food would be good. Anything about baby equipments have already been covered. Turns out your mother is a little bit OCD when it comes to your brother.

Emma laughed.

Emma: Sure, I'll buy you some kiddy cereal that you like so much.

David: Hey, you like it too! We're coming home now. See you soon?

Emma wanted to say something about how she loves him but decided against it.

Emma: Yeah, you bet.

She sighed and walked towards the cereal aisle, looking for that specific brand that always caused morning feud between her and her father. She smiled fondly when she grasped the box and threw it in the basket.

Emma: Hey Rubes. How's work?

Ruby: Fine Em. Zelena's not dead if that's what you want to know.

Emma: LOL. No, just wanna check up on you.

Ruby: How is your brother?

Emma: Dunno. Haven't seen him yet since yesterday.

Ruby: Do you think Snow will let me be the godmother?

Emma: Idk. Ask her, don't ask me.

Ruby: I'm asking my goddaughter nicely.

Emma: Ew Rubes that's awkward.

Ruby: Kidding, Em. I'll visit if I got time, k?

Emma: Sure. Have a good day, Rubes.

Ruby: Yeah. You too.

Emma smiled. It's strange how her destiny is to not fulfill her destiny. She was destined to be a princess in Enchanted Forest, who will grow up to take over the kingdom at some point in her life. She was destined to be Ruby's goddaughter. She was destined to marry a fine prince and rule over the Fairy Tale Land.

One good snap from Rumpelstiltskin and her destiny changed.

Look where she is now.

She's on her way to eternal sleep. She's trying her best to cope and to say goodbye to the people she loves most. If she was still in Boston, it would be a hell lot easier. She was alone, and whether she lives or not, nobody really cares. But now? It's complicated. She's got a son whom she loves more than anything in this world. He's her True Love's. But as Zelena said, he wouldn't be able to wake her up. And that's eating her.

She shook the thought off and finished her shopping and went home. True to his word, David, Mary Margaret and Little James are already at the loft when Emma came back. She greeted them with a smile and kissed her baby brother softly on those small cheeks.

"Hey, you're not working?" David asked Emma with a smile.

"Nah, Ruby's covering for me. Speaking of Zelena, she said I wasn't cursed. I was just too tired that day," Emma lied blatantly to her parents. She didn't want them to worry, at all. "One big disaster averted at least."

"Oh, that's a relief honey," Mary Margaret sighed. "I'm glad you're okay."

Emma smiled her best not-lying smile.

"I'm going to put James in his room, I think he's tired from the frantic journey we just had," Mary Margaret added as leaned in to kiss David in the cheek before disappearing within those wall.

Emma and David went to the kitchen and brewed some coffee.

"Uhm. May I ask a question?" Emma asked while they were waiting for the courage liquid.

"Sure kid, what's up?"

"I'm not being mean, and of course I don't want you dead, but… How come you're still alive?"

"Oh yeah, you passed out before hearing the whole story." David mused and his lips formed a smirk.

Emma pouted. This only made David laughed even more. He put his arm around Emma's shoulder and pulled her close to him while they sat in the high chair near the island.

"Regina saved us." David stated simply.

"Huh?"

"Yeah, Regina took my heart with her magic, and gave it to your mother. Your mother actually crushed it. It was everything I could do to try to save your brother Emma." David's eyes full of unshed tears. Emma leaned her head in David's shoulder. "The last thing I remembered was your mother's face, full of fear that the curse won't work. After that I don't really know what happened but your mother filled me in. She said Zelena came in and dropped a memory potion. That's why none of us remember why and who cast the curse."

"Okay. Still didn't explain why you're alive."

"Your mother… begged Regina to take her heart and splitted it." David's free hand came up to rest on his heart.

"What?"

"Yeah, Regina did it apparently. She saved us. She brought us to you. And you defeated Zelena," David said in awe. "I'm sorry Emma, if you feel that we tried to interfere your choice again. I— I know you didn't ask for any of this. I'm sorry that we always disappoint you."

"Don't say that. I know how it is, trying to do your best, in given circumstances," Emma whispered as she hugged her father tightly.

David put one of his hand in the back of Emma's head and they stayed like that for a while.

"I'm sorry." David whispered.

"Me too, Dad."

Hearing the title from Emma's lips at this situation only fueled the emotion further.

"Will you ever forgive me?" David asked sincerely.

"I will," Emma was sobbing by now. "I— I love you Dad."

"I love you too Princess," David pulled away to kiss Emma's side of the head and hugged her again. "I will always love you."

Emma scoffed, trying to control her sobs. "Please do."

David laughed as they pulled away. He wiped away the rest of Emma's tears softly. "So where's my cereal kid?"

Emma slapped him in the shoulder playfully before she remembered that she hasn't taken the groceries out from her car. "Help me to the bug?"

Lounging around in the loft doing almost nothing and watching her parents trying to interact with a small baby is… entertaining to say the least. Sure, she helped sometimes, if she could, that is. She doesn't really know how to handle a newborn baby. That goes to her parents as well. Her memories from Regina was fuzzy after she regained the actual memories from the potion that Hook gave her. So with fuzzy memory of how to take care of a baby, she tried to help as best as she could. Soon the loft was a mess of baby products. Towels, diapers, bottles, little shoes, little socks, little everything everywhere.

Emma laughed when the baby cooed and David and Mary Margaret comically trying to change his diaper.

"How did you guys survive yesterday?"

"We have no idea." David answered honestly.

"Well there are nurses," Mary Margaret quipped.

"Can't you just bring one of those home?" Emma asked laughing.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret said aghast.

Emma just laughed again while James started moving around all his limbs in order to raise the difficulties his parents already experiencing.

"I'll go get us some lunch from Granny's. Anything specific you want to eat?" Emma asked.

"Just the usual, Emma. Thank you," Mary Margaret gave her a grateful smile.

"Kay, I'll help with James later." With that, she's out the door and started walking to Granny's.

Upon arriving at Granny's, Emma bumped into her son and Regina. The way Henry's eyes lights up everytime he sees her never cease to amaze her. She greeted them.

"Hey guys."

"Hey Ma. How's baby uncle?"

"Good, he's a little troublemaker."

"Why aren't you at work, Deputy?" Regina's eyes narrowed.

"I'm taking maternity leave, like my dad."

"That is the worst excuse I've ever heard, Miss Swan."

Emma just grinned and scooched next to Henry. "Mind if I join you guys for lunch?"

Henry just smiled his brightest smile and Regina melted right away.

So that was how Emma spent lunch on the fourth day of her curse. She spent it with her family. Regina and Henry. Emma knew that Regina has grown suspicious since she slept in the middle of argument, but she said nothing about it. Tomorrow, Emma promised to herself.

"Regina, this may sound strange but… Could you maybe spare a few hours tomorrow for me?" Emma asked in the middle of their lunch.

"Whatever for, dear?"

"Just… stuff." Emma shrugged.

"Sure. Come to the mansion after you dropped Henry off at school, will you?" Regina offered.

"Fantastic. Thanks."

Tomorrow.

"Mary Margaret, uhm. Do you think we could… talk?" Emma asked once James is peacefully sleeping. The pizza boxes from dinner was still in the kitchen and Emma was on her way to get rid of them.

"Sure honey. Are you okay?" Mary Margaret's eyes widened in concern.

"I am. I just… We never really got a chance to talk. It's always one crisis after another," Emma rubbed her neck.

"Yes it is always like that, isn't it. Your father said to me you talked to him earlier this morning." Mary Margaret started the discussion.

"Well, yeah. I asked him about his heart."

"I'm not doing a good job, aren't I?" Mary Margaret stated sadly.

"You are trying your best, although your best isn't necessarily in my best interest…"

"Do you regret coming back here?" Mary Margaret's eyes were already full of tears.

"I don't. If I don't come back, I won't have my parents," Emma sincerely stated. "I won't have my little brother," she added with a smile.

"Emma," Mary Margaret took Emma's hand and wrapped it with her own. "I'm sorry. For my poor judgment. For letting you go. Not once, but twice. I'm sorry you grew up alone. I'm sorry for… everything." Mary Margaret tears fell down. "For someone who have a Prince Charming by her side, I'm not very good at loving my child," she admitted. "I'm trying to learn… from my mistakes."

"I'm trying to forgive you." Emma smiled sadly. It broke her heart, seeing her mother cried because of her. Emma vowed if she ever got out of the eternal sleep that is waiting for her, she would try her hardest to have a good relationship with her parents. She loves them, that's for sure. But their relationship is still rocky. "If something happens, well this is Storybrooke, something is bound to happen. If… something happened, could you respect my choice, my decision?" Emma asked shakily.

"I will try my best, Emma. But remember, it's my job to worry about you. We're the parents." Mary Margaret reminded her.

"I know, Mother," Emma said in her best impersonation of Regina.

"Oh God. You scared me."

Emma laughed, and her laughter turned into a soft smile. "I love you, you know. Not because I have to, not because you're my Mum, but I think at some point, you've earned it. You slipped into my life and I— I want you to be in my life. And maybe, someday, you will be a very good mother for me."

"Oh Emma. I love you too, baby girl," Mary Margaret whispered as she pulled Emma into a bear hug. She was still crying, and Emma's heart was broken into little pieces.

If only I have enough time, I will try to mend my broken heart, and my mother's broken heart.