AN: This one came from a Tumblr prompt from Ashuisnotonfire. Prompts #6(I'm Sick) and #25(I lost the baby). This is set after the Final Battle and Neal is around six. Snowing angst ahead:
Once Upon a Snowing
Hindsight
She should have seen the signs, looking back. But then hindsight was always 20/20. With two past pregnancies under her belt, she should have known right away. Working as a teacher and Sheriff, while keeping up with their son kept them busy though.
When Neal started going to school full time, David had decided to take Emma up on her offer to Sheriff part time with her, while still enjoying the farm. He missed working with her and honestly, the people of Storybrooke missed him too.
As always, she and David carved out time for each other too. It helped that Emma and Regina both were always willing to babysit Neal as well. They were careful though or so they thought. It wasn't that they didn't want any more children, but they were also content with the two they had, even if one was grown.
It started when Snow got the flu, which wasn't too surprising. Kids were germ factories, so between their own son and her students, it was anyone's guess where she picked it up. David watched her try to fight and deny it all morning. He could tell her a million times that she was sick, but she'd deny it until she said the words with her own mouth. But even Snow could only deny it so long, so he wasn't surprised when she came out of the bathroom that morning and finally admitted it.
"I'm sick," she said, with a pout.
"I know…and I'm going to make sure you stay in bed," he said, as he helped her.
"But you have work," she protested.
"Emma says everything's pretty quiet, so I'm staying right here with you. Once Neal's off to school, I'll make you some soup," he said.
"Mmm…okay," she said, as her eyes widened and she headed back to the bathroom.
Snow was out for three days, but was well taken care of by her loving husband and went back to work on the fourth day. For a few days after that though, Snow found that, while her appetite had returned, she ended up throwing up a couple times a day. She thought at first maybe it was just leftover from the flu, but should have put it together.
Unfortunately, she ended up giving her colleagues a scare when she collapsed in the teacher's lounge with blood running down her legs.
When David received the frightening call, he and Emma had rushed to the hospital, grateful that Neal was still in school and unaware of the emergency for now.
"Whale…where is my wife?!" David called, as he rushed into the Emergency Room.
"David!" he heard her call from one of the rooms and rushed in, leaving Whale behind.
"Is my mother okay?" Emma asked. The doctor sighed.
"Physically, she will be. Emotionally is a different story," Whale explained.
"Snow…" David cried, as he hurried to her bedside.
"Oh David…" she cried, as she collapsed in his arms.
"My darling…" he soothed, as he folded her in his arms.
"I didn't even know…" she sobbed.
"Know what?" he asked.
"Charming…I was pregnant," she answered, as she looked at him with tear filled green eyes.
"I lost the baby…" she cried, as she collapsed against him.
"Oh Snow…" he cried, as he held her tightly. They hadn't even known, but they mourned the loss of their unborn child.
"Mommy?" Neal called, as he and Emma peaked into the room. Snow wiped her tears away and tried to put a smile on her face for them.
"Hi baby…" she cooed, as they came to her bedside.
"Oh Mom…" Emma cried, as she hugged her
"I'll be okay…I guess this one just wasn't meant to be," she sniffed, as David kissed her hair.
"But we still have two beautiful children. I think what I need right now is just to do home with my family," she added. David kissed her tenderly.
"I'll get your discharge papers from Whale," he said, as Emma took his place and put her arms around her mother, while Neal climbed up and cuddled with her. The emotional healing would be a longer process than the physical healing, but Snow knew she could get through anything as long as she had her wonderful family with her.