Disclaimer: Once Upon a Time does not belong to me! All characters and references to the show belong to ABC and Channel 5.
As promised, here's the final chapter.
Once Upon a Time: School's Out! The Third One-Chapter 25
After five minutes of waiting, the students in the Main Hall had gotten bored and started talking amongst themselves. Mr Boss, Ms Nova, and Ms Gohrm, stood around the sides of the seats, keeping an eye on them to make sure the noise didn't grow too high. There was another five minutes of chatter, then the Headmaster, Mr H. , an old fashioned man with dark silver hair down to his ears and a rather large nose, stood upon the platform. At his appearance, the noise died down, and when all was silent, he began to speak.
"Good afternoon, students, I'm glad to see that there was a large turnout for this mornings request" he said approvingly "Now, I know you may be wondering why I have called you here this afternoon-"
"You think?"muttered Peter, and Ruby nudged him, smiling.
Mr Andersen continued "-and the reason is, I have called you all here because we have a surprise visitor with us today" he paused, as though in suspense. From the back of the Main Hall someone sneezed, and Mr Andersen continued "A benefactor, for our College"
Holy crap! James thought, and a low, surprised murmur spread throughout the hall. No wonder Mr Boss had been so freaked!
"Yes" continued Mr Andersen "To find out if her donations were being put to good use, one of out benefactors decided to come here and see for herself. And so, to present her verdict, she has requested to speak to the entire school" added Mr Andersen, though a muscle twitched in his cheek as he did. He then swept a hand out to his right side wile his other pulled a piece of paper. He looked down at it, and read off "Therefore, students of Fairytale College, I ask you to give a warm welcome to Miss I Benv..." he frowned, and looked at the paper more closely "No wait...Bame...Blar...Boyo...?"
"Oh, just call me MissiB, my love!" said a voice to the side "Everyone else does! You don't need to strain yourself!"
A giggle circulated through the hall. Mr Andersen, however, did not look amused, and he replaced the paper into his jacket, lowering his arm and facing his students.
"Very well" he acquiesced, moving away from his podium "Students...please give a warm welcome to, uh, MissiB"
"Seriously?" someone muttered as the bright benefactor walked up to the stand, and James very nearly gasped out loud when he saw who it was standing at the headmasters podium.
No way! It was her! The weird woman with the bright orange poncho who had crashed into him! She was a College benefactor?
MissiB faced her audience, and stood at the wooden podium with both hands behind her back. She looked around the large hall, and after a moment, she started to speak, her voice surprisingly strong and loud.
"Good afternoon, Fairytale College!" she said cheerily "It is a pleasure to finally be here! As benefactor, I've always known about and been involved with this place, but strangely enough this is my first time actually visiting it" she added with a small smile. She then moved her hands from behind her back and braced them on the podium "Now, when I first decided to support this place, I had no idea of what a popular educational establishment I would be giving my money to. You should know that this College has impressed a great many school inspectors, and has received a lot of excellent assessments. In actual fact, it was the assessments of this establishment, and the people in it, that inspired me to come and visit today"
"Oh my God..." in the back row, Rumplestiltskin chuckled when he heard Mr Boss whimper weakly from where he was stood behind him. Belle nudged him, but she couldn't help a small grin.
From the podium at the head of the hall, MissiB continued to speak "During the course of this day, I have been exploring the College, seeing if my support for it was worthwhile. I talked with lecturers and students alike-"
"Don't I know it?" in the front row, James muttered to Thomas, who smirked back.
"Oi!" MissiB snapped, and both boys jumped a foot in the air when she pointed straight at them. With a stern look in her eye, she then used the same finger to press close to her lips "I'm talking right now! Don't be bloody rude!"
There was another ripple of laughter as James and Thomas flushed bright red. Even Ella was giggling, and Mr Boss looked like he wanted to either cry or hit both boys round the head. Despite the interruption, the benefactor continued.
"Anyway, as I was saying, I spoke with members of staff and the student body, and upon my own interpretation of the College, I think I know the answer to my question" just to torture the faculty, MissiB paused, her face expressionless. There was a small whimper from the back of the hall, and she broke out into a huge, cheesy grin "Hell yeah!" she said loudly, lifting her hands off the podium and pushing them out to the sides. In the middle of the crowd of students, Daniel looked worriedly at Victor Whale, seriously wondering about this woman's sanity. Victor shrugged.
"This College is one of the best educational facilities I have had the honour to support" said MissiB, putting her hands back on the podium, smiling again "And I am proud to be a part of it's continued running"
"Wait for it, Mr Boss is gonna pass out from relief" Peter whispered to Ruby, and she giggled before turning around. He did look a little pale.
"Anyway!" said MissiB loudly, slapping her hands down hard on the wooden stand "That is all I have to say! You guys-" she pointed with both hands at the startled students and faculty "Are brilliant, and I hope you keep up the good work and continue getting those fan-bloody-tastic assessment results!" she lowered her hands so that they were pressed together, her expression suddenly more serious "O.k, now I've gotta go. Because otherwise my car get's another ticket, and I really can't afford anymore points on my licence!"
And without much further ado, the eccentric benefactor strolled out from behind the tall wooden podium and walked down the path between the chairs until she reached the strong double doors. She promptly pushed them open and, pausing for one finger-wave to the staring crowd, was gone with a swish of her bright orange poncho and a blur of her green leggings.
There was a beat of silence, in which everyone stared at the wooden double doors, completely confounded. Then there was a cough from the head of the Main Hall, and everyone in the hall turned to face Mr Andersen again, who was stood at the podium with a shiny forehead. He coughed again, this time into his fist.
"Well, uh...if that's all out benefactor has to offer, then I suppose-"
BAM!
The doors burst open again, and several students got whiplash as they snapped their heads back to the doors. It was Regina Mill's, panting like she had just run a fifty-mile race and looking like it too.
"Regina Mills!" Mr Andersen snapped "How dare you burst in here so la-"
"That's not important!" Regina yelled back, scanning the huge room with wide eyes "James Nolan, you'd damn well better be in here!" she hollered "Your girlfriend's gone into labour!"
There was another beat of silence, save for the choking sound that was coming from James' mouth. He had turned completely white, and his throat seemed to have closed up. At Regina's declaration, his brain had frozen up.
...Snow's having the baby...NOW!
"NOLAN!" Regina shrieked, snapping James out of his daze.
"OH MY GOD!"
OUAT
The ambulance had already taken Snow White by the time Regina had gotten to James, so he'd had to floor it to the hospital in his car and narrowly avoid getting three speeding tickets to get there in time. He had burst through the hospital doors and ran to the reception desk, gasping Snow White's name the startled female receptionist, but when she told James her room hadn't been registered yet he'd still ran to the maternity ward, declaring that he would find her. He would always find her.
And now, after six hours of labour, she was laid in a hospital bed in an unattractive hospital gown, groaning and crying out in pain while reducing the bones in James' hands to powder.
"Aaaaaah!" she cried, falling back against the bed, her forehead soaked in sweat and her hair drenched, her face pinched in pain and fear. She hissed, and clutched her belly "Holy crap, this hurts!"
"It-it's gonna be O.k, Snow!" stammered James "Just keep breathing-"
"Breathing?!" she suddenly screamed, twisting her neck to face him "I am pushing a person out of my body! How the hell is breathing going to hel-oooooooohhhhaaaaaaaaooooowwwwwww!" she suddenly yelled out again, gripping his hand tight while sweat poured down her face. James checked his watch, and his heart started hammering harder. The doctor had told him to keep checking the minutes between contractions, telling him that it would be time when they were two minutes apart.
And now it looked like that time was here.
"James..." Snow White whimpered, and James looked away from his wrist. He was surprised to see that there were tears in Snow White's eyes, and her lip was trembling "I'm scared..." she whispered, and James felt a stab of empathy for her. Seeing his beloved, strong Snow so scared was like torture for him. But there would be time to dwell on that later. Right now, he needed to be there for his girlfriend. And his kid.
Reaching up with his free hand, he placed it over the one of her's that was gripping his like a life-line. Looking directly into her eyes, he said in a soothing voice "I know, Sweetheart. But you don't have to be, I am right here with you, and I am not going anywhere-"
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!" she lurched forward as another contraction seized her body. She hissed through her teeth, her face pinched again "Dammit! This is all your damn fault, you bastard!" she shrieked at him "I hate you!"
Rather than responding, James just held her hand tighter. He didn't take her words to heart. He knew she didn't mean it.
Mercifully, their doctor walked into the labour room at that moment, a clip-board in his hand and a smile on his face "O.k, how're we doing in here?"
"How do you think, you stupid bastard?! I'm in fucking labour!" Snow White screamed, her back taught before it seemed to collapse and she flopped back onto the mattress. James looked at the doctor apologetically, but he just shrugged, and came up to Snow White's bedside.
"So, how far apart are the contractions now?" he asked James.
"About two minutes now" he responded, and the doctor nodded. He turned to Snow White.
"So, you are just about ready to go to the delivery room, then young lady!"
Snow White's eyes widened "What? Are you serious?" when the doctor nodded, she started to hyperventilate "N-no, wait! I-I'm not ready for this!"
"Hey, don't worry!" said James, and when Snow White turned fearfully to him, he forced himself to keep up the calm facade "This is all part of the process, Snow! It's gonna be O.k-"
"And how the hell would you know?! No-one's telling you to shove a baby out of your damn-!"
"She's fine. Let's go" James dictated over Snow White's shrieks. Subtly amused, the doctor called forward some nurses to wheel her to Delivery. All the way James whispered words of encouragement to her, and while she cursed him each time, she didn't relinquish her tight hold on his hand.
OUAT
"O.k, are you ready?" said the doctor, standing between Snow White's legs. The young woman whimpered, breathing heavily and looking at James in terror. He met her eyes, nodding in comfort and reassurance, and she gripped his hand tightly before she too nodded. Her baby was coming. And it was coming now.
"O.k! Then push!"
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!" oh God, it felt like she was being sawn in half! It hurt, oh God did it hurt! She gasped in pain, pushing and screaming for all she was worth, and James was right there by her side, stroking her hand and speaking sweet words of comfort and assurance, promising that it would all be over soon, that the baby was coming, she was coming!
"She's crowning!" cried the doctor "Snow, you need to start pushing harder!"
"I can't!" Snow White wailed, shaking her head and sobbing so that tears trailed down her flushed cheeks "I push harder, it hurts too much!"
"Hey, Snow, look at me!" said James, and she followed his command (noting how pale he had turned) "It's gonna be O.k, O.k? You just have to keep pushing"
Snow White sobbed "It hurts so much..."
"I know, honey" said James, using his free hand to stroke back her sweat soaked hair "But think of the little girl waiting for us" he smiled "Don't you want to meet her?"
Snow White sobbed "Y-yes"
"Then do it for her. You can do it, Snow! You're strong enough for this!" he said, and Snow White could tell that he truly believed what he was saying.
She remained silent, but a slow spark entered her green depths, and when the doctor ordered her to push again, she lurched forwards on the hospital bed, and pushed with every ounce of strength she possessed.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
"Keep going, Snow!" the doctor yelled, and Snow White roared as she continued pushing, pushing until she felt like she was going to split in half, pushing until she couldn't take it anymore. Pushing until-
"Wah! WAH!"
Gasping, Snow White fell back against the hard mattress. A high wail filled the room, and she weakly turned her head to try and find the source. Was that...?
"...Oh my God..." dimly, she felt sure she heard James gasp, but she couldn't tell as the only sound in the room seemed to be that of a baby's cry.
"...here she is!..." said another voice. The doctor. She heard him murmur something to James, and she thought she felt his hand leave her's for a brief moment. There was a snipping sound, and then a sob, and moments later Snow White tilted her chin to see him, standing at the foot of the bed with tears streaming down his face, despite his huge smile. He was staring down at something in his arms, and the look in his eyes was like that of a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. Snow White looked down at his arms, and she saw a pink bundle resting tenderly inside it. A tiny, pudgy hand reached up from the blanket, and when James lifted his own to meet it, five small fingers grasped one of his with it's whole fist.
"Snow..." she heard James gasp, and when she away from the bundle she saw that he was now staring at her "She's perfect"
She...Emma...that was her daughter in his arms. She felt a lump enter her throat. Oh my God...she's here...
"I...is she O.k?" she whispered, and she heard the doctor chuckle
"She's fine. She's a perfectly healthy baby girl"
A baby girl...her baby girl..."Can I...can I hold her?"
"Of course you can" said the doctor's voice again, and James could not get there fast enough as he brought the pink bundle over to it's mother, who was already reaching out her arms to take her baby. He lowered her in gently, and Snow White gasped at how small she felt, like a doll.
But when she saw her face for the first time, her breath was completely taken away, and her green eyes filled with tears as a warm glow spread throughout her entire body.
She was beautiful. The most perfect little angel she had ever seen. Her skin was the flushed pink of a newborn baby, and her tiny starfish hands fisted in the air like she wasn't quite sure what she was supposed to do with them. She had stopped crying by now, and was staring up at Snow White with massive dark blue eyes, her adorable little nose wrinkling above her small mouth. Her newborn hair was fluffy over her head, and light. She would be blonde like her father, green eyed like her mother, she felt sure.
Snow White didn't sob, but happy tears flowed down her cheeks and dripped onto the baby blanket as she gently rocked her daughter, stroking her little face. To her, she didn't feel like a stranger, she felt like she'd known her all her life.
On her shoulder, she felt a weight, and even without looking she knew it was James' hand. When he spoke she could hear the tears in his voice "Emma..." he whispered, his hand squeezing her shoulder, and Snow White beamed. They had been right, it was the perfect name for her "Snow...she's so beautiful..."
Snow White looked up, and right next to her James was beaming too, tears trailing down his cheeks as he looked at his new daughter. She could see the love in his eyes, the protectiveness, the never-ending stream of loyalty and adoration he already had for their baby, and it made her fall in love with him all over again. More tears welled in her eyes, and she was unable to stop herself from reaching up, sliding a hand around his neck, and pulling him down to kiss him so devotedly that it was a wonder her heart didn't just explode from happiness. He responded in kind, and she tasted both salt and love on his lips.
After a long while, Emma let out a cry and she pulled away, her eyes drifting down to her daughter like she was made of metal and Emma was a powerful magnet "I know" Snow White whispered, thinking that beautiful didn't even compare to her baby "She's perfect"
She then leaned down, and right before she kissed her baby on her soft forehead, she spoke the first words she would say to her daughter.
"Hi, Emma!"
OUAT
When visiting hours came around, Snow White and Emma were bombarded with visitors. Her father and James' mother came in the morning and, after a lot of tears, cooed over their new granddaughter's cuteness.
"She's so sweet!" Mrs Nolan had said, smiling down at the baby she held in her arms.
"She's lovely, Snow. She clearly takes after her mother" said Mr Blanchard, but as he gazed down at the gurgling baby with delight, there was still that shadow of sadness in his eyes, and Snow White's heart ached for him. She knew this was hard for him, but she hoped that, one day, he would come to terms with it. Besides, it not like she didn't plan on going back to College. She and James had talked it over with the both the Dean and Mr Andersen, and it turned out that there were plenty of opportunities for a young mother to finish College's. Creche's, night classes...there were always possibilities.
Smiling softly, Snow White had reached up and touched her father's cheek, making him look at her "Thank-you, father" she said, and Mr Blanchard had nodded, and they had both cried a little when he'd kissed her forehead and hugged her, whispering that he was still proud of his little girl.
Soon after the parents had left, making way for Snow White's eager friends.
"Oh my God!" Ruby squealed as she came into the room and saw Emma for the first time, her hands coming to cover her mouth and her eyes popping impossibly wide before they started to leak. She waved her hands wildly in front of them in an effort to stop her mascara from running "S-she's so pretty!"
"Snow!" Belle's voice was choked as she too laid her gaze on the baby in her friends arms "She's so small! She's adorable!"
On Ella's face, her tears were flowing freely. She was standing right next to Snow White and looking down at the baby as her large, deep blue eyes looked around the strange world she'd been thrusted into. Like Ruby, Ella cupped her mouth "It's a baby!" she whispered, and Snow White laughed.
"Well, what were you expecting?" she asked jokingly "A cactus?"
Along with the girls came James' friends, and though they would never admit it, they too had been enchanted by the infant and even went as far to congratulate the new parents.
"I'll tell you something now, James" said Peter, grinning at the child in his best friends arms "That girl is gonna be a heart-breaker one day!" he laughed, and James promptly hit him around the head.
"Ow!" Peter rubbed the back of his head, frowning and muttering "It was a joke!"
"Yeah" said Ruby, looping an arm around his shoulders and grinning while everyone else laughed "But not for a baby girl, sweetie"
For a few hours, many words, congratulations and laughs were shared, until the time that Belle suggested they all go get something to eat from the hospital canteen. But Snow White knew that was just a ploy, to give her some time alone with her baby, and she was grateful for that.
So, after James got her firm assurance that she would be alright for a few minutes, Snow White found herself alone with her daughter.
In her arms, baby Emma slumbered, her sweet face totally relaxed with sleep. Snow White's eyes were prickling with her own desire to rest, but she couldn't bear to tear her gaze away from her child. Her child. Her child with James, a product of their love.
She could hardly believe how much she loved her, it was like it not only filled the whole of her heart, but the whole of her soul. Unable to help herself, she stroked Emma's small cheek with her finger, smiling softly when the baby shifted in her sleep, but fortunately didn't wake. Absent-mindedly, she wondered when she would be ready for her first feed.
Knock Knock.
"Hello?" Snow White looked up, briefly thinking that James must have decided to stay with her after all before the door opened, and someone completely different walked in. Her mind stopped, and she stared at her new visitor. What is she doing here?
At the door of her private room stood none other than Regina Mills, wearing a shirt and pants of dark colours and a cautious look on her face. She glanced at the room, before her gaze finally fell on the two people in the bed "Hi..." she said lamely, and then closed her eyes like she was cursing herself.
Cautiously, Snow White smiled "Hi..."
"Can I come in?"
"...Sure"
Regina stepped forward into the room. She didn't come to Snow White's side, but drifted over to the foot of the bed, her fingers tensely brushing along the pastel-coloured sheets. Watching her, Snow White recalled that this was the girl who had gotten her here. She had been the one to call the ambulance, possibly saving her and her baby's lives. In their long silence, she figured she should probably say something.
But before she could, Regina spoke first "So, uh..." she gestured to the bundle in Snow White's arms "What...is it?" she asked evasively, but fortunately Snow White knew what she meant.
"A girl" she told her, and then hesitated a moment before adding "Her name is Emma. Emma Blanchard-Nolan" she said proudly. She and James had talked about the surname placement a few months before Snow White had gone into labour. That had been a fun argument!
"Huh" was Regina's brilliant reply, her hands compressing on the bar of the bed "That's...pretty"
"Regina, why are you here?" Snow White decided not to beat around the bush, and she saw Regina visibly tense when she asked her question. A long silence followed, penetrated only by baby Emma's sweet gurgles. Regina didn't respond, just staring at Snow White in a stony silence, and the new mother was just about to sigh and give up when, out of the blue-
"I realised I never thanked you" she blurted it out in one breath, as though it was something that had been twisting inside her until it was ready to come out. As Snow White blinked at her in surprise, she continued without pause.
"I know it was you who convinced Daniel to side with me, and I know it was you who asked James to go with him to Gold's meeting with my mother for proof that I wasn't insane, and I...I also know that, had you not played the part you did in this, I would still be seen as Relapse Mills" she seemed reluctant to admit this, and it didn't stop there "Blanchard...although we may have had our differences in the past, I feel that I should tell you that I'm grateful, for everything you did, even though no-one would have blamed you if you didn't. Thank-you, Blan...I mean, thank-you, Snow White"
Snow White had never been so stunned in her entire life. She probably would have sat there all night, staring at Regina with her mouth gaping open like an idiot, but at that moment Emma reached up a pudgy fist to grab a lock of her long hair, and the pulling sensation seemed to pull her senses back with it. Regina was staring at her from the foot of the bed, her gaze shifty and her cheeks redder than normal. Snow White had to suppress a grin at this, the feared Student Body President (or rather, ex) blushing in her presence!
Clearly, the poor girl was waiting for her long-time enemy's reaction to her thanks, and with a smile, Snow White decided to give her one. But it was not the one she'd been expecting...
"Regina, it's me who should be thanking you!"
Regina blinked "Say what?"
Snow White grinned. She looked so baffled it was almost funny! Holding Emma tighter to her, she looked down at the piece of heaven in her arms as she explained "Regina, I know you might not realise it, but eight hours ago you saved two lives. You called that ambulance, you got me to this hospital, and in doing so you made sure that my baby and me would be in a safe place when I gave birth. If you hadn't found me when you did, I...I hate to think what would have happened" she shuddered, and an oblivious Emma blinked up at her with her big blue eyes, and her small mouth stretched into a perfect O, to release the cutest little yawn. Snow White smiled, she would be asleep soon.
"Thank-you, Regina" she finished, in a tone so soft it was almost a whisper. For a moment, there was no sound, until she heard the sound of her shoes walking close to the bed.
"I...I never thought of it like that" she said, and when Snow White looked up Regina was beside her knee's. Again, Snow White smiled at her, and loosened one of the hands underneath Emma while at the same time locking her into a more secure position. The baby made a sound of discomfort, but when she was tucked into the crook of Snow White's left arm she soon settled again, her eyes drifting shut.
Taking her now free hand, Snow White lifted it in front of her, and stretched it out to the teenager who had once been her enemy "Well, then I guess that makes us even"
Regina blinked in surprise. Clearly, this was not what she had been expecting when she walked into Snow White's ward this evening, but nevertheless she returned Snow White's smile with a reserved one of her own, and lifted her left hand to grasp Snow White's right.
"I guess so" she said softly as her finger's closed around the other girls. They shook briefly, their handshake lasting only a moment before it was broken. The two looked at each other in a moment of awkward silence, knowing that something had now changed in their relationship but neither saying anything. In an effort to ease the tension, Regina looked down at the baby in Snow White's arm. She smiled at the baby.
"I have to admit, Snow" the rare use of her first name tripped off her tongue, like the muscle wasn't quite used to it "She is rather cute" she said, reaching out a hand to rest it gently on Emma's soft head.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"WHAT THE HELL?!" Regina jumped backwards and ripped her hand from Emma's head like the baby had burned her. Even Snow White gasped and cringed as the newborn continued to scream Bloody Murder for everything she was worth, her little fists clenching and her face turning a bright crimson as her open red mouth screamed without pause.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !"
"Oh my God!" Regina cried, hands over her ears "What the hell is wrong with your baby?!"
"I don't know!" Snow White cried back with intense motherly fear as she frantically soothed her screaming baby "She-she's never done this before!"
Regina groaned as Emma continued to scream, shaking her head at the already irritating child. Waving her hands in the air, she took her leave "I'm outta here!"
"O.k!" Snow White whimpered, still rocking and shushing her daughter "Thanks for the thank-you!"
"You're welcome!" Regina called back as the door shut behind her retreating back.
As soon as the door closed, Emma's crying stopped as if by magic, and she blinked up at her mother innocently.
After a moment of being stunned, Snow White couldn't help but laugh at her baby's cleverness. Leaning down to her once again, she pressed a kiss to her small forehead.
"Oh Emma" she whispered "You are going to do great things, aren't you?"
OUAT
Eighteen years later...
The sun rose over Fairytale College, so that it was bathed in warm sunlight, the large buildings that made up the school casting long shadows over the grass and pavement. The College gates were open again, welcoming inside anyone who entered.
Nearly two decades had passed, and the educational establishment still hadn't changed.
Moments pass, and soon a silver car pulled up against the College pavement. Once it parked, the back door opened, and Emma Blanchard-Nolan looked at the large building, her green, bespectacled eyes wide with wonder "Wow...it really is huge"
She got out of the car, still staring as someone came up behind her. She knew who it was without even looking around "Dad...wow!"
James grinned, crossing his arms over his chest and proudly looking up at the building that had once been his home. He had taken time off his Sheriff duties in the town they lived especially for today, giving the additional work to his deputy.
"Yeah. It's pretty big" he looked down at his daughter, and a sudden, wicked grin came over his face. He put a hand on her shoulder and pointed over to where the roofs of the dormitories showed "You see that roof right there?"
Looking over to where he pointed, Emma nodded "Yeah"
"Well, Emma, that is the dorm where you were conceived!"
"Oh God, Dad!" James laughed as Emma shoved him away with a very obvious grimace of disgust on her face "I don't want to know that!"
"James, are you traumatising our daughter?" came Snow White's chiding voice as she too came out of the car. Like James, she too had had to take time off her own job. But she was sure that her co-worker, Ms Ginger, could cover her fifth grade class for her today.
James immediately put on his poker face, moving away from Emma and wrapping an arm around his wife of eleven years "Come on, as if I would do that on her first day!"
Snow White rolled her eyes at him, smacking his chest lightly. Emma groaned, muttering that her father was impossible!
Snow White laughed, and then pulled away from her husband to run a hand through her pixie-cut "Come on, we'd better get those bags out of the trunk!"
"Mind if I help?"
James groaned at the familiar voice, while Emma gasped in delight and quickly swiveled around to face the speaker "Baelfire!"
James could only watch as his eighteen year old daughter ran into the arms of her twenty-five year old boyfriend Baelfire Gold, who had grown from a small, bright eyed boy and into a tall, not unattractive man with longish brown hair and a lightly muscled frame. The two had met on Emma's eighteenth birthday when, James and Snow White had invited the newly married couple Belle and Rumplestiltskin Gold to the celebration. Belle, who was now a librarian in a small town where Rumplestiltskin was landlord and a pawnbroker, had asked if Baelfire could come along. James had agreed. And he'd regretted the decision ever since.
Emma clung to Baelfire, hugging him enthusiastically "What're you doing here?" she laughed "I thought you had to help your brother in the shop?"
"He let me go early" said Baelfire happily, his hand playing with some strands in her long blonde ponytail "So I thought I'd come and see you off to College"
"Oh joy!" James muttered sarcastically, and winced when Snow White nudged him in the ribs.
"Be nice!" Snow White murmured, and James looked insulted.
"I am being nice! He can't hear me, can he?"
Snow White laughed gently, and then looked up at the huge College building where her daughter would spend the next three months. Three months, away from home...three months without Emma...she'd be lying if she said she wasn't a little sad about it.
"Hey" she felt James' hand on her shoulder, and looked away from the College to see his concerned expression "You alright?"
Snow White sighed, looking over at her daughter, who had now fortunately detached herself from Baelfire "Yeah, I'm alright" she said "I just...it's strange, you know?" she gestured to her daughter "One minute, we're bringing her home from the hospital...the next she's off to College..."
James smiled understandingly "Yeah, I know what you mean" he said, moving behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. Together, they both looked out at the huge College building, memories flowing through both of their heads. Cramming for exams...watching T.V in the lounges...parties every time someone had a birthday or won a football game...the Winter Dance where all their friends found out Snow White was pregnant...
James smiled "I wonder if Emma will have as much of an eventful time of it as we did?"
Snow White laughed, squeezing one of his hands "Let's hope not!" she said, and James laughed with her.
"Hey, what're you guys laughing about?"
Emma had pulled away from Baelfire at last, and now they were both coming towards them. Pulling out of her husbands grip, Snow White shrugged "Nothing really...just wondering how you'll get on when you start here on Monday"
Emma cringed "Jeeze, Mom, don't! I'm already nervous enough!" she said jokingly, but Snow White could tell there was some actual fear in her eyes. She looked up at Baelfire.
"Bae? Do you think that you could help James get Emma's bags out of the car, please?"
James blanched "I'm sorry, what?"
"Uh..." even Baelfire didn't exactly look enthusiastic about the idea of being alone with James. But, being a rude sort of person, he couldn't exactly say no "Sure..."
"Thank-you, Bae" Snow White smiled sweetly, ignoring the burning look James sent her way and eyeing Emma meaningfully. With a groan, her husband followed Emma's boyfriend, leaving the mother to have a few minutes alone with her daughter.
Slowly, Snow White walked up to Emma. She was trying to appear nonchalant, but one of her teeth was nibbling on her bottom lip, a sure sign that she was fussing over something. Snow White smiled.
"Hey" she said to Emma, who smiled tightly "You wanna tell me what you're so nervous about?"
Ducking her head, Emma laughed lightly. Shrugging her shoulders, she looked up again "I don't know, Mom, it...it's nothing really. Just new-school nerves, I guess" like her mother before her, she looked over at the College too. To her, the giant brick building seemed to loom over her slight blonde figure "What's it gonna be like? Do you think?"
She looked surprised when Snow White laughed, and there was an obvious question in her eyes. But rather than answering straight away, she moved closer to Emma, and stood next to her so she could wrap a slender arm around her daughters shoulders. Together, they looked out at the College, the home to some of the maddest, baddest, and best memories of Snow White and James' life. The secret relationships, the beginnings of new ones, the break ups, the make ups, the exams, the football games, the conspiracies, the tears and the laughter. She remembered it all as if it were yesterday.
As Baelfire and James brought Emma's bags to her feet, her mother finally said one simple phrase.
"It's gonna be the best three years of your life"
Beside her, she heard Emma breathe out a long breath "Really?" she asked, and Snow White nodded, turning her head to face her daughters worried features.
"I have no doubt about it"
Smiling brightly, Emma hugged her mother, and then hugged her father and kissed Baelfire, promising each of them that she would call the second she was settled in. She told them would miss them, and told her parents that she loved them. Holding back tears, they told her they loved her too.
After that, Emma Blanchard-Nolan, eighteen year old daughter of Snow White Blanchard and James 'Charming' Nolan, picked up her bags, took a deep breath, and stepped forward to begin the bright future that awaited her.
And that's it. The end, the final chapter. The School's Out! trilogy has finally come to an end, and I honestly cannot say that I have enjoyed anything more. Oh, and in case you're wondering, no, I do not regret the school benefactor. Seriously, I regret nothing XD
Anyway, it's been a fun ride. During the course of this series I have been treated with over 300 reviews. I've had people tell me they love me, I've had people tell me they hate me, hell I've even had monkey's thrown at me! And I wouldn't take back any of it! It's been brilliant!
So, it's time for my favourite part of the writing of the final chapter, the Shout-Out's. Here is a massive thank-you to everyone who graced this fic with their kind reviews. They meant a lot, and greatly inspired my writing:
Riginia's Fan, Esin of Sardis, Zipit-Cinderella, reginamillz, Grace5231973, Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape, MasterMind 16X, Samzi, MyraValhallah, 159, ForeverIsAnAwfullyLongTime, 123, fandommaniac, giu, reviewer, ig-once-upon-a-timer, golden-beauty, SirJacques, EssenceOfEden, Attracted2Insanity, Alodis (thanks for the help with the french stuff!), Guest, LynRward, rubylucasridinghoodmeghanory, daughterofthieves, AlphaClove, whitetiger1249, and last, but by no means least, emospritelet.
Thanks to each and every one of you, I hope you all enjoyed this ending despite the fact that this fic is over. Your support meant a lot, and really helped me to keep writing this fic :)
Also, your usernames are still really weird and awesome ;D