DISCLAIMER: I own absolutely none of the wonderfulness that is Once Upon A Time and their characters or other later-mentioned characters (non-related to OUAT).
This is my first fic therefore, there is obviously no prequel but if you'd like a reference as to what I'm going to use as canon for most of Emma and Jeff's past then I'd recommend "Happily Never After" by L3ftOfCent3r. Plus, I think it's a rather brilliant fic in general so you should just read it anyways if you haven't. (Due to recent updates in "Happily Never After" I have to inform you that the Wonderland situation will be drastically different [because in my story, Regina was locked up/killed in The Enchanted Forest not sent to and stuck in Wonderland and The Looking Glass is still there as the door to Wonderland.])
Thank you to everyone for your continued interest in this story, I cannot express how great all of your wonderful reviews and follows/favorites mean to me! I'm sorry this one isn't quite as long as my normal (long) chapters but it is yet another chapter of "Our Wonderland" nonetheless, so please, enjoy!
A/N: This chapter jumps ahead to the fifteenth (the day they planned for their Wonderland trip).
Chapter 6: Jefferson Do Not Even Go There
"Please mom, you have to come with us!" Henry whined, tugging on his mother's arm.
"Henry I already told you. I would love to go but I have to go handle an agreement in Mareguard. I tried to get out of it but Snow and James want me taking on more and more responsibility so I can't really help it kid…" Emma explained, saddened that her son was so distraught over her sudden call to duty.
"But I don't want to go without you." Henry continued complaining.
"I know you don't and it kills me to have to leave you but Jefferson will be with you and you know, Belle is going too." Emma replied, attempting to ease his complaints.
"Wait, really?" Henry questioned as he slightly jumped with excitement and a smile creeped across his face.
Emma replied with a nod and a smile as her son's excitement began returning.
"No way! I talked to her last night when she got here but she didn't tell me she was coming with us!" Henry exclaimed as his smile grew as big as he could spread it across his face.
"Well she didn't really know last night. I just talked to her this morning but she was more than willing to go along with you guys." Emma explained.
"Does Grace know?" he asked as he pulled back and looked her in the eyes inquisitively.
"Nope." Emma laughed as her son's excitement grew.
"Oh my goodness, I have to go tell her!" Henry exclaimed as he let his mom's arms go and started to run off in the direction of Grace's room.
"Goodbye to you too." Emma yelled towards him, rolling her eyes.
"I'll be back." Henry yelled back as his voice grew quieter with his growing distance.
Emma sighed and stared down at her hands as she let her mind wonder. She didn't want anyone to go on this trip in the first place but at least she was a part of it before and would be sure to protect her family at all costs. But now she wasn't going and it was practically unbearable for her. Her mother refused to be the one to take her place on her family's journey so Belle seemed like the next best option. Belle was well-read on Wonderland, its history, and the rules there plus she trusted and loved Belle dearly but she simply despised being without her family. It probably didn't help either that Belle was the only person besides herself that got along so well with Jefferson. They often would sit and talk for hours about god knows what and she slightly envied the way they connected with one another. She knew Jefferson would never betray her and neither Belle, Rumplestiltskin but she couldn't help but admit that she was jealous.
"Did you change your mind about going?" Jefferson inquired from the doorway.
Emma's head snapped up as she was drawn out of her trance and sounding defeated, she threw her arms up in the air and replied, "It's not my choice, I already told you that."
"I know, I know princess. You have your royal duties to attend to but a man can dream." Jefferson mused as he walked towards her and pulled her from where she sat on their bed.
"It is honestly killing me not to go with you… I'm almost contemplating ditching my parents' thing so I can go." Emma sighed as her eyes wandered off into the distance searching for an answer to her dilemma.
"Well as a princess I don't think that would be viewed very well by your royal subjects." He teased with a smirk.
"Well as my husband I don't think it would be viewed very well by myself if you left me worrying sick about you all day." Emma pouted as she looked up into his eyes and clasped her arms around his neck.
"Now that is just not fair! Please refresh my memory but wasn't it you who agreed to this little outing? Plus, I don't think that would fair too well with our kids…" Jefferson retorted with his smirk growing.
"I already told you, there was way too much pressure on me," she defended as she pulled back from him to look at him with a hint of worry in her eyes, "but it's starting to sound like you don't even want me there."
Jefferson instantly filled with shock at her statement and his hand instinctively cupped her cheek as she let her gaze drop down from his eyes. Wanting to vanquish any thought in her head that he ever wanted to be without her, his eyes stared directly into hers as he soothed, "Trust me Emma, I want to be by your side every minute of every day but unfortunately that cannot be not the case. It is often even considered slightly obsessive and trust me, people already think I'm crazy." This caused a small smile to pull at Emma's lips as she finally looked up at him from under her brow, "All I ever want is for you to be happy and I never want you to worry but I think it is far too late to back out of this and I don't want you to abandon your responsibilities as a royal. It will kill me as well to not be with you but this is unfortunately how it has to be. I love you and you love me and our kids love us and vice versa so please do not ever worry about any of us not wanting you to be with us."
Jefferson pulled her face towards his with the hand that held her cheek and planted a slow, loving kiss on her lips. She pulled away with a smile and he roped her into a hug and squeezed her tightly, never wanting to let her go as his lips brushed the top of her head. They stood for a moment before pulling apart and walking out of the room hand in hand. They walked slowly, savoring every moment they had before they parted, then reached Grace's room. They found Belle sitting cross-legged on Grace's bed, wearing a light blue racer-back sun dress with ruffles around the neckline, as Henry and Grace sat on each side of her pestering her with questions. The two children noticed their parents standing in the doorway and silenced themselves as they jumped up from their current positions and ran to hug their parents.
Jefferson and Emma caught them in a group hug as Belle looked towards them smiling affectionately, "Oh thank goodness you two got here, these two were talking my ears off."
"Why does that not surprise me?" Emma joked, looking down at her kids.
Grace and Henry let a small giggle escape them as they stepped back from their parents.
"Can we go now?" Henry questioned, nearly bouncing with excitement.
"Are you ready to go?" Jefferson teased with a smile.
"Of course Papa!" Grace answered for her brother.
"Well then I guess it's time to go." He confirmed with a soft smile and a squeeze of Emma's hand in his as she glanced at him with pleading eyes, "Now wish Emma luck on her trip to Mareguard before we leave."
Grace wrapped her arms around Emma and smiled, "Have a good time with Ariel, Eric, and Melody."
"And you have fun in Wonderland Grace and please, keep an eye on him." Emma teased leaning down to Grace's height as she pointed a finger playfully towards her daughter and looked over her shoulder at Jefferson, "Keep both of our men safe."
"I absolutely will!" Grace replied proudly with a smile and a tight hug.
"Be good kid," Emma smiled, turning to her son as she pulled him in for a hug and kissed the top of his head before tousling his hair, "and have fun. Say 'hi' to The White Rabbit for me."
"Thanks mom, I will!" Henry exclaimed with a smile. "Come on Grace, let's go!" Henry finished as he turned towards his sister and started pulling her by the wrist as he ran out the door.
"Don't worry, I'll go keep an eye on them and give you two a minute." Belle acknowledged with a knowing smile, "Please tell Ariel and Eric 'hello' from me. Oh and, tell Melody not to forget about her visit next weekend."
"No problem." Emma answered as she looked away from Jefferson to give her friend a quick hug.
Belle ran out the door then to catch up with the children as Jefferson pulled Emma to him. His lips brushed hers as they both closed their eyes and savored one another's kiss.
"I love you Emma, please try to have at least a little fun. I cannot stand knowing that you may be upset and I will not be with you." Jefferson admitted as he pulled back ever so slightly.
"I love you too and I will try." Emma breathed out with a sigh. They stood in each other's embrace for a moment before Emma continued, pleading, "Please be safe."
"And you as well my love." Jefferson soothed as he leaned down to let his lips brush past hers before deepening the kiss but within moments they heard Snow approaching from down the hall calling for Emma. They pulled apart an inch and left their foreheads pressed together as they took a breath.
"I'm in here." Emma reluctantly called out to her mother.
"Emma I'm terribly sorry but we have got to leave if we want to back tonight before sunset." Snow replied as she appeared in the doorway with a small, apologetic smile.
Emma's frown now grew large and she looked over to her mom then to Jefferson with saddened eyes.
"Please smile! I cannot leave a princess with such a sad look on her face." He whispered, pulling her chin up to look him directly in the eye. Emma mustered up a fake smile and Jefferson merely shook his head, "I have known you long enough to know, that is not the stunning smile I know my princess to have."
Emma allowed a genuine smile to fall across her visage as her husband's words sank in. Jefferson's heart skipped a beat at the sight of the smile on his wife's face. His own lips twisted up into an accomplished smile as he conceded, "Now there's that smile. I will see you later princess." He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and he leaned to her and gave her one last, longing kiss.
Snow smiled from the doorway as she recognized the love exuding from her daughter and son-in-law. She could understand the unwillingness to separate for she had experienced it many times before with James and it was truly insufferable. She hated seeing her daughter this upset but knew they both had to experience separation at some point and had to learn to endure the pain. Emma and Jefferson pulled apart but still stood staring longingly into each other's eyes with hands intertwined. Though Snow did not want to break up their moment, they truly did have to leave for Mareguard now if they wanted to be back by nightfall so she gently laid a hand on Emma's arm in an attempt to pull her into reality.
Emma looked down at her arm then up at her mother and let out a heavy sigh.
"I'm sorry Jefferson," Snow apologized earnestly as she noticed his hands slightly trembling as he now realized that he had to let his wife go without him.
Emma gave Jefferson's hands one last squeeze before he returned the gesture and they, more reluctantly than ever, pulled away from one another.
"Have a safe journey Jefferson and be safe." Snow smiled as she ushered Emma out the door.
"And you as well Snow." Jefferson replied as a forced smile gathered on his face.
Jefferson looked down at his trembling hands and with a grunt he shoved them into his pockets. He made his way back to his room feeling lonelier than ever then shuffled his feet over to the wooden cabinet that housed his old, tattered hat box. He pulled the case from the cabinet and shut the doors behind him as he trudged down the steps to the castle foyer. He walked out of the castle entrance, hat box in tow, and spotted his two children who were practically skipping as they excitedly headed across the castle bridge to the forest. Belle followed within a few feet of the kids as she looked back over her shoulder, noticing Jefferson appear through the castle entrance.
She stopped in her tracks and shouted for the kids to slow down as she waited for Jefferson to catch up to his fellow travelers. Jefferson eventually caught up to them and Belle noticed the somber look on his face. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and confided, "I know how hard it can be without your love but you know, it's going to be okay, right?"
Jefferson simply shrugged his shoulders, his expression unchanging.
"It's not even a day Jefferson. I promise you can make it." She continued as her smile grew wider. "I know you're also worried about what will happen but the more you worry the worse it is going to make it. The kids only want to have fun so please try to enjoy it, at least just a little bit."
As his silence grew she became more impatient and half-serious, half-playfully shouted at him, "Just say something Jefferson!"
He stopped in his tracks, startling Belle and she skidded to a halt, turning to him.
His gaze was far off and unclear as he muttered just loud enough for Belle to hear, "Off with his head."
"Jefferson do not even go there!" Belle reprimanded. "You know just as well as I do that the queen will leave you alone as long as you leave her alone. You have nothing to worry about because we are simply going to see your old friends, let the kids explore a little, then come back home. Now shut up about all that nonsense and put a smile on your face unless you want me telling the kids it your fault that they don't get to go on the trip they've been looking forward to for weeks."
His eyes slowly drifted to where Belle stood facing him defiantly with her hands on her hips before he turned to face her, gave a slight nod of his head in her direction as he flashed a quick, reluctant smirk and sauntered past her towards his kids.
She rolled her eyes at him, frustrated that he was being so stubborn. She had a feeling this was going to be a bit difficult considering he was doing this without Emma but she had no idea he would be such a child about it.
The kids stood at the edge of the forest, waiting with bated breaths as Jefferson approached. Jefferson plopped his hat on the ground and gave it a quick flick of his wrists and it started to spin and form a cloud of purple smoke. Belle stomped up to where the family stood as the cloud and the hat grew larger by the second. She took hold of Grace's hand and in turn, Grace grabbed Henry's and Henry reached out for Jefferson's. Jefferson looked down to the boy's outstretched hand then glanced to the infectious smile that covered his son's face. He couldn't help but let a genuine smile pull at the corners of his lips as he grasped his son's hand and shouted, "Off to Wonderland."
Alright so I didn't really get to Wonderland like I thought I would because their farewells ended up much longer than I had anticipated but no worries the next chapter or two will be full of Wonderland adventures for you to enjoy. The updates will come very quickly and Jeff and Emma will be reunited in no time so no worries there! I hope you are still enjoying this and are looking forward to more because I have A TON planned for this.