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.

Alrighty, so yet again I am beyond horribly sorry for having this take so long to get up. To say the least, I have had a crazy amount of nonsense going on in my life and as always, keep getting distracted and yeah… I am just really sorry this is taking so long to update! I would absolutely get a new chapter up every few days if I could but unfortunately my schedule does not permit that kind of time! :/ Then for some reason (as I said last time I updated) I keep getting ideas for the super late chapters of this so I will write those (as not to forget them) but hey, that means once we eventually get there (since I already wrote them) I will have no problem popping out chapters really quickly. ;P This chapter is unfortunately not very long so I apologize for that but I truly hope you like it and you seriously have no idea how thankful I am for those of you are reading/have read this because you are all THE BEST!

Chapter 13: You Two Are Absolutely Adorable

"Do you really have to leave already?" Grace pleaded to Lucy as she brought a plate of cookies over to the table in the middle of the living room.

"Unfortunately, yes. As I said earlier, we don't want to trouble your family any more than we have to and it is also best for us to get home as soon as possible." Lucy explained with a smile.

"I'm sure another day wouldn't hurt." Henry added, hoping their new friend could stay a little longer.

"Well we are going to stay the night but Aslan suggested that we be off in the morning. I'm sorry." Lucy apologized with a small smile and a shrug as she reached for a cookie. "It has been lovely meeting all of you though. We were only here for a short time but I certainly enjoyed myself. And mmmm, these cookies are delicious." Lucy added after taking a bite of the gooey treat.

"I still think you should stay." Grace encouraged.

"As much as I would love to, I must do as Aslan says. He has very strict rules but he is always right." Lucy smiled, re-calling the many times she questioned the wise, old lion but he never failed to prove her wrong.

"Pardon the interruption but I think it's about time for you kids to get to bed," Jefferson greeted from the doorway.

"Just a few more minutes Papa, please." Grace begged, using her puppy eyes to the fullest extent.

Jefferson's semi-serious expression twisted then as he looked his little girl in the eyes and sighed, conceding, "Fine, but just a few minutes.'

Grace and Henry both thanked their father with wide smiles as they turned back to their friend. Jefferson strolled in, towards the sofa, as Emma followed in a few steps behind. Her eyes brightened as she spotted the plate on the coffee table and she exclaimed, "Oh, cookies!"

Emma quickened her pace, past Jefferson, as she reached down and scooped up three cookies and threw herself back on the couch.

Jefferson laughed as Henry scolded, "Hey! Who said you could have any?"

"You get to stay up late, I get cookies." Emma muttered just before taking a bite of one of the cookies and crossing her legs up on the couch. Jefferson reached the couch then and sat down, sprawling himself out, back and elbows against the arm of the sofa and legs lying across Emma's lap.

"Fine." Henry gave up, rolling his eyes.

"Whoa Grace, these are really good!" Emma admitted. "You made these yourself?"

"Well I did have a bit of help from Bashful and Happy, but I mixed all the ingredients," Grace beamed, proud of her creation.

"You definitely did an excellent job." Emma mumbled through of mouthful of cookie that she had just stuffed in. Jefferson let out a small laugh at Emma's lack of manners that only she noticed, causing her to quickly glare at him and state, "Here, try one," as she shoved one of the cookies in his slightly ajar mouth.

Jefferson made a choking noise, his eyes widening in surprise, as he caught his breath and bit down on the cookie. He braced his one arm against the couch behind him and grabbed the remaining piece with his hand, bringing it down to his side, dramatically chewing the large bit in his mouth. He really need to start remembering when it was a bad time to toy with Emma, though that was basically every second of every day.

"Thanks," he choked out through coughs and a quick sneer directed at Emma. "These are actually very good Grace. Great job, sweetie!" Jefferson complimented, turning his sneer towards his wife into a smile for his daughter.

"Thank you Papa, I'm glad everyone likes them." Grace smiled, looking to each person in the room. "Now could you both please try to convince Lucy to stay longer?" Grace questioned hopefully as she crossed her arms on the couch and rested her head atop them, looking up to her parents.

Emma and Jefferson exchanged a glance, knowing full well that their daughter loved making new friends and got attached, possibly a bit too easily, before Emma decided to answer, "As much as we would love to have Lucy stay as long as she likes, I don't think either of us are going to try to undermine Aslan."

Grace's shoulders hunched as she grunted and made a pout face, turning her back to her parents.

"Sorry Grace," Emma apologized with a frown. "Here, have a cookie." Emma offered with a smile as she gave up her last cookie.

"Thank you, but you keep it. I'll just get one for myself." Grace answered, letting a smile crack through her sad expression.

The group continued the friendly chatter as they munched on cookies and exchanged stories. All the children bombarded Jefferson with questions about the other realms, Henry and Grace taking advantage of his openness to tell, because it was a rare occasion when he was, and as he explained his journeys throughout the other realms they all were enthralled. Lucy shared some of her experiences of being royalty at such a young age and told the family of her history with her siblings in Narnia. Emma pouted at the fact that she lived such a boring life to which all of them reprimanded her, for her life was anything but boring. Then, after another hour of conversation and laughter, Emma finally warned, "Alright, it's way past time for you guys to be in bed, it's almost midnight."

To that Emma got muffled 'okay's and 'fine's from everyone, including Jefferson who now wore an extreme pout. The party reluctantly gathered themselves and walked into the hall. Lucy wished everyone a good night as Emma and Jefferson led Henry and Grace to their rooms, making sure they actually went to bed before leaving them.

Once assured that their children were fast asleep Emma and Jefferson walked hand-in-hand out into the hall where they noticed Lucy still standing at the end by the stairwell. They exchanged a confuse glance as they strolled towards her and Jefferson questioned, "Is something wrong Lucy?"

"Oh, um, I was just wondering if you two would mind showing me to my room?... Snow showed me earlier but I fear I might get lost along the way."

"Of course," Emma replied happily, "I am still getting used to making my way around this place, I totally get it."

The trio began making their way through the stairway as Emma asked to break the silence, "Alright so Snow explained it to me earlier after she talked to Aslan but just to clarify, Graham's wolf came here with his mom when he was a pup to escape the Telmarine rule, they couldn't talk when they got here so they joined a wolf pack, she died, he found Graham, the whole pack raised him, and now that Graham is gone he wants to go back where he came from but he couldn't figure out how to so that's why he was howling?"

"Basically, yes." Lucy shrugged.

"Damn, who knew?" Emma remarked just as Lucy's eyebrows shot up and she looked to Emma, surprised.

"Oh, sorry," Emma quickly apologized, realizing that cursing was probably not something heard often by the young royal. "Sometimes I sort of, speak without thinking."

Lucy let out a small giggle as Jefferson placed a hand on Lucy's shoulder gently and half-jokingly apologized, "Pardon my wife. She's a great princess but her manners still leave something to be desired."

"It's okay, I understand." Lucy continued, giggling. "I'm simply just not used to it."

Emma glared at Jefferson as the three of them winded down another hallway leading off the stairs before finally reaching Lucy's room. Jefferson gave Emma a quick kiss, in hopes of removing the sneer from her lips before gesturing to the doorway and announcing, "Here we are."

"Thank you very much for leading me to my quarters, I probably would have gotten lost otherwise."

"No problem," Emma smiled, finally letting her stern look fade.

"Our pleasure," Jefferson added with his arm looping around Emma's waist.

Lucy gave a small, shy laugh looking down past her shoulder as she admitted, "I just have to tell you. You two are absolutely adorable. You make such a lovely couple."

Emma's eyebrows shot up and her face twisted as she wondered whether she was thankful or resentful of the comment, as Jefferson merely laughed and flashed a grin, answering simply, "Thank you, Lucy."

"Goodnight. Thank you again." Lucy wished, smiling as she turned and scurried into her room.

"Goodnight" Jefferson remarked before turning to see his wife's eyebrows lower and shoot him a questioning look.

"Adorable?... I don't think I've ever been referred to as 'adorable' before."

"Well she didn't say you were adorable, even though you are, especially when you give a look like that," Jefferson admitted, kissing her cheek sweetly as he began ushering her back up to their room, "she said we were adorable."

"I still don't know if I like the comment…" Emma stated, looking off with her expression unchanging.

"Can't you take a compliment?" Jefferson asked, giving Emma an incredulous look over his shoulder as he led her by the hand up the stairway.

"No," she said as though it were obvious, "because I get more than enough of them from you and I can only take so much."

"As your husband, it's my job," Jefferson stated, earning a glare form his wife. "Besides, it's not as though I say them just to say them. I only speak the truth."

"Doesn't mean their necessary," Emma sneered as Jefferson pulled her up the last few stairs. "What in the hell are you in such hurry for?" Emma questioned, tired of practically jogging up the steps.

Jefferson quickly hooked his arm behind Emma's waist, eliminating the space between them as he breathed, "You said earlier that I may get more than just a kiss on the cheek tonight…" He hastily caught her lips with his before Emma could even process her thought and recall what he was talking about.

They stood, linked together, for a moment before Jefferson pulled back and began dragging her by the hand down the hall. Emma followed, unthinking, until just before they reached their room when she gathered herself and her eyes shot open in realization.

Emma then tried to skid to a halt, causing Jefferson to stop in their doorway and look back at her, confused. "Look, I have had a long day and I am about pass out… I love you but, tonight is just not the night." Emma sighed apologetically.

The corners of Jefferson's lips sunk downward and his eyes overcame with disappointment. He wore just about the saddest "puppy-dog face" Emma had ever seen, rivaling his own children's expert looks of sorrow, as he marched Emma into their room, sluggishly. He lazily kicked the door closed with a flick of his booted foot whilst pouting, "You shouldn't say things if you don't mean them."

Emma wrenched her hand free of his loosening grip, crossing one arm over the other, stating plainly, "Excuse me, but I never said it would happen. I said 'we'll see', that's it. You just assumed."

Jefferson slumped over to his dresser as he continued pouting, "Well pardon me for getting my hopes up." He threw his arms up weakly with that statement then let them fall limp at his sides, making himself appear all the more pitiful. "You know, you're a tease."

"And you love it." Emma chided, appearing suddenly behind him before placing her hands on his shoulders and leaning up on her toes to kiss his cheek.

Emma then sauntered across the room to change into her pajamas as Jefferson slipped into his. He only continued to pout for a moment; for he suddenly shot up and swung his shirt over his shoulder. He left his shirt hanging as he slowly, dramatically turned on his heel and crossed his arms, smirking at Emma. She noticed his sudden change in attitude through her mirror and as she pulled a tank-top over her head she questioned, semi-afraid to find out, "What?"

He started slowly towards her, carefully and melodramatically stepping heel-toe, as his smirk grew and he questioned back, "Did I tell you who I heard was coming tomorrow to stay for a week?"

"No…" Emma responded growing wary.

"King Maxwell." Jefferson replied, emphasizing the nonsense that the boy held the title of "king."

His smug grin grew wider as Emma jaw slacked and she turned around, pulling down the sides of her top and let out, "Come, on. You cannot be serious!"

"Oh, but I am." Jefferson replied pompously.

Emma grunted and muttered loudly as she stomped back to face her dresser and threw her arms up in the air, exasperated. "Please tell me he at least has his parents coming with him this time?!…"

"Well…" Emma's eyebrows shot up, expecting the worst response as Jefferson finally reached where she stood and rested his chin on her shoulder, looking off, as though searching for the answer.

"Well what?!"

"Well, they are coming with him but, and yes there is a 'but'; tomorrow we have to watch him from the time they get here until dinner, because Gwen and William are having some sort of trade agreement luncheon with your parents." Emma's expression grew into one of exasperation, worry, sadness, and most prominently, dread, as Jefferson continued, now looking to her through the mirror, "Then, we also have to watch him all of Friday, because they are making appearances in town but want him to stay here."

Emma let out a snarl as she angrily folded the clothes she had crumpled in the process of pulling out her pajamas, "But why do we have to watch him?!" She paused for a minute to think of another solution before finally perking up, excited that she found a plausible idea, and glancing to Jefferson in the mirror, "What about Red? She's not going anywhere, right?"

Jefferson shook his head, his grin unchanging as he replied, "Can't; she's leaving for Mareasia in the morning."

Emma pouted and continued folding but after a moment of thought she perked up again, asking, "How about Pinnochio? He's never doing anything."

"Going with Red."

"Of course he is…" Emma groaned, now loathing the fact that the one time she could actually give him something to do he was leaving. "Belle wouldn't happen to be coming into town tomorrow, would she?"

"Nope; she's already in Mareasia with Rumple and Bae."

"What about Abigail and Frederick?"

"Frederick isn't letting her travel this far now that she's further along."

"And Ariel and Eric?"

"Who do you think everyone is in Mareaisa with?"

"Right… how about Phillip and Aurora?"

"Busy with the baby."

"Hey, what about the dwarves?"

"Working at the luncheon."

"Granny?"

"Taking part in the luncheon."

"Ella and Thomas?"

"Won't be back until next month."

"Gepetto?"

"Working in the market with Hansel & Gretel's father."

"Giselle and Robert?"

"Coming when Ella and Thomas are."

"And no Jasmine and Alladin?"

"The trip here would take nearly a week itself."

"Jiminy?"

"As great as he with kids, Max would railroad him."

"What about Rapunzel and Flynn?"

"Traveling on some journey along the Eastern Sea."

"Mulan?"

"Training soldiers in Briardom... besides, she'd likely end up with a sword at the poor, little gremlin's throat."

"And the problem with that would be?..."

"Emma, really?"

"Yeah, yeah… hey, what about Lancelot?" Emma suggested brightly, desperate for a solution.

"With Mulan."

"Maybe, Hook?..."

"No!" Jefferson responded instantly with a stern look. He was certainly not one to talk when it came to being a partially crazy man who had not so great history with Emma but he really despised the mere mention of the earring-wearing, hook-handed captain.

Emma grunted loudly and slammed the drawer shut, angrily searching her mind for any other options.

Jefferson gave her a quick peck on the cheek from his perch, still on her shoulder, before re-forming his content smirk and stating, "Face it, we're stuck with the kid."

"Ugh, we can't be!" Emma groaned, spinning around and burying her head in Jefferson's bare chest and hands gripping the drawer behind her.

"Come on, come on. You need to rest up before our big day tomorrow with Maxwell." Jefferson teased, gently grabbing her wrists away from the wooden edge of the dresser and intertwining their fingers. He began walking her towards their bed as she continued mumbling grunts and groans of displeasure with her head hanging down. He sat back then swung his legs onto the bed coolly and swiftly pulled Emma to sit in his lap. He stared down at her as she repeated her displeased moaning, letting her go on for another minute before questioning, "Weren't you the one who said you were tired?"

Emma let out one last grunt before slowly tilting her gaze upwards and glaring at him and threatening, "You are lucky I haven't slapped that stupid grin off your face by now!" Jefferson simply raised his eyebrows in surprise at her sudden hostility as she continued, "If you don't quit it, you better watch yourself."

"Hey, you ruin my night, I ruin yours." Jefferson responded simply with a shrug before finally pulling his shirt off his shoulder and shimmying into it.

Emma sneered but moments later collapsed into him, letting her exhaustion take, and her eyes slip closed.

His smug grin never left his face as his successfully frustrated wife drifted to sleep on his chest. He gave her one last kiss before resting his head atop hers and fell asleep peacefully, cherishing every second he had his Emma in his arms.

Like I said, not long but I hope you enjoyed it and didn't mind Jeff trying to get Emma mad. I just felt like it was something he might do. :P And you might be wondering who King Maxwell is but with as much as I have given up you probably cannot really tell who he is yet. But no worries, you certainly will next chapter. ;] Just to hint at it, he is not in any fairy tale (actually, a children's book) and is not technically a king in the original story (I kind of put my own twist on it). Also, in his original tale he has a wide imagination but in my story, that imagination is accompanied by a bit of hyper, monster-child-like qualities.