I'M GOING OUT OF MY UPDATE ORDER CAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO FORGET THIS IDEA. AS ALWAYS, FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED. THANKS FOR READING!

Emma leaned against a tree, watching her son and father attack each other with the wooden practice swords. Snow stood beside her, as well as Graham.

"Had enough yet, Gramps?" Henry smirked, watching his grandfather wipe sweat off of his brow.

"Never!" James did a sneak attack, using more force than the boy was expecting. He tumbled over backwards. Before the older man could even offer his hand and ask if he was okay, Emma was already by Henry's side, her voice an octave higher than she would have liked.

"Henry!? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Mom. I just… ow." He removed his hand from the back of his head. It had blood streaked across it. "My head's bleeding."

"Oh God. Somebody get Doc!" Emma whipped her blue jacket off and applied pressure to the wound. Henry hissed. James rushed off to find him.

"Ow." He repeated.

"I know." She flopped to the ground next to him and scooted closer. "But I need you to be my big brave boy, okay?" His head hurting too much to nod, he grunted his response and bit his lip against the impending tears. Snow shared a worry glance with Emma's husband, who blinked back his own. Graham walked over to the boy and sat on his other side. "August told me you've been spending time with him." Emma's voice wavered, but she forced herself to be strong.

"I can't talk about it. It's top secret." He began to groan.

"Should we lay him down?" The blonde asked worriedly.

"I…" Snow stuttered. "Um, no." Then more authoritatively, "Definitely not. If it's even possible, stand him up. All his blood will pool to his legs and he won't lose as much."

"Okay." Henry said with as much conviction as he could muster.

"Doc's coming!" James yelled, running through the back door, followed by Doc.

"Hold on, Henry." Graham whispered. Doc shooed them away, and he laid Henry on the ground.

"Does your head hurt anywhere besides the obvious?" He asked.

"No." Henry answered.

"Are you dizzy?"

"No."

"Okay." Doc sighed. "I think we can move him down to the infirmary. There's definitely a laceration, but I think all he'll need is stitches and overnight supervision." On cue, three more dwarves came out with a stretcher.

"You're gonna be okay, Henry." Emma said, grasping her son's hand; though whether it was for his comfort or for hers, no one knew.

"I know, Mom." He smiled. God damn it, he was growing up fast. Emma held onto Graham's hand for dear life with the one that wasn't clutching Henry's.

"It's tight quarters down there. It'd be best if he can go down alone." Doc said apologetically.

"Are you gonna be alright?" She asked, brushing a lock of chestnut hair out of Henry's face.

"Yup." The boy mumbled.

"Okay." The blonde nodded her consent tearfully. "I'll see you soon, Henry." The medical team made their way down the narrow hall. Graham pulled her into his arms.

"He's gonna be okay, Em. It was just a bump on the head."

"It was bleeding!" She insisted.

"Emma, it wasn't a deep one. Charming's had worse." Snow said.

"Yeah, your mother wasn't aware that I was in the vicinity after we'd been separated by one of the attempts of King George's army on my life, and she hit me with a stick."

"That's your thing, isn't it?" Graham smirked, recalling the time he'd tried to kill her. Emma pulled back.

"And rocks." James commented.

"In my defense, neither of those were exactly my fault. I thought I was in danger." The brunette put her hands up.

"Those?" Emma sniffled. "There's more? I've got to hear about them. Maybe it'll distract me."

"And we're never sword fighting in the snow again. It's too slippery, and Emma, I'm so sorry." James said, his hand brushing Emma's shoulder.

"It's okay. Things happen." She shrugged. "And besides, I overreacted. That's the first time he's gotten really hurt, and my hormones are crazy."

"R-really?" The king did a double take.

"I'm pregnant, not psycho." Emma laughed. "I'm freezing and I want hot cocoa." The four went inside and Snow put the water on for her daughter's request. Emma went rummaging in the fridge.

"Babe, what are you looking for?" Graham asked, supervising over her shoulder.

"Hot fudge."

"To do what?"

"Dip pretzels in. Where's the stupid hot fudge in this place?"

"Top shelf to the left." Snow replied without even looking.

"Pretzels and hot fudge…" Graham mulled this over for a moment. "I suppose it's not the weirdest one."

"It's better than pizza with pickles." James shuddered.

"That was one time." Snow said, pouring four cups of cocoa. Emma put a generous squirt of hot fudge on a plate, then haphazardly dumping pretzel sticks on it.

"I gotta go check on Henry." With that, she left.

"Okay, then." Graham drummed his fingers on the table.

"How is he?" Emma stormed into the room.

"Uh…"

"Sorry." She took a deep breath. "Hormones. I'm not mad at you. Is he okay?"

"Doc's getting ready to put the stitches in-"

"And no one told me!?" Pretzels and chocolate forgotten, she shoved the plate at Bashful. "Doc, what the Hell!?"

"Prin- uh, Emma. Sorry. The lad said he was fine, so I wasn't aware it was an issue. Rest assured, I haven't started yet."

"Mom?" Henry's voice floated through the curtain.

"Hey, Kid." She stepped in, her voice and face softening. "Sorry about exploding."

"It's okay." He did his best to smile.

"Why didn't you tell them to get me?" She sat on the edge of his bed.

"Cause I'm a prince, and princes don't need their moms to hold their hands while getting stitched up. I mean, I'm 15."

"Oh, Henry." She took his hand in hers. "Stereotypes suck, and… do you feel that way?"

"Yes. No. I don't know. I'm confused." Oh God, puberty, she thought, and sighed.

"Henry, I'm a princess, right?"

"Yeah."

"Do I look or act like one to you?"

"No." Henry smiled a little.

"Then who says you have to act like a prince? I said this once before to Ashley-"

"Ella." He corrected.

"Ella, right. And I think you need to hear it, too. People are gonna tell you who you are your whole life. You just gotta punch back and say, 'no. this is who I am'. Granted, there was a whole lot of other stuff, but that's not relevant right now. Kid, you be who you are. I will always be proud of you." She kissed the top of his head. "And you know, bravery isn't measured by how much you're able to face alone. Sometimes it's about being able to ask for help." Outside, they could hear Doc putting on the latex gloves.

"Mom, I'm really glad you're here."

An hour later, Emma walked Henry down the hall. He was a little dizzy from the blood loss, but other than that, Doc said he'd be fine with a few days of rest. The three left in the living room smiled at him.

"How are you feeling, Buddy?" James asked.

"I'm fine."

"No you're not, Kid. That's my line. Sit down." Emma marched him to the couch. "Here are the rules: no running, swording, fighting, jumping, or anything else like that. If you break any of them, you won't be able to see August for a week. This is serious."

"Swording?" James laughed, raising an eyebrow.

"I think that was very well done, Emma." Snow praised.

"Thanks." The blonde smiled sheepishly. "I guess you gotta get the hang of it."

"How about a movie." Graham suggested.

"I get to pick!" Henry declared.

"Alright, which one do you want?" Snow chuckled. "Emma, I'm really glad you talked Doc into making another TV."

"The Avengers."

"I love that one." Emma smiled, ruffling his hair.