A few days later.
Emma was tired of sitting around watching others work on the house, so she decided to help out. Her foot was killing her from that fall a few days ago, but she refused to have anybody look at it. She insisted that it was perfectly okay and that she didn't need to go see a doctor or whoever takes care of people here. Was there such thing as a doctor here? Emma thought. She stopped working for a moment and looked over at Henry who was playing with Hansel and Gretal, she smiled.
"Need any help, princess?" Emma still wasn't used to that. She looked back to see Grumpy watching her.
Emma shook her head, "I think I got it." She offered a small smile before finishing, "but thanks anyway." Emma knew how to use a hammer, but definitely did not know how to build a house like this. The home was coming together beautifully! All the walls were in and now they were putting on the roof. Snow and Charming didn't like the idea that she was up here, but she was tired of feeling helpless and most of all bored.
"We should be done with the castle before sunset tomorrow. Your parents have been gathering furniture for the inside for weeks now." Grumpy continued to try to converse with Emma.
Mentioning her parents made her search for them down below. "Would you guys happen to have a furniture store around here?" Emma tried to joke. She saw that her parents were conversing with Ruby probably about the house plans.
Grumpy continued to swing his hammer down on the nail, "In this land we have people like August's dad who make furniture for either a trade or a price." Emma was listening, but still watching her parents with amusement.
"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Emma asked, mostly to herself. Emma continued to watch her parents until she made eye contact with Snow. She looked back at the nail in front of her and then over at Grumpy who was diligently working next to her. Being with Charming and Snow made her feel like she actually had a family, which she knew she did and she also knew that they wouldn't leave her.
Snow watched her baby girl constantly because she was afraid Emma would fall and hurt herself. She knew that Emma was capable, but being a mother made her worry a little too much. Charming and her tried talking Emma out of the idea of working on the roof, but Emma was persistent and stubborn. When she caught Emma's eye, she smiled, but Emma quickly looked away.
"Would that be okay?" Ruby asked Snow and Charming. Charming nodded and looked over at his wife who was eyeing Emma. He smiled grabbing her hand to hopefully get her out of this trance.
Snow looked back and nodded, "Yeah, you know what's best, Red." They had been discussing placement of furniture, decorations, and assigning each room for the past few days now. After Red left to help out her grandma, Snow and Charming took a walk around the almost finished castle.
Charming took her hand and smiled, "This place is going to be almost identical to our last home, but this time we will actually have our family together while living in it," He paused looking over at Snow who returned the smile, "like we were supposed to."
Snow liked the thought of that, but got sad thinking about how they could have raised Emma here. "I wish she could have grown up here…with us." Charming rubbed his thumb along her hand in understanding. "Do you think Emma will like our new home?" Snow was full of worries and she just couldn't clear her mind.
Charming thought about the question, "I think Emma will like our new home, but she will be a little timid at the idea of an actual family all the time."
"And the new world, even though she will try to convince us otherwise." Snow smiled at the thought of her daughter. Emma was perfect and beautiful and she didn't even know it. The more time she spent with her daughter, the more she realized just how much she was like Charming and her.
Charming couldn't help but smile as well. " She acts just like you, Snow." Snow wasn't sure if she should be offended or happy about that.
Instead she rolled her eyes playfully and smiled, "Whatever do you mean? I see you in the way she presents herself and takes control of a situation."
Charming couldn't help, but be proud of that. "She has your stubbornness as demonstrated last night." Snow wanted to deny it, but knew that what Charming said was true.
Snow started remembering the time in the mine when they all thought their lives would be over and Emma said those two little words. "I still can't believe she acknowledged us as mom and dad. I know we haven't heard it since, but knowing she thinks of us like that now is just…" She was at a loss for words.
Charming smiled remembering the very same scene, "I feel the same way. I had been waiting my whole life to hear her call me Dad." He paused and decided to make light of the conversation. "Emma was probably going to say Dad first anyway."
Snow grinned at hearing that and playfully punched him in the chest, "Why wouldn't she say Mom?" She stopped walking and was face to face with Charming.
Charming looked into those beautiful eyes and grinned back, "Because she would have been a daddy's girl." Snow wanted to fight it some more, but gave in and kissed her husband. Snow brought her arms up and wrapped them around his neck continuing to kiss him.
Snow stopped and smiled, "You are probably right." Charming was about to say something about him being right, when she stopped him by kissing him again.
I know this chapter didn't have any action, but I felt it was necessary. Hope you guys are enjoying the story! :)