Chapter 44
Disclaimers: I don't own Once Upon a Time. Also, this is a sequel to La Lisboa's original "Thicker than Water."
As always, thanks to Lisboa for betaing and letting me use her story as a starting point.
Well, it is still technically Sunday, so I'm going to go ahead and post tonight.
Warring: Implied consensual bondage. Sorry if this bothers you, but nothing actually happens. (And I think it's very in character for Snowing.)
By the middle of January Snow was becoming frustrated. Why wasn't she pregnant yet? She had hoped when she put away the birth control pills, she would get pregnant right away. She and Charming were eager to add to their family. But instead, it had been almost six months and nothing had happened. Snow read some magazines while she was at the hospital that had some ideas how to get pregnant. The suggestions included sexual positions that would increase pregnancy, clothing for men, food, and temperature charts.
Charming agreed to try the suggestions, although he told her not to worry. "Snow, plenty of couples go for years before they can have a baby. We haven't even been trying for a year yet. It will happen for us. I know it will." There was Charming's optimism, of course. Snow loved him for it. She always had. And she really tried to believe he was right. To draw strength from his optimism, as she had before. After all, he was right. Plenty of other couples had to wait a few years before they could have a baby. In the meantime, they had Emma and Henry to take care of.
Still, Snow couldn't shake the feeling that there was something wrong with her. That there was a reason why she wasn't getting pregnant. And even though they had Emma and Henry already, Snow really wanted a new baby. It made her angry that she didn't have one yet. Unfortunately, she began to take a lot of her anger out on her husband. She yelled at him. She snapped at him. She ignored him. Snow supposed some part of her brain blamed him because she wasn't pregnant yet.
Charming was an incredibly patient man (which came in handy dealing with Snow and Emma), but even he had his limits, it seemed. Eventually, he began yelling back at Snow. And giving her the cold shoulder as well.
"How dare you put your wet boats on the kitchen floor!" Snow screamed at him one night after he came home.
"I'm on my way to the bathroom!" he called to her as he disappeared into the other room.
"Well, you should have still taken your boats off as soon as you came in! Why do you have to be such an idiot?"
"I don't know, Snow," he called from inside the bathroom. "`Since you're the only one who thinks I'm an idiot, maybe you can answer that one!"
The fights never lasted very long. They always made up that night. "You're not an idiot, Charming," Snow told him later, in their bedroom. "Or if you are, at least you're my idiot." She kissed him.
Fortunately, he accepted her kiss. "I like being your idiot," he chuckled to her after they finished. "And I'm sorry about the wet boats."
Snow shrugged. "Don't worry about that." She rubbed his arms a little and he smiled as she began unbuttoning his shirt.
But even though the fights weren't serious and never lasted long, they happened all the time. At least once or twice a day. On the weekend, there could be several in a day. Sometimes they were even in front of Emma or Henry. What were they going to do? (Besides get pregnant as soon as possible, that is.) One late afternoon, while Charming and Emma were still working and Henry was at a friends' house, she decided to talk to Red. She invited her over to bake chocolate chip cookies.
"I hate it, Red. I hate fighting with Charming all the time. But I don't know how to stop. I just don't understand why I can't get pregnant yet," she began as she measured the floor.
"You want to have another baby?" Red asked, obviously surprised. She began mixing the sugar and the butter with a fork.
"Of course we do!" Snow replied. "We've always planned on having a big family anyway, you know that. And with what happened with Emma…"
Red nodded. "Yes. Of course." She added the eggs, one at a time.
"Charming thinks I'm worried for nothing, of course," Snow continued. "He says plenty of couples wait longer than we have, and they still get pregnant. He's right of course. But I can't shake the feeling… that it won't be so simple. I don't know why." Snow poured the chocolate chips, the vanilla, and the flour into Red's bowl.
Red began stirring everything together.
"Maybe it's because of my parents," Snow commented, thoughtfully. "They never had another baby besides me. Maybe…women in my family can only have one child?"
Red shrugged. "It is a possibility," she admitted. She continued stirring.
"I think I should be happy with that," Snow sighed. "I want to be happy with that. Emma is everything I ever dreamed of in a daughter. And Henry is everything I ever dreamed of in a grandson. We have more than some couples, who can't have children at all." Snow pictured Abigail's unhappy face, as she had explained to Snow how long she and Fredrick tried to have a baby. "I feel guilty that I want to have another baby, but I do, Red. Desperately. I want to hold my baby for more than five minutes. I want a house full of little children," she finished with a small sob.
Red hugged Snow for a second. "I'm here for you, Snow. I'm here for all of you. Do you want finish stirring?" She handed Snow the bowl.
Snow began stirring.
"Maybe you're husband's right. Maybe you'll get pregnant soon."
"I hope so."
"But in the meantime, Valentine's Day is coming up."
Snow thought for a minute. "Yes. I guess it is."
"I like that day. I admit I wasn't too excited about Valentine's Day last year, but this year…I think it's going to be a lot of fun. I think it will be fun for Emma, too."
Snow smiled at that as they began scooping the cookie batter onto a baking sheet. It was nice that Emma finally had a romantic relationship. A man she might even be falling in love with. "Yes. That's nice."
"Why don't you use this 'Valentine's Day' to do something for your husband? Something that might get your relationship back on track? With or without the babies?
Snow hugged Red. "That's a great idea!" They shoved the cookies in the oven. Red could take some home with her, and Snow's family could enjoy some after dinner as well. And Snow would try her hardest not to yell at her husband. After all, it wasn't his fault she wasn't getting pregnant. He did everything she asked him to do. For all Snow knew, it could be her fault.
"Speaking of Valentine's Day, do you have any plans, Red?"
Red smiled. "Abigail and Fredrick are going out, so Justin's coming over to my apartment. I'll cook him dinner."
Snow smiled. "That's great. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourselves."
Red nodded. "Yes. I'm going to talk a little bit about the wedding plans, too. Not too much, but…"
Snow nodded. "Good idea. Didn't you say Abigail would help you pick out a dress?"
Red shrugged. "Well, she's good at anything involving dresses. She works at a dress shop, after all. And she wants to help with my weddings somehow so…"
"Of course. That makes sense. What do you think of me making your veil? Emma and Charming gave me this nice new sewing machine. It's supposed to sew faster than the hand sewing I did in the Enchanted Forest."
Red nodded. "Sure. We can look at some samples some time."
OOOOOOOOOOOO
Snow tried her best to concentrate on her husband after that. They still got into little arguments frequently, despite Snow's best efforts, though. She constantly reminded herself that their infertility wasn't Charming's fault, but the man still got on her nerves. She really wanted to plan something special for Valentine's Day for him to make up for it.
But what? Snow could cook Charming a special dinner, she supposed. Still, she cooked for him every night. Would that really be special enough for her husband? Of course, Snow could do extra things to make the dinner more romantic, but…Snow shook her head. It just didn't seem like the right idea. She could write a song for him, like she had done last year. Charming had loved that, after all. Still, even though Charming loved the song, Snow didn't think it was a very good one. Song – writing certainly wasn't one of her strong points. Snow looked at her brand – new sewing machine her husband and daughter bought her for Christmas. Maybe she could make something for him using that? A new shirt, maybe?
That sounded like a good idea, so Snow went to the store to look for fabric. A blue, probably. Snow loved to see Charming in blue. As she looked at the selections, she noticed some fabric that resembled their bedsheets. Before she realized it, Snow mind went to all the times they enjoyed those sheets. She lost herself in those memories for several minutes. Snow sighed. They hadn't done that in a while. They certainly made love frequently, considering they were trying to have a baby. It was also one of the ways they made up from their frequent arguments. But…Snow sighed. Something was missing, she admitted. It wasn't as…carefree as it used to be. All those "correct" schedules and positions made their sexual relationship feel…almost forced. Then Snow shook her head. That wasn't right. Their love – making had just as much affection as it always did. Still, it did feel pressured, she supposed. They were so focused on trying to conceive, they were beginning to forget to enjoy each other, too.
Maybe that was what Snow could do for Valentine's Day for Charming. Tell him to forget the positions, and the schedules, and everything involving conceiving for one night. Snow smiled. He would love it. He'd only agreed to specific sexual positions and schedules to make her happy, anyway. Her Charming loved to try different things in the bedroom. Snow's mind flashed to one of their favorite sex play memories. Or maybe…not so different? Just one they hadn't tried in a long time. Snow picked up the blue fabric she had been considering buying. She'd buy some of it, and make some scarves instead of a shirt for Charming. Perfect. And he wouldn't even have to worry about the correct sexual positions.
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Emma's relationship with Killian was great. He was so sweet. He always asked how Henry was doing. He continued to make time for her whole family as well. (Emma could tell he wasn't 100% comfortable around Snow and David, but they were trying.) They ate dinner at home with her parents and at restaurants by themselves. Sometimes, he would show her some of his cartoons. He did pictures of his crew, creatures he met in Neverland and the Enchanted Forest, and everyday people in this world. Emma loved them. Killian also made her laugh more than anyone she knew. Maybe some of their shared experiences gave them a similar sense of humor? Whatever the reason, Emma enjoyed spending time with him.
Kissing him was just as wonderful as ever. Maybe even better. The closer she got to her boyfriend, the more she enjoyed kissing and touching him. That was surprising, Emma had to admit to herself. She wasn't used to a physical relationship getting better and better like hers and Killian's seemed to be. In the past, either it was good or it wasn't. The only relationship she'd ever had like that was with…Neal.
Killian still "put on the breaks" after too many kisses, though. To a certain extent, Emma understood it. She'd really hurt him when she broke up with him previously. Emma knew she'd have to work hard to win his complete trust again. And Killian made it clear that he didn't want to sleep with her until he was positive about their relationship. It was just…well it was frustrating! She'd never dated a man that was so sexy.
Besides, there was a small part of her that wondered if he was just saying that. "I want to wait?" What kind of man said that kind of thing? It was still hard for Emma to accept that she was really wanted by someone like Killian. Her parents' fights didn't help, either. Emma always thought her parents were…the perfect couple or something. These days they were always fighting. They were never big fights or anything. She saw no evidence that either of them was sleeping on the couch or preparing to move out. But still…the fact that they constantly fought didn't make her comfortable. If Snow and David couldn't stay happy, how could Emma and Killian?
Valentine's Day was coming up in two weeks, and Emma couldn't decide how she felt about it. Last year, Valentine's Day had been horrible. Henry was going on his first date, which made Emma think he was growing up too fast. Worse than that, Emma was still missing Neal desperately. This year, well…she still missed Neal sometimes. But Killian made her pretty happy. It would be nice if Killian wanted to celebrate Valentine's Day with Emma. But what if he didn't want to? What if celebrating Valentine's Day together made their relationship too serious for him? She knew she couldn't assume anything.
OOOOOOOOOOOO
Snow and Emma were grocery shopping one afternoon when they saw some of the Valentine's Day cards. Snow stopped and began looking at some of them, causally. "Do you want to get one for Killian, Emma?" she asked.
Emma shrugged. "I don't know if he's planning on doing anything for Valentine's Day." She tried to sound as nonchalant as possible.
"I see," Snow replied, pressing her lips together. Here comes another lecture on positive thinking, Emma thought to herself. But to Emma's surprise, that's not what Snow said. "Why does it matter?" she asked Emma pointedly.
Emma shrugged. "It doesn't," she said firmly, steering away from the cards. At least her mother was finally learning there were some things it was better not to hope for. Emma wondered if Snow's attitude had anything to do with her and David's fights.
But Snow gently steered the cart back to the cards. "I'm looking for a card for David," she told Emma firmly. "I'm trying to do something really special for him this year. You know because of all the fights we've been having."
Emma sighed and waited. It was nice that Snow wanted to try to fix her problem with David, anyway.
"Are you sure…you don't want to get something special for Killian, too?" Snow asked glancing back at her daughter as she looked at another card.
Emma looked at her mother strangely. Was the woman slow today? "I already said 'I don't know if he's doing anything for Valentine's Day.'" She shook her head in disbelief.
Snow shook her head. "And I said, 'why does it matter?' Can't you get him a card, regardless of what he does or doesn't do for you?"
Emma stopped short. She'd never thought of that. Still, it sounded silly. "I don't think – " she began.
"Killian is still relatively new to this world, Emma. And last year he spent most of his time in prison. It's quite possible he doesn't know about Valentine's Day or why it's celebrated." Emma looked at the floor. She supposed that was true.
"Even if that's not the case, Valentine's Day is about showing love, not about receiving love." Emma opened her mouth to protest that comment. Didn't she already make it clear to her mother she didn't love Killian? "Or about showing someone you care," Snow corrected, anticipating Emma's argument. "It shouldn't matter what the other person may or may not give you or do for you. Last year, I assumed your father didn't know anything about Valentine's Day. And I didn't care. Because I had a great idea to show him my love. This year…while I've been treating him so horribly I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't have anything planned. But I don't care. Because I have the perfect way to make it up to him." She paused and grinned. "Starting with this card," Snow finished holding the card she'd picked out. "Are you sure you don't want to pick on out as well?"
Emma shrugged. She looked at the cards. "I don't know. Not today," she replied firmly. With that she steered the cart to the next aisle. Snow followed.
OOOOOOOOOO
Emma thought about her mother's advice for the next few days, even though she tried not to. Would it be a good idea to buy a Valentine's Day card for Killian, although he probably wasn't going to get her anything? Or would it just make Emma feel awkward? Rejected, even? She pictured Killian's reaction if Emma bought him a romantic card with some sweet message in it. Would he kiss her? Or laugh at the ridiculousness? Or would he just glance at it and say nothing? It was hard to understand where her relationship with Killian was going these days.
Still, Emma couldn't stop herself from looking at some Valentine's Day cards on the way home from work one day. Some of them were quite funny. Maybe that was the kind of card Emma should get. That way, if Killian laughed, at least Emma wouldn't feel like he was laughing at her. Besides, Killian always made her laugh. Emma loved his sense of humor. In a way, if she gave him a funny card, she'd be giving that back to him. And it was just a silly card, she wouldn't feel so rejected if he didn't get Emma anything.
There was one with a pig on the front that was covered with kiss marks. It said, "Hogs and kisses on Valentines Day." There was another with a piece of bacon in the shape of a heart. It said, "Don't go bacon my heart." That one was obviously playing on that old song, "Don't go Breaking my Heart." Emma wasn't sure if Killian would understand the joke though, considering he hadn't been in this world very long. On the other hand, he had worked at a club for a couple of months. So maybe. There was another that had a pair of frogs on the front and said, "Hoppy Valentine's Day." The next picture made her laugh out loud. It had a big picture of a mustache on the front and it said, "I mustache, Will you be mine?" It had hearts in the background. Emma decided she really liked that card. After all, one of Killian's best facial features was his sexy mustache. And she was sure Killian would think it was funny, too.
She paid for the card and returned home.
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OOOOOOOO
David really wanted to do something special for Snow for Valentine's Day. The stress of not getting pregnant was bothering her. A lot. No matter how many times he told her they would have another baby, Snow still worried about it. David hated to see her upset like that. Of course, it didn't help that Snow tried to deal with her stress by yelling at him. He tried to be understanding…but even David had his limits. They had been fighting a lot for the past month.
David was determined to do something to get her to relax. What should he do? Take her out to dinner at a fancy restaurant? Maybe. She wouldn't have to worry about cooking that way. It might help her feel a little better. David spent a day or two looking a different restaurants, trying to decide which one he should take Snow to. None of them seemed right.
One night, he caught sight of his new sword, lying on the shelf. David began daydreaming about the sword – fight he'd participated in, with Fredrick and…Killian. It was a much happier time. He remembered all the laughter and smiles by everyone at the park that day. He remembered how much more…like his Enchanted Forest self he'd felt that day, with his sword strapped to his hip. It was too bad he couldn't set up another sword – fight anytime soon. But it wasn't a good idea with all the snow on the ground.
David paused in his thoughts for a second. Snow. Snow. He picked up the sword, examining it for a moment. Would she like to have her own sword? She enjoyed fighting as well, after all, although she didn't participate in the last sword – fight. Maybe. David's mind flashed to see her fighting back in the Enchanted Forest. She was always so determined to fight for her people. She could be pretty aggressive, too, when she was fighting. And despite how worried about her he always was, he always found her fighting to be incredibly sexy. Snow, with a bow aimed at her enemy…Snow, letting the arrow fly…
Wait. Snow always preferred archery to sword – fighting. (Even though she was competent with the sword.) Actually, hadn't David said something about getting her a bow a few months ago? To make her feel more like Snow from the Enchanted Forest? David smiled to himself. Would archery help Snow worry less about getting pregnant? He had a feeling it would. It would certainly help her feel good about herself again.
David became more and more excited about the idea. Perhaps he could buy her a bow and arrows set at the same shop he bought his sword? One Friday evening, he stopped by the shop and looked. The shop, did, in fact, have several bow and arrow sets. Some had were made of wood, others were made of plastic. Unfortunately, the wood bow and arrow sets were too expensive for him to buy so soon, and the plastic ones were obviously meant for children and amateurs.
The shop owner smiled at David as he looked at them. "Yes, those are good – quality bows, sir. The smaller, plastic ones are perfect for a youngster, and the wooden ones would be perfect for a man like yourself." David smiled to himself as he pictured his and Snow's next child with a bow. Perhaps Snow would teach him or her?
"I also have an agreement with the armory in Bangor," the shop owner continued. "If you buy my items, they'll give you a discount when you practice targets at their facility."
David nodded. "That's good to know." He hadn't really thought of where Snow would use the bow yet. Especially in the winter. "I think I'm going to have to come back later, though." It was getting late, and he didn't have enough money now, anyway.
The shop owner nodded. "Here, take some flyers with you to look at."
David nodded. One flyer included pictures and information about the different items he had at his shop. This included many different swords, bow and arrow sets, as well as guns. The other was a flyer for the armory the man had talked about. Apparently you got a 10% discount of admission price if you showed your supplies were bought at the shop. However, you could also rent supplies directly at the armory. David smiled to himself. He would buy Snow a bow in the future from the shop. But in the meantime, she could rent and shoot arrows at this "armory." All he had to do was reserve a time slot for her. She would love it.
She didn't love that David was a little late for dinner, though.
"Where were you?" Snow snapped as he came through the door.
"Around," he replied vaguely. Not the best answer, but David didn't want to give away his surprise for Valentine's Day.
"Well, next time you want to go, 'around', don't! We were waiting for you to eat dinner. Henry was complaining how hungry he was! Did you even think about the rest of your family?"
"Of course I did," David snapped back. He knew she was stressed these days, but Snow took things too far some times. Didn't she know he always thought of his family first?
Snow apologized later that night, and so did he. But that argument only made it more clear to David how much she needed some stress relief. Valentine's Day couldn't come fast enough.
OOOOOO
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Emma walked home from work on Valentine's Day. She had a later shift today and Henry and her parents would be at his school dance by now. (At least Henry didn't have a date this time. That made her feel a little better. Still, Emma hoped her parents weren't arguing in front of Henry's classmates.) Emma would be home alone on Valentine's Day. Again. At least last year, she'd had Ruby. This year Ruby had Justin. Maybe she should call Killian. Spending time with him usually made Emma feel better. He would be fun and sweet even if Killian didn't buy her anything for Valentine's Day. She wanted to give him the Valentine's Day card, anyway.
Actually, Emma was surprised to realize how much she was looking forward to giving him the Valentine's Day Card. Killian would love it because it was so funny. He would laugh. Emma would laugh. She started thinking of all the other times they'd laughed together. Some of the best were when they used to get playful when they kissed. Especially their "kiss and wrestle" games. Emma hadn't been comfortable with playing those games again since they'd started dating again. Emma knew she hadn't hurt Killian that much when she'd bruised him, but… the physical reminder was hard to get over. Besides, that kind of game added a lot of sexual tension when they really didn't need anymore. Still, maybe it was time for Emma to try it again. After all, it had been one of her and Killian's favorite activities once. Could she suggest they try it again? With "no strings attached" like her mother recommended she do something for Killian? Maybe. One thing was for sure. Emma would call Killian as soon as she arrived home.
But to Emma's surprise, she didn't need to call Killian. Because when she arrived, he was standing next to her front door. "Hi, Swan! I hear that this is a special day for couples in this world. So I thought since you and me…well…"
Emma nodded. This was just as difficult for him as it was for her, if not more so. That's why it was so nice to see him make the effort. "Yes, Killian. We're a couple."
"Right. I thought we could spend the evening together." She suddenly noticed he had his guitar strapped to on his shoulder. Did he want them to sing? Well, as long as it was just the two of them, it didn't matter. Emma was glad he was enjoying the guitar. Even better, he wanted her to enjoy it with her.
Emma nodded eagerly. "Sounds great. Are you hungry? I'm not much of a cook, not like my mom, but I can make us some sandwiches or something," she offered as she unlocked the door.
"Sure," Killian shrugged, sitting down at the table.
Emma rummaged around the kitchen and made several ham – and – cheese sandwiches. As they ate she handed him the Valentine's Day card. Killian laughed when he saw the card, just as she knew he would. And Emma laughed, too.
After finishing their sandwiches, Killian picked up the guitar. "I'd like you to hear something." He began playing the guitar strumming it with one finger for a few minutes. Then he added another finger. And another, until he was playing with all five fingers and blending melodies together. It was beautiful. "It's for you, Emma. See, you started out alone. Then you got know your family, one by one. And then there was me, I guess. So you see, you're not alone anymore. I can't really write words to songs, but I thought you might appreciate the music.
Emma's heart swelled. "That was wonderful, Killian. I love it." And Emma was afraid he wouldn't get her anything for Valentine's Day at all. She needed to stop underestimating her boyfriend. "I have something else for you, too. Sort of." Would Killian understand what she meant by this gesture? As confidently as she could Emma stepped up to Killian, as if to kiss him. Then she pulled back and exclaimed, "Try to get me!"
Killian's face appeared confused for a couple of seconds, before he realized what Emma was doing. Then his face lit up and they began trying to out – maneuver each other again. It went on for about five minutes before they finally gave in and began kissing. And kissing. And kissing. Emma had been right before. This activity added a lot of sexual tension. But unfortunately, even if Killian was ready, they were in the house Emma shared with her parents. And Emma had promised her father she wouldn't have sex with Killian in this house.
"Killian, we can't do this here," she said breathlessly as she pushed him away after another intense kiss. She looked at the clock. "I'd say we could go back to your apartment, but Henry and my parents will be home anytime now."
Killian groaned. "Aye."
"Another time, Killian," Emma promised.
"Definitely," Killian agreed.
Emma looked down and tucked her shirt back in. He did the same.
Two minutes later, the rest of the family arrived. "Hi Mom!" Henry said cheerfully. "Killian," he added. "Guess what, I danced with Samantha, and Jenna, and Emily, and Kelly, and even Michelle! And the punch was great…" Henry continued on.
Emma smiled. "I'm glad you had a lot of fun Henry. Without a date."
Killian kissed her goodbye and left her soon after that.
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OOOOOO
David and Snow chaperoned the Valentine's Day dance at Henry's school. As they watched Henry and his friends (Henry had decided to come without a date this time), they talked to each other.
"I love you, Charming," Snow whispered. "I'm sorry I haven't been acting like it lately. But I'm going to make it up to you."
David shook his head as he took her hand. "It's okay, Snow. I know you've been stressed. Actually, I found the perfect Valentine's present for you to help with that." He handed her a card as he said that.
"Really?"
"Really. When's the last time you shot a bow?"
David's heart leaped at the excited look on Snow's face. "You're going to get me a new bow? Oh Charming!" She threw her arms around her husband.
David hugged her back. "Well, I thought about it, but they were a bit too expensive for me to buy right away. But I think I've got the next best thing. There's this place, called the Armory that allows you to rent a bow and arrow and shoot for a length of time. I was going to take you this weekend."
Snow smiled at him and pecked him on the lips. "That sounds wonderful. Then she looked down at her card. It was covered little hearts and it said, "Everything in life is better with you in it." She smiled as she read it. "I love you, Charming. Really. I do."
"I love you, too." He looked over at the kids again. Henry was trying that "fast – dancing" that Emma has taught him a few months ago. His friends joined him. "Looks like Henry is doing well."
"It's nice to see him having fun," Snow agreed.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
After everyone had come home and gone to bed, Snow smiled at David. "Now it's time for my surprise."
"Oh?"
"Don't look so shocked, Charming," Snow commented, playfully swatting his arm. "I told you I was going to make up my behavior to you."
"Yes, but I didn't know you had anything planned for tonight. I thought maybe since you were so stressed…you didn't think about it."
"Well, you were wrong." Snow tried to keep the hurt out of her voice, but of course, David picked up on it anyway.
"Snow, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound like I'd lost faith in you or your love. I knew you'd come out of it eventually. You just want to get pregnant."
Snow nodded. "Yes. But tonight, I just want to focus on the two of us. Here's your card." It was a picture of a man and a woman riding off in a carriage and the card said, "I've finally found my prince charming."
David laughed. It was the perfect card for them.
"But now I want you to take all your clothes off," she smiled to him as she helped him with the task, kissing as she went. When David tried taking her clothes off as well, Snow shook her head. "We're doing it differently tonight. My surprise, remember?" David nodded, wondering what Snow had in mind.
Snow pulled a couple of what appeared to be cotton scarves out of her drawer. "Put your hands above your head," she told him as she held on to one of the scarves.
At last David finally figured out what Snow had planned. A part of him shivered with excitement, as he and Snow had used this type of play before, and it was one of their favorites. But a part of him was confused. "But I thought you said we couldn't do that anymore…at least not until you got pregnant. Something about it being the wrong position to conceive…" He wrinkled his forehead in confusion.
Snow leaned down and kissed him as she tied his hands to the headboard. "I told you before. I'm not going to worry about that tonight. It's just about us." With that, she began to undress.
David grunted in frustration that he couldn't reach her, but he smiled all the same.
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OOOOOOOOOO
Red smelled the glazed ham in the oven. It was almost finished. This was one of the first dinner's Granny had taught her to make in the Enchanted Forest and one of Red's best dishes. She hoped Justin enjoyed it as well.
As Red pulled out two plates and set them on the table, her mind drifted back to what Snow had told her a couple of weeks ago. Snow and David wanted to have another baby. Soon, it seemed. Red didn't know why that was so surprising to her. As Snow had said, Red was well aware Snow and David had planned on having several children back in the Enchanted Forest. Honestly, Red had been excited about that, too back then. She had imagined herself as a friendly, loving aunt to all of those adorable children.
But so many things had changed since that time, Red thought to herself as she placed silverware next to the plates. They weren't in the Enchanted Forest anymore. Her friends didn't have a big, castle with plenty of room for a lot of children. They had a modest, little house that was fine for the four people that were already living there.
Red pulled the ham out of the oven and inspected it. It looked just right. There should be just enough time to warm the bread up in the oven as well. She placed the bread that she'd baked the day before on a plate and put it in the oven on low heat. The biggest problem with Snow and David having another child was Emma, Red thought as she shut the oven door. How would Emma feel about her parents having another child? Red assumed Emma would be uncomfortable with the idea, considering the new child would have a whole life with loving parents, instead of the lonely childhood Emma had. "Growing up, I had no one," Emma had told Red once. Besides that, parents tend to have less time for older children after new babies were born. As Emma's best friend, Red hoped Snow and David wouldn't be able to have another child, or would decide not to have one, after all. It would be too difficult for Emma.
Red began slicing up the ham, reminding herself to save the bone for Champ. On the other hand, she remembered Snow's face when she talked about how badly she wanted another baby. She'd said. "I feel guilty because I want to have another baby, but I do, Red. I want to hold my baby for more than five minutes. I want a house full of little children." Snow knew she should be happy with just Emma and Henry, but she simply wasn't. She wanted all the children she'd dreamed of having back in the Enchanted Forest. As Snow's best friend, Red wanted that for Snow. She couldn't think of a woman who deserved to raise children more than Snow.
Red had never realized being best friends with Snow and Emma could be so complicated. Who should she be loyal to first? She sighed and pulled the bone out of the ham. This wasn't the time to think about Emma and Snow. Justin would be here soon. And Champ, of course. She pulled the bread out of the oven before it burned.
There was a knock at the door. "I timed that perfectly!" Red laughed to herself. "Hi Justin. Hi Champ," she greeted both of them after opened the door.
Justin smiled at her and kissed her cheek. Then he sniffed the air. "Glazed ham, right?"
Red nodded. "And what else?" She and Justin often played a game, seeing what they could discover with their noses, since both their scents of smell were so strong.
"Baked white bread?"
"That's right. And I bought this for us to drink, too." Red pulled out a bottle of red wine.
Justin sniffed that. "It smells like a perfect blend for us."
"That's what I thought, too."
Red dished out the food and poured the wine. And she placed the bone on a plastic plate on the floor for Champ. He barked happily and wagged his tail as he approached the bone. Then he began chewing away.
"This is a wonderful meal, Red," Justin told her as he began eating.
"Thank you. I was thinking about our wedding recently," Red began, remembering something she had been meaning to discuss with him. "What do you think of having the wedding in the park? Our park, I mean." Red thought it was a marvelous idea to have the wedding in the park where they'd first met. Snow had her "party" at that park, so it should be possible.
Justin was quiet for several moments. Finally he replied, "I know it's a popular location for weddings. So it certainly wouldn't be a problem for the guests, or the officiator, to have it there. The only thing that worries me is…Champ. That park is his playground. If we got married there, he'd have to work. I don't know if he'd be comfortable with that."
Red sighed. "Oh. That's true. I didn't think of that." She took a bite of ham. "I'm sorry."
But Justin took her hand across the table. "Don't give up on the idea yet. Maybe Champ will be okay with it. He should be fine, as long as he's in the harness. Maybe in a couple of weeks, we can take him to the park with the harness on, and if he able to stay still, we can do it there." He ate a piece of bread.
Red smiled at Justin. "Great. Thank you so much." She squeezed his hand.
"What do you think about having the wedding in the middle of May? The rain season should be over then, but it won't be that hot yet."
Red nodded. "Perfect. And Abigail wants to help me pick out a dress. She says we can do it in her dress shop, so she can get me a discount. Plus, Snow mentioned she could use her new sewing machine to make me a veil."
"Ah….yes. But why don't you talk about that stuff with the girls?" Justin grumbled. That was right. Men didn't care about those things.
"Sorry."
"I've already asked Lucas to be my best man," Justin continued, switching the subject to something he was willing to talk about. "He's happy to do so, of course."
"That's great," Red commented, as she finished eating a piece of bread.
"Do you know which of the girls you'll ask to be your maid of honor?"
Red sighed. "No. I live with Abigail, but I'm closer to Snow and Emma. I can't decide which of them I'd rather have. I've known Snow for a lot longer than Emma, and she helped me with a lot of stuff back in the Enchanted Forest. Hunters who wanted to kill me, coming to terms with my wolf form, my mother's death and Granny's betrayal, the list goes on. But Emma's helped me with a lot of things in this world, and Emma's not used to being "wanted" anyway…When Snow got married in this world, she had Emma and I both be her maids of honor. Maybe I could do that? But then Emma doesn't seem to like to dress up. She may not want to…"
Justin took a sip of wine. "Why don't you ask Emma if she wants to be your maid of honor? And Snow as well. Although since Snow is married, I think she'd officially be called, a 'matron of honor.'"
"A maid of honor and a matron of honor?" Red shrugged. "It might work. If they want to, of course." She ate another piece of ham. "Have you invited anyone besides Lucas? I'm inviting Abigail and Fredrick, Emma, Snow, David, and Henry, the dwarves, and Granny."
Justin nodded. "Yeah. My mother, of course. My aunt who lives in Ohio, although I don't think she'll come. A few other friends."
"What about your dad?" Red asked softly. She knew his father was a touch subject for Justin, but she thought it might be a good idea for Justin to invite his father, anyway. She took a sip of wine.
Justin's made a face. "Why would I want to do that? He's never accepted me at all. I told you before, Red, it's like he's ashamed of the fact that I'm blind. I haven't talked to him in years and that's the way I intend to keep it."
Red took several drinks of wine. "Justin, I know this is difficult for you, and I won't blame you if you don't invite him. But no matter what your relationship was in the past, he's still your father. I think it would be nice for him to be at the wedding. For him to meet me."
Justin shook his head and stuffed his mouth with ham. Finally he swallowed. "Why? Why is it so important for you to meet a man who never accepted me? Who wouldn't accept you either, if he knew who you really were?"
Red paused. Justin had a point. "I understand what you mean." She took a bite of bread. After she finally swallowed she continued, "But no matter how bad your relationship is with your father, you still have one. I don't. He's dead, I assume, back in the Enchanted Forest. I never knew him. I got to know my mother briefly. She taught me how to accept my wolf side. But my Dad? I don't even know his name, Justin. A part of me is angry because he never got to know me. But I still wish I knew who he was. You know who your father is, Justin. And he could come to the wedding if you invited him. Mine can't."
Justin took a drink of wine. "I'll think about it."
"That's all I ask, Justin. That you think about it. If you decide you still don't want him to come, I'll accept it. I love you."
"I love you, too."
Thank you for the reviews. Here's a response.
Misccam: Yes, I was happy David and Emma got Snow the sewing machine together, too. Hope you like the Snowing kisses in this chapter.
So what do you think of Season 5 so far? I like it better than S4, but I was disappointed that they had the perfect chance to give us a Daddy/daughter dance in episode 5 x2 and they didn't deliver.
Thoughts on Season 5 and/or chapter 44 of the story?