Comparing the past
Teresa asked for a oneshot of Neal asking Snow what Emma was like as a baby. Snow gets upset leading to Emma showing them some pictures of her as an infant.
"I promise, that's you." Snow chuckled as she flipped through one of the albums containing Neal's baby pictures with him and Emma.
"No way! I was so little!" Neal exclaimed. Snow nodded, kissing his head.
"Of course you were, you were just a baby. We were all little when we were babies. But sadly it doesn't last very long. That's why mommies and daddies take lots of pictures."
"Did I look like Emma when she was little too mom?" Neal asked. Snow froze for a moment. Not quite sure how to answer. They hadn't really told Neal all about Emma's childhood in case he felt guilty.
"Well, when you were just born you looked a lot alike. Expect you already had your dark hair and Emma had blond hair." Snow said honestly. Now that she thought about it when they were newborns her children did look very alike. She'd never forget the first time she was either of them, especially Emma.
"Have you got a picture so I can see?" Neal asked. Snow tried to keep her face from falling. Discussing Emma's childhood was still a hard topic for her or Charming. She didn't have any pictures of her daughter growing up. She hadn't even seen it herself to describe to Neal, and that pained her more than words could ever describe. Emma could see moisture building up around her mom's eyes. She thought she might have something to make both her mom and Neal happy.
"I think I might have a few old pictures up in my room, Neal." Emma said getting up. Snow looked at her daughter, surprised. She'd never mentioned any pictures. She would have loved to have seen them! Maybe even get some framed and put around the house. Emma disappeared upstairs for a few minutes before coming back with a handful of old pictures.
"Well, here's one of me when I was a newborn." She said, placing the picture beside Neal's in the book. Snow could tell it had been taken from a newspaper. She dreaded to think what was said in the article. "So do you agree with mom, Neal? Think we look alike?" Neal squinted his eyes a little and turned his head to the side, examining the pictures.
"Maybe a little…" He said sceptically. Snow chuckled.
"Well I stand by what I said. I think you look alike. Let's compare you as you both got a little older." Snow said excitedly, reaching for Emma's photos. Emma smiled, handing her mom the pictures. She knew Snow wasn't so interested in comparing them as just seeing Emma's childhood for the first time. She suspected her mom would refuse to give a few of these photos back.
Emma was right. She came home next week to find a picture of her from when she was around two years old sitting in a field with a daisy chain going around her head. Emma picked up the frame and examined it more closely. She smiled as she read the inscription. Our little princess.