Midnight talks

SaraLovesCastle: asked for a oneshot of baby Neal wakes in the middle of the night and Emma is the first to hear him. She takes him to the couch to comfort him to let her parents sleep. But the murmurs wakes Snow who wakes Charming and the family have a heart to heart.

Snow and Charming didn't know Emma had snuck Neal's baby monitor away from there room after they'd fallen asleep. Emma wanted to give them a chance to rest. So it was her who heard his cries at two in the morning. She stretched, getting out of her bed and quietly tiptoeing down the corridor to her little brother's room.

"Hey there buddy." She cooed, picking him up. It didn't take Emma long to discover the reason for his cries. "Don't you worry kiddo, Emmy will change that diaper and you'll be nice and comfy again."

After Emma changed him, Neal was reluctant to go back down, he just wanted to be held. Emma carried him down to the couch, whispering gentle murmurs in his ear. It was this that woke Snow. She in turn woke Charming.

"Is that Emma?" Charming mumbled sleepily. Snow nodded. She saw that the monitor was missing.

"She's taken Neal for us." She said, touched. She and Charming shared a smile.

"What on Earth is she saying to him?" Charming asked.

"I don't know." Snow replied. A cheeky smile spread across her face. "Let's find out." The pair quietly snuck out of bed and towards the door of the living room. Only there were they close enough to hear what Emma was saying to Neal.

"You don't need to cry buddy. It's alright. You're safe, you're loved. So very loved. Do you know how much mommy and daddy love you, huh kid? I don't think you do. Just enjoy them for me. They get to do lots of things with you that they couldn't with me. I don't want you thinking badly of them. They wanted to, but it just wasn't meant to be buddy…"

"Does Emma know that mommy and daddy love her very much too?" Emma jumped slightly, grateful it didn't start Neal crying again.

"How long have you both been standing there?" She whispered.

"Long enough." Snow answered, both her and Charming came over and sat with Emma and Neal on the couch. She held her arms out and Emma gently handed her brother over to Snow. Charming placed a loving kiss on Emma's forehead.

"You're a good big sister, and a good daughter, you know that?" Emma went pink under the praise. She shrugged.

"I remember what it's like being a new mom…well, kind of…I just thought you deserved a break."

"We appreciate it Emma." Snow sighed. "I wish it was the other way around in ways. I should have been doing this for you with Henry. Heck, your father and I should have had sleepless nights from you." Snow said. Charming nodded in sad agreement.

"Wouldn't you have had nannies for me or something?" Emma asked, curious.

"Well, yes, there would have been nannies in your life. But only for when we couldn't be there. We would have been there as much as humanly possible. The sleepless nights would have been our pleasure." Snow told her, a small smile gracing her lips. "As they are with your brother. You go back to bed honey. We'll take care of Neal." Snow told her, placing Neal in one arm and squeezing Emma's hand with her free hand. Emma smiled, getting up.

"Alright then. Night guys."

"Good night Emma." Charming called to her, as Emma went out of the room to head upstairs. Charming turned to Snow and Neal. "We have quite the amazing daughter, don't we?" Snow nodded.

"Indeed we do."