A teen milestone

Beyondthebeauty asked for a oneshot of Snow asking Emma how old she was when she got her first kiss and being surprised by how young she was.

Emma watched nervously as Henry got in the car with Grace and Jefferson.

"He'll be fine." Came a soft voice from behind her. "He's hardly going to propose is he?" Snow joked.

"Who said I'm worried about the date." Emma grumbled. "He's getting into a car with a man who kidnapped you resulting in you kicking him out a window. He might hold a grudge and even if he doesn't they do call him the mad hatter." Emma pointed out. Snow simply rolled her eyes coming over and placing a hand on Emma's shoulder.

"You're worried about the date." Snow stated. Emma sighed turning her head to look at her mom.

"He's just growing up so fast." Emma admitted, moving to slump down on the couch. "I hardly got to know him as a kid…he's a proper teen now. I don't want him to grow up too fast. I mean, what if she tries to kiss him?" Emma screwed up her face in a way that Snow could only chuckle at.

"I'm sure Henry will be able to handle himself should that situation arise." Snow tried to assure her daughter. Seeing Henry go off on his first date…it was yet another reminder of everything she missed out on with Emma. But that didn't mean Snow wouldn't ever get to hear about it.

"So…" She began cautiously. "When did you have your first kiss?" Snow asked Emma. Emma looked at her, raising an eyebrow at her mom's braveness. The eager smile on her face…Emma couldn't deny her the conversation.

"I was ten." Emma told her.

"Ten?" Snow asked, shocked. Emma kicked herself for forgetting quite how early ten was for a first kiss.

"Um yeah…" She answered, feeling the heat build up on her face. "One of the boys in the home I was in- Mark Greene, he was twelve at the time. His case was a weird one. He wasn't allowed to be near any of his family, but they would send him sweets and stuff. Naturally that made everyone want to be his friend. He could ask his family for almost anything and he'd have it within a week. If you were friends with Mark Greene you lived a life of luxury for a foster kid. I was just a little girl, and it was near my birthday. I knew I wouldn't get any good presents like most kids do…" Emma stopped herself, realising who she was saying this to.

"It's ok." Snow said, blinking rapidly to stop the tears. Her baby went through all her birthdays and Christmases with barely any presents, and even fewer good ones. She had deserved so much better…but now was not the time for that conversation. "I'm fine, go on." Emma was sure her mom wasn't fine, but decided not to press the matter.

"Well, I really wanted this board game that I'd seen on TV. So I started to cosy up to Mark. He knew exactly what I was doing- he wasn't stupid. Eventually I started to bring up how awesome this board game was and how much fun it would be if we could play it together. He knew I was asking him to get it for me. He said he would, if I gave him a kiss. I was too young to really care, so I agreed. It was not nice. Wet, slobbery and gross." Emma said, grimacing. Snow had to fight from grimacing herself. That boy had taken advantage of her daughter. Emma might be an adult now but that didn't stop Snow from reaching forward and wrapping Emma into a giant hug. "Um ok…" Emma said, not expecting it. "What's this for?"

"For all the crap you had to put up with." Snow answered. "I know it doesn't even begin to cover it. Emma, you have to know that if I could change how things worked out then of course I would. You were meant to grow up a princess, never wanting for anything let alone a board game. It's my fault you never got that…"

"Hey…" Emma said, reciprocating her mother's hug. "It's all in the past now, it doesn't matter anymore."

"I wouldn't tell your father that." Snow said. "He'll find a way of getting to this Mark Greene. Regardless of how old he was when the offence occurred." Snow warned her. Emma grimaced.

"Yeah, let's just keep this between us." Snow smiled. She could imagine that she and Emma would have talked about any boys Emma liked as she grew up. They would have had little secrets between them.

"Deal."