Better understanding

LyssLovesShules33 asked for a oneshot of Emma going into premature labour and when the baby is born Emma isn't allowed to hold them. When Snow comforts her Emma realises this must have been how she felt when Charming took her away to the wardrobe.

Couple of wee notes:

snoopykid: sorry, but I feel I'd be unable to do your request justice. I don't think I'd be able to write Emma being quite so evil very well.

General note to all: I feel I should put a wee reminder, please leave a gap between requests. I know it might be a bit of a wait from when you ask for it to when I write it but I mean a gap from when it's posted. Otherwise I feel a bit like a conveyer belt haha.

"Bring her back! Bring her back!" Emma wailed as her mother held her back.

"Emma, honey, they have to take her. She's very sick. It's going to be ok though…" The truth was Snow didn't know if it would be ok. The baby was born extremely prematurely, but she knew Emma needed hope. Emma looked over at Killian who was standing by the door looking torn.

"Go with her." Emma told him, her eyes still wet with tears. "Don't leave our daughter alone." Killian nodded frantically and sprinted out of the room to follow after the midwives who'd wheeled off their tiny daughter in an incubator. As she saw him leave Emma wept into her mother's shoulder. Snow desperately wished Emma's father was here to comfort her too, but he'd taken Henry and Neal away for the weekend fishing. The baby was two months early, they had no way of expecting this. They were of course on their way back but it was going to be hours before they got here.

"It's all my fault!" Emma wailed. "I couldn't keep her safe. What if she dies mom?"

"Emma this isn't your fault." Snow assured her. "Babies come out when they want to and there's not a thing anyone can do to stop them." Snow wrapped her arms tightly around Emma. "Know what else I know?" She whispered into her hair. "That baby is part of this family- and that automatically makes her a fighter. The medical team will do their best and your little fighter won't give up. You just need to keep hoping Emma." Emma nodded. She was so tired, but she could not sleep. She wouldn't sleep until her baby girl was back safely in her arms. A thought occurred to Emma- her own parents had been a similar situation when she was born.

"How did you cope when I was born?" Emma croaked. "She's barely been gone five minutes and it's tearing me up inside." Snow's arms stiffened around Emma as the painful memory came to the surface.

"I didn't." Snow admitted. "Knowing I would never see you grow up, leaving you while you cried for me broke me. But you're going to see your daughter grow up, Emma. You need to keep thinking that while she's gone. She's going to be back very soon. Her daddy's watching over her. It's all going to be alright."

It took time but eventually the little girl was nestled safely in her mother's arms. And with her came a new understanding of what Emma's own parents had went through. Emma didn't want her daughter to be taken from her, but she knew in order for her to live she had to be. Her own parents must have faced a similar pain. She would never again hold resentment against them for their decision; for she knew they held enough of their own.