Painful nights
Hannah M asked for a oneshot of Emma having repetitive horrible nightmares due to becoming the Dark One. The first night it happened she disturbed Henry so she keeps slipping out at night and comes home in the morning. She does this for a while before Snow, who is just putting Neal back to sleep, sees her leave and stops her. At first Emma won't admit anything but then a dark pain goes through her and she falls to her knees in pain. Then she admits her nightmares to Snow and they have a heart to heart.
"That's it, settle down, my sweetheart." Snow cooed to her little boy. He was having a restless night, probably teething. It was five am, and he was finally drifting off after a quick feeding. Snow placed him in his cot, covered him with his blankets and set his mobile spinning before gently kissing his soft head. She was about to go back to bed herself when she heard a floorboard creek from the hall outside. With all the villains floating around Storybrooke you could never be too careful. She snuck out into the hall, ready to pounce on the intruder. But she did not find a villain, she found her daughter.
"Emma?" Snow whispered. The small noise was enough to make Emma jump. She turned and looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Snow couldn't help but notice she was clutching her abdomen, or that she had shoes on, and they were wet. "What's wrong? Why have you been outside?"
"I just needed a walk, I'm fine." Emma lied. But then the pain rushed through her and she fell to her knees, no longer able to hold herself up.
"Emma!" Snow said, alarmed. She rushed forward, wrapping her arms around her daughter. "Emma I can't help you if you lie to me." Snow pointed out. "Please tell me the truth." Emma sighed. She had been caught.
"I haven't been sleeping her since the change." She said, voice laboured. "Being the Dark One isn't exactly conducive to a good night's sleep. I get pains from the dark magic, and they cause nightmares. When the first nightmare hit I freaked Henry out. I assured him it was just a one off, but I knew it wouldn't be. I've been sleeping anywhere and everywhere really and sneaking back, well, about now."
"We need to get you to a doctor…"
"I'm fine." Emma grunted through the sharp pain. "It always passes in the morning. It's just the darkness…" Emma was unable to speak anymore through the pain. Snow held Emma close to her chest, gently shushing her as she did with Neal's teething pain.
"Well ok, but you can't be wandering around in the night Emma. All sorts of things could happen. If it happens again wake me up, this seems to be helping you. You're not as tense…"
"I can't wake you up, you're already up half the night with Neal." Emma pointed out.
"That doesn't matter. Until we find Merlin and get this darkness out of you you're going to have nights like this and I won't have either of my children in pain. Neal at least has the sense to cry for me." Snow pointed out. Emma didn't respond. She was just enjoying the relief from the excruciating pain. Snow could feel her relaxing. Snow carefully manoeuvred them so that Snow's back was leaning against the bannister. She felt Emma relax more.
"That's it. Settle down, my sweetheart." Snow repeated the phrase. If it took sleeping against an uncomfortable oak banister to make sure Emma slept without agony, then that's what Snow would do. She would not allow either of her children to go through pain.