crimson_graces | open post 2017

[ Let it be said that they gathered at Granny's and nothing exploded, nothing came out of a portal, no one tried to murder them. For the first time in their lives, it's calm and as Snow looks around at this group of people who are her family, she can feel it in her heart, spreading like sunshine: they're all going to be okay. Days do pass, then weeks and loft life just isn't cutting it anymore. She knows it; she knows where David would rather be and she knows exactly what she wants.

They move onto their farm just after Neal turns one and it's like a dream finally coming true. They had to fight for it for so long, and now here it is, including Wilby, and it's perfect. Neal's never seen so much space and to watch him take those awkward toddler baby steps and run toward David with arms outstretched across their yard is amazing. Waking up every day to birds singing and going off to school is the most perfectly normal thing she could ever think of. She could have been in the Enchanted Forest, rebuilding with David by her side and that would have been fine, but this is so much better than ruling a kingdom.

During her summer break, she gets up just as early as her husband to help with the chores, and it's so early that more often than not they're done before their son is even awake. On this particular morning, Snow takes the eggs they've gathered and begins to make breakfast for her family all while humming softly before looking at David. ]

Charming, I have a question for you.

[ She says that with a small smile as she beats eggs, looking down at what she's doing before meeting his gaze again. ]

How would you feel about turning one of these empty rooms into another nursery?

[Charming won't admit it, definitely not to Snow and barely to himself but he kind of forgot how to be a farmer. But in his defense, it has been over thirty years since he last lived on his family farm and sometimes it takes him longer to finish a task but Snow's usually at work and the only witness is their toddler who can't talk yet and the dog. He doesn't know what he'll do when Neal does start talking but at least Wilby will always have his back.

They're getting the time with Neal that they never got with Emma. It carries a hint of bittersweetness still and it probably always will even if they've all made their peace with it. It's time they never would have gotten if the curse had never existed and they'd all stayed in the Enchanted Forest. He and Snow would have had a kingdom to run and defend and as much as they would want to, they couldn't have stayed home with their children all the time. So if he tears up a little when their baby boy takes his first wobbly steps then Snow won't tell on him either.

It feels like they deserve this. Emma deserves her happiness with her own little family. And after everything they've had to sacrifice and every storm they've had to weather, it's a soft epilogue.

On this particular morning, Snow is making eggs and he's mixing his famous pancakes and Neal will probably start waking up in the next few minutes but then she poses that question and perfect pancakes don't matter so much.]

You don't mean-- [Charming can't finish the thought but that's probably because he's smiling so much at the hint.]

Are you--?

[Babies make him dumb.]

[ The sheer excitement on his face is enough to make Snow wish right now that she was actually pregnant. But sadly she's not, not yet as far as she knows. He's smiling so hard, though, so knowing his answer is a resounding yes, definitely makes this conversation easier. Her smile matches his, a quiet laugh making its way past her lips. ]

No, not yet. But if you're this happy about the idea then I think the answer is we'll definitely be trying for another. It just seems like the timing is right, doesn't it?

[ She turns to face him fully. ]

I love Neal, so much, but the timing was....well. Not the best. And I want to enjoy being pregnant not worry that someone's going to come for us. I want to have a delivery that doesn't end in our baby being taken out of our arms.

[ It feels like each time she has a baby she's trying to make up for something else she lost. ]

Maybe it can't ever be perfect, but it could be minus a curse.

Edited 2017-05-23 22:24 (UTC)

[That's okay. He still looks pretty excited about the idea of increasing their family. But then he's always wanted a large family. When it was just him and his mom, because his dad was gone and he never knew about James until it was too late, it always felt like something was missing. He loves Neal and Emma too, not question but even if he is technically reaching sixty, he still feels like a young man with his whole future ahead of him and his darling wife.

Who ever expected Prince Charming and Snow White to stop at just two kids anyway?]

I think it's a great time.

[Charming reaches for her, snagging her hand and pulling her in close, breakfast on pause for the moment.]

I would love to share a normal pregnancy with you. You're right. Maybe we'll have twins this time. My mother said it runs in our family.

[ She hadn't even thought of twins, and she thinks at any other point in time that would have worried her. Double the babies, double the threat. She can just imagine a time in her life where she would have thought Regina would come for one and Rumplestiltskin would come for the other. But now there's none of that, and Snow just smiles brightly at David, wrapping her arms around his neck. ]

Two girls, maybe. It doesn't matter; a house full of love. That's what I care about.

[ Her lips meet his in a tender kiss, one she gets lost in before she hears Neal begin babbling out loud from upstairs. It makes Snow sigh in absolute contentment. ]

I love that sound. He's so happy, David.

[ Thank Gods he's so young he'll never remember all those times he almost died. ]

[The bittersweet is still there. Though it's more sweet than anything else these days. They can't change the past, however much they might want to and all there's left to do is treasure the moments they have now. To make new memories to replace the bad ones. Raise their little boy and watch their daughter maybe start another family with her new husband.

Wilby gets up from his spot in the corner while they're still entangled and runs up the stairs to their little man's nursery, like Neal is one of the sheep that he's tasked with protecting. There's a special bond between a boy and his dog. Sometimes David will catch them napping together while he works.]

I should teach him to change Neal's diaper too, [commented wryly as he untangles himself from Snow.]

Finish the eggs, I'll take care of him.

You know, there's probably something magical Emma could do to help with diaper changes.

[ Snow isn't serious - or is she - and she goes back to the eggs, finishing breakfast so it'll be ready by the time David comes back down. The baby monitor's off because they've been downstairs and awake to hear Neal, but now she turns the audio on, just to hear the morning chatter of her husband and son. If Neal's babbling made her happy before, it's nothing compared to hearing both of them together. Honestly, that alone could get her pregnant.

By the time they come down, breakfast is on the table, there's a flower in a vase, and Snow's already cleaning the skillets they used so it's all done and taken care of. They're so damn domestic. ]

Edited 2017-06-02 16:47 (UTC)

open post 2017

hubby~~~

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