Falling for the enemy

Part 12.

Emma Swan:

My heart pounded furiously at the thought of reconnecting with my parents but truly it was wonderful, everything I've ever missed hit me, and all though I'm 26 now and too old for a cuddle or a kiss on the heel from my mother I still melted when she did, she held me close in her doorway not wanting to let go, and honestly... I didn't want her to let go.

"Shall we head inside?" I chuckle, my mother steps back and releases me from her death grip. She wipes the blotchy tears forming below her eyes and grins widely while nodding allowing me to step inside.

"Take a seat" my father instructs gesturing towards the sofas. I sit at the sofa while my mother rushes over with a hot cocoa topped with whipped cream and cinnamon, just how we all like it, I always wondered where I got these strange cravings from but now I know why I'm so obsessed with cinnamon cocoa and grilled cheese. Like mother like daughter. "I'm glad you came emma, I know this is all hard"

I scoff, he doesn't know the least of it. I mean yes, I can get my head around the fictional characters but what really confuses me is the realms, the different worlds, the curses and the magic. However, all of that can come to terms, one thing that runs around in my head constantly is how much I love... no like... no dis- like... no actually... how much I hate Regina, see I don't know what I'm feeling for the wicked bitch.

Maybe Leroy was right; what if she did steal my heart which is why I have so many conflicted feelings for the women. When I'm away from her I hate her, when I'm near her I love her, my life is a mess and I simply can't explain that to anyone, but I'm hoping my parents will understand. Thinking that Regina had my heart captive was the best answer to my lack of control over my own feelings, but every time my eyes lay upon her I feel the damn organ pouncing in my ribcage ready to burst through and fall into her hands.

"Thanks" I accept to cocoa and fidget awkwardly upon her sofa.

"I'll be right back, I just need to get something" my mother beams with joy at the fact I'm sat in her living room. She wonders to the spare room with a bounce in her step as she comes back with a brown cardboard box with the name 'Emma' on the side. I furrow my eyebrows as she slams it onto the coffee table in front. "Take a look at these Emma"

I raise from the sofa and begin rummaging through my so called baby box. It contains a white knitted blanket with purple cotton stitched letter by letter saying 'emma' along with a single Polaroid image of me as a baby, there's a rattle and bottles as well as a mobile that could of once hung over my head, now I see everything... my parents were thrilled to have me and they were heartbroken to watch me go.

"I'm so sorry" I cry as I wipe away my longing tears, my mother takes a seat beside me and engulfs me into a mamma bear hug squeezing my lungs so tightly together that breathing becomes an issue.

"Oh sweetie you have nothing to be sorry for" she pulls me in and places a single loving peck upon my cheek and I smile gratefully, I'm so glad that finally I've met my parents.

"I have every right to be sorry, I spent my whole life hating my parents for disowning me like I was worthless, like nobody wanted me, because life in foster care was shit... I was tossed around home to home, beaten by many foster dads, and thrown in a basement for 3 weeks by one home, so I haven't had any luck in my life and I blamed you guys, but never did I know that my parents are Snow White and Prince Charming and im the baby of true love and purest of heart, I never thought you loved me this much and now I can see how heartbroken you were to see me go in the wardrobe" my mother wipes my cheek ironically as her tears fall listening to my story but I never meant to hurt her.

"I'm so sorry Emma, I really truly didn't want to give you away honestly, initially the wardrobe was made for one person only so I was going through, but you decided to come early during the dark curse which left no other choice but to send you to safety, I hope you forgive us because I don't want to waste another second now that I know you're my daughter Emma, I love you" she coos as we just stare deeply into one another's eyes. Damn this is all I've ever dreamed of. I hold my mother tight as we cry out our feelings, David  soon returns while placing some grilled cheese on the table and grin widely knowing that he knows it's my favourite when we worked together at the sheriff station.