wanttobeahero | for Emma: A mother’s arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them

Entry tags:

darrow,
emma swan

for Emma: A mother’s arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them

Whatever magic had turned Henry into a small child was a bit sloppy; he remembered his family, he knew both his moms, his grandpa, but his memories of being in Darrow for the past month and a half were fuzzy. But he was so young that he didn't question it when his mommy told him they'd just gone on a trip. He'd been worried when his mama wasn't there, too, but it had been explained to him that she was just sleeping, and most of the early part of the day, he was okay with that answer, wanting her to sleep if she needed it.

But after eating lunch and beginning to wake from his afternoon nap, he needed to see his mama with his own eyes, to make sure she really was here, too. Still sleepy, though, his arms were loosely wrapped around Regina's neck, head tucked to her shoulder as they arrived at Emma's apartment. The moment the door opened, though, a sleepy smile appeared on Henry's face, and he was immediately reaching for her: "Mama."

[ ooc: Regina is just dropping Henry off and sticking around for a short while to make sure things are okay, and then it'll just be Henry and Emma! ]

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Regina knew, logically, that Henry deserved to see Emma, but she'd missed this little boy so much, this toddler who wanted cuddles and morning kisses and wore footie pajamas. She didn't want to let him go. There had been no hesitation to call the mother he was asking for and let her know what happened. But again, she had to let him go with someone else when she truly didn't want to. She didn't mean to look quite so choked up about it as Henry reached for Emma.

She didn't hate that he did, it was simply an ache. Not anger and rage from two and a half years ago, but an actual ache that made a lump form in her throat. Blinking quickly, she was glad that Henry was occupied by leaving her arms, and she fussed with the makeshift bag she'd packed. She borrowed some of Roland's clothes for him and finally passed them over.

"His pajamas and a few other things are all here."

Edited 2014-09-27 18:00 (UTC)

It had been a very strange morning for Emma. The phone call had roused from the dozing, not-quite-awake state that proceeded a hard sleep after a long shift at work, and the news that came with it had done more to wake her up than a shot of espresso.

She had memories of Henry this little, remembered tucking him in for bedtime and naps, singing silly songs and reading nursery rhymes, snuggling together on lazy weekends--but she'd never actually done any of that. Her arms had never actually been the ones holding him, and Emma didn't even know any damned nursery rhymes.

She spent the rest of the morning frantically straightening up her apartment, rearranging furniture to cover electrical outlets, moving anything that could be remotely dangerous to the hallway closet, and pacing. Her nerves were well and truly shot by the time Regina knocked on the door, but she did her best to put on a neutral face and conceal how absolutely terrified she was.

The sleepy little bundle of toddler reaching for her shattered that cover almost immediately. Emma wrapped Henry up tightly in her arms as she lifted him from Regina's, eyes squeezed shut against the tears that wanted to fall. She didn't want to upset Henry by blubbering all over him, and she hid her anguished expression against his little shoulder until she got it under control.

"Hey little man," she cooed, voice only a little constricted and raspy. After a moment or two she took a breath and looked up, steadier now, holding her hand out to accept the bag from Regina.

"Thanks--do you, uh, do you want to come in?"

Regina wanted to stay, she didn't want to miss anything. She understood Emma's emotion, but at least Henry wouldn't ever thing - at any point in his life - that Emma was capable of hurting him.

"No," she replied, looking down, voice slightly rough.

"I know your week starts tomorrow but I would still, very much, like to see him again before..."

Before it was over, before he was a pre-teen again.

Emma nodded quickly, setting the bag down so she could rest her hand against Henry's back. "Yeah, of course." She wanted to spend every moment she could with Henry, sure, but she got it, these were really...extraordinary circumstances. Not to mention that Emma had never actually done this. Had memories of it, but never physically taken care of a toddler before.

So yeah. The idea of having Regina around, honestly, not bad at all.

"Why don't I call you tomorrow, we can meet up somewhere?"

Henry, for his part, was so content against his mama's shoulder. He knew he wasn't supposed to be sleeping too much for naptime, but he was dozing just lightly, one tiny hand grabbing a fistful of her shirt as he laid there listening to them talk. At this age, his favorite place to be was with his moms, curled up in their laps or on their shoulders, so he wasn't likely to budge again even when he started to wake up a bit more.

There was a slight shift, with his forehead tucking against his mama's neck more firmly.

He would, of course, rouse a bit to say goodbye to his mommy, but for now, this was just perfect.

"And call me if you need anything," she added, planning to have her phone attached to her hand for however long this lasted. She stepped forward, kissing Henry's face all over, ending at his temple and lingering.

"I love you," she murmured softly, having to force herself to pull away.

"Have fun." Her smile was small but genuine for Henry's sake before she turned to go, knowing that if she didn't now, she wouldn't.

Henry perked up a bit more, realizing she was leaving now, and he lifted his head momentarily to give his mommy a sleepy smile. "Love mommy," he murmured softly, blowing her a kiss.

But once she was gone, he flopped his head back down on his mama's shoulder, burrowing close to her neck again. Waking up just a bit more, he reached out with a tiny hand to play with her hair. "Hi mama," he spoke quietly, a smile still lingering on his lips.

After the door closed, Emma wrapped her arms tight around Henry and snuggled him close, kissing the top of his head and ruffling his hair while he toyed with hers. "Hey little man," she said again, hitching him up a little further on her hip. She wanted to just hold him for a little while--in fact, it was entirely possible she wasn't gonna put him down all day. "Are you feeling okay? Hungry, thirsty?"

Henry would happily stay in her arms, in no rush to move. He finally lifted his head up again, though, to look at her, thinking about the question she'd asked. Snacks always sounded good to him, though he was actually still full from lunch. And he wasn't too terribly thirsty right now.

"I okay," he confirmed with a nod, a smile spreading on his face. He leaned forward, sweetly kissing her cheek. "Missed mama." But, he was here now, which accounted for the bright smile on his face. It didn't matter to him what they did together, he always liked just being with her.

Emma grinned and angled her cheek into his cute little smooch even as it made her eyes sting. "Missed you too, little man," she told him, swaying back and forth a little with him resting on her hip. "Did you have a good time with Regi--with your mommy?"

He nodded his little head. "I had pamcakes wif chips and milk." He could sort of say "chocolate" but not terribly well, so he didn't even bother trying, and simply called them "chips", not realizing how strange it might sound out loud, of course.

"I helped." He liked being a big boy and helping to cook when he could. Though, all he actually did was stir up the batter, but in his mind, that was helping a lot, especially since mommy said he did a good job.

"We play, mama?"

"Yeah?" Emma grinned, unable to help herself. She hadn't been this cute as a toddler. She'd just been a very small 31 year old, who liked junk food and naps even more than she had the day before. "That sounds like it was fun, and yummy."

She kissed the tip of his nose and carried him through the living room. "Sure thing, little man. What should we play, huh? You wanna stay here? Or go to the park?"

"Was good, mama," he nodded.

His arms were secure around her neck, holding onto her in return. He had to think about that question, though, his little tongue sticking out for a moment as he seemed to be in deep thought about this. The park was fun, and they could run around and get messy. But it was also fun just staying here with mama and watching movies, and curling up in her lap.

Finally, though, he decided: "Here! I chase you."

Or they could play hide and seek, he always loved that game.

Emma laughed, planting a noisy kiss against his cheek and crouching down to set him on his feet. "Okay, but do I get a head start running from the Henry Monster?" she asked with a playful grin.

He rested his tiny hand on his chin, thinking about that deeply for a moment.

"Okay, mommy."

The only reason he agreed was he was confident he could still catch up to her regardless. But he gave her a bright grin in return, so excited.

"Okay, ready? Set?..." Emma squealed and took off running (at a snail's pace, obviously) through the living room, and around the island in the kitchen.

Henry wasn't terribly fast with his little legs, but he gained a lot of momentum, and since it was a tiny space and she was moving slowly, it didn't take him long to catch up to her. He was trying - despite his small size - to tackle her to the ground, his arms wrapping around her legs. If got her to the ground, he fully intended to tickle her. "I catched you mama!"

With a squeal and a laugh, Emma dramatically (and carefully so as not to squish the toddler) fell to the floor, pretending to shield herself from the onslaught. "Noooooooo! I'm defeated, curse you Henry-monster!"

So proud of himself, Henry crawled on top of her; not that he could really do much with his tiny hands, but he began to try and tickle her nonetheless, fingers moving across her neck.

"Mama...I stop if I get kisses," he explained, letting her in on the secret to get him to stop tickling her.

"Ah-ha! So that's your weakness!" Wrapping him up tightly in her arms, Emma planted noisy kisses all over his chubby little cheeks and forehead.

Henry squealed so loudly, pure joy in that laugh as he squirmed a bit against her. But he loved the kisses, and he was trying to give her some of his own now. "I give mama kisses!"

"You bet, kiddo." Smiling, Emma sat up and settled Henry in her lap, cuddling him close and smoothing his hair. Her eyes stung a little, just as they had when he'd first launched himself into her arms, but she tried to conceal it; she didn't want to upset him, or let him think she was upset. "Mama wants all the Henry-monster kisses."

"I a good monster, mama," Henry declared, giving her a few more soft kisses. And so far, he didn't seem to notice anything off or wrong with her. She was smiling, and so he smiled right back at her. "I draw you a picture?" He had the perfect thing in mind for a picture he could draw for her, and something she could put on the fridge.

"I would love a picture," Emma gushed, kissing the tip of his tiny nose one last time. It would be the perfect, tangible reminder of the brief time she'd actually been able to hold him when he was this small.

She got up and swung him up in her arms, spinning the around a little before settling him on her hip. "Why don't I set you up a place at the kitchen table, huh? You can put on an old shirt of mommy's over your clothes so you don't get marker on them, okay?"

Or, well, on Roland's clothes, actually, but anyway.

He smiled softly and nodded, and while she was holding him, he rested his head on her shoulder, one tiny hand curling against her shirt, holding onto the fabric there.

He had to think of a really good picture to draw her, and he had a few ideas that would include some of her favorite things. After a moment, he picked up his head, kissed her cheek sweetly, and asked, "Snack, too?"

"Definitely," Emma promised him, glad she'd made it a habit to keep some food in the house now (and if she ever neglected it, Regina was quick to stuff green and leafy things into her fridge). "How about...mmm...ants on a log," she asked, referring to the concoction of peanut butter and raisins on celery sticks. "And maybe some grapes, or cheese and crackers?"

"That's good, mama," Henry nodded vigorously. Really, he could eat just about anything, that seemed to be a constant with him no matter what age he was. He absolutely loved peanut butter, though. He could just lick it right off the spoon and be happy with that, so the prospect of ants on a log was promising.

"All righty then." Emma kissed the tip of his nose and swung him into a chair at the tiny kitchen table. "You sit tight for just a second, mama will go get your pencils and paper, and make you a snack, okay?"

She kissed the top of his head, smoothed his hair, then ducked away quickly, grabbing the plastic art box full of colored pencils and some notebook paper, and a ratty t-shirt out of the laundry basket. She didn't want to leave Henry alone for more than a minute, because he was so tiny, and because she didn't want to miss a thing.

"Here we go!" she called as she jogged back into the kitchenette, and fussed over Henry for a minute or two while they set him up with pencils and papers and tugged the oversized shirt over his head to protect his borrowed clothing. "How about some juice, too?"

He was a curious child, a bit precocious, but he knew better than to wander off and get into trouble. He had a decent idea about his boundaries, what not to touch and what not to do. And mama put him at the kitchen table, so he needed to stay there. By the time she got back, he was humming a bit to himself, swinging his legs back and forth idly, and he smiled up at her, patting his shirt once it was on.

"Yes, pwease," he nodded, still smiling up at her before he grabbed a bunch of colored pencils and began to draw.

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for Emma: A mother’s arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them

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