"I don't want to talk about it."

"Well I do!" Snow ran to catch up with Emma, walking sideways as quick as possible to keep up and be able to look at her daughter at the same time. "Emma, she was almost your godmother! That's just…she's my best friend! She's *my age!*"

"Yeah, well, I didn't quite know that when I started dating her, did I?" Emma drawled, not looking at her mother as she trudged deeper into the woods. Mulan and Aurora were somewhere behind them, probably staring in confusion like they always did when Emma and Snow started bickering about this. Snow had realized the other night that Emma was dating Red, and the look on her face had nearly been priceless. Shock, horror, and absolute disbelief all wrapped into one. Emma had refused to talk about it, since she was finally getting into a comfortable enough position to sleep for the first time since they had fallen into this damn world.

"Well you know now," Snow said. "Emma, she's…she's a great girl, but don't you think all of this makes no sense now? The curse is broken…things are different."

"Yeah, I'm well aware of that," Emma snapped, stopping to turn to look at Snow. "And I really don't care if it doesn't make sense. I like her. A lot. She treats me good, and she gives me a reason to believe in romance again." Sighing, she looked away. "If she thinks there's a problem, then I'll talk about it with her when we get back. But until then…just stay out of it, okay?"

The look on Snow's face indicated she might have been kicked by a horse. Emma wouldn't be guilted. Ever since that damn curse broke, everyone was up one side of her and down the other about who she should be, what she should be doing, what she should be thinking. Especially Snow. Emma could barely wrap her head around the fact that Mary Margaret and David were her parents, let alone Ruby being Red Riding Hood and her mother's age. What did it matter? Since when did age have to matter when it came to dating? Emma had dated older women before. Red would be no different.

The little tidbit of information about Ruby almost being her godmother didn't sit well with her, however. It figured she'd end up liking the one that may as well have been family. Auntie Ruby. God, that was a horrible sound, especially after everything they had done to each other…

They started walking again, silence stretching between them, thick and noticeable. Snow looked ready to have a meltdown; Emma didn't know what to say to make any of it better, so she just didn't say anything at all. Finally, Snow spoke, her voice controlled.

"If you like her that much…I want you two to be happy," Snow said. "If she still wants to be with you, and…Gods, I know she'll want to be…she's so loyal…I just want you two to take care of each other. Because I don't want to lose my best friend and my daughter if something goes wrong."

Emma's lips pursed, and the realization of the real risk in all of this finally settled in. Things would never be easy for Emma Swan, it seemed.