A/N:

An honest confession - I knew it had been a while since I posted a chapter… figured three or four months. Imagine my shock when I pulled this up for a reread and found it had been a year. I am so, so sorry. I didn't mean for "hiatus" to run this long! Hopefully the next chapter won't take this long, but between work and being "voluntold" to return to school… it's been busy. (Stay in college, kids, you don't want to have to go back and finish it years later!)

In any event, as promised, I have been consistently working on another story. I am hoping to have chapter one up by Friday as a "preview" - the rest of the story will take a while. (As an aside, I am looking for a beta for the new story, primarily for spelling, grammar, characterization and continuity. If you're interested, drop me a line - either a review or through a message.)

As always, enjoy.

Thanks,

DSB

Stepping out of the bath, Emma grabbed for a towel. She wasn't convinced that she was entirely clean - six months of grime couldn't be removed quite so easily - but she was in far better shape than she'd been when she stepped in. As she finished drying off, she couldn't help but notice her midsection. It wasn't much - chances are no one but she and Bae would notice - but she was definitely showing. She couldn't fathom how they'd missed it for so long.

The dress fit like a glove, her mother's long-held opinion being proven correct: she did look like she was expecting. She thanked her lucky stars for whomever had decided to try putting the latest fashion in her closet. It had gone over dismally with Snow at the time, but in this moment - it was perfect.

She padded towards her door, the cool stone on her bare feet a welcome change from her broken-down boots. Her thoughts drifted again towards Bae. It was night out and he still hadn't arrived. Worrisome. Perhaps she'd ask her father to send some men in pursuit.

Stepping into the hallway, she heard voices - a scuffle in the courtyard, quickly giving way to shouts. Curious, she hurried down the stairs and peered out the window to see the commotion.

There she found Bae. Any relief she might have felt at his appearance was stolen by the fact that he was surrounded by half a dozen guards; his hands were cuffed behind his back, the swords of two men drawn and aimed in his direction. To her chagrin, in front of him stood her father.

She flung open the door and flew down the steps into the courtyard. Bae lit up at the sight of her, healthy and whole, but she was too focused on the situation at hand to notice.

"Daddy!" she exclaimed, hair askew and out of breath. "What are you doing?" She shoved through the armory to reach Bae, grabbing for his hand. Grappling behind him, she found it and held on for dear life. Secure in the knowledge that the guards would never dare strike while she was in harm's way, she wheeled on her father. "Whatever are you thinking?!"

"The guards found him skulking about the perimeter. We were just about to discuss the situation at hand…"

"What's to discuss? He's Bae - not a stranger! I'll confirm his identity - tell the guards to release him."

Chin lifted in defiance, Charming pitched his defense. "He took advantage of you, Emma! That cannot be tolerated."

"Took advantage? Whatever are you talking about?!" She stole a glance at Bae, who shot her a tight smile. Inhale, Emma. Exhale. He was all right. No one would harm him with her standing by his side. Finally her panic began to subside.

Charming grimaced, looking uncomfortable. "Your mother says you are with child."

Her eyes grew wide. "That's not a reason to kill my husband!"

"He took advantage of you, Emma!"

Emma gaped. "Where have you come up with these ideas? Daddy, we're married."

"That doesn't give him the right-" The prince shook his head. "You arrived here filthy, bruised and in tattered clothes. And compromised! You claim him, yet it's clear that he's done poorly by you."

Emma's jaw tightened; she took another deep breath to gain her composure before defending her husband against the accusations. "Bae has done nothing but protect me - this whole family, really - since this whole ridiculous arrangement came about. You've no idea what we've been through these past months." She turned to the guards. "Unhand my husband at once."

The guards looked immediately to their prince, who gave a curt nod. The two with swords sheathed them and Emma released her husband's hand in order to allow the senior-most guard to unlock the handcuffs.

Once Bae was released, Emma's affronted demeanor dissipated as she flew into his arms. Despite her best efforts, she felt herself fighting back tears as she clung to him. How could her father threaten the very person she held most dear?

Bae ignored his former captor, instead turning his full attention to his wife, stroking her hair and whispering comforting words. After she had calmed sufficiently, he turned his attention to his father-in-law. "Sir, I can assure you that I have only sought to protect your daughter." Charming grunted, giving Bae an opening to continue. "I …" He spared a glance at Emma, seeming to draw courage from her before he continued. "I can hardly fault you for wanting to do the same. But sir… you acted without asking a single question about our circumstances over these last months. Emma requested we travel here, in search of safety for our family. We did so secure in the knowledge that we could acquire fresh clothes and material things upon our arrival. It was not an ideal situation, but my only goal was to keep her safe. I know that in your eyes I am but a stranger, but you have my word that your daughter is my priority."

The prince had no response to that, rather opening his mouth to speak and shutting it again in a most undignified manner. This allowed his wife to get a word in edgewise.

Snow had been standing quietly by since arriving in the courtyard on Emma's heels. She'd been observing, allowing the young couple to handle the situation, taking note - but she now approached her husband. "David! What is the meaning of all of this! They finally make it home, seeking a safe haven, and this is the greeting they receive?"

"He took advantage of her," David protested, his now-familiar rhetoric the only thing jumping to his tongue.

Emma turned to face her father, angry fists clearing tears from her eyes. Her emotions had been on a shoestring all day and she hated that she couldn't seem to pull herself together. As she released Bae from her grasp, he moved his hands to her shoulders in a show of solidarity. She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders under his grip, and lifted her chin in offense. "No one took advantage of anyone. Our child was created in love. Of all people, I had expected you & mama to understand that." She shook her head and turned back to her husband, grabbing his hand. "C'mon, Bae. Let's get you cleaned up."

The duo exited the courtyard, and Snow gestured to the team of guards, allowing them to disassemble.

"Charming," she admonished, once they were alone. "What was that?"

The usually-proud prince's shoulders fell in defeat. "They reappeared, having been missing for months, and Emma looked utterly war-torn. What was I supposed to think?"

"Perhaps that if he'd harmed her and she was running from him, she would have told us that when she arrived? Perhaps that when she said she loved him, she meant it? And perhaps - just perhaps - it should have dawned on you that if she'd been alone, she may not have even survived?"

Charming frowned. "You did."

Snow sighed, shaking her head. "Emma is not me, darling, and her story is not the same as mine. To hear her speak of him, they've become quite close. It seems much has changed in the time they've been away."

"Clearly," he replied, bitterness evident in his tone.

"I'm afraid you've offended them both deeply. Repairing that… it may take some time. An apology may be a good place to start."

"But he took-"

She placed a finger over his lips. "He did no such thing. She is a married woman. You need to stop saying that. How would you feel if someone said that about you and I?" The expression that overtook his face could be described as little other than a pout, but it was enough for Snow to know she'd won. "They'll be coming down for supper in a bit. You should probably spend the time preparing your apology." She patted his cheek before departing, leaving him to stare at the remnants of the chaos he had caused in the courtyard.

As Emma led Bae on a winding path through the castle, he found himself wincing due to her grip on his hand. "Emma, dear, you don't have to hold on so tightly. It's okay, no one is going to steal me away."

She turned to him as they reached the door to her chamber. "How can you say that? My father just nearly had you killed!"

He shrugged. "I'm reasonably certain he won't attempt it again."

She led him into her room and sat on the corner of her bed, grasping his hands as he stood in front of her. "I am so, so sorry about my father. I had no idea he would do such a thing. I shouldn't have brought you here, shouldn't have left you alone with him..."

He shook his head. "Emma, don't blame yourself! He was only trying to protect you. Though in a rather misguided way, I do admit."

Tears sprang to the corners of her eyes again, voice faltering. "If he had succeeded... I don't know what I would have done." She bit her lip, trying to prevent tears from falling.

Bae had half a mind to drag her father in by his ear to show him the damage he'd caused. Instead he knelt in front of her and released her hands, reaching up to grasp the sides of her face. "Shhh, Emma. He didn't. It's all right, no one is going to take me away from you without a fight." He leaned in to give her a short, reassuring kiss, pulling back and softly brushing fingers over her cheek. "Look at you. Now you're dirty again. I should go get cleaned up before I get mud all over your dress."

She laughed. "It would be no great loss. Mama hates this dress. I don't wear it much."

"Nonsense, Emma, you look beautiful!"

She felt herself blushing as she murmured a thank you. "It's a far cry from the rags you're used to me in, that's for certain." Looking him over, she considered his apparel. "I'm not sure what we might have to fit you... my father is far taller. I'll get Colleen to draw you a bath and see what she can scrounge up." She began to stand, only to have Bae object.

"Don't trouble yourself, Emma, I can-"

She rolled her eyes. "Nonsense, Bae, I'm not an invalid."

He wisely chose not to object and soon enough found himself far more presentable, even if the best fit they could find were trousers and a tunic that belonged to the gardener. "They're clean," Bae had said by way of appreciation.

"We'll put a priority on getting some new clothes made for you, first thing tomorrow."

"Emma, dear, don't you think your needs are a bit more pressing? You haven't any pants that fit."

She shrugged. "There are plenty of dresses in the closet. I'll be all right for a few days."

His brow furrowed. "But all you've been able to talk about for the last week are getting new pants."

"To be honest," she said, pulling a face and releasing a sigh, "the lack of a waistband is rather welcome at the moment. Your child is making them rather uncomfortable for me," she said, a glint in her eye.

Bae drew back. "Wait, now he's my child?"

"He's far too troublesome for me to claim. Making his mother ill for months... behavior hardly fit for the heir of a demure princess."

Bae snorted with laughter. "I'm sorry - we can't possibly be talking about the same girl I married. Demure?"

Emma sent him a mock look of indignation. "I feel as if I should be offended by that!"

He grinned. "Only the truth, dear heart."

"Well enough. Suppose I may as well claim him... he's bound to get into endless mischief sooner rather than later. Beginning with his arrival!"

Shaking his head, Bae chuckled. "That poor physician. He knew precisely what ailed you - if only I'd claimed you as wife rather than sister."

Emma sent him a gentle smile. "It was with good reason, Bae. In hindsight - sure - but at the time, it seemed like the best course of action."

Bae harrumphed, finally conceding with an "I suppose" as Emma opened the door.

"Dinner?"

He nodded, and off they went in pursuit of their first decent meal in longer than either could remember.

An hour after exiting the courtyard, Snow and Charming found themselves seated at the table in the dining nook off the kitchen. They waited in silence, the staff reporting that Emma and the boy would be down shortly. Finally a voice drifted in from the hall -

"Emma, dearest, I think I'll be okay if you cling to my hand a bit less tightly. I can't feel my fingers."

Snow bit back a chuckle - both at her daughter's penchant for extremes and young Bae's lack of realizing just how easily sound traveled in the old stone castle. Emma's reply could only be caught as a whisper on the wind, and Snow was sure she'd teach him in due course.

To her left, Charming grimaced - undoubtedly both at the prospect of dining with the boy he held responsible for his daughter's lengthy absence and that same daughter, who wasn't known for forgetting those who had upset her. The drumming of his fingers on the tabletop betrayed his anxiety - even if she hadn't been able to practically read his mind.

The young couple turned the corner into the dining nook, and Bae looked around. Snow had forgotten - they'd eaten in the formal dining room the last time. He hadn't been family then. And though he was still a stranger in her eyes, Emma claimed otherwise - and she'd sooner accept her daughter's husband than lose her only child. If Emma was made to choose, she'd choose the boy, Snow knew. In her shoes, she would have done the same.

Charming, on the other hand - well, to his credit, he was trying to look chagrined. Not that it stopped Emma from tightening her grip once again when his eyes lit upon young Bae. The boy grimaced, but said nothing.

It was going to be a long meal.

"Feels better to be cleaned up, doesn't it?" Snow said, offering the duo a smile. "Please - sit down. The food will out in a moment."

Bae looked at Emma, who gestured to the seat opposite Snow. He stepped forward as if to sit, then caught himself - pulling out Emma's chair and letting her be seated first. She sent him a look - somewhere between befuddlement and amusement - but accepted the gesture, sweeping her skirts from under her and taking her seat. As Bae finally settled himself in the chair, she pointedly scooted to the left - locking eyes with her father as she moved herself obnoxiously close to her husband.

Bae looked over to Emma, who merely raised an eyebrow. He turned to Snow and answered her question. "Immensely, yes. I wanted to thank - Colleen, did you say her name is? - but she was gone before I had the chance."

"It's no trouble," Snow replied, sending him a gentle smile. "She's taken care of Emma for years."

Bae grunted, and an uncomfortable silence filled the room. It settled in for a few minutes, threatening to make itself at home, until Snow tried again to stoke the conversation.

"You said you've been out in Lincolnshire?"

Emma nodded.

"And what did you do there?"

"We lived," she replied.

"Yes we know you lived there," Charming chimed in, "but what did you do?"

"We lived." She fixed a stony glare on her father before continuing. "Built a life. Our days were filled with harvesting from the garden and preparing the game that had been trapped. Washing and mending clothes, an occasional day's work for the neighboring farmer, a quick trip to market - not a lot of time for anything else when you're busy just trying to survive."

"Time for enough," Charming grumbled.

It took Emma a moment to catch his meaning, but once she did, she launched into a tirade. "You don't get to be like that - about any of this. You consented to my marriage without ever informing me. I've come to love the man you married me off to - by the grace of all that is good he turned out to be a wonderful man, completely unlike his father - or mine." Charming harrumphed, but Emma plowed forward in her tirade. "And you spent my whole childhood reminding me it's my duty to produce an heir - you do not get to dictate when, how, or with whom I have a child. Bae is my husband, and though we were thrown together I chose him - and he me - and if you so much as harm a hair on his head I will never forgive you."

As her tirade finished, the room went silent. Finally, Charming spoke. "Emma, I -"

"Save it," she interrupted. "You have harassed him for far too long, without evidence and over my objections. It's enough. Make your choice - you accept my husband or you reject me."

Charming was robbed of the opportunity to respond when the kitchen door swung open, revealing the meal cart pushed by cook. She placed a plate before each of the four, lifting the lids to reveal their meal - steak, a baked potato, and a healthy helping of asparagus.

Snow grinned in anticipation. "I had them make all of your favorites."

Emma - fully distracted from her angry tirade by the arrival of the food - sucked in her lips in what appeared to be an attempt not to laugh. Laugh? What was so funny about their dinner?

But she caught Bae's eye and lost the battle, descending into peals of hysterical laughter. Bae joined her, an attempt to be reserved resulting in more chuckling than hysterics. Charming - not so quick to move on from their prior argument - grunted grumpily. "What's so funny?"

Emma looked at her father, biting her lip in an attempt to quell her laughter. "The - it's - asparagus!" she managed to squeak out before her giggles returned.

This only served to make her farther grumpier. "What's the meaning of all of this?!"

Bae stifled a chuckle long enough to respond. "Asparagus, sir - it was one of the few things we reliably had to eat in Lincolnshire, you see. All I could hear out of Emma, all the way back here, is that if she never saw another chute again, it would be too soon. And so-" He gestured at his plate, the indication sufficient to get the message across.

"By all means, we'll fetch chef to get you something different!" Snow exclaimed, fairly hopping out of her chair to fetch the kitchen staff.

"Don't be silly," Emma said, finally quieting her giggles enough to speak. "Someone's gone to all of the trouble to harvest this, to prepare it - it'll feed me just fine. No sense in it going to waste."

Snow sat back down, hesitant and confused. "It's no trouble -"

"It's not necessary."

"Are you sure?"

Emma nodded, lifting her fork and knife to cut the offending vegetable. "Food's food, Mama."

Snow stared briefly - was this really her Emma, who would send back a green bean for being too light on the garlic? Emma happily chomped on her asparagus, turning to Bae - "Cooked better than I ever managed."

"That's because you never got over your fear of burning down the cabin, dear heart."

She stuck out her tongue at him - ladylike to the end - and Snow bit back an admonishment. She sat watching the interplay between the duo, fascinated - and pushing down what almost felt like jealousy at the ease with which this boy interacted with the daughter she was beginning to feel she no longer knew at all.

"-did not," Emma finished, her defense weak even to her mother's ears. "Besides, you only took it all over because I was sick! I cooked plenty prior to that."

"Cooked it a generous word for it."

Emma harrumphed, the mirth in her eyes betraying her false anger. "I told you way back in your father's cottage about my lack of culinary skills."

"And I mine, yet somehow we managed to survive half a year in the wilderness." He turned to Snow. "Any meal is a delight after that. Thank you."

"Goodness knows you need it," Charming mumbled, sullen. "You're skin and bones, the lot of you. To think that—"

Emma cut him off. "We survived being chased by a deranged sorceress?"

He grumbled. "We could have protected you better."

"Or put me in harm's way. This was the first place she would have thought to look. Daddy…" She sighed, a full belly allowing rational thought to replace her prior anger. "We went through all of this before we ran. This castle is no defense against her magic. The only other option was to ask Bae's father for help - and given how we got into this mess in the first place, that option wasn't on the table."

Charming frowned. "Perhaps it should have been."

"No," Emma replied with a vehement shake of her head. "His prices are far too steep to be anything I'd ever want to pay."

"Sometimes they're worth the cost," he said, glancing at Snow - undoubtedly remembering their decisions to protect their daughter and expecting her to back him up.

Before she could speak, Bae piped up. "And sometimes they're not." Emma glanced over at him, and the look that flashed across her face was not lost on Snow. "Emma was already living in a life she hadn't chosen. Can you really blame her for not wanting to dig the hole deeper?"

"He's got a point, David. They made a decision in the moment, the best they could do-"

"I made a decision," Emma said, interrupting. "What Bae did - all he did in those early days - was to support me. Honestly, I would have run alone if I'd been able. Luckily I wasn't - there's little question that it was Bae's presence that helped me survive."

Snow shot a look at Charming, who made a sour face in return. Turning back to the children, she looked pointedly at Bae. "Thank you for keeping her safe."

"It's all I've ever wanted. From the beginning - truly."

She let a gentle smile suffice as her reply, ignoring her husband's sullen expression as she began to cut her own asparagus. An uncomfortable silence set in, the clanking and clattering of forks and knives on the china the only interruptions to its reign.

After cook had cleared their dinner plates, replacing them with dessert, Emma stood and brushed a kiss to her mother's cheek. "I think it's best we turn in. We've had an exhausting day."

Snow furrowed her brow in confusion. "But you hardly ate!"

"It's twice what we normally would have, Mama. We'll eat more in time. It will be all right - truly."

Snow took a deep breath, swallowing down her objection as she fought against her instincts and gave Emma a tight smile. Standing, she wrapped her daughter in her arms and hugged her tightly. "I'm so glad you're home."

Emma nodded - seeming unsure whether she agreed with the sentiment - and took Bae's hand. "I've missed you. Both of you," she added, as she sent her father a tight smile and headed to the door. Bae gave an awkward wave as he followed behind his wife, disappearing together through the hall door.

Snow let out a sigh, looking at her husband. "It's going to be a long road, isn't it."

Charming offered only a sad smile in return.

Upon returning from dinner, Emma realized another conundrum - bedclothes. She had plenty of nightgowns in her closet, but Bae…

He insisted he'd be fine sleeping in the tunic - "I just put it on two hours ago!" - but it hardly seemed fair for her be lounging in satin while he was stuck in broadcloth.

A call to the staff turned up a nightshirt in a matter of minutes. Bae stepped into the bath to prepare himself for bed, and she crawled in between the covers - marveling at the luxury of a mattress, sheets, a down-filled blanket - all things that she'd taken for granted throughout her first eighteen years. She'd minded peasantry far less than she'd ever expected she would, but it would be a lie to say she was unhappy to be sleeping in her own bed once again.

The door to the bath cracked open and Bae emerged. Circling to the other side of the bed, he climbed in between the covers and let out a contented sigh - mirroring, Emma imagined, her thoughts from a moment ago.

At least approximately. "Sure beats a peach orchard," he said with a grin.

"Indeed." She leaned over and blew out the candle, allowing darkness to envelop them both.

A few moments ticked by before Emma once again broke the silence. "Bae."

"Hm?"

"You're, like, twelve miles away."

"We're in the same bed!"

"I can't even reach you," she replied, tossing her arm out and proving her point as it landed on the mattress with a dull thwack. "You may as well be in the next kingdom."

"Don't be silly, dear heart. We'll each have our space, we'll sleep brilliantly."

There was silence for a moment. Then, finally, "You'll have nightmares."

Bae sighed, but before he could respond, Emma continued. "I'll have nightmares. Indigestion from a full belly and the stress of the day - it bodes well for no one."

Another sigh and then, "Would you like me to light a candle?"

"Don't be preposterous. Just scoot over this way a bit."

He scooted - a bit - and she frowned at him.

"Really?"

He grinned at her. "You know, I think we'll be glad of the space before too long, we'll need the room."

She reached out to smack his shoulder. "Are you saying I'll be taking up this whole bed in a few months time?"

"Hardly! But the child will grow, he won't be a tiny thing forever."

"He's tiny now," she replied, "And you're still way over there."

"Come this way then if it bothers you so much."

She grumbled, but scooted, finally pillowing her head on his outstretched arm. Pressing a kiss to his fingers, she sighed contently. "I haven't slept away from you for our entire marriage, and I'm not about to start now."

"Don't make her choose, Charming."

He grunted, gaze fixed in the corner of the room. He couldn't agree with his wife on this one. Not yet. The boy hadn't earned it.

Snow reached over, grabbing his chin and forcing him to look at her. "Don't make her choose. If you do… it won't be us she chooses." A pause and then, "Listen to your daughter. I know it's hard, all these months you've built him up to be an enemy - but she loves him, David. If you don't want to lose her, you've got to accept him. At least enough to respect her decisions. She's a grown woman, she has her own family - and you saw the way she looked at him at dinner. You won't drive a wedge between them any sooner than anyone could you and I."

"That's ridiculous," he said with a huff.

She steeled a gaze on him. "The sooner you get over that notion, the less likely we are to lose our daughter."

When he replied only with a frown, she rolled away, her back to her husband as she burrowed under the blankets.

"Snow," he said, placing a hand on her bare shoulder.

She tugged the covers more tightly about herself, refusing to turn to him. "Your side of the bed is over there, David. Kindly leave me to mine."

Bae woke in the morning with the first rays of the sun. True, they were banished from the room by the castle's heavy drapes, but he'd spent the last six months making the most of the daylight. The habit didn't disappear so easily. He glanced left at Emma, snoring softly as she lay sprawled out in fifteen different directions. He bit back a laugh - for a girl who spent half the night whining about the expanse of the bed, she sure did use every square inch of it.

He eased off the edge of the bed and padded softly toward the door. He was in need of some breakfast - certainly there had to be something worth eating somewhere in this giant castle. Truth be told, he would have been happy with a stray chunk of bread or peach - or anything, really - from their satchels, but he knew that they were empty. So he placed a hand on the door, hoping to ease it open gently and not wake his sleeping wife.

He heard a noise behind him. Turning, he found his wife, propped up on her elbows and squinting at him. "What are you doing?"

"Letting you sleep while I scout for breakfast," he replied.

Emma rolled her eyes. "No need to scout - there'll be a full one in the kitchen. Far better than anything we've eaten these last six months, I assure you. Hold up and I'll come down with you."

"I'd no doubt that it would improve upon our normal diet," he replied with a laugh, waiting as she pulled on a robe over her nightclothes. "Properly cooked bacon, for starters."

She snorted, leading him through the maze of halls towards the kitchen. "For certain," she said, ducking through an unassuming doorway to her left. "Shortcut. Need to get you an inventory of things you should know, living here - though you'd discover most of them in time. For starters, speak in hushed voices," she murmured. "The castle carries sound, and my parents needn't know all of our secrets."

He leaned in close, whispering in her ear. "I suppose there are a few things we may want to keep close to the vest - now that we've forsaken our own space in the name of comfort and safety."

"Quick learner," she replied. "As for breakfast, it's ready earlier than I'm ever awake - and never disappoints. Usually, I eat alone. Hopefully that will hold true this morning. Hard to have an appetite when there's so much drama."

They arrived in the breakfast nook to find it blessedly empty, save platters of bacon and eggs, a plate of biscuits, and a bowl of porridge.

"Are we hosting an army for breakfast?" Bae asked, eyeing the spread.

Emma shook her head. "Mama and Daddy will likely eat in their chambers. This excess is likely just for us."

Bae rolled his eyes. "I know we're feeding three, but—"

"Hey!"

"Hey yourself! I speak the truth."

She shook her head even as she chuckled, settling into a chair and gesturing for him to do the same. They both filled their plates - full enough that even Snow might have approved.

"Do you realize," Emma said, swallowing a mouthful of bacon as she gestured at him with a biscuit, "This is the first decently-cooked, stress free meal we've ever shared?"

Bae rolled his eyes. "Of course it's not."

"It is! The closest we've had was with Harold and Hannah and even then - would they see through our ruse? The rest of the time it was with my parents or yours, or we cooked it ourselves. Eight months we've known each other and this is the first time we've eaten a decent meal in peace."

He snorted. "I'll top it - do you realize last night is the first night that I've spent in a proper bed for the entirety of our marriage?"

"That can't be. What about - about —"

"Nowhere. It was the settee, the cave, and then that thing we called a bed in the cabin."

"That thing was perfectly serviceable for the entirety of our six months in Lincolnshire - and far better than the hayloft or a peach orchard!" she replied with a laugh.

"Says the princess who utilized enough space for six grown men last night!"

"What can I say? Your child is growing - he needs room to move!"

Bae chuckled. "That child is still no larger than one of the peaches that grew in that orchard, dear heart."

Unbeknownst to the duo, Snow had arrived for breakfast, stopping to lean against the doorjamb as she observed the good-natured ribbing the two were engaged in. A faint smile played on her lips - mostly at seeing her daughter so happy, but also at noticing that the duo was eating far more heartily than they had the evening prior. She almost backed out of the room to leave them in peace, but before she could do so, Emma glanced up and spied her.

"Oh - hi Mama."

The drop in her tone was clear, even as she tried to hide it. Snow tried to muster a smile. "I'll just grab some breakfast and head back upstairs."

"You needn't disappear on our account," Bae offered. Emma shot him a look, but he continued, undeterred. "This is your home - we can't all avoid each other forever."

Snow nodded, settling next to Emma and plating her own breakfast. She kept carefully to small talk, drawing out a few more stories about their time in Lincolnshire and doing her best to listen - not judge, just listen. Emma visibly relaxed as they talked, and Bae became more at ease as the meal went on.

As the meal finished, Snow made mention of needing to meet Charming in her study for some business. The trio walked together into the hall, where they found him waiting.

Before they separated, Snow turned to Bae and placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Baelfire, I doubt you'll like this, but sometime today we'll need to let your father know you've returned."

"Whyever would you do such a thing?!" Emma exclaimed.

"We gave our word," Snow explained, and Bae rolled his eyes.

"Because he always keeps his?"

She pressed her lips into a thin line. "We can be better than that, Bae. He's your father, and he's been worried sick about you."

Bae shook his head. "He lost that right long ago. And now I'm his father-" he gestured vaguely back to Emma - "and it's in the best interest of my wife and child to keep them as far from him as possible."

Charming made a move to argue with him, but Snow waved him off. She took a moment, rubbing her temples as she built fortitude to continue the argument. Suddenly an idea came to her. "Bae," she began gently, "Why did you marry Emma?"

His brow furrowed. "Which time?"

She bit back a smile. "The first time."

"I couldn't have your blood on my hands," he replied with a grimace.

"And what do you think will happen if your father finds out we've broken our word - and kept you from him?"

He sighed, shoulders slumping as he conceded her point. "All right. But we need to do it on my -"

"Rumplestiltskin!"

Emma's voice rung out loud and clear, and three heads whirled to look at her. "What? Might as well get it over with."

"And what's that, dearie? Your death?"

True to his nature, Rumplestiltskin had appeared in the foyer. Before another word could be said, he'd extended his hand and cast a wave of magic, pinning Emma against the wall in a chokehold.

Bae's voice rang out in horror. "Papa, stop!"

Rumplestiltskin sneered. "Whyever would I do that, Bae? She stole you away from me-"

Panic rising in his eyes, Bae glanced back. "She's my wife! What if she's carrying your grandchild!"

Rumplestiltskin sneered at his son, but Bae was relieved to note that his grip on Emma loosened ever so slightly. "Don't toy with me, boy. Everyone in this room knows that's an impossibility."

"Is it?"

Bae locked eyes with his father, hoping against hope that he'd listen to reason. The doubt mounted in the sorcerer's eyes, and Bae crossed the room to grab Emma's hand. "Papa, she's my wife."

Rumplestiltskin released the grip on Emma's neck. She fell into Bae's arms, sobbing on his shoulder as he rubbed soft circles on her back, murmuring into her ear. Rumplestiltskin frowned at the sight, full understanding of his miscalculation setting in. He caught Snow's eyes, asking her, "What's the meaning of all of this?"

"I think it's fairly obvious," she said softly. "They fell in love while they were away. The child is due to arrive late in the fall."

He stood stunned for a moment, giving Emma an opening to confront him. "I don't understand. This is exactly what you wanted, isn't it?"

The slight lilt in the front of her dress was obvious now that he knew to look for it. Three centuries of analyzing situations and he'd let emotions cloud his judgement... and he was afraid he'd have to pay dearly. Turning to his son, he avoided her question. "A child? Bae, that's-"

"You'll be getting nowhere near him," Bae said plainly, a protective arm snaking around his wife's shoulders. "I won't allow you to do to my son what you did to me."

If Bae was moved by the tears that sprang to his father's eyes, he didn't show it. Instead he turned to Emma, addressing her. "C'mon. Let's go get Doc to check you out,"

"Bae, Bae, I'm so sorry - Bae!" he hollered, shouting after the duo as they walked away. "How can I make it up to you?"

He turned back, never loosening his grip on Emma's shoulders. "You can start by protecting my family."

Snow watched the duo leave, then wheeled on the two men left standing in the foyer. "What is wrong with you? Both of you! They come seeking a haven and this is what they return to?"

Charming started to respond. "Snow, I -"

"You refused to listen to Emma about the boy - nearly ending in calamity. You've yet to apologize. And you -" she wheeled on Rumplestiltskin "- married my daughter off to your son, what are you thinking trying to harm her? After she did exactly what you wanted! After we've all done exactly what you wanted! For two decades!"

Rumplestiltskin, in a rare show of sheepishness, mounted a defense. "She spirited Bae away. I thought-"

"I don't care what you thought. You will not harm my daughter." She shook her head. "I barely know your Baelfire - barely know my own daughter at this point, for that matter. But what I do know, from watching him for the last two days, is that he adores her. He'll follow where she leads. And when Emma feels backed into a corner - and I'm certain that after that display she feels backed into a corner - do you know what she'll do?"

Rumple, for all of his wrath and all of his power, found himself a bit daunted by Snow's display. Over twenty years of bending her to his will and he'd never seen her so worked up. Sheepishly, he shook his head.

"The great sorcerer, for once at a loss. Perhaps our fearless prince can enlighten us." Snow looked pointedly at her husband. "Well, David? I'm assuming you still know you're daughter well enough to know what she'll do."

Charming gulped, then gave a nod before answering. "She'll run."

"Pack your things, we're going back to Lincolnshire."

"But the child-"

"He's best off with both parents alive, don't you agree? Less than twenty four hours we've been back, and both of our fathers have tried to kill us. He's in more danger from his own grandparents than from Cora!"

"I don't know that-"

"We'll saddle some horses, grab provisions and be off. Mama can get me some money so we can pay the physician for the birth - or I'll take some from the coffers. I don't care if I have to become a beggar or a thief. We'll make it work somehow. Bae-" She stopped, turning to catch his eye. "We came back to keep him safe. Clearly I was ill-informed, thinking that was best done here."

"Emma - just let the tempers rest. A day or two and it will all blow over -"

"A day or two and we may not all be alive." She grabbed Bae's satchel from the peg on the back of the door and shoved it into his hands. "Make haste. I won't have the child orphaned before he's even born."