This story is a tag to the episode "Tallahassee". I was watching last night, and I can't be the only one who thought Snow was about to spank Emma at the end! So, this is what I think should have happened. Hope you enjoy.

P.S.: For those of you who are following my X:Men Evolution story, I haven't given it up. I know it's been forever since an update. I've just been busy with my last semester of college, internship, and senior project. Only a few more weeks and then I'll have updates again!

Love from DARecruit

A Mother's Love

Mulan watched as the shadow of the stick crept over the line she drew in the sand. Ten hours. Emma told her she must chop down the beanstalk if she wasn't back. She knew she must respect Emma's wishes, but it was going to be hard. Pulling her sword from her sheath, Mulan moved determinedly towards the stalk.

Snow sat on the tree stump, gently rubbing Aurora's head and wishing it were Emma. Her heart hurt knowing her daughter was hurting, resenting her parents for leaving her. Snow and Charming sent her away to protect her, but Snow also knew it was hard for Emma to completely come to terms with that. While her adult side knew that Snow and Charming gave her away because it was her best chance at a good life (just as she herself had done with Henry), the little girl inside still felt abandoned by her parents, unloved, and forgotten. Snow would give anything to have gotten to see her daughter grow up and be there for her when she needed her…but she was here now, and she would make up for the time that the curse took from them, if it was the last thing she did.

"Whoa, wait, what are you doing?" Snow yelled, noticing Mulan heading towards the stalk with her sword drawn.

"Just stay back. Emma gave me ten hours," replied Mulan, brandishing her sword.

"What? And just leave her to die?" Aurora asked.

"It's been ten hours. She may already be dead." In a swift swoop, Mulan hacked at the beanstalk and watched as a ripple of magic pulsed up it. She raised her sword again.

"NOOOOOO!" cried Snow, charging at Mulan and knocking her to the ground. The two fought on the ground while Aurora yelled for them to stop.

"You do not put my daughter's life in danger!" yelled Snow.

"Stop! I'm ok!" said Emma, falling to the earth. Grimacing, she stood on shaky legs. That ripple effect from Mulan's swing had made the whole beanstalk quake and made Emma a little dizzy.

"Emma! Emma, are you ok?" Snow called, hurrying over to her daughter.

"I'm fine," said Emma.

"I was just following her orders," Mulan said as she joined the group. "Did you get it?" she asked Emma.

"Yes, it's here. Come on, we have to go. We've got ten hours before Hook follows us," Emma said, pulling out the compass and showing her companions.

"What? How?" Mulan asked.

Snow was reeling. Emma ordered Mulan to chop down the beanstalk? The worry and panic she had just been feeling turned to anger. "Hold on a minute. You told her to chop it down?" she asked her daughter.

Emma sighed. She knew Mary Margaret would have overreacted if she had told her earlier. She was hoping she wouldn't find out at all, since everything had gone according to plan. "Yes, I was just—"

Snow grabbed Emma's elbow firmly and marched her over to the tree stump. "Emma, when are you going to get it through your head that we do this together?" she scolded, taking a seat and yanking Emma down across her knees.

"Mary Margaret, what—hey!" Emma exclaimed, finding herself staring at the ground. "Hey! Ow!" she yelped when Mary Margaret's hand came crashing down on her butt.

"Y-you can't do this!" Emma said, throwing her hand back to protect her backside. This couldn't be happening. Emma Swan couldn't actually be bent over her friend—no, her mother's—knee receiving a spanking like some naughty little kid. No, this just wasn't possible.

"I most certainly can, young lady!" scolded Snow, shooing her daughter's hand away and landing a hard swat to the center of her bottom.

Emma actually laughed. Did Mary Margaret actually just call her young lady? They were the same age, for crying out loud! "I-I'm twenty-eight years old!" Emma argued, fighting to stand.

"And I'm your mother!" Snow replied, keeping a firm hold on her daughter. "I don't care how old you are! First the ogres, now this. You're in over your head here, Emma. You don't understand the dangers of this world!" she continued as she peppered her daughter's bottom with hard swats.

"Ow! Mary—ow!—Margaret! Ouch! I-I just want to—ah!—get back to Henry!" Emma said, trying to crawl off her mother's lap. She was surprised at how strong Mary Margaret was; she was holding her down with apparent ease.

"And we will get back to Henry, and to Charming, but you have got to start trusting me. And listening to me!" Snow said. She adjusted Emma on her lap and focused her attention to her sit-spots. Emma's yelps became louder. "I know you've spent your whole life fending for yourself, and you're used to protecting yourself. I know you want to protect me, but it is not your job to protect me. And I won't have you continuing to put yourself in danger to do so! I protect you, do you understand? Are you listening, Emma?" Snow asked.

"Y-ye—ouch! Yes!" cried Emma, feeling the prickle of tears in her eyes. Her butt was really starting to sting, but Mary Margaret's words cut much deeper. Emma felt guilt bubble up inside her. She was only trying to protect her friend...her mother. She wasn't used to having someone care about her own safety. She didn't think that Mary Margaret would worry honestly, but she could see now that her actions were just causing more harm than good. And she hated to admit this to herself, but she was out of her element here in this strange world.

"Ow! Ouch! I-I'm sorry! Ow! I'm sorry!" Emma cried, tears now making their way down her face.

"I won't lose you again, Emma!" Snow said firmly, landing several more hard swats to Emma's bottom before stopping. She then helped Emma stand and held her at arm's length. "We're going to find a way back together, as a family. Do you understand?" she said.

"Yes," Emma whispered, blinking away her tears.

"Come here," Snow said gently, pulling Emma into a tight hug. "I love you, Emma."

That was enough for Emma to break down in loud sobs. For the first time ever, she truly felt loved by a parent. It had taken twenty-eight years, but finally she was reunited with her family. It wasn't picture perfect, but nothing was.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm not used to…to someone c-c-caring about me," Emma sobbed, burying her face into her mother's shoulder.

"You'd better get used to it. You're my daughter, my baby," Snow whispered, carding her fingers through Emma's tangled hair. She held her daughter close, never wanting to let go. She had waited a lifetime to hold her baby, and now she finally was. After a few minutes, Emma's tears were under control and Snow pulled back so she could look into her eyes. She had Charming's eyes.

"I never wanted to leave you. If there were any other way to have protected you, I would have done it. I'm sorry, Emma…but I'm here now. Please let me in," Snow said, wiping away the lingering tears on Emma's cheeks.

"I'm working on it," Emma whispered, casting her eyes down.

Snow nodded, knowing Emma had reached her limit. She chipped away a small chunk of that wall her daughter had built, but there was still a long way to go. "Come on," she said, holding her hand out. Emma took it without even thinking. Snow smiled to herself as she lead her daughter back over to their two companions, who had graciously pretended not to notice what had just occurred no more than ten feet from where they stood.

"Come, we have a long journey ahead still," said Mulan, her gaze meeting Emma's for a brief moment. Emma felt her face heat up, but Mulan just gave her a knowing look before turning to lead the small group away from the beanstalk. Aurora followed a few steps behind, and mother and daughter brought up the rear. "We're going home, Emma," Snow said, squeezing her daughter's hand gently. Emma gave a small smile, and walked next to her mother in silence, her heart lighter than it had been since coming here.