Part 3

Disclaimer: I wish, but no, I don't own the characters/show.

Her daughter was hurt. Her daughter was hurt and Charming had convinced her to stay at school.

What the hell had she been thinking?

Henry had taken it well when she took him aside, better than her as he'd obviously been able to finish his work. But try as she might, teaching the rest of her lesson plan had been torture, it had taken all her will power not to bulldoze through her own students when the school day had finally ended.

Her anger particularly flared when she tried to call Charming for an update and got no answer. A quick call to the hospital informed her that Emma had been discharged, which could only mean Charming had taken her home. So damn him why hadn't he called her? But for Henry's sake she keeps her cool, holding his hand and even smiling as he told her what he'd done at recess that day.

Only when they'd gotten in the car and she'd peeled out of the parking lot towards home did Henry's worry start to show, his foot tapping against the car door incessantly as he bit his lip with a frown. And his worry combined with hers causes her to speed even more. So sue her, she knew the police, that was the whole reason behind her concern after all.

But taking the steps two at a time with Henry following suit, they're finally home, and she can take stock of the damage herself.

After days of being able to reach out and touch her daughter, getting back into a "normal" routine had been difficult. Her separation anxiety had been eased somewhat by the thought that Charming would be there to keep an eye on her as a new Deputy, but the denial of the danger both their jobs entailed had come back to bite her in a big way today.

But when they burst through the door she stops, the sight before her brings tears to her eyes, her anger forgotten in an instant.

Emma's bad ankle rests on the coffee table, but the rest of her rests against her father, both of them fast asleep with his arm around her.

"Of course Gramps is taking good care of her, what were we worried about?" Henry sighs, walking up beside her and taking her hand with a smile.

"You're right, Henry," she smiles back, squeezing his hand.

"Can we go to the diner for food tonight, Grandma?"

"I suppose, but why-"

"I don't want to wake Mom and Grandpa up."

She looks back to father and daughter, sleeping so peacefully, and nods.

"That's a great idea, Henry. Then we can bring them something back."

"Let's go," he tugs on her hand, and she allows herself to led back to the front door. Only taking her hand back to grab her purse again, she looks back to see Charming's sleepy eyes following her, questioning.

She only smiles, and he smiles back, looking to Emma and then back at her, and she nods, mouthing "We'll be back," before closing the door behind her. Charming was spending time with Emma, which meant she got to spend some time with Henry. Being his teacher was not the same as being his grandmother, and her smiles grows even wider than she thought possible when he easily takes her hand again.

"So," she starts, "Jack and Jill did what exactly at recess today?"

Charming wakes up again to an empty apartment, but he remembers a pair of green eyes smiling at him as he held his daughter close, and that blonde head still resting against him makes him grin. She's out like a light, and she's beautiful, just like her mother. But her neck has also moved to sit at an awkward angle against him and he knows if she wakes up any time soon the whole family will have a cranky Emma on their hands.

This in mind, along with the awareness that he might never get the opportunity again, Charming carefully lifts her once more into his arms, a warmth filling him like he'd never known when she only snuggles closer to him in sleep. That that is her only reaction also tells him just how little rest she'd been getting recently. He doubted she'd slept well in their old land and upon her and Snow's return there'd been little time for rest as the dark circles he sees all too clearly under her eyes tell him. How he'd not noticed them sooner makes him want to kick himself, but now is not the time. Emma will finally get the sleep she deserves, he will see to it.

Holding her just a little closer, he makes way towards the lone bed on the main floor. It's not a long trek, and he can't help but hold her a bit longer before placing her on the mattress. Wrapping the throw that lay on the end of the bed around her while making sure her hurt ankle is resting on another pillow, he tucks her in as he wished he'd been able to do every night of her childhood, even daring to brush some errant curls from her face and press a kiss to her forehead.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," he whispers, before finally forcing himself from the room. He could watch over her as she slept forever, but he wasn't ready with an excuse should she catch him. So with a sigh he pulls back the curtain dividing the loft, just as the front door carefully opens to reveal his wife and grandson.

"Gramps!" Henry whispers excitedly, having no qualms about running up to him for a hug. He accepts it gratefully, before turning to Snow. She has a bag of Granny's take out boxes in her hands that she sets down on the kitchen island first, but her eyes are only for the sleeping figure outlined through the curtain in the bedroom.

"Why didn't you call and tell me you'd brought her home?" Snow asks after a moment, and he startles before wanting to go bang his head against a brick wall several times.

"Snow I'm sorry, I just got so wrapped up in getting her taken care of and-"

"And how is she?" she cuts him off, and he sighs.

"She's fine, just a sprain and exhaustion," he explains, walking up to stand close but not touch, unsure of how his advances would be met, "the pain medication was the final push she needed to rest."

She nods before looking at him, a grimace on her face.

"It's okay, I understand. And I'm sorry for taking my anger out on you before. It's just that we just got her back and-"

"I know," he assures, finally opening his arms and feeling a weight lift off his chest as she easily steps into them. He feels horrible for not calling, but he's also glad she can forgive him. Emma's just obviously a large soft spot for both of them.

"Henry, be careful, don't wake her up," Snow calls over his shoulder, and he turns to see his grandson trying to sneak past the curtain. The boy jumps guiltily, but his eyes display nothing but concern for his mother.

"C'mon then," Charming has to laugh, breaking their embrace to hold Snow's hand instead, "Let's go check on sleeping beauty."

Snow elbows him for the bad joke, but Henry only nods eagerly, barely able to wait for them to meet him at the curtain before he slips past.

Snow moves just as quickly to Emma's side, sitting softly at the edge of the bed. Henry is bolder, kicking off his shoes and coat before climbing on the other side of the bed, lying down close to her.

His grandson's actions strike a cord in Charming, remembering his own mother long since past. He'd adored her like Henry obviously adores Emma, and his determination to keep his family together and safe only strengthens.

For Snow's part she only cradles their daughter's cheek, murmuring soft words of comfort before moving down the bed to check on her ankle. Her gaze is distant however as she checks the wrap, as if recalling the last incident that Emma had spoken of. The touch, however, seems to be one too many as Emma shifts in sleep, only Henry's fast thinking of grabbing one of her flailing hands keeps her from waking fully as she moves her arm to pull him closer.

The boy happily accepts, and Emma calms, recognizing his presence and scent as she buries her nose in his hair.

It's enough to bring a tear to his eye, and as Snow gets up to join him, those same tears glisten back at him when she meets his gaze with a smile.

"Come," she directs, taking his hand, "While the sheriff might not be interested the deputy must be hungry."

The thought had occurred to him, the smells of Granny's cooking wafting from the kitchen.

"Don't worry, Grandpa, I'll look after her," Henry agrees, and Charming smiles.

"Of course you will, kid," he nods, letting Snow lead him out of the bedroom once more.

It was true, his duties as a deputy were done for one day, but his duties as a husband, a father, a grandfather will never be done.

And wrapping his arms around Snow, taking in their world, their home, their family, he wouldn't have it any other way.