Disclaimer: Just playing, will put everything back when finished.

It's a stupid way to get hurt, falling up the stairs, especially after everything she's just been through. But alas, that is Emma Swan's lot after the jet-lag like symptoms of jumping through a portal hit.

Thankfully she'd been able to inspect the damage fast, blessedly soft sweatpants having quickly replaced her more than gamey jeans after their return to the apartment.

Emma's quest downstairs after lights out also had much to do with her recent adventures, her hunger for more "real" food ending in a fridge raid. But after her impromptu feast, the exhaustion had really struck, and so had her knee into the metal stair.

It doesn't look too bad upon further inspection, more bruise than blood, she's definitely had worse.

"Oh, Emma, what did you do?"

Not that her mother would care about that of course.

"It's nothing," she tries to cover, equally unsuccessful in covering the injury as with almost scary agility she finds Snow sitting on the stair below hers to do some inspecting of her own.

"You're sure? You can move it? Nothing's moving that shouldn't be?" The questions are fired of with such speedy succession Emma can't resist rolling her eyes.

"Yes, Mother-" Emma starts, then stops, no amount of sarcasm could hide what she just inadvertently said.

She's sure Snow's face is priceless, but suddenly her hands are far more interesting. Which is why she feels Snow's kiss against her bruised knee rather than sees it, and it finally forces her eyes forward.

"Kissing it better, it's a mother thing too, I'm afraid," Snow smiles cheekily, or at least that's what Emma thinks she's going for in spite of the full-tilt emotion in her eyes.

"Thanks," is all she can manage, rolling down the leg of her sweats once more before standing, not sure if she's running from her mother's reaction to this situation or her own.

But Snow will not let her get away that easy, she should know better by now.

A ringed hand snags hers, and Emma's eyes go to the hand holding hers before swallowing hard and meeting Snow's again.

"Sleep well, sweetheart," is all she says before squeezing her hand and letting go, moving to head back towards her own room.

And It's just as well; Emma wouldn't want Snow to know that a kiss to the knee and a hand squeeze is all it takes to bring a huge chunk of her wall crumbling down.