7 Years Later

It was an October morning, which meant the mornings would be cool but Emma liked the smell of the air in the mornings. So every night in summer and autumn, she opened the window.

The breeze lifted Emma's hair and she stirred awake and turned over to reach for her husband, She knew he was still next to her, she could hear him snoring.

She reached for him and her arm bumped something between them. The lump in the bed automatically moved and wriggled and she saw the thick brown hair followed by the small arms and legs scrambling out of the bed.

Emma smiled at her four year old son and pulled him into a bear hug, "And what are you doing in here, Rumpelstiltskin?"

"I had a bad dream," he rested his head on her chest. Emma embraced him. He was Jefferson's son through and through but when Jefferson wasn't looking, he was at her side.

"Today is a very special day," Emma whispered and pulled him in her lap, "Do you know why today is a special day?"

"No," Little Rumpel reached up and gripped the necklace of her children's birthstones that she wore.

"It's mama's birthday today."

Rumpelstiltskin shot her a sweet smile and stroked her face, "Happy birthday, mama!"

"Thank you Rumpelstiltskin," she covered his face in playful kisses to get him squirming.

"Ew mama, that's gross!" he squirmed out of her grip and rubbed both arms across his face.

Jefferson opened his eyes and lifted his head up, "Stop that bouncing!"

"Morning daddy!" Rumpelstiltskin scrambled over and planted himself on Jefferson's torso.

"Morning buddy," he lifted him up, tossed him in the air and then caught him. Rumpel gave a squealing laugh and begged for him to do it again.

"You got him," Emma asked and leaned over.

"I got him," Jefferson nodded and kissed her.

Emma smiled and kissed her son's head affectionately. Her father said he was a lot like her growing up. Everyone thought that was hilarious. Emma wasn't so sure she was amused.

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Emma made breakfast and her family slowly lumbered downstairs one after the other. Grace was up earlier than most of them. At 17, she was turning into a beautiful young woman that her father was quite proud of. She was studying to be a teacher and was fluent in three languages. She would be a good asset to the royal family but Grace was more than happy to be in the small village that Jefferson allowed on the land. Jefferson thought for sure that it was because she was still attached to him and he felt guilt. Emma knew that that was only part of it. She knew the looks that Grace and the butcher's son were giving each other.

Alice was next. At 7 years old, she was curious about everything. More often than naught, it got her in trouble. Her dad said that was another thing like her but Emma certainly didn't remember somehow crawling up on the roof to see the bird's next up there.

David didn't live with them anymore. He would come visit her later with her parents. Emma had refused her birthright but David accepted his. He was studying how to be a knight and then a prince of one of the lesser realms that were slowly expanding out past Storybrooke as the families grew and rifts caused people to go their separate ways. His last letter said he was doing fine and that he was excelling for someone that had never been in this world till seven years ago.

Emma missed him deeply. Jefferson held her as she cried herself to sleep several times. Due to their responsibilities in the village and sometimes in Storybrooke, going out to meet him was practically impossible. She was the sheriff, Jefferson was the mayor and together they kept things running.

Jefferson was the last to come down (as he always was, the lazy.) and he held his son upside down as he did so. Rumpelstiltskin laughed and squealed until Jefferson lifted him up and set him right in his chair.

Emma finished making the pancakes and placed them in the middle of the family with the eggs and bacon so that they could eat.

Long day ahead. They might as well get their strength.

Little Rumpel tried to reach for his plate eagerly but Emma snapped her fingers, "No."

He put his hands back and pouted, "Yes mama."

Emma rolled her eyes. Trying to get sympathy wasn't going to work with her. She'd had kids before him.

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Emma wasn't sure how it'd gotten so hot in their room. She remembered it being a lot cooler when she and Jefferson came into their room hand in hand after Grace took her two younger siblings to the school about an hour away.

But as she collapsed against the bed, sweating and panting. Yeah. She was certain it'd gotten a lot warmer since they'd been in here.

Jefferson stretched out on top of her and brushed her tangled hair from her face, "Married for over ten years and we still got it."

Emma smiled and kissed him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted her head so that he could wrap his arms around her neck as well. Emma easily kept up with his passionate kisses. She was going to be tired for the rest of the day, she couldn't wait till they had all their children at an age where the dark didn't terrify them anymore and they could just do this and then go to sleep afterwards.

"I love you," he whispered.

Emma smiled, "Love you more."

"Oh let's not get in that argument, you'll just lose."

Emma kissed the tip of his nose and then his lips. He moaned and went to grip her thigh but Emma stopped him, "We really should start getting things ready for my parents visiting this afternoon,"

Jefferson groaned and continued tempting her. He covered her neck and shoulders in lazy kisses that just urged her to stay in bed a little longer.

"That's what we have kids for," he whispered.

"Hm," she smiled and kissed his shoulder. She trapped his hips with her legs and rolled them over. He gave her an excited victorious smirk but she leaned into his ear, "Nonsense, we want this done right, don't we?"

She kissed his chest and climbed off and gathered her clothes.

He groaned in disappointment and sat up. His hair was tousled, he'd have to get it smoothed down, "So what's the plan? Are we having lunch with your biological family and dinner with your dad?"

"Seems to be the idea."

"You know, this would be a lot easier if they all just got along."

"They do. They're just better at getting along from a distance sometimes. It's better so I can give them all equal attention. Emma kissed the top of his head and then playfully slapped his behind, "Now get your backside out of bed. I'm not doing this housework by myself."

"That's what the children are for," he repeated.

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It was two in the afternoon when Emma got her family lined up outside the front of the house in their best clothes. Alice stood in front of Emma and fidgeted in the restrictive dress. Emma knew that if she'd let Alice in anything more free range then the girl would be dirty before her Emma's parents even got down the road.

Jefferson held Rumpelstiltskin until the boy squirmed to get down. Now Jefferson just held his hand and kept pulling him up when the boy tried to reach down for something.

Grace stood with them in a blue dress. Emma saw that the butcher boy just happened to make his way outside to the village well several yards away as soon as Grace appeared. She watched as Grace caught his eye and blushed.

Jefferson expected only a prince to be good enough for his little girl. Emma knew he was most likely going to have to settle.

They came at 2:05. Unlike their predecessors (To have heard her father tell it) King David and Queen Snow did not believe in parading their guards and handmaidens and other servants with them to go visit their daughter a little ways away. They were still very much beloved in the land; there was no need for an army of guards. They had a couple of bodyguards of course, not everyone loved them, but thankfully there was no need to bring everyone.

The carriage pulled up to a stop and a footman opened the door. As soon as Charming stepped out, Emma and the rest of her family bowed.

Charming looked exasperated, "There's no need for that!"

Emma smirked to herself. Of course there was. Her father was a king and if she wanted her children to learn to respect him as such early on, she needed to serve as an example. And it always seemed to annoy him; Emma had 28 years' worth of making him pull his hair out to catch up on.

Snow stepped out in a white dress that showed her heavily pregnant belly. Her now long hair fell in a simple braid down her back. Seven years and it still felt odd not to see her mother in short hair.

After her mother; the six year olds stepped out as well. A girl and a boy; Princess Ava Johanna and Prince Marcus. Ava matched her mother and Marcus wore clothes similar to his father. Both resembled their mother though, down to the black hair and pale complexion.

Emma and her family gave the children a smaller bow. Her mother rushed forward and embraced her, "Happy birthday, Emma."

Emma felt her newest sibling kick her. She wondered if maybe it was more twins. Maybe they were catching up on lost time.

Charming smiled warming as well and kissed her cheek, "Happy birthday Emma."

"Thank you both for coming," Emma embraced her parents.

Emma watched as her father shook Jefferson's hand. Rumpelstiltskin's eyes widened at a king being so close and hid behind his father's legs. The little drama king, he was never this shy around other people.

Charming smiled at the boy, "And who's this?"

Rumpelstiltskin hid his face against his father's legs.

Jefferson tried to move his leg out of the way but little Rumpelstiltskin kept a grip on him. Jefferson gave an apologetic shrug, "He's got a grip for a little tyke."

Snow gave a smile at Grace, she'd always tried to give the girl a little bit of special attention just in case she felt left out, "You're growing more pretty every day Grace."

Grace gave a slight bow, "Thank you, your majesty."

Snow looked towards the butcher's shop and then back to Grace, "You'll make a husband very happy one day."

Grace blushed again. Jefferson huffed at that and sent a murderous look to the butcher's shop.

Another horse raced up. A black stallion like the ones the royal family rode. Alice gasped and raced over to the rider. Emma felt her heart hammer in her chest.

David pulled his helmet off. He was seventeen and his growth spurt now made him as tall as his Jefferson He lifted up his sister and hugged her. She immediately launched into a 90 miles per hour conversation filling him in on everything that he had missed since he was last here on his last birthday.

Emma left her station and went to embrace her son as tightly as possible. Tears filled her eyes. Her son was here. All her children were here and now she almost felt complete.

David hugged her back.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked, "How have you been?"

He was too skinny. She was hope that her mother would push him to eat right but he was too thin.

Jefferson smiled at the sight of his oldest son and slapped his back, "Hello David, ruling the kingdom yet?"

"Not yet," he looked at his aunt and uncle that were younger than him, "Probably not ever."

"There are things you can do with whatever title you work up towards," Emma assured him.

"I don't want the kingdom," he told them, "I see what trying to manage it has done for grandmother and grandfather."

"Come here," Jefferson wrapped his arms around his boy, "Oh, we've missed you so much."

"I missed you too," he told them. Little Rumpelstiltskin tugged on his pant leg. David smiled down at him, "Hey buddy."

He lifted him up into an embrace.

It was Emma's day to see all her family in one place.

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They talked about everything that could possibly be talked about. The children got bored quickly and went outside to play. Eventually David and Grace got bored as well and went to go watch them

"How long are you staying?" Emma asked after about five.

"The evening if we have to," David said, "I don't mean to intrude on your time but I do need to speak with your father on some matters about court."

"Okay."

"Will that ruin your time? Because I don't want to intrude on that."

"No of course not," Emma said quietly, "In fact, he'll probably be thrilled that you're coming to him for help."

"Strokes his ego does it?" Snow asked with a teasing smile

"It makes him happy getting to use his knowledge," Emma told him. Her father couldn't rely on magic to help those he decided to help anymore.

"We'll," Emma gathered the plates left on the table and carried them to the sink, "I'm sure he'll be more than happy to help."

Probably. As long as they didn't bring the past up. It was amazing how quickly one single comment could still unravel 28 years' worth of hurt and regrets for both men and 7 years of progress.

"Okay Charming," Emma squeezed his hand as she passed, "We'll see what we can do."

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It was six when they heard the knocking at the door. Emma was at the door before they finished knocking. She smiled at her papa and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Happy birthday, Emma," he kissed her cheek.

Emma smiled, they saw each other practically every day, she didn't know why today would be so special or different, "Thank you papa."

"Grandpa."

Rumpelstiltskin smiled widely when he saw his first grandson and he held him tightly in an embrace, "You've grown up. Oh gods, what's this? You're too thin, are you eating right?"

"Yes grandpa."

Rumpelstiltskin smiled and patted the side of his face, "Good boy."

Rumpelstiltskin's face darkened when he saw her parents still around but he said nothing. She saw it in his eyes that he didn't want to ruin her birthday.

"Papa, Charming has some questions he'd like to ask. He'd like to see what you could tell him."

Rumpelstiltskin gave her a look like he was mentally protesting and sighed, "Very well."

Emma rolled her eyes at his exasperation, and elbowed him playfully, "Be nice."

"I will," he promised.

Emma looked back out the door, "Are Bae and Red coming?"

"Probably closer to dinner," he said and gave a teasing roll of his eyes, "Newlyweds."

"They've been married two years!"

"It took you almost five years to get out of your newlywed state," he teased.

Emma blushed, "Papa!"

"How it took everyone so long to realize that you two were married is beyond me, that's all I'm saying," he said with a smile, "And he's a good man, Emma. You've done well. With your life…I'm…I'm quite proud of you."

Emma smiled rested her head on her father's shoulder.

"Hey," Jefferson came up to the two of them. Emma smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, "Are Bae and Red coming?"

"Later," Rumpelstiltskin said, "You might want to get a room together for them if we all decide to stay overnight."

Jefferson scowled, "But they're newlyweds!"

"It's been two years!" Emma leaned against her husband.

"Remember where we were two years into our marriage? They're sleeping at the end of the hall!"

"Aw Jefferson," Emma smiled.

"And if they give each other bedroom eyes during dinner, it's the basement," he pulled her in a tight hug and nodded to Rumpelstiltskin, "Good to see you here."

"Always, there's free food."

Emma kissed her father's cheek affectionately, "Go sit down!"

The little ones all rushed to Rumpelstiltskin, eager for his attention. Especially their youngest, who proudly treated his namesake like an honor.

Seven years and there was peace. Emma could finally relax.

She thought she saw something flying near the butcher's house. Emma gave a startled blink and focused.

Nothing.

She didn't think anything of it. The sun was setting, sometimes with the distance, her eyes played tricks on her.

She shut the door and went to get dinner ready.

The End.

I really don't know what I could say that I haven't said in author's notes before this. Except to say my thanks for everyone that stuck with me and for those that didn't…I understand. A big thank you goes out to Maridee, Malaleen and Olverabonk for listening to my ramblings all this time. You all have helped me write this story.

Well, favorite moments? Pairing? Non romantic relationship? What are you all looking forward to next story?