Some Lost Time

She'd been coughing all morning. Her voice was hoarse from constantly having to do so. With every cough, David winced. It sounded so violent, like every action was ripping her lungs apart, bit-by-bit. There were bags under her eyes. She looked exhausted. She was congested; David could hear it in her voice and in every sniffle. She looked flush, her skin an unhealthy shade of pale, unlike the porcelain finish she normally wore.

"Emma, please," David begged for the thousandth time. "You're sick. Go home, get some rest."

"I'm fine," Emma denied before being sucked into a coughing fit.

David's frown grew as his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He excused himself and answered the call, already knowing who was on the other line before pulling the device from his jeans.

"She won't go, Snow," David reported before his wife could say a word. "… Of course I'll keep trying, but you know Emma. She's just as stubborn as you are… I'll let you know… I love you too."

David sighed while hanging up the phone. He walked back into the sheriff's office to see Emma standing from her chair. She walked a few steps before stopping, her knees buckling a bit. As Emma grabbed onto the file cabinet for support, David went running into the room.

"You're going home," David said firmly.

Emma didn't have the strength to argue.

XOX

With Regina lurking about, Snow had been tutoring Henry at home. She gave up her teaching job at the school. With everything going on, she couldn't focus on the task. Her head wasn't all there. So she wished her students farewell and put all her energy into her family.

Henry was completing a lesson while Snow was preparing lunch. She was making grilled cheese sandwiches when the apartment door opened.

"This really wasn't necessary," Emma grumbled in complaint as David let her through the room.

Snow came rushing from the kitchen as Henry stood from his chair.

"Mom?" the young boy question in worry.

"I'm fine. David's making something out of nothing."

"She almost collapsed."

With a stern face, Snow pointed to the second floor. "Upstairs, in bed, now."

Everyone was taken back by the strict tone of Snow's voice.

"I'm not a five year old," Emma argued weakly.

With her brows knit in concentration, Snow took a few steps forward so she could put the back of her hand to Emma's forehead. After feeling how hot her skin was, she looked to Henry and said, "please take your mother upstairs. She needs to lie down."

"Come on," Henry said while taking his mother's hand.

Emma narrowed her eyes at Snow. Playing the Henry card… that wasn't fair. She couldn't say no to that face.

"I'll be right up. Henry, make sure she gets into bed."

With a dutiful nod, Henry all but dragged Emma up the stairs and to her bedroom. When they reached the open doorway, Henry sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling his mom down with him.

"Get under the blanket," Henry instructed while pulling from the covers from underneath the mattress.

With a frown, Emma swung her legs up to the bed. "Aren't I supposed to be doing this to you?" she grumbled in annoyance.

With a grin, Henry said, "I'm not sick. You are."

"That's up for- achoo!- debate."

"You're sick," Henry said simply.

"Yes she is," Snow said while coming through the room. "Let's find out how sick. Open," she instructed while holding a thermometer in the air.

After a sigh, Emma opened her mouth enough for Snow to put the thermometer underneath her tongue.

"I told you this morning to stay home," Snow said in disappointment

"I'm fine," Emma grumbled.

Snow looked to Henry and said, "Next time we don't give her a choice."

The boy nodded in agreement.

Emma rolled her eyes.

With her attention still on her grandson, Snow said, "do you mind running downstairs for the advil? There's a bottle in the bathroom cabinet.

"Does she have a fever?"

"I'm sure of it," Snow started while turning to Emma, "but let's see. Open."

Before Snow could, Emma pulled the thermometer from her mouth. She gave a fleeting glance to the device and said, "98.6. Perfect hea- achoo! Achoo!"

"As you were saying."

Emma frowned at her mother.

Snow took the thermometer and read the number. "99.8. Not too high, but still a fever."

"I'll get the medicine," Henry said while jumping from the bed.

"Ask David to brew some tea!" Snow called after him.

"You're all overreacting."

"Maybe so, but that's my right as your mother."

Emma sighed put her hands to the mattress, using the leverage to sit up.

"No, no, wrong way," Snow said while motioning for her to lie down.

"It's just a cold. I've had a cold before. I'm fine. Really."

"Getting dizzy and nearly falling to the ground isn't part of having a cold."

"I lost my balance. For a second. David overre-"

"acted. Yes, I know. He's your father. He's allowed to do that," Snow said while standing from the bed and walking over to Emma's dresser.

Emma watched as Snow opened the second drawer and pulled out a pair of sweat pants and an oversized T- shirt.

"You're not gonna change me, are you?"

"I think you can do that yourself," Snow said while putting the clothes on the bed.

"Am I allowed to walk to the bathroom?"

"Under supervision, yes," Snow said through a grin.

Emma planted her feet on the floor. "I still have a lot to do for Archie's funeral tomorrow. And I'm sure the station is getting a million calls. People are still trying to find each other. Everything is a mess. I'm backed up on paperwork, but… we'll, I guess that doesn't matter anymore with the curse broken and all," she finished through a thoughtful frown.

"We'll take care of everything, don't worry," Snow said while pulling Emma towards the bathroom.

"I don't why I'm letting you do this," Emma mumbled.

"Because you're exhausted. Have you not seen the bags under your eyes?"

Emma narrowed her eyes at her mother before closing the bathroom door.

Snow smiled.

XOX

The flu medicine Snow forced down Emma's throat took its effect quickly. Emma was already pretty tired, having been up most of the night sneezing and coughing. Within fifteen minutes of taking the medicine, she was out cold.

Snow was climbing the stairs to the loft with a tray of soup, crackers, tea, a box of tissues and vapor rub.

"Hope your hung-" After crossing the open doorway, Snow stopped when she saw that Emma had fallen asleep. A soft smile took her face as she set the tray down and walked to the edge of the bed. She pulled the blanket from Emma's feet to her chest. Her smile spread further at how peaceful her daughter's sleeping form looked. No troubles, no worries, no bad things happening… she was okay. Everything was okay, if even for a moment.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," Snow wished, her tone murmured. She put a kiss to Emma's forehead, then quietly left the room.

XOX

Emma was forced awake in a fit of harsh coughing. She struggled to sit up while putting her hand to her chest, trying to rub away the burn that every cough brought. The motion didn't help ease the pain, but after a moment the coughing subsided…. To be followed by a round of sneezing.

Another minute and Emma took a breath. She rubbed the leftover slumber from her eyes and looked to the clock. Just after noon. She'd been out for almost two hours. Last night, she barely got an hour of consecutive sleep.

Emma grabbed a hair tie from her nightstand and threw her locks up in a ponytail. She went to the bathroom to wash her face. As she was spreading soap around her skin, her tummy growled. Emma frowned. She hadn't eaten anything all morning. After cleaning up, Emma made her way downstairs.

Snow was seated at the table, playing a game of go fish with Henry as Emma tried to sneak her way through the room. But Henry gave her away.

"Hey, you're supposed to be in bed."

Snow turned in her seat to find Emma frozen in place, a wince on her face. "What are you doing down here?" she demanded.

"It's like prison without the bars," Emma grumbled.

While standing from her chair, Snow said, "I hope you don't think you're going back to work because if you do you're crazy, you're not going any-"

"Food," Emma interrupted while going to the fridge. "All I want is some food."

"Oh, yes, of course! You must be hungry! Sit down, relax. I'll fix you something."

"But I can-"

"Sit. And wrap a blanket around your body. It will keep you warm."

Emma looked to Henry. With a smile, the boy shrugged. She looked back to her mother who was running around the kitchen gathering ingredients to make a cold cut sandwich. Emma didn't have the strength or energy to fight it, so she wondered into the living room and curled up on the couch.

As Emma got comfortable, Henry ran to the across the room, swiping the remote from the coffee table before crashing on the couch. He flipped the TV on and turned up the volume when he found cartoons.

"Maybe you should stay home tomorrow too," Henry suggested.

"I guess the sick police won't give me much of a choice."

"She just wants you to feel better."

"I know," Emma murmured. "But… it's just a cold," she argued weakly.

"She never got to take care of you when you were sick. She's just doing what she never got to," Henry reasoned simply, his eyes on the tv.

Emma took in the boy's words. He may only be eleven, but he was wise beyond his years. She looked to her mother who was preparing a bologna and cheese sandwich. That was Emma's favorite. Her lips curved to a smile.

"Okay," Snow sang while walking around the counter with Emma's lunch. She went to the living room and set the plate down on the coffee table.

"Thank you," Emma said through a smile.

Snow returned the sentiment. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Emma said while taking her sandwich.

Snow narrowed her eyes.

"No, really… thank you… you know, for holding me here against my will."

Snow matched Emma's grin. "Anytime."

The End

Thoughts before you go?

P.S, A new chapter for 'Road to Happiness' is in the works. I'll have it up by the weekend. Sorry for the long wait, but now that we know Neal is Bae, it's full steam ahead!

Also, if anyone has any Emma/Snow, Emma/Henry, Emma/David for the Charming family as a whole, fic prompts, feel free to send 'em my way!