Family

I'm having some writer's block issues, so I asked for Tumblr prompts to break the funk. I received some prompts, and I'm working through them (as well as the next chapter of THATRJ).

"Graham's reaction to meeting Neal/finding out Rumple is Henry's grandfather/etc." for diddykongfan on Tumblr.

(In this version, Graham does not die. He and Emma begin a slow, tentative relationship. They both go to the enchanted forest, earning Hook's admiration and trust—they remind him of his younger self's love for Milah before Revenge took him over. Emma and Graham are able to reason with Hook and keep him from attacking Belle and Rumpelstiltskin. He is currently, at this moment, across town pursuing Ruby, who is rebuffing his—and Victor's—affection in favour of singledom. Belle has never been shot. But she HAS rejected Rumpel's violence in attacking Hook and is demanding he be a kinder man. Emma volunteered to go and find Baelfire in order to get rid of her favour and inspire Rumpel to do better. Rumpel hopes that having Bae back will help him to be a better man.)

Hope you all enjoy!

He was waiting for them just across the line. Emma swallowed, eyes roving up, from his neatly tied shoelaces to his crossed, lean legs, to the hips angled toward their oncoming car, to the arms—arms that held her, soothed her, loved her—crossed over his broad chest. That chest held a heart that was full of love for her. A heart that defied magic and reason by surviving when Regina crushed it to dust. A heart that beat—he once told her—only for her and Henry.

She wonders how that heart will handle the bombshells she is about to drop.

"There's Graham!" Henry exclaims excitedly, pointing at the figure leaning against the patrol car. "My mom," he says, tone still carrying a twinge of bitterness and frustration over being lied to, "must've texted him ahead of time so he could meet up."

"I did," she murmurs, almost to herself, eyes locked on the leaning form coming closer and closer. If she stares at him—the man she loves—she doesn't have to look at the man she loved before, the one who betrayed her because a stranger told him to, because he was too cowardly to love her despite her connection to his father, because he didn't respect her enough to try to speak to her or work things out.

Now that they are closer, she can see the joy and relief etched in every line on Graham Humbert—The Huntsman who ensued her mother's life and thus her survival, how crazy is that?—gentle face. He was worried about her. She can relate. She knows about feeling helpless while something—someone—slips away from you to a place where you can't follow.

The car slows to crawl, edging over the town line as if Rumplestiltskin is hesitant to return. Before she even knows what she is doing, the car door has been thrown open and she is launching herself into the chilly air, needing to feel his arms around her. It has been far too long and Henry is distant right now and, honestly, Neal makes her feel like a lost little girl all over again and she is NOT that person anymore. She is so much more, wants so much more and has so much more now.

The moment the car door opens, so do his arms, and she burrows into them, her nose nudging his scruffy jawline and her arms encircling his waist. For the thousandth time, she wonders how she could fit so perfectly in someone's arms. He huffs against her neck, chuckling happily, his warm breath making her shiver and close her eyes in relief and contentedness. Despite all of the crazy in her life, he is here.

Will he still be, after she tells him everything?

She hears the gravel crunches slow as Rumpelstiltskin's car comes to a stop. She has little time. She presses a gentle, loving hiss against his lips—it could be their last, he might not want her and all the drama that comes with her-and car doors open behind her.

She leans back and meets his soft, eager eyes. He must love all of this attention, because she is not usually so affectionate in front of others, especially her son. She has only moments to explain.

"Graham," she says, trying to find the words to express how she feels—oh god, they have been together for almost a year and she has never told him that she loves him to his face, she has been so afraid and now he may not want to hear those words anymore. "You are my everything, you and Henry, you know that right?"

He nods, a slow, ecstatic smile brightening his face even more and bliss crinkling more lines around his eyes. "You never say," he says lowly, eyes locked with hers, "But I always know. I love you, Emma. I missed you every second you were gone."

She breathes deep as footsteps crunch behind her. "I love you too," she says softly, "So much, and I'm sorry I've been too afraid to say it before." His arms tighten around her and she knows he understands. He always understands. God, she really feels like she doesn't deserve him.

"We found Gold's son," she says, inclining her head to behind her, in their general direction. Graham's bright eyes slide from hers and lock onto Neal and the way Henry clings to him like a second skin. He takes it in. Emma sucks in a breath and adds, "He is Henry's father. Henry is Gold's grandson, I guess."

Graham stills.

Emma freezes. Maybe she shouldn't have said "I love you" in this moment. Maybe the rush to prove herself has cheapened it. Maybe she has ruined it, like she ruined her relationship with Henry.

She curses herself inwardly, taking a step back to give him space, eyes on his perfectly-tied boots.

His arms tighten around her. She looks up in astonishment. His eyes are inscrutable now—that never happens, usually he is so open to her—but he nods. "We'll talk about it later, Emma," he murmurs, pressing a kiss to her nose.

"You… still want me?" she asks slowly, feeling a bit pathetic and needy.

The crunches of footsteps behind them stop. Gold and Neal and Henry are close—close enough to hear what they are saying.

"I will ALWAYS want you," Graham says, hands circling her face like they did months ago when he told her that he remembered, "ALL of you. EVERYTHING that comes with you."

A smile breaks out on her face before she can stop it. . For the thousandth time, she wonders how she could deserve someone so pure, selfless, and loving.

Neal coughs behind her while Henry makes gagging noises. They seem far more joking then his last comment. Graham has that effect on people, she supposes. He certainly has that effect on her.

She turns to face Gold, Neal—she should start thinking of him as Baelfire because that will help her separate herself from this man she doesn't want or know anymore—and Henry, taking Graham's hand.

"Baelfire," she says, and shock flares in his eyes. Good. He'd given her a few shocks back in the day. "This is Graham Humbert, the Sheriff of Storybrooke. Also, The Huntsman who spared my mother's life and ensured my existence." Beside her, Graham shifts from foot to foot, modest and embarrassed. He does that when she brings up all the ways he has saved her. "And," she adds, "My partner."

She doesn't need to see Graham's face to know that he is smiling.