Missing Year

Trust

Emma and Killian were snooping around trying to figure out what Maleficent, Cruella, and Ursula were up to in town. Emma knew her parents were lying to her. She just needed to figure out what about. Henry was at Granny's searching through his book. Hope was with him sitting in a high chair. Red gives Henry a cinnamon hot cocoa and doughnut with chocolate icing. "Thank you, Ruby."
"You are welcome, Henry." Hope babbles. "Hi, Hope. You are so cute!"
"Mom and Dad are both working. Hope is keeping me company while I do my research." Hope fusses. He puts Hope on his lap. "When Mommy and I went to the big house. We found a whole room full of books just like this one." Hope holds a page. "Now, I have to figure out where the books come from?" Hope babbles. "You can help me, Hope. There has to be a clue for these books in here." Ruby smiles at the brother and sister.
Emma finished patrol of villains, after a whole morning of paperwork. She parked her yellow bug in front of Granny'ss and finds her children at their booth. "My two researchers, how is it going?"
"Nothing so far, Mom. Hope has been fussy."
Granny was holding Hope who was crying. "Ooh, Hope." She holds Hope. "Mommy is here."
"Emma, she feels warm. I think she is coming down with something. She has a fever." Hope continues to cry.
"Little duckling, we are going to go home, sweetie." She rubs Hope's back. "Granny, thank you for watching them."
"You are welcome, Emma. Hope is cute to watch." Henry packed up his book.
Emma puts Hope in her car seat. "I know sweetie. You are not feeling well. Kid, when did you feed her?"
"I fed her an hour ago. She did not eat too much from her bottle."
They arrived home, Emma brings Hope to the nursery and undresses her. Hope was still crying. Emma breastfeeds Hope on the rocking chair. Henry brings up the baby Tylenol. After she breastfeeds Hope, she puts Hope on Henry's lap and spoonfeeds her medicine. "Good girl."
"Little sis, we are going to watch a Harry Potter movie."
"Kid, that is a good idea." She holds Hope on her hip. "Hope, we are going to watch a movie."
"Mama."
"You are staying with me, sweetie."
"And me, little sis." He kisses Hope on the cheek.
They go downstairs, Henry makes popcorn with melted milk duds. Emma turns on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire on DVD. "Popcorn ready."
"With melted milk duds?"
"Yes."
"Thank you, Henry." Hope babbles. Emma puts Hope on her chest and rubs her back.
"Mom, is Hope okay? I do not like seeing Hope sick."
"Babies tend to get sick a lot."
"Leo is not sick too much. He barely gets sick. Hope gets sick more than other babies. Is it because she was in the hospital when she was born?"
"I do not know the answer, Henry. She might have health issues because of her lung issues. She may be sick as a baby and outgrow it when she is older. For now, she has all three of us there for her when she is not feeling well." Hope babbles. "Mommy and Henry are here for you, sweetie."
"Little sis, you are going to love Harry Potter. He is a wizard, not like the dark one. It is a different type of magic place." They watched the movie. Hope began coughing.
"Henry, can you get me Pedialyte in a bottle? Just pour a little bit?"
Henry pauses the movie and gets the medicine. He returns with the bottle. "Here is the Pedialyte."
"Thank you, Henry." She bottle-fed Hope. "You are going to feel better, Hope." Hope fell asleep on her Mommy as Emma and Henry continued the movie. Hope woke up and began coughing hard.
Emma's mother's instinct telling her to take Hope to see Allison. "Hope, we are going to see Auntie Allison at her work." She holds Hope in her arms wrapped her in her blankie.
"Mom, I have her diaper bag, packed with clothes."
"Thank you, Henry." Emma drives them to the hospital. She carried Hope into the emergency room. They took Hope to the children's ward. Emma laid Hope sitting up on the bed.
"Hope, you are going to be okay, little sis."
A nurse puts an IV on Hope's hand making her wail. "Mama."
Emma was holding her daughter. "Mommy is right here. You are going to be okay. Shh...shh..." Hope coughs. Henry calls his Dad.
Killian was snooping around trying to figure out what Cruella and Ursula are really up to in town. He gets a phone call. "Henry?"
"Dad, Hope has a fever and started coughing. Mom and I took her to the hospital."
"Henry, let me talk to your Mom."
Henry returns into the room, his Mom was hugging his sister sitting on the bed. "Mom, Dad wants to talk to you."
Emma gets the phone from her son. "Hi, Killian."
"Emma, what is wrong with Hope?"
"Hope had a fever when I picked them up from Granny's. We took her home and gave her medicine. She started to have this cough. That got me thinking about her lung issues."
"Hope is going to be okay, Emma. I am going to be there after my shift."
"I will update you."
"Can I speak to Hope?"
Emma smiles. "I will put you on speaker." She puts her husband on speaker. "Hope, Dada is on the phone."
"Little pirate princess. I heard from Mommy you are not feeling well."
"She had a needle in her arm."
"You are going to be okay, little love. Dada is going to be there with you, your Mommy, and Henry very soon." Hope babbles. "I love you, Hope." Killian ended the conversation. Hope began crying.
Emma hugs her daughter. "Dada is going to be here soon."
"Little sis, I know you are scared but you are with me and Mommy."
"You are not alone, Hope. Mommy is here. Everything is going to be okay. Daddy will be with us soon."
Allison enters the room. "Hi, Emma. Hi, Henry."
"Hope has a fever and a bad cough." Hope coughs.
"I do not like the sound of that cough." Hope coughs more. She uses her stethoscope to check Hope's lungs. "Breath, Hope."
"Like this, little sis." He shows his sister. Hope breathes in and out.
"Very good, Hope." She heard a whistle wheezing sound. She knows what Hope has. "Emma, I know what Hope has."
"What is it?"
"Croup."
"Is it bad Aunt Allison?"
"It is a congested sickness where babies or toddlers get."
"Will this affect Hope's lungs?"
"For now, yes. Croup can be helped by hot steam showers at home. A lot of fluids and rest. I want to monitor Hope's lungs since her health issues. She will be on IV fluids for her fever. I will also give her antibiotics for Hope's croup." Hope babbles. Allison faces her niece. "Hope, you are going to Auntie's patient for a little while here."
"You get to snuggle with me and have Henry read stories to you." She hugs her daughter.
"Emma, just keep Hope happy as possible. Her IV is helping her with her fluid intake and her fever. I will come to check on Hope later. If she needs anything, call me."She changes Hope into a hospital gown. Allison leaves the room. Hope coughs and began crying.
"You are going to be okay, baby girl." Hope gripped her Mommy's arm. "I am not going anywhere, Hope. I know you are afraid but you are not alone. You have me, sweetie."
"Mama."
"Yes, Mama." She kisses Hope on the head. She is there for her daughter when she needs her unlike when she was growing up she had no one. "Henry, your sister is going to be okay."
"I just want her to be happy. I know what to do." Henry gets his storybook from his backpack. "Baby sis! It is storytime." He opens the book.
"Look, Hope. Henry opened his book just read to you!"
"Once upon a time, there was a long-lost princess of the Enchanted Forest her Daddy Prince Charming puts her in the Enchanted tree which transported her to Maine..." Hope babbles. "I can show you the pictures, baby sis."
"Mama."
"That is right, Hope, that is our Mommy as a baby." Hope pats the page. Emma smiles Henry knows how to cheer his sister up and hearing her story being told. After Henry finished reading the story, "Mama."
Emma held Hope and sat on the rocking chair. "Little duckling, you are with Mama." She sees Henry being afraid. "Henry, come here." Henry goes to his Mom and sister and hugs them. "Henry, Hope is going to be alright. She is Allison's care. She is going to have medicine that will help her feel better." Hope coughed and cried more. "You are okay, Hope." She gets an idea. "Hush Now, Don't be scared, Through this tide of darkness. Shadows may march, Thunders may roar,But peace will soon prevail. Through our land, This sacred land, Nightmares sprite confusion, But stand your ground, Until you've found, The strength to light your way."
Hope looks up at her Mommy and stops crying. "Everything is going to be okay, Hope. You are with Mommy."
"Hope, you love Mommy singing to you?" Hope looks at her brother. "I will take that as a yes. Mom, she calms down when you sing to her."
Emma smiles. "Yes, she loves when I sing to her just like when she was in the NICU."
Snow White enters the room. "Hi, Emma."
"Mary-Margaret, what are you doing here?" Hope began crying. "Hope, you are not going with her. Shh...shh.."
"I just heard from Granny that Hope is sick."
"I just got her to calm down."
"Mama." Hope gripped her Mommy's shirt.
"Mama is here. Shh...shhh... Henry, can you hold Hope?"
"Yes, I can." Emma laid Hope into her son's arms. "Mommy is nearby baby sis. Big bro is here."
Emma went out into the hallway. "What are you doing here?"
"I want to help when I heard Hope is sick."
"Why?"
"You seem like you needed my help."
"How can you? By grabbing her out of my arms again?!"
"I want to..."
Emma was mad."You did not acknowledge her as a granddaughter when we arrived here. Hope is so afraid of you. Hope has croup. With her lung issues, it can be worse...We just got her to calm down. Now you came here, she is scared again. I have to calm her down all over again. You have been lying to me ever since Cruella and Ursula have been in town. My daughter does not trust you. How can I trust you with my daughter?"
"I am sorry, Emma. They are just bad people."
Emma knew she wasn't going to get the truth out of her mother. "I need to get back to my daughter." Emma goes back to the room and takes Hope from Henry. "Grandma is not going to grab you from me...shh...shh..." She sways her, holding her on her chest. Hope gripped her Mommy's shirt. "Mama is right here, Hope. "Hush Now, Don't be scared, Through this tide of darkness. Shadows may march, Thunders may roar,But peace will soon prevail. Through our land, This sacred land, Nightmares sprite confusion, But stand your ground, Until you've found, The strength to light your way." Hope stops crying and fell asleep.
"She is fast asleep, Mom."
"She needs her rest. Poor little duckling has croup." She kisses Hope on the head.
"Mom, she takes after you. She is going to be okay."
"Yes, she does. She has you, me and your Dad when she is sick. "
"I am going to read to her later."
"She will love you reading to her, kid."
Killian arrives at the emergency room pediatric ward seeing Snow White outside of Hope's room. "Snow? Why are you crying?"
"I--I came here to help Emma. I heard that Hope was here. I wanted to help. I ended up scaring Hope."
"Snow, the last time Hope saw you, you scared her. Also, Emma knows you have been lying to her."
"I want to be in Emma's life and my grandchildren's lives."
"You did not show that as Emma was explaining about our year in New York. Ever since then you did not want to be her grandmother."
"I was pregnant with Leo..."
"That is no excuse, I was there for your daughter when she told me she was with child. I never left her. She opened up to more and more about her life in the foster system and having Henry in prison as we got to know each other. She tells me everything. When you were mad that she had a baby, and defended Neal her ex-boyfriend. Especially how you reacted by screaming at her when her magic was acting up. Why did you think her magic acted up happened?"
"The Snow Queen, obviously."
"No jealousy of Leo and being replaced again for the thousandth time like in the foster system."
"She never told me..."
"She told me because she was hurt. She is even more hurt that you are scaring our daughter."
"I want to be in her life and my grandchildren."
"Just take it slowly to gain Emma's trust and Hope's trust. She knows you and Charming have been lying to her. You need to tell her the truth. "
"I..I will.." She looks at Emma who got Hope to sleep. "I will talk to Emma later. I do not want to wake up Hope again." Snow White leaves.
Killian enters the room. "Henry, your sister is going to be okay, Dad." Henry goes to his Dad and hugs him. Emma rubs Hope's back, as Hope was fast asleep on her.
"Dada is here, little love."
"We just need to keep her happy and as comfortable as possible."
"Aye, we can do that."
Emma sits back in the rocking chair with sleeping, Hope. Killian and Henry sat on the couch, he helped Henry with his math homework. A few hours later Hope wakes up, "Hi, Hopey. Did you have a good nap?" Hope moved around. "You did!"
Killian goes to Hope and faces her. Hope babbles. "Hi, Hope." He kisses her on the head and shows Hope her duckling doll. "Hope, little love. Dada has your duckling doll." Hope babbles. Emma and Killian both smile at their daughter. "Yes, dada is here, Hope. Someone wants her Daddy."
Killian takes his daughter and held her in his arms. "Hope, Dada is here." Hope coos. "You are happy that I am here."
"She has croup, a coughing sickness. We are staying here so watch out for her breathing issues. There is medicine for croup, and we will need to make sure she has a lot of steam from showers."
"Aye, I will make sure that Hope will be able to breathe." Hope babbles. "Dada is here, little one." He sits on the rocking chair with Hope sitting on his lap.
"Mom, I think Hope wanted Dad here."
"I think you are right, kid. She wanted her Dad when she is afraid."
"She wanted you too. When you were on the phone with Dad, she was wondering where you were."
"You are right, kid." She hugs Henry. "How about we get a snack at the vending machine?"
"Can we get pizza?"
"Yes, we can, kid. I have a feeling we are going to be here for a while."
"Swan, save me two slices. I can be with our little pirate princess."
"Okay, I will captain." They kiss. Emma leaves the room with Henry.
"Hope, how about our song? Daddy's little Hope paints the world with her magic wand,Daddy's little pirate breathes new life to the morning time for me, When I come home from work, Hope smiles with the dawn,Hope smiles, and she radiates the glow around her halo..."
Emma drove Henry into town and went to the Italian restaurant. They ordered pepperoni pie. They ate their slices at the restaurant. "Mom, this pizza is good. Not as good as New York pizza."
Emma smiles. "You are right. New York pizza is the best. I have been everywhere in the foster system, pizza always sucked. New York pizza is the best."
Henry smiles. "Can we make pizza at home from scratch?"
"Yes, we can."
"Maybe tomorrow?"
"Don't you have school tomorrow?"
"Today is Friday, Mom." Emma sighs. "If Hope keeps you busy, I understand."
"Henry, Hope has Dad and me to take care of her. I will always have time for you, kid."
"When you and dad need sleep, I can watch my baby sister."
"She has the best big brother, you, Henry." Henry smiles making Emma smile.
Back at the hospital, Killian was rocking Hope in the rocking chair, his little love was not crying anymore, she was just snuggling on him. Hope was gripping her Daddy's leather jacket. "You are okay, Hope." He rubs Hope's back. "Dada is here." Hope tried to use her bad hand with the needle and cried more.
"Little love, you have a bad hand for now, like Dada." He gives Hope his hook and kisses her on the head.
Charming knocks on the door. "Hi, Killian."
"Hi, Charming. Come in."
Charming enters the room. "I heard Hope was here." He kneels down facing his granddaughter. "Hi, little princess." Hope babbles. "You are going to be okay."
"Do you want to hold her?"
"Yes. Come to gramps, Hope." Kilian lays Hope in his father-in-law's arms. "Hope, you look so much like your Mom." Hope fusses.
Kilian gives Hope her duckling doll."Here you go, little love."
"Emma got her a duckling doll."
"No, I did. As soon as I found out I was going to be a Daddy I bought this for Hope. When Emma was discharged from the hospital, she did not want to leave Hope in the NICU. I gave her duckling doll to keep her company when she was in the hospital. She cannot sleep without it." Hope babbles. "Yes, you love your duckling doll, I gave you." Hope smiles up at her Daddy making her Daddy and Grandpa smile. He shows his daughter her duckling doll.
"Where are Emma and Henry?"
"They went to get something to eat. I was working most of the day when Emma and Henry were here with Hope in the afternoon. We take turns whenever Hope is in the hospital. We do not leave Hope alone here. Snow came here earlier."
"Yes, she was the one who told me about Hope."
"Emma knows you and Snow have been lying to her about Cruella and Ursula."
Charming sighs. "I told her we had a run-in with Cruella and Ursula in the Enchanted Forest."
"What happened there?" Hope began crying. Killian holds Hope. "Hope, what is the matter?" Hope chews on her daddy's hook. "You can chew on Daddy's hook." He kisses Hope on the head.
"I..I cannot say."
"You can tell me."
"No, I cannot."
"This is why Emma is mad. She knows you and Snow are lying to her." Hope cried more. Killian changes Hope's diaper on the bed. "You are all clean little love." He noticed Charming has left. "For some reason, your grandparents are not telling Mommy and Daddy the truth on whatever happened between them and Cruella and Ursula. Mommy and Daddy will never lie to you." Hope was chewing on her duckling doll.
Emma returns into the room, seeing Killian snuggling with their daughter. "Hey, how is our pirate princess?"
"Mama!!" Hope moved her good hand around.
Emma smiles and lets Hope hold her hand. "Hi, baby girl." Hope babbles and kept gripping her Mommy's hand. She knew her daughter wanted her. Emma holds Hope onto her chest and kisses her on the head. "We are snuggling, sweetie."
"She is happy that her Mommy is back." He rubs Hope's head. "Everything is going to be okay, little love."
"We brought you pizza to eat. How was she while we were out?"
"She just wanted to snuggle and coughing. One poopy diaper. Other than that she has been alright."
"We just got to keep her calm and happy." Hope gripped her Mommy's shirt. "You are happy in a diaper and blankie?" Hope babbles. "Yes, Henry got you the right blankie." She sits in the rocking chair with Hope.
"Mom, I know what Hope loves." Hope babbles. "Hi, baby sis." He lets Hope hold his finger. "Henry is here." Hope looks at her big brother. "Mom, she is happy to see me."
"Yes, she knows her big brother is back."
Hope sucks on Henry's thumb. "Hope.."
"Mom, I am going to wash my hands after she lets go. I do not want to upset my baby sis." He looks at Hope. "Is my thumb yummy, Hopey?" Hope looks at her brother. "Yes, I am here, baby sis." He lets his thumb out and cleaned his hands. Hope was crying. "Baby girl Henry is still here with us. Don't cry."
Henry returns. "Hopey...Hopey.." Hope stops crying. "I am right here, little sis." He ducks down and pops back up. "Here I am!" Hope laughs. Emma smiles as her son and daughter were playing peek-a-boo. Hope was laughing and coughing.
"Kid, slow down on peek-a-boo."
Henry faces his sister. "Hopey." Hope grabbed her brother's hair. "Ow!"
"Lad, your sister has a strong grip."
"Yes, she does, she is giving me a new hairstyle."
Emma chuckles. "Hope, let go of Henry's hair. You are going to hurt his head." Henry takes his sister's hand out of his hair. Hope babbles. He tickles his sister making her smile. Hope began crying. Emma hugged her daughter. "Are you hungry?" Hope tugs on her Mommy's shirt. "Yes, you are." She breastfeeds Hope and rubs her head and watches her eat, making sure she does not choke.
"Emma, Hope is not going to choke. She can still breathe through her nose."
She sighs. "I just do not like when my babies are sick."
"Me too, love. She is going to get through this, she is a little fighter survivor, like her Mommy and Daddy."
Allison enters the room. "Hi, how is Hope?"
"She is still coughing."
"Hope is going to need a nebulizer treatment."
"What is that?"
"It is a liquid medicine in a machine and Hope will inhale steam while wearing a mask."
"Aye, will it help her?"
"Yes, Killian." Allison sets up the machine and puts the mask on Hope who was crying. "Hope, this will help you feel better, little niece." Hope gripped her Mommy.
"You are taking medicine sweetie. I know you are afraid but you are okay. You are staying here with me." Hope was still crying.
Killian faces his daughter. "Hope, it is not going to hurt you, Hope. It is medicine to help you feel better." He rubbed Hope's cheek. "You are okay, Hope." Hope reached for her Daddy, he gave her his hook which she grabbed. Emma was in awe, Hope wanted her Daddy. "Everything is okay, Hope." Killian was smiling at his little love wanted him when she is afraid. "Once upon a time, when Dada was in Neverland...." Hope stopped crying.
Allison takes the mask off of Hope when she has finished the treatment. "You are all done, little niece." Hope was crying.
"Hope, it is over, little love."
Hope wailed more. Emma knew Hope was scared. She rocked Hope slowly back and forth. "It is all over, Hope. No more medicine."
Henry gets his storybook out and sits next to his Mom and sister. "Once upon a time, Mommy and Daddy were in the Enchanted Forest in the past. Mommy caused gramps and grandma not to meet. Mommy and Daddy went to a big ball to make sure Grandma Snow White to get the ring. They had different names, Princess Leia and Prince Charles. They danced in the King Midas ball." Emma and Killian both smile. Henry shows his sister the picture of Emma and Killian dancing at the ball. "Look, Hope Mommy and Daddy."
Hope stopped wailing and looked at the picture. "Mama."
When Henry turned the page, Hope continued to wail. He went back to the page and Hope stopped crying. "Looks like our little love loves our picture."
"Oh no, does this mean I am going to hold the book for a long time?"
"I am afraid so kid, Hope loves looking at your Dad and I in the Enchanted Forest."
"If I turn the page, she will cry."
Killian smiles, Hope was being stubborn as his swan. "Aye, yes, son. Your sister is happy looking at me and your Mom in our trip to the past."
"Is Mommy's red dress so pretty?" Hope babbles. "Yes, Gold gave Mommy a beautiful dress to wear as a disguise." He kisses Hope on the head.
"Lad, Hope loves your book."
"No, she loves the picture of you and Mom dancing at the ball. Right little sis?" Hope coos. "I will take that as a yes." He kisses Hope on the cheek. "I love the picture too."
"Killian, I am pretty sure Hope has something to look at during her tummy time."
"Aye, lad, we are going to use your book more often."
Henry smiles. "Hope can use it for tummy time." He looked at his sister who was coughing. "Can we give her water?"
"I do not think so, the IV in her hand is helping her with fluids." Hope fusses. "Hopey, we are going home, sweetie. We have to wait until Auntie Allison tells us to leave." She rubs Hope's back until Hope fell asleep.
It was getting darker outside and Henry was getting tired, "Killian, take Henry home. It is getting late."
"Mom, I want to stay. I do not want to leave Hope. Please?" He looked at both of his parents.
"We can stay, lad. We are going home together." He rubs Henry's back. After Allison gave Hope the okay to go home and gave Emma and Killian the medicine that Hope needs, Killian drove his family home in the yellow bug. Hope was fast asleep in her car seat. "Swan, I will take Hope in." He unbuckles the car seat and carried Hope.
Emma opens the door with her key. "Henry, time to go to bed."
"Yes, Mom. I am tired."
"We had a very long day." Emma hugs her son. "Hope is home, kid. She is going to be okay. She has your Dad and I to take care of her." Henry went to his bedroom.
Killian carried Hope into her nursery. "You are home, little pirate princess." He laid Hope in her crib. Emma watches Hope sleep. He hugs his wife. "Emma, she is going to be okay."
"What if she stops breathing? She had that before. Remember? Croup is bad..."
"Yes, I do remember, Emma. It was one of the scariest moments of my life, thinking that we were going to lose our daughter."
Emma hugs Killian seeing how much he loves their daughter and is afraid of losing her. "How about Hope sleeps with us? We do need to keep an eye on her breathing and giving her medicine on the nebulizer machine."
"Aye,I love that idea, Emma."
"I don't want our duckling sleeping in here by herself when she is sick." She scooped Hope into her arms. "Little buttercup, you are sleeping with Mommy and Daddy." They went to their room and got ready for bed. Emma was snuggling with Hope on her chest on her favorite spot. "You are giving me the best snuggles sweetie. You can sleep with Mommy and Daddy anytime."
"Aye, yes she can." He wrapped his arm around his two loves. "She is going to be okay, Emma. We are going to take good care of her."
"I know. You and I are going to take good care of her. She takes after her Daddy, she is a survivor."
"Yes, she is a strong little fighter like her Mommy ever since she was born." They both look down at Hope knowing she will get through croup and going to take care of her together.