A (Deaf) Christmas to Remember

Chapter 2: December 9th

The sound of a blaring alarm woke Emma up from her slumber and snapped her out of the wonderful dream she had been having—which obviously involved Regina. She could not get this woman out of her head, and while she knew this might not be healthy, she didn't care. That woman stuck with her and now she couldn't let her go.

She fumbled to set off her alarm but she quickly figured it out, the sleepiness slowly leaving her body. She threw her legs over the edge of the bed and sat upright and stared at the brick wall in front of her for a few seconds before mustering up the strength to stand up. Gradually, she made her way around her bed and over to the light pink dresser pressed up against the wall. She rummaged through the mess of halfway unfolded clothes and settled on some blue leggings and a white long sleeve sports top. She held the clothes tightly in her hand and footed over to the bathroom so she could get changed. Inside, Emma wasted no time flinging off her pajamas and replacing them with the new clothes she picked out.

When Emma was dressed, she brushed her hair into a lazy ponytail. She then brushed her teeth before she tossed her discarded pajamas in the hamper and exited the bathroom. Sauntering back to her bedroom, she threw on a random pair of socks and a pair of her best running shoes. Phone and keys in her legging pockets, she went upstairs to check and see if her son was still asleep.

At the top of the stairs, she peered her head behind the wall and saw her son sleeping peacefully in bed, his stuffed shark tucked underneath his arm. With a smile on her face, she slowly crept back downstairs and made her way to the front door. Pulling out her phone, she planned on shooting a quick text to her friend and now neighbor saying that she was about to leave when a familiar knock sounded through the apartment.

Emma swung the door open and greeted her friend, a wide grin spread on her face. There, standing right outside her doorway, was Emma's best friend and colleague, Mary Margaret Blanchard, who gained the nickname Snow from Henry, who used to say she looked and acted like the fairy tale character, Snow White. The blonde couldn't deny that her friend's fair complexion and once long raven hair did resemble that of the princess. Not to mention her friend's incredibly cheery attitude and love of animals.

"Thank you so much, Mary Margaret. He's sound asleep right now. I should be back before he wakes up, but if I'm not, just call me and I can talk to him. He shouldn't make too much fuss."

"Emma, it's okay. Relax. It's not my first time watching him. Go run." Her friend gave her a soft look that reassured her that it would be okay.

Snow took a step inside and Emma pulled her into a quick hug, grateful for her friend's assistance. Snow was everything she could've asked for in a friend. Time after time without fail her friend managed to show up for her, never void of a smile.

The blonde jogged out the door calling out to Snow over her shoulder. "You're the best! Call me if you need anything. Help yourself. You know the deal."

She heard her apartment door close as she shuffled down the steps, and soon she was out of the building, standing in the parking lot.

Emma took a deep breath as she observed the sleeping town. The morning sun had barely begun to rise and the streets of Storybrooke were dimly lit up by the combination of sparse lamp posts and street lights.