In A Land Without Magic

Artificial Life

New York, Mount Sinai Hospital
Sunday, 5:32am....

Emma looks at her phone after sending the message to Regina, desperately waiting for some sort of reply or for even a phone call. Almost counting the seconds that passed but there was still no reply. Tapping out of that message she moves on to find Robin's contact info, thumbs ready to dial his number when her little brother stepped out into the hall rubbing his eyes, their father's oversized jacket hanging off his little shoulders and almost dragging the floor. Without saying anything he moves over to her, wrapping his arms around her hips as his sleepy face pressed into her side. Suddenly it's like a switch is flipped and she goes into auto-pilot for these precious minutes. Her phone quickly disappearing into her back pocket as she scoops Neal up, hugging him tightly as she walked back into the waiting room they'd been occupying.

"....Em?"

"Yeah bud?" She's already fighting her own voice, forcing the words out her mouth was a struggle as it was. But then the little boy in her arms delivers the gut punch.

"....where's mom?"

She chokes back a sob that's waiting to escape, the pain burning and building up in the back of her throat. "...She's-..." Her breath catches. There was no way in hell she was about to allow herself to break down in front of her little brother. A tear drops and she immediately wipes her face against her father's jacket before placing her brother back on the loveseat. "....she's still asleep, just like you should be." Emma just needs to hold on a little longer, she can't fall apart just yet. "Come on... go back to sleep a little longer and then we'll watch cartoons and have some breakfast."

Neal yawns, laying back down without any coercing needed and Emma lays the jacket back over him like a blanket. "...can we have Fruit Loops?" His words come across as a mumble just as his eyes start to drift.

Her mother would have disapproved of the sugary cereal but considering the circumstances she probably would have made an exception. "We'll find you some Fruit Loops, I promise." She nods as she ruffles his hair before planting a heavy kiss into his forehead. David was right... looking at this boy was like looking at Snow. "Now sleep."

When Emma returns back to the hallway she's ready to collapse, this was all becoming too much. Then her back pocket vibrates and she can't get to it fast enough.

' I'm on the way. '

The blonde slides into the first chair right outside the family waiting room after softly shutting the door. Regina would be there soon, she could breathe again. Everything is going to be fine, it just has to be. Directly across the hall from her sits David, elbows sunk into his knees with his face hidden by both his hands. Her father was beginning to break. Emma's grip tightens around her cell phone clutched in her grasp; so tight her muscles started to ache and there were sure to be little indentations left behind in her palm from the volume rockers. She felt like she was going to vomit or pass out or some horrible combination of the two. Her bright baby blues flash up, daring to look at David for just a brief moment as she clears her throat. "....Regina's on her way...." This doesn't seem to pull any sort of acknowledgment from the Prince who still sits slumped over himself. Emma swallows hard as she shuts her eyes tightly.

She couldn't get her thoughts straight: she needed to called Killian, she needed to talk with Robin-maybe he could take Neal over to their house... maybe he could get the boy some Fruit Loops, she had promised him Fruit Loops and goddamnit she was going to make that happen... Regina would be there soon, she could call Robin and maybe... wait, she also needed to call Ruby and Granny too, David said she's been calling... Hope could be dropped off at daycare tomorrow but the boys would need to get back for school, that's what Snow would want...