Ouat Once Shots

One Shot #12

"Emma, dear, your father and I have an announcement." Snow told her five year old daughter one winter night. The family of three was sitting by the fire, David was reading, Snow was knitting and little Emma was playing with her dolls, which she carefully set down once her mother called for her.

"Yes, mother?" Emma's tiny voice rang out as she took a seat at Snow's feat. She couldn't help but admire the queen's beauty and couldn't wait to become a wonderful leader like her.

"Emma, we have some very exciting news." Snow continued, casting an exciting glance at David, who smiled back. Emma's face broke into an excited grin and she rocked back and forth in her seat.

"Emma, your mother is pregnant." David said, reaching forward to take his wife's hand, "Do you know what that means?" Emma shook her head no, her golden curls bouncing on her shoulders.

"That means I have a baby inside me and that you're going to be a big sister." Emma's smile widened and she leaped to her feet, jumping with joy.

"Yay! Yay! Yay! I'm going to be a sister!" she yelled happily. Emma leaned forward and pressed her lips to Snow's stomach.

"Hi, baby!" she yelled into Snow's dress, making her parents smile.

"Okay, Emma. We can talk to the baby later, let's get you into bed." Snow led her daughter into the hall and to her bed room so that her governess could dress her for bed. After handing Emma off, Snow made her way back to the sitting room to be with her husband.

"Well she seemed excited." Charming smiled as Snow sat down in the chair opposite him.

"I don't it could have gone better." Snow smiled, her hand skimming her stomach. Charming smiled over his book, before closing it and taking his wife's hand once again.

"I'm so excited to meet our baby." Charming said, grinning like an idiot. Snow blushed and returned his smile, leaning forward to peck his cheek.

"I love you so much, Snow." He said, pulling away and searching her beautiful face. Snow smiled and leaned her forehead against his, their warm breath mingling. Snow wanted to relish in this moment forever, but a knock at the door interrupted them, forcing them to pull apart.

"Sorry to interrupt, sister, but we've got a problem." Said the voice at the door.

"Leroy, what is it?" Snow asked, standing up and hurrying over, concern glistening in her eyes.

"Its that evil brat again." the dwaft growled. Regina. A hard knot of fear twisted in Snow's stomach. What did the witch want know?

"I want a guard at Emma's door, but don't wake her, I don't want to worry her." Snow grabbed David hand as Leroy led the way to the armoury. They quickly grabbed their weapons and made their way towards the entrance of the castle, where they were intercepted by Red.

"Snow, are you sure that you want to fight?" Her friend asked, casting a glance at her slightly swollen stomach.

"Red, you know the answer to that." Snow said with a hint of sarcasm. Red rolled her eyes and pulled Snow towards the entrance of the castle, their bows at the ready in case Regina decided to pop in.

"Your majesty!" the voice of one the palace guards rang out behind them, causing Snow and Red to spin around.

"I was...sent....to guard...Emma..." He said, panting as if he had just be sprinting. The guard quickly composed himself before continuing, "She wasn't in her bed." A sea if emotions washed over Snow all at once, causing her to take a step back. Fear for her daughter, nervousness at what might have happened, anger at Regina for starting this whole mess.

"Did Regina take her?" Snow said as firmly as she could without her voice shaking. The guard just shrugged and said that Emma had been missing when he'd gotten there. Snow took a deep breath and asked the guard to fetch David before knocking an arrow and pointing it at nothing.

"REGINA!" She screamed, her voice resonating around the stone halls of the castle. Red, after giving Snow a strange look, followed her friend's example and also loaded her bow and looked around wildly for the evil queen. A poof of purple smoke started them momentarily, but they had their bows trained on it in a second.

"Thought you'd be calling me soon enough." Regina's voice purred as the smoke cleared. Snow barely heard her, she was focused on the tiny limp figure in the evil queen's arms,

"Emma! Is she..." The words caught in her throat, making Regina chuckle.

"Dead? No. Not yet, at least." Regina smiled evily, shifting her arms under Emma's weight.

"What do you want Regina?" Snow lowered her bow in an attempt to reason to her step-mother, even if it may have never worked in the past, Snow would keep trying.

"I don't want to kill your precious daughter if that's what your wondering, but if it came to that." Regina placed her hand teasingly over Emma's heart. "I want to make a deal. The crown for your daughter's life." Regina smiled menacingly.

"Never," Snow snarled, her hand slightly drawing the string back on her bow. Red had hers taunt and ready to fire, she could see her friend's hands shaking ever so slightly.

"You'd let your daughter die for this?" Regina raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Well if that's what you choose, I always keep my promises." Much to Snow and Red's horror she plunged her hand into Emma's chest and pulled out her tiny red heart. They barely had a chance to scream before Regina crushed it to dust, and with one last evil smile, disappeared in a cloud of smoke leaving only Emma's limp body behind.

"Emma!" Snow cried out rushing forward, her vision clouded with hot tears. She cradled her daughter's head in her lap and sobbed, Red holding her tightly.

"Snow!" Charming voice rang out across the empty entrance hall. He rushed forward, kneeling beside his wife.

"Regina." Was the only thing Snow could say without breaking down. Charming's eyes clouded with tears as Red recounting what just happened, tears running down her cheeks as well. Red did just watch her goddaughter die, after all. Charming held his wife as she sobbed, her hand gripping Emma's cold one. In that moment, Snow vowed to do something that she never thought would even cross her mind. She vowed to get revenge on Regina.