These Dreams

Unspoken

Emma ran as hard as she could, but she could feel the ground shaking beneath her feet. The ogres had arrived just as the feast was winding down, and with everyone trapped in the hall, they were easy pickings. Body parts littered the ground around her and she turned her head, wide-eyed, praying she wouldn't see him laying on the ground anywhere. She pushed through the stitch in her side, not even risking a glance back, because she could smell them now - once you've smelled ogre, you never forget it. She ran through the courtyard, only to see two more ogres at the portcullis, ready to grab anyone trying to flee the castle.

She turned sharply, running for the wall, hoping to find a hidden gate or maybe even a crack large enough to shove herself into, when she heard a shout.

"There! Down there!"

She looked up toward the wall, and there, at the parapet, was Morpheus. He was shouting out directions to the ogres, while clutching a glittering crystal - whatever it was, it was controlling them. Her heart was thundering in her chest, but she kept on running, her vision getting blurry from the need for oxygen.

Suddenly, everything went white.

Or, more accurately, bright. She was running down the middle of main street in Storybrooke, and it was bright daylight outside. She slowed to a stop, bending over to put her hands on her knees as she gasped and fought for air. A quick glance behind showed that no ogres had followed her, so she stood up, wiping the back of her hand across her perspiring forehead.

She was safe. And she was home. So whose dream was she in?

She kept on walking, rounding the corner to the apartment, and headed up the stairs. She opened the door, and David turned as she did.

"It's about time," he said. "Between you and your mother, we're going to be late!"

"I just need to grab an extra onesie for the diaper bag," Snow said apologetically, cramming the clothing into the bag. "Emma, could you get Neal out of the bassinette?"

"Sure." Emma closed the door behind her and walked over to pick up the baby. He started to fuss a bit, so she readjusted.

"He's fussy," David said. "I can take him."

"No," Emma said over her shoulder. "We're fine. I know all the tricks."

"You do?" Snow looked at her questioningly.

"Yeah, I'm practically a pro." She propped him on her shoulder, giving his back a soothing, circular rub, followed by a gently jiggling hand to his posterior. The baby quieted down, sucking contentedly on his fist. "See? Nothing to it."

David raised his eyebrows and shared a look with Snow that Emma happened to catch. She realized immediately that she was acting out of character - for them, anyway. "I've been watching to two of you," she said. "You make it look easy."

David smiled. "Some days are easier than others."

"But not the nights," Snow interjected. "He's got his days and nights mixed up right now. It's driving me crazy."

"Well, if we don't get going soon, Grandma's going to be crazy, too," David said, grabbing the diaper bag. "She hates it when dinner gets cold."

"Grandma?" Emma looked confused.

"It's Sunday," David reminded. "We always have dinner at your grandmother's house on Sunday."

Emma closed her open mouth, and forced a nod. "Sunday. Right. Let's...do that, then."

Snow reached for Neal, putting him into the car seat, and they headed down the stairs. Once the stepped out onto the street, David stopped in his tracks.