#did my groceries end up in the middle of a messy divorce with split custody and the court didn’t even give me vistation

[sprout-senior]

literally going super psycho mega evil rn MY GROCERIES WERE SUPPOSED TO GET HERE FOUR HOURS AGO AND NOW THEYRE TELLING ME I HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER TWO

[justanoutlawfic]

Our Girl: Chapt. 6

Story Summary: The Lost Get Found remix. Mary Margaret and David Nolan have been fostering 6-year-old Emma for a year now. They love her and have been working on adopting her. Things get messy, however, when Emma’s aunt re-enters the picture. Will they be able to keep the little girl they love more than life itself? Or lose her forever?

Chapter Summary: After advice from a friend, Mary Margaret shares her fears with David. Later on, they finally get to see their little girl again.

Also on AO3

Mary Margaret watched as the last child walked out of her classroom, Grace Bucket. She was a child of divorce, who got to spend every weekend with her loving and devoted father. She could see how excited she was when Jefferson came to pick her up and Jefferson was equally as such as he swooped her into his arms and carried her away, determined to make the most of the short time they got together. She always felt sorry for him, especially after Emma came into her care. 3 days with your child every week couldn’t be enough. She couldn’t imagine getting that little time.

 That weekend, however, she’d be getting even less with her own daughter.

 It had been a week and a half without Emma and she wasn’t even sure how she made it out of bed most mornings. She wondered how she was doing, if she was sleeping okay, what was she eating? She hoped she was happy and making new friends, she didn’t want her to be miserable after all.

 However, she couldn’t stop herself from wondering if Emma would want to come back to them. What if the judge sided in their favor and she wanted to stay with Ingrid anyway?

 Quickly shaking the thought from her mind, she gathered up her things and headed out the door. Summer was coming to an end and fall was beginning, which meant that it would nearly be Halloween. A year ago, it had been Emma’s first with them and she had never gotten to celebrate before. She selected a Wonder Woman costume from the store and wore it around proudly for days leading up and following the holiday. She got more candy than she’d ever know what to do with and even went to a pumpkin patch/hayride on Ruth and Robert’s farm.

 This year, she didn’t know what Emma would be doing. The judgement was due to come just a week after it. Mary Margaret told herself she’d go to the store and get something Emma would like. Maybe she could even make one for her, like Eva did when she was little.

 Heading home in quiet was still weird. She was used to Emma telling her all about her day, asking about playdates or other things that she could get into. She had come so far from the little girl who wouldn’t say a peep when she first got there. Oh, how she missed her talkative little girl so much.

 David would still at work when she got home, so she started thinking about dinner. They hadn’t had fish in a while and for a split second, she reminded herself that Emma wouldn’t eat that. Then she remembered, Emma wasn’t there.

 “Dammit,” she whispered to herself. “You are not about to cry in the middle of the grocery store. Pull yourself together.”

 Blinking the tears away quickly, she got out of the car and headed inside, pushing the shopping cart down the aisles. She started throwing in some fruit and vegetables, before heading to the seafood counter to order enough tilapia for two. As she waited for it to be prepared, she heard the faint sound of a baby crying. She turned around, only to find Regina standing there, lifting a newborn out of a car seat.

 “Regina?” She asked.

Regina looked up, surprised. “Mary Margaret, hi.”

“Um, are you babysitting?”

“No, it’s just…” She bit her lip. “I didn’t want to say anything until we got more news about Emma’s case.”

“Regina.”

 She sighed, walking a little closer as she tried to calm the fussy baby, wearing a light blue onesie. Looking down at him, Mary Margaret could see he had light blue eyes and wisps of dark brown hair on top of his head. Regina didn’t have to say anything else, she already knew what was going on.

 Emma coming into their home hadn’t just changed her and David’s lives. Mal and Regina had met at Emma’s birthday party, sparks flying instantly. Regina had taken to Lily and things were moving pretty fast. Regina had been on an adoption waiting list for some time, wanting to be a parent as badly as Mary Margaret and David did. She had never wanted children with Leopold, that was crazy. However, she admitted to Mary Margaret that she could see it working out with Mal.

 “I’m guessing you got taken of the waiting list,” she said, when Regina still said nothing.

Regina sighed. “I got the call last weekend. A couple in Phoenix was supposed to adopt him, but it fell through at the last second. So, they contacted me and got him to Boston. If all goes well the adoption will be final in 6 months.”

“How’s Mal taking it?”

“Helping me more than she should, honestly. She has Lily and her own cases to worry about, but she says she wants to be his mother too. So, after I adopt him, we want to get married, so she can too.”

Mary Margaret smiled, a true genuine smile. After Regina spent so long being miserable, she was happy for her. “That’s great Regina, I’m so happy for you. What’s his name?”

“Henry. Henry Daniel.”

She nodded, knowing how important Regina’s father and first love had meant to her. “A strong name.”

“I didn’t want to make you upset.”

“I’m not upset.”

“Mary Margaret…I’m adopting a child and…”

“And Emma’s with her aunt. I’m aware of the situation. It doesn’t mean I can’t be happy for you.”

“Of course I know you’d be happy for me, I just didn’t want to be insensitive. I remember those years of you two trying, every time someone would have a baby…”

“I’m not a fragile doll, Regina! I can handle things, okay?!?”

 The worker returned to the counter with the order and Mary Margaret grabbed it, muttering her thanks before storming off. She was halfway down another aisle, when she felt someone grab her arm. She looked up and found Regina standing there. The tears welled up in her eyes, as she saw the kindness in her former step-mother’s.

 “You need to sit down,” Regina whispered. “And maybe some coffee.”

“I need to finish my shopping…”

“David can wait. Come on.”

 Regina gave their carts to an employee who promised to hold them at the customer service desk while they got some coffee. Henry had fallen asleep in his carrier and Regina kept it on the chair next to her, while Mary Margaret sat in the seat across, her hands wrapped around a cup of coffee.

 “I take it you haven’t been talking to David about how you feel,” Regina observed.

“He’s worried enough about Emma, I don’t need him worrying about me.”

“Don’t you think he has the same feelings? You both have lost a child, even if it is temporarily.”

“Regina…”

“And I know it’s not all finalized, and as a lawyer I should be reminding you of that. Yet,” her eyes drifted down to her sleeping baby then back up at Mary Margaret. “I have a child, that’s only been in my care about a week, that I love more than anything in this world and would fight a bitch if they tried to take him from me.”

Mary Margaret sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. “I knew it could happen, I wasn’t stupid. The number one goal of foster care is reunification, if it’s in the best interest of the child.”

“Who’s to say this is, though? Emma’s been with you for a year now. This is what she knows. You two were the ones who have helped her through her traumas, you’ve done a lot more than most foster parents would. Heck, you’ve done more than our parents would’ve.”

She swallowed, trying not to think of Leopold and Cora in that moment. “I love her so much and I got attached. I wouldn’t take that back and I’d do it again, a million times over, no matter what the outcome. I’m just…I’m scared, Regina. I get these two visitations now but what happens after that? What if the judge decides that she should stay with Ingrid?”

“Then we’ll fight. We’ll put in appeals, we’ll do whatever it takes.”

“And if the answer is still ultimately no? That I just lose my little girl?”

 A single tear fell down Mary Margaret’s face and her hand went over her stomach.

 “I thought hearing that I couldn’t have children was the hardest thing that ever happened to me, but this would be worse. I’m scared, Regina. I’m so scared and I can’t tell David, because he’s got enough on his plate.”

“He’s your husband. This is what he’s here for. If you keep this all in, you’re going to go insane. Right now, he is the only other person that gets what you’re going through.”

Mary Margaret sniffled, wiping her nose with a paper napkin. “I need you to give it to me straight. Have you ever done a case like this before?”

“I tend to do more custody cases than anything else.”

“Have you heard of anyone who has?”

Regina paused, reflecting on her law school days. “There were these kids, down south. Their mom was an addict and mentally unstable. She had family, but told social services not to let them take the kids. So, they were put in care and they got put with a great family. Fell in love with them, started calling them mom and dad.”

“Then what happened?”

“Mom changed her mind. Kids got put with their aunt and uncle.”

Mary Margaret frowned. “This is the story you choose to tell me?”

“I’m telling you it, because these kids are the reason why the law was changed in their state, and what got other states to rethink their own. Rather than blood automatically meaning best, they look into the best interest of the children. And I do think that’s you and David.”

She nodded. “Thank you, Regina.”

“Anytime.”

“And if you need any help with the baby…”

“Mary Margaret, you’re busy enough as it is.”

“I don’t care. If you need any help, just let me know.”

Regina softly smiled. “Of course.”

Mary Margaret didn’t bring up her conversation with Regina until after dinner. She and David were curled up on the couch together, watching T.V. She knew both of them were trying to not think about the fact that they hadn’t been able to sit that close to each other since Emma started scooting in the middle.

 “I’m scared, David,” she whispered.

David muted the television and looked down at her. “Huh?”

“I saw Regina today in the store and I just…I lost it. I’ve been trying to keep it together for you, but I can’t. I’m scared we’re going to lose, David.”

 He let out a shallow breath, running his fingers through his hair.

 “I am too.”

“Why didn’t we talk about this?”

“Because we’re both trying so hard to be optimistic and it’s just not working.”

“We get to see her tomorrow and I just want to scoop her up and take her.”

“I know, I know. But you also know that’s not going to be good for her in the long run. Living our lives as fugitives?”

“Can we just play worst case scenario right now?”

 David nodded, knowing it was a game they played back when they got the news that a biological baby wasn’t in the cards for them.

 “We don’t get Emma back,” he stated.

“We don’t get Emma back and we don’t heal. We start fighting and end up getting a divorce.”

“Hey, that’s not going to happen.”

“I’ve read cases like this, this sort of thing tears marriages apart.”

“Well, it’s not going to do that to ours.” He touched her chin. “We’re going to be okay. We’re going to figure this out, together. No matter what, it’s you and me. I love you.”

“I love you too,” she whispered back, tears falling down her face.

He leaned down and kissed her. “I went by the house yesterday.”

Mary Margaret’s eyes widened. “Did you see her? How is she?”

“She wasn’t there. I found Luke between the bed and the wall, I knew she’d need him. I dropped him off with Ingrid, she said she’s doing well.”

“Did she give any hints about the adoption?”

“She said that Helga wouldn’t want the baby raised by strangers.”

“The woman was an addict. I don’t think she really gets a say.”

“Mare,” David put a hand on her back. “She was an addict, but she lived through a cycle of abuse. She wanted better for Emma, according to Ingrid. She said she loved her, she really did. And I believe that.”

“Of course I do too, I don’t see how a mother couldn’t love their own child.”

“She messed up and I’m not excusing what she did, but I get why Ingrid’s doing this. She has guilt. She wants to do right by her sister…and I…I’ve been there.”

 Mary Margaret looked up at her husband and could see the guilt in his eyes. She knew exactly where it came from. Growing up on the farm, his one best friend was his twin brother, James. The two were identical and always up to some kind of mischief. Since they didn’t have any neighbors that they could walk to, they ended up spending a lot of time with each other. As they reached their teens, they seemed to go down different paths. David took school very seriously and while he would hang out with friends, they seemed to be the right crowd.

 James had gone a completely different way about things. He had fell into the rough group of kids and began dating Jack, one of the “bad girls”. There was more to her than met the eye, that much was sure. When she came by the house, she seemed to treat everyone with respect. However, whenever they left the farm, it was nothing but trouble. David warned his brother over and over again to be careful. James swore he was, he knew what he was doing.

 Until their senior prom night. David had gone with one of his friends, Abigail. They had stopped by the after party, but then went to their respective homes. James and Jack had stayed. A fight broke out and Jack got mixed up in it all. James had jumped in to save her. Neither of them made it out alive. The guy who killed them had only ended up serving 5 years in prison, because he was drunk. It was all considered manslaughter.

 Mary Margaret knew that David would give anything to go back to that night, to somehow find a way to save his brother.

 “You know that’s not your fault.”

He nodded. “I do. However, I don’t think Ingrid’s there yet. She’s doing this for her sister, but I don’t know if it’s what she wants.”

“So, she’s doing all of this out of guilt?”

“I think she tries to tell herself it’s what’s best for everyone, but I don’t know how much she believes it.”

Mary Margaret sighed, curling closer into his side. “Well, now I feel bad for her and I didn’t want to. Does that make me a terrible person?”

“No. A bad person wouldn’t feel bad.”

“At least we can see Emma tomorrow.”

“Yeah.” He kissed the top of her head. “At least there’s that.”

The next morning, they drove the 45 minutes to Ingrid’s house. Mary Margaret had to admit it was nice, in a good neighborhood. She got out of the car with David, heading up the steps. Clutching his hand, she rang the doorbell with her free one and Ingrid answered a moment later. She looked more relaxed than either of them had seen her before. Rather than a suit, she was in jeans and a beat up t-shirt.

 “Hello,” she said, softly. “Emma’s in the living room, playing.” She lead them inside and gathered their jackets.

“How’s she been doing?” Mary Margaret asked.

“Alright, for the most part.”

 It was a lie and they all knew it, but Mary Margaret didn’t want to start things off with a fight. She headed into the living room and saw her daughter, playing with some Legos. Emma looked up after hearing her aunt coughed and her eyes lit up.

 “Mommy! Daddy!” She screamed.

 She ran into Mary Margaret’s open arms and she swooped her up, hugging her tight.

 “Oh, I missed you my sweet girl,” she cooed, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“I missed you too, Mommy”

David moved closer, hugging his daughter, but not daring to take her from his wife just yet. “Hey Sunshine,” he said. “You’ve grown at least ten feet since I last saw you.”

 Emma giggled and it was such a foreign sound to Ingrid, it was clear she didn’t notice what it was at first.

 “Silly, Daddy.” Emma kissed his cheek. “Did you guys bring Nana?”

“Afraid not. But don’t worry, we’ve been feeding her and taking her for walks. My parents came down again with Wilby so she could have a playdate.”

“Good.”

“We want to hear about your new school,” Mary Margaret said, sitting down. She allowed David to put her on his lap. She knew they didn’t have much time and didn’t want to hog her completely.

Emma shrugged. “It’s okay, it’s kind of weird. I wear the same clothes as everyone else does and I don’t know any of their games.”

 Mary Margaret and David frowned at the last part. They hated the thought that Emma didn’t have any friends at her new school.

 “Well, why don’t you teach them a new game?” David suggested. “Like hopscotch. I know we packed some chalk in your suitcase, maybe you can bring it school.”

Emma nodded. “Maybe. Have you seen Lily? Or Bae and August?”

“I see them at school,” Mary Margaret said. “And guess what? Regina’s adopting a baby, so you’re going to have a little cousin.”

Her eyes lit up again. “That’s so cool! Can we play with my Legos?”

“Of course. You tell us what we’re building.”

 They got  to work on building a castle, not even bothering to look at the instructions, they never did. For a moment, they nearly forgot the situation or where they were. That is until David said that it was the prince’s birthday, so they needed to find a cake for him.

 “Mommy, Daddy, am I going to be home for my birthday?” Emma asked, looking up curiously.

 David and Mary Margaret exchanged a look. Emma’s birthday was 8 days before Halloween. The year before they had a party during the day and then Lily, Bae and August slept over at night. It was the first birthday Emma had ever celebrated and she had so much fun. They had been planning on another one this year, Ruth and Robert had offered up the farm so they could have lots of space.

 Now, they didn’t know what would be going on.

 Sensing the awkward situation, Ingrid stepped closer. “Emma, I’m sure you’re getting hungry. I made sandwiches for you and your foster parents in the kitchen. Why don’t you show them where it is and then you can show them your room here?”

 Emma nodded and lead her parents into the kitchen. Mary Margaret noticed how clean everything seemed to be. She liked order in her home too, but Emma made it hard to keep it this spotless. She wondered how Ingrid found the time between playing with Emma and helping her with her homework. Either way, she did admire how pristine everything was. Most of the walls were white and paintings from all over the world were on display.

 They ate their lunch, Emma asking more questions about Storybrooke (making sure that Ruby hadn’t forgotten her favorites at the diner and that if she lived with them again that she could go back to her old school) and Mary Margaret and David asked her more about how things were going. They didn’t get a lot of answers and it worried them greatly.

 When they finished up with lunch, Emma lead them up the stairs to her room at Ingrid’s. The walls were bright pink and a collection of china dolls were on a shelf behind a white desk. Mary Margaret could spot pink bedding bunched up in the corner, white ones taking its place on the bed. Overall, it wasn’t much like Emma’s old room at home. It seemed more of what a Victorian little girl would dream of…not Emma.

 “Auntie Ingrid said we can change it,” Emma said, not even noticing her mom’s face. “But I said I’m going home, so it doesn’t matter.”

David knelt in front of Emma. “Em, I want to make sure one thing. I know you don’t like it here and Mommy and I are doing all we can to get you home. But still, when you’re at Auntie Ingrid’s, you’re being a good girl, right? You’re listening and you’re trying your best?” They knew with Emma’s past life, she had some behavioral issues, but there were a good bit that she could control, when she wanted to.

Emma nodded. “Uh huh, Daddy. Just like you and Mommy taught me.”

“That’s my girl.” David kissed her forehead. “You are so brave, you know that? We’re so proud of you for how you’ve been handling all of this.”

 Emma showed them Luke and her blankie, though other than that there went many toys up there. She explained that Ingrid didn’t want her cluttering up her room too much.

“Emmy, can you tell me where the bathroom is?” Mary Margaret asked.

“Down the hall.”

“Thank you, angel face. I’ll be right back.”

 She headed down there and used it, noticing a few bath toys and some bubbles. She smiled a bit, knowing how much Emma loved those. As she was going back to Emma’s room, she noticed some pictures on the wall. Some were clearly of Emma when she was much younger and it made her heart melt, they didn’t have any of those. She had been such a tiny baby and toddler, though it was clear she was determined.

 One picture that confused Mary Margaret was one that seemed to resemble Emma and another blonde girl a few years older, but it looked much more dated, the girl had blue eyes and she couldn’t place the other girl with her. As far as she knew, Ingrid was her only family. Then again, she was realizing maybe she didn’t know how much family Emma had, period.

 “That’s my sister.” Mary Margaret looked up and found Ingrid there. “The two of us, when we were children.”

“Oh…she just looks so much like Emma.”

Ingrid nodded. “That she does. This was her when she was an adult.” She gestured to a picture of a blonde woman holding a tiny baby Emma. She was pretty and it was interesting to see a snapshot of what Emma could look like one day.

“She was beautiful.”

“Smart, too. Before she met Ed, she was top of her class in high school. I always thought she’d take the world by storm, but…drugs and men.”

“I see.”

“She wasn’t a bad person, just not the world’s greatest mom.”

“If you’re worried about me trash talking her, I don’t,” Mary Margaret clarified. “I just listen and tell her how things are where we are, that she’s not going to get hit or screamed at.”

“I know, even if you did…I wouldn’t blame you. You didn’t know her. You don’t know me, even.”

“So, let us get to know each other. Ingrid, this is crazy. This is the first time I’m seeing my baby in 10 days. I won’t get to see her again for another 14 and by then, well…we’ll be so close to the judge’s choice. Can’t you just get to know us before you let him make it? The power’s in your hands.”

“That’s why I have to make this work. It’s what Helga would’ve wanted.”

“And what do you want Ingrid? Is this really what you want? To raise Emma? To take her away from a situation where she’s happy?”

“Of course this isn’t what I want!”

 Mary Margaret raised an eyebrow and Ingrid’s mouth dropped open, before closing again. She quickly swallowed.

 “I want what’s best for Emma,” she whispered. “That’s it.”

“The thing is, I believe you. I just don’t think you realize what that is.”

Ingrid’s mouth formed a thin line. “I don’t have to defend myself to you. Why are you even fighting so hard? Can’t you have a family of your own?”

Mary Margaret felt as if she had been slapped. “This is my family, it’s why I’m fighting so damn hard for it.”

 She walked back into the bedroom, seeing Emma was getting a little sleepy. Since she was getting closer to 7, she didn’t have as many naps as she once did, but it had been an exciting day after all. She gathered Emma into her arms and cuddled her close.

“Mommy, can you and Daddy sing to me?” She asked.

Mary Margaret nodded. “Of course, baby. Which song?”

“Sunshine.”

 David scooted closer, wrapping his arm around his wife. Together, the two softly began singing.

 “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine You make me happy when skies are gray You'll never know dear, how much I love you Please don't take my sunshine away…”