Tumblr prompt: Emma wants a puppy and Regina goes shopping with her begrudgingly but ends up falling for one of the puppies instantly.
Emma's grin was impermeable: nothing was going to stop her. She hummed happily and then stopped, because since when does she hum? Shaking her head, she walked up the stairs two at a time, her excitement practically bubbling over.
She stopped in front of Henry's door and knocked once. He didn't answer and she rolled her eyes. She and Regina had respected Henry's ask for privacy, but what was the point if he was always listening to music or on his computer, or on the blasted DS and never answered?
"Kid," she shouted through the door, "I hope you're dressed because I'm coming in." Without waiting for a response-not like she was going to get one-she grabbed the doorknob and pushed open.
Thankfully Henry was just lounging on his bed, a pair of headphones in as he played on his DS. Emma frowned. "Henry." No answer. "Henry!" Still no answer. "HENRY!"
The boy jumped and tore his headphones out, looking hurriedly at Emma. "Jeez, Emma, you gave me a heart attack!"
"Well, you didn't answer me the first five thousand times," Emma grumbled, rolling her eyes before smiling big at Henry. "Oh, yeah, Kid, guess what?"
"What?" Henry sighed.
"We're getting a puppy!"
Henry jumped up excitedly, a gigantic smile on his face. "Really?!"
"Well, not yet." Henry's shoulders slumped and he sat back down. "But I think I'm finally cracking down on your mom."
"Yeah, okay, Emma." Henry doubted it. He's been asking for a dog since he was six.
"Just you wait. We will get one!"
"Hey, babe." Emma planted a sweet kiss on Regina's lips before pulling back and smiling.
Regina greeted her back and got to work on dinner, like she did every night.
"Hey, Reginnnna?" Emma sing-songed.
"Yes?"
"Can we get a puppy."
Regina didn't even turn around. "No."
"Pleaseeee? I'll take care of it and Henry will help and it'll show him responsibility!"
"No, Emma." Then she shook her head and finally turned around. "Why is getting a puppy so important?"
Emma frowned. She didn't want to play the sob-story card, but maybe explaining why would help. "While I was growing up, I hated most of my foster homes." Regina flinched as she always did at the mention of Emma's childhood but Emma rushed on. "But there was this one house . . . the family wasn't great, but they left me alone and that was okay. They were pretty well off. They had a son who got whatever he wanted. Often they would leave me alone by myself at the house. They had this watch dog-he was out door only.
Emam took a deep breath. "But when they were gone, I let the dog in and we would hang out. We were pretty good friends. I used to always sneak him back outside before the owners came home. One day their son died and the family sent both the dog and me back. But I loved that dog, Regina. It was one of the good things in my childhood and I would like to share that with Henry and you."
"How about this one?" Emma stopped in front of a big cage where a gigantic dog stood. Emma knelt down and grinned. He was only three years old.
Regina rolled her eyes. "He's too big and . . ." She quickly scanned the tags. "And it says he's bad with kids!"
Emma's shoulder's slump but she stood. She wasn't going to risk Henry's life for a dog. They moved on.
It seemed like every dog had a problem Regina didn't like. "Too hairy" "Too small" "Too big" "Too loud" "This one is bad with cats." "Regina, we don't have a cat!" "I do not want an animal that can't cooperate with the other animals!"
Emma was just about to give up when she came to a puppy cage. There were six puppies in it, most of them rushing to greet the adults at the cage. All but one. It's little ear was tore and it's tail looked like part of it was torn off.
"Aww!" Emma's eyes narrowed down on the little runt. "Regina, I want this one!"
Regina frowned and pursed her lips. "Emma," she said carefully, "are you sure? It looks a little, um-"
"Yes!" Emma sighed as she realized what Regina was trying to say. "This puppy needs a home. He'll never get adopted. He's the little one that always gets bullied. No one likes him. Or her. Regina please?"
Regina looked into the puppy's eyes and sighed. She knew she couldn't say no. "Alright."
"Henry!" Emma yelled, her arms struggling to hold the excited puppy. "Please come down here!"
There was silence before the sound of Henry's footsteps reached their ears. "Yes?" he asked, not quite seeing the puppy yet.
"Look," Emma whispered.
Henry's jaw dropped before running over to them. "Oh, no way!"
Emma and Regina both smiled widely before Emma pressed the puppy into Henry's hands. The puppy squirmed and licked Henry's cheek, causing the boy to laugh and look up. "What's his name?"
Emma and Regina both grinned again. "Her name is Miracle."