A/N thanks to all of you who reviewed, favorited, followed, read...I seriously love all of you. I look forward to going through this little "journey" with you guys. You're all wonderful.

This one is tentatively titled "Happy Birthday, Snow." Thanks.

When a six year old Princess Emma had finally been left alone in her bedroom to dress herself for the day, she knew exactly what her plan for the day was. She pulled on her leather riding boots (and she even figured out which shoe was for which foot-all by herself) that had been made just for her, and she snuck her way down to the stables, only to find her father tending to his favorite of the horses.

"Papa!" She shouted, waving with an ear-to-ear grin. She sprinted down the hill and jumped into her father's arms, and he returned her grin.

"Hey there, princess." He kissed her temple as she draped her arms around his shoulders. "What brings you out here? Did you want to go for a ride?"

"Maybe later, Papa." Emma did her best to keep from getting distracted. She was on a mission. "Do you know what tomorrow is?"

Charming beamed at his daughter, whose green eyes were filled with a sort of wonder that never went away. He knew what the next day was. He'd be a pretty bad husband if he didn't, but he figured he'd play along.

"Is it my birthday?" He asked with an amused smirk. Emma giggled and shook her head, her two braids swinging and hitting Charming's shoulders.

"No, silly! It's Mama's birthday! But guess what."

"What?"

"I need your help, Papa."

"Oh," Charming tilted his head and fixed his eyes on his daughter's. "The independent little princess needs my help?" Emma laughed again.

"I don't know what to give Mama for a birthday present."

He smiled at his daughter. She came to him with advice. He loved it so much when she did that. He put her down and grabbed her hand, and the two of them took a walk in the direction opposite the castle.

"Well, Ems," he swung his arm ever so gently so that their arms kind of swung with them as they walked. "What do you and your mama like to do together?"

"Well..." She hung on the word and bit her lip like she was really contemplating what her gift for her mother would be. "Sometimes, we play games with my doll she made me. You know, the one that looks like Mama with the dark hair and the pretty dress...wait! I got an idea."

Charming cocked his head to the side and winked a little.

"Really? What is it then?"

Emma gestured for her father to come closer so that she could whisper in his ear to keep it a secret, as if somebody was going to hear them when they were far out of earshot of anyone from the castle. He played along, leaning down to listen, with his daughter cupping her hands around her mouth and letting him know exactly what her idea was. He grinned, wrapping an arm around her waist and picking her back up.

"Princess, that is a wonderful idea." He kissed her on top of her head, and Emma beamed with pride, the smile she inherited from her dad.

"Mama!" Even from down the hall, Snow and Charming woke with smiles to hear their daughter. James kissed his wife sweetly on the lips before Emma could come bursting into the room.

"Happy birthday, love." He smiled boyishly.

"Thank you, darling." She kissed his cheek again. And then, their daughter burst into the room, hands behind her back almost mysteriously.

"Happy birthday, Mama!" The little girl shouted happily, a gigantic grin on her face.

"Thank you, my darling." Snow's smile grew, as it often did around her baby girl.

"I have a present for you, Mama."

"Oh, Emma, how sweet of you, you didn't have to." Snow's eyes shone as she stared at the little girl in her lap.

"Close your eyes and hold out your hands."

James glanced back and forth between his two girls with a smile on his face and a feeling of pride in his stomach. Emma placed the gift in her hands, and her mother opened her eyes. In her hands was a doll made of a soft fabric. She had green buttons for eyes and golden yarn for hair, a smile on her face that she recognized as her daughter's. She noticed work done by the castle's seamstresses that she recognized, but there was amateur sewing work that couldn't have been done by anyone but little Princess Emma. It was an Emma doll, made by Emma. Snow glanced from the doll in her hands to her husband, who kissed Emma's head and winked at his wife, indicating to her that he knew about the doll.

"Oh, Emma." She whispered, studying the best birthday preset she'd ever gotten.

"I have one of you, and you have one of me. Now I can always be with you." Emma smiled shyly, and when she noticed Snow's facial expression, she got nervous, and her voice changed. "Do you like it?"

"Oh, my darling, I love it." She threw her arms around her little girl, who happily reciprocated the hug, proud of the job she had done. "I'll tell you what. You go get your doll, and before breakfast, you and I can stay in bed and play dolls."

"And what am I supposed to do?" James asked loudly, interrupting the mother-daughter moment, feeling a little left out himself.

"You can sit over there and look handsome." It was Snow's turn to wink as Emma rushed out of the room to get her doll. Charming shrugged and leaned back into the headboard, arms behind his head.

"You know I have no problem with that." He remarked, causing his wife to giggle and jab him in the ribs.

"Be quiet, you." She laughed as he took her into his arms. She nestled herself in his arms, closing her eyes for a moment. "She's wonderful." Snow said quietly, musing about the beautiful girl she and her husband had created.

"She reminds me a lot of you." Charming smiled as his wife leaned up to steal another kiss before their ball of sunshine was to come bursting through their bedroom door again.

"Happy birthday, Snow."

A/N thanks everybody. I hope you enjoyed this as much as the first installment. If you thought anybody was out of character (and if you thought of anybody, it was probably Emma,) I apologize. This was kind of a thought I had about what a young Emma could have been like. Thanks everybody. I'll take suggestions in PMs (or in reviews I guess.) I have an idea for the next chapter, and Emma will probably be about 13ish.

Thanks again.

-Emma