Lost in the storm

A guest asked for a oneshot of little Emma with her adult mind disappearing from their house after a fight with her parents. They notice a while later when Snow goes to look for her and ask her to come down for dinner. They become worried sick since they noticed she left without any jacket on and it's raining. They begin to search for her, panicking since it's getting darker. Lots of feels.

To the person that wants a sequel to Sinkhole. I'm not sure how many times I have to say this, but I'll try once more. I need the chapter name AND number!

OUAT: Sorry, but one of the few rules still applying during May Muses is not writing holiday themed oneshots after the holiday!

Audrey: If they had pixie dust, surely they could just return with a memory potion?

Babydoll: What do you want to happen in the sequel? Can I ask that if you're requesting a sequel you give me a little detail? I don't always have an idea of where to take the story.

Sorry there are less stories today. I've been a busy bee!

It had been hours since either Snow or Charming had so much as heard Emma. She had stormed up to her bedroom after a massive fight between her and her mother. They knew Emma was struggling right now, but until she was back to her adult size and form again, she simply couldn't do some of the things she was used to doing. Like going for a drive. Snow was horrified when she caught Emma trying to drive her bug. She understood that her daughter was frustrated at being treated like a child when she still had the mindset of an adult, but that didn't mean she had to act out irrationally. Just what made her think she could drive?! Her feet didn't even reach the pedals! Snow then confiscated Emma's car keys. Emma blew a fuse at this, stating that Snow had no right to take her things. Snow defended herself taking the keys, saying it was for Emma's own good if she was going to be silly about things. When her dad backed her mom up, Emma stormed up to her bedroom and it was clear she was refusing to speak to either of them. They knew she was having a hard time, but her safety was still paramount.

Now it was dinner time, and they still hadn't heard a peep from her.

"She can't stay up there and starve." Snow sighed. "That won't improve things. She made her way up to Emma's room, bracing herself for a barrage of foul language. She knocked tentatively on the door.

"Emma?" Snow called. No reply. "Emma, dinner is almost ready. Whether you're mad at us or not, you have to eat." Still nothing. Snow rolled her eyes. She pushed the door open. "Emma don't you think you're being a little-" Snow stopped. She looked around the room. Emma wasn't there. Her bedroom window was wide open, the wind making the curtains flap around, the rain beating off them. Emma's bed was stripped bare, the sheets tied loosely tumbling out, creating a perilous rope down to the street below. Despite it being obvious what had happened here, Snow had to check Emma's whole room, to make sure this wasn't some elaborate hoax. To make sure Emma wasn't deliberately trying to make them feel bad. But it was no prank. Their daughter, who currently looked like a four-year-old, was out somewhere roaming around Storybrooke in the middle of a storm. In her search of Emma's room, Snow had seen her red jacket they'd got from a charity shop hanging off her bedpost. It was the only jacket Emma currently had. She must be freezing!

"David!" Snow yelled. Hearing the urgency in her voice, Charming was up in seconds. "Emma's gone." Snow told him. She pointed to the open window. "She doesn't even have her jacket on. She'll catch her death out there. That's if someone awful doesn't find her first." Snow felt sick to the pit of her stomach at the thought, so did Charming.

"Come on." Charming said, helping her up. "We have to find her. Think. Where would Emma go?" He asked. They both thought. She wouldn't be at Granny's, they would have called the house. She couldn't be sitting in her car, Snow had her keys. Where did Emma go when she was upset? "The dock." Charming said suddenly. "Emma goes there to think." Snow could have kissed him. He was right. That's where Emma would be! They ran out the house, their hearts racing. They just hoped they found her soon.

Charming drove the cruiser as fast as possible to the dock.

"There!" Snow said. She saw a tiny figure, soaking blond hair sticking to her equally soaking shirt, sitting on the edge of the dock. They leapt out the car, slamming the doors in their hurry. Emma's head whipped round at the noise. She saw her parents. She wasn't ready to face them yet. She tried to get up and make a run for it, but the wood beneath her was slippery. She lost her balance, and went crashing into the water below.

"Emma!" Snow screamed. She floundered on the surface for a few moments, but her little arms weren't strong enough. She went under. Charming charged towards the pier. He didn't even stop to take off his jacket. He dived straight in and looked around. He saw her, struggling to reach the surface. He grabbed her around the middle and swam up. They broke the surface together, both trying to catch their breaths.

"You ok?" Charming asked her. Emma nodded, the shock still hitting her hard. Snow was waiting nervously at the edge of the pier. Charming swam over and handed Emma up. Snow quickly pulled her up, wrapping her arms around her tightly.

"Don't ever do that to me again." Snow told her, holding her close. Snow noticed Emma was shivering violently. She shrugged off her own jacket and wrapped it around Emma as she picked her up. Normally, Emma would have protested this, but she was too shocked to notice. Snow checked Charming was alright as well as he clambered to the surface, equally wet.

They walked back to the car. Snow slid into the passenger seat, keeping Emma on her lap. She wasn't prepared to let her go. Not right now. Charming drove Emma home as quickly as possible. She was soaking wet and very cold to the touch.

"I'll take a shower down here." He said, kissing both his girls' heads.

"I'll give Emma a bath upstairs." Snow said. She carried a still shaking Emma up the stairs. She got her out some clean, warm, PJs from the drawer and a fluffy bath towel. She carried Emma into the bathroom and helped her out of the wet clothes, wrapping her in the towel whilst she got the bath ready. When it was, she gently lowered her in, helping her wash out her hair.

"I'm sorry." Emma said, breaking the silence. "I was stupid. I thought I could show you I was fine on my own. I could have got dad killed." Snow caught a tear that escaped Emma's eye.

"You could have got both of you killed." Snow said. "When we saw you were missing, Emma, we were so scared. We know this isn't easy for you. But you need to understand, until things are back to normal, you won't be able to do all the things you normally do. There are people out there who want to hurt you. Please don't go making yourself an easy target." Snow said. "Just let us help you ride this out." Emma nodded. Being so stubborn was only meaning she was cutting her nose off to spite her face. Snow finished off washing Emma's hair and then helped her out of the tub, got her dried off, and into the fresh PJs she'd left heating on the radiator. Snow picked her up and carried her through to her bed. Emma was falling asleep already. By the time Snow got her tucked in, she was gone. Snow kissed her, watching her sleep for a moment. They could have lost her.

"She ok?" A voice whispered from the door. Snow got up and nodded at Charming. She came over and placed a hand on his chest.

"Are you?" She asked. He nodded, pecking her lips. He was fine. Snow couldn't hold it back any longer, she burst into tears against his chest. Charming held her close, comforting her as best he could. It had been an emotional evening for all of them.