Being fair

oollies2004 asked for a oneshot of 15 year old Emma sneaking out to see a boy and Charming catching her. I've done it the obvious way so many times before, so thought I'd have a go at turning things on their head.

Guest: Sorry but that too has been done too many times before.

Emma wasn't going to just sit there and take this. She was an adult (well…nearly…) she could go and meet up with whoever she damn well pleased. She didn't need parental consent for that, princess or not. She was sure neither of them cared about getting parental consent whilst they were growing up. So Emma took out the emergency rope she kept hidden under her bed for such occasions. She didn't sneak out of the palace very often, and she was yet to be caught, but it was a handy piece of equipment to keep close by just in case anyway. She skilfully tied it to her veranda and got ready to climb down the wall. Since it was past nightfall, she wouldn't be seen by the guards around the entrance. What she wasn't banking on was being so well known by her parents.

"So, you've decided to not listen to your mother then, I see?" Came a voice from her bedroom door. Emma jumped and immediately tried to use her back to hide the rope from view. Her father just gave Emma a look and came out to join her on the veranda.

"Emma, I've known about that rope for nearly two years." He told her. Emma couldn't hide her shock at that. Why had he not insisted she got rid of it and never sneak away again?

"You know what your mother's like." Charming began to reason with Emma. "More importantly, you know why." Emma rolled her eyes. Of course he would take her side. "Don't be like that." Charming said, gently nudging her shoulder. "You know she just worries about you. What with everything that could have been with her stepmother, you must be able to see why."

Emma sighed and rested her head against the railings of the veranda.

"Maybe." She grumbled. "But that doesn't mean she's not being over the top." Emma defended herself. Charming smiled. They were so alike sometimes.

"Possibly." He said diplomatically. "That's why I'm going to leave you in peace, and I won't come back for another couple of hours, when I expect to find you in bed. Fair?" Emma grinned before hugging her dad.

"Fair." She agreed. "You're the best." Charming laughed, kissing his daughter's head. She didn't need to know Red would be trailing them both. Sometimes subtlety was key.