A/N: I know. You are getting antsy on the present chapters. I'm sowwy. (Pouting) This is about Braxton, Emma's Siberian Husky Puppy.
- Flashback: (Spring 1996) -
On the dark night in Storybrooke, it was a cruel reality and everyone wrapped their warm coats around their body. No one dared to enter the alley near the pier where the gigantic ships floated in the sea. Emma was the one who ran every cold night on her schedule because she was in sports frequently like her siblings except Amy who was appealing to write the stories.
If someone knew the Nolan family well, it should be the Mills family. It's only Zelena, Regina and their parents because they befriended the Nolan Family whether the monetary status or society classes. But for Cora, she was a high-maintenance person based on whom of her daughters befriended in the school before judging on their looks. Her husband, Henry Sr. didn't care about the society classes or wealth on the people and he believed in all human beings that are not perfect or deformed.
Until, Regina brought her new best friend, Emma to meet her parents. When it happened one time, Emma was very shy to meet Cora for the first time while they were in preschool. Of course, Cora knew Mary Margaret very well because Cora was an acquaintance of the Blanchard family and grew up with Leopold Blanchard in the University from France.
Cora saw Emma in the foyer and greeted her with a friendly smile. She loved the babies since Regina was born. Everyone knew that Cora has a soft heart when it came to the babies. Henry Sr. came with a smile on his face when Regina called him 'Daddy!' It softened her parents' hearts when Regina held Emma's hand in her hand. It was not a surprise for Mary Margaret to see it.
Anyhow, it pointed to the few years later. Emma was running on the pier bridge from the Main Street to the docks and heard the whimper from the dark alley. It was a time when Emma was older enough to run alone every night because her father was a sheriff at that time in the docks watch. They usually met up near the docks and grabbed their favorite midnight snacks from her mother.
Emma went inside the alley to check if she heard a whimper again until her emeralds eyes saw the small Siberian Husky puppy. It was a grey with white fur. And, the puppy has same colors as Emma's. It was a perfect combination. So, she decided to rescue him from the dump site and his paw got stuck with the sharp can.
For herself, Emma was very careful with her hands to reach the puppy from some awful things around him. The Siberian Husky puppy whimpered when she untangled his paw out from the can and saw a blood on its paw.
Emma brought the puppy to her father who was standing near the docks and found him there with a reply.
"I found a cute puppy from the alley and he's injured."
"Emma! You can't pick the stray puppy."
"But dad, look at him. He is sad." Emma showed a puppy pouting at her father. David stared at them with a sigh and nodded.
"Fine, we bring him to the vet and look after his paw."
"Can I keep him?"
"We wait and see if your mom wants you to keep him. It's your responsibility to watch and take care of him."
"I will! Please let me keep him."
"Let's go. I just finished my early shift today."
"Can I ride with you back to vet then home?"
"Sure, are you finishing with your run?" Her father asked while he led his daughter to the squad car. Emma nodded while carefully holding a puppy in her arms.
They finally rode away to the vet's office which it was still open on 24 hours since it was a small town. The doorbell brought the vet to hear the bells and appeared up with a smile on his face.
Emma explained everything about the puppy and the vet nodded while examining on its paw then bandaging with the gauze wrap.
The blonde teenager was relieved that the puppy was okay and the injury was not seriously bad. David requested for the medicines and a check for the dog owners related to the puppy. Emma frowned while hearing the conversation about the puppy.
The vet nodded and continued to do some work to find a dog owner that belonged to the puppy. But it was no one to own that puppy. Emma was secretly thrilled. David caught her with a smirk.
They thanked him and headed home. Mary Margaret was there worrying about her oldest daughter who was running on the evenings. David came in with a big smile. Emma cooed to the puppy in her arms and looked up at her mom who was still horrified.
"What was that!?"
"Honey, it's a puppy. He was stuck in the alley and got lost. I got nothing for him to go back to the dog owner because he didn't have one. So, our dear Emma wanted to keep him. Look at that cute face of Siberian Husky puppy!" David poured while indicting at the puppy who was still pouting. Emma showed a puppy eyes.
"Alright! You are responsible for this puppy. I don't have anything to feed him."
"We got it from the truck. Just from the vet and pet store before going home." Emma explained with a full smile. Mary Margaret nodded with no words. David hurrahed with a wet kiss on his wife's lips. Emma giggled while her new puppy came home with a small smile. She decided to call him 'Braxton' and showed him around his new home. Luckily, Braxton started to wiggle out in her arms and limped into the living room with a happy smile.
Mary Margaret bulged her eyes when she screamed, 'NO!' Braxton jumped on the white traditional couch with his filthy fur. Emma and David went slack-jawed at the muddy couch and Mary Margaret screaming in the room then laughed harder.
Braxton barked happily when Mary Margaret spooned him in her arms with an angry look. She walked back to her daughter and snarled.
"I want Braxton to stay outside!"
"Mom!"
"You heard your mother and clean on the couch." David grinned.
"You are involved too. Clean it up." Mary Margaret scolded with a smirk. David stuttered with no words. Braxton and Emma looked up at him with a puppy love. The blond sheriff sighed with a one word.
"Fine."
Everyone smiled at him and Braxton howled. It caused Mary Margaret to hush him and fled to the kitchen. Others went to the backyard and entered the shed. David searched for a small house that he failed to make a dollhouse for Amy. It was the blue house with boards. Emma liked that style and decided to take off some woods. It went in a style of a doghouse.
They put it out in the backyard and Emma leashed Braxton to the new house. She smiled at him and left with her father for cleaning up in the living room. Braxton started to howl and it annoyed Mary Margaret all times.
At last time, Mary Margaret screamed with a loud wail. Emma looked over her father's shoulders then found Braxton whimpering between him and the back porch door with the glass. She blinked and heard her mother's voice.
"Damn it! Go get Braxton to hush it!"
"Emma, get him inside and bring with you to your room tonight."
"Alright." Emma nodded and went after her new puppy then left for her room. Mary Margaret exhaled a sigh and went into the kitchen once again. David rolled his eyes and entered the living room to clean a bit little of mess on the couch.
Few days later, Regina came over to see Emma's new puppy that Emma rattled everyday. She was excited to have her sleepover with Emma for a full week since her parents were away on the business trip in Europe for few days. Mary Margaret and David were happy to take her in for a week. Cora and Henry Sr. thanked them and left for the airport.
Emma ran to the front door and opened it with her full grin. Regina jumped over her with her legs around on her waist. They embraced tightly. Zelena was away on her college road trip with her friends. Mary Margaret came out from the kitchen and saw the girls embracing each other in an odd way. It made her chuckle and clapped for their attention.
"It's a snack time."
"Great! Just in time to meet Braxton!"
"Awesome!" Regina said with a smile. They broke apart and held hands together to see Braxton outside in the kitchen. Mary Margaret patted Braxton's head and walked inside to see her husband cooking dinner.
Braxton ruffed. Regina looked at the handsome puppy in the kitchen and asked.
"How old is he?"
"Braxton is 2 years old. When I found him in a dark alley, he was a little puppy. It was adorable when he whimpered for help. I am glad that I kept him."
"You are lucky because my mom is allergic to cats. So, I begged mom that I could have a puppy and she flatly said no."
"Did she?"
"Yes! I begged her once again. But I got my horse instead. I'm grateful."
"Well, you can share Braxton with me. I would be glad if you did." Emma grinned. Regina nodded excitedly. They decided to play with Braxton outside on the backyard. Mary Margaret heard laughter outside and looked through the kitchen window with a smile on her face. David came in from the hallway and found his daughter chasing after Regina with a hose. Regina was screaming with Braxton in her arms and ran away from Emma.
The girls were wet and Braxton was happily ruffing all the way in the backyard. Mary Margaret chuckled with a camera filming the girls in the backyard and planned to show it to Regina's parents. David shook his head with a smile on his face.
- Flashback -