Apologies for the delay, I just got back to uni and my week was...eventful. Also got inspired for a new story, but promise I won't abandon this one, there're only few more chapters left to finish it :)
Oh and someone who commented about grammar mistakes, I apologised in the beginning of the story already, as I have mentioned I do not have a beta, none of my closest friends are English either, but you're welcome to go and read other stories out there, there're bunch of amazing ones about Charmings!:)
"So everything was fine?" Charming glanced over the tiny bed he had brought home, temporarily placing in their room for Emma to sleep. The toddler was so exhausted he already found Snow clutching asleep Emma on the coach.
"Of course, why wouldn't it be?" Snow grinned. She wasn't about to reveal her little break down in the morning, in the end it all sorted out well, thanks to Red. After the most emotional scene ever, Emma 'helped' to clean, as in placed everything in the different places, finding it very amusing. Red made some pancakes while Snow finished the floor and the rest of the day was uneventful. They watched TV, Snow helped Emma to draw, who had already drawn so much pictures Snow could fill an entire scrapbook of them. Which she would, eventually. Now she kept them safely in her keepsake box.
"I was thinking." Snow smiled sneakily, watching David get changed for bed.
He looked at her waiting for her to continue. "Well, Red invited me tomorrow to go see Ella, I haven't seen her in a while and I'd love to see Alexandra AND get some tips"
Charming chuckled. "That's a great idea"
"Yeah, can you watch Emma?"
"Well, of course." Charming leaned cutting the distance between him and wife, kissing her. "I have to finish few things in the station but I can take an entire day off to have some time with Ems"
"Great!" Snow grinned. He had a feeling she planned this all along, and well, he couldn't complain, he was beyond happy to get some time with Emma too. For the first time ever, even if it meant not having Snow nearby, but if something, he decided he'll have someone to ask for help.
"By the way, lovely husband" Snow rubbed her nose with David's. "You promised her a surprise, and well, please come up with something, she might not think about it anymore, but I want her to know we keep promises"
"Oh God, yes! I had completely forgotten, thank you for reminding" Charming captured Snow's lips, now holding her neck with his both hands, devouring with those longer and longer kisses. "Matter of fact I know exactly what we can do" he grinned so widely, Snow actually got worried.
Snow pulled away a little. "Should I be worried?"
"Nope."
"Can you tell me what is it?"
"Nope."
"A clue at least?" Snow whined.
Charming shook his head laughing. "Stop worrying and trust me"
"Remember she's only four okay."
Charming faked an offended look. "Are you saying I can't take care of my own child?"
"Not at all, just saying, be careful, she's…. a hyper child."
"Nothing I cannot handle" he gave her a smug look that said like-mother-like-daughter.
"What's that" Emma climbed on the top of the chair reaching the darts board.
"Emma, get down" David peeked through his papers, continuing writing as fast as he could.
"Ooooooooooh" Emma pulled one dart off, then her small legs twisted together and she lost her balance completely. Emma just let out a scream, before her fall that resulted in a lucky chance of David catching her before she went down and cut herself with the dart.
"I wonder if it's acceptable to lock my own child in a cell" Charming thought out loud trying to steady his heartbeat. He placed Emma on the chair, taking the dart from her hand and pointed at her. "You STAY here, do not move."
Emma nodded innocently.
Charming walked back to his papers holding his head as he had to redo the entire report now.
"Who's that?"
He didn't even hear Emma moving from the chair and now she was checking things on the table. The picture of big Emma and Henry being her first object.
"Oh." Charming went blank. Future you?
"Uh…" he searched for something to say yet not being able to lie to her, but thanks to his lucky stars the child couldn't keep her attention long on anything. She was now moving around the desk. "What are you writing"
"My work, I have to do a report"
"About what" Emma picked every pencil and pen out aiming, poorly, at the bin.
"Bad people who do bad things"
"Do you beat them up?"
"Uh…I used to. I try not to unless there's no other way to stop them"
"I did too" Emma smiled.
David raised eyebrows. "You beat someone up?"
"Uh-huh" Emma nodded. "One of the boys took my blankie and started laughing so I bit him"
Charming laughed. "You did very well Emma" His heart swelled with an immense pride. That's definitely his girl.
Emma grinned.
"Okay, I'm not gonna finish this, futile to try, so how about we go and see your surprise now?"
"REALLY" Emma's eyes shone with wonder.
"Really" Charming picked up the pint sized toddler and took the keys. He realized he looked forward for this more than Emma and that was A WHOLE LOT.
Grumpy just stared. Not like any kind of sheepish, let me really take a look at this stare, but creepily long what the actual hell type of stare.
"That's really Emma huh" he asked for 100th of time.
David just sighed in response not even bothering to answer. "You have the key Leroy?"
"Here" Grumpy threw him entire chain of keys not taking his eyes off Emma, who was just watching her father.
"You sure that's not Cora in disguise"
That made Charming turn and give a look at Grumpy. "For millionth of time I'm telling you, that's really Emma"
"Huh. Whadya know." Grumpy leaned a little catching Emma's look. "Damn."
"Grumpy don't swear she's only 4"
"Sorry man, but your daughter has a mouth on herself already"
David held his head in desperation, maybe this wasn't the greatest idea after all. "She. Is. Four."
Grumpy put his hand on Emma's head who just blinked confused. "She's small alright"
"YOU are small" Emma shot back offended, crossing her hands over her chest.
David snorted.
Grumpy raised his eyebrows. "Okay that's Emma alright"
"Ems, come here" David opened the stables door finally and Emma skipped in all excitedly.
"What's that…..OOOOOOH." She gasped staring, but not moving, stopping still.
"Those are horses"
"Come here, I'll show you yours" David waited for Emma who wouldn't move.
"Highness I'm not expert but I think she's scared shitless" Grumpy shrugged.
"Leroy watch your mouth" David shot back, walking over to Emma. "Come on, they are good, they won't do anything to you"
Emma unconvinced, but followed him until they got to the tinier creature than the ones she first saw.
"Here, that's for you Emma, a very nice pony at your orders, princess."
Emma put a finger in her mouth staring at it curiously.
"Grumpy, can you help me? Take the pony outside so we can try it out"
"Sure, be right there"
David picked Emma who just curiously kept staring at the animal in front.
"Come on, how about we take one for me and one for you okay?" David walked over to the beautiful black horse who seemed to recognize him straight away neighing and coming closer.
"Hello Beauty" David patted her head, he opened the door, with one hand leading the horse out, Emma too scared of the closeness of such a massive creature just buried her head into Charming's shoulder.
"Don't worry." David rubbed Emma's back. "She's one of my best and loyal friends, she'd guard me with her life and she would you too."
As soon as they walked outside, Grumpy had already the pony ready for riding, holding a little helmet to Emma.
"Do you wanna try?" David asked her putting her down.
Emma shook her head. "Come on."
"No thanks" Emma responded a little too fast.
David chuckled. "Okay how about this, we're going to go both of us on mine and you'll tell me if you like it okay?"
Emma thought for a second and shrugged.
"I'll never ever let anything happen to you okay Emma? Do you trust me?"
Emma finally nodded. David smiled placing a kiss on her forehead. "Come on then" he gave Emma to Grumpy, getting on top of the horse and then Grumpy carefully handed him Emma, who he placed just in front of him. He felt how stiff she's gotten from fear.
"Now don't be afraid, you have to trust your friend, like she trusts you, that you won't hurt her. She feels everything you feel so if you're nervous she will be too."
Emma nodded, relaxing a bit. Charming touched the horse in sign for her to start going really slowly.
Emma gasped tightening hold onto Beauty's hair, even though David was holding her all along.
"If you want me to stop just stay"
"Noooo" Emma replied, getting a little excited. "Go!"
David smiled all proud. The girl got really comfortable now, she was completely relaxed and David had a great suspicion she was enjoying this a lot.
He made Beauty go faster now and Emma squealed from excitement.
"Do you want to try your pony now?" he asked making a round back to the stables.
Emma nodded excitedly.
"Perfect" he stopped the horse next to Grumpy, again carefully handing him Emma down.
"Well fuck me, that was fast" Grumpy replied. "She's your kid huh"
"Grumpy…." David rolled eyes without even finishing his sentence.
"Sorry" Grumpy smiled sheepishly.
"Okay, princess" Grumpy put Emma on top of the pony. "Just hold on tight" he started walking the pony slowly as David followed them with his horse. They did this for around 10 minutes until David got a call from Snow. He jumped off the horse motioning for Grumpy to wait for him and went back into the stables.
"Can we go on a big horse" Emma asked already bored.
"Nope."
"But whyyyyy" Emma whined not happy at all. "This is too small."
"YOU are small" Grumpy replied.
"I'M NOT SMALL" Emma shouted back offended.
"Oh yeah I forgot you're massive" Grumpy chuckled. "Maybe you know…in 24 years more" he teased Emma.
Beauty neighed getting Grumpy's attention. "Crap" he saw the horse starting to walk the opposite direction. He looked at Emma then at the retreating Beauty.
"You" he pointed at Emma very seriously. "Stay here and not move A MUSCLE"
Not like she knew how to ride a horse yet anyway.
Or she did.
As soon as Grumpy walked few steps back he heard a sound of his death.
Emma, smartly picking up a thing or two while watching her father, kicked her pony who just instantly starting galloping on it's own, since the kick was quite a strong one for someone who's not practiced and cannot measure the impact, the galloping broke into the pure run and that's when Emma panicked.
Grumpy felt his blood drain from entire his body. "SHIT SHIT SHIT"
"Leroy I told you…" Everything that David was about to say has completely left his brain. Thank gods for adrenaline rush because in a situation like these few seconds could change everything. Abruptly running over to Beauty and doing what David knew best, horseriding easily being one of those things he would never forget he took off after the pony and in a span of few seconds he was just beside it grabbing Emma in one swift move and riding back to the stables in another few seconds.
David jumped from the horse examining Emma "Are you okay?" he checked her for any bruises, if she was hurt at all, his panic seeping through his entire demeanor.
"YES" Emma replied excitedly. If he wasn't still in state of shock himself after the adrenaline was now abandoning his body, he would have probably died right that moment. This child was fearless.