Piggyback ride

Bluerose921 asked for a oneshot of Emma hurting her ankle and Charming having to piggyback her home.

"I got him!" Emma yelled, running as fast as she could through the forest. They'd got a call about a shop lifter whilst they'd been walking through town about to get lunch. When they eventually found him he'd dashed into the forest meaning she and David had to run through after him. "Oh would you just stop!" Emma yelled, frustrated as she just missed the perp. She was so frustrated with herself that she wasn't watching where she was going. Her foot caught under a tree root and she came crashing down, twisting her ankle painfully. "Damn it!" She cried out.

"Emma!" Her dad shouted, concerned. He skidded to a halt beside her, crouching down. "Are you alright?" He panted.

"Don't worry about me, go after him!" Emma shouted.

"Emma, he's gone for now sweetie. We'll make sure everyone installs more up to date security and get a description to keep an eye out for him. But for now, I'm more worried about this ankle." He said, pointing to her foot, still trapped under the root.

"Honestly, I just tripped. I'm fi- HOLY MOTHER OF CRAP!" Emma shouted, as she tried to twist her ankle around to pull her foot out.

"That's what I thought." He said, even more concerned now. He carefully moved the root up and gently pulled Emma's foot out.

"Thanks." Emma said, embarrassed. She sat herself up against a tree, her ankle throbbing painfully.

"We need to get you back home and get some ice on that ankle. It looks very badly sprained. There's no way you're going to be able to walk. He turned his back to Emma, still crouched down. "Hop on." He told her. Emma blinked in surprise.

"What?" She asked, appalled.

"Emma, you couldn't even move it enough to untangle yourself. There's no way it's going to bear your weight just now. Come on, I'll carry you home."

"Dad, I do not need you to carry me. I'm perfectly capable of walking." She said stubbornly. David turned back to look at her.

"Emma, right now you have two choices." He said more sternly. "Either I pick you up and carry you bridal style, or in a fireman's lift if you put up a fuss, or, you get on my back and I piggyback you home." Emma tried to stare him down, but she could tell he wasn't backing down.

"Fine." She grumbled. David turned back around when he was sure Emma wasn't going to try something stupid and allowed her to hop over to him and jump on his back. He carefully stood up and started walking.

"This is so humiliating." Emma groaned, trying to hide her face against her father's shoulder.

"What is? That you got hurt trying to keep this town safe? It's not humiliating at all. Now just relax, would you? Safe your energy for answering your mother's questions." He teased. Emma couldn't help but let out a small smile. Maybe this wasn't so bad. She had always dreamed of something like this when she was a little girl. She may as well enjoy it.