Everyone needs help
EvilRegal13 asked for a oneshot of the Charmings finding out Emma is bulimic. So trigger warning there. Again we've gone AU to a teenaged Emma in EF. Confession, I don't really know much about Enchanted Forest plumbing. So I've used some creative license here. I'm sure if they can have magic someone used it to create some form of indoor plumbing!
Something hadn't been right for weeks. Emma was acting very distant. She wasn't as outgoing as she once was. She now spent any free time she had locked away in her room. If Charming or Snow were to go up to see her, they'd here a lot of very quick moving around just before they got to her room. Like she heard them coming and had something to hide. Charming was also sure she was up more during the night. Every night between three and four he was sure he heard his daughter sneaking to the bathroom. Surely she didn't need to go to the bathroom so regularly? Snow had also told him Emma seemed increasingly worried about her figure when trying on any Ball gowns for the upcoming grand Ball. Emma had never been deeply concerned about her figure before. She'd never had to be. She was perfectly healthy. No, something wasn't right. And her parents decided they had to find out.
Again, just after three am Charming heard Emma's bedroom door creak open. He carefully nudged Snow awake, nodding towards their door. Snow understood and they both quietly crept out and along to the bathroom. They both noticed Emma had left the door open, which was very unusual. Charming poked his head around the door. There was enough light from the lanterns on the wall to see what was going on. He saw Emma kneel down beside the bowl. She then stuck two fingers down her throat until she was gagging. Before he could stop her, she was sick. He quickly made his way into the room with Snow by his side.
"Emma?" He asked, making the girl jump. "What are you doing?" Emma turned and looked at her parents, terrified.
"I-I…" She stammered. "Look it's nothing. I'm sorry I woke you. I'll just go back to bed…" Emma tried to make her way past her parents, but her mother caught her arm.
"Not until you explain what's going on." Snow said softly. Emma remained silent. Unsure where to begin.
"Come on Emma." Charming prompted, reaching out and cupping her cheek. "You've been acting very distantly for a while now. Please, sweetheart. We want to help you." Try as she might Emma couldn't avoid her father's caring gaze. She cracked.
"I don't want to get fat." Emma said quietly, looking down at the floor. "I feel bad, I sneak food from the kitchen. I feel worse because I ate it and this is the quickest way to get rid of it." Emma explained. Snow wrapped her daughter into a fierce hug.
"Emma Ruth, you listen to your father and me." She said sternly. "You are anything but fat. But this, honey, isn't good for you at all."
"Your mother's right." Charming agreed, stroking through Emma's hair. "This can't be good for you sweetheart." Emma knew that, but it didn't make it easy.
"I don't know how to stop." She admitted.
"With our help." Snow assured her. "Now that we know what the problem is, we can get you help, ok?" Emma nodded into her mother's shoulder. "Good. But for tonight, you just need rest." Snow released her daughter form their hug and took her hand. "Come on, back to bed." Emma allowed her mother to lead her along with her father's arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders. She was still scared. She wasn't entirely sure she could beat this quite yet. But at least she knew now she wasn't alone.