Bambi

A guest asked for a oneshot of Emma whilst working finds an injured fawn in the forest. She brings them home, wanting to keep them as a pet. When Snowing say no Emma becomes whiny and plays the "you put me in the wardrobe" card. She points out they missed all her birthdays and Christmases so she's never had presents from them and she was never allowed pets in Foster Care. Snowing realise she's tired from overworking and send her to bed. Then later they take her to the shelter to pick out a sensible pet and she sets the fawn free after they've healed.

"Pleeeeeeease?" Emma begged, looking out to the small pen in the backyard where the baby deer was being kept. "The vet said it'll need to be kept out of the wild for at least six weeks until its leg has healed, why not just keep it a bit longer? Like, for its life? Pleeeeeeease? We can call him Bambi!"

"Emma don't name him, you're not keeping him!" Charming said quickly, not wanting Emma to get attached to the cute little forest critter. "Honey, he's a wild animal. He's only calm right now because of the tranquiliser the vet gave him to sort out his leg. He'll become distressed here. And think of his mother, out there in the forest thinking he's dead. Imagine this was Henry and you thought he was dead."

"Imagine it was me and I had no parents to care." Emma countered. "Because I had no parents growing up, because you put me through the wardrobe. When you think about it you owe me a lot of birthday and Christmas presents."

"Emma that is a low blow and you know it." Snow said sternly. "It's not fair on that poor creature, he is not a pet."

"He could be! We could be the next heartfelt family film inspiration! Come on, I never had pets growing up, no Foster parents ever have pets and if they do they're terrifying guard dogs. Pleeeeease, I'll take real good care of him?" Snow and Charming were baffled. This wasn't like Emma. She wasn't thinking straight. But then it hit them, she was overtired. She'd been working double shifts while her dad was sick and it was finally catching up with her.

"We'll discuss it in the morning, it's late." Charming said tactfully. "We can all sleep on it and talk in the morning. Goodnight Emma." Emma smiled, happy with that response. She headed up to her room, ready to dream of all the things she could do with her new deer…

Emma wasn't up until one in the afternoon the next morning.

"Hey there sleepy head." Snow said, when Emma finally trudged down the stairs. "Sleep well?" Emma nodded, accepting the French toast her mom gave her. Only when she had finished did Snow and Charming decide it was safe to bring up the deer.

"So…still want to keep the fawn?" Emma grimaced slightly, she had forgotten about him.

"Yeah, maybe you were right. Maybe the wild is the best place for him after he's healed." Snow and Charming visibly relaxed after hearing that.

"We're glad you think so." Charming said, picking up his car keys. "But since you want a pet, there's a whole shelter full of animals looking for a good home. We figure you deserve a pet." Emma's whole face brightened.

"You're serious?" She asked. "I can get one?" Snow and Charming nodded.

"Of course, we wouldn't lie to you. Now go on, whatever you want." Emma restrained herself from clapping her hands in sheer glee. She was getting a pet!

Six weeks later, with Emma's cat Pavla snoozing away in the house, Emma and her parents went with the deer to release the fawn back into the wild.

"Bye little guy." Emma whispered as he nervously teetered off. "I'll always think of you as my Bambi."