Bad fruit

DJ asked for a oneshot of Emma picking a bunch of cherries off a tree and eating them. Snow comes home and finds Emma lying on the couch with a stomach ache. Snow calls Doc and he tells Snow to give Emma castor oil because the cherries are infested with parasites. He knows this as Dopey had done the same thing and Doc had the cherries tested. Snow tries to give Emma the oil, but she is reluctant because it is disgusting and once a foster parent gave it to her as punishment.

Snow balanced the grocery bag she was carrying in one arm as she unlocked the front door with her other hand. She was immediately greeted by the sound of a loud, painful, moan coming from the living room. She dumped the bag in the kitchen and went through to find the source. She found Emma lying in the foetal position on the couch with a cushion clutched to her stomach.

"Glad you're home." She gasped out. "Stomach hurts. Bad." Snow, concerned, moved forward and checked Emma's forehead. She certainly didn't have a temperature.

"Emma everything's going to be ok." Snow promised her daughter. She pulled out her mobile and found Doc in her contacts.

"Hello Snow. Something I can help you with?"

"Yes Doc, I believe there is. Emma seems to have a pretty bad stomach ache. Her temperature seems normal. Could you come round and check on her?"

"Of course, but it might help to know what I'm dealing with so I can bring the right equipment or medicine. Could you ask her what she's eaten today?"

"Emma, Doc wants to know what you've eaten today." Snow called over to her daughter.

"Toast for breakfast. Sandwich at Granny's for lunch. Some cherries for a snack." Emma groaned into the receiver of her mom's phone when Snow held it out to her. Snow then took the phone back and waited for further instructions from Doc.

Were the cherries Emma ate picked from the tree over by the gate in the park?" Doc asked. Snow then repeated the question to Emma, who nodded in response.

"Yeah, they were. Why?"

"Well that saves me a trip over. Dopey had the same problem after eating some of those cherries. I had a sample tested just to make sure but I was right, they're riddled with parasites. She's got such a bad stomach ache because it's blocking up her internal system. Give her a spoonful of castor oil and that'll get things moving again. If she's no better by this evening give me another call." Snow then hung up.

"The cherries you ate were dodgy." Snow explained to Emma. "No need for Doc to come round or a hospital visit. You just need a spoonful of castor oil and you'll be back to normal." Snow then went to kitchen to grab the bottle she knew they had. By the time she came back through Emma was struggling to her feet.

"Hey there, where do you think you're going?" Snow asked, rushing over and getting Emma to sit down again (not that Emma made it easy).

"To call dad. Get him to take me to the hospital." Emma grunted.

"Emma there's no need to interrupt your dad at work. Doc said you just need a spoonful of this, remember?" Snow said, holding up the bottle. She unscrewed the lid and poured some out onto the spoon. "Right, here we go, open up." Emma pursed her lips, shook her head, and turned her head in the opposite direction. Like Neal did when he was being stubborn about eating. Snow was grateful he was still with Granny. She wasn't sure she could deal with two fussy babies right now. "Come on Emma. It's just one spoonful and it's done. You've got some Fanta right here. Come on, get it over with."

"It's disgusting." Emma protested, keeping her mouth turned away from her mom. "This foster mom I had, Ms Cruz, she gave it out as a punishment if she thought we were being bad. I've had my fill of that stuff." Snow wanted to find this woman and throttle her. Why would she do that to children?

"Emma honey, I know it doesn't taste particularly pleasant, but it's all that's going to make you better right now." Just one spoonful and that stomach ache will go away. You can do this Emma." Emma groaned, but turned her head round. She quickly lunged at the spoon and gulped down the vile liquid. Snow then grabbed her glass of Fanta and handed it to her, which Emma gulped down gratefully. "Good job." Snow praised her. "You can even have some chocolate ice cream." Snow offered her. Emma tried to look like this was an undignified offer for a grown woman, but she wasn't going to say no…