A/N: Welcome to my first little fic. I hope you enjoy! Please review, thanks.

Snow sighs loudly at the baby in her arms as she hears the stomping of her husband and daughter running up the hallway stairs. "It's always a race between the two of them, huh Neal?" The baby just looks up at his mother with a blank face and some drool coming out of his mouth.

While she moves to the kitchen to grab a napkin to wipe the drool from her sons chin the door to the loft flings open to reveal her very sweaty husband and daughter each bent over panting for air. Snow found it cute that they both wore matching t-shirts that say 'Storybrooke Sheriff's Department' on them.

"I totally beat you today, old man!" Emma exclaimed as she started to make her way to the fridge for some cold water, very out of breath. "Uh huh. No way, you ate my dust the entire run this morning, princess" David stated back while shutting the front door, also huffing a bit.

"Oh please, you were struggling to keep up with my pace the entire time" his daughter replied handing him a bottle of water with a smirk, trying to catch her breath.

He turned his attention toward his wife and son. "Snow who came in first?" David asked while leaning in for a kiss. She quickly pushed him away giving him a 'you stink' face then proceeded, "I wasn't paying attention, but I will tell you two to be lighter on your feet. It's early when you two go for your morning run and we have neighbors" she lightly scolded.

"What are they going to do, send a noise complaint to the sheriff's office?" Emma joked while going upstairs to her room. David gave a small chuckle while Snow lightly slapped his chest. He tried again to kiss his wife, but yet again she ducked out of the way saying "Shower first, David. You reek!" At this their son gave an agreeing gurgle.

Taking that as a sign David began to walk to his room when he saw his daughter making her way downstairs in her towel. "Always coming in last today, huh father?" Emma said, sticking out her tongue and closing the bathroom door. "Emma, please don't take too long today. I don't want to be late for work two days in a row because you take such long showers"

He heard no reply, but the shower was turned on and he heard the curtain close. He hoped she wouldn't take forever, she really held up to her title of princess when it came to the two of them getting ready in the morning. He usually let her shower first while he got breakfast started, but lately she had been taking forever and it really slowed his morning routine down. While she got dressed and did her hair, he would shower while his wife finished up the mornings meal for them.

Emma emerged from the bathroom just as the bacon was finished cooking and the eggs were put in the pan to be scrambled. David noticed his daughter and dramatically sighed and said "Well finally! I thought I was going to have to come in and save you from almost drowning…again", he finished with a wink.

"It was one time! I would've been fine if that piece of the ship didn't hit me in the head" Emma remarked while snatching a piece of bacon and heading upstairs to get ready for work.

"What was one time?" Snow asked, emerging from their bedroom when she just laid a content Neal down. She made her way over to her husband, who still hasn't showered, and took the spatula out of his hand to continue making breakfast.

"Emma nearly drowning back in Neverland" Charming said as he walked to the bathroom to take a quick shower since his daughter decided to be slow again this morning. As he was turning the shower on and taking his shirt off he heard his wife yell "Emma, don't you dare ever jump off of a ship again!" While Emma argued back saying "I was just trying to prove a point! I'm fine!"

David got into the shower and began to wash his hair while his wife and daughter were still yelling at one another. "I don't care what you were trying to prove, you will never do that again, understood?" Snow yelled with a tone that meant not to say anything back.

After a few more minutes of the warm water running over his body, David got out of the shower and got dressed before he joined the rest of his family for breakfast. When he emerged from the bathroom he saw his daughter sneak another piece of bacon while Snow's back was turned. He lightly chuckled to himself thinking of how many sweets she would've snuck from the palace kitchen without Snow knowing.

When he joined Emma at the table she looked up him, with the best glare she had. "Thanks for bringing that whole ordeal up again. Pretty sure she'll never let me near water again" she said nodding toward her mother who was bringing over a stack of pancakes.

"Chocolate chip are on the bottom, Emma. And you're lucky you are too old for me to ground" Snow added with her best glare at her daughter. Emma didn't reply, but she sheepishly reached for her chocolate chip pancakes.

The rest of breakfast went by quietly, only being interrupted by the young prince making noise from where he sat in his high chair at the table. Smiling at her son, Snow turned to David and said "Remember we have his doctor appointment tomorrow morning at 8:30."

David looked a little confused at first but replied to his wife "Oh that's right, I almost forgot. Emma, I'll be a little late coming to the station tomorrow. You think you can manage a bit without me?"

Emma gave her father a small smile, "I think I can manage unlocking the door and doing some paperwork alone, but thanks for the concern. Just bring me a hot chocolate when you come in pretty please."

"Of course, anything for you, princess." Her father replied with a wink. Emma rolled her eyes while her mother gave a smile at the interaction between father and daughter. Though no one openly admitted it, they all loved these small nice moments as a family. After all they've been through it was a great feeling to be together and try to move on from the past that plagued them.

Realizing the time, Emma got up from her seat first and made her way over to the sink to put her dishes away. "Dad, you better hurry up or we'll be late for work again."

"Oh you're right, my eating breakfast is what slows us down in the morning. My bad, Emma" Charming replied with as much sarcasm as he could. He followed his daughter with his plate into the kitchen as well.

Snow turned her head to tell them to rinse the syrup off of their plates when she saw Emma limping slightly. "Emma, are you okay?" Snow asked with as much concern in her voice as there was in her eyes.

"Yeah I'm fine, why?" Emma replied a bit confused at her mother's question and concern.

"You're limping a bit. Did you injure yourself on your run today? Charming weren't you looking out for her?" Snow was talking so fast and her tone was growing louder and sterner. David looked just as concerned as his wife did, along with some confusion at her accusation.

"She didn't fall or anything, not that I saw anyway. Emma, what's hurt?" David asked now getting closer to his daughter, looking her up and down for any sign of injury.

"Guys relax, I'm fine. My muscles are just a bit tight and sore, I didn't stretch that much today. Geeze. We're still on week one of running, I haven't adjusted to running frequently again." Emma was now making her way toward the door trying to dodge her parents to make sure they wouldn't see that she was lying.

In high school she ran track. It kept her busy and delayed her return back to her current, and awful, foster homes. It was a nice escape for her, to just run off her anger and belong somewhere. Emma was a natural runner. Like most runners, she would suffer from shin splints. One time it was so bad it developed into a stress fracture. She was very used to the pain in her shin, but that doesn't mean her parents wouldn't go crazy trying to take care of her.

"Alright, just make sure you stretch more tomorrow, and maybe tonight when you get home. Have a great day at work sweetie." Snow said aloud to her daughter, who was putting on her light brown leather jacket. She then turned to her husband and said a bit softer "Watch her please, it seems like more than just a sore muscle." She leaned in and kissed her husband before he left for work.

"Of course, Snow. I'll see you later. I love you" Charming said with his signature grin that never failed to make his wife smile.

**OUAT**

It was a slow day at the station. Not much has been going on since Elsa and the Snow Queen left. Since no one wielding ice powers was in Storybrooke everyone relaxed a little bit over the past week and a half. There has been no sign of Gold ever since Belle talked to him and forced him over the town line. One would say that Storybrooke was finally peaceful and quiet, but no one would say that out loud in fear of jinxing the calmness that surrounded them.

The weather was finally warming up and Emma didn't have to worry about being trapped in another ice cave. Her parents were even more over protective of her after that. Snow asked her multiple times a day if she was warm enough and always made sure she wore layers. David took to making sure he had extra blankets in the cruiser and the station at all times after that little mishap.

Both father and daughter were doing some final paper work left over from the destruction of the ice wall when David looked up to see Emma massaging her right shin and wincing slightly. "Everything okay over there, Em?"

"Huh? Yeah everything is fine" Emma said now putting her leg down and returning to her paper work. Charming, being her father, wasn't buying it. He sent a quick text to Snow to keep her in the loop.

Snow, she keeps massaging her right shin and wincing. I think that's what's bothering her-C

Hmm, if it's her shin she'll probably have shin splints. I used to get them bad back in the forest.-S

Oh yeah that's right. You'd non-stop complain. Remember when you made me carry you?-C

Watch it, that is neither here nor there! I'll stop by the drug store on the way home from work and pick up a few things, make sure she isn't walking around much-S

Anything for you sweetheart ;)-C

Mmhmm, that's what I thought. Love you-S

Love you too, see you later 3-C

"If you're going to keep texting and not do work can we at least go to Granny's for lunch? I've been dying for a grilled cheese all day" Emma said to her father with a little whine at the end. Charming just laughed and grabbed the keys to the cruiser and looped his arm around Emma's as they strode out of the station.

**OUAT**

After a nice filling lunch the pair made their way back to the station to finish up the work day. Emma hated paperwork more than anything. She did pretty much whatever she could to get it done fast, but today she just lacked that motivation. "Hey dad, let's extend our run tomorrow. We've been going pretty well these past few days." Emma stated wanting to focus on anything but the file in front of her.

Charming looked up at his daughter and paused for a moment. She had a point, he himself was going to suggest a longer route in the woods, but Snow would kill him making her run longer with her shin splints. "Uhh, you really want to extend the route? It's only been a week, we don't want to get to ahead of ourselves."

"What's the matter, dad? Can't handle another mile in the morning? Old age catching up to you?" Emma said from her office with a smirk on her face.

Not wanting to back down from a challenge with his daughter Charming agreed "Okay fine, we'll add another mile on in the woods. But remember I have your brother's appointment tomorrow morning so we'll add it on Thursday. Sound good?"

"Don't want me getting a head start and kicking your ass?" Emma challenged with a raised eyebrow at her father.

"No, that's not it. You know you have a bad sense of direction in the woods and I'd rather not have you add a mile by yourself and end up lost" David tried to say with a softer, caring tone. Emma on the other hand didn't take it as parent concern. She snapped back "My sense of direction is just fine, thank you very much!"

David decided to drop the subject and finish up the day's work. Thankfully, so did Emma.

**OUAT**

On the drive home David remembered that Snow was most likely going to get Emma to tell them the truth about her shin. Ever since he tried to tell Emma to wait for him to add a mile she was pretty quiet.

As the pair made it to the front door, Emma took her keys out and unlocked the door. Snow was in the kitchen already preparing dinner for the family. Without turning around she called out "Emma, couch."

Emma looked at her father with a confused look the followed with "Hey mom, I had a great day at work thanks for asking. How was yours?"

Her mother finally turned around holding an ice pack wrapped in a hand towel. "Couch, now. And take off your boots." Emma complied with her mother's request. After taking her jacket and boots off she skeptically made her way to the couch. Once she sat down her mother continued to boss her around without explanation. "Sit back and put your leg up, please."

"Uhh, did something happen that I don't know about? I'm fine" Emma crossed her arms over her chest, holding her ground from her clearly over protective mother.

"You're not fine, Emma. Your shin needs ice and rest in order to recover and to prevent a stress fracture" Snow said glaring at her daughter who was still sitting with her arms crossed and not laying back as instructed.

"What, have you been talking to Whale?" Her father flinched at that remark. "I don't have shin splints, I just didn't stretch that much today. Seriously, I'm fine" Emma said for what felt like the millionth time, with a nice roll of her eyes.

"Yes you do. You definitely had them back in Neverland with all that running around in the jungle. Don't think we didn't notice you slightly limping and always massaging your shin when we rested. You aren't as slick as you think you are when it comes to your father and I, isn't that right Charming?" Snow said with a pointed look at her husband meaning to back her up on this.

"Of course, honey. Emma, we're your parents, you can't hide much from us. Now just lay back and let us take care of you, okay?" David said with a soft, caring look at his daughter.

"You guys are being ridiculous today. You read way too much into things. Like I've said for the hundredth time, it's just a sore muscle. I'm-"Before Emma could finish her sentence her mother cut her off.

"Don't you dare say the word fine again. You aren't fine. But if you really think so then please jump up and down on your right leg please. Prove me wrong" Snow said backing away and giving her daughter some space.

"Seriously? I don't need to prove anything" Emma said a bit aggravated at her mother.

"Come on, if you're so 'fine' then it'll be no problem" Snow quickly replied with a smirk at her incredibly stubborn daughter. Emma sighed, then got up from the couch. After three shaky jumps on her leg, Emma winced and sucked in a hard breath through gritted teeth. "Hmm, just as I thought. Lay back, Emma."

Feeling a bit defeated, and in a bit of pain, Emma sat back and put her leg up as her mother propped up some pillows before putting the ice on her daughter's leg. Emma, not wanting to seem vulnerable, sarcastically asked "What, you're going to ice me but not give me-"Emma was once again interrupted by her mother, who was bringing over a glass of water with two brown tablets.

"You were saying?" Snow asked in a lightly mocking tone. Emma just reached for the glass and tablets with a shy but grateful smile. Snow waited until she swallowed both tablets before returning to the kitchen to finish dinner.

David, throughout the little jump up and down debacle, went and got his son and was now playing with some toys on the floor with him. He looked up and saw his daughter just staring at the ceiling. Part of him still felt guilty for what happened all those years ago. He lost out on her childhood, and there was no way of getting it back. Seeing his baby boy reminded him of his failure with Emma every so often.

That gnawing feeling in his stomach caused him to pick up his son and cross the room to go sit in the empty chair in the living room next to his daughter. Sitting his son on his lap, facing Emma, Charming said in a cooing voice "Aww Neal, did Emma get a boo boo?"

The small prince just sat there staring at his sister, while Emma gave her father a horrified look. "You did not just say that" Emma replied, sighing and returning her gaze to the ceiling above her.

Seeing an opportunity Charming smiled to himself then began in an even more ridiculous voice "Neal, did we upset little Emmy over there?" unable to hide his laughter, David started laughing genuinely out loud.

Before he knew it Emma had sat up and grabbed a pillow and hit him over the head with it, being mindful of her little brother. "That's it, you've crossed a line. Emmy? Really?!" she gave her father her best glare.

He quickly put his son down in his high chair at the dinner table and grabbed another pillow, preparing to duel with his daughter. "Yes, Emmy. What you don't like it?" Charming tried his best not to laugh this time. He knew there was no way in hell she would ever want to be called that. He had hoped having Neal with him would soften her up, he was wrong.

She came at him swinging the pillow forcefully, David did his best to dodge it while trying to hit her with his pillow. The two of them were going at it hitting one another with pillows until Snow came barging in yelling "Emma Swan! You have five seconds to get back on that couch and ice your shin. Your twenty minutes isn't up yet" Snow said with a glare at her daughter. Now turning a pointed look on her husband, she finished her scolding. "David, how dare you encourage this when you know she's hurt? I swear you two are more alike than what it's good for."

David didn't reply to his wife, but made his way back over to the empty chair next to his daughter with his son in his arms. "Thanks a lot, Emma." Charming said in a mocking, defeated voice.

"Really? You started all of this, how is it my fault?" Emma replied in a somewhat offended tone. To this David just chuckled.

They sat in silence for a few minutes while they waited for dinner to be ready. Snow was making homemade mac and cheese tonight, Emma's favorite. Emma was getting very impatient just sitting there not being able to move much. "Hey, is dinner almost ready?" she asked aloud to her mother in the kitchen.

"Emma, would you just relax. You still have to ice for another seven minutes" Emma dramatically sighed at the thought of sitting on the couch for another seven minutes with an empty stomach.

"This sucks" Emma said while crossing her arms across her chest and throwing her head back to stare at the ceiling once again.

"Hey, watch your language there, missy. There are little ears in the room" Charming said while covering the young prince's ears for dramatic effect.

"Oh come on, he can't understand me, or repeat me for that matter" Emma said now turning a bit to face her father and brother on the chair next to her. Her brother's eyes were blue like her father's and looking curiously into her green eyes that resembled her mothers.

To pass the time she had remaining on the couch, Emma started making funny faces at her little brother trying to get him to laugh. She crossed her eyes, stuck out her tongue, puffed out her cheeks, and scrunched up her face. Nothing, he didn't laugh he just gurgled a bit and waved his arms. "Oh come on squirt, I'm giving you gold here" Emma said a bit defeated at her brother's lack of response.

David just laughed at his daughter's cuteness towards her little brother. He was very glad that Emma wanted to bond with him and no resent him. David couldn't be happier that his family was finally together after all they've been through.

Snow interrupted his reverie exclaiming "Dinner time. Emma put the ice pack back in the freezer please, and Charming put him in his high chair." Emma grumbled something inaudible under her breath as she made her way to the kitchen.

"How are you feeling, Emma?" her mother asked with slight concern in her voice.

"I'm-"Emma was about to finish her signature phrase, but the look on her mother's face told her that wouldn't be a good idea at the moment. "It's cold, can't really feel much at the moment. I'm okay though, really, this isn't my first time dealing with this."

David, now a bit curious at his daughter's statement, asked "Did this used to happen when you were younger?"

Snow was bringing over the bug bowl of mac and cheese for the family when she heard her husband's question. She turned her attention toward her daughter awaiting a reply.

"Yeah, I used to run track in high school. I'd always get them towards the beginning of each season. The trainer at the high school always told me to get a compression sleeve, but I didn't think my foster parents at the time wanted to waste their money on that so I just pushed through it." Emma explained while piling a generous helping of her mother's cooking on her plate.

"I didn't know you ran track" David said wanting to know more about his daughter's past.

"Yeah, I was always good at running" Emma replied with a bit of a smirk at the double meaning behind the phrase.

Her mother caught on giving a small smile at her daughter's cleverness. "Well, unlike your foster parents, I went out and already got you a compression sleeve that you can wear from now on." Snow said with a bit of pride at the fact that she could provide something those awful people couldn't all those years ago.

"Oh, thank you, but I'll be fine. I don't need to wear one" Emma said a bit embarrassed. She knew wearing one would bring attention to it more and she was not having other people question her when she went out on her runs in the morning.

"Emma, you'll wear it or you won't be running with your father" Snow said in her best 'mom voice'.

Emma looked a bit taken back at this "Wait, seriously?" was her best response.

"I'm being very serious, Emma. Just please wear it, it'll help" Her mother replied in a softer tone.

Knowing at arguing with her parents wouldn't get her anywhere she reluctantly agreed "Fine, I'll wear it. Thank you" Emma was now digging into her dinner.

The rest of the night was very quiet in the Charming household. They watched a random movie that was on that no one knew what was going on. The young prince went to bed without a fuss. A few episodes of 'Friends' later and Emma retired to her upstairs room for the evening. "Goodnight guys, see you in the morning" Emma said as she hugged both of her parents. Her father kissed her forehead and her mother cupped her cheek. After that Snow and David also went into their room for the night.

**OUAT**

The next morning rolled around and Emma made her way downstairs already in her running gear. "Morning guys, good luck at his appointment later" she said as she was about to run out the door.

"Emma wait!" her mother called out from her room. "Don't forget the compression sleeve!"

As tempted as she was to just keep going out the front door she knew her mother wouldn't be please, at all. With a heavy sigh and a roll of her eyes Emma turned around and walked toward her mother who was holding out the box containing the sleeve.

Emma took the box with a small smile and sat down at the dinner table and opened it and put it on. "I figured you'd like the black sleeve rather than the bright red that they had. Less attention drawing" her mother said to her as her daughter put the sleeve on her right leg.

"Thank you, mom. Alright now I'm off. See you at the station, dad" Emma called over her shoulder as she was heading out the door.

"Have a good run, and be careful. If your shin hurts too much just stop and walk home, okay?" David said to his daughter before she left.

"I'll be fine guys, a quick 2 mile run won't kill me" Emma said as she finally left the apartment.

She began their usual route which included a walk down Main Street, past Granny's and towards the woods. Her and her father usually started off in the woods then made their way to the beach for the final half mile of their run. Once she made it to the edge of the woods she put in her headphones and went to her running playlist on her iPod classic. She's had this thing forever, it's one of the first things she bought herself when she had a steady job after her stint in prison.

Blue Swede's "Hooked on a Feeling" started to flow into her ears as she began to run. A mile into her run and her shin was feeling good. Huh, mom was right this feels much better. I'll just add that extra mile today. At that she veered left off the path instead of the typical right turn.

After another five upbeat and fast paced songs Emma was still in the woods. She began to slow down a bit as her shin was beginning to hurt and her chest was getting a bit tight. I have to be near the beach, right? It should be over there, or is it over there.

Now dropping her pace to a walk, Emma was growing a bit nervous that she seemed to be still deep in the woods with no signs of the ocean. Oh no. Dad was right, I don't know these woods at all. That was it, she was officially lost. Putting her hands on her hips and turning in circles looking for some familiarity, Emma heaved a heavy sigh "Really?!"