Title: Code Red: The Search for Mr. Snuggles

Author: Steph aka CaptainSwanLuver

Pairing: Killian/Emma

Characters: Killian, Emma

Category: Romance

Spoilers: Nope

Summary: Emma and Killian have faced many challenging situations, but nothing compares to the search for their 4 year old daughter's favorite stuffed animal. (Written for the CS Hiatus Challenge on Tumblr)

Note: This was written for the picture prompt of a little girl in bed holding a white bear for the CS Hiatus Challenge on Tumblr. Hope you enjoy it! ~Steph

...Code Red: The Search for Mr. Snuggles- Part 1/1...

"Emma!" Killian called his wife from the kitchen. "We've got a Code Red on our hands! This is not a drill!"

Emma appeared in the doorway a moment later. "Oh no. Not again."

He nodded. "Aye, I'm afraid so."

"How long has he been missing?"

"Unknown."

"Where is she now?"

"In her room crying inconsolably. Bedtime was a quite a challenge," he said with a shake of his head. "I greatly regret trading bathtime with you tonight."

Emma sighed heavily. Mr. Snuggles was their 4 year old daughter Ella's favorite stuffed animal. It was a white bear that she received from her grandparents when she was just a baby. She didn't go anywhere without it. And she couldn't sleep unless he was safely within her arms.

"Where was he last time he disappeared?" Emma asked.

"I located him under the couch."

"And the time before that?"

"Behind the washing machine."

Emma nodded. "Okay, you take the couch and I'll take the washing machine. We'll meet back here in five minutes."

They scattered and returned five minutes later, their searches fruitless.

Killian ran a hand through his hair. "Can't you just use your magic to conjure up a replacement, love?"

Emma shook her head. "We tried that last time. My magic can't replicate Mr. Snuggles exactly. She immediately noticed his ear wasn't ripped and his nose wasn't smudged."

"We must do something. Last time, she didn't stop crying for three days and she barely slept, as did we. I'm afraid I won't survive a second go around."

Emma and Killian had faced many villains and dangerous situations, but nothing frightened them quite like the thought of a sad, cranky, sleep-deprived preschooler.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Ella screamed from her room upstairs.

Their eyes widened and they looked at each other.

"You go," they said in unison.

"She wants you," they again said at the same time.

They sighed heavily and shook their heads, as they reluctantly climbed the stairs and entered their daughter's room.

Ella bolted upright in bed at the sight of her parents.

"Did you find Mr. Snuggles?" she asked, her eyes red rimmed and tears staining her cheeks.

Emma and Killian looked at each other, both waiting for the other to answer. Emma finally nudged her husband with her elbow.

He swallowed hard. "Well, sweetheart, we've just begun searching. I am sure we will locate him in a timely manner."

Emma stepped forward and picked up a brown stuffed dog from the foot of her bed. She held it out to her daughter. "How about you sleep with Mr. Cuddles tonight instead?"

Ella's lips curled in disgust as if Emma had just suggested she sleep with a dead rat. She brought her hand up and swatted Mr. Cuddles, causing him to go flying out of her mother's hand. He landed with a soft thud against the wall and then slid to the floor.

"I WANT MR. SNUGGLES!" she screamed, her face growing beet red, as tears clouded her blue eyes and then spilled down her cheeks.

She shook her head violently, her blonde curls flying every which way.

Killian and Emma exchanged a worried look before slowly backing out of their daughter's room. Killian closed the door behind them and released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

"You know, love, I just recalled I have some repairs to complete on the Jolly Roger. I think I'll spend the night there tonight so I can get as much done as possible."

He tried to sidestep his wife, but she placed a firm hand on his chest.

"No way. You are not leaving me alone here."

Killian shook his head and gave his wife his best puppy dog face. "Swan, you know I can't bear it when she cries. It breaks my heart."

Emma tilted her head. "You can't bear it when she interrupts your precious beauty sleep and gets between us in bed."

"That as well," he replied with a little grin.

"We are dealing with this together. Remember our wedding vows? For better or worse? This is the worse part."

"I thought you were referring to villains and curses."

"Those I can handle."

Killian sighed in defeat. "What do you suggest we do?"

"We need to perform a more thorough search of the house. We meet back here in one hour."

...

One hour later, Killian and Emma returned to the same spot outside their daughter's door. They were sweating and disheveled from their extensive search.

"No luck," Emma said in frustration.

"I left no stone unturned. That infernal stuffed animal is nowhere to be found."

"We're screwed."

"Perhaps you should conjure a replica and we can attempt to make it look more like Mr. Snuggles this time."

Emma shrugged. "It's worth a try."

She waved her hand and a white stuffed bear appeared in it.

"Brilliant," Killian said with a smile.

He took the bear and headed down the hallway to their home office, as his wife trailed behind him. Killian pulled a pair of scissors from a cup on the desk and cut at the seam of its right ear.

"Not bad," Emma said. "What about the smudged nose?"

Killian looked around the room and spotted a candle that had recently been burned. He walked over and touched the wick, gathering some ashes on his fingers. He rubbed his fingertips against the nose of the bear.

Emma nodded. "That's a fairly accurate replication."

"Thank you, love."

Emma eyed the bear. "Something isn't quite right though." She paused and then her eyes lit up. "It's too white. Mr. Snuggles is dingy."

Killian let out a frustrated breath. "Any suggestions for achieving dinginess?"

Emma shrugged. "We could kick it around the yard a bit."

A grin lit up his face. "I would like nothing more than to kick this creature."

Emma laughed as they headed downstairs and outside to the backyard. Killian dropped the bear and then kicked it with his boot a few feet. It landed in a patch of dirt. Emma walked over and rolled him around in the dirt a bit. She then picked up the bear and swiped at its fur to evenly distribute the dirt.

She held the bear up to her husband. "What do you think?"

"I think it bears an uncanny resemblance," he said with a barely hidden grin at his pun.

Killian waited for Emma to laugh, but her expression remained serious.

"Come on, love. Bears an uncanny resemblance."

"I get it, Killian," she said.

"Not even a smile?"

"I'm exhausted and the thought of a sleepless night has me on edge. I'm sorry if I can't muster the energy to react to your pun."

Killian stepped forward and placed a kiss to his wife's forehead as he linked his fingers with hers. "Okay, so why don't we see if we can remedy that, shall we?"

Emma nodded and they headed inside.

...

They stood outside their daughter's door.

"Ready?" Emma asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be," he said.

Emma placed her hand on the knob and began to turn it, when her husband's voice stopped her.

"Wait!"

"What?" Emma asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"I just recalled that Mr. Snuggles had a bit of an accident yesterday."

"He did?"

Killian nodded. "Aye. Ella was coloring and she accidentally got red marker on his right paw. She'll know it's an imposter if we don't add that in."

Emma sighed heavily and marched down the hall while Killian followed behind her. She found a red Sharpie and handed it to Killian.

"It's all yours."

Killian eyed the paw for a moment, then made a quick slash mark across it.

"That'll do," he said with a nod.

They headed back to Ella's room and entered. She sat up again, her eyes anxiously darting to her parents.

Emma swallowed hard. "Honey, look what Daddy and I found."

Ella's eyes brightened and she held her arms out. "Mr. Snuggles!"

Emma placed the bear in her daughter's arms. The little girl clutched it tightly to her chest, as she placed a kiss to its head.

Killian and Emma exchanged relieved looks. Ella looked up at her parents.

"Where did you find him?" she asked.

Their mouths hung open for a moment before they both responded at the same time.

"Under the couch," Emma said.

"Behind the washing machine," Killian replied.

Ella's eyes narrowed at them. She held the bear out in her arms and examined it carefully. She then sniffed it. Killian and Emma held their breath.

Ella shook her head. "He's a fake!" she screamed.

She then flung the bear, nearly taking her father's head off in the process.

She threw herself down on the bed and buried her face in the pillow, as she began to wail again. Killian and Emma quickly retreated from the room, closing the door behind them.

"For future reference, let's make sure we get our stories straight before we attempt to trick her," Emma said.

Killian shook his head. "This is bloody ridiculous. We've outwitted the most clever villains in all the realms yet we can't outsmart a 4 year old."

Emma laughed. "Welcome to parenthood. It has challenges you've never seen before."

"I'm starting to miss the torture of the Underworld. I think I may have preferred being strung up and chased by three-headed beasts."

Emma chuckled softly. "Just wait until she's a teenager. That will be a special kind of torture."

He shook his head. "I'm quite sure that will do me in. I conquered death but I do believe our daughter's teenage years will finally put an end to me."

"I sure hope not. I'm pretty fond of you," she said with a smile.

Emma sighed as she wrapped her arm around her husband's waist and placed her head on his shoulder.

"Let's go to bed," she said.

"We're just going to leave her to sob all night?"

Emma shook her head. "Oh, I'm sure she'll be at our door soon and we can listen to her wail all night long right beside us."

Killian suppressed a groan as they headed to their bedroom.

...

Thirty minutes later, Emma was snuggled up to her husband. Her head was resting on his chest, as his arm was slung across her waist. They were about to drift off to sleep when they heard a knock at the door.

Emma lifted her gaze to her husband. Killian brought his hook to his lips and said, "Shh. Remain quiet, love. Perhaps she'll believe us to be asleep and retreat."

Emma nodded as they both stared at the door anxiously, as if a horrific monster stood on the other side.

The knock came again, this time more forcefully. Emma and Killian were afraid to breathe.

The knock came again, but this time it was followed by, "Mommy! Daddy! I can't sleep! Let me in!"

Emma buried her face in her husband's chest and groaned. Killian squeezed his eyes closed. Emma finally lifted her head and then raised her hand. She waved her hand at the door and it swung open.

Ella came bounding in. She jumped up on the bed and wiggled her way in between her parents, managing to pry them apart. She rested her head between their pillows.

About ten minutes passed during which Killian and Emma waited with bated breath for Ella's sobbing to begin again.

She finally let out a little breath. "Oh yeah, I just remembered that I forgot Mr. Snuggles at Grandma and Grandpa's today."

Emma and Killian exchanged surprised looks. Her parents had babysat Ella that afternoon and brought her back after dinner.

"What?" Emma asked.

"I was playing with him up in your old bedroom and I forgot him there."

"And you're just recalling this now?" Killian said.

"Yup."

"After you spent hours crying about him," Emma said, as she tried to maintain a calm tone.

"Yeah."

"You do realize your mother and I just tore apart this entire house looking for that bloody bear, don't you, Ella?" Killian said, unable to keep the sharpness out of his voice.

"Sorry," she said with a shrug as she batted her eyelashes at them.

She was lucky she was cute.

Emma sighed. "And you do realize your father and I went to a lot of trouble to create that fake. We even went to the backyard and kicked it around to make it look dingy."

Ella nodded. "I know. It's not nice to try to trick people though."

"Excuse me?" Emma said.

"You both lied. It's okay. I forgive you," she said matter-of-factly.

Killian groaned. "What a relief," he muttered.

Emma nudged Ella with her elbow. "Back to your own bed."

She began to pout, as she tucked her lower lip under her teeth. "But I can't sleep without Mr. Snuggles!"

Killian shrugged. "Perhaps you'll consider that in the future and you won't be so careless with him. Off you go."

Ella whimpered as she crawled off the bed and slammed the door behind her. Emma chuckled softly as she placed her head back on her husband's chest and he snaked his arm around her waist.

"Crisis averted," she said.

"Aye, until next time," he replied.

...

The doorbell rang the next morning and Emma went to answer it. Her father stood at the door holding Mr. Snuggles.

"Missing something?"

Emma nodded as she took the bear. "Yes, it was quite the ordeal last night. Thank you."

"Your mother discovered him while she was cleaning this morning."

Just then, Killian and Ella appeared in the foyer. Ella's eyes lit up at the sight of her bear. She ran to her mother and pulled it from her grasp.

Ella squeezed the bear in her arms. "I missed you," she whispered in its torn ear.

"Ella, what do you say to Grandpa for returning Mr. Snuggles?"

"Thank you, Grandpa!"

"You're welcome, sweetie. I'll see you soon."

David left and Emma closed the door. Ella skipped off with her bear as Emma and Killian's gazes met.

"All is right with the world again," Emma said.

"Perhaps now we can get a restful night's sleep," he said.

...

That night, Emma and Killian went into Ella's room to tuck her in and kiss her goodnight. When they entered, they found her already asleep, Mr. Snuggles tucked safely under her arms.

They exchanged a smile as they moved to the bed. Emma placed a kiss to her cheek, as Killian pressed one to her forehead.

"Sweet dreams, little love," he said.

"Goodnight, sweetheart," Emma said.

Killian placed his arm around his wife's shoulders as she wrapped hers around his waist.

"Parenthood is quite challenging," he said.

"It certainly is," she agreed.

"But I wouldn't trade it for all the treasure in all the realms," Killian said.

Emma smiled, as she placed her head on her husband's shoulder. "Neither would I."

"And there isn't anyone else I'd rather do it with," he said, as he gazed down at her.

Emma smiled as she lifted her head and placed a kiss to his lips. "I couldn't agree more."

"Let's go to bed," he said.

Emma nodded, as they made their way toward the door. The sound of their daughter's tiny voice stopped them in their tracks before they reached the threshold.

"Mommy? Daddy?"

Killian and Emma slowly turned around, their breath caught in their chests.

"Yes?" Emma asked.

"Can you get me Mr. Cuddles?" she asked, pointing at the rejected dog that still lay on the floor by the wall.

Killian arched an eyebrow. "Why?"

Ella shrugged. "I don't like Mr. Snuggles anymore. He smells weird."

Emma had to bite her tongue. "You've got to be kidding me," she muttered.

Killian shook his head. "Bloody hell."

He reluctantly retrieved the dog and handed it to her. Ella unceremoniously dropped Mr. Snuggles to the floor, as she hugged Mr. Cuddles to her.

"You smell nice," she whispered in its ear.

Killian and Emma traded a look then left the room without another word to her.

Killian looked at his wife. "The lasses of this realm can be quite fickle."

Emma laughed as she linked their hands. "Well, it's been 8 years and I haven't traded you in yet."

Killian chuckled. "And for that I am eternally grateful."

He then placed a kiss to his wife's lips as they entered their bedroom. Killian closed the door behind them and locked it.

...THE END...

Thanks for reading! I'd appreciate any feedback you'd like to give. ~Steph