SORRY IT'S TAKEN ME SO LONG TO UPDATE. I HAD STARTED WRITING THIS AND THEN I HIT A GIANT ROADBLOCK AND I HAD TO RESTART. IT USUALLY DOEN'ST TAKE THIS LONG TO POST A NEW CHAPTER.

I DO NOT OWN ONCE UPON A TIME OR ITS CHARACTERS.

"You know, Kid," Emma smirks, "I don't exactly suck at the whole 'swording' thing. I killed a dragon and bested Captain Hook."

"Emma, Gramps has been teaching me." Henry says as the two circle each other. James chuckles at the compliment.

"Yeah, well, he's my dad, so his blood –and therefor skills– is more concentrated in me than it is in you." In response, Henry simply sticks his tongue out.

"Emma, bend your arm a little bit." Graham advises. "You don't want him to hit your sword with it that stiff. It'll kill."

"I thought your expertise was darts."

"I'm a man of many skills, my Princess." He says with a smile. Henry suddenly springs forward, letting his sword drop onto the ground as he tackles Emma into a big bear hug. They both land on the grass with an 'oof'. Henry grins while Emma groans.

"Ugh, Kid, you're heavy. Get off."

"For the record, that's not what I told him to do." David says as Henry rolls off, giggling uncontrollably. Mary Margaret can't contain her laughter, either.

"That was funny." Graham admits, then offers his girlfriend a hand. Emma grabs it, allowing him to help her to her feet.

"Wait, I didn't hurt you, right?" Henry looks up at her with a panicked expression.

"No." Emma laughs. "What was David feeding you while I was gone? You got tall." For the first time, the blonde realizes that her son's head no longer meets her chest, but her chin.

"Definitely not as much junk as you give him." David cracks a smile.

"I have to balance it out." Emma says. "Since Mary Margaret forces vegetables onto us."

"Hey, Guys. Look!" Henry points toward the tree line. Without waiting for a response from any of the adults, he takes off running.

"Kid! Wait!"

"Emma!" Graham takes off behind Emma, who had instantly sprinted after her son, and David and Mary Margaret are right behind Graham. To an outsider, it would have been a ridiculous sight: four grown adults running after the one ahead of them with an eleven year old boy in the front. Emma can only imagine it, and her mind briefly wanders to Tom and Jerry, or Scooby Doo, and she probably would have found the whole situation comical if Henry's safety wasn't being questioned.

"Henry, get away from the wolf!" Emma yells in a panicky voice.

"He's not going to hurt him!" Graham yells back, desperately trying to defuse the situation.

"I know Henry's not going to hurt the wolf. It's the freaking wolf hurting Henry that's the issue." Emma snaps, skidding to a stop behind Henry, who's a few yards ahead of her, slowly walking toward the black and red eyed wolf.

"I meant it the other way around." Graham lays a comforting arm on her shoulder. "The wolf's my friend." Graham's words reassure Henry, and he pats the wolf's head.

"Graham, does he have a name?"

"Not yet." He smiles at the boy. "Would you like to give him one?"

"Graham!" Emma snaps. "Do not encourage him."

"What about Spot?" Henry looks up, his hand resting on Spot's neck. The wolf snorts a little, nodding his head. Henry's face lights up. "You like that, don't you boy? Yeah, you do." He begins moving his hand in circles. Spot nuzzles him.

"Oh, no." Emma shakes her head. "No. You are not keeping it as a pet."

"Please, Mom!" Henry begs, giving her the best puppy dog eyes he can.

"Henry, Spot's still a wild animal." Mary Margaret says gently, seeing that the blonde is clearly torn between keeping Henry happy and keeping him –and everyone else– safe.

"He's like a brother to me." Graham interjects, always with the best logic and timing in the world. "He would never hurt anyone."

"We can keep him in the garden out back. The flowers are already dead anyway, and I don't think the other people will mind. And I'll play with him every day and I'll always remember to feed him and give him water."

"Fine." Mary Margaret sighs, looking over to David, who nods. "As long as you're responsible with him, you can keep Spot."

"What do you mean 'fine'!? It's a wolf. It could eat him!"

"But he won't." Graham says. "Right Boy?" In response, Spot trots over to Graham, licking his hand.

"Really?"

"It'll be fine, Emma." David says quietly.

"Don't you think, I don't know, that the neighbors and other tenants are going to have a problem with a frigging wolf living with them?"

"One of the perks of being royal, My Dear Emma," David starts, "is that other people generally let you do whatever you want."

"I hate all of you right now."

"Gramps? We need to stop at the pet store on the way home. Spot needs a leash and a bed."

"He won't need a leash, Henry." Graham slings an arm around the boy as they walk back to the clearing. "He's loyal. He'll follow you anywhere."

"I mean really, Spot?" Emma throws her hands up in exasperation, clearly on her own train of thought and not at all paying attention the rest of the family's conversation. "I thought the most I'd come home with would be bruises from this little excursion. But no. I get to bring a freaking wolf home."

I'M SORRY THIS CHAPTER TOOK SO LONG TO GET UP, AND ALSO FOR THE SHORTNESS. IT WAS ORIGINALLY GOING TO BE LONGER, BUT I WANTED TO GET IT UP FOR YOU GUYS. THANKS FOR READING, AND IF YOU HAVE A MOMENT, PLEASE REVIEW!