Chapter Text
A/N: This started off as a one shot and then morphed into what it is today. I've put the short beginning one shots in the first chapter to make things more cohesive. Lots of adventure ahead :) Hope you enjoy!
Snow and Charming walk Neal's stroller down the main street towards Granny's for the town meeting. Their son coos at them, trying to catch their attention. David pretends not to notice him, looking around as if confused, then says "Aha! I found you!" as he brings his face close to his son's. Even though this has happened at least fifteen times already, Neal giggles like it is still brand new. Snow watches her husband and son, smiling at them. Nothing warms her heart more than watching them interact.
In another life, she would have wished for her daughter, Emma, to have had these sweet moments with her father as a small child. Those hopes were ripped away from her when she and David were forced to send a newborn Emma through the enchanted wardrobe to the safety of this world in order for her to escape the curse Regina, her step mother and former Evil Queen, had cast. After twenty eight years, Emma came to Storybrook and broke the curse, saving all of their happy endings.
Now, more than anything, Snow wanted to save her daughter. Between leading the people of Storybrooke alongside her husband and trying to find a way to save Emma from the darkness, Snow had very few things to smile about these days. The whole town was determined to find a way to save Emma just as she saved them from the curse. Henry, Emma's son and Snow and David's grandson, was staying with his adopted mother Regina until the real Emma returned to them. Snow let out a sigh, still smiling at David and Neal, grateful for these moments of emotional reprieve with her little, but not yet whole again, family.
David, hearing her sigh, stops the stroller and inspects her face inquiringly. Snow's green eyes look into his blue ones, both of them silently reading each other. Snow smiles again, and wraps her arms around David's waist to ease his concern. Satisfied that she is alright, Charming kisses her temple, places his right arm around her shoulders, and continues pushing Neal's stroller with his left.
He has been worried about his wife. It has been weeks since Emma had become the Dark One, and the time spent in Camelot was still a mystery that was only beginning to become clear. The strong princess that led their people by day cried against his chest during the hardest nights. The prince was uneasy, more so since they had found the dream catcher that revealed Emma had purposefully broken Henry's heart. He felt torn, wanting to shield his loved ones from danger, but now, Emma was the danger.
Nothing in David and Snow's relationship had ever been easy, even from the very first moment they met, but they had always overcome their obstacles by having faith in one another and their love. He never wavered when it came to protecting his family. At least, until now. He may be one of the best swordsmen in all the realms, but he could not fight the dark magic with his sword. As a man of action, he felt useless and helpless. His heart wrenched as he thought of his daughter being overtaken by the darkness that night. His beautiful, brave little girl… His chest begins to tighten, so he releases a sigh of his own. Snow tightens her arms around his waist in understanding.
"I love you, Charming."
"And I you," he replies softly.
They enter the diner and are greeted by everyone who has already arrived. They choose their usual booth and Snow removes Neal from his stroller and places him on her left hip. He coos happily as he takes in the room full of people.
"Aren't you a little ham?" Snow says as Neal starts babbling at them all, delighting in the resulting laughter from everyone in the room. It was a stark contrast to the somber faces that had been present when they first entered the diner.
"That kid babbles on and on just like his dad," Grumpy teased, elbowing David lightly in the ribs.
David chuckled, clapped the dwarf on the shoulder, and began to go around the room greeting everyone. Snow shifted Neal around in her arms so he could still entertain the masses while she sat on the edge of the booth with him in her lap. She looked around the room and noticed that Regina, Henry, and Hook were still not there. Concern started to bubble up, but Snow beat it down, telling herself that sometimes people were late for simple reasons.
Red bustled over with two hot chocolates (with cinnamon of course) for Snow and David and a kiss for Neil. "Looks like almost everyone is here," she said. "Maybe give everyone else a few more minutes?"
"Yes, that sounds like a plan," Snow replies, kissing Neil on the top of his fuzzy head. I won't worry, she thought. They are just running late. Don't worry.
Red squeezed her hand, opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the sound of a loud sneeze and breaking glass. She gave Snow an apologetic look, then bustled away to help Sneezy clean up his drink he accidentally blew off of the counter.
"We might have to get you your own plastic cups, Sneezy," Red joked.
"I ah..ahh... ahhhhh…" Doc quickly placed his pointer finger under Sneezy's nose, stifling the impending sneeze, "..'gree!"
Snow smiled a half smile. Some things never change, she thought. She took a sip from her mug, taking care not to put it within arm's reach of her son. She quickly licked the froth from her upper lip and looked up to see a pair of blue eyes observing her closely. Her breath caught in her chest and she tried to will herself not to blush. Only David could elicit this kind of physical response from her. Her David. Her Prince Charming. Her husband.
He smiled his charming smile, a look of concealed triumph on his face as if he could hear her thoughts. That look that was reserved just for her. A look of pure love, adoration, and a little heat. He's going to pay for that one later, she thought trying to steady her breathing and keep the red in her cheeks from deepening. Very rarely was she ever caught off guard, but her husband was usually the culprit. Charming had returned to his conversation with Granny and Grumpy but kept glancing her way, seemingly amused. Cheeky, she thought. She narrowed her eyes, sending him a mock glare.
Oh yes, he'll definitely be paying for this later.
Snow's attention went to the door as the bell rang and she breathed a sigh of relief as Henry walked in. He glanced around the diner and quickly made his way to David as soon as he caught sight of him. Snow stood, shifted Neal in her arms, and made her way to them. She hadn't missed for a second the worry on her grandson's face. Breathe, she thought, it will be ok.
"… nowhere, it's like she vanished. Gramps, I've looked everywhere," Henry was saying as she came alongside them.
"And Regina isn't answering her phone?"
"No, not even a text. She would never do that, especially now with everything that's going on with Mom…"
Snow put her hand on Henry's shoulder, trying to ease the panic that was emanating from him.
"When did you last see Regina, Henry?" she asked.
"About an hour ago. She was going to scout around town again for signs of Zelena while Robin put the baby to sleep. It's been almost a week so she's getting really antsy about where Mom took her. Robin doesn't like her going out alone so she waited for him to get distracted and made me promise not say anything. I know that cuff keeps Zelena from using magic but what if she found a way to get it off? What if Mom doesn't know and walks right into it? And Hook's not answering his phone either so I have no idea what's going on with him. I just have this really bad feeling, like something big is happening and all I am doing is wandering around lost and…"
Henry spun around as the bell on the door tinkled again and almost tackled the dark haired woman who entered to the ground.
"Henry! What..?" Regina gasped as he released her from his hug.
"You weren't answering your phone! I had no idea where you were! I went out and looked everywhere I could think of! I was about to break my promise and tell Robin!" he said all at once, words almost jumbling together because he said them so fast. Henry looked hard at her, waiting for her reply.
"You went out looking for me by yourself? Henry, you know you aren't…"
"Mom, do you really think I wouldn't go looking for you when you didn't answer my calls or texts? Come on…"
David could barely contain a snicker at the irony of his grandson telling his own mother off for not answering her phone. Wait until Emma hears about this one… he almost winced at that thought. Right on cue, as if she heard his thoughts, he felt Snow's hand entwining with his. She had moved to his side, cradling a slowly fading Neal in her arms, and seemed to be suppressing a smile of her own. He had seen the relief wash over her when Regina had entered the diner. He couldn't help but think of the many ironies this little town of Storybrooke had brought them, one of them being Regina going from the Evil Queen, their enemy, to close ally and friend.
"Better apologize to the kid before he grounds you," Red said, not even trying to suppress her mirth at all. Of course, all conversation in the diner had ceased when Regina showed up and everyone was looking on in amusement.
Regina glanced at Henry before pulling out her phone to check it. She sighed.
"Henry, sweetheart, I'm so sorry for worrying you. My phone was still on silent from when I was helping Robin with the baby. I just forgot to turn it back up again. Please forgive me."
"Of course Mom, I just… didn't know where you were. Sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you like that." Henry stepped forward and hugged Regina again, much to her relief.
"As much as I'm sure we all love these Charming Family Feels moments, can we get on with this meeting so we can set up the patrol parameter for the night?" Grumpy said.
"Can it, Gripey, I'm hugging my son here," Regina countered, but the humor in her eyes could not be missed.