I'm pretty new to this show, but I'm obsessed with it! Enjoy some daddy-daughter healing.
"She's never going to like me," Charming sighs.
"You know that's not true," his wife replies, rubbing his shoulders. "She just needs time."
"She needs a forgetting potion. She hates me for everything I did to you."
"Everything David Nolan did," Snow corrects.
"Darling, I was David Nolan."
His queen shakes her head. "No, you were trapped in David Nolan's body. The Charming I know would never do anything to harm anyone he loves. David Nolan was a confused man who was under a dark curse. My David, my Charming, is a noble man who could never hurt me. I know that. And eventually, Emma will as well."
"I wish I could believe that. Our daughter glares at me every chance she gets."
"Pretend it's the teenage years we missed," she jokes.
"Haha. I just need to talk to her."
"And you will. Luckily, you have the patience of a shepherd," Snow adds with a smirk.
Charming returns the smile, knowing there is something up his wife's sleeve. "And you have the cunning of a rogue bandit."
"What a formidible team we make," Snow says.
"Just what do you have in mind, m'lady?"
"If I tell you, you won't be able to disavow any knowledge. You'll know when it's time."
Charming can only smile as he knows his wife always gets her way.
Only a few days later, after a filling lunch, does he realize her plan is in motion.
"Henry, would you like to get some Christmas shopping done this afternoon?" Snow asks.
"Of course, Grandma!" Henry eagerly replies.
David is unsure if his grandson is in on the plan, but if the past is any indication, "Operation: some-crazy-animal-name" is underway.
"Wonderful! Go grab your coat and we'll leave these two to clean up."
"Wait, that's hardly fair!" Emma protests, half upset at being left wtih the dishes and half for being left with her father.
"Emma, even princesses need to tidy up every now and again," Snow says with a bright grin. She kisses David and scoots Henry out the door.
The silence in the air hangs heavy as father and daughter stare in different directions.
"Well," David begins, hoping to break the tension. "I guess I wash, you dry?"
"Um, sure," his daughter replies.
It starts off very quiet, until David gets the courage to speak.
"Emma, can we talk?"
"Do we have to do this right now?"
"Well, it's been forever and you've been avoiding it all and some days I can barely stand the silence between us, so yes. Let's do this now."
He sounds much more fatherly than he has before, so she feels somewhat compelled to do what he asks. It's just a conversation afterall.
"Ok, fine. What do you want to talk about?"
"Why are you avoiding me?"
"I'm not -" she stops short at the look her father gives her. "Ok, maybe I am. It's just so weird. I spent a lot of time hating your guts. Both you as my father, and as the other David. Especially the other David. I mean, no offense, but you were a real jerk and to the one person that I've called friend in a long time."
David lowers his head. "I am truly ashamed at how I behaved under the curse. It's very difficult for me to deal with that time. I didn't know it all then, but I certainly do now and knowing my actions hurt you and especially Snow ... well, it breaks my heart. Curse or not, I vowed to never hurt her, to protect her -"
"To always find her?" Emma interjects with a smirk.
David finds a glimmer of hope at her response. "Yes."
"Well, you did find her. And as much as it pains me to admit it, you certainly tried to be with her. The curse did its best to keep you apart. And I try really hard to focus on the fact that it wasn't you behaving that way. But I keep remembering Mary Margaret crying her eyes out because of that whole ordeal. And even if Mary Margaret doesn't exist any more, it doesn't make me forget."
"Nor should it. Emma, I am so proud of your sense of duty and your obvious need to do what's right. It's exactly how I would have taught you to be, given the chance. I know it sounds cliche, but you are just as I would have pictured you. Brave, true, ambitious, and with your mother's stubborn streak."
"I've been told I have your tact." For the first time during the conversation, a smile sneaks onto Emma's lips.
"Heh. I see that as well." There's silence for a few moments. "All I ask of you, is to get to know the actual me. The David who would die before causing his family any pain. The father who is crushed to have missed so much of your life, but thrilled for the opportunity to finally be a part of it now."
"But I'm still the scared little girl left by a highway." She hates to admit that, but it's true and he needs to know it.
David hangs his head. "I think of that every day. We sent you into the unknown. But we didn't know what would happen in our world either. All we knew was that a curse was coming. A curse sent by someone who was obsessed with taking away our happiness. And since you were our greatest happiness, we knew you were her target. We couldn't let something happen to you. It's not a choice any parent should have to make, but we had to do it. Keep you where we knew something evil was coming, or send you where there was a chance you would be safe. We had to choose the potential for safety, even if it wasn't with us."
Emma knows he's right. It's what she would do with Henry if she was given that choice. The scared little girl wants to continue hating ... but the scared grown up girl really just wants her daddy.
"It's going to be hard ..." she mumbles.
"Do you think you can try?" he asks.
Emma is quiet and looks down at the towel in her hands. They haven't done many dishes.
There is a huge part of her that screams "This man abandoned you! Tell him where he can shove it!" But there is another part, an even larger part, that sees the images from the book. The images that tell of her father's struggle to get her to safety. She can feel her mother's heart breaking and her father's heart pounding as he raced to the wardrobe. It's tough, but she has to give this man a chance.
She glances up at his hopeful face. "Yeah, I think we can give it a try ... Dad."
David's face threatens to split with his wide grin.
"I appreciate that ... princess."
Emma rolls her eyes and tosses the towel at her father.
"Hey!" he shouts as he blows soapy suds her way.
She scoops some up herself and a battle is on!
As Snow and Henry re-enter the apartment a bit later, they find father and daughter, sitting on the bar stools, laughing and covered in bubbles.
"Do I want to know what happened here?" Snow asks, putting the bags on the table.
"Like you need to ask," Emma says. "You think I don't see through your scheme?"
Snow holds a hand to her chest and feigns offense. "I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Snow, you are a little rusty with your cunning," David says, blowing a few last bubbles at his wife.
"Charming!" she squeals as soap flies her way. "Sometimes, the simplest plan is the best! I can see you used your patience and dived right in."
David sticks his tongue out at Snow and she reciprocates the gesture.
"Are you guys finally a family?" Henry asks with an eye roll.
"We're definitely on our way, kid," Emma says with an arm around her dad. "We're definitely on our way."