Soul of steel
AU. Mary Margaret is a single mother struggling with raising a family after her husband is forced to go back to war.
A/N: I'M BACK! THIS JUST JUMPED INTO MY MIND AS I WAS LISTENING TO SOME GOOD COUNTRY MUSIC.
I DON'T OWN THE SHOW. WANT TO DEDICATE THIS TO ALL OF THE AMAZING PEOPLE THAT HAD SUPPORTED MY OTHER OUAT STORY "MISSING SINGNALS"
Kids are as following:
Emma (9)
Michael (5)
Brandon "Bran" (3)
Chapter 1:
The phone rang and a man's worst fear came true. David dragged his feet back to his car. He shot the car's door and then collapsed on the steerinwheel. This couldn't be happening again. He was being called back and there wasn't a thing he could do about it. Harder than accepting it, telling his wife, and saying goodbye to his children.
Once he got home, the mere sight of the children's toys scattered everywhere made him dizzy. He first saw Bran who apparently had decided to call it a night early. David leaned to kiss his forehead making the boy's eyes flutter open
"Hi daddy" Bran said tiredly. He motioned for his father to pick him up
"Oh you are home" Mary told her husband welcoming him with a bright smile "I was wondering what had taken you so long"
"I just got caught up at work" David shrugged kissing her and placing Bran on the kitchen counter "How was your day?"
"Good" Mary was setting up the table "Michael has something he's been meaning to tell you all day"
"Come here you little rat!" Emma was chasing her brother all the way down the stairs "you are dead!" Michael outran Emma and hid himself behind David.
"Dad! Help! She's gone bunkers!" The little one screamed as he evaded her fists
"What's going on?" Mary asked
"He went into my room and was messing everything up!"
"Did not!" Michael spat at her, still behind his father
"Did too!" Emma argued "he's not allowed in there"
"Michael" David said finally "I think you owe Emma an apology"
"That is not fair!" Michael complained crossing his arms across his chest "You are always on her side!"
"This is not about taking sides" Mary said sternly "Now be a good boy and do what your father tells you"
"Sorry" Michael said looking down to the ground and then to his father. Emma just nodded and hugged him
"See?" Mary said sweetly "Now you two go ahead and wash your hands" both children nodded and disapeared.
"I am always so happy when you come home" Mary said leaning closer to the oven where dinner was almost ready
Those eyes killed him so he just wrapped his arms around her growing belly "I love you"
"I love you too" She turned around to look straight into his deep blue eyes "Is everything okay?"
"Sure" he said quickly "I am just tired"
"Come on" Mary took his hand pulled him to the couch "You close your eyes for a second while I get the kids"
"Okay" David forced hmself to smile all dinner long.
"Daddy!" Michael said "Did you hear what I said?" Of course he had heard him. He had been chosen to play Prince Charming on the school play. A play he wasn't going to get a chance to see.
"Do you kiss the girl?" Emma asked her brother who shot her a dirty look
"I kiss no girls!" The 5 year old said indignatly "I play with swords!"
"Well, Prince Charming also kisses Snow White to free her from the Queen's curse" Emma pointed out "That's why she marries him, isn't mom?" Mary offered Emma a smile "See?" David's heart sank. He watched his family have dinner and laugh and he just wanted to go and hide.
"Sweetheart?" Mary's voice brought him back.
"Yeah?" David asked shaking his nead "I am sorry, I doze off for a bit there"
"Dad?" Emma asked curiously "Are you sure you are okay?"
"Yes sweetie, why wouldn't I be? I have a lot on my mind, that's all" David gave his daughter a reassuring smile.
"So?" Mary asked Michael "I will start on your Prince Charming costume right away" David smiled at her enthusiasm "Maybe dad could be my model? I always think he looks quite charming"
"Yes dear" David said "But remember, you have to make it extra small or he won't fit on it"
ONCE UPON A TIME
"Don't you think I don't know something is bothering you" Mary said as they got ready for bed "I am your wife, I know when something is wrong"
"Nothing is" David said sitting on the bed "But I do have to give in into your persistence" Mary shot him a dirty look. Guilt washed all over David. He had to tell her. He was running out of time.
"David" Mary said touching his cheek "Stop playing games and please be honest with me"
He rethought for a second how to play his cards "Looks like I won't be making it to that play after all" was all he managed to say "I…"
"Please tell me is not what I think it is" Mary begged. Her face was full of fear as she watched him nod. "When?"
"Three days time" David said slowly "I must report to base on Sunday" Mary couldn't believe this was happening all over again. She had feared of this day ever since he had returned home 3 years ago. Brandon was merely a baby when he had gotten home and now she was going to have to go throughanother pregnancy all by herself. "Mary?"
"What are we going to tell the kids?" was all she said. She didn't count on Emma listening to her parent's conversation. She had known something was wrong. She just had a super power for that sort of thing.
"No!" Emma burst into the room in tears "Don't go daddy!" David was on his feet in time to catch her. Her beautiful hair on her face "dad?"
"Hey" David placed her hair behind her ear "Em, look at me"
"If you go, I'll wont ever talk to you again" Emma said it with bitterness in her voice. David smiled.
"You don't mean that" David glanced at his wife "I know this is hard, for you more than the boys but I need you to be here and help your mother while I am gone"
"Dad is coming back Emma" Mary said standing next to her husband who now had Emma in his arms "He always comes back to us"
"Because he is a hero" Emma said more calmly "Like Prince Charming"
"Just like Prince Charming" Mary Margaret agreed cleaning Emma's tears with her thumb. Emma smiled.
"That's right" David said placing her down "And whenever you feel sad and you miss me" her father placed a hand in her heart "You just remember I always have you in my mind"
"And in your heart?" Emma said looking deeply into her father's blue eyes.
"More than anywhere else" David agreed hugging Emma once more and kissing her forehead.
ONCE UPON A TIME
"Mary Margaret?" Granny found the young mother sitting by herself at the dinner "Are you alright?"
"Yes" Mary said enjoying the taste of her hot cocoa "I was just thinking"
"Emma told Ruby about David" Granny said sitting next to Mary and taking her hand "I am so sorry, it must be so hard on you with the kids and everything. You don't hesitate to ask for anything"
"Thank you" Mary said. She wasn't sure if she could ask Granny if she could by some magical potion keep David home. "Am I just going to take it one day at a time?"