Based off a prompt I got sent to my tumblr (a-study-in-lobo)

David didn't know whether it was his previous life as a shepherd, having fought in a war against an evil queen, or his newly regained paternal instincts kicking in – but the smallest of creaks had woke him in the early hours of the morning. He looked over at his wife to find she was sleeping curled next to him, and his new born son was tucked peacefully in the Moses basket beside the bed. David frowned slightly before getting out of the bed to check upon the noise.

He entered the kitchen area to see his grown daughter staring at the un-boiled kettle upon the hob, yet to notice her father. At seeing his adult daughter awake at that time he frowned, he thought that after her traveling back in time and back again she would surely be sleeping in her bed...

'Y'know to get the kettle to work you tend to have to turn the hob on' he joked to her in order to make her aware of his presence.

Emma jumped startled by the appearance of her father. 'Shi-… you gave me a heart attack,' her hand flying to her heart, as David approached the kitchen, turning on light above the hood.

'Wait did I wake you up? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just –'

'Hey, hey, hey, it's okay Emma,' He placated, 'Now, why don't you sit yourself down whilst I get us some nice hot chocolate? I know it normally knocks your mom out.'

Emma obeyed and sat at the island, but eyed the pot David was putting on the hob carefully, before stubbornly bumbling, 'I was actually just going to make some coffee, so it's okay you don't like have to make me hot chocolate or anything.'

David stared at her with a shocked expression 'Wait so you were going to make coffee at-', he stopped to check his phone which was charging on the counter, '3am? Emma, you just got back from the past, and the past few days have hardly been a walk in the park, between you losing your magic, saving your brother, and defeating Zelena. You should really be sleeping.'

'Maybe I'm not tired.'

'Uh-hur, that's why you were going to make coffee?' He said giving her a pointed look.

Emma suddenly looked down, subdued until her father had finished making the hot chocolate and was pushing a mug in front of her and passing her the cinnamon container, before sitting on the stool beside hers.

'So want to tell me about it?'

'About what?' She questioned staring at the hot chocolate in front of her, adding cinnamon to the top, avoiding her father's eyes.

David sighed internally at her stubbornness, 'About why you're so determined to avoid sleep.' he replied softly.

'I'm not.' She replied quickly, staring into her father's eyes to try and force him to believe her.

'Em,' he said calmly, 'where do you think your super power comes from?' He out stared her, as she sighed.

'It's just in the past, I got to see you and mom fall in love, I got to actually be part of your adventure, and it just … It made everything so real.' She paused tears starting to well in her eyes, 'But then mom got burned, and I couldn't do anything – I just felt so helpless. And you were there, but you weren't you yet, and I just…. I just needed my dad', tears rolled out of her eyes as she tried not to become hysterical.

David pulled her in close, cradling her head to his chest, just as he had done all those years before as he raced to the wardrobe.

'I'm so sorry Emma. If I had known you were my daughter, I would never have let you go through that. But I'm here now, it's okay I'm here, I got you princess', he soothed. After a couple of minutes he realised why his daughter was trying to make coffee at 3am.

'Em, are you scared you're going to have a nightmare about it?', he felt a nod against his chest. He pulled her back slightly, 'Good thing your old dad's got a few tricks up his sleeves to deal with nightmares then isn't it?' he used the pads of his thumbs to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

After they had both finished their hot chocolates, David stood up to rinse out the mugs and leave on the draining board until morning. He then walked over holding out a hand to pull his daughter up. He grabbed a pack of matches and a candle before leading her upstairs.

David let go of her hand gesturing she should get into bed whilst he lit the candle.

'You know, I don't know if a candle will work…' Emma mumbled as she sat with her head against the headboard, speaking quietly so not to wake Henry who was asleep on the other side of the room.

'It might help if you led down.' David chided softly, tucking her in after she had led down.

'Dad,' Emma started softly, 'you know I defeated a dragon right?'

David nodded in affirmation, beaming down proudly at his daughter - noting how she had called him dad for the second time that evening.

'Well…. how did you slay your one?' She mumbled, her had toying with the edge of her baby blanket which was peeking out from underneath her pillow.

David's heart melted when he caught sight of it, as then melted even more when he realised that this was his grown up daughter's way of asking for a bedtime story. He sat down on the edge of her bed and began the story. 'Well you know, I was never actually supposed to slay the dragon.'

Before the story had even finished Emma was out like a light. David smiled softly, stood up, then bent down to kiss his daughters forehead. 'Goodnight princess, sweet dreams.' He whispered as he extinguished the candle and headed downstairs.

Stopping only to turn off the kitchen light, David was soon climbing back into his bed beside his wife, who stirred next to him.

'Did Neal wake up?' She questioned sleepily.

'Nope, our other offspring.' He answered, pulling his wife close and allowing her to rest her head against his chest.

'Wait, Emma? Is she okay?' She replied quickly, sounding more awake and rather concerned.

'Yeah, she was just being stubborn and trying to avoid sleep. Don't worry, I got her to sleep pretty quickly'

'Good.' She muttered against his chest.

'You know what though?'

'What?' She asked looking up at him.

'This totally counts as my turn, which means you get to be the one to wake up when Prince Neal demands it'

'Ha,' she laughed quietly, 'I suppose you're right.' She paused for a minute before adding, 'This must be what it feels like to have two kids'.

David laughed slightly, before pulling her into a sleepy embrace, as they both surrendered to sleep, whilst neither of their children needed them.