Hi! This was written immediately post 3x06, so it's just a little extract sandwiched between the episodes. As ever, thank you to Light-and-Smoke for betaing and putting up with my fangirling. Feedback would be loved, with virtual hugs as an incentive :)

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"How's your wife?"

David paused, evaluating the man in front of him. It had been hours since the Echo Caves, hours since their little crew had aired every dirty little secret in that deep, dank cavernous space. They had stopped for the night, their makeshift camp thick with tension. Hook's simple question had broken the silence of the last hour.

Snow had proposed some errand, disappearing into the thick foliage before David could even protest, his admission clearly weighing heavy on her heart. Emma too had mumbled something about firewood before disappearing, an eager Neal at her heels. Hook's jaw had perceptibly twitched at Emma's statement of intent, and so the pair had fallen into a comfortable silence, a small fire burning between them. Both men who remained were clearly unhappy about this arrangement, and yet felt powerless to intervene.

"I'm allowing her time to process" David eventually admitted, running an agitated hand through his hair, "She's really struggling"

Hook nodded, half heartedly poking at the fire with a long branch he had been angrily whittling for the past twenty minutes, "All part of Pan's plan, exposing our darkest secrets"

"Which shouldn't have been a secret in the first place" David finished for him with a sigh, "I really don't need an 'I told you so'."

"Wasn't going to" Hook replied with a crooked half smile, which in no way met his eyes.

"She's certainly living up to her name" the words tumbled from David's mouth before he could even process he was confiding in the pirate. He smiled at Hook's quizzically arched eyebrow, "Snow"

"She was rather chilly" Hook agreed, "But if anyone could thaw her, it would have to be Prince Charming"

David couldn't help but laugh at the poor attempt for humour. It was what he need after the caves, "I'm not so sure... and how are you?"

A thick silence fell over the camp as the simple question hung in the air.

"Whatever do you mean?"

After the initial anger of discovering the kiss, David had accepted it. Well, he hadn't accepted it, but it was abundantly clear it was more than just a fumble in the jungle for Hook, "You can try and be blasé, but I know exactly what you were telling her"

Hook swallowed thickly, and for a moment Charming didn't think he would - or could - answer him, "And here I thought you'd be angered that I kissed her"

"Stop deflecting" Charming threw a nearby leaf into the fire, "And I'll punch you for that later"

"She's made her choice"

Charming blanched, his mouth falling open, "So you're just going to give up?" This wasn't right. If Hook cared for her half as much as he professed, he couldn't rest until Emma was in his arms.

"I'll never give up on her" Hook vowed fiercely, his melancholy stare finally meeting David's.

Both men reacted quicky, as the foliage near their camp was noisily brushed about, several branches crackling underfoot. Snow stumbling through the gap, her eyes tinged with red, though she managed a weak smile in their direction. She waved away David's concerned arm, sitting next to him and opposite Hook, but far enough to make all concerned uncomfortable.

"I know my daughter" David encouraged, turning to face Hook after no response from his wife, "She hasn't 'made a choice'. Emma's far too careful for that"

"Too careful to trust a pirate?"

"Did you mean it?" Snow interrupted quickly, her eyes boring into Hook, "What you said. Do you have feelings for her?"

Clearly taking offence at Snow's surprised tone, Hook bristled, "It built the bloody bridge, didn't it?"

Snow held up a hand to silence David's angry retort before he had even the chance to think, 'Don't speak to my wife like that!', "I'm sorry. What I meant was, is it real? Do you truly care for her, or are you only going to break her heart?"

"I don't possess it to break it" Hook replied slowly, his eyes searching through the jungle, as if he could spot Neal and Emma from there, "And no, I'd never hurt her... even if I am a pirate"

"You're more than that to her" The Prince corrected Hook quickly, admitting it both to himself and to his friend. Hook had surpassed 'pirate' long before he led the toast to him. "Your fighting for her. That's means a lot. True Love isn't easy, you have to fight for it, at all costs. Snow and I -"

"David" Snow interrupted, her voice breaking as her indifferent barricade was washed away by her hot tears, "Please don't"

Once again his comforting arm was batted away, and Hook feebly attempted to draw them away from their pain with humour,

"I'm sorry Dave, are you comparing us? And do you really think I'm your daughters Love?" Hook smiled, the twinkle returning to his eyes that had dulled in the caves.

"I'm just saying" David waved his hands in the air as he summoned his killer argument, his eyes firmly fixed on his wife, "It's not over until it's over"

Hook paused, as though he was reluctant to confess his feelings, "I will fight for her, but I will respect what she wants. I told her my secret to help her free Neal, nothing more"

David turned from Snow, frowning. This wasn't the tale of sleeping curses and grand gestures of which he was used to, "By all means respect her, but you need to show her -"

"I've told her everything she needs to know. I've shown her so many times. I'm no Prince, this is as far as I can go"

David shook his head, anger bubbling in his chest at Hook's lack of punch, "So, you're just content to watch Neal sweep her off her feet?"

"Nothing about this situation makes me content" Hook smiled bitterly.

"We all just need a little bit of time" Snow interrupted the boys, as Hook stood to give them just that, a small encouraging smile shot David's way, "I'll leave you to it"

David paused, shouting to the retreating figure in a last desperate attempt, "If you don't fight for her, you don't deserve her"

Snow placed a gentle hand on David's thigh, trying to prevent him from being so utterly and irrevocably Charming. The dark, leather clad figure of the pirate turned to face them, the most painful, bittersweet smile etched across his features. And with world-weary sigh, he shattered Snow's already broken, hopeless heart,

"I'll never deserve her, mate"