DAVID'S HERCULES MUSINGS
Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time.
Hi there! I told you guys I'd be back with one – shots.
Okay, so in canon Snowing didn't take Baby Neal to the underworld. And I understand the reason why. But I wrote this before the show established whether he was with them or not.
And I still maintain it would be in character for Snowing to take Neal with them as well. After all, Storybrooke isn't exactly a "safe" place either, and considering they have no idea how long they would be in the underworld, (and they don't want to "abandon" their baby even temporarily) I could see them bringing the baby with them.
And quite frankly, taking care of baby Neal is the only reason that I can think of why David wasn't in any of the action scenes in the Hercules episode that's in character for him. (I still think that was a big oversight for the show.)
"So what do you think of Mom's 'friend,' the demi – god?" David asked Neal as he drank his bottle back in the underworld version of their loft. "'Herk', I guess she calls him?" "That name sounds stupid, doesn't it? Nothing like 'Charming.'" David caressed his son's head tenderly. "Your dad is much better than that boy, Neal, even if the boy is a demi – god."
David put the bottle down and attempted to burb Neal. His jealousy over Hercules was a little ridiculous. That's why David had laughed it off earlier when Snow was talking about him. After all, Hercules was only a little older than Henry. And he knew Snow loved David. Would always love David.
It was just that Hercules was, well…a god. Kind of. A god who had been friends with his wife as child. Who had memories with her that David didn't have. And David was pretty sure Hercules had a crush on Mary Margaret, too. He could tell by the way Hercules talked about her. David hated the idea of his wife fighting an enemy with this boy…god. Whatever.
Neal finally let out a long burb.
"That's it, Neal," David told his son. Then he picked up the bottle again. "Would you like some more?" Neal happily accepted the bottle. "You're a good eater, you know that? Maybe you won't grow up to be as strong as 'Herk,' but I think you'll still do fine. Good enough for us mortals, anyway. Definitely good enough for me."
Herk. David knew that Mary Margaret chose the demi – god for this mission because he was supposed to be able to defeat the monster that was guarding Hook. But...a part of David felt like his wife had chosen Hercules over him. He couldn't remember another time when she'd chosen to fight with another man instead of David.
Actually, this "Herk" wasn't even a man, though, was he? He was only a boy. David liked to think he could trust the boy to protect Mary Margaret. After all, "Herk" was a demi – god. The strongest man in the world, supposedly. And if Mary Margaret said they could trust him that should be good enough, right? And it was. But still, David didn't like the idea of his wife fighting without him. With a boy instead. What if…something happened? No he told himself firmly as he shook his head. Mary Margaret had Emma to help her, too. Emma was an amazing fighter, he thought with pride. Besides, Mary Margaret could take care of herself. The way she could aim and shoot her bow…it was pretty amazing. David smiled at that image.
He put the bottle down and attempted to burb Neal again.
OOOOOOOOOOO
A couple of hours later, David was walking around the underworld with Neal in his arms. After he'd finished the bottle, the baby had begun fussing and reaching for the windows of the loft. David realized his son must be bored of the apartment and wanted to see what was outdoors. He wasn't sure whether going outside in the underworld with Neal was a good idea. Who knew what kind of enemies they might encounter? But Neal wasn't amused by David attempt at making faces at Neal or playing with his rattles. So David discretely strapped his sword to his hip and he and Neal set out. David and Neal visited woods, which the baby seemed to enjoy. (Of course, a son of his and Mary Margaret's would like the forest.) Neal babbled happily at the trees and giggled as David let Neal put his hands the brook. So far, they hadn't encountered any enemies yet.
David was still bothered by the fact that his wife had chosen to fight with someone else instead of him. But he had to admit, he was enjoying spending the day with his son. Often times, because his duties as the sheriff in Storybrooke, he wasn't able to take care of Neal. Today was good opportunity to bond with Neal a little more.
OOOOOOOOOO
That night, after the monster had been defeated, Hercules had "moved on," Mary Margaret had decided to call herself Snow White again, and Neal was asleep, David and Snow sat on their bed.
"I'm glad Herk is finally happy," she commented. "Living with his father like he wanted."
David nodded. "Good for him." Personally, David was pretty pleased the demi – god was gone, too. "I'm glad you were able to help your friend." And despite how uncomfortable David was with his wife fighting with Hercules, David was glad she'd helped him. "Snow," he added for emphasis. That name sounded funny because he wasn't used to it anymore, but it felt good, too.
Snow smiled at him.
David leaned over and stroked her face, reveling in the fact that she was alright. "I'm glad you're okay, too."
Snow rolled her eyes at him. "I can hold my own in a battle, David. You know that. That monster didn't stand a chance with three people up against him!"
David continued stroking her face, but he grinned at her. "Especially if one of them is you with a bow."
"Do you know Herk is the one who taught me to shoot a bow?"
"Really?" David tried to sound enthusiastic about that. He knew Snow liked to talk to him about her past. But he didn't like hearing more about "Herk." "I guess he taught you well, then."
Snow smiled at him and took his hands in hers. "He did a pretty good job, I guess. But I still learned a lot from you, too. How to use a sword. How to have faith. How to love someone with everything I have." She leaned over and kissed him, and David forgot all the jealousy he'd been feeling that day.
"I know you were a little bothered by me spending so much time with Herk, even though we laughed about it earlier."
David shook his head. "No I wasn't. I have nothing to be jealous about."
Snow smiled and began caressing his face. "No, David, you don't. Hercules is a friend I had as a teenager. He was a nice boy, but that's all he was. A boy. We needed his help to defeat that monster, because Herk has faced him before. You, on the other hand, are the man I married. My Charming. The man I love more and more the longer I'm married to. The man I've had two wonderful children with. I needed your help taking care of one of them today, or I would have been fighting with you today, like always."
David sighed. He looked down. "Thank you. I know I shouldn't have been jealous but…I guess I was a little."
"Because he was fighting with me instead of you? I understand, David. That would have bothered me if you were fighting with another woman besides Emma without me. Especially if you had a history with her. Thank you for taking care of Neal, though. I didn't have to worry about our son because I knew he was with you."
David smiled at that. "We had a great day together. I was glad to spend more time with him. Those memories are special, you know?"
Snow nodded. "I do know. And I'm glad I was able to spend some time with Emma, too."
"The only thing I regret about today is that I didn't see you with the bow myself, Snow. I'll never get tired of watching you weld that. It's so sexy."
Snow smiled seductively. "Maybe I'll give you a private viewing tomorrow. But in the meantime, I'd like to think I can be pretty sexy on my own." She slowly began taking of her shirt.
David nodded. He kissed her hard. "Definitely."
"You are my husband and the man I love," she told him as she took off her pants.
"My Charming," she added as she helped him take off his shirt.