He Is Not The Man You Think

One shot. Emma and Snow talk about Charming the night after visiting the nursery. Emma/Snow Snow/Charming.

I do not own Once

Emma walked up dragging her feet because of exhaustion. She thought only her legs hurt but what also brought her pain was seeing the place she was meant to grow up in. A place that was so beautiful and so thought of. They really did love her.

"We should rest here" Mulan said as she laid her stuff down. Emma sighed in relief. "I'll keep watch first."

"No" Snow said quickly. "I will. Don't worry" Emma eyed her mother. She had the same exhaustion reflected on her face and yet seemed in no desire to go to bed.

"Very well" Mulan said. "Wake me up in four hours" Aurora glanced at Snow anxiously. Snow nodded as in sign that she should go to bed too. She did.

"Want some company?" Emma asked after a moment. Snow glanced up at her.

"You should try and get some sleep" Snow said. "We had a very long day and I don't think tomorrow will very different"

"I don't really feel like sleeping right now" Emma admitted. Snow reached out to touch her shoulder. "I guess I am still a bit shaky about what happened back there"

"Me too" Snow said sadly. Silence. "I can only imagine your father's face when I tell him about what happened to Lancelot" Emma tensed a bit. Right. This was her mother and her father was back at Storybrooke with Henry.

"Were they close?" Emma asked. Her mother sighed and placed her arms around herself to warm up.

"Yes" Snow said. "Charming always had this blind trust in Lancelot. He is like that with people. I guess much like your superpower"

"He didn't trust you or believed in you as Mary Margaret" Emma burtled out. Shoot. She had said that out loud. Snow glanced at her.

"He is not the man you used to know as David Nolan Emma" Snow said firmly. "He could never be like that"

"Really?" Again with the thinking out loud and the sarcasm. "Sorry"

"That's alright" Snow said calmly. "You will get to know him soon enough" Emma smiled a bit at this. She then thought of Henry. And as if Snow could listen to her thoughts said. "Henry is fine Emma. David will keep him safe"

"For some strange reason I really believe that" Emma said looking up to the sky.

"Good" Silence. "You know... He was most excited about becoming a father." Emma looked at Snow. "I was too of course but not at first since I had grown without a mother but... Charming, nah he was so ready"

"Guess he never got the chance to be" Emma said sadly.

"Maybe not, but he was... he loved you so much from the moment we found out about you Emma, I did too and if you must know..."

"He gave his life for me?" Snow seemed utterly confused. "I sort of had a vision, from Henry's book at the hospital" Snow smiled.

"Then you know" Snow took her hand and felt her tense a bit "He is not the man, you think"

Maybe he wasn't. Maybe He would turn out to be the man Emma had always wanted her father to be.

aww well what did you guys think? I really am suffering from Once Withdrawal right now! And I am dying to see how the writers play with Emma and Charming's relationship

Thanks for reading!