Chapter One

"Defend Yourself!"

Later that day…

Henry was home playing with Grace, showing her card games and the best cartoon shows. Emma was in the kitchen washing dishes, Jefferson was there too, drying and putting them away. Thank God Neal wasn't the jealous type, but don't misunderstand, he gets worried sometimes when Emma is around other men who apparently "like" her, but he knows better to give her space. Oddly enough she finds Jefferson and Grace are the sanest people in Story Brooke. Who would have known how easy going the Mad Hatter really is.

It happened so quick and so unexpected, that when it happened, Jefferson immediately blocked Emma, dropping the clean dish, letting it shatter on the tile. He turned his eyes toward Grace making sure she was all right. "What was that?" Grace asked turning her body toward the loud sound. It came from outside the apartment door. She began to get up and move toward it and before Jefferson could, Henry caught her by the arm.

"I don't think that's a good idea," he says. It's hard to stay calm in situations like this because strange and life threating things tend to happen regularly in this small town. Coincidence is a myth here.

"I'm going to check it out," Emma said moving passed Jefferson who was concentrating hard on the door. He was going to protest, attempting to be a gentleman and insisting that he should go instead, but before he could Emma had already opened the door. Suddenly a wave of swords, armor, books, and shields crash onto the wooden floors, all the while Emma, Henry, Grace and Jefferson watch curiously at the man walking past the mess.

"David!?" Emma gasped glancing at all the junk he brought, "What is all of this?"

He glances at her sheepishly and back to the pile. "Look," he said picking up an admittedly beautiful helmet. It was silver with a crown of silver leaves which looked woven together. "I didn't exactly know where to start but," he paused to place the helmet on her head. "One thing you need to learn is how to be a princess if you decide to live with us in the enchanted forest."

Oh, that again. Emma thought.

Moving to the enchanted forest was a touchy subject. She would love to go to be with her family and her new friends but her life is here, in the world without magic. Neal thinks the same. He ran away just to prove his point, but Henry really wants to go. Emma isn't sure if it's because of a childish fantasy or if it's because he thinks Emma would actually take her place in being a princess. Princess. That was another touchy subject. Emma isn't ready to be a princess. She knows that. She can't lead a whole kingdom, let alone her own life. If she can't take care of herself, how can she expect to be some inspiring figure everyone is going to look up to? It's impossible. She already has her hands full trying to be a good mother to Henry.

Emma adjusted her helmet undeniably feeling stronger as Charming looked at her as if he is proud of her already. "I said we would spend more time together," he told her, "and I meant it. All I'm asking is for you to give it a chance." She looked at him solemnly and turned toward Jefferson. It was a silent request but immediately he understood.

"Grace," Jefferson said moving around the broken plate. "It's time to go. Tell Henry goodbye." Turning back toward Emma he says, "I'll talk to you later." His smile is attractive. Even Emma couldn't lie about it, but he was her friend and nothing more. Luckily he thought the same, so Neal has nothing to worry about. Still she smiled back, giving him a hug.

Henry escorted Grace to the door. "Bye Henry," Grace says hugging him, and once they were gone Henry turns toward the two.

"So what are we doing?" Henry asks, excitement showering his face.

Emma took out her cell phone dialing a number. "You are going to your father's tonight."

"What!?" Henry whined in disappointment.

"Sorry kid. This is a father daughter bonding day." Emma felt uncomfortable thinking about it, but kept a straight face. "We'll do something tomorrow."

Henry shuffled his feet against the wood, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Fine," he said.

…

Neal arrived in no time at all. When he knocked on the door, Emma rushed to open it. Charming stood in waiting, leaning against the table. After their conversation, Charming has a whole new perspective of Neal. He doesn't like him. At all. Mostly because he'd hurt his daughter, but also because he came back. A guy like that doesn't deserve a girl like Emma. He was… he was… He was a coward, a coward for doing something so terrible to Emma in fear of having to face his own father! He'd put her in jail! Bad things happen in jail and Charming hates to think what Emma had to go through serving Neal's time there. "Neal," Emma greeted her eyes sparkling at the sight of him. Charming's anger only grew for him.

"Hey Em," he greeted back leaning in for a kiss, but before he could, Charming coughed loud enough to ruin their moment.

Here we go. Emma thought.

She shouldn't have told him about Neal. Now he's going to hate him and give her crap about being with him again. Just what she needed. An over protective father trying get in the middle of her love life. Neal cleared his throat when he found Charming just across the room. "Umm. Davi- Mr…" he paused trying to think but finally gave up, "I'm sorry I don't know what to call you. Do I still respect you as a king or as David?"

"How about you respect me as Emma's father," he scowled moving closer to them.

Emma knew what was happening. She quickly whispered to Neal, trying to shield him from her father, "I'm sorry but I told him the truth about us."

"I thought he already knew," Neal asked confused.

Emma looked about him sheepishly when she confirmed, "I told him the whole truth, as in the entire story."

Neal just stared at her. His eyes going wide. "Oh," he said before Charming swung his fist at Neal's face. Neal's body fell to the floor bouncing a little on impact.

"That was for my daughter!" Charming yelled staring at Neal with burning eyes. Even though Emma knew what was going to happen she still stared in shock as Neal lay still on the ground.

"David!" Emma whined, running to Neal's aid. She agreed to bonding not… this! She felt invaded of privacy. Again! What happened between her and Neal is none of his business and that she told him in confidence, not to play princess locked in her tower. Emma stood to her feet about to run at Charming and tell him exactly what she thought but Neal jump to his feet as well and grabbed Emma from behind. "No!" He shouted solemnly, "it's fine." She turned around shocked. No! It wasn't fine! It would never be fine. , "I deserved it." Neal's eyes retreated to the ground, escaping Emma's glare.

"No it's not," she said trying to calm down. She knows he deserved it. She especially understands that but it wasn't Charming's fight to fight and even more she didn't need him to fight for her. For years she'd done it herself and she'd be damned if he tried to walk in her life and do it now. She yanked herself from Neal's grasp and turned so she was facing the both of them. "I know you deserved it, but that's not the point. If I wanted to hit you, I would have and trust me when I say, that day when I found you I really wanted to hit you. You were just lucky Henry was there." Her eyes moved to Charming. It's true he is her father and she actually expected nothing less, but she thought she made it clear to give her, her space when they had that little moment earlier today. In almost a whisper she said, "You crossed waaaaay over your boundaries."

"Emma I'm sorry, but I'm your father! You can't just tell me a story like that and expect me to do nothing!"

"That's exactly what I expect you to do." Her words even shocked Neal, even though he knew she was right. He was still unwilling to forgive his own father. The only difference is Emma doesn't have any quarrel with her father. She was trying. "Technically we just met. You don't go around fighting battles for strangers."

Charming crossed his arms, a bit offended. "We are not strangers."

"What do you know about me," she quickly remarked a bit more aggressively. "That's why we're doing this right? To get to know each other?" Charming reluctantly nodded his head. "So until then, stay out of my problems unless I say it's alright." It would have been a lie if I say Charming didn't feel a sense of abandonment. He felt so uncomfortable, it was like talking to a stranger and he didn't like it.

She took a moment to let that sink in. Neal awkwardly pushed passed them walking into the apartment. "Henry! Hey buddy, you ready?"

"Yeah!" Henry shouted back in Emma's room, "coming right down."

…

They chose to do this in the park. In the public. For everyone to see. Mary Margret decided this would be a great time to buy a cup of coffee, which by the way, was at a café just across the street from the park. Emma and Charming were in clear view for her to see and it was entertaining for her to see her daughter and husband spend time together. Emma picked up a sword. "Try not to enjoy this too much," Charming warned before they started. Looking in the pile he realized his sword was nowhere in sight, he finally found it when he glanced at Emma's hand.

"Problem?" she asked clutching her father's sword real tight.

Charming smiled. "N-No. No problem at all."

In truth he didn't mind his daughter holding his sword at all. It was like passing down a keepsake, even though it's a sword, the warmth of it is still there. Charming picked up another sword from the pile and pointed it at her, "Lesson one… Your stance is everything." Emma kept her feet firm to the ground, but made a mistake by looking away for a moment. Charming lunged the sword forward but Emma pulled it up just in the nick of time, their swords clashing making that clinch! sound. "Lesson two… Never take your eyes off your opponent."

Emma spun around swinging her sword downward almost getting her father in the leg. Charming couldn't help but smile at her proudly because he wasn't expecting that. Smiling at him smugly she says, "You're going down, old man!"

Charming pushed her away with the weight of the sword, "We'll see about that little girl!"

About five hours in the "lesson" the two were exhausted. They huffed over their knees, attempting to hold themselves up. Too tired to even walk for thirty minutes they decided to call a quits. Charming tosses the sword to the grass and falls on his back. Emma did the same but falls next to Charming lying on his arm. He couldn't help but hold his breath, fearing if he were to breathe he would blow her away. "That was fun," Emma admitted.

"Yeah it was," Charming agreed. The two stayed in silence. Charming found the courage to wrap his arm around his daughter possessively. She was his daughter. Other than his wife and his grandson, no one could have her. No one! Especially not… Neal! Or Baelfire, or whatever his name is. Bottom line is, he's not ready to give her up and by the way he's holding her right now, Emma understands that better.

"I'm sorry," she says finally. Charming didn't think he heard that correctly. He dared not say a word just to make sure. "About Neal, you were just being a father and I was being disrespectful, so I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Charming says, "It's fine. Really."

Emma leans into him, really hugging him for the first time, "No it's not."

Charming nodded his head. He won't say it but he appreciates it. All he wants to be is a good father and that's all he was doing. Emma just had a hard time accepting it, because having parents, for her, is definitely something to get used to. It's not just him being patient of her, it's also her being patient of him. "So," Emma asks after taking a very deep breath, "What are we doing tomarrow?"

READER'S NOTE-

Thanks to QuillAnnie, and ramblingkitten for the idea! I totally loved it and I hope you guys loved the chapter. Infact I hope everyone loved the chapter. I'm sorry it took a while to update. Keep sending me ideas and I'll try and keep the chapters going as soon as possible! Question though. How do you feel about Neal and Mr. Gold's relationship?

REVIEW!