Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time.
Once Upon a Snowing
Tonight, we have a little Emma and Charming in the Underworld. post 5X19.
Glory
David wasn't a big drinker. He had never been one to drown his sorrows in alcohol, even in the worst of times. His father had done that and David had always been determined not to be that.
Sure, he never shied away of partaking in a social drink with friends. He had enjoyed many a drink with the dwarves over the years, both in the Enchanted Forest and in Storybrooke. And he always enjoyed having a glass of wine with his wife or a beer with his daughter.
But he had never really done what he was doing now. Drowning his problems in a drink; especially rum, but when Killian had offered him his flask without a word, David had accepted and actually relished the burn, as the liquid descended down his throat.
The memory kept replaying in his head. His brother's identical features, twisted with malice, as he fought him with every intention of tossing him into the river of lost souls.
Despite everything, it was the last thing David had wanted to do. But his brother had crossed every line when he had put that magic cuff on Emma and held a gun to her.
He could handle his brother wanting to kill him, but he had been planning to kill Emma too and that was when he knew there was no reasoning with him.
"Dad?" Emma called into the darkened loft.
"Hey Em…" he called back.
"Are you drinking?" she asked. He smiled thinly.
"Yes, but don't worry, I'm not drunk," he assured, as she sat down next to him.
"Fine...but don't drink alone," she replied. He smiled and passed the flask to her. She took a drink and put her head on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry about James," she said.
"Me too...I wish there had been another way. If I could have just gotten through to him…" David lamented.
"Dad...you can't do this to yourself. He would have thrown you in that river without a second thought," Emma reminded.
"I know...all because I stole his glory," David said, rolling his eyes.
"Glory?" Emma asked with a snort.
"Yeah...I guess I did in a way. But I never asked to take his place," he replied.
"No...and you didn't really. His so called glory would have seen him go from a ruthless prince to an even more ruthless King. He would have married whatever princess would have gotten him the best deal. But you forged your own path by choosing love. You are not James," Emma insisted. He smiled.
"That's exactly what your mother would say," he said and she smiled.
"Well, Mom's always right," she replied and he chuckled.
"She is," he agreed.
"Dad...I know you didn't like doing what had to be done, but I meant what I said. Some people can never move on and he was one of them. So yeah, if it had to be you or him, I chose him, because I need my dad," she confessed. He looked at her, the tears barely contained in his eyes.
"Thanks Em," he said, choking back his emotions. She smiled and hugged him again.
"You gonna be okay?" she asked. He nodded.
"I am...thanks to my beautiful daughter," he said, pushing the flask away.
"No more drowning my sorrows. It's time to find a way to get Hook out of here so we can home to your Mom...where we belong," he said. She smiled.
"I'll tell Henry that Operation Firebird is back on full blast in the morning then," she said.
"Goodnight Emma," he replied.
"Night Dad," she answered, as she went upstairs. David sighed and looked at the empty bed, as he shed his shirt and climbed into bed. He looked at the framed photo on the nightstand and carefully traced a finger on the glass over his wife's beautiful face.
"Good night Snow...we'll be home soon, my darling," he whispered, as he turned the light out.