Chapter Two

"With a Smile and a Song"

"Mmmm… Mmmmm…" she hummed as she walked past the trees in the forest. Emma thought it was a good idea to bottle some of that well water. It's practically healing water and with all the crap that goes down in Story Brooke, it's not a bad idea to have some on hand. It was then as she was lowering the bucket did some birds decide to perch themselves on the brick. Where has she seen this before? She would be lying if she said it didn't look familiar to her. Finally it hit her just as hard as Charming hit Neal the other day. She started to laugh and decided what the hell. She was alone.

"You want to know a secret?" she asked the birds. Of course they didn't respond but she didn't care. It was just an inside joke. "Promise not to tell?" pulling her arms up just like all the Disney princesses do she sang, "We are standing by a wishing well." Then the next part was kind of a uhh… a moment to herself. "Make a wish into the well that's all you have to do and if you hear it echoing, your wish will soon come true," she continued. She wasn't even singing to the birds anymore. It was when she was singing did she realize. DAMN! I'm one of those Disney princesses, just an unsolicited one. She smiled as she started to laugh. Little did she know, Neal was right behind her.

He had been wondering where she was, wanting to talk to her about the other day. Luckily Snow was willing to tell him where she'd gone, but when he asked Charming… forget it! He didn't even give him the time of day. It was pretty stupid of Neal, thinking he could get some information on Emma through her father. If you want info, you always get it from the mom.

Emma leaned forward over the well singing, "I'm wishing. I'm wishing", it echoed back.

"For the one I love," Neal smiled behind her as he heard her sing, "To find me. To find me. Today! Today!"

She even curtsied at that last line and it took everything Neal had to not laugh. Who was this girl? She looks like the woman he fell in love with but… it just couldn't be her! Still Neal loved this side of her. He was always afraid of her being too independent and she never needed him, but after seeing this side. It only proves there is a… princess side of her.

"I'm hoping! I'm hoping! And I'm dreaming of," she continued, "The nice things! The nice things! He'll say! He'll say! Ah! Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha!" she lifted her chin to really exaggerate this next part, "Ah! Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Lowering her chin again she repeated, "I'm wishing! I'm wishing! For the one I love. To find me! To find me! Today!"

"TOODAAAAYYY!" Neal sang as loud as he could. Emma jumped dropping the bucket and the bottle into the well.

"Shiiit!" She yelled watching the items fall. She turned around, her nostrils flaring and her eyes burning. Neal experienced this stare before and even though he knows it means big trouble, he doesn't care. What he just saw was priceless. "What the hell are you doing here Neal!?" she screamed both angry and embarrassed. Her cheeks burned soo much, the red reached all the way to her ears. She always made herself this hardcore, I need nobody, ESPECIALLY NOT A PRINCE, type kick ass gal, but what she just displayed counteracted all of that. It was irony all bottled up like the water she was supposed to bottle.

"I'm finding you!" Neal answered smugly, "Your wish came true!" He held out his arms attempting to embrace her but she pushed him away with a smirk.

"Please Neal!" she scoffed, "It's like you don't know me at all!"

"Your right," he admitted proudly, "After that display, I've realized there is still a lot about you I don't know."

She looked at him in horror. That didn't escape. She's let Neal seen allot of her and I mean allot but nothing like that. His smile impossibly widened and all he did was shake his head. That motion alone only made Emma feel that much more embarrassed. "You will never speak of this!" she threatened. "Get it!"

He paused as if he were thinking about it, "Got it."

Emma nodded her head and they walked back toward town.

…

The tension hadn't left even though Neal promised not to say a word. She felt as if the whole town knew now that she sang that song. She could only hear Charming and Snow now.

Oh Emma! Sing it again!

"Hey," Charming called breaking Emma out of her trance. She forgot he was talking to her. It was Emma's turn to pick the activity for their bonding and she picked cards. It was playing cards and eating pizza on the living room floor (not literally). "Emma, go fish." She nodded her head and picked up a card. "Are you okay?" he asked putting his cards down. Emma took a deep breath. There was NO way she could talk about this to Charming, it would be even more embarrassing if he ever found out. Neal even sang her father's part just like Prince Charming sang it to Snow White! How was she supposed to feel? She's just lucky it wasn't anyone like Gold or worse… Regina. If Regina saw that, the whole town would have known and it would be months before Emma could show her face again.

"I was just… caught doing something," she paused trying to find the words, "Embarrasing."

Charming looked at his daughter. It would be a lie if he said he didn't mind not knowing something about his daughter. That was the whole point of this bonding. He wanted to know every little part of her, wanted her to feel comfortable enough to come to him for anything. She could talk to him if she wanted to, but that's also if she's willing. It was sort of a dumb question to ask but there was really no other question to ask, "Yeah? What did you do?"

"Really David?" She asked throwing him a crossed expression.

He smiled at her reaction, more amused than offended. It was times like this he saw his wife in his daughter. The little facial expressions she makes are just like Snow's. "Well I can't help you if I don't know what happened."

"All you need to know is that it was embarrassing and I was caught." She said as she reached for another slice of peperoni.

He took a moment to just look at her, hoping he could find out more in her eyes, but found nothing. Finally he took another slice too and said, "One time I was sparing your mother at sword fighting and she beat me more than once." Averting his eyes he could feel the flush burning in his cheeks. He's never told anyone about that and even to his daughter, it's equally as uncomfortable. He could feel Emma just staring at him. He couldn't tell if it was shock or deep in thought. It was a bit of both. She was shocked he was willing to share that. Honestly she didn't see the big deal in Mary Margret kicking David's butt, but then she had to consider the time they're from and everything. That would be looked down upon. It took allot of him to admit it, even to his daughter.

"I sang a Disney song in front of Neal," she said quickly. She only said it because David was open enough to share. It was the least she could do.

He just stared at her confused, "I don't get it. How is that embarrassing?"

Emma took a deep breath and pulled some hair away from her face, "It's embarrassing because it was the song Mary Margret sang in the over exaggerated Disney version of your story. I practically reenacted the whole scene of how you two met." David couldn't breathe. He was angry but not a protective angry, but more of a very mild jealous rage. He can't believe he missed that! He would have loved to see that.

Scooting closer to her he asks sheepishly, "Do you think you could do it again."

Emma just stared at him in disbelief. "No." She got up to get another beer as David imagined her singing like the Disney Snow White. It was a good image, because it was sweet and innocent.

He smiled at her warmly. Emma's a grown woman, but by the way she's letting such a simple act affect her, he couldn't help but see a little girl… his little girl… pouting. "Don't worry about it, Emma."

"Huh?" she replied.

"Don't worry about it, cause if you do, you're giving them power," David stood up and walked over to her. "So what, you sang a little girl's song."

"I'm not a little girl," she interjected.

David pulled up a hand in defense as he quickly explained, "But you were once." She rolled her eyes and David tried to explain better, "Don't let anyone make you feel small for being yourself, because there's nothing wrong with you."

Something inside Emma swelled. This was the first time Emma could confidently say she saw David as something more than her mother's husband. She could see a father in him and it was a new feeling, to have someone listen to you like that. Taking in his words her uneasiness slowly faded. Emma smiled at him, "So what you're saying is. I should live life." She sings, "With a smile and a song!"

READER'S NOTE-

Okay I'm sorry, this chapter definitely could have gone better, but I've been thinking about this for a while. I was also listening to Snow White songs trying to come up with ideas. I just hope you guys understood what I wrote and I really appreciate the comments you all left behind! Please tell me if you hated this chapter, loved this chapter or even indifferent. Either way.. PLEASE!

REVIEW! (and send me something you would like in the story)