Magic had brought so many tragedies into Snow White's life it was almost impossible for her to believe that it could bring such joy. For joy is exactly what she felt as she stood in her little kitchen watching Emma happily eat pancakes in the oversized t-shirt she had slept in. Elsa was describing what life was like in a castle and Emma was hanging on every word.
"And we have a room that is just for balls and parties. It is HUGE! At night you can't even see the ceiling because it is so tall."
"Wow! Mom. Did you have a room like that in your castle?"
Snow leaned forward on the counter and nodded with a wide grin. "Of course! And we would throw big parties and everyone would wear ball gowns and dance all night."
"Like in Cinderella?"
"Well Ella's castle was a bit smaller than mine."
"You know Cinderella?" the excitement in her voice was catching.
Snow laughed. "Absolutely!"
Emma grinned. "Storybrooke is so cool." she took a big bite of pancake and syrup dribbled down her chin.
Elsa nodded her agreement although Snow suspected Elsa's love for their little town had more to do with how free she was to do magic.
Charming appeared from the bedroom.
"Neal asleep?" Snow asked
Charming nodded and swooped in for a quick kiss. The watching girls giggled and he smiled back at them before grabbing a plate. There was an expectant silence as Charming prepared his food. He reached for the syrup only to have his hand close on emptiness. The giggling erupted anew. He turned to see the syrup in Emma's hands. Snow tried to hide her smile but David's dumbfounded expression was making it difficult.
"Did you?" he started.
"Emma has been practicing her magic." Snow cut in.
Charming narrowed his eyes. "Very impressive." Emma's smile brightened at his praise. "Now may I please have...?" but the bottle was in his hand before he could finish the sentence. He shook his head and Snow could tell that he wasn't comfortable letting Emma play with her magic so freely. They lapsed into silence as everyone ate.
"Do princesses have to marry princes?"Emma asked with a thoughtful expression.
Snow tipped her head wondering what her daughter was thinking. "No. You can marry whoever you want. He doesn't have to be a prince. Your father was a shepherd." Charming grinned at her as he took a large bite.
"Can I marry a pirate?"
"What?" he spat almost choking on his pancake. Emma didn't seem to notice his shock.
"Killian is a pirate." she explained before taking a drink of her hot chocolate.
"Killian is a pirate?" Elsa asked.
Emma nodded enthusiastically "Yeah! He is Captain Hook!"
"From the story about Neverland?"
"Uh-huh"
"I thought Captain Hook was the bad guy?"
"Well it's just a story. And Henry said that people change. Like the Evil Queen isn't evil anymore."
"Wait. Since when are you marrying Hook?" Charming broke into the conversation and Snow almost laughed at his frustration. He turned to Snow. "She is not marrying Hook!"
Snow rolled her eyes at her husband's antics. But Emma did not take it so lightly. "I want to marry Killian!" her voice took on a stubborn edge.
David opened his mouth to respond but Snow put a hand on his arm. "Don't argue with her. It's just a little crush."
A knock at the door interrupted whatever he might have said in his defense. He went to the door feeling more than a little annoyedt that his little girl was so taken with the pirate. When he opened the door to reveal said pirate he groaned.
"Good Morning to you too mate!" Killian said with a grin.
"Listen mate…" Charming began sarcastically but was cut off by the squeals of the two little girls.
"Killian!" Emma and Elsa jumped from their stools and ran to him their t-shirts flapping. He dropped to one knee and almost toppled over as they came barreling into him. They both spoke at once.
"We had pancakes for breakfast!"
"Emma says you are a pirate!"
His head bounced between them with a grin. "I am a pirate lass."
"Did you kidnap Wendy and the Lost Boys?"
"Of course he didn't" Emma broke in. "I told you that's just a story!"
"Well some parts of the story are true!" He said with a wink and released the girls so he could stand.
"Any word from Regina?" He asked quietly.
Charming shook his head. "Not yet."
Killian gave a curt nod and Charming realized that perhaps Hook was not as comfortable with this turn of events as he seemed.
"Where is your hook?" Elsa asked in confusion staring at his gloved, wooden hand.
"Ah. Well I thought I would wear my hand instead." Charming shared a look across the room with Snow. He had told her about the incident with Roland and he knew Killian had chosen to wear his hand out of concern for the safety of the girls. He appreciated the sentiment but he thought it unnecessary, it had been an accident after all and Roland had not been seriously injured.
"That's stupid. You can't be Captain Hook if you don't have a hook!" Emma seemed outraged at the change. Killian chuckled at her frustration. She crossed her arms stubbornly and scrunched her eyes closed. There was a flash of light and Killian's laughter ceased abruptly. He lifted his left hand where his hook now gleamed.
"Emma. It's bad form to tamper with a man's hook." he said sternly but Emma only giggled in response. Killian looked imploringly at Snow and David. "Will you please tell your daughter to return my hand?"
Snow grinned and shook her head. Killian turned to David. "Sorry pirate. I agree with Emma. The hook suits you." David grinned back.
Killian grumbled something unintelligible as he looked down at Emma's beaming face. David thought he could pinpoint the exact second that the fearsome pirate melted under his daughter's smile. He didn't blame the man, Emma had been doing the same to him since they were introduced.
Killian let out a sigh. "Fine. I will keep the bloody thing."
"Language!" Snow scolded, prompting another eye roll from the pirate.
"Killian." Emma motioned for him to come closer. "I want to tell you a secret."
Killian swooped down and picked Emma up, cocking his head towards her. Emma looked pointedly at Charming before leaning in. She cupped her hands around Killian's ear and whispered. "I'm going to marry you." loud enough that Charming heard it. It was his turn to roll his eyes. Killian seemed delighted, his smile growing wide as he winked at David.
"Is that so? Don't you think I am a little old for you Emma?"
Emma shook her head, her bed tangled hair whipping back and forth. "Not now! When I grow up!"
Killian laughed and began walking to the counter. "I just might hold you to that." he smirked at David.
"Like hell you will." he muttered under his breath as he followed the little group.
"Killian would you like some pancakes?" Snow offered as he sat Emma on her stool.
"Thank you milady but I have already eaten."
"Daddy is going to teach me how to sword fight today"
"Really." Killian quirked his eyebrow and looked at David. David shrugged he didn't feel the need to explain to the pirate that he had offered to teach her how to dance but that she had been more interested in sword fighting because "that's what pirate's do."
"And are you going to learn swordplay as well Princess?" Killian asked Elsa as he picked her up and settled her on the stool next to Emma.
Elsa wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "No."
"Hmmm…" Killian rubbed his cheek as if in deep thought. "Perhaps you would like to accompany me? I promised Anna and Kristoff that I would introduce them to one of Storybrooke's wonders- ice cream."
"Ice cream?" Elsa looked pleased but confused.
"Ice cream is the best! I want ice cream!" Emma spoke around her last bite of pancake. David worried that Emma would want to go with Killian and he hated the stab of jealousy he felt at the thought. Instead she turned with a hopeful smile "Daddy after sword fighting can we get ice cream?"
"What is ice cream?" Elsa asked.
"Its frozen and sweet and…like ice cream." Emma shrugged.
"I assure you Princess you will like it. Maybe by the end of the day you will even be able to make ice cream with your magic." Elsa smiled wide and quickly drank the last of her hot chocolate, eager to explore this latest wonder.
Once the girls were done eating, they washed up, and changed back into their clothes from the day before. Neal had begun crying and so they left Snow to take care of him. She waved them off happily, promising to catch up as soon as she could.
They walked together down the street. Emma gleefully holding Killian's hook and David's hand and swinging them back and forth. David held two wooden swords in his free hand and he thought fondly of when he had bought them for Henry. At the park Killian and Elsa said goodbye and continued on towards Granny's to pick-up Anna and Kristoff. David had thought about enlisting Anna for sword fighting lessons, for old times sake, but he knew she would rather spend time with Elsa.
Once alone David dropped to his knee and turned one of the swords hilt first toward Emma. "Your sword milady."
Emma grinned and giggled before pulling the sword from him.
"Now first thing you need to learn is your grip." David started and adjusted Emma's tiny hand on the handle. From there he quickly explained the difference between parry and thrust adding a few practice blows so she could get the hang of it. Soon they were sparing and David could barely contain his pride at how natural Emma was with the sword. He wondered if when she was returned to adulthood she would want to continue her lessons. David, unlike Killian, was not distressed about Emma's current state or the prospect of her being returned to normal. It may take time but he had faith that they would figure it out. And in the meantime he wanted to give Emma as many good "childhood" memories as he could.
David made a sloppy parry and is pleased when Emma noticed and took the opportunity to thrust into his stomach.
"Very good!" he called with a laugh.
The sound of clapping caused them both to turn to see Marco with little Pinocchio.
"That is some very fine swordsmanship." Marco exclaimed in his thick accent. "Would it be possible for my boy to try?"
David took a look at Pinocchio's excited face and nodded. The boy ran over with a wide smile.
"Hi! I'm Emma!" she waved her sword around happily.
"I'm Pinocchio!" he said as David handed over his own sword.
Emma's jaw dropped, her eyes went wide. "The Pinocchio?"
"Um…" it was clear the little boy didn't know what to say.
"Like you used to be a puppet right? Before the Blue Fairy turned you into a real boy?"
Pinocchio nodded and shot an awkward glance at Marco. David wondered if his origins were supposed to be a secret or if the former wooden boy had experienced some prejudice on the playground from his peers.
"Wow! That is so cool!"
David laughed at her enthusiasm and Pinocchio gave a slow pleased grin. After giving the boy the same quick lesson he had given Emma he stepped back and let the kids spar. He made his way to Marco.
"Who is that young girl?" he asked.
And so David explained about Emma and Elsa and somehow saying it all out loud made the situation seem even more surreal. But of course Marco took it all in stride, which wasn't surprising since he was the parent of a former adult puppet reversed aged back to a real boy. And that thought made David realize that perhaps Regina wasn't the only person they should be consulting about Emma and Elsa. The Blue Fairy was still around and she had experience with aging spells but more importantly she had a vast knowledge of light magic, something Regina was severely lacked.
When Snow arrived moments later, pushing the stroller with an excited bounce to her step, David was eager to share his idea. But he didn't get the chance because Snow had ideas of her own.
"Is Robin here yet?"
David shook his head "No. I haven't seen him. Why?"
"Oh I called him and asked him to meet us here."
David didn't have the chance to ask what because Robin appeared, little Roland in tow.
"Well this is quite the little training session." he said as he approached. David noticed that he was wearing a bow and quiver and carrying two child-sized versions. David threw a look at Snow.
"Archery? You want to teach her archery?"
"Why not? Robin has already started teaching Roland and he is much younger than Emma."
David wanted to say that he had only just started teaching her sword fighting but realized that it would be a losing battle. Instead he raised his hands in surrender and called Emma and Pinocchio over.
Emma was excited to switch to the bow and arrow and Snow shot David a triumphant look. She took Robin's offered bow and demonstrated her skill for the kids. Burying her arrow in an apple hanging from a tree 200 meters away (leave it to Regina to have a park with apple trees). David felt a surge of pride at his wife's skill when even the great Robin Hood expressed his admiration.
The kids were eager to begin but soon learned that archery was more difficult than knocking around a wooden sword. Pinocchio gave up after a few unsuccessful attempts and managed to convince Roland to go play in the remaining piles of magic snow. Emma was determined and barely noticed when her playmates left. It took her almost 30 minutes before her arrows were flying at all. By the end of the hour she was able to hit the small target they had placed a few paces away. The first time she did it she had dropped her bow and danced for joy, throwing her arms around Snow and calling out.
"Daddy, Daddy did you see that?"
Eventually Emma tired of the training and asked that they make good on the promise of ice cream. So they had collected the swords and bows and arrows and began to walk towards Granny's. It was only then that David remembered and told Snow about his plan to enlist the Blue Fairy for help.
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Author's Note: So a quick admin note. Some guest reviewers have asked about a villain and I just wanted to say that isn't really in the cards. The story, as you may have noticed, is not huge on plot but is more about some quality feels! Also I know that in the show the Blue Fairy is in a hat but when I started this story she wasn't and she will stay that way for this story.
I hope you enjoyed the switch in POV and some quality Charming Family time. I know I always say this but I really am blown away by everyone's lovely response to this story and I really appreciate all the notes and kind reviews. You are fantastic shipmates!
