Standard disclaimer applies, I own nothing. I'm beginning to update the chapter to fill holes and streamline it. All errors are mine.

Chapter Nine

Killian sat in the window seat of the small parlor chamber from the previous day. Milah chatted with Queen Snow as they all waited for the rest of the family to head the call of the dinner bell. Killian occupied himself with the compass once again, turning it this way and that, studying the needle. It didn't point north.

Robin of Locksley towed a small moppet with dimples into the room who eagerly escaped his grasp to run toward the queen.

"Snow, Snow, Snow," Roland repeated tugging on her sleeve. "Where's Leo?" Snow gave a shake of her head but before she could answer Robin pulled his son away.

"Manners first Roland." Robin introduced him to Milah then Killian before letting the boy run back to the queen. He came over to the window and tapped twice on the glass of the compass. "As far as I can tell it has never worked."

"The needle points to something." Killian turned the compass in his hand. "The question is at what?."

Thief and pirate speculated on the use of the compass as Charming family members continued to trickle in. Of course, when King David came in, looking windblown and casual, Killian shot a glare at Milah which she ignored, not that she truly cared. Killian sighed.

Henry came in carrying the little prince who he handed directly to his grandmother. "Mom's getting, umm, Mom." Henry informed Snow and made his way across the room away from the small children to Robin and Killian. Robin repeatedly elbowed him in the side to get his attention while Henry concentrated on ignoring the intrusion.

"Are you a child?" Henry finally resorted to asking rudely.

"Were you babysitting?"

"Not really, I was reading to Ne-Leo."

"You know Roland loves your stories." Robin looked at Henry with wide unblinking eyes.

Henry glared back. "I was raised by the Evil Queen, try again." Killian couldn't help but laugh at the boy, enjoying the ease with which the boy and man interacted.

"Please tell me you are not corrupting my son, thief," Regina called out from the wide doorway. "You're better off trying to cut him a deal. What do you think Snow? Such a rich pool of talent for Henry to pull from in this family. Thief, dealmaker, ruler, shepherd, bailbonds person."

"Hey kid, what did Robin do to get Regina's panties in a bunch?" A new voice interrupted the queen mother. A woman in white stood beside Regina, her hands on her hips and without thinking, Killian stood, his gripe on the compass tightening. He ran his tongue over his teeth and his eyes over the woman.

"Must you be so vulgar." For a moment Killian feared Regina addressed him while she managed to look down her nose.

"It's a talent," the woman said and smiled at the room. Her eyes traveled around the room and when she caught his stare, she gave him a tight little smile and nodded. Killian felt a wide grin stretching across his face followed by a heel hitting his shin. He turned to catch the boy coughing before looking back over the room to see her introduced to his "wife". Falling back on the seat, he kept staring at the scene before him. There was something wrong about seeing the two women standing in the same room.

"Killian," Milah called for him. "Come meet the princess."

"Uh, just call me Emma." She turned again toward him but her posture was stiff with fists bunching the fabric of her dress. He watched her fight the frown that pulled at the corners of her mouth repeatedly and he felt heart broken. Somehow even with an illogical pain pulling at his chest, Killian walked across the room and gave his best heel clinking bow, reaching for the princess' hand.

"My compass," her highness said with a total lack of grace. She stopped trying not to frown.

He looked down at the compass griped in his hand, his knuckles white. When he looked back up, he saw the princess reaching out toward it and snatched his hand behind his back. "Finders keepers."

"What are you, twelve?" She took a step forward about to reach for it.

"Emma," Snow said aghast at her daughter's behavior.

Emma. Her name echoed in his ears and it felt like he could breathe again.

"But it's our…" Emma turned red and backed away from him.

Gritting his teeth, he held it out to her. Ready to do anything to bring her closer and keep her within reach even if it meant giving up the compass that had captured his attention. "Forgive me love," he said sweeping into a slight bow. "Hard for this pirate to resist such an interesting treasure" – he paused so briefly, wanting desperately to be able to leave the statement there were it could remain such an enticing possibility – "as this particular compass."

Her eyes seemed to get wider in horror at his statement. The princess took another step back, stretching her arm out to take the compass from his hand without touching his skin before swiftly moving to her father's side. Again, a strange anguish rushed over him at her obvious distaste.

"Thank you," she said in a surprisingly prim voice. "Pirate."

There it was, the problem with royals and all good people, they couldn't get past the whole pirate thing. Anger boiled in him and he glared across the room. Milah moved a hand to his arm but it didn't quell the fierce need inside him. Killian wished to make her highness take back the disdain she dripped all over him, make her see that her assumptions were stupid and misapplied.

Taking a deep breath and placing his cracked heart aside, he smirked at her from across the room and when her eyes met his again he spoke. "You're welcome love."

Charming felt Emma's hand digging into his arm as the pirate exercised his dubious manners.

Maybe he was the most annoying father a grown woman could have because he wanted to punch the pirate in the face for that smirk. Because however strange he found Emma's haughty attitude, she trembled as she held onto his arm and there was so little he could do for his daughter. His pregnant daughter was a fully capable woman, who had given birth and gone to jail and who did not seem to need a father anymore. Punching the pirate was unlikely to accomplish anything even if it would make him feel better, until he felt worse again for hitting the wrong man.

In his heart, Charming believed Emma and her assessment of the situation and the missing status of her husband. He knew the man was not to blame but the need to punch him not being here was overpowering. It was definitely stronger than David's urge to punch the pirate.

Emma's fingers dug further into his arm pulling David away from his thoughts of possible future violent acts to look closer and figure out what was disturbing her. Studying the scene before him made him smile while it drained the good mood out of his daughter. Regina took the pirate's seat by the window with Roland on her lap and Henry at her side. His grandson's posture wasn't quite as tense as his mother's but it was close. Robin was speaking with Killian again who stood at the side of his wife.

David felt that little hiccup of wrongness in his chest again. It seemed to happen occasionally around the pirate and his wife. It would zing its way through him most often when he called his son's name. Why did he agree to name him Leopold? The kids were all going to make fun of him. Charming turned to look at his wife and son. Cuddled together in the chair Leo looked peaceful and Snow, well, Snow was doing much the same thing he was, checking out the room and frowning while scrutinizing their daughter.

"Charming," Snow caught his attention and he moved closer, keeping Emma on his arm and dragging her with him. "I think we're just waiting on Neal. Milah, he did say he would be joining us tonight?"

"Ah, yes," Milah answered and pulled away from Killian. "I may have made a mistake but I asked if he would stay here tonight. From what he told me, he's been living on his father's land."

"Neal's welcome to stay here anytime." Snow responded and reached out to grasp the wrist of Emma's hand which held the compass. She shook it a bit and Emma pulled her arm free to put it in her pocket, which didn't exist.

"What is with this place? No pockets? Do I have to wear a fanny pack to carry my stuff." Emma huffed out.

"Welcome to the Enchanted Forest, Ems." Neal came into the room and Emma hugged him. "How you feeling?"

The exchange between the two made David feel guilty about the promise he had made earlier. Oh, one day the opportunity would present itself and he'd punch Neal for leaving his baby the first time.

Charming turned to announce that they would proceed to dinner and his gaze caught again on the married pirate who couldn't stop staring at Emma. Before his ridiculous urge to smite the intruder over took his reason, the anguish on the man's face registered. He took a breath and offered his arm to his wife.

"Shall we all go to dinner," David addressed the entire room.

For three months they had been living in a happily ever after cloud and now trouble was ahead. Nothing could be done tonight and thankfully they weren't at the edge of a curse or in immediate and desperate mortal peril. Charming looked down at Snow and Leo as they led the way, this was their family and together they would work it out.

"I love you," he said leaning down to kiss her quickly.

She smiled and shifted the baby a bit and returned the gesture. "I love you too."

And love would win, every time.