I do not own Once Upon a Time.

I love Daddy Charming moments, and I wanted Bernadette to have one too.

Bernadette and Baelfire received an invite to a ball hosted by Snow White and David. It was sent via the usual way, bird. It was just a small gathering, which meant huge, to put the kingdom at ease after the return. They had been back in the Enchanted Forest for a good few months.

They were looking forward to it; it was a break in their almost boring life. It wasn't boring per say, but it wasn't exciting.

Bernadette sent Baelfire there ahead of her; she had a surprise in store for him and wanted to wait for the backdrop of the castle for it.

Maybe it was to bring a spark back to their relationship. Baelfire hadn't said a word about his father recently. Bernadette could take that as a good thing or not. She knew she had been distant after her own family's murders.

She wanted to make it a night to remember.

Bernadette stood in the entrance of the castle, her cloak still over her shoulders. She had never been to a nice ball before, or at least not with a good reason. There were royals all over the place, some she knew and others she didn't. And the ball gowns, the beautiful ball gowns. Well she was never a fan of those, Bernadette had far simpler tastes, but she could pull anything off just as well.

She caught Baefire's eyes from across the room; he seemed involved in a conversation with Robin. Well that was going to change very fast.

She dropped the cloak and his jaw dropped, just the reaction she wanted. Bernadette chose the darkest shade of green she could find for her fitted sleeveless dress that puddled at her feet. But the point of interest was the small sparkles at her shoulder and the fact that the back was mostly sheer.

Baelfire came to her side and tried act casual. "You look stunning, Bernadette." He took her hand into his and kissed it gently.

Bernadette smiled and felt herself blush, the things this man did to her. "You clean up nice." She let her eyes roam over his body. He looked like a prince, like a hero.

"Thank you. May I have this dance?" He extended his hand to her.

She took it and let him lead her to the middle of the dance floor. They saw Snow White and David dancing a few feet away. They looked as happy as they could be, knowing they were never going to see their daughter or grandson again. They were so good at putting on a happy face.

Bernadette and Baelfire could do the same thing.

"You are amazing, so graceful. Where did you learn to dance?" Baelfire asked in her ear. He held one hand while the other was around her waist.

Bernadette thought to herself, trying to remember, but how could she forget. Memories flooded her mind.

Baelfire almost regretted asking, thinking it was…

"Benjamin. We used to dance at our village's festivals. It was sweet. Then dancing with Killian led to darker places." Baelfire pulled her close; he had not wanted to hear that. He wanted to make new memories for her.

She rested her head on his chest. "Why me?" She asked quietly.

"Why you what?" He was confused.

Bernadette pulled back to look at him. "You have been alive for centuries and met so many women yet you choose to settle down with me. Why?"

"You are so different and special. And you have all the qualities I can't resist in a woman." Baelfire told her, a smile playing on his lips.

She raised an eyebrow at him, wanting to know more. "Like what qualities? What does Baelfire find attractive in a woman?"

He spun her around once before starting. "Confidence. Confidence is a terribly sexy quality in a woman." He pulled her close, almost to kiss her. "Passion. Spontaneity." He pulled back and bent her over backwards slightly, she clung tightly in his arms. "Willing to take chances. Explore new places." He brought her back up and held her at arm's length. "Style, should know how to wear a dress." He just looked her over, taking his time now. Finally, he did pull her close to place a kiss under her ear. "And naughty streak wouldn't hurt."

Bernadette smiled coyly up at him, everything was right in the world.

Robin and Roland joined Bernadette and Baelfire at family dinner later that month. A packed house didn't even begin to describe it. Charles, Eleanor, Julia, Robert and John plus the four other people. Roland was his adorable self when he got over being shy. Charles and Eleanor enjoyed having a child in the house. Julia had been getting hints about having grandchildren daily. Bernadette just smiled; she hadn't gotten those hints, not yet at least. After she and Baelfire were married, that would be a different story.

"Bernadette, after twenty-eight years in that town called Storybrooke, your skills must be rusty." Robin asked her.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Really, you think I'm rusty? Do you want to take this outside?"

Robin stood up and even held the door open for her. And the family followed, this was going to be a good show.

Baelfire held Roland. "So who do you think is going to win, your papa or Aunt Bernadette?"

"Aunt Bernadette is going to take Papa down!" The child yelled.

That got a laugh from Baelfire. "I don't doubt it."

The fight began, it was just hand to hand combat, they knew they were equally matched when it came to the bow.

A few blows in and a swift kick to the back of the knees, Robin was on his back with Bernadette on top.

"So who's rusty, Robin?" She beamed down at him.

Robin only waited a moment before flipping her onto her back. "And you still haven't broken this habit, or getting too cocky too soon." He stood up and held out a hand for her to get up.

Bernadette laughed, it was a habit she liked and she wasn't going to stop. She reached up to take his hand but noticed something sparkly on the ground. It was a simple gold ring. "Robin, you dropped this. Marian's?" She guessed. It would seem natural for him to carry it around with him as a memory.

"No, it wasn't Marian's." He answered and he sounded sadder than she had ever heard him.

"Your mother's?" Bernadette tried again. Whose ring could Robin possibly be carrying around?

"Can I speak to you alone?" She nodded, Robin put an arm around her and led her off.

"Robin, what's going on?" Bernadette didn't like the way he was acting.

"You might want to sit down for this." He told her, and fished a piece of paper out of his bag.

Worried and a little scared, Bernadette sat down. What was going to happen? Robin handed her the paper.

She unfolded it and a very familiar handwriting stared up at her.

"Derek received this the day before you… he…" Robin didn't know how to finish that statement or if he should even finish it.

It was from Benjamin.

'Derek, I am writing this letter to ask for Bernadette's hand in marriage. I love her with all my heart and want nothing but the best for her. I believe I can help her become the best person she can be, and that I can be a better man with her by my side. Bernadette is a talented woman who needs direction in her life and I hope that I can be that person. She is loving and caring and beautiful. I hope that I can be that man.'

Bernadette almost couldn't believe what she read. Benjamin had wanted to marry her, scars and all. Or at least she had thought he wanted her. It sounded like he wanted to change her. Some of the words he had used didn't sit well with her and the words she had wanted to hear.

Robin left her sitting on the log for a while. Part of her wanted to cry while the other part was curious. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small vial. Bernadette stared at it.

There were so many possibilities, just one sip and she could find out what her life would have been like if she hadn't killed Benjamin.

But she had self-control and knew the consequences of the tonic. She had taken it a handful of times already.

Charles came and found her as the sun was setting.

"Bernadette, what happened?" He asked, she couldn't answer, she just handed him the paper. She still had the ring in her hands.

He read it in silence. When he was done, he turned to her. "Would you have said yes if he had asked?

Bernadette sighed. There was no doubt she had wanted him. "At the time yes. I loved him…"

Charles cut her off when he heard the hesitation in her voice. "But…"

She pointed to the note. "He wrote of me like l was fragile and needed to be protected. 'Be a better person, needs direction…' I'm not and was never like that…"

"Or never admitted to it. Your later choices in men knew when to back off and give you space to get the job done. Benjamin was from a completely different world."

"They are all from the Enchanted Forest."

"Different mindset then. Killian was a naval officer and Baelfire came from a broken home and didn't want to make the same mistakes his parents. I don't think you would have been happy with Benjamin, as much as I liked him. You would have been confined, lots of children on a farm, stuck…"

"As opposed to fighting evil on an almost daily basis?" Bernadette laughed. That had been her life since murdering Benjamin, there was never a dull moment.

"With a man who understands and loves you." Charles leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Bernadette and Baelfire made it home that night in a somber mood. Bernadette still had emotions swirling around, both good and bad. All she wanted to do was grab Baelfire, drag him to bed and keep him there.

Their night ended in breathless "I love yous", passionate kisses and tight hugs.

Bernadette rolled over half asleep to find Baelfire sitting up in the bed.

"What are you doing? Are you alright?" She asked.

"I just can't sleep."

"Lie back down, I'll tire you out." She smiled, her hand went up and down his arm.

Baelfire gave her a sad smile she barely saw in the dark. "Bernadette, I love you so much and I would do anything for you."

"I know." She replied back.

Baelfire leaned in close and gently kissed her. Bernadette then fell into a dreamless sleep.

Yes, I know I quoted Will Scarlet, I love that man. More so on Wonderland, more on that later.

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