Winning Dave Over

CS Genre: Deleted scene (post 4x2)

Emma shivered, and Killian pulled her yet closer, dropping a quick kiss to the top of her head.

"Are you still chilled, love?" he asked gently, running his hand along her arm.

She shrugged. "A little, I guess, but this helps. You help."

"I'm glad to hear it," he murmured gently, shifting slightly, trying to find a comfortable position kneeling on the hard loft floor.

She quirked her brow. "What? No innuendo about all the ways you'd like to warm me up? Captain you're losing your touch."

He grinned. "Perhaps I've yet to recover from your ordeal as well. You've no idea the agony of knowing the one you lo…care for is on the verge of death and you've no way to help them."

"I'm sorry," she said rather helplessly. "I didn't mean to worry you guys…."

He waved her off. "Not to worry Swan, the danger has passed. To your earlier observation, however," he said, exaggeratedly wiggling his eyebrows. "If that was your roundabout way of asking me to warm you up in a more pleasurable manner, I am, of course, at your service."

She laughed. "Pleasant as that sounds, think I'm gonna have to take a rain check. With my parents downstairs and my son in the bed across the room, we're a little lacking in the privacy department around here. I need to get my own place."

He chuckled. "Don't forget, darling that I have a perfectly serviceable room at Granny's inn."

"Yeah…" Emma said dryly. "You really want to deal with Ruby's smirking and innuendo? Pretty sure with her wolf hearing there wouldn't be much of anything left to her overly fertile imagination."

"Perhaps so," Killian agreed. "At any rate, you've had quite the shock to your system tonight, Swan. Probably best you get some sleep rather than anything more…strenuous anyway."

She yawned largely. "Yeah, you're probably right."

She slowly, awkwardly got to her feet, and it was only then she noticed Killian's position. "Don't tell me you've been kneeling on that cold hard floor this whole time!"

Killian grimaced, really noticing the protestations of his aching knees for the first time. He got gingerly to his feet and took a few steps to work out the kinks. "I truly didn't notice, Swan," he said. "I was so focused on getting you warmed up, I didn't even feel it."

She reached up and caressed his cheek. "Thank you. Really. Thank you for everything."

He turned his head, placing a quick kiss to her palm. "You're most welcome, love. I wouldn't have had it any other way. Perhaps, though, we'll skip the ice and freezing weather for our fourth date, aye?"

She laughed. "Yeah, I could definitely get behind that idea.

She sobered. "Would you mind…"

"What Swan?"

"I was just wondering…" she said, glancing aside, "you've made me feel so much better…so much warmer tonight. Would you mind staying with me for a little while as I fall asleep? I mean, I know it's a lot to ask and you're probably tired; it's been a long night for you, and if you don't want to, you don't…"

He stopped her with a finger to her lips. "I'd like nothing better, Emma."

Swan bid her parents and the ice maiden goodnight, and then led Killian up the loft stairs. He remained with her, sitting on her bed, holding her hand, until her eyes closed and her breathing evened out to the regular patterns of sleep.

~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~

Killian felt the prince's eyes on him from his perch behind the steering wheel of this vessel he called "the truck". He sighed, convinced a stern lecture was forthcoming.

"Alright, out with it, Dave," Killian drawled, rolling his eyes. "I saw disapproving look in your eye as I emerged from your daughter's bedchamber a few minutes ago. Which response would you prefer? That nothing untoward happened, or that your daughter is a grown woman who's fully capable of making her own decisions without the need for her father to protect her virtue?"

After Emma had fallen asleep, Killian had reemerged in the main living area to encounter expressions ranging from suspicious (Charming) to embarrassed (the lady Snow) to amused (the Elsa woman). He'd rolled his eyes dramatically. Swan slept in a room devoid of actual walls separating it from the downstairs. What precisely did they think had happened up there?

After a moment Charming shook his head slightly and then shot Killian a far friendlier look. "Come on Hook," he said, reaching for his jacket. "You must be tired after the night we've had. I'll give you a lift back to Granny's."

"Much obliged, Mate," he'd replied, knowing instinctively that the prince wished for conversation more than a mere means of transport. If Killian didn't miss his guess, Swan's father wished to renew the conversation he'd started back at the ice wall.

Now here they were, speeding ever nearer Granny's inn and dining establishment, and Dave had yet to break the silence.

"I, um.." David said uncomfortably, "I assumed nothing had happened. With the layout of the loft, it'd be pretty hard to miss. I had no plans to lecture you. At least not tonight. You ever do subject me to your 'more enjoyable activities' as you put it, with my daughter, though, we're going to have some serious words."

Killian rolled his eyes and huffed out a chuckle. "You've no need to fear, Mate. Ravishing a woman in front of her father hardly appeals."

"Just remember there are details I most certainly don't want to hear about."

Killian grinned. "I'll keep that in mind. Quite a shame though. Should your daughter and I ever have a proper date, I had plans to recount ever intimate, salacious detail to you."

Charming glared, and then pulled into a parking space in front of Granny's. Killian reached for the handle of the door and stepped out to the street, noting the cold wind ruffling his hair. He glanced up in surprise as he heard the driver's side door slam and Charming coming to stand beside him on the sidewalk.

"My thanks for the ride," Killian said, "but walking me to my door is hardly necessary."

David rolled his eyes. "Thought I'd stop for a drink before I head home. I was hoping you'd join me for a pint. On me. After the night we had, I figure we could both use it."

Killian shot him a surprised look. "Aye, that we have. And who am I to refuse a free drink?"

They took seats at the bar and ordered their libations of choice, Charming adding a burger and fries to his order. They sat in companionable silence until their orders arrived, and then Charming finally spoke.

"Look, Hook," he said slowly, "about what I asked earlier tonight…"

"Come now, mate," Killian said irritably. "I'm far too exhausted tonight for another lecture about my intentions toward your daughter."

"No!" Charming said quickly, "that wasn't what I was getting ready to…I was trying to apologize, okay? I think I've known ever since you brought Emma and Henry back from New York—maybe even before, if I'm being honest—that you have no…nefarious…intentions toward my daughter. But even if I hadn't, tonight pretty much put all my suspicions to rest. The way you fought for her, willing to break down that whole damn wall with nothing but your hook if need be, the panic when we didn't know if we'd get to her in time…well, it showed me you do truly care about my daughter."

Killian took a sip of his beer and then nodded decisively. "Aye, that I do. You can be sure no harm or pain will come to her at my hand. Not of my free will and volition at any rate."

"It had better not, or you'll have to answer to me," Charming said, but Killian noted the threat distinctly lacked heat.

"I assure you, Charming," Killian said, "were I ever to hurt her, you have my full blessing to rain down whatever protective fatherly terror upon my person you could wish. In fact, I'd offer my entire collection of weapons for your use in the endeavor."

David gave him a long look before speaking again. "You love her, don't you?"

"Aye," Killian said with a quick nod. "With every fiber of my being. I'd do anything for her."

They fell into silence for several moments as David dug into his meal with gusto. Finally Swan's father spoke again. "You know, Hook," he said, "that reminds me, I was reading Henry's story book to Neal again the other night."

"Aye?" Killian asked, reaching for his mug again. "I'd guess the little royal enjoyed it."

"Yeah," Dave said, "but that wasn't my point. My point was, as I read it hit home to me. So…Charles and Leia, huh?"

Killian reached up and scratched at the spot behind his ears. "Aye. Swan's lad laughed at our pseudonyms, insisting I need to watch something called 'Star Wars', whatever that is. He seemed to believe after doing so I would see the significance of your daughter's assumed name."

David laughed. "Yeah, I bet you would. We'll have to put the Star War's saga on the docket for family movie night one of these days."

He took another bite of his burger, swallowed, and then turned toward Killian. "You know, I never forgot that conversation with 'Prince Charles'. Always been rather grateful to the guy; wondered what happened to him. In a way you were the one who motivated me to fight for my happy ending in the first place."

"Well," Killian said, feeling the tips of his ears redden, "it wasn't all altruistic; it was rather self-serving on my part. Had we failed in our attempt to reunite you with the Lady Snow, the woman I love would have faded from existence."

"There is that," David said, "but that wasn't all, was it? You may have been playing a part, but you were sincere in what you were saying, weren't you?"

"Of course," Killian said. "There's nothing in this world or any other I wouldn't do for your daughter."

David nodded. "I could tell that then, and you proved it again today. True love really doesn't count the cost, does it?"

"No cost is too great," Killian agreed. "Our ladies most assuredly are worth it."

"That they are."

"So Dave," Killian asked, mischievous grin draping his mouth. "Did you perchance happen to remember anything else of that conversation by the fire that night?"

"Such as?" David asked, quirking his brow.

"Such as," Killian went on, "a certain Prince Charming insisting 'Princess Leia's' parents would be daft to disapprove of me given the lengths I was clearly willing to go to save her?"

David laughed. "Pretty sure I didn't use the world 'daft'."

"Likely not," Killian said, nodding gravely. "But then we both know I have the more impressive vocabulary of the two of us."

"Watch it pirate!" David said, grinning, "I'd hold off on insulting me, if I were you. I can still revoke my approval of your relationship with my daughter, you know."

Killian laughed. "And just how well do you think the conversation would go when you tell Emma you're revoking your permission for her to date the man of her choice?"

"Not well, I'm sure," David said. "But who said anything about revoking permission—which we both know it's not my place to grant at this stage of the game anyway? I can still make your life miserable even without forbidding anything."

"I'm quaking in my boots, Dave."

They both laughed, before taking swigs from their respective mugs. The smile slid from David's face as he looked at Killian once more.

"You know, Hook," he said contemplatively, "my past self was right. I would be stupid to stand in your way. It might have taken me a while to realize it, but you're a good man underneath all the pirate swagger. It's clear how much you love Emma and what lengths you would go to protect her. For what it's worth, if anything, you have my approval."

Killian felt the emotion clog the back of his throat, and he swallowed hard before speaking. "Mate, you've no idea what that means to me. Aye, Emma and I don't strictly need your approval, but having it means more than you'll ever know."

David looked away, clearly uncomfortable. "Yeah, well, just as long as you remember I retain the right to beat you within an inch of your life if you ever hurt her."

"And as we've already established," Killian said, pausing to take the last sip of his beer and get to his feet, "I'd stand still and offer no protest. Thanks for the drink, mate."

"Welcome," David said, getting to his feet and heading for the door. "And, Killian?" he asked, turning back toward the pirate once more.

"Aye?"

"Just for the record," David said, "I've seen the way my daughter looks at you. The answer to your question way back then? You know, wondering whether or not she'd go to as desperate lengths for you as you do for her? Trust me on this. The answer's yes."

Killian smiled as warmth blanketed him at the assertion. "Well here's hoping I've never the occasion to find out."

Note:

-And now, here we are a season and a half later, and Killian's about to find out his mate was absolutely correct. Emma's so invested she'd got to hell and back to save him. (Which is all romantic and everything, but if it's all the same to Killian, I'd rather prefer he stop dying!)

-Happy Friday! Only 2 Fridays left before our show returns! My unofficial plan was to continue Fluffy Fridays until we get some real, substantial CS fluff on the show. Given the fact we're heading to the Underworld…I have a feeling this set of one-shots will be continuing indefinitely!

-While there was a very definite undercurrent of Captain Swan running through this story, I also thought it would be fun to venture into Captain Charming territory. One of my absolute favorite brotps on the show!

-Up next: I've no definite plans at the moment. I've got prompts to work with in pretty much every CS genre I've used, so I can go all kinds of directions. What CS genre would you like to see next?