Grilled cheese talks
Meighan asked for a oneshot of Charming and Emma having some father/daughter bonding time.
Happy Once day!
Lydia: That's been too closely covered.
Gabrielle: Sorry, but I've said previously that I won't write anything with multi-births
Alexa: I'm not sure I could cover all that in one chapter.
Pheobe: ?
LuLu and guest: There isn't a sequel to that I could write that hasn't been covered in other chapters. Sorry!
Hudson: Sorry, but that seems to focus more on Regina than the Charming family.
"I still think there must be some motive for you asking me round here specifically when mom's out with Neal at her mommy and me class." Emma said suspiciously. Her dad had called her a few days ago, asking if Emma would want to come round for lunch. Just the pair of them.
"No motive." Charming assured her (for the umpteenth time). "If your mom and Neal can have some special time together, why can't we? I just wanted to catch up with you," Charming slid the plate of grilled cheese sandwiches across to her "and make sure you were eating right." Emma smiled as she picked up one of the sandwiches, taking a bite.
"I gotta say, dad." Emma said, her mouth full of the gooey goodness. "You make a good grilled cheese." Charming laughed, biting into his own sandwich.
"Is there a ranking?" He asked. Emma sat back and thought for a moment.
"One has to be the deli down the road from my apartment in Boston. Two would be this little café in Bridgeport in Connecticut. I'm gonna slot you in third now. Don't tell mom she's fourth. The Granny is fifth…don't tell her that either." Emma said with a laugh that Charming reiterated.
"I must say, I'm honoured to be in the top three. I'll need to up my game to make it into that top spot, huh?"
"Just a little bit. You're close. I think that deli had some secret powder stuff they put in theirs. Maybe there's more magic in this world than we know about." Charming thought that over.
"I'm not sure I want there to be more magic in this world. For one, we would feel obligated to go and hunt down the villains it would inevitably bring. Two, I like that it's only really Storybrooke that has magic. I like that it makes us…for want of a better word, special." Charming smiled proudly at his daughter. "I like that your magic is part of what makes you so special. I wouldn't want there being someone out there who thinks they can rival that." Emma blushed as she always did when anyone complimented her. "I know you don't like to hear it, but you're very special, Emma. Especially to me. You're my girl, and I wouldn't change a thing about you. Well, perhaps your ranking of grilled cheese. But that's all." Emma laughed.
"That's something I can work on, I guess…you're pretty great yourself, you know. I grew up with a lot of guys in my life. Lots of foster dads. Some tried harder than others, but none really measured up. There was always something missing. Then the curse broke, and I found you. I've been awful to deal with at times, I know that. But no matter what I've thrown at you, you've just taken it. You've forced me to confront things I would normally run from, and I can't thank you enough for that…for not giving up on me." Charming smiled. He reached over and squeezed Emma's hand.
"Emma, I'm not ever giving up on you. You can call me every name under the sun and I won't leave. If you try and run again, I'll just come find you. We always find each other in this family." Emma nodded, smiling.
"Yeah, I guess we do."
