More people at risk
A guest asked for a oneshot of *6b spoilers!* Charming finding out that Emma used the pixie dust to save Hook rather than them (and Snow didn't tell her to). Emma tries to defend herself, until Charming asks her what would have happened if Regina hadn't found a cure. Because then Neal would have grown up without them. He says there could have been another way to save Hook. Emma starts to feel guilty.
Charming didn't know how to feel as he woke up to all their loved ones surrounding him. He was beyond relieved when they woke up, horrified when he found out how they went to sleep in the first place, and then even more so when he found out it could have all been avoided.
Emma had used the pixie dust to save Hook. Charming couldn't believe it. He wasn't against the pirate, he just…he couldn't believe Emma would choose to find him sooner over potentially risking her parents' lives. How was she to know Regina would find an alternate method to save them both? Charming knew it wouldn't be healthy to hold this resentment. He had to talk to Emma and straighten this out.
"Emma, I think we need to have a chat." Charming said when he finally got a moment alone with her. Emma nodded cautiously. He didn't look too pleased. She sat down opposite him. Charming took a few steadying breaths. He didn't want this to turn into a confrontation.
"Emma, that pixie dust. That was meant to wake us up." Charming said. "Instead you used it to find Hook." Emma felt herself becoming defensive.
"I don't think you or mom would have the right to lecture me on effective uses of pixie dust." She said coolly. Charming chose to ignore that.
"Look, Hook was not at risk of falling into an eternal slumber. There could have been numerous ways to reunite the pair of you. Do you think your mother and I would have left you both separated?" Emma stayed silent. "You had no idea that Regina had a backup plan. Using that pixie dust for Killian was more than risky. You could have left us stranded. You could have left yourself without either parent for the final battle, or the rest of your life. You could have left your baby brother an orphan. There were more people at risk here Emma." Charming told her off as gently as possible. Emma was still feeling defensive.
"Can you honestly say you would have done things differently if you were in my position?" Emma asked him. Charming looked at her.
"When the Evil Queen took you to her wish realm, I refused to wake your mother up until I knew you were safe. I didn't know what risks that had for either of us. But I couldn't and wouldn't sleep until I knew you were home." Charming told her. That touched Emma. She hadn't known that.
"It was a tense situation." Emma said. "I might have made the wrong call in the heat of the moment." She admitted. Charming nodded. In the end, everyone was back home, safe and awake, he wasn't going to pull this out for too long. He nodded, accepting Emma's (vague as it may have been) apology. As long as she understood the possible repercussions she may have caused, he would leave it there.
