"Do you see them yet?" Emma asked, standing on her tiptoes.

"Like we're going to be able to see them through all this," Henry said, gesturing at the thick crowd with his Cinnabon. "They're, like, four feet tall."

"Henry," Snow scolded absently, scrolling through her phone.

"What?"

"You know what? I'm just gonna—" Emma climbed up to stand on the chair behind her and Neal, which did very little for her vantage point. "Okay, I still can't see them."

Neal leaned his head back to look up at her. "You didn't think that was actually going to accomplish something?"

Emma put her hand over his mouth, still squinting through the crowd. "Don't sass me."

David looked at them for a minute and sighed inwardly, feeling very much invisible and lonely. He had been sitting there for the better part of an hour in almost complete silence.

He didn't trust himself to talk to Snow, because she knew him too well for him to keep a secret from her: Regina had made him swear not to say anything about her visit to Dr. Whale, especially since if Snow found out, the entire town would, too ten minutes later. The woman couldn't keep a secret if her life depended on it.

Emma must have known about Regina, since she'd gone with her, so she would have been safe to talk to…if she and Neal weren't too busy being a couple. It didn't thrill David, but at least they weren't being obnoxious about it—which was more than he could say for some people (cough, cough, Hook and Ruby).

Yes, some people had tagged along at the last second because Hook wanted to see Belle when she got off the plane; while they waited, they insisted on being the World's Most Obnoxious Couple. A million thousand times worse than Emma and Neal, the whole airport agreed. David didn't mind in the slightest that he couldn't talk to them: actually, right now, he was doing his best to ignore them. He almost broke into applause when Ruby excused herself to find a coffee stand.

Henry had spent the entire time looking for a Cinnabon, finding a Cinnabon, tweeting about his Cinnabon, and staring vacantly into the distance while he ate his Cinnabon. He had a strange, distracted way about him today, as if his mind was elsewhere. Which was weird, because he'd been fine that morning. Perhaps something had happened when he went with Regina to the well…

"There they are!" Emma said suddenly, flinging her arm to point them out. "Look!"

David rose in his seat as a jet-lagged-looking Belle and Rumple walked up, dragging suitcases behind them.

"Belle!" Hook exclaimed, running past David to wrap her into a hug. Rumple was too distracted with hugging Neal and Henry and offering Emma a polite smile to pay attention.

David looked on with a smile, his hands in his pocket as he slowly drifted over to join the group. Rumple had moved on from hugging to hair-ruffling, while Belle and Hook broke apart, allowing David to enter their little circle.

"Here, I got you something!" Belle said excitedly to Hook, rummaging in her bag.

"Did you get me a present?" Hook said with a greedy smile. He elbowed David. "Did you get a present, mate?"

David smiled back blandly. "Just the gift of you. In my house. At six o'clock this morning."

"Ruby's gran is trying to run me out of the inn, and she won't serve me coffee," Hook explained in response to Belle's raised eyebrows. "And David is usually—" he gave David a disparaging look—"a good sport about making coffee, but today—"

"Breaking and entering is a crime," David said over him. "It doesn't matter if all you want is coffee, you can't do that."

Hook rolled his eyes, as if the idea of breaking and entering being considered offensive was utterly absurd. "What'd you get me?" he said to Belle, leaning forward to peer into her bag. "It's not a T-shirt, is it?"

Belle grinned. "Not a T-shirt…"

Hook eyed her warily. "You're making me nervous."

Belle only smiled wider as she fished an I Love New York! beanie hat. "Ta da!"

Hook frowned at it, drawing back. "What the hell is that?"

"It's a hat," David laughed, taking it from Belle to tug it on Hook's head. "Aww…"

"Oh. My. God." Neal came toward them, a disbelieving smile on his face as he took in Hook and his new hat. Hook glowered at him, putting up a threatening finger.

"Neal, I don't want to hear a word—"

"Emma! Emma, Emma, Emma, look!"

"Look at—? Oh, my God!" Emma burst into laughter, bending over and holding her stomach. Neal laughed harder, hanging helplessly off David's shoulder as Hook rounded on Belle, accusing her of actively trying to humiliate him.

"I thought it was cute!" Belle said, struggling to keep a straight face herself. "Rumple found it."

"Of course he did," Hook growled, giving him a dark look as Rumple cheerfully waved at him. Henry took another bite of his Cinnabon, holding up his phone to take a picture.

"That's going on Twitter," he said, his thumb working the keyboard as he posted it. Hook immediately stepped forward, prepared to snatch the phone out of his hand, but Belle grabbed his arm.

"Hook, come on—I have your real present right here," she said, giving her bag a little shake. "Come on, come back."

Hook glared at Henry, but he allowed Belle to pull him back. He didn't take his eyes off Henry as he stuck out his hand for his gift. Henry stared back blandly, taking another bite of his Cinnabon while Belle fished around in her bag and brought out a snow globe with a tiny Manhattan inside it.

"Look," she said, turning it upside down and shaking it to make it snow. "I wanted you to see Christmas in New York, and since you couldn't come…"

Hook's eyes softened as he looked at the snow globe, the little smile on his face growing. "Aww, Belle…"

Belle shrugged, smiling widely nonetheless. "I saw it, and I thought of…" She trailed off, her eyes catching on something behind David: Ruby, carrying two trays of coffee cups. "You," Belle finished, pursing her lips as Ruby joined the group, holding out the trays.

"Welcome back," she said, smiling somewhat shyly at Rumple. "You want a coffee?"

"Thank you, dearie," Rumple smiled, taking one of the cups. Ruby nodded, and got on with passing coffee around.

"Thanks, Ruby," David said when she came up to him, lifting one off the tray. She smiled, waving her hand dismissively, and held the last two coffees out to Hook and Belle.

"Thanks," Belle said grudgingly.

"What are you doing, fetching coffee for people?" Hook said, taking it anyway. "You don't have to be a waitress every hour of the day."

"I don't mind," she shrugged cheerfully. "I feel Christmas-y today." Her eyes traveled upward, resting on the New York beanie. "I like your hat," she grinned, tugging at it.

"What? Oh." Hook grimaced, pulling it off his head. "Belle got it for me as a joke, I don't really—"

"Nonsense!" Ruby said brightly, cramming it back on his head. "Come on, it's cute!"

"That's what Belle said," Hook said irritably.

"She was right," David grinned. "You're absolutely precious."

"Shut up, David."

"I'm serious. You're, like, baby-farm-animal-adorable right now. You and your little hat…"

"Shut up, David."

"Almost as cute as tiny casseroles," Emma grinned, elbowing Neal.

"Which are made cute based on their tininess," he smiled.

"There you go."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Belle frowned. "Tiny casseroles?"

Neal rolled his eyes. "Emma makes me order all these pizza toppings, and picks them off…"

David stopped listening: he didn't want to hear anything about Emma's dates with Neal, not a single thing. Snow could squeal and be delighted all she wanted, but David was not going to let himself think about the fact that his baby girl was actually a grown woman, in a relationship, and those were all the details he could handle right now, thank you.

"So," he said, turning to Rumple (who was looking pointedly at Emma and Neal). "You want me to help you get those bags out to the car?"

"Hmm?" Rumple looked up. "Oh, bags! Right. Uh, actually, we can't leave just yet…We're waiting on someone."

"Who?" Snow frowned, finally look up from her phone. David glanced over her shoulder, skimming her texts to Mulan…and Aurora…and Phillip, goddamn it, Snow, why?

"Just some people we met in New York," Rumple said evasively. "Some old friends of mine."

"You had friends?" Neal said, raising an eyebrow. Rumple turned to him with a tight smile.

"I'm sorry…didn't I tell you about that? I feel ashamed, I shouldn't have concealed—ahem—such an important part of my life from you."

Neal blinked, slowly turning his head to exchange a confused glance with David. What was that? he mouthed. David shrugged. Who knew with Rumple? He was such a weird guy.

"Shall we find a table?" Rumple picked up the handle of his bag without waiting for an answer, wheeling it to the little cafeteria area. Belle swiveled her head around, startled.

"Rumple?"

"Finding a table while we wait!" he called back, not turning around. Belle turned back to the rest of the group, and shrugged, picking up her own bag and following him.

Everyone crowded around one of the cheap, circular tables with their coffees, making themselves as comfortable as they could in the plastic chairs. Naturally, David got stuck sitting across from Neal and Emma, with Ruby and Hook on his left, and a bored Henry on his right. Because that was David's life. And it was really starting to take a toll on his Christmas spirit today.

Snow had excused herself to stand in the corner, jabbering away on her phone. He didn't know if she was talking to Mulan, Phillip, or Aurora, but he would have bet his last dollar she was doing something meddling.

"Dad, seriously, what's your problem?" Neal said, leaning across the table. Rumple shrugged, tracing his finger along the brim of his cup.

"There's no problem."

"You're acting weird."

"And you keep glaring at me when you think I'm not looking," Emma added. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, dear," Rumple said, smiling through clenched teeth.

"You don't seem fine, mate," Hook said.

"I don't recall asking you, mate."

"Don't call him 'mate' back," Ruby said suddenly to Hook. "I don't want a repeat of Robin from the other day." She leaned in toward David and explained in a loud whisper, "They got into this weird thing where they kept calling each other 'mate'."

"Yeah, that happens, sometimes," David frowned. Hook and Robin didn't argue often, but when they did, they had a peculiar habit of emphasizing the word "mate". Constantly. Like they had to remind the other that they really weren't mates at the moment.

"Did I do something?" Neal pressed.

"No, Neal. You didn't do anything." Rumple smiled humorlessly. "Nothing at all."

Neal tightened his jaw, looking rather irritated now. "Really?" he said jerkily. "'Cause you're kinda acting like I did."

"Well, you didn't," Rumple shot back.

"You sure about that?"

"Yes. I'm sure about that."

"You know something? You always do this—"

"Jesus Christ," Belle said loudly. "He's just pouting because you didn't tell him about you and Emma dating."

Rumple folded his arms and looked away as Neal's jaw dropped.

"That's what you're mad about? Are you serious?"

"Why wouldn't you tell me?" Rumple whined. "I'm your father, I should know about these things! If my baby boy is—"

"Dad!" Neal wailed in exasperation, bringing his hands to his face. Emma and Hook exchanged a look of pure delight at the phrase "baby boy".

"Did you hear that, Emma?"

"About Neal being his baby boy?"

"That's the one!"

"Isn't it sweet?"

"I'm melting!"

"Oh, shut up, Killy!" Neal snapped, dropping his hands.

"Or what?" Hook grinned.

"Or I'll tell Ruby about your deal with Robin."

"What deal with Robin?" Ruby asked immediately, looking between the two of them.

"Neal!" Hook gasped, sounding betrayed. "How could you do this to me? What happened to 'bros before ho's'?"

"Does that still apply, when said bro is a ho?" David frowned.

"Shut up, David!"

"What deal?" Ruby insisted. "And don't call me a 'ho'."

"I don't think you're a 'ho'," Hook assured her.

"I do," Belle muttered.

"But what deal with Robin?"

"Ruby, love—" Hook gave her a tight smile. "It's nothing. I promise."

Ruby knit her brow, looking worried. "What's nothing?"

Hook closed his eyes, exhaling tiredly. "Ruby…"

"You keep avoiding the question, it's making me nervous," she said pleadingly. "I feel like that means it's something bad."

"It's not bad!" Hook said, raising his eyes to the ceiling. "It's embarrassing!"

"More embarrassing than being Rumple's baby boy?" Emma said, grinning at Neal.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Rumple frowned. Emma's smiled faded.

"Nothing."

"Sounds like it means something."

"No, it's…I was kidding—"

"Kidding. Right."

"Dad, she was just kidding, don't jump down her throat."

"Yeah, I was just kidding don't jump down my throat."

"Miss Swan, if you think I'm just going to—"

"Okay, everybody shut up!" David said loudly, holding up his hands. "Stop fighting, okay? We're in the airport, in a public place—we can't do this now."

"I couldn't agree more, darling," a sultry voice said behind him.

David whipped around, his eyes landing on a very peculiar trio of women: one was a thin, glamorous woman with dramatic make-up and a ridiculous fur coat; the second was a mocha-skinned, intimidating woman wearing a power suit; and the third was a young, plainly-dressed brunette who looked like she could punch a hole through Superman's chest if provoked.

"Bloody hell," Hook whispered, the blood draining from his face as he stared at the woman in the power suit.

"Preach," Emma breathed, her wide eyes fixed on the brunette's wrist.

Rumple stood up awkwardly, a nervous smile on his face. "Cruella, Ursula, Lily…this is my family. And Ruby with her pet man-whore. And everyone—" he flopped his hand at the women. "These are my friends. They're coming home with us."

"Hello, darlings," Cruella said, smiling around at them all. "It's just smashing to meet you all! Now, who gets to sit next to me on the car ride home?"

So, just remember, I'm not doing the canon history for the QoD, and that includes the Snowing thing. That's why David doesn't know them.

All reviews-guests and non-guests-are welcome. You guys still like this, right? Let me know ;D, it's nice to hear.