Hide and Seek

Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time.

Shorter one this time, but I think it's cute.

Snow laughed again. The dwarves were such wonderful men and she was glad they had long since adopted her as their sister. "Really, Happy?" she asked.

"Really, Snow," he said, taking one last gulp of ale.

"Well, it's been nice, but now we should all go to bed. Everyone needs sleep," Doc said.

"Of course," said Charming, sounding responsible. "Especially with the hard work you all do in the mines."

"Whatever," Grumpy said, but Snow delighted that there was no malice in his tone. The cynical dwarf had some troubles with trusting Charming in the past and had been quite bitter toward her husband. Fortunately, that time was over.

The rest of the dwarves all stood up and placed their mugs in the kitchen before retiring.

Snow turned to her husband, eager to retire with him as well. But almost before she could blink, Charming's smile turned from responsible to mischievous. And he ran down the hall, like he was playing in a field hockey tournament.

"Charming, that's not fair!" Snow called after him, trying to catch up. "You know I can't run as fast as you can." Breathless, she finally reached their joint chamber. But Charming was nowhere to be found.

Smiling wider and wider as she glanced around the chamber, Snow understood now. He wanted to play hide and seek with her. Their own special kind of that game.

"I will find you, Charming," she announced to the empty room as she peeked under the bed. Then in the bathtub. Her body burned in the best way as she searched, picturing the way she would cover him with kisses when she finally located him. Would she kiss his lips first or his neck?

Noticing the dressing room was opened a crack, Snow rushed over triumphantly. Just as she was about to push the door, Emma's two – year – old voice said "Daddy, why you have no" – cough – "clothes?" Her voice came from the hall.

Charming's nervous laughter came from that direction as well. "Mama and I were… sort of… playing hide and seek."

Snow followed the sound of their voices and found her Charming standing behind door of their suite. Looking absolutely delicious without clothes on, as usual. Unfortunately, their daughter was also standing there in her pink nightgown, with a very confused look on her face.

Biting her lip, Snow tried to focus on Emma. Not on her husband's skin with all those muscles, which were begging for kisses. "That's right, sweetheart, Daddy and I were playing hide and seek. What is the matter?"

"After I goed to bed, my throat started hurting, Mama." She coughed again. "And I wanted to find you."

Despite her frustration, Snow smiled at that statement. "Well, I think you'll always find me, Emma. Come. I'll make you some tea with honey in it in the kitchen. It will make your throat feel better."

Emma nodded and took her mother's hand. "Mama? Why don't we take off" – cough – "clothes playing hide – and – seek?"

I've always head – canoned Snowing occasionally use hide and seek as foreplay, because of their "I will always find you," motto. :)

Thanks for the reviews from the last chapter. Here's some responses. Please give me a review for this chapter as well.

Baratta Jennifer: Thank you.

Austenphile: Thank you, and the kids reaction to Snowing's physical affections… well some things never change, no matter what universe, right?

Bloomandgrow: Thank you again for the review, and I'm glad you liked the descriptions of the forest. And I do so love to compare parent couples to younger couples, especially when said parents are a good royal model for marriage. :)