AN: A little Daddy Charming/Captain Swan combination for you all. Thanks for reading!
David wakes with a start, glancing over to find Mary Margaret still sleeping soundly.
His eyes dart around the room, taking stock, but he finds nothing out of the ordinary. David props himself up against his pillow, taking a long drink from the water resting on the nightstand. He replaces the glass before moving carefully out of bed and crossing the room to where Neal's crib is.
Peering inside, David grins when he finds that his son is fast asleep, swaddled in his blanket. He reaches down to adjust the stuffed lamb Neal's so fond of, watching his son's tiny chest rise and fall.
He's about to return to bed when a choked gasp sounds from the living room. David freezes in place, eyes immediately finding the sword resting in the corner of the room. Before he can make a grab for it, though, he hears a voice drift through the thin curtain separating the two rooms.
"Love." Hook says, low and soothing, "I'm here."
David remains still, listening as Killian urges Emma to take deep breaths, hearing the concern in his voice. "That's it." He hears Killian murmur, as Emma's erratic breathing begins to even out. "You're safe."
David's heart clenches at the words. It's to be expected that the Dark One's curse would have an impact on Emma, but it's another thing entirely to witness it. They'd expelled the darkness earlier that evening, but David and Snow had been hard-pressed to let Emma out of their sight even after it had been contained. They'd insisted she stay at the loft, just for tonight, just in case she needed them.
Now, David realizes it's not them that Emma had needed. The knowledge stings, and though David likes Hook, knows the lengths he would (and has) gone to for Emma- well, he's never been very good at leaving his daughter's well being in the hands of others.
(Least of all former pirates, even if they do look at Emma as if she hangs the moon.)
David hears Emma taking the shaky breaths of someone fighting to remain calm, hears Killian whisper words of assurance. He can't help the envy which rises in him, wishing Emma were still young enough to need her father to chase away the nightmares.
Several minutes pass before David hears her speak, his ears straining to make out the words.
"I'm sorry." she says, her voice hoarse.
"What for, sweetheart?"
Her words are suddenly muffled, spoken into the fabric of Hook's shirt. "I'm sorry for...What I did to you." Emma mutters. "I never wanted to hurt you."
David closes his eyes. Of course they'd already forgiven Emma for her actions while under the curse's influence. Now, it was a matter of Emma forgiving herself.
Killian hums, and David hears him press a kiss to (what he hopes is) Emma's forehead. "It wasn't you." he says with certainty, "I know that, Swan. It's alright."
"Why is it so easy for you forgive me?"
Hook is quiet for a long moment. The words come out almost inaudibly as he says, "You know why."
David knows by the bareness of Killian's tone that he should stop listening. He knows, yet he can't help but stand there, paralyzed by both shock and curiosity. The loft is absolutely silent for a beat, and then there is Emma's voice again, smaller than before.
"Tell me." she says, quietly, but with conviction. "I can handle it."
David tenses, knowing what words are about to follow. He can hear Hook shift on the couch, presumably to look Emma in the eye.
"I love you, Emma Swan."
His voice breaks on her name. David's face goes hot from embarrassment at the earnestness, the bare affection between them. The moment is too private, too vulnerable, and he definitely should not be hearing this-
"I love you, too." Emma echoes, and it's only then that David realizes she's crying. His chest fills with a sudden gratitude towards Hook, towards all that he's done and will continue to do for Emma.
David's thankfulness quickly turns into a cringe, however, when he hears the unmistakable sound of Emma and Killian kissing. He finally makes his way back to bed, moving as silently as possible so as not to alert them. Climbing beneath the covers, David glances at Snow to find that her eyes are open.
She gives him a sleep smile. "I'm glad she has him." she whispers, twining her and David's fingers together.
"Yeah." David murmurs, pressing a kiss to Mary Margaret's knuckles. "So am I."