"So," David announced at dinner a couple nights later as the Charming family ate dinner in their warm flat. Everyone glanced over at him around bites of food and watched as he attempted to appear nonchalant, spearing a steamed carrot before looking at Emma. "Leroy said he saw you and Hook taking a little stroll through town the other day." His daughter only raised her eyebrows, not giving anything up until she had no other choice. "With a baby."

Snow snorted around her glass of milk, quickly covering her mouth with a hand as she tried to hide her laugh with a cough. Henry dropped his fork as an amazed smile bloomed across his face, eyes darting between his slightly shocked mother and his stony grandfather who was trying to dissect her with his eyes.

Emma watched him to see if he was joking, but he continued to stare at her, as if he thought she had slipped away to start a bloody family with the pirate on her free time.

"Well it's not mine," she blurted out, eyes gaping at him as if he were insane. That seemed to push Snow over the edge as deep laughs came from her side of the table. David shot her a look and Emma rolled her eyes. "It was when mom and I went on that walk with Ashley. They went to a store and left me with Alex. Hook was just helping me find them again," she explained. She felt ridiculous having to actually explain this to her father but a silent voice in the back of her head bubbled up in joy at the domestic feel of a protective father.

"Why was he with you in the first place?" Charming demanded, looking slightly more at ease but not by much. Emma switched her stance in her seat to face her mother.

"You should ask your wife that," she told him, although the comment was clearly pointed at Snow and her off behavior that day. David turned his attention to Snow.

"I just wanted to show Ashley stationary for the wedding. Hook just happened to be around when we left. It was pure coincidence, I assure you," she told them with a shrug and, much like when Emma had asked about her coat comment, seemed much too innocent.

"Captain Hook likes babies?" Henry spoke up, drawing everyone's attention away from the suspicious queen. He seemed genuinely curious and Emma realized how strange the question was, furrowing her eyebrows momentarily.

"I guess," she finally answered, shrugging in a scarily similar way to one her mother just had. Henry seemed to think that over.

"I like Hook," he declared with a decisive nod. "He's cool."

"He's not cool, Henry. He's a pirate," David replied, adopting his father tone. "There's nothing cool about being a criminal."

"But mom was a criminal," the young boy pointed out, looking at Emma as all three adults shuffled uncomfortably.

"Yes, but-" David tried to defend but was cut off.

"And so was grandma when Regina framed her," Henry said, voice getting higher as his argument strengthened. "And you too when you didn't marry Catherine!" Henry was now pointing accusingly at David who seemed too shocked to reply. He looked to Snow for help but she only smirked at him, leaning back in her chair as she watched the scene play out. Her husband had walked right into this one.

"Yes, but Henry, we were all fighting for something better. The law wasn't on the side of good during those times," he explained, folding his arms on the table and leaning towards his grandson who was looking at him critically. Henry seemed to start doubting himself.

"I wasn't." All three turned their attention to Emma, everyone looking shocked except for Snow. "I mean, I wasn't fighting for something better when I was a thief. I was young and it was easy." They stared at her and she quickly amended her statement. "That doesn't mean it was the right choice, if I could I would change most of it, except of course Henry," she raised her hand to indicate to said boy before looking back at her dad, "I was just alone in the world, feeling like it was all against me and trying to make it out the best way I could. It wasn't because I was standing up for the greater good."

There was a tense moment of silence and Emma tried to ignore it as she took a bite of meatloaf.

"So does that mean you like Hook too?" Henry asked, continuing on with his never ending curiosity when it came to the pirate. Emma looked at him from across the table, slowly chewing to buy herself time. She couldn't look at her parents in fear of seeing their expressions despite the fact she knew both of them were looking at her expectantly.

She found herself remembering their impromptu kiss. The truth was that she did like Hook. Not in a romantic way but not necessarily platonic either. But she did like him. She liked how he teased and kept her on her toes, despite knowing that she shouldn't. She liked how he surprised her with his tenderness and passion. He was an enigma but one that she knew well, because she was much the same.

She finally swallowed.

"I understand him," she told him, finding it to be the only answer that didn't expose too much. Henry cocked his head but nodded after a moment, accepting her answer as good enough.

The rest of dinner was spent in semi-awkward conversation but Emma found herself not blaming her father for his precaution when it came to Hook. She just couldn't seem to agree anymore though.

I know! Super short but it's my last couple weeks of school so writing has been hard but I wanted to post a little something to let you all know I'm still here and trying.

As always, feel free to leave a review lovelies