A/N: Charming's fairytale name is going to be James in this story to make everything easier to separate out later and it also annoys me that he doesn't get a second name like everyone else does in Once.

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Enjoy!

/

It felt like hours when in reality it was only a few seconds and Emma still hadn't moved from where she stood rooted to the spot, green eyes staring at James with so many questions he honestly didn't know what to do.

He needed Snow; that was his first thought. She was better that this; talking. She had a delicate touch that he never learned to master.

But Snow wasn't here. He was and Emma was still looking at him.

He opened his mouth, wanting to tell her everything. Blurt the whole thing out and deal with the consequences, whatever they might be. Then he paused again because that wasn't fair, was it? To dump all this on her door and make her share the burden before she was ready.

He couldn't lie to her, his heart clenched at the thought because she deserved better. She deserved to know where she came from and who her parents were and he couldn't deny her that.

It was Henry who spoke.

"Do you really want to know?" He asked as he stood up from his seat and came to stand by James, "Really?"

"Henry…" James said, a warning tone.

His grandson didn't listen, his wavering faith in their happy ending shining through, "He's Prince Charming. He's your father. Snow White is your mother and they sent you through a wardrobe to protect you from the Evil Queen's curse. You're the saviour, you're going to fix it."

Emma's eyes were on her son now, "Kid, that's a story…"

"Your story." Henry insisted, "Do you really not see? Look at him. Don't you see the resemblance?"

"David…" Emma started, her eyes going to him again and James knew there was no turning back from here.

"James." He cut in, "My name is James and everything Henry has told you is true."

Emma snorted, "Right, you're a fairytale character."

"I'm as real as you are, Emma. I know it's hard to believe and I wish there was another way but there isn't. Look at me, use your superpower. Am I lying to you?" James asked, his eyes pleading with her.

She paused for a moment, "Just because you believe something is true doesn't make it so."

"You really don't believe." James sighed, "You got your stubbornness from your mother although she'll probably say you got it from me. Trust your heart, Emma, what is it telling you?"

She shook her head, "It's tell me this is impossible. My parents abandoned me on a freeway, they weren't. You're not…"

James shook his head, a tear slipping down his cheek, "You can't deny what you see, can you? You inherited the blonde from me, your eyes are all Snow. Everyone tells me you have my tact, my impatience as well from what I've seen. You have your mother's strength and her compassion…"

"Stop… please just… Stop." Emma cut him off.

"You are the best of us, Emma. We didn't abandon you, you were our entire world and the only time I held you in my arms was just after you were born and I was taking you to the wardrobe so you would be safe. From Regina, from the curse. I could hear Snow's cries as I fought knights to make sure you had your best chance. I gave my life to get you there, Emma. We gave you up because we loved you." James continued because he couldn't seem to stop. This had been inside him since he first woke up from that coma and now he had a chance to say it there was no stopping. He needed her to know she was wanted, she was loved because this was his daughter and he wouldn't fail her again.

Emma was crying now, scrubbing at her face angrily, "I can't do this."

"Emma."

Her eyes were steel, "You put me in a wardrobe. I was barely an hour old and I grew up here, alone and you may have though it was my best chance but it wasn't, okay? My childhood sucked, all the stuff I went through, you're telling me it's because of Regina and this curse?"

James took a small step towards her, "We never wanted this for you."

"Yeah, well, you're a bit late with that speech. I'm 28 and I'm not looking for my parents anymore. I gave up that search a long time ago."

The words cut him like a knife and he knew Emma was putting her walls up to protect herself more than to hurt him but he couldn't help the rejection in his chest as he swallowed thickly.

"If I could change it, I would. Emma, I would suffer whatever Regina had planned a million times over if it meant you got to be with us." James swore and he hoped she understood just how much he meant it, "If you want to be angry then be angry at me. I should have tried harder to protect you."

Emma shook her head, "I can't have this conversation. I just need some air. I'm sorry." She whispered before she left him standing there with a heart that had only felt this broken when he first put her into the wardrobe.

Graham placed a comforting hand on his shoulder but James barely noticed it before he ran after Emma.

…

"Emma, wait!" Graham called out as he ran after her. She kept walking, the rain around them helping to mask her tears as she tried not to curl in on herself in the middle of the street and not move until it felt like her head wasn't going to explode, "You know I'll just keep following you regardless, right?"

Emma sighed, of course he would.

She turned round to face him, "Did anyone ever tell you, you can be really annoying?"

"You shouldn't be alone right now and I figured it might be easier if it was me and not James running after you." Graham explained, rain hitting his shirt and soaking the material, "He would have, you know. Come after you, I mean, I think he'd do just about anything for you."

"I can't deal with that right now." Emma replied, her eyes not meeting his, "I just found out I have a family and do you have any idea how much I wanted that as a kid?"

"Then why aren't you happy?" Graham inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Emma shrugged, wrapping her arms around herself, "Because after a while and one too many foster homes you realise you're never going to have that."

Graham nodded sadly, "They wanted you. If you believe anything, believe that. I was there, I saw them plan their lives with you, Emma. James spent about 4 months decorating your nursery every night because he wanted it to be perfect and Snow even learnt how to knit, she had never done it before and almost made me and James crazy with her determination to learn because she wanted you to have something she had made. A baby blanket."

"I didn't grow up like that. I didn't grow up with those parents or that life." Emma replied, "I don't know how to get my head around it now."

"I think you want to. You were close to James when you thought he was just David. Why?" Graham asked, the rain making his hair stick to his forehead in wild curls.

Emma sighed, "I don't know, I just felt something safe. Like I could trust him."

"That's because he's your father. You might not have known it at the time but there was something in you calling out."

"He's also Prince Charming." She smiled and Graham was happy to see it.

He chuckled as well, "That's what your mom calls him. Charming. Everyone else just calls him James."

She paused for a moment, peering at him through the rain, "Who are you? In fairytale land, I mean?"

"The Huntsman." Graham replied, standing a little straighter.

"The Huntsman?" Emma echoed, "The one who was sent to kill Snow White in the book but the Queen ripped his heart out instead?"

Graham nodded, "James helped me get it back and I stayed with them as they rebuilt their kingdom."

Emma frowned slightly, "But I overheard you talking about your heart earlier."

"Regina has it," Graham replied, knowing lying to her was pointless, "The night you were born I stalled her so James could get you to the wardrobe and she ripped out my heart. She still has it, that's why I told you I don't feel anything. I can't, while she controls my heart she controls me."

She took a step towards him, palm facing him like she didn't want to startle him. Her eyes locked onto his as she took another step, palm landing on his chest, over the place his heart should be. Graham sighed at her touch, "She's controlling you? But you've been sleeping with her?"

"Not by choice." Graham replied softly.

"Graham, that's… What she's doing to you… it's rape." Emma's eyes went wide and Graham could see the distress in them. His hand came up to rest over the one she had on his chest.

"It doesn't matter." Graham replied and quickly saw Emma shake her head, "It doesn't. I'll deal with whatever she decides to do to me but I won't let her hurt you. She tried to get me to do it, that's how I remembered."

Emma frowned, "What?"

"That night at the station, you thought I was ill?" Graham reminded her, "Regina had ordered me to get your heart but I knew I couldn't hurt you so I fought against her control. The Huntsman managed to break free."

"Does everyone in your land have an obsession with ripping out hearts?" Emma asked with a smile.

Graham sighed, "It's kind of Regina's thing."

"I'm so sorry for what she's done to you, Graham."

He shook his head, "It led me to you. Me and James are going after my heart, we'll get it back and when I do… I just want you to know it's yours. If you want it."

Emma's eyes met his, "You can't say stuff like that."

"Fairytale character, remember?" Graham smirked, "I mean it, it's been yours for a while now and I told you what happens next is up to you. But if you want to see if we can have a future together then that would make me very happy."

"I'm sure James will be thrilled to hear that." Emma laughed.

"He knows," Graham replied, "We've talked about it and he knows I'd never hurt you."

"You talked to my dad about our relationship before talking to me?" Emma asked with a raised eyebrow and Graham let her hand fall from his chest.

He stuttered, "It's not like that…"

Emma silenced him with a kiss, Graham was taken back momentarily before he returned it. Emma's arms circling his neck as she broke the kiss, "I'm not too great at relationships but I could definitely agree to try."

Graham smiled, "Me too."

"One condition," Emma said, "I want to help get your heart."

"No way, it's too dangerous."

Emma pulled back, "You involved my 10 year old son so it's not up for discussion. I'm coming."

Graham smiled, "Talk to James first?"

"I don't know what to say to him." Emma admitted, "I've never had a father before."

"You've got one now, one who loves you." Graham replied, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, "Everything you missed out on, Emma. He did as well. You're not the only one finding this difficult or mourning the loss of something you never got."

Emma paused for a moment, "He's a good guy, isn't he?"

"The best guy I know." Graham said without hesitation, "He gave his life for yours without even knowing you yet because that's what fathers do."

Emma frowned, "What does that mean? He's still alive and he's fine?"

"You've read the book," Graham smiled sadly, "You already know. Talk to him."

…

David – or she guessed it was James now – was easy enough to find after realising he wasn't at the apartment there was only one other place he could be. The station; Emma couldn't help but think of it has mutual territory as she walked through the door. Perhaps this was the best place to have this conversation, she mused, considering it's where their friendship first started and where he'd seen her vulnerability.

Maybe they would bond over that.

Emma already knew it wouldn't be that simple. She had had a father for less than a day and it was already more complicated than she thought it would be. Then she wished for. As a kid it's all she ever wanted, parents that loved her but she wasn't a kid anymore and apparently her parents were the same age as her which didn't help.

Emma realised a long time ago that she was broken, she kind of expected it after being pushed around foster homes and group homes and growing up alone. She had made her peace with it. What she didn't count on was anyone else giving a damn but clearly James did. He cared about what she went through and what happened to her and Emma simply wasn't use to that.

She wanted to be.

She really did.

That feeling of safety and protectiveness she got around James made sense now and maybe that was a start. It was the best she could do right now anyway. Still, Graham's words rang through her mind because another thing she never considered as a child was that her parents might be just as lost and broken as she was about their separation.

Emma convinced herself that they were no good and couldn't look after her properly, she could handle that. It was better than having a father as loving and protective as James clearly was because that kind of unconditional love was scary as hell to someone like Emma who had walls so high.

Still, this was her taking the first step. She went to find him and she could only hope James realised what a big deal that was to her.

He would, she knew, the same way he seemed to read her actions in every other situation as well.

Father's intuition came to mind but Emma quickly pushed it down because she was already close to turning around and leaving and she needed to be strong here.

James was sitting on the sofa that was pushed against the wall at the other end of the room, underneath the window where the rain was still hammering outside. No turning back now, she thought as she clenched and unclenched her hands at her sides.

"Hi." She said in a small voice and wanted to kick herself for how young and defenceless it made her sound. It got James' attention though and she could see him smiling as he relaxed his shoulders.

He nodded, a silent understanding that this would be uncomfortable for both of them, "Hi."

Emma took a few steps towards him, "I shouldn't have ran off like that, I just… it's a lot, you know?"

"Yeah, for me too." James smiled, "It's not every day you wake up from a coma to find your daughter is now a 28 year old woman."

"You've known this whole time?" Emma asked as she came to sit on the other end of the couch, shrugging out of her wet jacket as she did so.

James sat up a bit straighter, turning slight to face his daughter, "Since I woke up. I have Henry to thank for that."

"And Mary? I mean Snow, she doesn't?"

His face fell slightly, "No, I'm trying to wake her up but Regina really changed her here. She doesn't believe in anything, not even me."

Emma nodded, "Right, the Evil Queen. The curse I'm meant to break."

"We'll figure it out, Henry often reminds me the good guys always do." James smiled softly at her.

The silence around them was the most awkward it had ever been and Emma knew they weren't exactly talking about what either of them wanted to talk about. She sighed, time to take the leap.

"So, I'm your daughter." She said bluntly and James laughed.

"Definitely my tact." He mused, "I'm sorry, I know it's not enough but I am sorry. I should have protected you, I should have fought to keep our family together."

The brokenness of his tone didn't help Emma's resolve, "I get it, Regina backed you into a corner and you guys made the only choice you could. I understand, it might just take time to be okay with it." She paused for a moment, "Can I ask you a question?"

James nodded, "You can ask me anything."

"Henry's book, the story in it. In the story you got hurt getting baby me to the wardrobe. You should have died, right?" Emma asked gently.

James sighed, "Regina's curse protected me somehow."

"You would have died for me?"

"Without question." James replied, "I love you, Emma. I know that's hard for you to believe and I'm not trying to push it but I'm your father. It's my job to protect you."

She nodded blindly, not trusting her voice at first, "How bad was it?"

He seemed to pause, weighing up his options before he nodded. He reached up and pulled the collar of his shirt to one side, exposing a deep pink scar marring his shoulder. Emma's eyes were drawn to it, the skin looking out of place compared to the rest of his shoulder.

It was real.

This man – her father – had protected her with everything he had. With his life and he wore the constant reminder of the sacrifice he made for her on his skin.

Emma blinked back a tear as she reached out to touch it, the skin was rough under her fingertips and warm. She pulled back quickly, realising what she was doing. James let the collar of his shirt go.

"Does it hurt?" She asked softly.

He shrugged, "It aches sometimes but it's not painful."

"I'm sorry." She replied, not sure what else to say.

James shook his head, "I'd do it again. If it meant you were safe, I'd happily give my life."

"You don't even know me." Emma laughed, "The kind of life I had. I always dreamed about my parents, what they were like. I never expected to have a father like you."

"You didn't have any parental figures growing up?" He asked with a frown.

Emma sighed, "Not any that stuck around. I bounced around from different families a lot when I was younger then I spent most of my time in different group homes as I got older."

"You weren't meant to have this life, Emma." The words sounded pained coming from his mouth and Emma felt a pang in her chest.

Emma nodded, "Let me guess, dresses and balls?" She said with a laugh.

"There would have probably been a few," James chuckled, "You would have been happy. I would have taught you how to use a sword and ride a horse. Snow would have taught you how to use a bow and arrow and track. You'd probably have been our bandit princess. Snow would have calmed you down when you were angry and I'd be there when you were upset. We'd play games and go for family picnics. Maybe you would have had siblings to play with as well. I would have been there if you fell over and hurt your knee and Snow would have made you hot chocolate if you couldn't sleep. I would have told you a bedtime story every night and lit a candle if you had a nightmare. That's the life we wanted for you, Emma."

Emma opened her mouth and quickly closed it again because she don't know how to respond. She could see it, the life she was meant to have with her parents at her side. He would have been a good dad, she knew, if he had been given the chance.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, "I wish I had it."

James nodded, "Me too."

They sat their mourning the loss of what could have been and what never was and Emma wanted to reach out and hug him but she couldn't. Knowing he was her father changed everything and Emma wasn't sure if she was ready.

"What happens now?" She asked.

James smiled, "A certain Huntsman needs his heart back from the Evil Queen."

"Then we work on breaking this curse?"

"Then we work on breaking this curse." James nodded.

Emma got up from her seat and made her way over to her desk, reaching underneath it. James watched with curiosity as she pulled at a familiar looking box and walked over to him.

She smiled as she handed it to him, "You might want this back."

Emma pushed the box into his hands and James could only smile gratefully at her, his sword back in his possession.

"Thank you." He nodded, placing the box in his lap.

Emma shifted from one foot to the other, "James," she said gently, the word feeling weird in her mouth but she certainly wasn't ready to call him dad yet either, "That life you were telling me about. I would have been happy, growing up with you guys, I would have been really happy."

Emma could tell she had just given him something irreplaceable by the look in his eyes, "So would we."

And for now, Emma guessed, that was enough.

/

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Next chapter includes: The mission to get Graham's heart is on!