I really hope you like this next chapter, it is when Emma, Henry, Gold and Neal return from New York.. It goes a little out of character so I hope you don't mind.
I certainly haven't acquired Once Upon A Time since my last chapter, unfortunately.
David didn't like this one little bit. He thought as he stood on the dock with Snow standing next to him. As they waited for Emma, Henry and HIM to arrive with an injured Gold.
He didn't know the exact story behind Emma and Neal. Snow refused to tell him. But just the fact that his daughter was pregnant at 18 and left alone to cope... No he didn't like it.
Whatever the situation surrounding them was and even he had to admit things had gotten pretty bad in storybook lately. He was so glad to see Emma and Henry back safely.
When David saw Emma and who he could only assume was Neal holding up Gold. He went forward to help them.
"Don't say anything Charming." He heard the warning from his wife before he took over from Emma.
David acknowledge Neal with a nod of the head feeling that was about all he could manage with the man.
A couple of hours later David, Snow and Henry were in their apartment. Henry had fallen fast asleep on Snow after telling them all about his journey in New York.
David was pacing the apartment. "She did say she wouldn't be long, didn't she?"
"David calm down, she probably just wanted to have some space. So much has happened."
"Yes well he can have space here."
"David go, you know you want to, and you won't calm down until you know she is home." She knew her husband was not the sit and wait kind of man when it involved a family member.
David grab his jacket from the coat hook, gave snow a kiss on her forehead and left the apartment.
After having Emma safely home he was determined for her to stay safe even if that meant Emma being mad at him for being over protective.
David didn't know Emma like he should but he had a pretty idea where she would go for space. He headed straight for the sheriff station.
Walking in he could see her in her office head in her arms on the desk. It broke his heart a little to see her so deflated.
"Emma." He gentle spoke as not to startle her.
"Go home David." She said without lifting her head. Her voice sound strange and not just because it was muffled. He could hear the emotion in her voice.
David moved towards her to try again. "Talk to me Emma."
"I don't want to talk. Just go away."
This time he came closer kneeling down beside her.
"You know I'm not going to do that right."
"Your stubborn, I thought Mary-Margaret was bad."
"Oh she is trust me, I think you certainly you got double load of stubbiness... I know we aren't as close as you are with your mom, but please talk to me."
Emma finally lifted her head from the desk, her eyes were puffy and a brighter blue than usual. Almost matching those looking back at her. If David thought his heat broke when he first saw her in the office it was nothing to the way he was feeling now at seeing his not so little girl cry.
"I don't know what to do anymore, I don't think I can process anymore information. My son hates me. The one person I let myself open up to, only for him to leave me in a worse state than he found me is the son of a guy who refers to himself as the dark one. Who by the way created this curse for the sole purpose of finding said guy, then there is you guys... I ..I just can't take anymore" Emma slumped in her chair running out of steam
"Hey, listen to me ok. Henry does not hate you, he confused and hurt but that little boy is not capable of hate even if he was brought up by Regina. Neal being back is a shock I get it, I don't know what happened between you two, I hope one day you will be ok tell me. But when YOU are ready Emma. Your mom and I expect nothing from you, we are just so happy that we are together that everything else is a bonus. You understand that don't you. You were on your own for such along time and went through so much, it going to take time. You need to let the good times in with the bad."
Emma just stared at David takin in everything he said, all he wants was to get to know her better, to be let in. Which Emma does want to. She guesses now is as good as time as any.
"Did you you know that Henry was born in whilst I was in Jail?" She was looking at her hands, it wasn't the best feeling having to tell your father that at 18 you were pregnant and in jail to boot.
"What happened?" Emma's head shot up at the soft tone of his voice. "What aren't you.. I dunno angry, disappointed?"
"No of course not, I know you Emma, I know your a good person."
"I'll tell you but please don't interrupt however much you want to."
"Ok, I'll promise I'll certainly try." David pulled the spare chair so he was sitting directly in front of Emma.
Emma told the story of how she met Neal in the back of the bug, how they lived in the car, breaking into hotel rooms for showers and stealing food. Once she started talking she couldn't stop.
David was trying really (really) hard not to say anything. Emma should have been living like the princess she was, living in a castle have cooks cook her anything she wanted because like her father she was too charming to say no too, she would have had her father wrapped around her little finger.. NOT living in the back of a car.
"We then agreed that it was time to settle down somewhere to have a proper home, he told me to pick somewhere on the map, it ended up being Tallahassee. It was going to be the best thing every to happen to me." She paused the next part was hard to say.
"Go on" she barely head the voice that was obviously trying to keep control.
"We needed money, to do it right.. Before we met Neal stole some watches, some very expensive watches and then stashed them. The problem being was he got caught on CCTV. We want that new life so badly and this was the one thing that was preventing us from getting it.. . So I offered to get them... And I did.." She was struggling to say the rest, her eyes filled up with tears again, he took a deep breath and continued. "When I met back up with Neal, he needed to sell them, we decided splitting up for the time being was a better idea, he gave me a watch before we parted and arranged to meet on a few days later and a set time..."
This pausing was killing David he thought he knew where it was going but so god help Neal if he was right.
Emma stopped trying to pretend she wasn't full on crying "... Neal wasn't there.. But the cops were.. He sold me out and I got sent to jail for handling stolen goods. It was a little while later that I found out I was pregnant."
David was frozen, "David? Please say something.."
"I'm going to kill him." Emma was not easily scared but the tone in his voice did. He was standing now looking around as he was trying to find something that would do a good amount of damage to that son of, well that son of that Imp.
"You can't do that."
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't. He hurt you, he left you pregnant and alone, no one does that to my daughter!"
"Henry, that's why!"
Damn he thought to himself that was a good reason. David stormed out of the station. He may not be able to hurt Neal like he wanted to but he sure as hell was going to let him know how lucky he was.
"David, stop!"
"Emma, I promise you I won't hurt him." "Well that much" he added.
David charged into Gold's shop, into the back where Neal and his father were sitting. Emma right on his heels.
David grabbed Neal by his collar and shoved him against the wall.
"What do you think your doing Charming!" Gold was furious no one treated his son that way.
"Don't worry Gold, I've already made a promise not to hurt him and intend to keep it, just want a little word that is all."
"What he'll is going on here, who are you?" In all the confusion surrounding well just about everything Emma had forgotten to tell Neal who exactly her parents were. Neal knew parts of the story but not the whole part.
"Who am I? Well let me introduce myself. See blond woman over there. The one you got to steal for you, then you left her pregnant and in jail alone?" David gave Neal another shove against the wall. " well I am her father!"
Neal visible paled. He knew it was a crazy notion. That this guy holding him up.. Who seemed younger than even himself was Emma father, but the actions and tone of Charming were certainly enough to convince him.
Emma couldn't believe what was happening. Someone was defending her, this had to be the first time anyone had ever done that... Except this wasn't just anyone this was her Dad.
"You are lucky I don't kill you right here right now for what you did to her, but as I said I made promise I wouldn't do that to Henry... But I am warning you if you EVER hurt her or Henry again.. Then this time you will have me to deal with.. Am. I. clear."
Neal was too much in shock, and yes just a little scared. He nodded his head cleared his throat.. "I won't, I mean it."
"David, let's go."
He still kept hold of Neal
The next time Emma spoke is was so soft David could barely hear, but he impact of what she said hit him as if she screamed them
"Dad, please"
David dropped Neal and looked over at her, his eyes started to glisten he couldn't believe she just said that. He walked over to her and put a protective arm around her shoulders and they walked out the shop. Once they were outside he stopped and pulled her in for the biggest hug.
"Thank you Emma"
He brushed tears away from her face. "Let go home, your mom will be sick with worry, even if he tries to hide it."
Emma laughed "she doesn't do a very good job."
They went back to the apartment together. Father and daughter.