Thank you very much for your reviews, favorites and follows. Some of you had some questions about Killian's ex girlfriend: they will be addressed on upcoming chapters of the story.

I hope you like this chapter. Charming warning! (for my guest reviewer: read at your own risk:P)

Chapter 16 – The Dinner

A few weeks into the investigation, things were running smoother. They were making progress, slow but steady. Emma and Killian seemed to have fallen back into their old partnership, both of them working next to the other and almost reading each other's thoughts on the case. It was familiar and comforting, but also terrifying for Killian to see how easy he was growing accustomed to having Emma by his side again. One day, this case would be over and she'd be gone again. They'd go on living separate lives.

Killian and Mac were reviewing the next day's planned operation when Mary Margaret walked into the station.

"Milady." Killian greeted surprised. "What a lovely surprise."

"Hello, Killian." Mary Margaret said.

"Are you looking for Emma? Because she left at noon, she mentioned she had to pick up Henry and was planning to spend the afternoon with the lad." Killian asked.

"Oh no, I was actually looking for you." She smiled her royal I'm-upto-something sweet smile at him. "I wanted to see if you were available to have dinner with us tonight. Emma and Henry are coming… it would be lovely if you could join us."

Killian swallowed hard. He wasn't sure how much Mary Margaret and David were aware of what had almost transpired between him and Emma a few weeks ago. Probably not all, considering David had not showed up demanding explanations, but still… he was hesitant.

"I'd love to." He started smiling. "But I'm afraid I've already made plans to have a few drinks with some friends here at the station." He looked at Mac, who was clearly enjoying this. "Where are my manners, this is my partner Detective Mac Sanders. Mac, this is Mary Margaret Blanchard, she's…." Killian trailed off trying to figure out what to say. Emma's mother was definitely not going to fly with this audience.

Mary Margaret was quick to intervene as she pulled her hand out to greet Mac. "I'm Emma's sister in law. I'm married to her older brother David." Killian cocked an eyebrow in admiration.

Good one, Majesty.

"It's very nice to meet you," Mac said.

Mary Margaret turned her attention back to Killian, a small sad pout appearing on her fair face, "It's sad that you cannot join us, Killian. I had such high hopes that you could come." She looked at Mac with feigned innocence. "We haven't seen Killian in a while; we were looking forward to catching up."

Mac looked at her smiling… oh, I like you, lady.

"Killian, I'm sure the guys will understand if you blow us off tonight." Mac said.

Killian looked at him with an intent look and Mac smiled with mocked innocence, "We hang out regularly, it's really not a big deal. You should go have dinner with your friends."

Mary Margaret gave them a radiant smile. "Oh, that would be fantastic! Here's the address, see you around 8, is that ok?" She handed a dumbfounded Killian a piece of paper. "You don't need to bring anything; it's all been taken care of."

"He'll be there," Mac promised "He'll bring something for the coffee time after dinner."

"Oh, it's really not necessary." Mary Margaret beamed.

"Not a problem, my wife's family owns a bakery; it's just a phone call." Mac offered.

"That is settled then. Killian, we'll see you tonight." Mary Margaret smiled kindly at him before approaching Mac and shaking his hand, whispering to him. "Thank you very much for this, I truly appreciate it."

"Don't mention it, ma'am. I think it'll be good for him to go to that dinner." Mac smiled at her intently, a silent agreement. Takes one to know one.

"A little encouragement never hurt anyone." Mary Margaret whispered to Mac before leaving.

Killian turned around to look at Mac, "What the bloody hell, mate? Really?!"

"I like her," Mac said as he grabbed the phone. "Let me call Joey, you need something from the bakery to take to the dinner."

"I'm not going." Killian expressed childishly.

"Yes, you are. I already gave my word."

"I loathe you."

"No, you don't. You'll thank me one day."

/-/

"You did WHAT!?" David exclaimed.

"I invited Killian for dinner." Mary Margaret replied as she busied herself in the kitchen.

"But it's family night…" David said.

"And Killian is a friend that we haven't seen in a long time…" Mary Margaret continued. "I'm sure Henry would be delighted to hear some of his stories as a detective."

"Snow…" David looked at her with his I-know-you-are-upto-something look. "What are you trying to do?"

"What? It's just dinner!" Mary Margaret replied. "I thought it would be good for Killian and Emma to spend some time together outside the investigation."

"Why?!" David asked.

"Charming, really? When was the last time your daughter had a date?" Mary Margaret asked.

"She's had some dates in these three years."

Mary Margaret scoffed, "And when was the last time she had a second date with the same guy?" She looked at him pointedly. "Don't you want her to find someone? To be happy?"

"And you think it's Hook?" David sighed.

"They are not done with each other, David." Mary Margaret smiled softly. "Can't you see it? They are both running away from this."

"Perhaps there is a reason…" David countered.

"And yet, they found each other in complete different circumstances. Again." Mary Margaret stated. "Of course there is a reason."

Mary Margaret's confident tone started to worry David. "You are not suggesting what I think you are suggesting…"

"Isn't it obvious?" She beamed.

"No, it's not." David stated stubbornly.

"Well, it's not like we have a curse going on to actually prove it, but you know, the signs are there." She said. "They just haven't accepted it."

"And you are going to fix that by shoving him on our daughter's face?" David asked.

"Some nudges here and there won't hurt." She smiled at him.

"You are as subtle as when you hit me with that rock, Snow." David sighed.

"And you love me for it," She beamed at him.

/-/

Emma and Henry joined them shortly. Mary Margaret looked at her with a radiant smile. Emma didn't buy it.

"Ok, what it's going on?"

David sighed, his hand running through his hair as he went to pick up the plates to set up at the table. "Your mother invited Hook for dinner."

"Cool!" Henry said as he sat down to play with his uncle.

"What?! You invited Killian?" Emma looked at her mother, an annoyed look on her face.

"I thought it would be a good idea, we haven't seen him in such a long time…" Mary Margaret trailed off as she busied herself cutting vegetables for the salad, an innocent smile plastered all over her face.

Emma looked at her father raising her eyebrows pointedly. David sighed and shook his head in return. "She already invited him. He'll be here any minute now… Do you want me to kick him out when he arrives?" David volunteered.

"No, of course not!" Emma said as she ran her hands absentmindedly through her hair, trying to comb it. Mary Margaret noticed and looked pointedly at David, raising her eyebrow.

I told you.

The bell rang at that very moment, preventing David from replying with a look to his fair princess. David went to open the door and found Killian with a resigned expression, holding a brown package, a bottle of wine and a bag with another wrapped package.

"Hook. Come in," David attempted a smile that wasn't quite as cheerful as it should have been, but Killian could not really blame the prince. It was clear they were all victims of Mary Margaret's plotting in here. And Mac, who had been the perfect sidekick, the meddling git.

"Thank you, mate." Killian said as he entered, and then looked at David intently, lowering his voice, "I swear I tried to decline, Dave. But your wife can be pretty insistent and unfortunately, she found the perfect accomplice in my partner. I was outnumbered." He sighed.

"Well, might as well try to have dinner then." David smiled. "Let me get this from you." He said and Killian handed him the wine and the package.

Together they entered the apartment, which reminded Killian of the loft they had in Storybrooke. The living room was an open space that merged into the kitchen, where Mary Margaret and Emma were finishing putting together dinner. Emma turned around and smiled shyly at him and suddenly, he forgot about everything. It was as if time had not passed, as if those three years had never happened and they were in her parent's flat in Storybrooke, plotting on how to defeat Zelena. Mary Margaret's voice brought him out of his daze.

"Killian, thank you so much for coming!" She smiled kindly at him. "You shouldn't have bothered to bring anything."

"Oh, it was nothing, really. I didn't move a finger." He smiled and bowed at Mary Margaret.

Emma looked at the package, "More cannoli?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

"Alas, no," He sighed sadly, "They'd run out of those. We'll have to do with sfogliatelle instead."

"Do I even want to ask how you know how to pronounce that?" Emma asked in a flirtatious tone.

"A tale for another day, perhaps." Killian deflected as he turned to Mary Margaret again. "This is for the little lad." He gave her the bag he was still holding in his hand. "It's a gift, but I presume you'd want to avoid giving it to him so close to bedtime…"

"Oh goodness, yes, otherwise he'd get riled up and it will be impossible to get him to sleep." Mary Margaret commented, a grateful look in her eyes. "How thoughtful of you, Killian."

"It's nothing," He shrugged.

"How do you know about toddlers getting overexcited before bedtime!?" David asked intrigued.

"My partner's youngest was a toddler when I moved here. I've heard all about how to get a kid to sleep in the evening." Killian replied easily. He turned around and looked at Henry playing with the lad. "He looks just like you, mate." He said to David.

"Yes, he does." David smiled proudly. "Thank you for the gift, Killian."

"Don't thank me until you open it." Killian joked.

"What exactly did you buy him?" David asked concerned.

"A pirate ship, naturally." Killian smirked at David.

"Ok, everyone, please sit for dinner while I take our little prince to bed" Mary Margaret announced. "Killian, you sit next to Emma." Mary Margaret smiled innocently at him and Killian cocked an eyebrow at Emma.

"Your mother is not known for her subtlety." He whispered in Emma's ear as he sat next to her.

"She's the fairest of them all, not the subtlest of them all." Emma replied and Killian laughed sincerely.

She couldn't remember when was the last time she'd heard him laugh like that.

God, she'd missed his laugh.

Dinner ran smoothly, as they all fell in a pattern of conversation of their current lives. Killian entertained them with some stories about his police work while Henry kept asking questions. At some point, without even realizing it, he leaned back in the chair, his arm resting on Emma's chair. Mary Margaret's smile and David's look made him realize of this and he quickly removed his arm. After coffee, Mary Margaret was talking animatedly with Emma and Henry and Killian was watching them when David stood next to him.

"He's a good lad." Killian said, smiling softly. "Reminds me of his father when he was the same age." He ran his hand through his hair. "It's not easy growing up without a father." He whispered painfully.

"It's not." David acknowledged. "But he's doing pretty well… Robin and I try to be there for him."

"He has a prince and a thief looking out for him, that's not so bad." Killian replied.

"We've been able to avoid any more flying monkeys, luckily." David joked and Killian chuckled. "Tell me something, Hook," David asked, "Are we adding a pirate to the mix?" He looked at Killian intently.

"I'm no longer a pirate, mate. I'm a police detective." Killian replied standing proudly.

"That doesn't answer my question, Killian." David stated.

"Aye, it does not." Killian sighed and averted his eyes to the floor, struggling with himself. He finally looked up at David, a resigned look in his eyes. "Your daughter made her intentions clear to me three years ago. I have no intention to go on that path again. I've moved on."

David didn't believe that last line for a second, but he thought better not to keep pushing. He had another more important topic to address.

"This case you are working… that guy is really dangerous, right?" David asked.

"Aye, a bloody psychopath." Killian replied.

"I trust that you'll protect my daughter from any harm." David said. It was not a question or a plea. It was a vote of confidence, of trust. David knew it was like that, that it had always been like that.

Killian looked at him, honesty in his eyes, "With my life. That hasn't changed, mate. It never will."