I own nothing except the words and ideas below. The characters are not mine.

Authors Note: In case anyone had lingering doubts, Charming is the father of the baby Snow is carrying. It is a True Love baby just like sister Emma and that makes it extremely powerful. Even before it is born it will have the power to protect its mother when she is in danger in a future chapter.

Chapter 16: Every Girl Wants a Pony

Emma watched the road as her father drove her car to an unknown location. She was sitting in the front seat with her dad and Henry and her mom were sitting in the backseat. Henry had a grin as wide as the Grand Canyon plastered across his face. He loved the family moments. Emma tried to think back and figure out when exactly they had become a family.

"Where exactly are we going?" Emma asked with concern in her voice.

Charming looked in the rearview mirror and exchanged a look with his wife.

"It is a surprise." Her mother smiled.

"I love surprises!" Henry beamed.

"Well I don't like surprises," Emma stated dryly, "When I was a child surprises were never good."

"Well, you with us now and from now on that is going to change." Her mother promised.

"Besides we are here." Her father announced.

Emma looked around. There was a nondescript wooden building.

"Where exactly is here?" Emma asked.

"Horse stables." Her father answered.

Of course if she had just opened the car door, she would have had her answer. When she did open the car door, she was overwhelmed by the smell of horses and she had no doubt in her mind that they really were at a stable.

"I had no idea that there were horses in Storybrooke?" She commented.

"This place is much bigger than you would expect. I thought it would be nice if we went horseback riding as a family." He told Emma and Henry as the latter bolted from the backseat and ran towards the stables.

Emma raised a skeptic eyebrow and indicated her mother. "She's pregnant." Emma reminded him a fact that he did not need to be reminded.

"She can ride a horse, even though she is pregnant." He causally informed their daughter.

Emma exchanged a look with her mother and climbed out of the car and followed Henry.

"If you say so

Charming called back, "Are you coming, Snow?"

"I can't get out of the back seat." She informed him through gritted teeth. This caused him to laugh.

"It isn't funny. Unless you want me to give birth in the back seat of this car, right now, at 9 weeks instead of 9 months, you will find a dignified way to get me out of this car, Charming!" The way she spat out his name made it sound as if she thought he was anything but charming at the moment. In fact, it was almost a curse.

He just grinned and scooped her up in his arms and carried her out of the car. He placed her standing up on the ground.

"Is that dignified enough?" He asked in a teasing tone.

"It will have to do." She pretended to be perturbed and took his hand in hers as they followed Emma and Henry.

Emma gave them a perplexed look when they walked in holding hands with grins on their faces.

"What took you guys so long?" Henry asked with all the patience of an excited 11 year old.

His grandparents exchanged a charged look.

"We were experiencing technical difficulties." Charming informed them with a straight face.

Emma rolled her eyes, "Considering the source, you should probably spare us the details."

Charming was about to profess innocence.

"Which horses are we going to ride?" Henry asked excitedly.

"Well that one over there belongs to you." His grandfather pointed to a grey charger.

"You bought my son a horse without asking me first?" Emma scolded lightly.

"Please can I keep him?" Henry pleaded.

Emma gave her father a perturbed look and then turned to her son. "Sure, but just so you aren't disappointed. All I got you for your birthday was a bed spread and a new video game. Magic books and horses are a little out of my league." She gave her father another weary look.

"Well I could hardly ask your permission without giving away the fact that you were getting one as well." He indicated a brown mare in the stall next to the grey horse.

"You bought me a horse?" She asked with an awe struck look on her face.

Her father smiled warmly. "Doesn't every girl want a pony for her birthday?"

Before she could answer her mother asked, "Have you ridden before, Emma?"

"As a matter of fact, I worked as a mounted officer for a few months when I was young." She answered causally.

"Good then, Henry can ride with you until he learns the ropes. Snow and I will ride his steed." Charming informed her.

"Come on kid, let's go over here and I will show you how to saddle a horse." Emma led Henry to the tack room where the saddles were kept.

"You didn't get me a horse as well?" Snow pouted.

"It isn't your birthday, dear." He dryly remarked. She still looked disappointed. "Besides, I would like to spend some time with my gorgeous wife." He said softly.

"That is a given." She replied, smiling slightly.

"I want you to wrap your arms around me, and spend quality time looking at my neck." He added jokingly.

"How quickly can you saddle the horse?" She asked impatiently.

He laughed. Emma walked up with an apologetic look on her face.

"I had just started to explain basic horse care to Henry when he fell asleep," She told them while cringing; "I think I bored him to death."

"More than likely, he came down off of his sugar high from all that cake and ice cream he had at the birthday party." Her mother suggested.

"You are probably right," Emma agreed, "Anyway, I think I should take him home and put him to bed early. " She gave them an apologetic look. "I know you were looking forward to going riding together."

"Not if it means that Henry falls asleep on the horse." Her father admitted reluctantly.

"I want the two of you to stay and ride though. I'll take Henry home and come back for the two of you in a couple of hours." She suggested brightly.

Her parents exchanged an understanding look.

"Emma, it is your birthday and we wanted to spend it with your and Henry." Her mother insisted.

"You did spend it with me and it was the best birthday I ever remember having. Thank you both" She was sincere in her complement and that sincerity moved both her parents.

"Are you sure you don't want us to come with you?" Her mother asked.

"I am positive that you two should stay here and relax. You both worked hard on the party." She insisted.

"I'll help you with Henry." Her father offered and she gladly accepted.

"I really am sorry that we didn't get to go riding." Emma told him as he gathered up Henry, who was fast asleep, in his arms. Maybe you and I could go riding together sometime next week?" Emma suggested.

Charming smiled, "I would like that very much." He told her happily.

He helped her getting the sleeping child into the car and watched as she drove off. He was about to walk back in when his phone received a text message. He didn't recognize the number, but he read the message.

"Would love to meet tonight and go over your campaign strategy. 8:30 pm the Rabbit Hole? Jasmine."

He looked over at the stables where Snow was waiting for him and then he glanced towards the road where Emma had just driven off. He could call Emma and have her come back and go to the Rabbit Hole. Part of him was curious about what exactly running for mayor would entail. His hand hovered over Emma's number. Then he impulsively texted Jasmine back, "Busy tonight. Will be working the cabin by the lake tomorrow morning. Drop by if you have the time. David."

Her reply was instant, "I'll bring coffee and pastries. I weld a mean hammer. Looking forward to working with you."

He smiled despite himself. She was certainly tenacious, if she handled his mayoral campaign with the same tenacity, he might just win. Listening to her plan was the least he could do. He was still smiling when he went back into the stable.

"You look happy," Snow commented and then she saw that he had his phone in his hand, "Were you talking to someone?"

"It was no one important." He insisted as he turned off the phone. "Emma asked me to go riding with her sometime next week. I think I am really making progress with her." He gleefully informed his wife.

"Of course you are making progress. You are a good father and a fantastic grandfather." She stood on her tip toes and kissed him quickly.

"Thank you." He replied.

"So, if Emma and Henry are going home, does that mean we each get to ride our own horse?" She asked casually.

His face fell in disappointment, "If that is really what you want to do. I was looking forward to us riding together though and having the arms of my beautiful wife warped around me for a couple of hours. "He pouted and she smiled.

"I think we should ride together. It has been 28 years since I have seen the back of your neck up close. I need to find out if it is still a turn on." She gave him an endearing smile.

He climbed on the horse and then pulled her up to where she was sitting behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and clung to him tightly.

"How is the view back there?" He asked as he turned his head to the side and gave her a teasing look.

She sighed and leaned her head against his back lovingly.

"Wonderful!" She said softly.

They rode along a path that led through the woods and it almost felt like they were home in the Enchanted Forest.

"Being in the woods on a horse with you makes me feel almost as if we are back in our own world." Snow sighed contently.

"I know what you mean. I think that is why I was drawn to the woods before the curse was broken. As David I was able to find peace in the forest. It felt like home." He commented.

"Except this forest doesn't have trolls, bandits or Regina's Black Nights waiting in ambush."

"True, I think these woods are much safer than the woods of the Enchanted Forest." Charming agreed.

"This forest can be as confusing as the endless forest. Where are we exactly?" Snow asked as she looked around. "Are we getting near the town line?" She asked anxiously.

"Pretty close." He admitted.

"Maybe we should turn back?" She suggested.

Before he could reply they saw movement in the trees.

"Who is that?" He asked as he moved the horse a little closer to the edge of town.

"It looks like Mr. Gold." Snow replied with a look of surprise on her face.

They watched as Gold placed a small, white band on the leg of a deer and then encouraged it to walk across the town line. The deer walked back across the town line clearly unscathed.

"Splendid!" He exclaimed.

"What is he doing?" Snow whispered.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Her husband replied.

They both watched mesmerized as Gold repeated the process again. Finally he realized that he had an audience and looked up at the two of them with a mysterious smile on his face.

"Hello Dearies, would you care to take part in a little experiment?" He asked.

"Hell No!" Charming answered quick and to the point.

"Not on your life!" Snow added.

Gold looked disappointed, but shrugged the whole thing off quickly.

"Well then, move along Charmings, all three of you. There is nothing to see here. I do offer my congratulations on the impending birth of your Son!" He emphasized the last part.

"We don't know yet if we are having a boy or a girl." Snow corrected.

"Oh trust me, it is a boy." He insisted.

Charming turned the horse around.

"I hate it when he does that Soothsayer bit." Snow commented.

"Yeah, he can't possibly know can he?" Her husband asked, while trying to hide the fact that he was grinning.

"No, he can't possibly know and wipe that grin off of your face!" She demanded.

"You can't even see my face, how do you know I am grinning?"

"I just know, he has a 50/50 chance of being right and that is all there is to it." He stated firmly.

"I want to know what he is doing with those animals." Charming stated as a way to change the subject.

"He better not harm them! I hate to think that he doing some kind of experiments on forest animals. Do you think we should tell Emma? She is still the Sherriff."

"I will talk to the raccoons and see what I can find out. If he is up to anything nefarious, I will find out." Her husband promised.

"We could still be having a daughter!" She insisted.

"I am happy either way." He promised.

It started to rain, lightly at first. But, it quickly turned into a downpour. They headed quickly back to the stables. Charming's jacket had protected him from the rain, but Snow was soaked to the bone. Her clothes were dripping wet and she was shivering. Her husband wrapped her in a blanket, but she was still wet and cold.

"There is a heater in the back of the stables where we can hang your clothes to dry." He insisted.

"I am fine." She insisted through chattering teeth.

He gave her a serious look, "Snow I never thought I would have to say this, but I demand that you take off your clothes."

She gave a sideways glance as she removed her wet clothing. He took her clothes and hung them near the heater.

He came back and she had a grin on her face.

"What are you smiling about?" He asked.

"We still have over an hour before Emma returns and I was just wondered what we could possibly do with all that time and me naked?" She gave him a seductive look.

He smiled, "I take it you have been thinking about the possibilities?" He asked.

"I have, the only problem is that most of them require you to be naked as well." She raised an eye brow.

"That does pose a problem because my clothes are not wet and I don't need to undress." He causally informed her.

She pulled him to her and started to unbutton his shirt all the while giving him a passionate smile.

"I will just have to see if I can change your mind." His wife teased. She abandoned her task of unbuttoning his shirt and reached a little lower. Below the belt to be exact. She unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants and reached into stroke the length of him. Never once did her eyes leave his eyes. He gasped in surprise.

"Do you need farther convincing?" She asked cheekily. Her hand was still down his pants and she was still stroking him, but it was clear that the discussion was closed. In one swift move he picked her up and placed her on a bench. Not long after that his belt, pants and underwear were on the floor. His shirt followed. He straddled her, but didn't enter her, instead he inserted two fingers into her core and stroked in the same teasing way that she had she done to him. He kissed her possessively in order to quiet any protest. Not that she would have protested. The intense pleasure she was experiencing was nothing to complain about. Only she wanted more, she wanted all of him. She actually ached for him. It surprised her how much she needed him physically, but it went so much deeper than need to be physically satisfied. Her love and respect for him ran so deep and it was that love that intensified their physical encounters. When he felt her heart rate spike and felt her start to fasten around his fingers only then did he pull them out and enter her in one smooth thrust, he placed a hand on each of her hips and swallowed her moans in another intense kiss. He had primed her well and they came together quickly in an explosion of hot, intense pleasure. He held her against him and whispered that he loved her into her hair. She felt loved, intensely loved and safe. It was that feeling of being loved and feeling secure that had been so elusive during the curse. Now that she had it back, she never wanted to loose it again.

They ended up on the floor of the stables, lying on a bed of blankets with another blanket draped across them. He had his head resting on her stomach. Once again, he could feel the pulse of pure love radiating out from their unborn child.

"Would you think I was crazy if I told you that I could feel the love, our love coming from this child?" He asked.

"You are not crazy at all. I have felt that love as well. This child is powerful, maybe even more powerful than Emma. This child is not only a product of our true love, he or she was conceived despite the fact that we were under a curse designed to keep us apart."

He nodded his head in agreement. Before they could discus it farther Emma barged back into the stable and got an eyeful of her semi naked parents.

"Oh my God! What are you doing?" She exclaimed in pure shock.

"Emma, we thought we had more time before you came back." Snow informed her.

"I tried to call, but your phone went directly to voice mail." She shot an accusing glare at her father.

"I turned it off." He informed her with a guilty look on his face.

"It started raining, so I figured that I would come back for you. I figured you might be wet and cold, but I fully expected you to have on clothes! What if Henry had been with me?" She asked angrily.

Her parents started to answer, but Emma cut them off with a warning glance.

"I'm going to go wait in the car while you get dressed!" She exclaimed.

As soon as she was gone, Charming started to gather up his clothes.

"She is right," Snow commented, "We have to think of Henry. Until the renovations are finished on the cabin, I think we should be more careful."

He nodded in agreement, "We have to think of Henry, but I think we need to consider Emma's feelings as well." He stated.

"Besides, pretty soon I am going to be so pregnant that you probably won't find me all that attractive." She shrugged.

He turned around and gave her a serious look.

"Are you afraid to be together because you think it might be dangerous for the baby" He asked with concern in his voice.

"No, of course not, I have heard that some men find pregnant women unattractive." She looked at him carefully in order to gauge his reaction. She was biting her bottom lip. He found that action to be incredibly alluring.

He sat down on the bench and put his face in his hands. He took a deep breath.

I certainly hope that other men don't find you attractive when you are pregnant, otherwise I will have to run them through with my sword." He gave her a bold smile. "As for me, I can not imagine ever not finding you sexy and desirable. I will try and control myself out of respect for Henry and Emma, but no one has said it is going to be easy."

"You can think of it as incentive to finish the cabin renovations quickly!" She stated firmly.

"Talk like that could turn me into a slave driver." He smirked, "Now you had better get dressed before Emma leaves us here."

"Ten Minutes!" Emma yelled back.

Her husband helped Snow to dress, and kissed her passionately.

"What was that for?" She asked.

"Just to prove that I love you just as much when you are fully dressed."

They walked out to the car and their very impatient daughter.

"Your mother is ridding in the front seat for the rest of her pregnancy." Charming informed their daughter.

"Get in the car!" Emma told him flippantly.

He grinned, "Can I drive?" He asked.

"No!" She replied sharply.

"Can I play the radio?" He asked, teasing.

"No!" Emma replied.

"Can we stop for a snack?" Snow asked in all seriousness.

"No, Ruby is watching Henry and we need to get home." She informed her mother.

She rolled her eyes as she drove home.