More than genes in common

mariebm asked for a oneshot Emma and Charming bonding over Charming telling her about his parents.

Emma sighed as she sat with Henry's book open in front of her and a blank piece of A3 paper to the side of her desk. Henry had a family history project at school and he was meant to ask his parents for the information interview style. Emma wanted to be able to give him the answers herself so decided to do a little research.

"Is someone quizzing you on that thing?" Charming joked, looking up from his pile of paperwork.

"Well in a way yeah." Emma sighed. "Emma has a family history project and he's meant to interview me for answers. Thought it might be helpful if I knew some of my family history." Charming felt a pang of sadness hit him that Emma had to look through a storybook for her own family history. It was yet another reminder of how much she had missed.

"Well, how about I help you out and tell you some of the answers." Charming offered. Emma smiled, feeling relieved to be able to cut some corners.

"That would be great." She said gratefully. Charming tried not to look too pleased at the chance to share his family information with Emma. It was something they should have been able to do a long time ago.

"Well, your charming, good looking father was raised a shepherd." He began. Emma rolled her eyes, he was such a dad. "I did have a twin but as you may know my parents made a deal with Rumplestiltskin. My brother, James, was given to King George in order to save our farm."

"Yeah, I kind of knew that but I've never really thought about it before." Emma told him as she scribbled down notes for Henry. "That can't have been easy for your parents, giving up a son."

"Yeah." Charming said sadly. "I didn't really understand the sadness in my dad's eyes until I knew about James. My mother, Ruth, coped with it far better than he ever did. He drank away his guilt. And eventually it killed him."

"Oh." Emma said sadly. "I'm sorry." Charming gave a half shrug.

"He just couldn't handle losing my brother. Even when I found out about James I still held some resentment towards him. I thought it wasn't fair on me that I never got my father because he lost James…but then when I had to put you through that wardrobe I understood." Emma looked up from the paper and looked into her father's eyes. For the first time she noticed it. So small it was hard to notice but it was there, just a dim glimmer of sadness. "It changes you, losing your child. You can't just replace them with another one."

"You know I don't blame you, right?" Emma asked. "And I don't think you tried to replace me with Neal. I may have thought that in Neverland when mom announced her secret. But not anymore. You're not like your dad. You coped, you still are coping. I know what it's like to lose a child too. I missed ten years of Henry's life. And I'll never get those back. I'll also never be his one and only mother. He has Regina, and I have to share Henry with her. I know it's hard. I know it's not nice to feel resentment towards your parents only to realise it was misplaced." Emma said the last sentence whilst looking at the floor. Charming came over to Emma and moved her chin so they were looking at each other.

"You have every right to have some resentment towards us." Charming assured her. "We still have resentment towards ourselves. Emma, we would take it all back if we could…" Charming was cut off by Emma suddenly flinging her arms around his neck. "Hey," Charming said gently, hugging her back. "What's this for?"

"Just cause." Emma mumbled into his shoulder. Charming smiled, just enjoying the hug. They were certainly a lot further forward than he and his father ever were. Maybe his dad had taught him one lesson. Never let your guilt get in the way of your relationship with your children. It's just not worth giving in to. Not when he could go home tonight and kiss his son goodnight. Not when he had his daughter snugly in his arms. Right where she always belonged.