Guilt

LyssLovesShules33 asked for a oneshot of Charming and Emma in the EF sparring. Emma gets hurt and Charming withdraws blaming himself. It takes Snow and Emma (who is ditching the hospital wing) to prove otherwise. Sorry for the wait!

Charming paced up and down his office. How could he be so careless? Emma had begged him for a swordfight, and of course he agreed. He loved spending time with her. But halfway through their fight Emma had tripped up over a rock. She fell awkwardly and hurt her shoulder. Doc soon determined that she'd broken her collarbone. Charming had barely been able to go see her whilst she was in the Hospital Wing. He just felt so guilty. He should have been able to catch her. But because he wasn't paying attention his little girl was hurting. A knock at the door roused Charming. Snow came in, smiling gently.

"She's asking for you, you know. You've not seen her since yesterday morning."

"I'll go up soon. I've just been busy." Charming responded. Snow looked at his almost bare desk. She knew the truth, she knew her husband well.

"It wasn't your fault. Don't beat yourself up Charming. Besides, she's fine." Snow said, coming over and squeezing his shoulder. Charming sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"It was my fault though Snow. I should have caught her. And she's not fine, she's broken her collarbone." He said. "I can't look at her, I feel guilty enough without seeing her arm up in a sling. Wincing whenever she moves." Snow sat down beside him.

"No, you're right, she's not totally fine. But her arm will heal. What won't heal is her feeling that her dad's mad at her for being careless." Snow said gently. Charming looked up at his wife.

"She said that?" He asked, feeling even worse. Snow nodded. Charming rubbed his neck, he still wasn't sure he could face Emma. "I'll go and clear the air once I've finished here." He said. Snow frowned slightly as she got up and left. She knew Charming was still stalling from guilt. But there was no point in trying to push him, he would go when he was ready. Fortunately the potion Doc had put Emma on knocked her right out so she was sleeping a lot just now.

Charming was still in his office hours later. His work for the day was long finished. He knew he should go see Emma and make sure she knew he wasn't mad, but the idea of seeing her lying there…it made Charming feel sick.

"Daddy?" Charming looked up. His eyes widened when he saw Emma swaying slightly in the doorway.

"Emma! What are you doing here? You should be in the Hospital Wing!" Charming said, carefully helping Emma into his office and onto a chair.

"I had to see you." She said drowsily. "Not seen you since yesterday morning." Charming sighed, crouching down beside Emma.

"That doesn't mean you should be sneaking out of the Hospital Wing. I was coming up to see you really soon." Emma looked down.

"Mom said you said that hours ago." Charming felt his heartbreak. Why had he been so silly? He was hurting Emma more than her shoulder just now. "Are you mad at me for being so clumsy?"

"Oh sweetie no." Charming assured her, gently tucking a stray hair behind her ear. "I'm angry at myself, not you. I should have caught you. It's my fault you're hurt…" Charming kept his tears back, refusing to cry in front of Emma.

"It was nobody's fault. It was an accident, daddy. You couldn't have caught me. I was too far away. Please don't avoid me. I don't like it when you don't come visit." Charming gathered Emma in his arms.

"Then I promise to be up extra times tomorrow to make up for it, ok?"

"Ok." Emma mumbled into his shoulder. Charming- careful of her shoulder- picked Emma up.

"Now, let's get you back to the Hospital Wing before Doc or your mother find out." Emma giggled, a sound that always made Charming's heart flutter.