Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time

AN: As always, this is dedicated to my wonderful beta, GranddaughterOfCaskettAndTivia! ~ XOXO MAS

A bit of Captain Charming around chapter 26

"You should go bond with him. Get to know him a bit." Snow encouraged her husband.

David looked down at his wife and glared, "I already told him I approve of the marriage, what more do you want from me?"

The queen snorted, "Please, Charming, we all know that you don't like it. At least not yet. I'm just encouraging you to give him a chance. Trust me. He's worth it. Now, go bond."

"Over what exactly?" David asked petulantly, "We have nothing in common."

"That's not entirely true." Snow tutted lightly. At his incredulously look she tipped his head to the right. Emma and Killian were seated next to each other, heads bent together clearly coming up with some sort of plan. Their daughter was talking animatedly, her hands gesturing wildly as if she were trying to explain something elaborate. Killian was just quietly watching her, a small smile on his lips as his hand ran absently up and down her thigh. "You have Emma in common." She murmured. "You both love Emma so much. That's what you have in common."

Letting out a sigh of exasperation, David nodded, "That is true. It something all of us here have in common." Pulling his wife in for a hug, David murmured, "We did quite well with her." He wasn't sure he'd ever get over Regina's threat when they were just married and Snow was carrying their child. They'd almost lost her. They'd almost put her in that wardrobe and. . . he tried not to think about it. Their life had been a fairytale up to this point. They would get that fairytale back again, only this time it would include the pirate seated next to their daughter, who was listening to her with a bemused expression on his face.

Snow pressed her body into his, "Yes, David, we really did. She's fierce and strong and can hold her own." She glanced up at her husband, "You know she beat him in a sword fight." She told her husband, "It sounds like a moment you would've been proud of."

David beamed across the small camp site at his daughter, "She beat the pirate?" He asked, "Now I know I did something right." He grinned, "Fine, I'll bond with him. Perhaps he'll give me a chance to best him in a duel." David mused as he pressed a kiss to Snow's forehead before striding over to where Emma and Killian sat.

"Father," Emma smiled up at him, "I was trying to explain a plan to Killian to catch the Dark One and"

"And you're not going through with it." Killian interrupted. David's eyebrows rose. Apparently while he'd been distracted thinking about taking the swaggering pirate down a notch the amused look on his face had shifted to one of clear disapproval, "It puts you in far too much danger." He protested, "We'll find another way."

Emma scowled, "Fine, then perhaps the two of you can come up with something." Petulantly, she stood up and left them.

David shook his head and sighed, taking Emma's recently vacated seat, "She's stubborn like her mother." He grumbled.

"Aye, most stubborn lass I've ever met." Killian agreed. "She wanted to meet with the Dark One alone. I can't allow that. He's too dangerous and if I lose her" his voice trailed off as he thought about baby growing in her belly. The king was going to kill him when he found out that he'd destroyed his daughter's virtue. Over and over and over again.

"I know," David glanced over at Snow, "I know the feeling well." He sighed in resignation, picking up a twig and snapping it, "You love her."

Raising his hand, Killian scratched the back of his ear nervously, "Aye, mate, more than I can explain. She wormed her way into my heart rather quickly. I didn't even see it coming."

"Snow tried to rob me, no she did rob me." He corrected, "And she hit me with a rock." He pointed to the scar on his chin. "And yet I just wanted to be with her. I couldn't explain it."

"I suppose that is something we have in common." Killian mused. He hadn't thought he'd have anything in common with the king, but it appeared there was more than met the eye. David chuckled and Killian arched a brow at him, "What is it, mate?"

"Snow tells me that Emma beat you in a sword fight." David needled.

Killian let out a huff of indignation. "She bloody fooled me, that one did." He pointed across the camp site to the blonde princess who was speaking quietly with Lancelot.

David chuckled, "Well, she is the daughter of Prince Charming," he gloated, "as if I could allow her to be anything, but the second best swordsmen in all the realms."

"Second best?" Killian asked with an arched brow. "You think quite highly of yourself, your majesty."

"Is it really thinking highly of oneself when it's true?" David teased him.

"Well," Killian stood up, bowing, "your majesty, I would be honored to fight you for that title." His hand fell to the hilt of his sword, "Unless you think you can't handle it." He popped the 't' at the end of the challenge, his dark brow raised tauntingly.

David pushed himself up, drawing his own sword, "You have no idea what you've asked for, Captain."

Emma's eyes were wide from her spot across the camp, "They are just joking, right?" She whispered to Lancelot.

"I think so. If not, I'll step in." The knight promised her.

Killian drew his sword, raising it in a challenge, "I think I do know, your majesty, otherwise I wouldn't have asked." He took his practiced stance, "Though I'm not sure it is a fair fight, you are a bit older than myself and you've been sitting in your palace for quite some time." He taunted.

David scowled, "I'll have you know that palace life has not made me soft and I have defeated many enemies long before you were even born." Killian raised a brow at that, and David realized he'd fallen into the pirate's trap regarding his age. "Age may have given me experience, but I have retained my youthful glow." David grinned as Killian openly scoffed.

Snow let out a low whistle from the sidelines, "You really have darling." She leered. David puffed out his chest at his wife's clear approval.

"Don't let him throw you off, Killian. You can beat him!" Emma cheered.

David glanced over his shoulder, "I'm wounded my own daughter hasn't taken my side." He feigned hurt.

"Enough cajoling. Fight!" Red cheered.

The men raised their swords, both waiting to see who would make the first move. Emma wasn't surprised when it was her father. He wasn't one to wait on someone to attack him. He went after what he wanted fiercely, much like Emma did. Killian, on the other hand, was far more patient. He would look for a back door in, he'd find a weak spot. She wondered, as she watched him block a blow from David only to nearly throw the king off balance with his own sword, if he'd always been that calculating or if it was something he'd picked up with piracy.

The two moved quickly around the camp site, their swords clashing loudly as the group cheered them on. It was the perfect way to destress, to clear their minds before coming up with an alternate plan of attack. They weren't worry about keeping a low profile. Everyone knew that Regina was aware of the coordinates.

After ten consecutive minutes of sword play, neither man held the advantage, though it was clear that David's age was taking a bit of a toll. Even though he was in perfect shape, he was still twice Killian's age and his breathing was far more labored, while Killian seemed to be able to continue forever. In Killian's defense, he'd largely underestimated her abilities and she may have used the fact that she was a woman against him. She was fairly certain if they actually sparred she'd lose.

After a couple of more minutes of fighting, David pressed his sword into the dirt, "I concede." He nodded his head demurely, "It does seem that my age has gotten the best of me." He grumbled, the laughter from the spectators behind him drawing a small grin out of him. Sheathing his sword, he held out his hand, "You are quite the swordsman, I have a hard time believing my daughter bested you."

Killian shook the king's hand, "Aye, well, she's quite a fierce young woman. I vastly underestimated her abilities."

David glanced over at his daughter who was still seated next to Lancelot and he beamed. "I do believe Snow and I did a fine job with her."

"I wouldn't change a hair on her head." Killian told him honestly.

Clapping the pirate on the back, David winked, "Welcome to the family, Killian. I think you'll find the women are formidable and stubborn. Good luck." Killian just chuckled, opening his arms as Emma rose and flitted to his side, pressing herself into his embrace and whispering her congratulations into his skin.

OUAT

XOXO

MAS