Chapter 19
Emma Swan
A chill hit the air as November came to an end but still no August. There was no trace of him once he left home and his adoptive family seemed extremely hesitant to give me any information. I told them that if they heard from him to say that I was in Storybrooke, Maine but I doubted that would ever reach his ears. I admitted defeat and slowly drove back to Maine. To Henry. I knew exactly where I would find him and for someone who hadn't had a home in so long, that was oddly comforting. I drove down Main Street and saw David running like a mad man. I rolled down my window and drove beside him.
"David? What's going on?" he looked at me and without saying a word ran to the bug and hopped into my car.
"Gold's shop, now. His son showed up and there is a huge fight going on. We've got to lock them up for a bit until they cool off."
"Hold up, Gold has a son?" I asked, my brow furrowing. Imagining Gold with any woman was a bit disturbing.
"Yeah, he's ran off when he was Henry's age and Gold's been looking for him ever since. He's back but we aren't sure why seeing as he wants nothing to do with Gold, he's looking for someone else. He won't talk to his father and so they're fighting like mad." We pulled into the parking lot and jumped out of the car. I touched my gun, hidden by the red leather of my jacket reassuring myself that it was indeed there. Killian pulled up with Graham and they both flashed me their dazzlingly white smiles. I grinned back and the four of us ran into Gold's store. Things were a wreck. Glass was smashed and my boots crunched the remnants of God only knows how many antiques that had been thrown about only to meet their doom. I heard raised voices in the back room and we walked back carefully. Gold looked up and his son turned around to face us. My heart stopped.
"Emma," He breathed with a smile. The three men standing slightly behind me all stopped with a start and looked at him curiously.
"Neal?" I asked. Gold's son. Gold's son was Henry's father. Henry's father was here. He either knew or was about to find out about Henry. I was so screwed. Not to mention the fact that eventually he would walk out on us again and break Henry's heart the way he had broken mine. I could feel a sort of panic rushing through me and my breaths were coming out of me raggedly and out of my control.
"Emma, my God you look incredible," he began taking a step towards me. I put my hand out as if to stop him and he looked at me apprehensively.
"Don't." it was pathetic. But it was the only thing I could force out of my mouth.
"Emma, please, let me explain.' He started again, that begging look in his eyes.
"No. No, stay away from me."
"Emma, I didn't want to hurt you, I just,"
"Don't. Please, just don't."
"You two know each other?" Gold asked, reminding me that we weren't alone in the room. Neal turned to answer my father. I needed to get out of there. I needed to run. Henry would be safe with Regina. Whatever he thought of her, she wouldn't let Neal take him or harm him. I needed to go. So I did. I turned on my heal and rushed past David, Graham and Killian. They stared at the tears streaming down my cheeks and each looked concerned in their own way. Killian called my name as I stumbled through the main exit and I heard Neal's voice calling out after me soon after. My feet hit the pavement as I ran down the street.
"Emma!" Neal wasn't far behind me and he soon caught up throwing his arms around me.
"Neal, let me go, you've done it before it can't be that hard." I practically hissed at him.
"Em, please, there is more going on here than you realize, I was trying to do what was best for you. I was a coward but please, give me a second chance." I struggled to get free and he slowly stepped back watching me try to make a choice.
"Neal, I can't, you left me." I stumbled over my words. He was about to find out. I should tell him. It was the right thing to do. I didn't want to, but he needed to know before he figured it out or someone else said something. I had told Henry the truth, about who his father was and what he had done to me and the minute Henry found out a Neal Cassidy was in town he wasn't just going to sit still and let it be like he should, he was more curious than that. I turned to glance at the men behind me. Killian, Graham, David and Gold were all there, having raced after us and were watching with utter confusion on their faces. I would explain it all later, but I needed to talk to Neal. I looked into his eyes and began, my voice trembling. "Neal there's something I need to tell you,"
"Mom?" Henry's voice piped up from behind me.
"Good Lord Miss Swan, you seem to have men chasing you all across the city." Regina's voice cut in almost bitterly. "I don't think this is the best example you could be showing my son." I turned to face her and her face seemed almost to soften when she saw the tears streaming down my face and realized what a tense moment she had just interrupted, but then the mayor was back and her expression hardened once more.
"Mom, what's going on?" Henry ran to my side and wrapped his tiny little arms around my waist as I knelt down and brushed some hair out of his eyes.
"Who's this?" Neal asked. I turned nervously.
"My son."
"What?"
"Henry you need to go with Regina now, okay? We will meet up later at Granny's like we planned." The kid nodded.
"Can Killian come?" I glanced back at Killian who nodded without taking his eyes off Neal.
"Sure, kid, I will be there." He said. When he spoke I noticed that Neal's eyes shot up towards him and the two men stared at each other intensely. Okay so they clearly knew each other. I would deal with them later.
"Okay, you should go now." I looked at Regina significantly and she narrowed her eyes but took Henry's hand and began leading him away forcefully.
"Wait, kid, how old are you?" Neal called out angrily.
"Don't answer him." Regina and I said simultaneously.
"How old are you?" Neal yelled.
"I'm eleven!" Henry called back. "Why are you all yelling? Mom, why are you crying?" I looked at Neal warily. His brow was furrowed and his eyes bore into mine. His hands were covering his mouth and knowing how much he hated how absent his father had been I realized what he must be feeling now. He had grown up without a father and would never wish that on another child as long as he lived and here I had done so simply by keeping the truth from him. Not that I felt bad. Because I didn't. Not after what he had done to me. And Henry was fine. Completely and entirely fine.
"Is this my son?" he asked.
"Wait, Neal Cassidy is Rum- I mean Gold's son?" Henry asked excitedly. "That's awesome!"
"You know my name?" Neal asked.
"Emma, we have a son?" he asked. "How could you not tell me?" I could practically feel the tension behind me as David, Graham, Killian and Gold realized just how Neal and I knew each other. That anger in Neal's eyes kept mine riveted on his face. He was angry? How could he be angry? He didn't deserve to be angry! After what he had done to me he didn't get to be angry. And all that, made me, no not angry, furious. I was fuming. And it was about to show. I could feel the emotions I was feeling flashing across my face as I began to rebuke his questions.
"How could I not tell you? How could you leave us to rot in jail after telling me you loved me? You would have broken his heart and I wasn't about to let you near him."
"Who is she?" He gestured to Regina.
"His adoptive mom."
"You put him in the system, Em?"
"Don't call me that. And don't you dare pretend to know what my circumstances were. I didn't have the money, I gave birth in a jail cell, and I didn't know how to be a mother. But I also wanted to forget you and even though that led me to the worst decision of my life, giving up my son, I still understand why I did it and it made sense at the time."
"Forget me, huh? Then why did you keep my bug?"
"Your bug? Really? Just because you stole it first, doesn't make it yours. In fact since I stole the stolen car from you I'm pretty sure that the bug is mine." I spat back.
"Em," I shook my head.
"I'm sorry Neal, I can't do this." I turned and I ran all the way to Mary Margaret's apartment not stopping for any of the voices that called my name.
A chill hit the air as November came to an end but still no August. There was no trace of him once he left home and his adoptive family seemed extremely hesitant to give me any information. I told them that if they heard from him to say that I was in Storybrooke, Maine but I doubted that would ever reach his ears. I admitted defeat and slowly drove back to Maine. To Henry. I knew exactly where I would find him and for someone who hadn't had a home in so long, that was oddly comforting. I drove down Main Street and saw David running like a mad man. I rolled down my window and drove beside him.
"David? What's going on?" he looked at me and without saying a word ran to the bug and hopped into my car.
"Gold's shop, now. His son showed up and there is a huge fight going on. We've got to lock them up for a bit until they cool off."
"Hold up, Gold has a son?" I asked, my brow furrowing. Imagining Gold with any woman was a bit disturbing.
"Yeah, he's ran off when he was Henry's age and Gold's been looking for him ever since. He's back but we aren't sure why seeing as he wants nothing to do with Gold, he's looking for someone else. He won't talk to his father and so they're fighting like mad." We pulled into the parking lot and jumped out of the car. I touched my gun, hidden by the red leather of my jacket reassuring myself that it was indeed there. Killian pulled up with Graham and they both flashed me their dazzlingly white smiles. I grinned back and the four of us ran into Gold's store. Things were a wreck. Glass was smashed and my boots crunched the remnants of God only knows how many antiques that had been thrown about only to meet their doom. I heard raised voices in the back room and we walked back carefully. Gold looked up and his son turned around to face us. My heart stopped.
"Emma," He breathed with a smile. The three men standing slightly behind me all stopped with a start and looked at him curiously.
"Neal?" I asked. Gold's son. Gold's son was Henry's father. Henry's father was here. He either knew or was about to find out about Henry. I was so screwed. Not to mention the fact that eventually he would walk out on us again and break Henry's heart the way he had broken mine. I could feel a sort of panic rushing through me and my breaths were coming out of me raggedly and out of my control.
"Emma, my God you look incredible," he began taking a step towards me. I put my hand out as if to stop him and he looked at me apprehensively.
"Don't." it was pathetic. But it was the only thing I could force out of my mouth.
"Emma, please, let me explain.' He started again, that begging look in his eyes.
"No. No, stay away from me."
"Emma, I didn't want to hurt you, I just,"
"Don't. Please, just don't."
"You two know each other?" Gold asked, reminding me that we weren't alone in the room. Neal turned to answer my father. I needed to get out of there. I needed to run. Henry would be safe with Regina. Whatever he thought of her, she wouldn't let Neal take him or harm him. I needed to go. So I did. I turned on my heal and rushed past David, Graham and Killian. They stared at the tears streaming down my cheeks and each looked concerned in their own way. Killian called my name as I stumbled through the main exit and I heard Neal's voice calling out after me soon after. My feet hit the pavement as I ran down the street.
"Emma!" Neal wasn't far behind me and he soon caught up throwing his arms around me.
"Neal, let me go, you've done it before it can't be that hard." I practically hissed at him.
"Em, please, there is more going on here than you realize, I was trying to do what was best for you. I was a coward but please, give me a second chance." I struggled to get free and he slowly stepped back watching me try to make a choice.
"Neal, I can't, you left me." I stumbled over my words. He was about to find out. I should tell him. It was the right thing to do. I didn't want to, but he needed to know before he figured it out or someone else said something. I had told Henry the truth, about who his father was and what he had done to me and the minute Henry found out a Neal Cassidy was in town he wasn't just going to sit still and let it be like he should, he was more curious than that. I turned to glance at the men behind me. Killian, Graham, David and Gold were all there, having raced after us and were watching with utter confusion on their faces. I would explain it all later, but I needed to talk to Neal. I looked into his eyes and began, my voice trembling. "Neal there's something I need to tell you,"
"Mom?" Henry's voice piped up from behind me.
"Good Lord Miss Swan, you seem to have men chasing you all across the city." Regina's voice cut in almost bitterly. "I don't think this is the best example you could be showing my son." I turned to face her and her face seemed almost to soften when she saw the tears streaming down my face and realized what a tense moment she had just interrupted, but then the mayor was back and her expression hardened once more.
"Mom, what's going on?" Henry ran to my side and wrapped his tiny little arms around my waist as I knelt down and brushed some hair out of his eyes.
"Who's this?" Neal asked. I turned nervously.
"My son."
"What?"
"Henry you need to go with Regina now, okay? We will meet up later at Granny's like we planned." The kid nodded.
"Can Killian come?" I glanced back at Killian who nodded without taking his eyes off Neal.
"Sure, kid, I will be there." He said. When he spoke I noticed that Neal's eyes shot up towards him and the two men stared at each other intensely. Okay so they clearly knew each other. I would deal with them later.
"Okay, you should go now." I looked at Regina significantly and she narrowed her eyes but took Henry's hand and began leading him away forcefully.
"Wait, kid, how old are you?" Neal called out angrily.
"Don't answer him." Regina and I said simultaneously.
"How old are you?" Neal yelled.
"I'm eleven!" Henry called back. "Why are you all yelling? Mom, why are you crying?" I looked at Neal warily. His brow was furrowed and his eyes bore into mine. His hands were covering his mouth and knowing how much he hated how absent his father had been I realized what he must be feeling now. He had grown up without a father and would never wish that on another child as long as he lived and here I had done so simply by keeping the truth from him. Not that I felt bad. Because I didn't. Not after what he had done to me. And Henry was fine. Completely and entirely fine.
"Is this my son?" he asked.
"Wait, Neal Cassidy is Rum- I mean Gold's son?" Henry asked excitedly. "That's awesome!"
"You know my name?" Neal asked.
"Emma, we have a son?" he asked. "How could you not tell me?" I could practically feel the tension behind me as David, Graham, Killian and Gold realized just how Neal and I knew each other. That anger in Neal's eyes kept mine riveted on his face. He was angry? How could he be angry? He didn't deserve to be angry! After what he had done to me he didn't get to be angry. And all that, made me, no not angry, furious. I was fuming. And it was about to show. I could feel the emotions I was feeling flashing across my face as I began to rebuke his questions.
"How could I not tell you? How could you leave us to rot in jail after telling me you loved me? You would have broken his heart and I wasn't about to let you near him."
"Who is she?" He gestured to Regina.
"His adoptive mom."
"You put him in the system, Em?"
"Don't call me that. And don't you dare pretend to know what my circumstances were. I didn't have the money, I gave birth in a jail cell, and I didn't know how to be a mother. But I also wanted to forget you and even though that led me to the worst decision of my life, giving up my son, I still understand why I did it and it made sense at the time."
"Forget me, huh? Then why did you keep my bug?"
"Your bug? Really? Just because you stole it first, doesn't make it yours. In fact since I stole the stolen car from you I'm pretty sure that the bug is mine." I spat back.
"Em," I shook my head.
"I'm sorry Neal, I can't do this." I turned and I ran all the way to Mary Margaret's apartment not stopping for any of the voices that called my name.
Chapter 20
Killian Jones
Baelfire. He was here. Looking more and more like Milah every day. And he knew Emma. Like, knew, knew Emma. He was Henry's father. And he remembered every damn thing about his past life. Regina practically dragged Henry away but not before I promised that we'd still meet for dinner tonight. Baelfire, or Neal as Emma called him, tried to go after her but Graham convinced him that she might need a bit of space and David promised that she was just headed for her apartment, that they would all see each other again and that his girlfriend Mary Margaret would take care of her. I stepped next to him and muttered under my breath.
"And by Mary Margaret he means Snow White." Gold's eyes flung open. Oh shit. I had forgotten that he didn't know we knew. Baelfire looked at David suddenly.
"So that makes you Emma's father." His voice sounded weak and he held out his hand. "It's very nice to meet you, sir." Graham stepped up and began pulling him away.
"If you're after Emma, get in line. Come on, we need to talk. This changes things." He turned to the crocodile. "If you want to help break the curse by all means, come with us, but if not, don't go to Regina. I can make it worth your while."
"And how do you plan on doing that dearie?" The crocodile hissed. "The only reason I made this curse was so that I could be in the same world as my son, he's here and so I have no need to break it and run out into the rest of this realm looking for him."
"Maybe not," Graham added, unfazed. "But I can tell you that the queen was lying when she told you Belle was dead. I don't know where she is but the sooner we break this curse the sooner your True Love comes searching for you." He and David began walking off as Rumpelstiltskin blanched. Without saying a word he turned and followed them.
"Wait, he said to get in line. Do he and Emma have a thing?" he asked.
"Well, he kissed Emma and got his memories back and then we went on a scavenger hunt to get his heart back from Regina but Emma was all pissed because while Regina had his heart she was forcing him to sleep with her and Graham had the good sense to be ashamed about it so he didn't tell her and so they don't actually have a," I paused and repeated his odd words, "thing." He kind of nodded so I continued. "But he's going to continue fighting for her so I believe his 'get in line' was to warn you that she seems to like him better than you at the moment because not telling her that he had a friends with benefits relationship with her son's adoptive mother seems to be not as bad as lying to her, leaving her, and getting her pregnant before landing her in jail." I patted his back and began to follow in the direction the other men had gone. After I got a few steps I turned around and taking a deep breath, admitted to him what I had yet to admit to myself. "Oh, and I think I'm in love with her, so you know, lines. They get long when you wait around after throwing someone in jail."
"Wait a minute, did you just say you were in love with her?" He asked angrily as he caught up to me. "That's ridiculous! Did she kiss you and give you your memory back too? What exactly is going on here? You think it's just okay to take other people's women? First you took my mother from my father and now you want to take Emma from me. What's next? Will you wait a few hundred more years and steal my son's wife?"
"In case you've forgotten, you and Emma weren't married. Also you aren't together now, I am pretty sure that means she is fair game. And unlike you I would never dare to say that I possessed a woman. Women are not possessions Baelfire. Perhaps if you knew that you wouldn't have lost her."
Baelfire. He was here. Looking more and more like Milah every day. And he knew Emma. Like, knew, knew Emma. He was Henry's father. And he remembered every damn thing about his past life. Regina practically dragged Henry away but not before I promised that we'd still meet for dinner tonight. Baelfire, or Neal as Emma called him, tried to go after her but Graham convinced him that she might need a bit of space and David promised that she was just headed for her apartment, that they would all see each other again and that his girlfriend Mary Margaret would take care of her. I stepped next to him and muttered under my breath.
"And by Mary Margaret he means Snow White." Gold's eyes flung open. Oh shit. I had forgotten that he didn't know we knew. Baelfire looked at David suddenly.
"So that makes you Emma's father." His voice sounded weak and he held out his hand. "It's very nice to meet you, sir." Graham stepped up and began pulling him away.
"If you're after Emma, get in line. Come on, we need to talk. This changes things." He turned to the crocodile. "If you want to help break the curse by all means, come with us, but if not, don't go to Regina. I can make it worth your while."
"And how do you plan on doing that dearie?" The crocodile hissed. "The only reason I made this curse was so that I could be in the same world as my son, he's here and so I have no need to break it and run out into the rest of this realm looking for him."
"Maybe not," Graham added, unfazed. "But I can tell you that the queen was lying when she told you Belle was dead. I don't know where she is but the sooner we break this curse the sooner your True Love comes searching for you." He and David began walking off as Rumpelstiltskin blanched. Without saying a word he turned and followed them.
"Wait, he said to get in line. Do he and Emma have a thing?" he asked.
"Well, he kissed Emma and got his memories back and then we went on a scavenger hunt to get his heart back from Regina but Emma was all pissed because while Regina had his heart she was forcing him to sleep with her and Graham had the good sense to be ashamed about it so he didn't tell her and so they don't actually have a," I paused and repeated his odd words, "thing." He kind of nodded so I continued. "But he's going to continue fighting for her so I believe his 'get in line' was to warn you that she seems to like him better than you at the moment because not telling her that he had a friends with benefits relationship with her son's adoptive mother seems to be not as bad as lying to her, leaving her, and getting her pregnant before landing her in jail." I patted his back and began to follow in the direction the other men had gone. After I got a few steps I turned around and taking a deep breath, admitted to him what I had yet to admit to myself. "Oh, and I think I'm in love with her, so you know, lines. They get long when you wait around after throwing someone in jail."
"Wait a minute, did you just say you were in love with her?" He asked angrily as he caught up to me. "That's ridiculous! Did she kiss you and give you your memory back too? What exactly is going on here? You think it's just okay to take other people's women? First you took my mother from my father and now you want to take Emma from me. What's next? Will you wait a few hundred more years and steal my son's wife?"
"In case you've forgotten, you and Emma weren't married. Also you aren't together now, I am pretty sure that means she is fair game. And unlike you I would never dare to say that I possessed a woman. Women are not possessions Baelfire. Perhaps if you knew that you wouldn't have lost her."
Chapter 21
Emma Swan
The moment Mary Margaret heard the whole story she insisted we return to the square telling me I had to stop running from my problems and face them head on instead. I pulled my heavy coat and scarf on for what felt like the millionth time that day to walk out into the crisp December air. When we returned to the square half the town was in attendance discussing the events that had just transpired. Mary Margaret pushed me towards Killian, Neal and Graham. They all looked up at me excitedly and I froze. I couldn't do this. Not yet. I had made my choice. But Killian didn't feel that way about me. I didn't know how to tell Graham that I couldn't trust him or tell Neal that I really did want him to be a part of Henry's life because I knew what it was like not to know your dad and a lying horrible dad was better than no dad at all.
Thankfully, before I could say any of this to any of them Regina pulled me to the side.
"I can honestly say that I am incredibly glad that you want to talk to me. Can we make this an all-day thing? Maybe just walk away from the square as a whole?"
"They all know, don't they?" Regina asked me quietly.
"What are you talking about?" I said, twisting my brow in confusion.
"The curse, right?" my eyes shot open. "Graham's heart is missing from my vault and I'm fairly sure he has it back, David has left his wife without the bat of an eye for Mary Margaret and Killian is clearly behind a lot of this. I've been certain he's known for a while. Rumpelstiltskin has always known and he's admitted to me lately that he knew and now Henry goes and nearly called Gold Rumpelstiltskin. You all know anyway, right?"
"I'm sorry," I nearly choked on my water. "Are you trying to tell me that Henry doesn't just have an overactive memory?"
"Seriously Miss Swan? They all know, but you still don't believe?" she snorted and turned on her heal. Regina paused and turned back. "Break the curse if you can, it'll make Henry happy. Just promise me one thing. Let me see my son. I love him and whatever he believes I want what's best for him."
"Mom?" Henry's voice piped up. We both jumped not realizing anyone could hear us. "Do you mean it? You'll give up the fight against Snow White and let us break the curse?" Regina knelt down next to him.
"Henry, I would give up anything for you, you know that right? I would do anything to make you happy. I love you." Regina leaned forward and kissed Henry on his forehead. A white light flashed and a surge of energy pushed me backwards. Regina and Henry had been pushed apart a bit and people all around the square were looking around as though they had just remembered something important. At that moment cries of delight starting springing up around the square and people began running around hugging each other at random. David and Mary Margaret were passionately kissing for the whole world to see and I was sorry to say that they weren't the only ones.
"Mom," Henry breathed to Regina. "Mom you broke the curse."
The moment Mary Margaret heard the whole story she insisted we return to the square telling me I had to stop running from my problems and face them head on instead. I pulled my heavy coat and scarf on for what felt like the millionth time that day to walk out into the crisp December air. When we returned to the square half the town was in attendance discussing the events that had just transpired. Mary Margaret pushed me towards Killian, Neal and Graham. They all looked up at me excitedly and I froze. I couldn't do this. Not yet. I had made my choice. But Killian didn't feel that way about me. I didn't know how to tell Graham that I couldn't trust him or tell Neal that I really did want him to be a part of Henry's life because I knew what it was like not to know your dad and a lying horrible dad was better than no dad at all.
Thankfully, before I could say any of this to any of them Regina pulled me to the side.
"I can honestly say that I am incredibly glad that you want to talk to me. Can we make this an all-day thing? Maybe just walk away from the square as a whole?"
"They all know, don't they?" Regina asked me quietly.
"What are you talking about?" I said, twisting my brow in confusion.
"The curse, right?" my eyes shot open. "Graham's heart is missing from my vault and I'm fairly sure he has it back, David has left his wife without the bat of an eye for Mary Margaret and Killian is clearly behind a lot of this. I've been certain he's known for a while. Rumpelstiltskin has always known and he's admitted to me lately that he knew and now Henry goes and nearly called Gold Rumpelstiltskin. You all know anyway, right?"
"I'm sorry," I nearly choked on my water. "Are you trying to tell me that Henry doesn't just have an overactive memory?"
"Seriously Miss Swan? They all know, but you still don't believe?" she snorted and turned on her heal. Regina paused and turned back. "Break the curse if you can, it'll make Henry happy. Just promise me one thing. Let me see my son. I love him and whatever he believes I want what's best for him."
"Mom?" Henry's voice piped up. We both jumped not realizing anyone could hear us. "Do you mean it? You'll give up the fight against Snow White and let us break the curse?" Regina knelt down next to him.
"Henry, I would give up anything for you, you know that right? I would do anything to make you happy. I love you." Regina leaned forward and kissed Henry on his forehead. A white light flashed and a surge of energy pushed me backwards. Regina and Henry had been pushed apart a bit and people all around the square were looking around as though they had just remembered something important. At that moment cries of delight starting springing up around the square and people began running around hugging each other at random. David and Mary Margaret were passionately kissing for the whole world to see and I was sorry to say that they weren't the only ones.
"Mom," Henry breathed to Regina. "Mom you broke the curse."
Chapter 22
Neal Cassidy
"So you're my dad." Henry said calmly as every adult in the vicinity practically held their breath. Myself included. I knew Emma would be here, breaking the curse. I knew that I would have to face my father but I didn't know that I would have to face my son. A son that I never knew I had.
"Yup. Looks like it." I added weakly. I could see Killian rolling his eyes in the background and I tensed. Of course he would be here. The idiot who stole my mother and ripped my family apart. And he was after her. Emma. My Emma. The girl who I had been in love with forever. The girl who finally made me forget about that other world, about my past, the girl who finally made thisworld feel like home. Of course after I found out who she was I realized that last feeling she gave me probably had more to do with the fact that she was from the Enchanted Forest too.
"What do you do for a living?" He asked. Regina, Henry's adopted mother narrowed her eyes curiously and my father didn't stop staring at me. Emma's eyes widened and she shook her head violently. Did she really think that I still made my living as a thief?
"I work at a restaurant as a chef."
"Really? That's so cool! What kind of restaurant?"
"An Italian place in New York." I hazarded a glance at Emma and was pleased to find her looking impressed. "I'm sorry I haven't been around."
"It's okay." He said perfectly composed. "You didn't know." The rest of the meal passed quickly as my son and I got to know each other. It was perfectly awkward with his adoptive mother, Emma, Killian, my father and Emma's parents watching. Things got kicked up to a new level of tense when the sheriff showed up. The guy who was in love with Emma. Or one of the guys, apparently. For a girl who claimed to never have known love she certainly had a large following of men ready to throw themselves at her at a moment's notice.
"Emma," The sheriff said quietly. Most of the table took no notice, continued to eat and converse. But Killian and I stiffened and looked up, listening intently. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Whatever you are going to say to her you can say in front of all of us, can't you?" I practically hissed at him. Killian made no sounds but I could tell he agreed by the way his veins were popping in his neck.
"Believe it or not Baelfire I didn't actually mean 'in private'. I am perfectly content having this conversation right here but I thought Emma might be more comfortable away from all of you when she hears what I have to say." I opened my mouth to speak but before I could Emma stood up and rolled her eyes as she walked a few feet away from the group. Killian's elbow nudged me sharply and I cringed automatically.
"What the hell was that, mate?" he hissed under his breath. "Are you trying to get her to pick him?"
"Look Emma, I would prefer I question him more thoroughly myself before you see him but I admitted you were here and I had to lock him up to keep him from running around the town and hunting you down. He might be calmer if you are there."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Henry asked startling everyone.
"Henry! Language!" The women around the table all shouted simultaneously.
"Sorry! But it sounds like Graham's about to take Emma to see a crazy person and I'd rather not lose one of my many parents." Before anyone could reply a voice cut in, piercing through the background noise and uttering a name.
"Emma."
Killian Jones
"Emma." We all looked up at the source of the voice. A scruffy looking, dark haired man in a leather jacket and jeans was standing in the doorway of Granny's, a pair of handcuffs hanging from one wrist, one cuff unlocked uselessly. Emma's face dropped, expressionless. Another one? Really? There was another one. And this unshaven, dark mysterious stranger in leather? That was my look. He can't have Emma and use my look to get her. Not okay. Emma finally exhaled, more air than I could imagine her holding in escaped her. My stomach plunged in anguish as a real honest to God smile graced her face. I was so torn. My Swan, my Emma. She was happy. She was smiling. She looked happier than I'd ever seen her. And she was looking at him. Nowhere near me. She was looking at him.
"August." She breathed out. And before I could stand Emma was sprinting across the diner into 'August's' arms. He picked her up and spun her around holding her close. His eyes were closed and a tear dripped down his cheek. When she faced us I saw that Emma was crying too. Hard. Her smile told me they were happy tears and once again my heart broke.
"Emma, please, please forgive me. I tried so hard to leave, to find you."
"August, it's not your fault, I swear. I ran off before you could come back to get me. Besides if I had tried harder maybe your family would have liked me enough to adopt me too. It's not your fault I am intolerable, annoying, a complete menace and unlovable." The words came out of her perfect lips but I couldn't make sense of a single one.
"Don't be ridiculous! Annoying and a complete menace sure but you are definitely tolerable and I don't know about anyone else but I love you." He winked at her and she giggled, the happy sound tearing me apart even more. I couldn't watch this. I had to leave. If I stayed I would try to fight for her and she deserved better. She deserved to be happy. This man made her happier than I ever could and I had to bow out gracefully. I turned and snuck out the back door.
Who knew? Sure Emma set things in motion, made Henry see that love didn't come in the simplistic forms it appeared to have in the book, but once that was over, Henry could see that Regina did love him, just not in the way he had pictured. One quick kiss from Regina broke the curse and the whole town remembered everything. I realized about 15 minutes into the new Storybrooke that I hadn't tried to kill Rumpelstitlskin once and that he had done the same. I had walked up to the man and looked at him oddly. He mumbled something about showing his son he wasn't the monster he remembered and I nodded. Oddly enough, I understood. I wanted to prove to Emma that I was good enough for her and murder wasn't the place to start on that quest.
I wanted to show her I was good enough for her. What a joke. I wasn't good enough for her and even if I convinced her I was good enough she didn't feel that way about me. Henry's father, the hero-type sheriff and now the stranger who made her smile like he was her son and she his moon, they were all better men than I and higher on her list obviously. What was the point of trying when it would just hurt her and complicate her life? There wasn't.
Emma Swan
"Don't be ridiculous! Annoying and a complete menace sure but you are definitely tolerable and I don't know about anyone else but I love you." August said with a wink. "I see you broke the curse all on your own you clever, clever girl." I smiled.
"Actually, that honor rests with Regina." I nodded towards the 'queen'. Wow. I would never get used to that.
"Truly?" he smiled. "Well I suppose anything is possible when you're gone for 28 years, huh?" he let me go but grabbed my hand the moment I was out of his grasp. "Well sister dearest, introduce me won't you?" I leaned into his shoulder as though we were teenagers again and no time had passed.
"August, this is David and Mary Margaret,"
"Prince Charming and Snow White, sure," he nodded, keeping up better than I was.
"You've clearly heard of Regina,"
"Your Majesty," he bowed cheerfully,
"My son Henry,"
"I'm sorry, what?"
"His father Neal, or I guess his name is Baelfire,"
"The Dark One's son?" August asked angrily. "Are you kidding me? I leave you for a few years and you not only decide I was lying about our roots but you also go straight for the Dark One's son and have a kid?" he sighed. "Emma, I had the talk with you! It was highly uncomfortable so I know you remember!"
"Shut up August." I rolled my eyes. "You met our sheriff Graham and this is," I broke off as I gestured to Killian's empty chair. I glanced up at my family. "Where did Killian go?"
"Ran off as soon as this guy said he loved you." Henry volunteered. "Mom, he loves you. I know you love him back. Just go after him!"
"You fell in love again?" August asked. "Wow Swan, for someone who claims to be unlovable you sure get around." I barely heard him. Killian loved me. He loved me. I had to go to him. I hugged Henry tight.
"Introduce yourself August. I'll be back later. Don't you dare run off on me again big brother." He gave me a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Go get him sweetheart."
I ran out the door and towards the docks. Killian was always hanging out by the docks. Sure enough when I got there, a silhouette of a man stood at the end of the dock. I walked behind him and put my hand on his shoulder.
"Don't jump." I joked. He looked up startled.
"I realize you ran out of there before I could introduce my friend. That was August. He came through the portal with me and raised me. He's the best big brother a girl could ask for." Killian's brow was furrowed, not understanding a word I said.
"Big brother?"
"Yeah. Brother."
"So you don't love him?"
"Sure I love him. Like a brother." Slowly Killian nodded I could tell he needed further prompting to get to the conclusion I had reached. "He is one of the few men I trust. Graham ruined that when he lied to me and Neal killed it a long time ago." Killian looked at me, a deranged look of hope ruminating in his eyes.
"And me? Do you trust me?" He was practically whispering. I nodded and smiled at him, suddenly shy.
"But you, it's different with you. I trust you, Henry likes you and somehow you make all this crazy mess make a lot more sense than it normally would." His eyes still read a bit doubtful. "Oh, and this one other thing." I whispered as I moved closer to him, my lips inches from his. He started to move in for the kiss but stopped, an inch away from me.
"And what's that?" he whispered back.
"I'm completely, entirely and hopelessly in love with you."
"So you're my dad." Henry said calmly as every adult in the vicinity practically held their breath. Myself included. I knew Emma would be here, breaking the curse. I knew that I would have to face my father but I didn't know that I would have to face my son. A son that I never knew I had.
"Yup. Looks like it." I added weakly. I could see Killian rolling his eyes in the background and I tensed. Of course he would be here. The idiot who stole my mother and ripped my family apart. And he was after her. Emma. My Emma. The girl who I had been in love with forever. The girl who finally made me forget about that other world, about my past, the girl who finally made thisworld feel like home. Of course after I found out who she was I realized that last feeling she gave me probably had more to do with the fact that she was from the Enchanted Forest too.
"What do you do for a living?" He asked. Regina, Henry's adopted mother narrowed her eyes curiously and my father didn't stop staring at me. Emma's eyes widened and she shook her head violently. Did she really think that I still made my living as a thief?
"I work at a restaurant as a chef."
"Really? That's so cool! What kind of restaurant?"
"An Italian place in New York." I hazarded a glance at Emma and was pleased to find her looking impressed. "I'm sorry I haven't been around."
"It's okay." He said perfectly composed. "You didn't know." The rest of the meal passed quickly as my son and I got to know each other. It was perfectly awkward with his adoptive mother, Emma, Killian, my father and Emma's parents watching. Things got kicked up to a new level of tense when the sheriff showed up. The guy who was in love with Emma. Or one of the guys, apparently. For a girl who claimed to never have known love she certainly had a large following of men ready to throw themselves at her at a moment's notice.
"Emma," The sheriff said quietly. Most of the table took no notice, continued to eat and converse. But Killian and I stiffened and looked up, listening intently. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Whatever you are going to say to her you can say in front of all of us, can't you?" I practically hissed at him. Killian made no sounds but I could tell he agreed by the way his veins were popping in his neck.
"Believe it or not Baelfire I didn't actually mean 'in private'. I am perfectly content having this conversation right here but I thought Emma might be more comfortable away from all of you when she hears what I have to say." I opened my mouth to speak but before I could Emma stood up and rolled her eyes as she walked a few feet away from the group. Killian's elbow nudged me sharply and I cringed automatically.
"What the hell was that, mate?" he hissed under his breath. "Are you trying to get her to pick him?"
"Look Emma, I would prefer I question him more thoroughly myself before you see him but I admitted you were here and I had to lock him up to keep him from running around the town and hunting you down. He might be calmer if you are there."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Henry asked startling everyone.
"Henry! Language!" The women around the table all shouted simultaneously.
"Sorry! But it sounds like Graham's about to take Emma to see a crazy person and I'd rather not lose one of my many parents." Before anyone could reply a voice cut in, piercing through the background noise and uttering a name.
"Emma."
Killian Jones
"Emma." We all looked up at the source of the voice. A scruffy looking, dark haired man in a leather jacket and jeans was standing in the doorway of Granny's, a pair of handcuffs hanging from one wrist, one cuff unlocked uselessly. Emma's face dropped, expressionless. Another one? Really? There was another one. And this unshaven, dark mysterious stranger in leather? That was my look. He can't have Emma and use my look to get her. Not okay. Emma finally exhaled, more air than I could imagine her holding in escaped her. My stomach plunged in anguish as a real honest to God smile graced her face. I was so torn. My Swan, my Emma. She was happy. She was smiling. She looked happier than I'd ever seen her. And she was looking at him. Nowhere near me. She was looking at him.
"August." She breathed out. And before I could stand Emma was sprinting across the diner into 'August's' arms. He picked her up and spun her around holding her close. His eyes were closed and a tear dripped down his cheek. When she faced us I saw that Emma was crying too. Hard. Her smile told me they were happy tears and once again my heart broke.
"Emma, please, please forgive me. I tried so hard to leave, to find you."
"August, it's not your fault, I swear. I ran off before you could come back to get me. Besides if I had tried harder maybe your family would have liked me enough to adopt me too. It's not your fault I am intolerable, annoying, a complete menace and unlovable." The words came out of her perfect lips but I couldn't make sense of a single one.
"Don't be ridiculous! Annoying and a complete menace sure but you are definitely tolerable and I don't know about anyone else but I love you." He winked at her and she giggled, the happy sound tearing me apart even more. I couldn't watch this. I had to leave. If I stayed I would try to fight for her and she deserved better. She deserved to be happy. This man made her happier than I ever could and I had to bow out gracefully. I turned and snuck out the back door.
Who knew? Sure Emma set things in motion, made Henry see that love didn't come in the simplistic forms it appeared to have in the book, but once that was over, Henry could see that Regina did love him, just not in the way he had pictured. One quick kiss from Regina broke the curse and the whole town remembered everything. I realized about 15 minutes into the new Storybrooke that I hadn't tried to kill Rumpelstitlskin once and that he had done the same. I had walked up to the man and looked at him oddly. He mumbled something about showing his son he wasn't the monster he remembered and I nodded. Oddly enough, I understood. I wanted to prove to Emma that I was good enough for her and murder wasn't the place to start on that quest.
I wanted to show her I was good enough for her. What a joke. I wasn't good enough for her and even if I convinced her I was good enough she didn't feel that way about me. Henry's father, the hero-type sheriff and now the stranger who made her smile like he was her son and she his moon, they were all better men than I and higher on her list obviously. What was the point of trying when it would just hurt her and complicate her life? There wasn't.
Emma Swan
"Don't be ridiculous! Annoying and a complete menace sure but you are definitely tolerable and I don't know about anyone else but I love you." August said with a wink. "I see you broke the curse all on your own you clever, clever girl." I smiled.
"Actually, that honor rests with Regina." I nodded towards the 'queen'. Wow. I would never get used to that.
"Truly?" he smiled. "Well I suppose anything is possible when you're gone for 28 years, huh?" he let me go but grabbed my hand the moment I was out of his grasp. "Well sister dearest, introduce me won't you?" I leaned into his shoulder as though we were teenagers again and no time had passed.
"August, this is David and Mary Margaret,"
"Prince Charming and Snow White, sure," he nodded, keeping up better than I was.
"You've clearly heard of Regina,"
"Your Majesty," he bowed cheerfully,
"My son Henry,"
"I'm sorry, what?"
"His father Neal, or I guess his name is Baelfire,"
"The Dark One's son?" August asked angrily. "Are you kidding me? I leave you for a few years and you not only decide I was lying about our roots but you also go straight for the Dark One's son and have a kid?" he sighed. "Emma, I had the talk with you! It was highly uncomfortable so I know you remember!"
"Shut up August." I rolled my eyes. "You met our sheriff Graham and this is," I broke off as I gestured to Killian's empty chair. I glanced up at my family. "Where did Killian go?"
"Ran off as soon as this guy said he loved you." Henry volunteered. "Mom, he loves you. I know you love him back. Just go after him!"
"You fell in love again?" August asked. "Wow Swan, for someone who claims to be unlovable you sure get around." I barely heard him. Killian loved me. He loved me. I had to go to him. I hugged Henry tight.
"Introduce yourself August. I'll be back later. Don't you dare run off on me again big brother." He gave me a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Go get him sweetheart."
I ran out the door and towards the docks. Killian was always hanging out by the docks. Sure enough when I got there, a silhouette of a man stood at the end of the dock. I walked behind him and put my hand on his shoulder.
"Don't jump." I joked. He looked up startled.
"I realize you ran out of there before I could introduce my friend. That was August. He came through the portal with me and raised me. He's the best big brother a girl could ask for." Killian's brow was furrowed, not understanding a word I said.
"Big brother?"
"Yeah. Brother."
"So you don't love him?"
"Sure I love him. Like a brother." Slowly Killian nodded I could tell he needed further prompting to get to the conclusion I had reached. "He is one of the few men I trust. Graham ruined that when he lied to me and Neal killed it a long time ago." Killian looked at me, a deranged look of hope ruminating in his eyes.
"And me? Do you trust me?" He was practically whispering. I nodded and smiled at him, suddenly shy.
"But you, it's different with you. I trust you, Henry likes you and somehow you make all this crazy mess make a lot more sense than it normally would." His eyes still read a bit doubtful. "Oh, and this one other thing." I whispered as I moved closer to him, my lips inches from his. He started to move in for the kiss but stopped, an inch away from me.
"And what's that?" he whispered back.
"I'm completely, entirely and hopelessly in love with you."
|
If you don't want to use your own email address on the comment form use the following email instead!
[email protected] |