Alone Together.

Well, whatever. She didn't need them anyways, right? Alone. Alone was what had always come natural to her. And what HAD she been thinking with all that 'let's work together' nonsense anyhow? How could she really expect to work together with her silly wide-eyed optimistic... parents, and then Regina being all grumpy and negative and Hook being all... Hook-ish... Yeah, no... this was probably better. Alone. Probably.. maybe... most likely... better. Emma stopped and sighed in the middle of the dark forest and looked around at the dense population of trees and vegetation surrounding her. She had been trying to convince herself of this for the past hour and there was still an annoying whisper in her brain.. 'you're lying to yourself...'

"Yeah, I know! I know!" She said out loud to nothing and no one. She grumbled and sat down on a near by mossy rock, slumping her shoulders in defeat. She just didn't really feel like she had an option, convincing herself that she worked better alone, was better then getting all angry at herself for loosing them in the first place. The forest was just so dense and dark and... one minute she was with them... could hear their voices... their bickering... their attempts at compromising... then more arguing... then nothing. Gone. Completely gone. ... And she was alone. Again. A lost girl.

"Ughhh..!" She groaned and tried to shake away all her feelings, she hated how... vulnerable this place made her feel. And she needed to focus. She needed to find Henry. Even though she had lost the group, didn't mean she was going to give up. The others would be alright with Hook and she was the one who had the map... Oh, wait. She DID have the map, right? Emma stood up suddenly and started patting down her pockets as the realization settled on her, she'd handed the map off to Hook. She hadn't really meant to, he had just been prattling on and on looking over her shoulder at the map so she had just handed it to him since he seemed the best at reading it. It had seemed like a perfectly harmless move when they were all together, but now as she stood alone in the dark woods... it was possibly the stupidest thing she had ever done. How was she suppose to find anyone or anything in these woods?! With all these stupid, stupid horrible shadowy trees! Emma angrily started running through them pushing leaves and branches out of her way and cursing till she was out of breath and stopped. Doubled over and breathing hard, slowly her heart rate slowed and that's when she heard it... footsteps.

Emma shot straight up, eyes wide and looking around. She held her breath and listened. Was it the group? She didn't hear any voices and it sounded like only one pair of feet. Was it Pan? Possibly... or any of the other lost boys,.. in which case she should be ready. She reached for her sword and listened. Then she heard,

"Oh, hello Miss Swan."

She spun around holding her sword in front of her.

Gold.

He held his hands up with a smirk on his face, "Feeling a bit, on edge, are we?" He eyed her sword.

Emma lowered her sword and rolled her eyes and sighed. Well, at least she wasn't alone anymore.

********************************************

"Where have you been? What have you been doing? Did you find Henry? Are you EVEN looking for him?" Emma rattled off all the questions that ran through her mind as she took in the man standing in front of her. He was still wearing that ridiculous outfit, she wasn't going to get use to that anytime soon. "And why don't you need your cane anymore?" She looked intently at him for a minute, he seemed perfectly comfortable standing there in the middle of the trees. "You've been here before, haven't you? You know how to find your way around?... Well?! Answer me!" She moved closer and started to raise her sword again...

"Eh, Dearie, no need to point a sword at me." He cut her off and she lowered the sword while raising an eyebrow at him as he continued, "If you are done giving me the third degree I'd be happy to answer... some... of your questions, that is, if you answer some of mine. So, are you quite done?"

Emma didn't really feel like she had the patience for his mannerisms right then, but she swallowed and nodded her head, trying to remember that he might be helpful in finding Henry... that is, IF he would help. With that thought, she put the sword away completely and crossed her arms and waited.

Gold narrowed his eyes at her, "Where are the others?"

"I lost them in the woods."

"When?"

"About a hour ago."

"Have you seen any... lost boys?"

"Unfortunately, Yes."

"And... Pan?"

"Again,.. unfortunately yes."

"Hmm. " Gold just looked at her like he was figuring her out for the first time, "And... anyone... else?"

"What do you mean anyone else?"

"In the woods. Have you, seen anyone else?" He fluttered his fingers around in the air like that was suppose to explain what seeing someone else in the woods was like.

"No. Have you?"

"No." He stopped and stared at her again. He was creeping her out a little, he was behaving a little... odd. But then he cleared his throat suddenly grabbing her attention.

"Alright, answers..." Gold started "As for where I've been and what I've been doing.. that's none of your business." Emma sighed loudly which caused him to stop and give her a look before continuing, "As far as looking for and finding Henry. It might surprise you Miss Swan that YES, it was my intention to come here to find Henry. But, no. I haven't found him... YET." He emphasized the last word with confidence but his eyes nervously glanced around quickly in a way that confused Emma. "And!" He quickly directed his eyes back at her and continued, " Concerning why I'm not using my cane... why don't you guess on that one. You're a smart girl..." He raised his eyebrows expectantly at her.

Emma sighed, "Magic."

"Ah! Paying such close attention! Good girl." He gave her a fake proud smile, "And then... you asked if I knew my way around." He threw his hands out wide gesturing to the dark forest around them. He smirked at her, "Again, Guess!"

Emma sighed again, this was ridiculous... " Well, I just hope the answer is yes so you can help me figure out where I am and where to find Henry because I had a map, but I left it with Hook..."

"A map?" He interrupted her. "Where prey tell did you get a map in these woods?"

"Oh, did you fail to see the map store? It's right by the gnarly tree next to the weeds..." Emma gestured sarcastically over her shoulder.

"You're as charming as your father." He replied dryly, his tone seemed to imply that he didn't actually think her father was charming at all.

"Ha." Emma responded. "The map came from Pan. He... uh,... gave it to me."

"What was the game?" He responded flatly.

Emma looked up at him quickly, "What makes you think it was a game?"

"Because he's Peter Pan!" Gold responded mockingly, "He's the annoying little boy who refuses to grow up and all he does is play games. He wouldn't of just given you a map, Miss Swan, unless there was some kind of game surrounding it. "

"Uhh.." Emma felt uncomfortable and didn't really want to share how she was able to unlock the image of the map. "I ... I had to accept who I am... who I really am."

"Huh." He nodded his head to the side looking at her, "And... who is that?"

"Um, an orphan."

Gold just nodded and stood there, he pierced his lips while looking at her. "So did it work? Did you win the game?"

"I got the map to appear, if that's what you are asking. But little good it does me now because I don't have it and I lost the others and.." She was getting annoyed and angry at herself again.

"So!" He interrupted her again, "You accepted who you are and believe in yourself now?" He still sounded like he was mocking her.

"I have always believed in myself!" Emma raised her voice, knowing that wasn't entirely true, but she really didn't like the tone he was taking with her right now.

"Have you?" His voice went up again in mocking and he scrunched his nose at her. He sighed and moved to turn and walk away. "Lovely catching up Miss Swan... but I really must be off now."

"Wait, NO!" Emma shouted moving quickly to follow him, "I need your help! I don't have the others anymore, or the map! I can't find Henry on my own! You were right, back on the ship, what you said! I don't fully believe. I need someone to..."

"Yes I WAS right! You do. But I don't plan on being THAT person..." He spun to face her and moved his hand up like he was getting ready to snap his fingers...and... what? Disappear? Emma panicked, she couldn't be alone again.

"No! Please!" Emma's mind raced for something to say that would make him stay and help, "What about Neal?" She blurted out. He paused and looked at her, his hand hovering in the air.

"My son is dead." His voice was low and quiet as he looked at her hesitantly.

Emma swallowed hard refusing to get emotional on the subject, but finding that the wound was still too fresh, but she barreled forward anyhow. "Yeah, but what would he have wanted? ... If he was here?" She gulped and looked down at the thought of Neal being there. Damnit. She didn't want to cry, but how desperately she wanted that to be true. For Neal to be here. She took a deep breath and looked back up at Gold, "Please, help me find my son. For Neal."

Gold looked a little broken at that and lowered his hand completely. He grumbled and looked away, but when he looked back his eyes had harden again.

"Fine, Miss Swan. On the condition we don't talk about my son again."

Emma breathed in with relief. "Deal."