Paralysis
Author's Note: This is an idea that has been tumbling around in my head for a while. It is also part of the reason that I haven't been able to write on my other stories. This is a one shot, and I have to apologize for where it ends. I just couldn't bring myself to write anymore on it. I believe that if a writer tries to force themselves to write, then they only hinder their writing. Of course, this is my belief.
Another little note, there is no romantic pairing for this story. I had originally had the idea to make this a Swanfire one shot but it got away from me. There is a little Swanfire, mainly in the past. The other obvious pairs are Snowing and Rumbelle. Please let me know what you think. This is my first real one shot. And please read the note at the bottom of the story for lot clarification. Please don't read before hand. :)
Once Upon a Time One-Shot
Emma sighed as she quickly threw the files she was working on onto the table. It had been a week since the curse had broken, less than a week since her unexpected trip to Enchanted Forest. She exhaled slowly through her nose, rubbing her temples. Regina had been doing her best to show Henry that she was trying to change. Emma had to give her some credit, seeing as the woman wasn't using magic at all.
A sudden ringing broke Emma out of her thoughts. She jumped, her feet sliding off the top of her desk and her ankle catching the edge of her filing cabinet. She swore colorfully before looking to the source of the ringing. It was August's iPhone that he had left in her office before he disappeared. Before the curse broke. Emma sighed and walked over to it, swiping the screen effortlessly.
"Hello," she answered.
"Hello," the person on the other line answered. "I'm looking for Mr. Booth."
"He's…currently away right now. This is his sister," Emma lied effectively.
"Oh, I'm sorry. He never said he had a sister. I take it he had told you about his friend in the hospital?"
Emma blink. "He hasn't, actually. Is someone hurt?"
"Well, no," the woman replied. "Let me start over. My name is Julia Conners. I am the head Doctor at Providence Portland Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. Your brother was listed as the emergency contact of one of my long-term patients."
Emma frowned and mentally cursed August for not being around. She looked over and saw Mr. Gold standing in the doorway. She bit her lip and held back a groan. She really didn't need this today.
"Ma'am?"
"Yes, sorry. I was just thinking," she replied as she motioned Mr. Gold to a chair. The older man nodded his thanks and sat.
"Is there any way for you to contact your brother. We've been trying to get ahold of him for the last two years and my patient's stay here at the hospital is almost up."
Emma frowned. "Can't you just release the person from the hospital?" she asked as she leaned against her desk. "Why do you have to get into contact with August?"
Emma heard the woman sigh softly on the other side of the phone. "I really wish he would have explained some of this to you." She paused for a moment. "The young man I have in my care was in a car accident about twelve years ago. He was hit by a car while crossing the street. Your brother called it in, saying the two were friends."
"Ok," Emma said. "I'm not following where this is going."
"The young man has been in a coma for ten years. We've been trying to get ahold of your brother for two years," the woman replied, not very amused.
"Again," Emma continued as Gold watched with interest. She sat back down in her chair. "Why do you need to get ahold of August?"
Dr. Conners was quiet for a moment. "He's paralyzed from the waist down."
Emma stopped. "Oh my god," she whispered. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"Of course not," the woman replied, not sounding the least bit judgmental. "Is there any way to get in contact with your brother?"
Emma sighed. "To be honest, I don't know where he is."
"Great," Julia muttered to herself. "Just fucking great."
Emma frowned. "What happens if you can't get ahold of August?"
Dr. Conners sighed heavily through her nose. "The Board of Directors will force us to discharge the patient without a place for him to go. He isn't a veteran and really doesn't have anyone besides your brother listed as a contact."
Emma ran a hand through her hair and thought. "We have a hospital here we could try to get him transferred to. It's privately owned."
Mr. Gold raised an eyebrow. Emma ignored him.
"In order to do so, the Board of Directors will have to meet with the owner of the hospital."
"I can arrange that," Emma replied. "Could you fax the person's file over to me?"
"Of course," Julia replied and Emma quickly gave her the number. She hung up afterwards, promising to call Julia back when she had looked over the file.
"What do you want, Gold?" Emma asked as she tossed the phone over onto the couch.
"I've come to collect on my favor," he replied.
Emma bit her lip and sighed. "What does this favor entail?"
"A trip," Gold smiled. "To Oregon."
Emma raised an eyebrow. "I just got a call from there. Well… August did. Apparently he is the emergency contact to some person there. They've been trying to get ahold of him for two years."
"Is that why you said something about the hospital?" Gold asked, an eyebrow raised.
Emma nodded. "The guy's paralyzed from the waist down. The Board at the hospital is wanting to kick him out if August doesn't show up."
A look of sympathy crossed Gold's face and Emma's eyes darted down to his lame leg.
"Do you know who owns the hospital?" Emma asked quietly.
Gold cleared his throat. "I do. And seeing as I have to go to Oregon anyways, I'll accompany you to this hospital and have the person transferred."
"What is in Oregon?" Emma asked, suddenly curious.
Gold was quiet for a moment. "My son," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Emma blinked. "Ok," she said after a moment. "I wasn't expecting that," she answered honestly.
Gold gave her a small smile.
"Is that why you were so intent on getting to the Land Without Magic?"
Gold nodded. Not even a moment later, the fax machine went off, sending through the documents that Julia promised Emma. Emma calmly strode over to the machine and picked up the file. She flipped the papers over and the breath was punched clear out of her lungs. She stumbled back, catching herself on her desk.
"Ms. Swan?" Gold asked, concern lacing his voice.
Emma didn't hear him, however. She was too busy staring at the picture of the man that August had admitted to the hospital.
"Oh my god," Emma whispered, her hand covering her mouth.
"Ms. Swan?" Gold asked a little louder as he hobbled over to her.
"We have to get to Portland," Emma responded, scrambling to her feet. She looked at Gold. "I've got to go talk to Regina. Could you call Whale and ask him to prepare a room?"
Gold frowned. "I will but first I need to know why you are reacting so frantically."
Emma sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping under an invisible weight. She flipped the paper's over and held them out to Gold. He simple took the documents and looked them over. In the center of the page was a young man, probably in his early to mid-thirties, looking pale and a little underweight. Gold's eyes briefly flickered up to read the name.
"Neal Cassidy," he read and looked up at Emma, who flinched violently. "An old friend of yours, dearie?"
Emma bit her lip, hard. She looked up from the floor and stared Gold straight in the eyes. "He's Henry's father."
~ONCEUPONATIME~
Emma bit her lip as she shifted in the seat of her plush, first class chair. It had taken a week, one week to get everything situated with Whale and the hospital. Emma had had a talk with Regina, informing the other woman just who exactly was coming to Storybrooke. The two had agreed to tell Henry and had arranged a dinner for the three of them. Henry had been upset at first, especially since Emma had lied to him. He had calmed down the next day, after Regina had explained that Emma had thought his father had abandoned her for money. The happy eleven year old was sitting in the seat next to Emma, his eyes darting to look out the window.
"Did you find out where your son is?" Emma whisper to Gold quietly.
Gold nodded. "It would seem that he works at the very same hospital we are heading to. Well, I assume he works there. The globe only shows me his location when the spell is cast."
Emma raised an eyebrow. "Wow. It's a small world."
"Can I talk to Dad?" Henry asked excitedly. "When we get there?"
"Let me speak to him first, Henry," Emma replied. "He's only been out of a coma for two years and I'm sure he is still taking everything in. I'll let you meet him after I tell him." She paused for a moment. "We have a lot of catching up to do."
Henry nodded, the bright grin never once leaving his face.
~ONCEUPONATIME~
"I'm here to see Dr. Julia Conners," Emma said as she stood in front of the main nurse's station of the hospital.
"Your name, dear?" the older woman drawled.
"Emma Swan," she supplied.
The woman looked over the paper and picked up the phone. She dialed a number and held up a finger to Emma, motioning for her to wait.
"Dr. Conners? Ms. Emma Swan is here to see you," the nurse relayed. She nodded and put the phone down. "She'll be here in a moment. Please have a seat," the nurse continued as she gestured to the seating area of the hospital.
"Thank you," Emma replied as she walked over to the area, Henry and Gold close behind her. Thankfully, they only had to wait a few minutes.
"Emma?"
Emma looked up and saw a younger woman walking towards her. She looked to be in her late thirties with bright red hair and pretty blue eyes. She wore a white lab coat over a light pink blouse and soft gray business skirt.
"Julia, right?" Emma asked as she stood, shaking hands with the other woman.
"Yes," she replied. "It's nice to finally meet you."
"How is he?" Emma asked.
Julia smiled. "I'll take you to him. I take it this is Mr. Gold?"
"Richard Gold, at your service," he replied as he shook the doctor's hand.
Julia nodded and motioned for them to follow. "I'll take you to see Neal, Emma. Mr. Gold and I have a meeting with the Board to discuss the rest of the paper work."
Emma nodded, her throat suddenly dry. She frowned as she took in the colorful pictures and murals on the walls. "Isn't this the children's floor?"
Julia laughed. "It is. Neal used to get bored sitting in his room all day. He would either draw or watch TV. One day, one of our other patients, a little girl named Mary, found her way into his room. The entire floor was searching for her for hours. She had really bad seizures, you see," Julia explained as she led the small group. "If she is left alone, she had a high risk of having a seizure."
"Was she alright?" Emma asked.
Julia grinned. "Oh, yes. When we realized where she was, she and Neal had suddenly become best friends. We found them in his room, making origami crowns and drawing pictures of each other. Ever since then, Neal spends his time on the children's floor as a way to keep from going crazy with boredom. He never has any visitors."
Emma bit the inside of her cheek. She took and deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to calm her nerves. It had been twelve years since she had seen Neal. He hadn't abandoned her like she had thought. He had been in Portland the whole time. He had been in a coma while she blamed him for every bad thing that had gone wrong after she went to jail when, in reality, he had it much worse.
"He's over there," Julia pointed to the far side of the children's room.
Emma felt her breath leave her. Sitting there in a metal wheelchair was Neal. He was certainly healthier than he had been in the picture Julia had sent. His skin wasn't as sickly looking as it had been, more of a golden tan that she last remembered than the pale gray the picture had shown. His hair had been cut and curled a little at the edges. The only difference there was the gray hairs that streaked through his dark brown hair. His eyes still sparkled with warmed as he laughed at something one of the kid had told him.
"If you'll follow me, Mr. Gold, we can work on getting everything transferred," Julia motioned for the older man to follow him. She looked back at Emma. "We'll be back shortly. Hopefully you'll have enough time to explain things to him."
Emma gave her a small smile. "Thanks."
Julia nodded and quickly led Mr. Gold down the hall. Emma turned to Henry.
"I need you to stay here until I call for you, alright? I don't want to stress him out to bad."
Henry nodded reluctantly, his eyes flickering over to his dad. He sat down in one of the chairs and pulled out his homework, trying instead to focus on math. Emma ruffled his hair a little and turned back to look at Neal. She took another deep breath and began to make her way towards the man that she loved.
"What happened next?" one of the children asked excitedly.
Neal grinned before leaning closer to the group of children. "The brave, young knight rode into the castle on his black stallion, eager to rescue his princess that had been curse by a dark wizard that was working with the evil pirate that kidnapped the princess."
"What was the horse's name?" a little girl with pigtails asked excitedly.
"Blue Horn," Neal answered, his expression completely serious. "The gallant knight then ran up the stairs and bravely faced his mortal enemy."
"Where was the princess?" a little boy of about five asked, hugging his teddy bear to his chest.
"The evil wizard had cursed the princess," Neal explained, gesturing wildly with his hands. "During the day, the princess could only swim atop the lake, under the guise of a beautiful white swan. At night, however, the swan turns back into a beautiful princess."
"What does the princess look like?" another little girl asked, her glasses slipping down the bridge of her freckled nose.
Neal's face softened for a moment. "The princess was the most beautiful of all the women in the land, which is why the evil pirate had taken her away from her family. Legend says that her hair was golden blond with bright green eyes that lit up even the darkest of caves. The choirs of the land sang of her fair skin and her kind smile."
"Kind of like this pretty lady here?" a little girl asked and it took Emma a moment to realize the girl was pointing at her. She froze as all the little eyes turned to look at her. She looked up and met Neal's shocked brown eyes.
"Emma?" he whispered, his hands bracing on the handles of his chair. He pushed himself up for a moment, only for a look of deep, emotional pain to cross his face as he sank back down.
Emma bent down, looking at all of the little children. "Can this princess have a moment alone with the brave knight over there?" she asked, her voice hushed but loud enough for even Neal to hear.
All of the children giggled excitedly before they ran off. One little girl with pretty ginger hair stayed behind, looking at Emma with wide eyes. She ran over and climbed up into Neal's lap.
"It's the pretty lady from your picture," the little girl tried to whisper but her excitement got the better of her.
Neal tried to smile but it didn't quite reach his eyes. He scooped the little girl up under her arms and sat her on the floor. "Yes, it is. Why don't you run along and play with the other girls, Mary? I'm going to have a chat with Emma."
Mary nodded and quickly pecked him on the cheek before giving him a hug around the neck. She ran off, instantly joining the other little girls as they played Indians and Cowboys. Emma let out a little laugh. She turned back to Neal and saw him watching her with an intense expression.
"Hey," she greeted.
"Hey," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. He cleared his throat, suddenly looking uncomfortable.
"Can I sit?" Emma asked as she gestured to the chairs.
Neal nodded, his throat suddenly feeling tight.
Emma sat down and Neal expertly maneuvered his chair to face her. He nervously began to wring his hands. Emma frowned and reached out, placing her hand over his. He visibly flinched and would have pulled his hands back if it hadn't been for Emma grabbing them.
"What's wrong?" Emma asked, noticing how tense he was.
Neal laughed bitterly. "Oh, you know," he replied sarcastically. "Just my old girlfriend seeing me completely disabled and in a wheelchair. There is nothing wrong at all." He quickly avoided her eyes and looked down at his hands.
Emma frowned. The numerous times that Neal had used sarcasm as shield quickly surfaced in her mind. She tightened her hold on his hands.
"Hey," she whispered. "There's nothing for you to be ashamed of."
From the way he flinched again, Emma knew she had hit the nail on the head. "Neal?" she whispered, causing him to look up. "This isn't your fault. You were in an accident."
Neal sighed, suddenly feeling self-conscious. "I don't even remember what happened," he whispered quietly.
Emma frowned. "You don't remember the accident?"
Neal shook his head. "All I remember was you coming back with the watches and I left to go sell them. Someone was following me. I remember beginning to run but after that, the whole thing is blank right up until I woke up here two years ago."
Emma sighed. "They've been trying to get ahold of August."
Neal looked up and frowned. "Who?"
Emma frowned this time. "August Booth. He was listed as your emergency contact. The nurses assumed he was a friend of yours."
Neal shook his head. "I've never even heard the name before."
Emma frowned. Something was going on here, she could feel it. She quickly pushed it back, instead focusing all of her attention on Neal.
"What happened to you after…" Neal asked, trailing off. He still couldn't say what happened. He knew he was paralyzed but he didn't want to say it out loud. Saying it only made it that much more real.
Emma sighed through her nose. "Someone must have known you were going to sell the watches. Whomever it was, probably the person following you, ratted me out. I got arrested and got eleven and a half months for possession of stolen goods."
"You went to jail?" Neal whispered, his voice full of disbelief. "For something I should have gone to jail over?"
"Neal," Emma said sternly, cutting of whatever rant he was about to start. "I was the one that came up with the idea to get the watches. I went into the whole thing completely aware that I could get caught and would go to jail for it. You didn't make me do anything."
Neal worked his jaw feverously, his eyes shining with unshed tears.
"You didn't do anything, Neal," Emma said, pulling on his hands to get him to look at her. "Someone called the cops, not you."
"How long did you think it was me?" Neal asked, knowing Emma far too well.
She sighed and went quiet for a moment. "Up until last week, when I got your file."
Neal groaned and ran a hand though his hair. "Could this possibly get any worse?"
"No," Emma replied honestly. "It can only get better."
"How?" Neal asked, his voice shaking. "I can't walk and by the end of this week, I could very well be on the streets."
"That's kind of why I'm here," Emma replied, stealing a glance at Henry, who seemed to be working his way through a rather difficult math problem. She looked back at Neal. "August lives in the same town as me. When Julia tries to get ahold of him last week, I answered the phone by complete accident. August had left it in my office. Julia and I talked and we came to the conclusion that you can come back with me to Storybrooke. We have a really good hospital there and the owner is currently meeting with the Board of this hospital to get everything transferred."
Neal watched her with uncertain eyes. "Why would you do that? I haven't been in your life in two—" he flinched again. "In twelve year," he ground out, his expression full of pain.
"You didn't leave out of my life by choice, Neal," Emma countered lifting his chin with her fingers, making him look her in the eyes. "It would be completely different if you had walked out on us on your own. You didn't. You were in a coma for ten years."
Neal opened his mouth to reply but frowned as something Emma had said quickly caught up with him. He looked up, his eyes slightly wide in panic. "'Us'?" he echoed, his voice slightly strangled.
Emma mentally curse herself. She had accidently let that one slip. She sighed. "I was pregnant," she admitted and quickly grabbed his hand before he could retreat back into his own self-loathing. "It's ok, Neal."
"No, it's not," he breathed, his eyes bright again. A tear escaped down his cheek. "Shit," he muttered lowly, not loud enough for anyone but Emma to hear.
"You didn't make that choice, Neal," Emma said sternly. "You didn't abandon us. You were in an accident." Emma knew Neal well enough to know where his mind was going to. She remembered all the times he would wake up crying because the nightmare of his father abandoning him was still fresh in his mind.
"Boy or girl?" Neal asked suddenly.
"A boy. His name is Henry," Emma supplied. "I gave him up for adoption, since I couldn't raise him on my own. I only meet him last year, when he found me at my Boston apartment. I moved to his town and have been there ever since."
"And his adopted parents?" Neal asked, looking up.
"Adopted mom," Emma supplied. "Her name is Regina. She named Henry after her father."
Neal nodded. "And she doesn't have a problem with me moving to town and suddenly entering her son's life?"
"A year ago, she would have but she understands the situation. She's looked at your file and knows about…this," Emma finished lamely as she gestured to the wheelchair.
Neal chuckled, despite the situation. "When can I meet him?" he asked, anxiety filling his chest.
"Now," Emma answered as she stood up and began to push his wheelchair towards the waiting room.
Normally, Neal would have protested, like he always did, about someone pushing his chair for him. But this was Emma and he didn't mind showing his more vulnerable side to her. Neal's eyes quickly zeroed in on the only child in the waiting room. Neal's breath caught in his throat as he looked at his son for the first time. The young boy—Henry, his brain supplied—had his tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth, deep in concentration. His dark brown hair fell in front of his face, covering his eyes from view. Neal simply sat back in his chair and stared.
"Henry," Emma said, causing the boy to look up.
Henry looked over at Emma before his dark brown eyes came to rest on Neal's face. A grin lit up his face as he quickly jumped up from his seat, his homework completely forgotten. He would have jumped and hugged Neal if it wasn't for the look Emma was giving him.
"Henry," Emma began, "this is Neal Cassidy, your father."
"Hi," Henry grinned excitedly. "Can I call you Dad?"
Neal let out a genuine laugh for the first time in twelve years. He's eyes brightened considerably and a grin stretched across his face. "Of course," he replied.
"Cool!" Henry exclaimed as he quickly but gently latched onto his dad.
Emma laughed as she took a seat next to Henry's abandoned backpack. Neal wheeled himself closer as Henry began to chatter animatedly.
"How did you and Mom meet?" Henry asked suddenly.
"Uh," Neal stuttered, thrown by the question. He looked to Emma for help.
"We meet when I stole Neal's stolen car," Emma said bluntly, not wanting to keep anything else from her son.
"Stealing is bad," Neal reprimanded quickly, easily falling into the role of a father.
"Too late," Emma countered. "He stole his teacher's credit card to find me."
Neal raised an eyebrow and glanced at a sheepish looking Henry. He glanced back at Emma, who shrugged lightly.
"He's your son," she replied.
Neal simply grinned. "What's your town like?"
Henry grinned. "It's small but quant. Everyone knows everyone and their business." Neal laughed at that. "I didn't like it very much growing up. It was always too quiet and too isolated. I wouldn't trade it for the world now."
"When are we going back to Storybrooke?" Neal asked, taking a moment to recall the town's name.
"As soon as Mr. Gold gets done speaking with the Board," Emma replied. "He's also looking for his son, so we might not be leaving this place just yet."
Neal tilted his head to the side. "His son?" he asked, confusion written across his face.
"They got separated years ago," Henry supplied. "They made a deal and Mr. Gold broke it. He's been looking for his son ever since."
Neal frowned. He couldn't help the feeling of dread that welt up in his stomach. He bit his lip. "Is his son here at this hospital?"
"Gold believes that his son works here," Emma supplied, propping her feet up on the arm of Neal's chair. Neal snorted at her antics.
"What makes him think that?" Neal asked.
Emma just shrugged. "Don't know. He had his methods, apparently."
Neal frowned. He opened his mouth to say something when something nailed him in the back of the head. He swore colorfully and rubbed the back of his sore head as something fell in his lap.
"I think one of the kids threw a ball," Emma commented as she looked at the object in his lap.
Neal looked down, expecting to see one of the brightly colored balls that the hospital or charity had provided for the children. What he didn't expect to see was a very familiar leather ball, its stitching coming apart and the leather peeling in places. He picked the ball up and turned it around in his hands. He knew automatically that this ball was the one that had cost a man his life years ago.
"And where exactly did you miss place this ball?" he heard Julia's voice question from around the corner.
"I believe it was in this direction," a very familiar voice answered back.
Neal felt his throat tighten up and he had to take a few calming breaths to keep from having a panic attack. He turned and took in the very familiar form of Rumpelstiltskin as he limped around the corner. He looked just like the father that Neal had always wanted to return but his expression and closed off air reeked of the Darkness. The Dark One frowned as he looked around, apparently looking for the ball that had just nailed Neal in the back of the head.
"Who's that?" Neal asked Emma, leaning forward slightly.
Emma blinked. "That's Mr. Gold, the hospital owner."
Neal quickly tossed the ball to Emma. "Don't tell him about that," he whispered when Henry wasn't paying attention.
Emma frowned and was about to question why when the duo walked over. Neal glanced over and saw his Papa frown as he spotted the ball in Emma's hands.
"Where did you get that, Ms. Swan?" he asked.
"It was rolling around on the ground," Emma lied easily. Henry looked at her but didn't contradict her statement.
"We have one more paper to sign," Julia replied, leading Gold back the way they had come.
"I'll hold onto this for you," Emma said, holding the old ball up for him to see.
Gold nodded in response as he followed the doctor.
Emma turned on Neal as soon as they were out of sight. "What the hell?"
Neal sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Can I just take a gander and ask if his name is Rumpelstiltskin?"
"How did you know that?" Henry asked, curiosity lacing his voice.
Neal looked back over his shoulder. "That's my father," he replied, turning to look back at Emma's wide eyes.
"What?" she asked, shocked.
"He must have used a tracking potion," Neal replied, looking at the ball. "That was mine years ago. I also spotted him wearing my old blanket around his shoulders. What was with that?"
"Memory potion," Emma supplied. "If anyone affected by the curse crossed the town line without one, they revert back to their cursed selves. I take it you are from there?"
Neal nodded, his throat closing up slightly. Emma sighed softly and slide down in her chair.
"This got really complicated, really fast," she muttered as she rubbed her temples.
Neal gave her an uneasy smile.
"Are you going to tell him?" Henry asked.
Neal folded his arms and thought about the question. "I don't know," he replied honestly. "I've been running for so long that I don't even know if I want to see him again." He looked down at his legs. "I can't exactly run anymore."
Emma felt her heart break at the sheer amount of despair that Neal's voice carried. This was the man that had taught her everything she believed to be the definition of what a home was. He had always been a strong person that she knew she could rely on. Sitting before her now was someone she had only seen during the night; a man that had faces so many demons and yet he still continued to be a good person. She reached out and gently took his hand.
"We'll get through this," she promised. "We always do."
Neal took her hand in his and silently brought it up to his face, gently kissing the back of her hand. He didn't say anything but Emma knew that he didn't believe her. She just barely keep herself from exhaling sharply.
"Can magic help you?" Henry asked, his voice full of hope.
A desperate look crossed Neal's face. "It could but I don't even want to know the price."
Henry frowned. "But it couldn't be too bad, right?"
Neal shook his head. "The price is always equal, if not greater than the magic you perform." He paused for a moment. "Magic doesn't skip out on anyone. Even my Papa had to pay the price for saving all of those children so many years ago."
Emma frowned. "What price was that?"
Neal looked her in the eyes. "Me," he replied simply. "He was able to save hundreds of children but he lost the one child that meant the world to him in the process."
"How?" Henry asked. He could recall Rumpelstiltskin's son, Baelfire, from his Storybook but all he knew was that he was the reason the old spinner had taken on the darkness. He hadn't known what happened to the son afterwards.
Neal was quiet for a moment. "We made a deal," he finally said, his voice sounding strangled. "He broke it and abandoned me, letting me fall though a portal into this world."
"That's why he was wanting to get here," Henry said suddenly, a metaphorical light bulb going off above his head. "He created the curse to get to you."
Neal looked up suddenly. "He created a curse?"
Emma flinched. She always knew when Neal was getting upset about something. His voice deepened slightly and a tense line appeared on his forehead. Just like it was doing now. She sighed suddenly. "I think it's time we told you the whole story."
Neal sat back in his chair. Usually, where his father was concerned, the whole story was not always a good one.
~~ONCEUPONATIME~~
Neal looked out the window of the van they were in as they passed a little sign that contained three magical words: Welcome to Storybrooke. He exhaled lightly and looked over at Henry, who had fallen asleep with his head on Neal's arm. Neal smiled before catching Emma's gaze in the rearview mirror. Neal had opt to sit in the back, where he was closer to his son, leaving Emma with Rumpelstiltskin in the passenger's seat.
"Do you still thinks it is wise to tell him about everything, Ms. Swan?" Rumpelstiltskin asked.
Neal bit his lip, barely stopping himself from flinching at the hostility in his Papa's voice. Emma simply glanced over at the man with an unimpressed look.
"He's Henry's father. If we are going to bring him into town, he has to know what he is getting into," she replied calmly.
Mr. Gold hummed lightly, not betraying any of his emotions. Neal knew his Papa better than anyone, however. He could see the way the man clenched his teeth, the creases around his eyes, and the pressing of his lips. Rumpelstiltskin was not happy. And Neal knew exactly way.
"We never did find my son, Ms. Swan," he said finally, his voice tight.
Emma raised an eyebrow and glanced back at Neal through the rear view mirror. He sent her a pleading look. She returned her attention to the road.
"We'll find him, Gold," she replied. "Just give it time."
"You still owe me, dearie," the Dark One sneered.
Neal bit his lip. Emma certainly hadn't told him that little piece of information.
"And you never did verify what that was," Emma said coolly. "What exactly is this favor I owe you?"
"Find my son and get him to talk to me," he clarified through clenched teeth.
Emma raised an eyebrow. "That sounds like two favors, not one."
Neal clenched his fist as he saw the way his Papa's face suddenly flooded with rage momentarily. The Dark One quickly schooled his expression and calmly wrapped his hands around the handle of his cane.
"Are you trying to go back on our deal?" he asked testily.
Emma raised an eyebrow. "I never said I was. I was simply making an observation," she replied as she adjusted her hands on the steering wheel. "So I have to find your son and he has to talk to you?"
Rumpelstiltskin nodded, his grip loosening on the handle of his cane. "I'm glad to see we are in agreement."
Emma just smile and shared an amused look with Neal through the rearview mirror.
"What if he doesn't want to talk to you?" Neal asked suddenly, causing Emma to raise an eyebrow.
"I don't see how this conversation is any of your business, dearie," he sneered. Neal raised an eyebrow. "Didn't your parents always tell you to keep your opinions to yourself?"
"No, actually," Neal replied, just barely keeping the grin off his face. "My Papa always used to tell me to express myself and my opinion."
"Well, your father is an idiot," Rumpelstiltskin countered smartly.
Emma snorted and bit her lip. Gold gave her a questionable look before turning his attention back to the road.
"You never did answer his question," Emma said.
"I don't see how he is a part of this, Ms. Swan, other than being Henry's father. I don't have to answer anything he asks."
Neal bit his lip and mentally flinched. Even though his Papa had no idea who he was, it still hurt to hear him say such harsh things. The barb didn't even faze Emma, however.
"I'm a big part of this and now I'm asking," she countered. "What if your son doesn't want to talk to you?"
Rumpelstiltskin sighed heavily. He was quiet for a moment, watching the buildings pass by as they made their way to the hospital. "If he doesn't want to talk," he began only to trail off. "If my son doesn't want to talk, then all I can do is respect his wish."
"And the favor I owe you?" Emma asked.
"Will be completed when you find my son," he replied softly, as if all of the fight had been drained from him. "I just want to see him again."
Emma glanced back at Neal again, trying to catch his eye. He didn't meet it, however. He glanced at his Papa before looking back at his own son. Emma sighed softly before she pulled the van under the awning of Emergency Room entrance.
"We're here," she said, unbuckling her seatbelt.
Neal gently tapped Henry on the shoulder. "Hey, buddy," he said quietly. "It's time to get up."
The eleven year old sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes. Neal smiled as he tried to wipe the sleep from his eyes. Neal nearly jumped when the van door opened, revealing a stern and attractive woman. She raised an eyebrow as her dark eyes took in his appearance. Her painted red lips pulled in the corner slightly as she pushed her dark hair behind her ear.
"You must be Neal," the woman said, her voice holding command and respect.
"And you are very scary, did you know that?" Neal replied honestly.
The woman's lip twitched into a full grin. "I think we will get along rather nicely," she replied.
"Regina," Emma greeted as she pushed Neal's wheelchair over.
"Emma," Regina smiled back.
Neal blinked, the mental pieces clicking together. So this was Henry's adopted mother. He promptly held out a hand. "Neal Cassidy," he introduced.
Regina took the hand. "Regina Mills. I'm the mayor of Storybrooke."
"Nice to meet you, Madam Mayor," Neal replied, meaning every word.
The mayor nodded before moving back, allowing Emma to push the wheelchair closer.
"How much does he know?" Regina asked.
"Everything," Emma replied as she locked the wheels in place. "Henry and I filled him in at the hospital when Gold was filling the paperwork out." She watched with an amused eyebrow as Neal expertly maneuvered himself into the wheelchair, Henry stumbling out of the van in a sleep-drunken haze.
"Good," Regina replied. "Then he won't be two surprised at all of the crazy things going on around here."
Neal grinned. "I spent some time on Neverland," he replied. "Crazy is an understatement."
"You were on Neverland?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, distrust coloring his voice.
"Yep," Neal replied, swallowing his hurt. "Pan and I didn't get along to well."
Those seemed to be the magic words. As soon as Neal verified that he and Pan were not allies, some of the tension disappeared from the Dark One's shoulders.
"Where is everyone?" Emma asked. "I almost expected to get hounded by people."
Regina nodded towards the parked cars. Neal glanced over and saw a small group of three people, standing of to the side. Well, two were standing. The last one of the group was perched on the top of a very nice black Cadillac. Upon seeing the attention they were getting, the woman on the car hopped down and the three quickly made their way over.
"Is this him?" a woman with short, pixie cut black hair and familiar green eyes asked.
Emma nodded. She turned to Neal. "Neal," she began as she gestured to the woman and man, "these are my parents: Snow White and Prince Charming."
"Call me David," the man said as he stepped forward, shaking Neal's hand.
"Nice to meet you, David. I'm Neal."
David nodded. "Emma told us about everything before she left. It's nice to finally meet Henry's father."
"It's nice to see that Emma found you two," Neal replied honestly, remembering all the times Emma had cried herself to sleep over her parents.
"Call me Snow," Emma's mother said, taking Neal's hand in both of hers. "It is really nice to meet you."
Neal smiled in return. He turned his attention to the chestnut haired woman that was walking over to his father.
"Did you find him?" she asked, her voice holding an interesting accent.
Rumpelstiltskin's face fell a little. "Not yet."
The woman smiled sadly for a moment before taking his father's hands. "I know you'll find him," she replied. "You've been searching too hard for it all just go to waste."
"Belle," the Dark One whispered, not really knowing what to say.
Belle smiled and patted his cheek. She turned and walked over to Neal.
"Hello," she greeted with a charming smile.
"Hi," Neal replied.
"I'm Belle French," she introduced, holding her hand out.
"Neal Cassidy," he replied and took her hand.
"Hey, Belle," Henry yawned.
Belle smiled kindly at the young boy. "Hi, Henry."
"When are you going to open the library?"
Belle thought for a moment. "I'm not sure yet. I still have books to rearrange and catalog."
"Do you need some help?" Neal asked.
Belle smiled. "I would love some help."
"Neal," Emma said as she leaned over his shoulder. "Shouldn't you be resting?"
Neal rolled his eyes. "I'm paralyzed, Emma, not ill. As long as I can get into the library, assuming it is on the first floor, I think I can do something that will get rid of any boredom."
Emma sighed. "Alright. But I want to ask Whale's opinion first. He is your doctor."
Neal sighed but complied nonetheless.
~~ONCEUPONATIME~~
The little town quickly settled into a new routine. Everyone went about their business. Emma and David continued their work as Sheriff and Deputy while Regina began pulling her reigns back in, playing the part of the strict mayor again only this time with not as much hatred. Mr. Gold continued to work in his pawnshop while Belle and Neal worked together on putting the library back in order.
It was on one particular day in the library that Neal realized just how at home he felt in this little, quaint town. He wanted to attribute the whole thing to being around his son and being closer to Emma again but some small part of his brain keep insisting that a little part of it had to do with being around his father again.
Despite everything his belief that his father had completely changed from the man he once knew, Neal could still see little glimpses of his Papa still behind the mask. He saw them occur the most when the man was around Belle. His Papa's True Love (something he had learned from Henry) was definitely the best thing that could have happened to the man. Neal couldn't help but smile a little whenever his Papa's face softened around the woman that could potentially become his stepmother.
Neal sighed suddenly as he slipped a book onto the shelf. Since he was in a wheelchair, he could only reach certain parts of the shelf. He hated how dependent he was on other people, especially Emma and Belle. Whale had released him from the hospital, on the premise of him having a place to live. Rumpelstiltskin had procured a place that was easily converted into a handicap accessible home. The man had only done so, however, when Belle had asked him to. Neal turned his wheelchair slightly and blinked when he notice Belle watching him with interest.
"Something wrong?" he asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious.
Belle blinked. "Just wondering when you are going to tell him?"
"Tell who and tell what?" Neal asked, frowning.
"Tell Rumple about who you are," she replied easily.
Neal frowned even more. "What?" he asked.
Belle raised an eyebrow. "When are you going to tell Rumple? He has been looking everywhere for you."
Neal blinked, ice suddenly filling his veins. He bit his lip, suddenly realizing exactly what Belle was implying. "I don't know what you are talking about," he replied quickly.
Belle looked amused. "Considering how pale you just got, I am pretty sure you do." The Beauty watched him for a moment. Her features softened. "I haven't told him anything, if that's what you're worried about."
Neal frowned. "Why not?"
Belle shrugged. "It's not my place. You're his son. You should be the one to tell him. The real question is: why haven't you?"
Neal looked down at his legs, a burning sensation building in the back of his throat.
"Oh," Belle replied.
Neal looked up again and saw a look of understanding pass across her face. Belle smiled sadly before pulling a chair over to seat next to him.
"You don't want him to see you like this," she concluded, resting her hand on his.
"How did you find out?" Neal asked, his voice strangled sounding. He looked up to meet her eyes.
Belle smiled. "I was never really sure. Your reaction kind of cemented the entire thesis."
Neal gave her an incredibly look, his eye widening slightly. Belle smiled before she gave his hand a squeeze.
"The thing that really tipped me off was the way you continued to look at Rumple," Belle replied warmly. "I could see that you were always holding something back whenever he is around." Belle was quite for a moment. "He mentioned how you old ball didn't track you like it was supposed to. I'm sure that's not the case."
Neal sighed. He nodded. "The potion worked," he muttered, his voice tight. "I asked Emma and Henry to cover for me." It was his turn to pause. "I just wasn't ready for him to be back in my life at the moment."
Belle watched him for a moment. "Are you ready now?"
Neal sat back and thought for a moment, rather than just impulsively replying. "I don't know," he replied honestly.
Belle was about to reply when the pair heard the front door open. The sound of a tapping cane quickly informed the two who their visitor was.
"Belle?"
"In here, Rumple!" she replied. She turned back to Neal and saw him looking at the door with apprehension. "You don't have to talk to him now," she whispered. "I won't say anything."
"Thank you," Neal whispered as his gaze shifted to his feet. His eyes looked back at the door when the tapping of the cane grew louder. He watched in silence as the pair exchanged greetings before Belle turned back to him.
"I'm going to head out," she said, tossing him the keys. "Could you close up for me?"
Neal smiled. "Sure. I'm heading over to Regina's after work anyways."
Rumpelstiltskin was watching the young man with interest. Something about him always sent off a red flag to the Dark One. There was something about the young man that was extremely familiar. He just couldn't put his finger on what. Belle gave the young man a wave before she linked her arm with his. Rumpelstiltskin pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind. He completely missed the wistful expression on the young man's face. If he had seen it, he probably would have been able to see exactly who the young man was.
~~ONCEUPONATIME~~
Neal didn't realize how distracted he was at dinner until Henry poked his shoulder. He looked up from his plate of lasagna and blinked at his son.
"You ok, Dad?" Henry asked.
Emma sat her fork down, having noticed the same distracted look that Henry had. She mentally kicked herself for not seeing it sooner. Neal simple smiled.
"I'm fine, Henry," he replied before sighing. "I've just got a lot on my mind."
"Like what?" Regina asked as she took a sip of her red wine. She has broken out an old bottle of Merlot for the adults to have for dinner. Neal had to admit, Regina really knew her wines.
"Just thinking about my father, is all," he admitted. They had never gotten around to telling Regina Neal's connection to her former mentor.
"And who might that be?" Regina asked.
Neal's lip twitched into a small smile. He waited until she was taking another drink of her wine before answering. "Rumpelstiltskin."
He got the desired effect. Regina promptly choked on her wine. She quickly recovered before throwing Neal a look. "Hilarious," she replied dryly as she picked up her fork.
Neal raised an eyebrow. "I'm not joking."
The bite of lasagna that she had been about to take stopped in mid-air as the sentence registered through her brain. She slowly sat the fork down as she eyed him cautiously. "And I'm supposed to believe that without evidence?"
Neal blinked. "What kind of evidence do you need?"
"Him confirming it would be nice," she replied as she pulled her phone up. Emma quickly reached over and stopped her from dialing Gold's number.
"He doesn't know," Emma replied as she pushed the phone down.
Regina frowned. "Why not?"
Neal cleared his throat awkwardly. "We didn't part on the best of terms."
Regina's frown deepened. She motioned for Neal to continue. The man was quiet for a moment. He finally sighed heavily as he placed his fork down on his plate.
"It was a long time ago," he began, his unfocused eyes staring off into space. "My father had become the Dark One in order to keep me from being drafted in the Ogre Wars. He saved all of the children from the frontlines and ended the War completely." He paused for a moment. "It was about a year after that, when we ended up parting. He had changed from the man he had been before. Even though I could still see little remnants of him, he wasn't my father anymore."
"I thought he had always been like that," Regina frowned.
Neal shook his head. "No. He was kind before. Always kind. The Curse changed him, taking everything good and corrupting it. Until there was nothing left but darkness."
Regina was quiet for a moment. "What happened after that?" she asked gently.
"We made a deal," Neal continued, looking at his hands. "He said that if I could find a way to get rid of the Curse, he would take it."
Regina frowned. "True love's kiss?" she guessed.
Neal shook his head, a bitter smile on his face. "If only that were the case. I called on the Reul Ghorm, the Blue Fairy, for help. She gave me one of the last surviving magical beans. She told me about this world."
Regina sat back in thought. "But why didn't she tell you about the power of True Love?"
Neal shrugged. "I don't know. I was fifteen at the time. I knew nothing of magic, except that it had changed my father for the worse."
Regina hummed lightly but didn't respond. She motioned for Neal to continue.
"I convinced him to use the bean. However, right after the portal opened, he got scared." He paused for a moment. "I came through to this land alone," he finished softly.
"He abandoned you," Regina concluded quietly.
Neal gave her a bitter smile. "Yep. I spent about six months in Victorian London before being taken in by a family. Not long after that, I ended up in Neverland."
"I'm guessing that's how you survived all these years?" Regina asked.
Neal nodded. "Time is meaningless on Neverland. Any child that ends up there doesn't age. I finally managed to escape a couple of hundred years later. I landed back in the Land Without Magic." He looked up and gave Emma a smile. "You know the rest."
Regina nodded. She was quiet for a moment. "Are you going to tell him?"
Neal looked her square in the eyes. "I don't know."
Just wanted to clear something up: August DID NOT push Neal out in front of the traffic. I realize that it may have seemed that way but that is not how it happened. Yes, August did chase Neal but Neal ran out into traffic by himself. There was no foal play involved.
Again, please review and let me know what you think. I've been working on another story/one shot that might actually turn into a series of one shots. Until next time.