Rated: PG-13 or T

Genre: Romance/Drama

Summary: Part 9A of the Clandestine Tryst series. Neal returns to Storybrooke to get to know his new family and son, including his father. As the wedding approaches for Belle and Rumple, Neal looks to Emma and hopes it's not too late for a second chance… Swanfire and Rumbelle.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Once Upon a Time. If I did… let's say there would have been some changes made.

A/N: Like the rest of my series, it is an AU of the show in particular with more Nealfire involved. This one is mostly told from Neal/Baelfire's POV but I wanted to give a new perspective and set it up for the next story in my series. Seriously… I cannot believe how long this has become and I want to thank you guys for supporting me along the way! You guys rock!

Of Swans and Wedding Bells

By: Erik'sTrueAngel

Part 1

The visit to New York did extend for a second week. In that time, Neal got to acquaint himself with his sister Lily-Rose and soon-to-be stepmother Belle. His father, Rumplestiltskin, remained in the picture but didn't want to disrupt the mood since he and his son still had many unresolved issues to work through.

Belle insisted they call a truce for now but her fiancé took it to mean no communication at all. Of course, Rumple didn't want to say the wrong thing and his silence only aggravated Neal but he kept his comments to himself. They'll have time later to hash it out, but until then… he had a new family to get to know and a sister who wanted to fly!

Lifting Lily-Rose by her armpits, Neal swung her over his head as he made an airplane sound. The toddler shrieked in delight and laughed as they spun faster and faster. "Here we go for a landing!" Neal exclaimed, bringing her to his side and low to the ground before bringing her back up into the air. "Never mind! We have another plane in sight!"

His son (his son) Henry had his arms outstretched as he angled them up and down, running in a circle. Making the same airplane sound, Henry came charging at the brother and sister duo before veering off.

"You can't catch me!" he singsong.

"Sounds like a challenge, huh Squirt?" he asked Lily-Rose. Giggling breathlessly, she nodded.

"Let's get him!" she shouted.

The two planes chased each other until the older pilot brought the tiny plane closer to him and used his free arm to tackle the second. All three were howling with laughter as Neal brought them to earth.

Landing on his butt, he said, "That was fun right?" Before he could finish his sentence, Lily-Rose and Henry exchanged devious looks before flinging themselves into Neal's unexpected torso.

Belle, Rumple, and Emma sat on a bench not too far from the scene watching their respective children bonding.

"Neal is great with them isn't he?" Belle remarked to her two quiet companions.

"Yeah."

"He's a natural."

Belle sighed. She expected this from Rumple, but Emma? Clearly, she and Neal had a past that did not end well but like the father-son pair—Emma and Neal hardly acknowledged the other. Not from a lack of trying, Belle noted. Neal tried to speak to the blonde but she kept brushing him off and closing up around him. Whatever it was had been really bad for Emma to act this way.

As for Henry?

The boy was still mad at his mother for the deception, but he did ease up on her after they had a long chat about her lie. He seemed a bit like his old self prior to the heartbreaking truth; although, he was putting some distance between him and Emma. Not purposely or maliciously Belle had observed. Just the little things like not sitting next to Emma when they eat or preferring to ride with Neal back to the hotel.

Yes he wanted to get to know his birth father, but he was also inadvertently hurting his mother in the process. Belle could see she would have her hands full as soon as they returned to Storybrooke. Not only was a wedding had to be planned, but also there were many broken relationships that needed fixing.

Gods give me the strength.

After the venture in the park, they agreed to go out to dinner as a group (Belle had to roll her eyes at the avoidance of the "f" word) to a nice family—group restaurant. Of course, Belle never met a group of adults who were so afraid and wary to use the word and who would much prefer walking on eggshells than to confront the reality of their situation. She was going to talk to Rumple as soon as they were alone, and not within Lily-Rose's earshot. Maybe even Emma too…

Once their orders were placed, the topic of Storybrooke was brought up. They've been gone for a while now and it was the other elephant in the room that needed to be mentioned.

"As much as I would love for us to stay in New York longer, we do have a wedding to plan," Belle said.

The Savior looked practically relieved that the brunette beauty brought it up. "And you have school Henry," Emma reminded the boy. Henry and Lily-Rose couldn't help the collected sigh and even Neal was a little disappointed to have them leave so soon. There was still so much he hadn't learned about his son yet…

Like always, Henry was looking on the bright side of things. "Well, going back won't be so bad. You have to check it out Dad—it's a small town but there's this awesome beach—" As Henry went on about the sights and sounds that Storybrooke had to offer, Neal noticed Emma's flinch at calling him "Dad." It was a word he never thought he would hear and it filled him with such warmth and pride to know this amazing little boy was his. It still felt like a wonderful dream and Neal was afraid he would wake to find Henry a figment of his imagination. However, seeing Emma cringe only reminded him how less than thrilled she was to see him again and how badly he had left things… So immersed in his thoughts, Neal didn't realize Henry was asking him if he was coming back too.

Neal hadn't thought about it—it would make sense but could he leave the familiar, safe world of Non-magic and enter the unknown Magic one? He didn't like the fact it meant his Papa had his powers, and he knew well enough that it could spell trouble for those who were tempted to make a deal with the Dark One… Or if they had no other choice. Neal never liked the desperate souls because they never realize what they agreed to do and it never ended well. However, before he could make up his mind, Emma was already cutting in.

"Henry that's a huge inconvenience for your—um, Neal to come back with us. He has a life here and he's probably busy. You can't expect someone to uproot themselves so suddenly." It didn't go unnoticed that she was refusing to meet Neal's gaze as she said this.

Of course, it didn't sit well with him that she was making a decision without discussing it with him first. Then again… had he not done the same ten years ago? This is different, the voice in his head argued. You have a child now and he comes first. Remember. You told yourself that things will be different if you ever became a father…

"Actually," Neal started. "I could tag along. Have a lot of vacation days saved up. I think it's high time I use them. Besides… I've always wanted to visit Maine and this Storybrooke town does sound nice."

Emma's eyes snapped to his instantly, her jaw dropping just slightly at his announcement. Yet there was no mistaken the fire that burned in her green eyes, smoldering him with her anger. Yeah, he kinda figured she wouldn't like the sound of him leaving New York, but they had to be adults here. This was for Henry and seeing his entire face just light up at the prospect that his dad was coming back made the risk of upsetting her all the more worth it. So her subtle hint for him to decline totally backfired, and maybe now, she will start acting like he existed after all.

His other family was also as pleased to hear his decision. Even his father had a small smile on his lips, which made Neal feel a little bad. He was going for Henry—and Lily-Rose chimed in about her toys and her plans right then—and Lily-Rose's sake. He was already half in love with his sister and he also happened to like Belle too. He still had a difficult time wrapping his mind over the thought of his scaly Papa and this beauty falling in love. Lily-Rose was their child that was no doubt, but the cynical side of him (and the Baelfire) suspected there was more to the story than either adult would let on.

He did have a moment alone with his future stepmother a while back and he had to ask her again if she made a deal with his father. If she did… he felt he would have no choice but to give his Papa a piece of his mind and it wouldn't be pretty. Yet, Belle placed her hands on his shoulders, squeezing him gently, as she looked him dead in the eye, and told him: "No. There was never a deal between us."

She proceeded to tell him her side of the story about the arranged marriage to Sir Gaston and how his poor father was ordered to stay in the dungeon.

"It started off with me bringing food to him. It wasn't fair nor right for him to be treated like a beast, and that was how my ex-husband saw your father—a beast. He wasn't a man or a human. I couldn't let such mistreatment continue under my roof and I attempted to bring some compassion to him to make his stay bearable. He resisted at first, as you can imagine. Your Papa is very independent and doesn't like to be viewed as helpless, but he had to endure it nevertheless. He knew right away that I did not love Gaston and he did try to have me make a deal with him. However, I knew it wouldn't bode well for my betrothed so I continued to press my friendship in the hope that if I could prove he was no threat, then he would receive better treatment. I hadn't expected to fall in love or him either. It… happened. But I was bound by my word to marry Gaston and marry him I did."

Belle confided that despite Gaston being a decent man she could not give her heart to him. It wasn't right either, she agreed, to live in this sham of a marriage and make herself and the two men in her life miserable, but what choice did she have? She feared Rumple might seek revenge on Gaston, and she feared Gaston might kill him if he knew about the affair. Then she discovered she was pregnant and did not know who the father was or what this could mean if the child bore scales like the imp had. Her infidelity would be evident but the consequences could have had disastrous results once the kingdom discovered that their Queen and the Dark One were lovers.

She wasn't sure how much she should share after the pregnancy. The last thing she wanted was for Neal to continue thinking his father was an unchanged man after he left Belle and Lily-Rose. Even though she knew it was for her good and their daughter's… she feared Neal might not have felt the same and would do something regretful to further damage the fragile relationship he had with Rumple. Her fiancé suffered enough in that regard missing out on Lily-Rose's first year and she did not want his son to think he should avenge that separation. Belle bore Rumple no ill will and felt she made her peace once she awakened from her Curse. She would still blush thinking about how she put her imp in his place, but that was another story for another time. Neal didn't need to know the exact intimate details.

Truthfully, Neal was blown away by Belle's story. He never thought his father had it in him to pursue a taken woman, and she was so earnest in how they did try to end things before it got out of hand but love found a way. There was no denying that what they had was True Love, and for Neal to learn that the idea was possible was extraordinary. True Love was something he remembered as a boy in the stories he heard growing up. Even when he spent time with the Darlings, Wendy talked about True Love all the time. He had never anticipated it could be a real thing… except when he met Emma. That had been a short time in his life for him to believe the concept was true. Yet presently? He didn't think the idea existed so much between them now, which did make him remorseful. Despite what Emma thought about him, he never forgot her for a single moment or the plans they had made once they sold those watches.

"You know what I'm talking about," Belle said, gazing at him with understanding. "It isn't easy. I believe it's never meant to be easy—True Love. The only thing that matters is if you are willing to fight for it in order to keep it. Once I got over my fears, I was prepared to fight for your father and be with him. We had our ups and downs, but we managed to conquer a Curse together so we can have that happy ending. We're a family again and with you in the picture… it makes our little family more complete. Give him time Neal. That's all I ask. Give him the time he deserves to prove himself and give yourself the time to prove yourself to Emma."

Indeed, Belle was quite the perceptive one. And wise too.

Neal took her words to heart and thought he should give his Papa a chance… But it wasn't easy to do when there was so much pain and resentment over what his Papa had done.

And Emma…

Well, that was something else entirely.

The truth was… he didn't know what to make of her after they first met. She was this young girl with this ponytail and thick-rimmed glasses that tried stealing his car (failing royally) but somehow wormed her way into his heart. It happened so quickly, so fast that Neal didn't question it at the time. All he knew was that he was missing something and Emma Swan was the one who made him whole again.

They had a lot in common besides thieving. She had no parents—an orphan—and was shipped from one foster home to the next, never settling and never finding someone who cares enough to keep her. He told her that he had a father somewhere, but that he had been abandoned due to his father's addiction. He was pretty close to being an orphan and it wasn't that far from the truth. His father was addicted—to power but it was an addiction nevertheless. He told Emma that his mother ran off when he was younger and his father was losing control so that when he tried to help him… Neal was left alone. She had been the only person to get the truth. Not even the Darlings knew that much about him, but there was something about Emma that had him wanting to be honest with her.

Thus, they bonded over the loneliness, and together, they knew they could do anything with the other by their side.

But it was scary how his feelings for her developed so quickly. Never in his whole life had he felt this way about a girl. And while every instinct was telling him to forget it, to leave her alone… Neal couldn't. He was drawn to her and now he can understand why. The son of the Dark One and the daughter of Prince Charming and Snow White—it was almost too perfect of a romance, practically star-crossed if he had to admit. Of course, he hadn't known that when he met her. Nevertheless, Neal fell hard and he wanted to give her everything she always wanted: a family.

If he had to be honest—that's what he wanted too—a family and a place to call home without the pain and betrayal that had followed in his previous life. This was a chance for a fresh start and with the girl of his dreams… what could go wrong?

Well, for starters, he had omitted certain things about himself; namely, he never told the truth of his real name or where he actually came from. He thought about it, even imagined telling her that he was really called Baelfire and he came from a place called the Enchanted Forest. Of course, she would think he was insane or something and leave him. But the more he thought about it… he thought why bring it up? That part of his life was over. Neal Cassidy was his identity now, not Baelfire, not the son of a coward or a powerful dark sorcerer. Just Neal—a regular guy from Michigan with no affiliation with magical beings.

He could pretend that everything was normal. This world was so different than his so it was easily done to forget. And as time went on, and those moments spent in Emma's arms, his old life did feel more like a dream.

Yes… everything had been going well until the watches. In hindsight, he never should have stolen them. If he hadn't… then he would have never met August Booth or Pinocchio or whoever the Hell he was. And he would have never learned about Emma's destiny. Of course, if he hadn't stolen the watches, then Emma would have never known the truth of her birth (and that had been a shocker) and she wouldn't have found her parents. She wouldn't have learned that it was love that sent her here and that they cared for her.

He supposed knowing was better than not, but it came at the cost of a broken heart. And he did the breaking.

Oh, he spent years thinking back to that moment in time when he should have told that smartass leather wearing puppet "screw you" and met up with Emma anyways. If they were caught, then they would have been caught together. Instead, he allowed August to convince him that this was the better course… that he was really doing Emma a favor in leaving her behind. His heart argued it was wrong and that this was unforgivable, but his head… His head was listening to that damn puppet and if he could give her that knowledge about her parents, then the sacrifice would be worth it. She would know that she wasn't given up because they didn't want her or love her. She was given up so she could have her best chance and be safe.

But couldn't he still have met up with her and told her truth?

Perhaps. Would she believe him? Probably not. He was more afraid that the truth would have her leave him. Because he would have to confess who he really was in order for him to know who she was and she would feel betrayed he had lied to her all along.

So he took the coward's way out, behaving just like his father (which he swore he would never do), and he ran. He ran because he didn't want to be exposed as a liar that he was. He ran because he thought he was doing the right thing.

The days that followed were the worst. He had no idea what happened to her other than she was arrested, and as tempted as he was to see her one last time… he remembered what August told him and that he couldn't interfere with the breaking of the Curse. This was her destiny as the Savior and she could only realize her potential with him not in the picture.

The Savior…

It was such an important title and it almost didn't feel like that it was her, but wasn't it? She saved him, hadn't she? Perhaps his willingness to lose her would also save her too. It was backwards thinking, he knew that, but he had to believe that his sacrifice was worth it.

It had too.

The last thing he expected was for her to end up pregnant. To learn that now… It was gut-wrenching. To think—Emma alone in jail with a baby, thinking the father no longer loved her…

Neal never wanted that. Neal never wanted any of that to happen. He could blame August all he wanted, but ultimately, it was his decision and he chose to leave her behind and his son.

Maybe he and his Papa weren't so different after all.

xxXXxx

After dinner, they went back to the hotel to plan their trip back to Storybrooke. Rumple was adamant about the no flight return. So he and Belle decided they would go ahead and rent a car to drive back to Storybrooke. Lily-Rose didn't want to be separated from Henry and she wanted to fly again. That left Emma and Neal who were going to be in charge of the youngsters on the plane.

While it would give Neal the chance to become closer to his son and sister, it also meant he would be on an airplane with her. The kids would be a good buffer but when it came down to it… could they be civil to each other alone?

As it was, Emma was still quietly seething at him for agreeing to tag along and the last thing he wanted was for their tension to spill onto the children. Even now, she had reverted back to her pretending he wasn't there again, and if this continued, it would make for a very long flight.

"Emma, can we talk?" he asked suddenly, interrupting the planning process.

She looked up at him, startled. Clearly, she wasn't expecting him to speak to her, not when she had made it clear she wasn't ready yet. Well, he was ready and she better hop on that damn train now if they want to get through this trip in one piece.

"Alone," he added, nodding his head to his balcony.

Her chin quivered but she locked her lips together as she stood up and turned towards the window to climb out to the balcony.

Henry gave his father an approving smile and a thumb's up, and Lily-Rose giggled her support. Neal stole a glance towards Belle as she winked at him and mouthed "good luck." He did slide his gaze over to his Papa who also seemed to approve his actions as he sent his son a reassuring grin.

Knowing he had the rest of his family's support did give Neal the extra boost of courage as he followed Emma outside.

Once he stepped out of the window, he turned to close it so they could have privacy. Then, taking a deep breath, he faced the blonde who already had her arms crossed in front of her and an unreadable expression on her countenance. She wasn't going to make it easy for him, not even give him a hint to her thoughts, but it didn't take a genius to figure out what might be brewing in that head of hers.

"Emma—"

"Wait." She held up her hand, silencing him. "Before you say anything Neal, let me say this: I'm not happy that you're coming back with us. But I get it. I do. Henry wants you there as does Lily-Rose and your father. The whole point of this excursion was to find you and have you come back to Storybrooke. That had always been the plan. Of course, I hadn't anticipated the extra bonus that it was, in fact, you and as upset as I am… I'm willing to be a team player for Henry's sake. This is about him, not us. So I will promise you that I will be on my best behavior on the way there. However, as soon as we land in Storybrooke, I don't want to see you. I don't want to talk to you. But for Henry, I will be nice when he's around. Other than that, you keep to your business and I will keep to mine. Is that a deal?"

She was looking at him intently, expecting him to agree to this bargain of civility. He could respect her wish. After all, this was his fault and if he wanted to get back into her good graces, then he should accept whatever offer she gave him.

But he was stubborn and he was done doing what he thought was the right thing for sensitivity's sake.

"I understand you don't like me now. Hell, I don't blame you for hating my guts. I would too if I was in your shoes. But I cannot agree to those terms. I have to see you. I have to talk to you."

"Too bad. I don't want to. So I guess life is full of disappointments, huh?"

"Emma…" He closed his eyes, inhaling. "Please don't do this. We're adults and we can—"

"Yes. We are adults, but as far as I'm concerned, you are nothing to me since I obviously didn't mean anything to you. This conversation is over."

Emma went to go around him, but remembering his talk with Belle and envisioning the disappointment on Henry's face if he knew his parents couldn't get along, and hearing her deliberate choice of diction… Neal blocked her.

"No Emma. You're not leaving until you hear what I have to say." His tone left no room for debate and he met her glare with one of his own. Indeed, the years had hardened her, but she was a survivor. She always has been and it was something he always admired in her. But for her to think that he never cared… Well, that was going too far.

"First, that is not true. I have always cared for you. That hasn't fucking changed, not now, not back then. So don't ever say that you mean nothing to me. Because you do Emma Swan. You mean the world to me."

"Really?" she rejoined tartly. "You sure have a funny way of showing that."

"I told you before—I fucked up. I know I did. You don't have to keep throwing that in my face—"

"—Obviously I do since you're so intent on forgetting what happened that ended us—"

"—Who's said I forgot? I have never forgotten that night! God, that night is the only thing I keep thinking about!—"

"—I must have missed that somewhere down the line when I was serving time for your crime!—"

"—Yes you did but if I could trade places with you, then I would have in a heartbeat—"

"—Oh yeah? Where were you during those eleven months?—"

"—It wasn't that easy! I thought it was the right thing—"

"—Right thing? Are you kidding me Neal?! The right thing would be if you showed up when you promised you would! The right thing would be if you were there to take the fall since you stole them in the first place! The right thing would be not calling the fucking police—"

"I never called the police."

She balked at him, her eyes wide. Chest heaving, Emma grasped for words. "W-w-what?"

Breathing loudly through his nose, Neal repeated himself. "I said, 'I never called the police.'"

"O-of course you d-did!" she stammered. "The cop… he said that you—you left an anonymous tip! Y-you t-turned me in!"

"No Emma. I didn't. August wanted me to but I couldn't. I knew I was hurting you already by not showing up when I told you I would. I couldn't rat you out. So I gave him the information he needed and he made the call."

"Wait, what? August?" She was confused, flabbergasted. "You're lying. You have to be. August—"

"Look, I don't know how much August told you, but judging from your reaction, clearly not everything. He found me Emma. He found me that night. He knew who I was and he told me you had a greater destiny at hand. He also told me that I was in the way and I was only going to hamper you from achieving your potential. He convinced me that the right thing for you would be for me to leave you behind. And I—stupidly—believed him."

"Neal…" Her voice was so low but he didn't hear her.

"It is not my shining moment. I know that. And if I could go back and redo that entire evening—I would. But… I knew how much it meant to you to know who you really are. To know who your parents were and to know why they gave you up. August assured me that you would find out. He told me about the Curse and that your parents were trapped and only you could break it. He told me that you were the Savior. And me… I'm nobody. I'm the son of Rumplestiltskin and while he's someone you don't want to reckon with… I was a deadbeat. I was only going to bring you down and you deserved so much better than that. So when August offered me the chance to do right by you… I took it. And I have never regretted something so much as I did when I took his deal.

"Emma," he continued, without taking a pause. "I'm not asking you to forgive me. I'm not going to delude myself into thinking I deserve it. Cause I don't. But we have a son. I never thought it would ever happen to me, and seriously, I can't begin to tell you how excited I am that it was you and I that created him. And I don't expect you and me to be the best of friends after everything between us. I get that. I do. However, I do want us to try and be friends or something close for Henry's sake. I plan on being in his life and so it has to be something that we have to get used to. Can you accept that?"

He didn't expect anything from her. He only wanted her to hear his side and understand that he wasn't going to leave her, not when Henry was involved. He was planning on staying for the long haul so she had to get used to the idea that as the father… he wasn't going to pack up and leave.

Nonetheless, she astounded him by holding her hand out to him.

"Okay," she murmured, shaking his hand. "I can accept that."

Letting him go, Emma opened the window and ducked back inside. It took Neal a minute to recoup and realize what transpired right then and there.

Then, slowly, a grin broke across his face.

xxXXxx

It was an early morning for everyone as Belle and Rumple got Lily-Rose dressed before Neal stopped by the hotel. The little girl was excited to be going on the "airoplane" again and with her big brother too. Belle, on the other hand, was a little misty eyed to leave her daughter for the journey, but she trusted Neal and Emma to take good care of her. Although, it would have been nice if Lily-Rose pretended to miss her Mommy and Papa as they separated.

"I suppose I should get used to it," Belle grumbled to Rumple as they climbed into their taxi that would take them to the rentals. "She will be going to school in a few years…"

"She's independent. Just like her mother," Rumple said with a wink that had Belle fighting back a smile.

"A little too independent if you ask me."

Meanwhile, Neal and Emma had their hands full with the Dark One's brood and Henry. The former was baffled when Belle warned Lily-Rose not to use her magic at any point. He asked Emma while they were walking to their gate what that had been all about and the Savior smirked as she told him about the little "incident" involving the conveyor belt with their suitcases.

"She can do magic here!?" Neal exclaimed and earned a few strange looks from passersby. He was holding Lily-Rose as she let out a little giggle and placed her finger over her lips.

"Shh Bae," she told him. "It's a secret."

Moving her to his other hip, Neal lowered his voice as he whispered to Emma, "I thought magic didn't exist here."

"Yeah, well, your sister didn't get the memo on that one. Why are you so shocked? Lily-Rose told you already."

"I know but I thought it was kid talk. I didn't think she was actually serious." Neal frowned. "Oh boy…"

"Her dad's the Dark One. What did you expect?" Emma said.

They arrived at the gate and since it wasn't loading time yet… the group found some empty chairs to sit. Lily-Rose made herself comfortable being on her big brother's lap while Henry sat next to his father. Emma wanted to sit beside Henry but someone else was already there and her only other option (besides moving away from them) was next to Neal. So she did… reluctantly.

At least some of the awkwardness was gone since Neal was still stunned over the revelation about his baby sister. It meant they could focus on that and not the other elephant in the room. Of course, Emma was rethinking that Gold and Belle had the right idea after all about that road trip. Maybe she wouldn't be feeling like the fourth wheel at the moment. Hell, being the third wheel to them would be much better than suffering the silent treatment from her son and his undivided adoration to his father.

"Wow…" Neal murmured.

She arched her brow as she cocked her head to the side. "You're still on that?"

"Can you blame me? I know he was cursed but I didn't think something like that could be passed on."

"Why not?" she asked.

"Well," he started. "For starters, my Papa was an ordinary and normal man. He was a spinner, even owned a small farm. Trust me when I say there wasn't a magical bone in his body. So for Lily-Rose to inherit something that wasn't exactly genetic is shocking. Of course, magic always comes with a price so why shouldn't this?"

"You don't sound thrilled. Lily-Rose would be disappointed," she pointed out.

"If you saw the things I did and how magic can break up a family… you wouldn't be a fan either," he said and that ended the subject.

Henry and Lily-Rose filled up the time reading Henry's book and Neal listened to the stories and supplied what he knew at the time. That led to Henry asking him more questions about life in the Enchanted Forest and Neal obliged with some old childhood tales (the happier ones) until Lily-Rose announced she had to go to the bathroom.

Confused and a little lost, Neal looked to Emma on what to do. She couldn't help the little roll of her eyes and the smirk at the corner of her mouth as she got up and took the little girl's hand in her own. As much as she would have loved to see him handle that situation, it wasn't fair for the child who really had to go.

Emma took her to the ladies' room and Lily-Rose told her (quite confidently) that she could do this by herself. So the Savior watched, impressed, that the two-year-old did exactly that, but then again, considering who she was… this had to be a walk in the park. When Lily-Rose was done and her hands freshly cleaned, they walked back to the boys just as it was announced for their plane to load.

Storybrooke… Here we come, Emma thought as Lily-Rose ran back to Neal so he could carry her. Henry was quickly putting his book back in his backpack and Emma gave him a small smile when he looked at her. There was a flicker of a grin being returned before Henry moved to walk beside Neal. The blonde picked up her bag and began to follow them when she overheard someone mention how lovely that family was and how the little girl looked like her father.

Cheeks burning scarlet-red, Emma faced them as she quickly stammered, "We're not a family. That's his sister. We're… old friends."

The couple blinked at her, not sure how to respond, but Emma turned around and followed the others so they could board.

As for the flight itself, it could have been a major disaster, which unfortunately it wasn't. However, there was one incident that involved another passenger's drink to turn from a Coke to a Pepsi that had Henry laughing and a straight-face, tight-lipped look on Lily-Rose's. Neal was flabbergasted that she pulled a trick after Belle told her not to use magic, but Lily-Rose explained in her inane way that the person was mean to the nice lady who was giving them snacks.

"And they don't know it was me," she whispered.

"That's not the point Lily-Rose," Neal said, sighing. "You can't do that. As harmless as it was… you can't change a person's drink. Even if it seems they deserve it."

"But Bae…" she softly whined.

"No buts Lily-Rose," he told her. "You promised your Mommy no magic."

"Okay. No more. I promise," she vowed.

The rest of the flight was quiet with Henry barely speaking with Emma. He did make some small talk with her about school and how he couldn't wait for Grandma and Grandpa to meet his dad until he remembered Regina.

"Regina?" Neal repeated.

Henry nodded. "My adopted mom. She's the Evil Queen."

"Oh." Then, "Wait, Evil Queen?"

That led into another hushed conversation so there wouldn't be any eavesdroppers. By the time Henry finished his story, Neal's eyes were so wide he looked to Emma wordlessly.

"I know. That's my world right now," she admitted.

As for the two adults, themselves, talk was restricted to what the kids were saying and doing. Emma did include some details that were left out about the town and some of the people, but for the most part, as promised, she didn't go further or volunteer any more information than was necessary. She accepted that he would be in their lives and that was more than he could ask for, but Neal wished she would try to be friends… even for a short time.

The plane landed in Boston and once they departed… they picked up Emma's Beetle from the parking structure so they could finish the rest of the drive. Upon seeing the old yellow bug, Neal's face lit up.

"I see you kept it."

"It's a good car. Nothing more."

Henry and Lily-Rose looked at each other, both silently shaking their heads.

They stopped to grab a quick bite to eat and Emma called to check to see how Belle and Gold were doing. The couple was making excellent time on the way to Maine. As much as Belle wanted to explore more of the country, she knew they hadn't planned it properly and she didn't want it to feel like they were taking advantage of her and Neal for watching Lily-Rose. They agreed to meet in Portland so they could all drive back to Storybrooke together in the bug.

Of course, the significance of this location wasn't lost by Emma and Neal, but they wisely chose not to comment on it or mention it to Henry this was where they first met. In fact, they purposely avoided the places and areas the two had hung out and looked for places that would be neutral or had less history between them.

With a lot of time to kill, Neal and Emma and the kids parked the car and walked around the city. They window-shopped, bought some snacks, and drove to the park that Henry pointed out. It was a good place for the kids to stretch their legs and blow off some energy as they patiently waited for their two other companions. As they played on the playground, Neal and Emma sat on a park-bench and watched them. For a while, neither spoke since they didn't want to ruin the mood or the false sense of friendship that was created for the kids' sakes. After ten minutes lapsed, Neal began chuckle quietly to himself.

"What's so funny?" Emma asked and instantly regretted breaking the silence.

"Lily-Rose," he answered, glancing at his ex. "I can't get over how she changed that Coke to a Pepsi. It's not the type of dark magic I would imagine the Dark One to use let alone his child."

Despite herself, Emma cracked a grin at the memory. "Yeah. That was pretty funny. Of course, depending on who you are talking to… that was the epitome of dark magic if you're not a Pepsi fan."

Silence fell over them.

Neal rested his elbows on his knees as he rubbed his hands together, mainly to keep himself occupy as he watched Lily-Rose and Henry commence in a game of tag with a few other kids playing. He wanted to talk to Emma more—make some more progress between them after what was said last night. He thought they reached some understanding, but now they were back to square one and he didn't know how else to break from this rut. At least they weren't screaming at each other so that had to count for something, right?

"So, uh, who else lives in Storybrooke?" Neal asked, disturbing the quiet. "If you don't mind me asking…"

"Oh. I thought Henry told you…"

"He did. A little. The thing is… most of those people I have never met before. So I don't know who they are, but I've seen enough Disney movies from this land to get the gist of it."

"Oh." Emma looked down at her feet, wondering if she should get involved in this. This was another conversation, and while it wasn't about them, she did think it was an odd thing for him to ask considering where he came from. "Well, there's Snow White, Prince Charming, the seven Dwarves, Jiminy Cricket, Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and her Prince (who has a daughter by the way), and you know, fairy tale characters. Your old friends I guess."

"That would be nice but I highly doubt my old friends are there."

"Why do you say that? Henry told me that pretty much everyone from the Enchanted Forest was sent here by your father's Curse."

"That might be true but everyone you mentioned wasn't born when I was a kid."

Emma did a double-take. "I'm sorry—what!?"

He sheepishly shrugged. "My dad's over 300-years-old. He had me when he was human remember? No magic in me."

"Yeah but… I thought that was an exaggeration. Like Biblical years exaggeration."

"Nope. It's quite literal I'm afraid."

"So that means you're…?" Then without warning, Emma punched him in the arm.

Neal yelped and rubbed the spot as he looked at her with incredulity. "Hey! What the Hell was that for?"

"You're freaking old! That's what for! Oh my God… I can't believe—No wonder you got me to like you!"

Now, it was his turn to do a double-take. "What?! Why would you say that!?"

"I don't know because you're ancient and been around the block once or twice I bet," she said accusingly. "Seriously, how many girls were suckers to your charms?"

His bug-eyed look became even bigger. "How many…? Whoa, Emma, you think I'm some kind of Don Juan and cradle-snatcher?"

"Not Don Juan but I would agree with cradle-snatcher."

"For the love of… None! Okay, none. And for the record, I never took advantage of you. You tried carjacking my car, remember? I thought you were cute, yeah, but who instigated our first kiss? Who jumped me the first time we made—"

"Okay. But you could have—I don't know—resisted."

"Uh-huh. Resist a beautiful woman who wants me."

"I was young—"

"You turned eighteen. Not to mention I'm not that much older than you."

"But you said…"

He sighed. "I know. Yes, my Papa is old and by all accounts, I should be dead by now. But it's not that simple. The Enchanted Forest… it has its own set of rules. Just like the other realms and places of time that are interconnected. Time is linear but at the same time it can be malleable and stagnant."

"Okay, come again?"

"My Papa and I were born like the people in this world. We grew up the same way with the same passage of twelve months as a year. When Papa became the Dark One… that made him immortal. Now, if I stayed, I would have aged normally but you have to understand… my father changed. Not for the best despite his intentions."

"What intentions were those?"

"The Ogre Wars were going on for years, even when Papa was a kid. When he married my mother, he was called to join the army. He went and it was on the frontlines that he crippled himself, branded himself as a coward, and returned home in shame and disgrace. For years, he and I endured the people's taunts and insults. He did the best he could to give me a good life, but it wasn't easy. Back then, if you were a coward, you were pretty much a pariah to the village. We were but they needed my Papa's skills as a spinner for their cloth and wool. He was the truly the best there was and everyone knew it. So we were never run out of town as a result.

"However, that didn't stop people from abusing him or paying less for what it was really worth. I would say by today's standards—Papa's wool would be worth anywhere from $500 to $1000 or more. But because he was a cripple and a coward… he was lucky to receive anything as payment for his work. Even in deals, Papa always got the short end of the stick. He never complained, though. He would put a smile on his face and put a positive spin on it. 'We're having a feast tonight Bae,' he would tell me. It might be a week old loaf but he looked on the bright side. Until I became older and came of age to fight in the Ogre Wars.

"Able-bodied men were getting in short supply so the Dukes and other nobles turned to using children to fight. It started off that you had to be seventeen and then it went down to when you're fourteen. Papa tried fleeing to save me but we were caught and we were told that I was going to be taken. I thought… maybe I should go. If I fought well then I might be able to repair my father's reputation. He wouldn't have to be the local coward if his son fought bravely. Yet, he found a way and became the Dark One. He prevented me from leaving to the frontlines and he even stopped it. He brought all the children home to their families. It was the only heroic thing he had done before the Dark Curse really took over and people were no longer insulting us. Instead, they feared us.

"I wanted to break the Curse. Bring my Papa back to the good man he had been. Even if he was the coward. I tried looking for ways until I found out about this place where magic didn't exist. I knew if we came here the Curse wouldn't work and he would be my Papa again. Long story short: I went through the portal into a new world and eventually ended up in Neverland."

"Hold up. Neverland? As in Peter Pan and Neverland?"

"Don't get the family version confused with the reality. The truth is… I was stuck in Neverland for many years. And I mean many. I did escape and when I did—I found this place and I began to age normally. So when you met me… I was finally nineteen. Or how a nineteen-year-old should look."

"So you were fourteen for three centuries?"

"Yup," he said, popping the "p."

"You know that's like very teenager's worst nightmare."

"That's why I would never want to go back to being a teen again." Finally, looking at her, he added, "You were my first Emma. There's never been another after you."

A pale shade of pink stained across her cheeks and nose. She had her mouth opened to say something, but closed it and cleared her throat. The conversation was over and Neal, sadly, looked away from her. There it was. His secret was out and while Emma added another barrier to her walls again… At least he was able to get off his chest about who he was and how he came here. Of course, for her to think he was some kind of centuries old child molester was unsettling and disturbing. Maybe his story would help alter her perception of him and that he wasn't as bad as a guy that she wanted him to be.

Then again, he could never change how his actions affected her in the long run or how it brought Henry to this world and to this very moment. Perhaps he should face facts that it would never change between them. He would be lucky if Emma decided to call him a friend and nothing more. Maybe he should aim for that and be happy with it.

But deep down… Neal wanted more with her. He wanted to be back in her life again. He wanted what they had once and with Henry in the picture—they could be the family they always wanted.

Except things were different and Emma obviously didn't feel the same way about him anymore. She was tolerating him now and finally heard his tale, but that didn't mean anything changed.

xxXXxx

A couple hours passed and Emma's cell buzzed. It was Belle again and she and Rumple were dropping the car off at the rental place if they wouldn't mind picking them up.

"We'll be right there," Emma said and hung up. "Neal, why don't you round up the rug rats?"

"Okay."

Once Lily-Rose and Henry were ready, they walked back to the Beetle and drove to where Belle told them they were at. Lily-Rose was happy to see her parents again and ran straight into her mother's arms.

"Hi Mommy!" she squealed, hugging Belle tight.

"Hi yourself!" Belle laughed, squeezing her right back. Rumple had his turn with the same fierce hug before Lily-Rose wanted to be back on the ground.

"So… how was she?" Belle asked Emma and Neal.

They exchanged looks before Neal said, "She was great. Wonderful."

"No magic?" Rumple asked.

Neal shook his head. "She was good."

Lily-Rose's brow arched and Neal gave her a discreet wink. She knew her secret was safe with him.

"Let's get some dinner before the drive back into town. I know I'm famished. Rumple?" Belle asked.

"Sounds good with me," her fiancé agreed.

They decided on fast food since they still had an hour's drive to get to Storybrooke and the kids were getting tired. As soon as their bellies were full it didn't take long for Henry and Lily-Rose to pass out in the car.

Neal couldn't help but grin affectionately as his son's head was using his arm as a pillow.

"I can't believe I hadn't seen it before."

Neal twisted to face his father who was looking noticeably at Henry. "I always had a soft spot for the boy. He reminded me a lot of you and I thought—I thought it was because I missed you so much. Never had I imagined he would be my grandson."

"So… uh, he's like me?" Neal asked softly.

Rumple nodded. "He's smart, kind, and brave. Even reckless at times but he has a good heart."

"Yup that sounds like me."

"Um, have you given it much thought about staying with us? With me, Belle, and Lily-Rose?"

Back in New York, Belle had nudged Rumple to ask his son about staying with them. He did and Neal had said he would think about it. And now, he was left with the dilemma about where to stay in the meantime. Neal rationalized that staying with his Papa would make sense, but could he live under the same roof with him again? They still had a lot to work on and he didn't think jumping in and living together (even for a short time) would be a good idea. And as much as he would love to stay with Henry, he knew that Henry's adopted mother wouldn't go for it. Thankfully, Henry told him about Granny's Bed and Breakfast.

"I think I might stay at that B&B Henry told me about. But thank you for the offer," Neal said.

"Oh." Rumple's face deflated. He should have expected that but a part of him had hoped Bae would stay with them. "Well, if you change your mind… our door is open to you."

"I'll remember that Papa," Neal told him.

Hearing his son call him Papa warmed his heart. If anything it gave him hope that Bae and he might be able to turn things around.

It wasn't long before they saw the "Welcome to Storybrooke" sign and drove past the town-line.

They were home.

TBC…