Author's Note/Disclaimer: Scenes in italics are directly from the winter finale 3x11, "Going Home", all other scenes that are not are from my own creation.
Prologue
One year later a gray sky loomed over Manhattan, New York. Inside an apartment complex the snooze button went off indicating that it was 8:15 A.M., the start of another day. Charley's Girl by Lou Reed played on the stereo as Emma Swan stood at the kitchen making a breakfast of scrambled eggs and pancakes while Henry stood near the window watering the plants. After placing the food on the table Emma then placed the hot cocoa.
"Mom, you forgot something," said Henry.
Emma looked down to see what she was missing, "Right, cinnamon." She went to the counter and grabbed what she needed and then brought it to the table, "Here you go."
Henry sprinkled some on his cocoa and Emma then did the same. Their mugs clinked but before they could begin eating their breakfast there was a loud pounding on the door.
"Someone coming over," Henry asked.
"No," Emma replied.
The pounding on the door persisted, this time a bit louder and harder.
"Henry wait here," Emma said to him as she got up from the table.
Before going to the door Emma turned off the stereo.
When she opened it Emma's mouth dropped. There in front of her was a man she hadn't seen in close to twelve years. His clothes were different. In place of a typical wardrobe of jeans and a t-shirt, he was wearing brown laced up boots, brown pants, a dark tan shirt tunic of sorts with a brown leather belt, black gloves and a cloak.
Neal smiled his widest smile.
"Emma!"
Emma's thoughts raced a hundred miles an hour. It couldn't be and even if this were real how did he find her and why now after all these years? Emma shook those thoughts from her mind, no they didn't matter, none of it mattered.
"You shouldn't be here," Emma said after composing herself, her words a whisper so Henry didn't have a chance of hearing.
"I'm exactly where I need to be," Neal said taking a step forward. "Listen to me I know you don't remember-,"
"I remember enough," Emma shot back, "Now leave before I call the cops."
"Emma, please just listen to me for a second. We can go back. You can have your family again."
"This is my family. You lost your chance to be a part of it a long time ago," Emma said closing the door.
"Emma just wait a minute, we need you!" But the door was closed. Neal leaned his head against it. "I need you," he said.
Back inside the apartment after the door had been closed, Henry asked, "What was that?"
Emma wasn't sure what that was. "No idea," she answered, "Someone must have left the door open downstairs. Come on let's eat."