Title: The Fishing Trip
disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time, it's stories or characters.
Summary: Neal trys to get his father to spend some quality time with Henry and himself.
author"s note: this idea came to me while I was on the train, and it went past the harbor.
for those waiting for the next chapter of Helping Henry,I am almost done with the next chapter.
"No, I will not go fishing with you." Mr. Gold argued with his grown son.
Neal tried his best not to yell at his father.
Ever since Tamara and Greg and the whole being sucked into a portal to the Enchanted forest thing, Neal had tried his best to reconnect with his son and his father.
"Come on pops, Henry wants to spend time with you." He paused. "what better way to spend some father/ son time then fishing? it was either this or hunting."
Gold humphed and Neal could help hiding the smirk on his face.
The pair were outside the Storybrooke school waiting for Henry. Neal had asked his father to come with him to pick up the kid; he forgot the part where he had stashed fishing gear for all three of them in his car.
"oh come on papa, it was Emma's idea. She thought it would be good for us to bond."
The older man sighed. "she just wanted you out of the house, with the new baby coming she wanted some time to herself." he glared at his boy. "You know I'm right, Bae."
Neal nodded. "well.. yeah, I have been kinda getting on her nerves. She also wanted Henry and I to spend some time together."
Rumple sat down on a bench, Neal sitting next to him.
It had been four month since they had all returned to Storybrooke, Henry had been rescued and Neal had been found alive. The newest member of the family having been conceived the night they all discovered Neal alive and well.
Their enemy had been defeated but at a price. To rescue his grandson Rumple had been drained of all his magic; nearly being killed. "why won't you come, papa? I already told Henry you would."
"Really Bae?" he sighed
"Why would you tell him that before even consulting me?"
Neal just looked at his father with those puppy dog eyes… the same eyes that Belle said he gave her sometimes, and the same puppy eyes that he'd seen Henry use on his parents.
"Apparently some things run in the family." Rumple fiddled with his cane. "as you might know, son, I am a mere mortal now. what if I fall into the water? I have never been a good swimmer." he indicated his crippled leg.
"Henry and I would never let anything like that happen to you."
More of the puppy eyes.
Rumple sighed, just then a stream of children came pouring out of the school building.
"Henry!" Neal called over towards his son who was talking with a group of six of his classmates; most of them girls.
Neal stood and smiled. "Henry has become quite popular since Neverland, especially with the ladies."
Rumple rolled his eyes. "he only has eyes for Grace….even without the seer's powers I can see that."
Henry said good-bye to his fangirls and joined his father and grandfather.
"so, are we ready?" the boy asked
Rumple grumbled. now he was getting the puppy looks from his grandson.
"I don't think I can go Henry." he told the child.
"My leg is acting up." Rumple stood, leaning on his cane more then he usually did. He limped slowly toward Neal's car.
He heard his son mumble something about being a liar.
Henry's face fell and took on one of concern. Apparently the boy didn't hear his father.
"Oh.. thats ok, Grandpa." He walked along side his grandfather.
"do you need help?" there was genuine concern in his eyes.
Neal decided to "assist" his father.
"yeah Henry, when his leg bothered him in the enchanted forest I would always help papa, I'd offer him my arm when he was especially tired." Neal smirked when his father glared at him; Rumple didn't want to let the ruse fall knowing it would upset Henry that he lied.
Henry, wanting to be of use, offered Rumple his arm. Rumple grumbled but took Henry's offered arm. After helping his grandfather into the front seat of the car, Henry tossed his backpack into the backseat and hopped in.
"you know papa, just for that lie, your leg really is going to start bothering you." the son whispered to his father.
Rumple only stared ahead. "Just drive." he ordered.
"Maybe we can bring over the fish we catch your house for dinner, grandpa!" Henry said excitedly; wanting Rumple involved in the father and son bonding somehow.
It broke Rumple's heart that he'd lied to the boy, Damm, he'd grown soft.
"Henry my boy, I do believe my leg is feeling a bit better. I think I can spend the rest of the day fishing with you and Bae."
Neal nodded his approval and turned the car toward the harbor.
"Really!" Henry exclaimed "thats great!"
He took a worn baseball cap out of his bag and placed it on his head.
"I bet you were a great fisherman back in the old land."
Neal snorted. "Not really son, I did most of the fishing and hunting for your grandfather and I back in the Enchanted Forest."
Henry shrugged. "Thats ok, grampus taught me a few things about hunting and fishing and stuff like that. I can show you what he taught me!"
"Oh goody." Rumple said dryly from the front seat.
TBC