I'm so excited that people have really seemed to enjoy this story, and none of the action has even begun yet, which is a really good sign. I want to thank everyone who reviewed, favorited and are following this story. Hopefully this chapter continues to hold your interest.
Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT, its characters or any of the dialogue. But if I did, Neal this time would shove Hook to the side and pull Emma into a breath stealing kiss. (Fangirl in me screams in delight)
Neal had spent a good chunk of the day showing Henry the highlights of Manhattan and telling him even more stories of growing up in the Enchanted Forest. Henry told him about the book of fairy tales that Mary Margaret, who was really Snow White and his grandmother had given him along with the adventures he had had in Storybrooke.
From some of the descriptions Henry had depicted, particularly that of being trapped in a mine that was collapsing and eating a poisoned apple turnover, Neal found himself holding his breath in fright. He was eternally grateful that Henry had survived.
After grabbing a slice of pizza from what Neal considered one of the greatest pizza shops in the city Henry had asked if they could go to a museum. Looking at his watch Neal saw that they still had a little over two hours so he led him to the nearest subway station and were set for the American Museum of Natural History. After buying tickets they boarded the freight train and managed to find seats, he purposely let Henry take the spot next to the window, not wanting him to be easy pickings for a pickpocket.
When the train started moving Henry excitedly watched the station whiz by into the dark tunnels. Neal smiled at his excitement. It was hard to think that he had missed eleven years of this.
~Break~
Finally arriving at the museum Neal led an animated Henry up the steps and they proceeded to see all the exhibits in the museum. They're trek stopped when they came to the wolf exhibit.
The two stuffed wolves were displayed in front of a representation of Gunflint Lake Minnesota with the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) glimmering in the background.
Seeing the stuffed wolves made a part of him feel sad and a little whimsical. He could see that Henry was particularly enthralled with this exhibit and took a step closer to get a better look. Lifting the camera up from the strap around his neck he took a few pictures of the wolves and exhibit as a whole.
"You like wolves huh?" Neal asked, his hands in his pockets as he watched his son.
"I think they're the best. From what I've read on them the bond between a pack of wolves is incredibly close to that of a human family and every member is greatly cared for. I did a project on them for school once" he added, still focused on the exhibit.
A warm feeling settled in Neal's heart at Henry's words. It was all too obvious that one of the reasons Henry loved the wolves so much was because he longed to have that same kind of relationship with his parents and Neal was going to try to make that dream as much of a reality as possible.
"Wolves are one of my favorite mammals too" Neal supplied.
Looking down at his phone he saw that it was nearing two. They had been there for close to two hours meaning that Emma would be expecting them back soon. Not wanting to have to take him back what felt like to be too soon Neal stepped forward and put his hands on Henry's shoulders.
"I'm glad you're having fun Henry but your mom will be wondering where we are soon so it's time to get going" he hated the dejected look Henry displayed as he reluctantly walked away from the exhibit.
Not wanting him to feel this sad Neal told him that they had enough time for one last stop before leaving. Giving him a curious look Henry let Neal lead him down a flight of stairs and his curiosity turned to glee when he was led inside the gift shop.
"Go ahead and pick something out, think of it as a belated birthday present" he didn't want nor intend to be one of those parents that tried to buy their children's love but he wanted to make up for some of the birthdays and Christmas' he had missed.
Looking around at the small store Henry didn't know where to start. He may only be eleven but he knew that he shouldn't go overboard on the price because he didn't want his dad to have to worry about the cost. His quest stopped when he saw a small crate of stuffed animals beside a case of figurines, but what caught his attention in particular was a stuffed gray wolf.
Walking over to the crate he picked up the stuffed toy and examined it closer. The faux fur was soft to the touch and the fine detail that had gone into the design of its face was amazing considering that it was about the size of a medium sized teddy bear. He flipped over the price tag and saw that it was $25.
Henry was about to put the toy back but Neal had come up behind him and saw him admiring the toy.
"Did you find something?" Neal asked, having noticed the longing he was broadcasting.
"Yeah, but it's $25. I can find something else" Henry said, not wanting to pressure his dad.
Eyeing the toy and the way Henry held it Neal knew how much it would mean to the kid so he caved.
"Nonsense, I told you to find something for a belated birthday present and if this is what you want we'll get it" at the smile on the kid's face he had his answer.
"You really don't have to though..." Henry insisted, still feeling a little guilty.
"Tell you what, you can repay me by giving me a guided tour of some of your favorite spots in Storybrooke" he bargained, his decision to go with them to Storybrooke decided long ago.
A blinding smile lit up Henry's face and Neal couldn't help smiling in return.
"You're coming with us? This is so great I can show you the castle and the woods and-"stopping himself Neal was pleasantly surprised when Henry hugged him around his midsection.
"Thank you!" he murmured into Neal's coat.
Neal affection ally ruffled Henry's hair, the paternal instincts coming into full maturity and in that moment he understood why so many parents say that a hug from their child is one of the most sacred experiences on this earth.
Coming out of his shock from the unexpected hug he returned the embrace and relished in the idea of the possible affection from his son like this in the future. When Henry pulled away Neal was reluctant to let him but he didn't want to make things awkward.
"We'd better ring this up and head back to my apartment" leading Henry to the register the young lady behind the counter smiled and rung up the toy. Once the transaction was completed they left the museum and headed for the subway.
~Break~
When they arrived back at the apartment Emma and Gold were waiting for them. Neal watched as Emma smiled at Henry and tried to engage him in a conversation. He was disheartened that Henry gave a muttered reply of "it was fun" before hurrying off into the next room. He may have to talk to the kid if this cold shoulder attitude continued. It was understandable to be angry for a little while so he would let him vent a little and if it seemed like it had been going on for too long then he would step in.
Emma tried to hide the hurt of being brushed off by her son but it was too late, Neal and even Gold had witnessed her despair.
"Did you guys have fun?" she directed her previous question at Neal, wanting an actual substantial answer.
"Yeah, I think so. Took him to get a slice of pizza, looked at some window displays then took the subway to the American Museum of Natural History and bought him a belated birthday present. I also learned that one of his favorite animals is the wolf" Neal was pretty proud of himself, feeling that he was doing a pretty decent job at being a dad so far.
"That's great! I'm glad you two are hitting it off" she was genuinely happy that a good father-son relationship was forming but she couldn't help but fear that the closer Henry got to Neal the further he would pull away from her.
She was beginning to feel a similar pain that Regina must be going through. Henry came back into the room with a notepad and pen.
"I'm going to make a list of all the places I've got to show you when we get back to Storybrooke" he said as he sat down on the old couch and started writing. Emma quickly analyzed Henry's words and turned to Neal, a question burning on the tip of her tongue but she couldn't find the right words.
Neal decided to take pity on her. "I've decided to go with you guys. I have about 3 weeks of vacation saved up and I think now's the perfect time to use some of it" he was actually looking forward to the change of scenery.
Emma smiled, though some of it was forced. She didn't know how she felt about Neal coming with them, before, when it had only been a possibility the idea had been enough to make her anxious but now that it was actually happening her stomach was doing somersaults and the space in her head was being filled with trepidation.
"Well I've booked our flight, it's flight 2089 and boarding time is in two hours so that should give you enough time to get your ticket confirmed along with packing a bag" she was all businesses now, trying to forge ahead of her hurt feelings.
"Yeah, I'll get right on that" getting his phone out he walked into the other room to get a bag together.
While Neal was in the other room Gold limped over to Emma, a smug smile on his face.
"I see things are beginning to look up Ms. Swan" he remarked, then he walked over to the window to look out at the city.
Emma had no reply for that and instead looked over at Henry as he wrote out his list. He looked so happy, obviously enjoying getting to know his father, a drastic change from earlier when she had revealed the truth about his dad, exposing her lies and putting herself on a pedestal to be judged for her actions by the juror who could hurt her the most. She prayed she was doing the right thing.
~Break~
Neal had just gotten off the phone with his boss, successfully acquiring two weeks off and he was now on his laptop completing an online flight confirmation. As he was making the transaction he couldn't help but reflect on the wonderful, mind boggling events that had taken place in just the last couple of hours.
He was still having trouble comprehending the biological fact that he was a father and was responsible for another life. There was also the matter that he was going to be boarding a plane with his newly discovered son, ex-partner in crime/girlfriend and the man who had chosen power over his own flesh and blood son.
Finishing the online registration Neal closed his laptop and got started on packing a bag. It was while he was packing that he saw Henry's stuffed wolf resting on the boy's knapsack. Seeing the wolf exhibit in the museum had brought up a lot of memories that he had been trying to permanently lock away, the emotions they invoked in him almost enough to make him immobile but if what Gold had said was true and magic was in Storybrooke then those memories were in danger of reviving themselves in the present.
On the likely hood that his past did come back to haunt him he took a break from packing and walked over to the far right corner of the room and got down on his hands and knees. Taking a breath he felt around the floorboards until he found the engraved edge and lifted the small board up to reveal the illusively bare innards of the floor.
The presence of Rumpelstiltskin in his apartment made him paranoid that the man would walk in here and see what he was doing so he went as quickly as he could to snatch the concealed package and pressed the board back into place and got up from the floor.
It had been a while since he had looked at the box in his hands, three years to be exact (the day he had moved into the apartment), it was powdered with dust and at first was icy to the touch. Bringing the small box over to his fold out bed he sat down, the box finding a spot in his lap.
His fingers were itching to open the box but he held himself back. Now wasn't the time. Quickly stuffing the box in his bag he set to work on packing a few last articles of clothing before zipping the bag up.
Having finished packing Neal walked back out into the front of the room and sat down beside Henry who was still working on his list. From the length of the list he was sure he was going to have a very good idea of the layout of Storybrooke.
~Break~
An hour and a half later they had arrived at the airport. Traffic had been horrible, as it usually was in New York and they had been stuck behind a tour bus for a good twenty minutes. It was pure luck that they had made it in time.
As with all airports before boarding the plane the passengers had to go through the metal detector and have the items on them scanned. Normally this was just a regular occurrence and nothing more than a nuisance, but for Rumpeltstiltskin this was like playing with incurable poison.
The first time he had had to take the old shawl off it had felt like his mind was being pulled at by an invisible force, its nails raking at the soft flesh and vibrating with adrenaline.
When it was his turn he placed his cane and other menial things on the moving shelf then braced himself and pulled off the shawl, as soon as he did the uncomfortable pulling started up again. Moving through the detector quickly he was relieved the infernal contraption didn't go off and hurriedly wrapped the shawl back around his neck and the uncomfortable sensation faded away.
Picking up his meager other possessions and his cane Gold walked to the flight attendant and handed her his ticket. Soon they were all on the plane and a little after that were in the air.
~Break~
They had been in the air for about a half hour now and Neal was seated as comfortably as he could be in coach next to a woman who smelled like she bathed in cheap booze with a topping of cigarette ash. She had tried to engage him in small talk but after a few muttered replies she thankfully gave up.
Neal turned to look out the window and watched the clouds billow by. It had been a while since he had flown and with the way things were going he would be more than glad if he didn't have to get on a plane for another decade.
He remembered the first time he had ever flown in a plane.
Flashback
The moment he entered the plane claustrophobia began to set in, his palms became clammy and his breathing and heart rate went up a notch.
Quickly locating his seat he sat down and tried to slow his heart rate, not wanting to spend his entire flight having a panic attack.
The seat next to him was suddenly taken and he chanced a quick glance at the person now seated beside him and that it was a woman, not much older than him by the looks of it.
A few minutes went by where neither spoke; the air between them filled with Neal's shaky inhales and exhales.
"Don't like flying huh?" she suddenly asked, having noticed his anxiety.
"First time on a plane and so far no" he returned, turning his head to meet hers.
She smiled kindly, "just relax. You know airplanes are actually one of the safest modes of travel and also the quickest" she assured him, but Neal still had his doubts.
"That's good to know but I prefer being on the ground, not too far to drop" he looked out the window and watched as the last of the luggage was loaded into the cargo bay.
"What I used to do when I was afraid of flying was first off, closing the blind" she reached across him and pulled the blind down "then turned on the fan here, lay my head back, close my eyes and listen to some music or picture myself somewhere peaceful" she coached, watching as he did as she suggested.
"Take deep breaths in and out, that's it and just relax" Neal was actually starting to feel a little calmer, his heart was wasn't painfully rapping in his chest and his lungs were no longer on fire.
He didn't even realize that the plane was in the air until a loud sound startled him and he looked towards the source. A man had been trying to get something from the overhead compartment and had accidentally dropped someone's luggage.
"I think you fell asleep there, we've been in the air for about fifteen minutes now. I'm Theresa by the way" she introduced herself.
"Neal" he returned, laughing a little at the handshake she offered.
"Thanks by the way, for helping me" he added.
She smiled, "no problem. No one should have to fly anxious."
After the flight had ended they both stopped at the airport bar and got a few drinks. Nothing came of it but they had fun getting to know each other before parting ways.
End Flashback
That had been the first and last time Neal had flown, having decided to make a start in Manhattan.
For a few moments Neal wondered how his-how Gold had fared his first airplane trip, then bounced away from that topic and on to another: the scarf around Gold's neck.
The first time he had laid eyes on the cloth he had thought nothing of it but the more he thought on it he realized that it was his old shawl from when he was younger, when he still had hope that his true papa would return to him.
Neal had desperately searched his mind to come up for a reason as to why he was wearing it; sentimental reasons perhaps? Or to maybe trigger a time of happiness in Neal's mind when they had been together and the "Dark One's" powers hadn't poisoned him yet. But Neal doubted those two after he saw Gold almost stagger after taking the shawl off at the security check point then quickly put it back on afterwards.
It was enchanted somehow, but for what reason he didn't know. He was going to press the issue at some point and wasn't going to stop until he got an answer he liked.
Rumpelstiltskin/ "The Dark One" and magic were an explosive, devastating war waiting to happen and he wanted Henry and Emma as far away from the catastrophe as possible.
~Break~
When the flight landed and their meager amount of luggage had been collected they located Gold's car in the airport parking lot and were on their way to Storybrooke.
Initially Neal hadn't wanted to ride in the same car as Gold but after a pleading look from Emma and a quiet explanation that the town had been cloaked so no outsiders could enter the town Neal gave in. In order to distract himself Neal got in the backseat with Henry and busied himself with asking him what they're first stop in their tour would be.
Of course Henry eagerly obliged and went into great detail about the small town. He chuckled at Henry's excitement as he described his "castle." The whole time though he could feel someone watching him, the uncomfortable feeling he got had led him to believe that it was Gold; he looked up at one point and made eye contact with the man and after only a few seconds he looked back at the road, ashamed at having been caught.
It was during this time that Neal sensed another pair of eyes but the feeling he felt was more pleasant but also a bit wary, like he knew that it had been Gold before he knew that it was now Emma.
Looking at her he gave a small smile, Henry continuing to talk in the background. For just a brief moment she smiled back and Neal's heart skipped a beat.
It had been so long, too long, since he had last seen that smile and it was a huge shock to his system . That smile brought back so many memories, mainly good, about their time together. But he had screwed it all up by listening to Pinocchio. He may have done what was for the best, stepping aside so that she could break the curse, but in doing so he had drastically damaged Emma's already miniscule trust in people and that was something he hoped to mend.
Soon though she likely remembered how he had broken her heart and looked away, her eyes now concentrating on the dashboard.
hopefully she would let him in enough so that he could start rebuilding her trust in himself and others.
"We're almost there" Henry announced, catching Neal's attention.
Looking out the windshield Neal saw the approaching sign and a faint line of orange.
The tension in the air went noticeably up the closer the sign came. Neal was startled by the prickling sensation that traveled under his skin and the moment they crossed the line the prickling turned to almost stinging and he couldn't hold in the sharp intake of breath that escaped him.
His reaction hadn't gone unnoticed; Emma and Gold were shooting him worried glances.
"I'm fine. Just a little chill is all" he made a show of zipping up his jacket and rubbing his hands together.
He wasn't fine though, far from it, because crossing the line hadn't only taken him away from a place without magic but it also switched on a part of him that had been dormant for years, centuries even.
Unbeknownst to the town ahead another familiar magic was coming.
A/N: I hope you all liked this chapter. And you can expect a witty little if I did own OUAT in every chapter so there's a fun little treat for you. What will I come up with next?
