So, I got some requests to continue it so here it is!
baratta jennifer: Thank you! hope you like the continuation as well.
Guest: thank you
fanGirlForever19: Thanks a lot!
momma bear Emma Swan: Oh she will, she is the saviour after all!
Sb: Thanks-te story is not?
Years ago
Neverland, aboard the Jolly Roger.
"We can live the life Milah wanted for us."
Bae wanted to shout 'No' and run away. Run away to the small island that stood behind him. The man in front of him, Captain Hook, was the reason his family had been broken. The reason his mother left him. The reason his father became the Dark One.
But it all started because of his own father, did it not? Because he was too much of a coward to stay in the battlefield, to fight the ogres.
"Please, Bae."
Baelfire looked up at the pleading of eyes of the pirate. He had heard things about pirates. Many times in his life, he had heard pirates doing things to tear away families, destroy lives.
But Bae still had a family-the Darlings. What about them?
He came to Neverland to save the boys.
Bae looked at the face of the pirate once more, tearing away in pain. He could not choose and turned and fled down to the cabin. He needed time to think.
"Baelfire?"
Baelfire snorted and wiped his nose on the sleeve.
"What is it Mr Smee?" he managed to speak without his voice breaking.
"I-I have got food."
It was then that Baelfire decided his stomach was rumbling in pain. It had been a long time since he had eaten. Gently patting the stomach, Bae stood up and opened the door, expecting to find the short man holding a tray of food.
He was there, no doubt, but behind him stood Captain Hook himself. Bae wanted to slam the door on his face, but the Jolly Roger was his ship and anything to displease him may cause permanent damage to Baelfire himself.
"Thank you Mr Smee," Hook said, taking the tray form Smee's hand, "I will take it from here."
Mr Smee hurriedly bowed and sped up the stairs, leaving Baelfire and Hook alone.
None spoke for some time, Baelfire looking down and hook looking at him, waiting for any shout or anything at all.
"Well lad," Hook said, entering the cabin and placing the tray on the table, "I do not know about you but I am absolutely famished. I am going to eat whether you like or not."
Baelfire did not turn but heard as Hook made himself comfortable and began digging in. He slowly closed the door and against his better judgment, sat down on the chair and pulled the other plate. There was a little smirk on the pirate's face and it irritated Bae. He wasn't there because he had forgiven Hook or something. He was just…hungry.
"Peter Pan and his Lost Boys are searching for you," Hook said, eating a morsel, "And as you probably know, the only way to escape them is by staying here."
"Did Papa really crush my Ma's heart?"
Baelfire did not know why he asked the question. The pirate may as well be lying. Why, isn't that what Pirates did?
But Bae wouldn't honestly be surprised. His father-the power of the Dark One had corrupted his papa. He could and would do anything. It did not stop him from being a coward.
"Aye." Hook said slowly and Baelfire looked up to see his heartbroken face again. "And he also presented me with this hook."
Bae looked at the food then back at Hook. It was…too much.
"I do not wish to eat." Bae said. "I would like to sleep."
"Are you staying?" Hook asked and Bae could hear the trace of hope in his voice.
Baelfire to the day of his very last breath wouldn't know what came over him. Maybe it was the feeling of having a family again that made him nod. But Bae knew it was the best thing he could have done.
A few years ago,
Land Without Magic, New York
"Neal, Henry, hurry up!"
"How can you hurry up with this devil in a bathtub?"
Neal heard Emma laugh from the kitchen. Neal was trying to get five year old Henry a bath, but he was doing everything except that. Presently, Neal was half drenched, had an assortment of different shampoos on his head and Henry was nowhere near being ready.
"Buddy, is this how you want to start school?"
Henry poked out his tongue and began playing with water again. Neal sighed. He was done with this devil.
Neal couldn't have been gladder when he heard the bathroom door open and Emma step in.
"Ah," She said, leaning on the doorframe. "Nice party we have here."
Neal turned to give an I-give-up look as Emma laughed. Henry chuckled in the bathtub. Emma ruffled the wet mop hair on Neal's head and said, "Go and change. Eat breakfast. I will take care of this little tyke here."
"Thank you." Neal said and hurried out of the bathroom. He was glad they had rented a house with two bathrooms or he would be reporting to work with a shampoo laden hair.
Quickly running a hot bath and changing in his uniform, Neal popped out to see Henry sitting and dressed in his bets clothes for the day.
"How-how do you do that?" Neal asked, sitting on the chair beside his boy.
"Magic." Emma whispered in his ear, serving him the pancakes and his coffee. Neal managed not to cringe at the word. After all, it did not mean much to Emma.
She sat down in front of him and said, "You will pick Henry up?"
Neal nodded. "Whom do you have to catch today?"
Emma had managed to get a job as a bail bonds person thanks to her resourcefulness and the fact that she served in jail when she was an underage. Neal had no such luck. He was a receptionist in a restaurant. It paid well enough to get him and Henry through. Most of Emma's money was saved for future. To go and settle down in Tallahassee.
"Just an idiot who has been running around on his wife's money." Emma said.
As the clock struck nine, the family as out of door, Henry in Neal's arms and Emma ready with her red leather jacket. She pressed a quick kiss on both of their cheeks and the family of three was ready to go to their work.
Neal just could sit still that day. Throughout the day, his eyes kept darting up to the clock. He knew Emma was going to pick Henry up but he couldn't help but feel a tad bit scared.
His mind, however was swept clean when he saw a familiar face enter the restaurant and making his way up to him.
"Hello Baelfire." August, or Pinocchio, said. "Long time no see."
"I think I asked you to stay away from Emma."
Neal took a deep breath and rolled his eyes. It was his lunch time and he had just enough time to tackle this idiot.
"I tough you said you were his magical guardian," Neal said trough gritted teeth. "Nice work you have been doing."
"It's not my fault you kept moving around."
"In New York!" Neal said, "We weren't that hard to find. Where were you for five years?"
August sighed. "Look, you still have time. She has a destiny to fulfill…"
"Which she will." Neal said. "I know enough about curses to let us get through. She will be there on time and she will break the curse. Your work here is done."
"No it is not." August said. "Your son, Henry, is important."
Neal couldn't believe this man. First Emma, now Henry?
"What does Henry have to do with this?" he asked, irritated.
"He has the heart of the Truest Believer," August said, "But it cannot be done unless he knows the stories."
August reached out for his bag and pulled a huge storybook, written, Once Upon A Time.
"He needs to read these stories and believe in them. If not, then the curse won't be broken."
Neal snatched the book and said. "Fine. Now leave my family alone!"
August snorted and walking back, said, "I can't do that."
With those final words, he left an irritated Neal alone in an alleyway.
Henry couldn't stop chattering away about his first day of school. Neal tried to pay attention, but his mind was clouded by what August had said.
"Are you all right?" Emma asked as Neal came out of the bathroom.
"Yeah." He said, running a hand through his hair. "I'll just, go and read a story to Henry."
"I thought we agreed upon no fairytales." Emma said, sitting up on her elbows.
"These ones aren't the traditional ones." Neal said, holding up the book.
"Where did you get it?" Emma asked, looking at the book.
"Got it from a friend." Neal said, smiling. He pressed a small kiss on her forehead and went to Henry's bedroom.
Neal looked at an over excited and awake Henry. He popped down beside Henry and said, "Let's read you a story."
"Once upon a time…."