Sorry for dat cliff hanger from da last chapter. We just definitely need more Neal!

The enchanted forest

Silence hung in the dining room like the chandelier above their heads, as Rose and the Dark One dined for dinner. No one said anything like most evenings, but tonight was different.

Rose was planning to kill Rumpelstiltskin.

How are we supposed to kill him? He's immortal! Do I really want to kill him? No, but it's the only way to escape him. Should I trust Hook? He is very mysterious. And handsome. Dammit, that's completely inappropriate. I got to focus...

Thoughts buzzed in her head like bees by one's ear.

Finally, clearing her throat and breaking the silence, Rose spoke. "So what did you do today?"

He looked up and smiled. "Nothing that concerns you, dearie."

Rose chewed her food slowly and swallowed. "I wish you'd tell me."

"I don't think you'd want to know," he said coldly.

"Did you kill someone?"

Her father glared at her, his eyes narrow. "Now why would you assume that, Rose?"

"Because you always do!" Rose said, her voice rising. "You kill without thinking, you hurt without knowing and you lie without caring! Why don't you care? You don't care about me!"

Rumpelstiltskin stood up quickly and angrily. "I do care, dearie. More than you'd think."

Tears threatened to escape. "It's magic."

"What did you say?" These two words seemed to touch him, to bring back a memory. Why?

"All you do is use magic for evil! You use magic as a crutch for your actions and..." she choked. "you're an awful father."

He shattered his glass with his grasp. Within his eyes there was hurt and anger. Rose almost felt awful. There was a missing part in his heart and she didn't need to rip it out to see. She always suspected a previous child, but she never asked. Saying he was an awful father hit him no other person could hit.

"Leave."

Rose was shocked. "What?"

"I said leave," he whispered. "Go to your chambers."

But she felt glued to her seat, practically unable to move. Was this happening? He wasn't hurting her? Sending her to the dungeons? Torturing her?

Maybe he does care...

No, if he cared he wouldn't make her live like this. Alone. Scared. Unwanted.

After a moment of silence, she ran up to her chambers. Running up the stairs, she felt as if she was floating. After sixteen years of carrying that burden of sadness and fear, she had finally been freed. Well, almost.

She rushed into her room and shut the door, locking all the locks. Just in case.

"Well, love, you really hit him hard."

Rose spun around to see Hook sitting on her bed, arms crossed. Suddenly her heart started to beat quicker and thumped louder.

God, I'm pathetic.

Hook stood and walker closer to her. He pressed his body close to her's, his warm breath hitting her pale skin. Her body shivered, hopefully not noticeable and her skin tingled. His fingered lingered to her short, wavy hair. His fingers played with her hair and she frowned.

"What the hell are you doing?" Rose asked, stepping back a little.

He shrugged, his grin spreading. "I just know what know what you like."

"What I would like is for you to step away," Rose said.

"Ah, but my Rose," Hook teased. "I know how you feel about me."

She crossed her arms, frustrated. She wished he showed no interest in her, surprisingly enough. She just wanted to get this over with this, not have an older man flirt with her.

He's not that much older...

Shut up.

She could physically feel the awkwardness and tension in the room.

Breaking the silence, Hook asked, "Any information?"

Rose shook her head. "No and I don't think arguing with him will get us anywhere."

The pirate shrugged. "Nonetheless, I think you really know how to hurt him well."

Rose paused and thought for a second. "What if... we didn't kill him. Instead, we took his most precious things and ran away. He'd be alone and destroyed."

Hook stood there quietly. "I need my vengeance. It's almost three months!"

The young woman smiled and placed her hand on his shoulder, as he flinched. "Sometimes letting go of the past is part of moving on."

"So what do you plan to do?"

She turned and starting pacing, quickly, the wheels in her mind turning furiously. "We go somewhere he can't hurt us. Then you drop me off somewhere safe."

Quickly he grabbed her arm with a strong grip and pulled her closer to his face. He pressed his lips to hers softly at first, but then it grew, passion and love seeping through their actions. She grabbed fist fulls of his hair and he sighed into the kiss. His hands went from her arms to her sides, grabbing them tightly. Their bodies moved closer together and the kiss grew stronger.

Soon, they stopped for air.

"You're not leaving me anytime, love," Hook said, his hand caressing her face.

She smiled. Finally. So this is what happiness felt like...

Present day

Henry was growing tired of his mom's lies. Why couldn't she just tell him what was going on. He could handle it. He didn't want to disturb his mom though, especially now. He sat in his room all day, not doing much except play video games and reading. Usually on these cases his mom would at least have meals with him and give him an update. And the people in this town acted so strange. It's like they've known him forever. There was always a sad look in their eyes, as if they had lost something. Why did his mom never tell him of these "old friends"?

And his dad.

Had his dad really been a hero? Henry was sad he could never have met him. The sadness his mom had proved that true love was involved.

Sometimes he wished he could bring people back from the dead...

Suddenly the door flung open and in walked a stressed and worried looking David. His brow was furrowed and he had a frown.

Henry stood from his bed. "Hey, is everything okay?"

David spun around to his grandson. "Oh... uh... yeah. Everything's fine."

"You're lying," Henry said, arms crossed.

David gave him a sad look. "I know, kid. We'll explain later."

And before Henry could respond, he had left.

David sighed in relief as he was leaving the apartment. That was a close one. What was he supposed to say? That another person found the mysterious powder again by the forest? The kid would of called him crazy. Maybe he was. After all, no one but Ruby and one of the dwarfs saw this powder. It could easily be nothing. A little but of snow, maybe? Well, they did describe it as a dark green, which would make sense if it was related to Zelena.

All of the sudden, out of the corner of his eye, David saw someone limping by Grannie's.

That's odd... he thought.

Crossing the street, he jogged to the front of the restaurant. He saw no one, so he ran to the back, his pace quickening.

It's probably no one and I'm getting worked up for nothing, he thought shaking his head.

As soon as he turned the corner, he saw a familiar figure. Their head was hanging down and their shoulders were slumped. David inched closer ever so slightly.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked.

The figure turned around and what David saw was incredible, so incredible it frightened him.

Neal.

DUHN DUHN DUHNNNN! Sorry it took longer to upload, I could hardly fit any writing time into my schedule. But here is my next chapter, sorry it's short, again had a busy couple of days (I know, I suck)

HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS SWEET BUT SHORT CHAPTER

more is coming, sooner rather that later I hope... :)