It's me again! I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. In this chapter a lot of important moments go down so be sure to read carefully and I once again need to stress that this is an AU story, meaning this would never, not in a million years happen on the show.
Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT, any of its characters or dialogue. But if I did, the mid-winter break would not be this long so that I could see Neal's face a whole lot sooner. I know, I'm obsessed, but I don't care!
Enjoy!
Emma, Snow, David, Ruby and Gold were all in the kitchen area of Emma and Snow's loft, trying to figure out a way to rescue Henry and retrieve Neal's heart.
"Regina will be expecting an attack so the only way we can succeed is in the element of surprise" Emma determined, her gaze wavering between an unconscious Neal on the couch and the group in front of her.
Everyone agreed but Snow chimed in with her own input, "we need to use caution. Now that she has Henry she has no reason to hold back anymore and add in the fact that she has Neal's heart...we need to be prepared for anything" everyone was silent as they took in her words.
As the planning took up once more Ruby walked over to a window and watched as the sun steadily set. Soon the sun would be gone and the moon would take its place. A full moon.
Her skin developed goose bumps at the reminder and she rigorously rubbed her arms in an attempt to warm her suddenly chilled skin.
Snow noticed Ruby and quietly left the group and walked over to her. Standing beside her and looking out the window as well.
While Snow was still reeling over the thought that Ruby had turned Neal she was still her friend and would support her, but she also needed to be there for Emma.
"The full moon will be out soon, I can feel it, I mean...my wolf can" she amended, continuing to stare out the window, the setting sun reflecting in her eyes.
"Red, there's something I need to ask you, something that I need absolute honesty on" she waited until Ruby turned and nodded in consent to face before continuing.
"While Neal was sleeping in Gold's backroom he found a fresh bite mark on Neal's collarbone" Ruby knew where this was going but she would let Snow continue, while she thought of an appropriate response.
"His eyes were gold Red, and I just need to know if you maybe lost control or something and bit him?" Snow watched as Ruby looked away from her and over to Neal for a long moment before returning her attention to Snow.
Her silence worsened the lump in Snow's throat and her fears were gaining more weight.
Ruby didn't want to expose Neal's secret but with current events and the suspicion that had fallen on her his secret was bound to come out anyway. She felt awful about it but she decided that she had no better option.
"Yes, I did bite Neal but I didn't turn him. Before I tell you, you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone until I have a chance to tell Neal" receiving a stunned nod she took a calming breath and continued.
"Neal's mother had the curse. And with that there's a 99.9% chance that Henry inherited it as well" Snow had no clue how to feel about this proclamation . While she was extremely relieved that Ruby hadn't turned Neal there was now the nerve wracking possibility that Henry would have to deal with the curse once he reached maturity.
Then another question hit her, "how could Gold not know that his wife was a werewolf?"
The same question had been rattling around in Ruby's head since she learned the truth about Neal.
"I don't know. Neal told me that his mom gave him a necklace that stops the change, maybe she always wore it so the moon never affected her then she passed it down to her son" she explored, the hypothesis sounding like a plausible one.
"The sun's almost down. You should be getting home to get your cloak" Snow stated, her gaze now focused on the darkening sky.
A pained groan filled the room and everyone looked to the couch and saw that Neal was awake.
Emma was the first to reach his side.
"What happened?" was the first two words that he spoke.
She dawdled on how to respond and looked up at her parents but all they could give her were sad nods, telling her to be honest.
"Regina took Henry"
Those words alone was like a sword to his heart and Neal knew straight away that this was hugely his fault. He couldn't remember what happened but it didn't take much brain power to figure out that he was in Emma and Mary Margaret's loft.
"How long?" he made eye contact with Gold and quickly looked away. He didn't have the time or the strength to deal with the issues they had.
"A little over an hour" Neal shook his head and though his body protested and wounds and injuries thrummed with pain he bit through it and attempted to get up.
"We have to get him back" but he didn't get up very far when Emma promptly pushed him back down.
"And we're going to, but not with you" Neal's brow creased in confusion and also a little anger.
"He's my son too Emma! I'm not just going to stay here while you all go off without me!' he protested, trying to get up once more.
"I know you do but she has your heart! She can control you!" she further explained, needing him to understand.
He stopped trying to get up and looked up at the ceiling.
After a long drawn out silence he spoke.
"Your right, I hate it but your right" he conceded, his eyes raking across the wooden ceiling.
The wall clock chimed 5:30 and Neal turned and looked out the window and saw that the sun was almost completely down.
His heart rate picked up pace and he moved his eyes to Ruby who he could tell was just as affected as him.
Ruby gave him a look of sympathy and Neal returned one of fear and acceptance.
The looks they exchanged did not get past Emma and she could not and would not keep silent.
Emma was steadily starting to believe that something was going on between the two and she found herself becoming a green-eyed monster.
"Is there something you guys want to tell us?" She did her best to keep the anger out of her voice.
Ruby licked her lips then spoke, "Snow already knows Neal, it's up to you though if you want to tell everyone else" a feeling of betrayal swept through him but he quickly buried that emotion when he rationalized that they were going to find out eventually so he may as well divulge the information to the rest of them.
"Yeah, there is something about me that you need to know *long pause* I'm a werewolf" when he didn't receive gasps of shock he looked at them in confusion then looked to Ruby for answers.
Instead of answering him directly she addressed the rest of the group.
"My bite isn't what turned Neal. He was born one, through his mother" she looked directly at Gold, as if accusing him of Neal's inheritance.
Everyone in the room, besides Neal, Snow and Ruby were gobsmacked at this revelation, but no one nearly as much as Gold.
That couldn't be true. He would know if Milah had been a wolf. No, Red had to be lying to save her own hyde, but then why was Bae not refuting the absurd lie? Then again...he had only been a young boy when she had left them so his memory of her could easily be manipulated.
"You're wrong, your mother was not a werewolf!" though Gold had grown to hate her after she walked out on them, a part of his heart, as black as it could be, still loved her because she gave him Baelfire, and he would not tolerate her image being tainted with talks of the werewolf curse.
Neal stood up from the couch and was momentarily dizzy from getting up too fast along with stabs of pain that rocked his body, but he shook it off and approached Gold.
"There's no other explanation. I can't for the life of me remember being bitten at any point growing up and mom was the one who gave me the necklace, the one that she always wore. She gave it to me the last night that I saw her in the tavern" the memory brought a lump to his throat and he fought off the tears that tried to spring forth.
Looking away from a now silent Gold he focused on Emma.
"I didn't know how to tell you. Before finding out about Henry and coming here I never thought I would have to, if I'm being honest I never wanted to. The wolf is a part of my life that I wanted to stay in the past but now this curse is haunting my present and will likely awaken in Henry. As much as I want to run from this, I can't. I just wish that it didn't have to come to light like this. I'm sorry" he was apologizing for the affliction he had passed down to Henry, the grief he had caused her and for the curse in general.
There were so many other reasons behind the apology but those were the top three.
No one moved and everyone held their breath in anticipation of how Emma would react.
Out of all the possible scenarios Neal could come up with almost surprisingly none of them included what came next.
Eyes narrowing, Emma raised her hand and slapped him across the face. He took a step back and rubbed his aching cheek. Her unexpected slap had rattled his skull and consequently opened up the scabbed over gashes on his cheek. Lowering his hand he resumed eye contact with her.
His wolf snarled and raked its claws along his insides. This human had attacked its human counterpart and it had to show the attacker that it was the stronger one.
Just barely able to keep the growl out of his voice he spoke, "I deserved that and so much more but right now we need to focus on Henry" a ripple of pain shot through him and doubled over.
"Neal" coming to his aide Ruby rested her hand on his shoulder.
She could feel the pull of the moon reaching into her soul and grasping onto her wolf to bring it to the surface. She had had to make sure that Neal would be okay so she hadn't had time to get her cloak, a price that may cost her.
"I'll be fine, but you need to get out here and get your cloak. The moon will be up in only a matter of time" he didn't want her to have to transition because she wanted to be there for him. While it was a nice gesture he didn't want her to put herself through that.
Snow hadn't meant to listen in but she couldn't help herself, "he's right Red, you need to go and get your cloak before the moon comes up. Do it for your sake of mind as well as ours."
Red wanted to argue but there was no point and there was also something else she needed to do.
After Neal was sitting back down Red took the spot beside him.
Emma continued to silently think through everything Neal had told her.
"I need you tell me where your mother's necklace is. I can get it, along with my cloak and bring it back to you" for some reason he found himself conflicted on whether he should tell her. He recognized the feeling as protectiveness. That necklace was his most treasured item and if something were happen to it he would be doomed to transform and it was the only relic he had left of his mother.
Sensing his reluctance she tried to soothe his fears.
"I promise I'll take good care of it and deliver it to you safely" she vowed.
Neal thought her promise over and when another furrow of pain went through him he knew he didn't have any better option.
"Okay. The necklace is in a box that's under the floorboards on the left side of the bed" he described, part of him hopeful that she would find it in time.
"I'll be back" standing up she met Emma by the door and was handed the keys to her car.
"Please hurry" nodding she hurriedly fled the loft and hightailed it to the B&B.
Gold's phone went off and he pulled the ringing device from his coat pocket.
The caller ID read Belle.
A moment of relief and happiness went through him as he happily accepted the call.
"Hello sweetheart" he greeted, welcoming the reprieve.
"Rumple what happened to the backroom? I came home from the library to clean up some and I find the place a mess! Now tell me what happened. Are you hurt?" she tossed the bag of broken glass into the trash then turned to look at the rest of the mess.
She hadn't seen any blood but there didn't need to be blood for a mortal injury.
"I'm fine dear. But Regina has taken Bae's heart and erased some of his memories. There was an altercation between him and I outside the shop because he believed that I was the cause of his selective memory loss. Unfortunately I had to put him under a sleeping spell and when he woke up he fought me again so I had to subdue him. A while later Regina showed up and took control of Neal and he fought David and I'm sad to say that we lost that fight. Everyone is fine though I assure you"
he deliberately left out the section of Bae being a werewolf and what he had done to Snow. He knew she wouldn't approve of his actions.
He went on to tell her that Regina had taken Henry and that they were planning on rescuing him along with Neal's heart. As he was going through his long explanation Belle had taken a seat on the couch and was handling an old book of herbs that she had picked up off the floor.
"I'm glad that you told me. Please be careful and promise me that you'll call with any updates" there were so many questions that she had but she was aware that there were other more important tasks that needed to be tended to.
"I will. I love you Belle" he said, his voice lowering an octave.
She smiled, "I love you too. Good luck" saying their farewells both hung up.
~Break~
Henry sat in his old room. The lights were off and his door and windows closed.
Regina had brought him here following her capture of him. She had tried to engage him in conversation by talking to him about all the fun they were going to have with watching movies, baking and she would even teach him some magic.
He had remained silent and eventually she gave up but not before telling him that she loved him then left.
It was so surreal to the young boy, he could remember the last time Regina had taken him, she had tried to lure him in with the same promises but just like then they felt hollow.
He had been sure that she was going to try and earn his trust back through acts of goodness and doing her best to change but something must have happened that made her break that promise and go back to her original plan of getting him back.
Looking out the window he watched the tree's leaves sway, its branches tapping against the window and casting a shadow over the house.
His sheet rope was still beneath his bed and he had almost decided to use the ladder to try and escape but he remembered that the last time he had tried that Regina's enchanted tree had stopped him.
He wasn't going to risk that again.
Getting up from his bed he walked over to the window and looked out at the quieting town.
The moon was steadily appearing in the sky.
~Break~
Ruby parked Emma's car across the street from the B&B.
Her eyes were locked on the un-fluctuating development of the moon.
She was losing time and that also meant that Neal had even less time.
The closer she got to the B&B's door the more she intensified her celerity and was soon on the porch opening the door.
Isabelle looked up at the sound of the door opening and when she saw it was Ruby she started to greet her but only got out "hel-" before Ruby had rushed past her and into her room.
Her target in sight she pulled the doors to her closet open and bent down to unlock a chest that was in back.
Reaching in she pulled out the cloak and draped the garment over her shoulders and tied the hood down.
As soon as the magical hood made contact with her body the tingling beneath her skin was muted and her wolf silenced.
Breathing a sigh of relief she could only revel in the balanced feeling for a moment before she left the room and walked over to Isabelle at the check-in counter.
"Is', I need you to tell me what room Neal Cassidy is staying in and give me the key" surprised at the request Isabelle couldn't keep her mouth shut.
"Ruby what's going on?" she was concerned that maybe she or Neal were in trouble.
"Isabelle listen, I don't have time for your questions, now either give me the room number and key or I'll find it on my own and break the door down" she knew that Isabelle was a curious person and was her friend but Ruby didn't have time to play nice and answer her questions.
Shocked at her words but still functioning she didn't have to check the registry book seeing as Neal was the only guest and handed her the spare key.
"He's in room 10" taking the key she charged up the stairs and located room 10 and entered.
Remembering Neal's instructions she walked towards the window on the left side and got down on her knees. Feeling around she found the loose floorboard and pried the board up.
Looking down the rectangular hole she saw the box and pulled the antique wooden box out.
Setting the box down on the floor she flipped the lid open and looked inside.
Seeing the necklace she plucked the item from the box and when her eyes traced the design of the medieval inspired necklace a strange feeling of familiarity washed over her, much like the one she got from Neal, only stronger, like the feeling she got whenever someone mentioned or she thought about Granny.
Shaking the feeling she pocketed the necklace and was about to put the box back when she spotted the folded piece of paper at the bottom of the box.
Her inquiring mind unable to resist the allure of the mystery she picked up the paper and unfolded it.
What she saw made her gasp and almost drop the paper.
Though Ruby had only known her for a short time before she disappeared she could still remember her face clearly and there was no mistaking that the woman she remembered and the woman depicted in the drawing were one in the same.
Why would he have a picture of her? It made no sense. No she didn't have time to obsess over this, she needed to get back to Neal.
Putting the box back in its spot she covered the area with the board and left the room.
Before leaving she pocketed the drawing.
~Break~
Emma could no longer keep her distance from Neal and walked over to him and sat down beside him on the couch.
From the breakfast bar David and Snow watched the silent interaction between their daughter and the estranged son of the Dark One.
A strong part of David hated Neal for the emotional pain he had caused Emma. From what Snow had told him Emma and him had survived by stealing and sleeping in recently vacated motel rooms. It was heartbreaking enough to hear that she had had to steal to survive and lived on the move but when he learned that she had been arrested and sent to prison for a crime that Neal had committed, it had made him want to savagely beat the man for the pain he had caused his daughter.
It was only after Snow had fervently insisted that Neal had confessed deep, deep regret and self-loathing for what he had done that he decided to let him live.
Even though he could understand why Neal had made the choices he had made that didn't exonerate the anger David felt towards him. It was going to take a lot more than a deep, heartfelt apology to make even a dent in the path to David's forgiveness.
Meanwhile Gold was sitting alone in a corner of the room near the stairs, trying to wrap his mind around the shocking reality that Bae had insisted was the truth about his late wife.
How could Milah have been a werewolf without his knowledge? In all the years they had been married not once could he remember her disappearing for hours at a time during a full moon, besides the nights in the last years of their marriage when she had blatantly left their small home to drink and spend time with "real men" in taverns.
He had overheard Bae mention a necklace Milah had given him one night in the tavern, the one Gold could remember never seeing her without, and that with this necklace on he could prevent the change.
Gold's innermost thoughts could see that it was possible for her to have kept this a secret from him, especially with the help of her enchanted necklace, but the root of the problem was the verifiable truth that Bae had kept this secret from him, and not even his powers as the Dark One had given him any insight that his son had inherited the curse of the werewolf.
Having thumbed through the almost unfathomable fact that Neal was not only a werewolf but on the verge of transforming into one, Emma also had to try and come to terms with the likely inheritance that Henry would have to deal with and the best way to express to Neal that she didn't blame him.
It wasn't his fault that he was the way he was, and some part of her could believe that it wasn't his mother's fault either but what she was having trouble forgiving was the unchangeable notion that when he had learned of the existence of Henry and that magic existed in Storybrooke, the town they had come from, he had still not told her.
Would she have believed him? More than likely not. But with everything that she had seen she could see herself susceptible to believing him with proof.
Looking at Neal she could see that he was trembling and sweat was gathering on his neck and brow. She could only imagine what he was going through. The emotions and physical sensations that were plaguing him had to be all consuming and indescribable to an outsider like her.
Ruby would understand.
The sour animosity from earlier returned at the thought of the connection they shared.
She knew that she had no right to be jealous of the bond that was developing between the two, especially if it was romantic in nature, but she couldn't help it.
As much as she wanted to believe that the feelings she once held for Neal were gone she knew that she was lying to herself.
Neal had been her first kiss, first confidant and her first love. They say you never forget your first love and in her case that was proving true.
Another violent surge went through him and she gasped when he suddenly grabbed her knee.
Realizing what he had done he started to take his hand back and apologized but she found herself stopping him.
He gave her a surprised look, his eyes lingering on her hand that was resting over his.
Whenever she touched him a spark that soared like fireworks shot through his mind and body, and it was an addiction that had started from the moment she had first touched him, and that addiction had only gotten stronger.
"It's okay" though her words were short they conveyed so much more and she knew by the look in his eyes that he could read the underlining message: she forgave him for the pain he had caused her. They still had a lot of forgiveness that needed to be earned but right now she could forgive him for abandoning her.
Neal's eyes widened when pain that had only existed in his past ripped into his present and he howled in agony and his back arched at an unnatural angle that was almost too painful to look at.
Emma jumped from the couch and ran around to the back of his head and did her best to try and alleviate some of the pain by massaging his scalp and whispering assurances in his ear.
When the pain had hit Neal's eyes had closed on instinct and when he opened them Emma was amazed at the brilliant gold they had become.
Though she had seen his eyes change before she had not known that the cause behind it was the werewolf curse and now that she did her fear and concern for Neal intensified.
Emma and the others looked to the window and saw that the moon had come into position. David tried to tug Emma away from Neal but she wouldn't leave him, not when he needed her so desperately.
Since it had been so long since he had last transformed his body was battling the wolf that was rearing to take over and was the main reason why he was experiencing so much pain.
Black and gray fur was beginning to spread up his body and he could feel his bones starting to grind down and his teeth begin to sharpen.
He could taste the blood that was steadily filling his mouth from his bleeding gums. Its copper taste making him gag.
When it seemed that Neal's change was inevitable the door flew open and the miracle that was Ruby rushed into the room and went to Neal's side.
Taking the necklace out of her pocket she placed it over his head and the medallion rested beside his heart.
When the necklace made contact with his body its magical properties took effect and all watched as the changes that had taken place began to recede.
His eyes turned back to their warm brown and the fur sank back into his skin along with the stress that the moon was having on his body starting to settle down as well.
With his control returning Neal blinked his eyes a few times and moved his body into a more comfortable position.
He was still breathing heavily from the exertion so when he spoke his voice was a little gaspy, "thanks Ruby."
He would be forever in her debt for what she had done for him.
"It was no problem, you would have done the same for him" Neal was puzzled by the tinge of anger and mistrust that flavored her words.
He knew something was wrong and with what was going on they couldn't afford to have any animosities in the group, the only exception being Gold, and he was really only there for Neal.
"Ruby, what happened?" he asked, wondering what had caused her change in attitude.
Everyone watched in anticipation to see how she would respond.
Deciding to come out with it she reached into her pocket and took the folded paper out, unfolded it and handed it to him.
Neal recognized the drawing as the one he had made of his mother.
Brow furrowed he looked at her in confusion.
"Why do you have this?" he wasn't particularly angry that she had taken it, he was more curious as to why.
"Who is she to you?" she answered with her own question.
She had to be important to him if he had taken the time to carefully draw her.
Neal set the picture down on his lap.
"Why does it matter? We shouldn't be fighting over an old drawing, we should be figuring out a way to save Henry" he stated, not wanting to waste another second on this topic.
"It matters to me, and I want an answer now!" she almost screamed.
Emma tried to come to Neal's aide, "he's right Ruby. The longer you stand here demanding answers about an old drawing, the longer Regina has to plan a way to keep us from seeing Henry even again" she didn't know what Ruby's deal was but now wasn't the time to lose it.
"Emma, this has nothing to do with you so just back off!" she turned back to Neal and left a flabbergasted Emma to look at David and Snow in shock.
Fury filled Neal at the way Ruby had spoken to Emma and he rose from the couch and used his height to impose his will over her.
"Don't you ever speak to her like that!" he roared, the atmosphere boiling with the buildup of a fight.
"If you would just answer my question I wouldn't have to!" she retorted, getting right up in his face.
It didn't matter that both of their enchanted items stopped the change, they were both still servants to their primal urges and Neal's presence had enacted the need to establish the role of alpha, and that had still not been resolved.
Sensing that all hell was about to break lose Emma stepped between the two and placed her hands on both of their chests and did her best to push them apart.
"This is no time for a dominance fight! Neal, just tell her what she wants to know so we can all move on!" Emma insisted, no longer wanting to listen to their fighting.
Stepping back he sighed, "she's my mother" he confessed.
Everyone was silent as they waited for Ruby's response.
What they saw was not was they were expecting.
Ruby's eyes widened and before anyone could stop her she had snatched the drawing up off the floor and fled the loft.
~Break~
She ran down the street. Her red hood billowing out behind her.
People who were walking on the sidewalk had to move quickly to the side in order to avoid injury.
She only had one thought on her mind: she had to get to Granny.
Fast approaching the B&B she increased her pace and barely slowed down when she reached Granny's room and barged inside.
Granny looked up from the book she was reading and took quick notice of the distress she was under.
"What's happened?" she set her book down and gave her, her complete attention.
Ruby didn't speak as she dug the paper out of her pocket, unfolded it and handed it to her.
Granny's eyes traced the drawing and recognition hit her like a punch to the gut.
She looked up into Ruby's emotion filled eyes, "where did you get this?" her voice was hard and filled with emotion.
"Neal. He said it's his mother" she watched as Granny rose from her rocking chair, the picture still in her hand as she grabbed her coat and headed for the door.
"Take me to him" she ordered, as she opened the door and stepped out, slipping into her coat as they walked.
Ruby nodded and walked with her out of the B&B and straight for Emma and Snow's loft.
A/N: So...what did you think? As I stated earlier a lot of stuff went down in this chapter and of course this leads the way for answers that I assure you are coming, just continue to stick with me. Please review, they make me feel oh so incredibly good!