I hadn't actually entered the shop until today, and I am taken aback by some of the things that I see around me. I notice a leather bound ball sitting in the corner, looking a lot cleaner than it had been the last time I saw it. I run my fingers along the glass case and gaze at the stunning and expensive looking items that it contains. I have to wonder how much of this stuff is actually his.

As I continue to browse around the shop, I hear the tapping of a cane on the hardwood floor. I turned to the doorway to the back of the shop, that was separated by a thick curtain.

My father walked through the entry with wide eyes, taking a deep breath when he saw me.

"Baelfire," he whispered. I wondered if he was still shocked when he saw me around.

"You wanted to talk," I stated. "Let's talk."

He opened his mouth like he was going to say something but then he closed it when he thought better of it. He glanced down at his hands, which were now clenched tightly around the handle of his cane. I watched him for several seconds as my impatience began to grow.

"I know I've made mistakes," he admitted softly, taking slow steps toward me. I have to stop myself from backing away. "But you must believe me, I want to make up for them."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. This caused my father to frown. I couldn't really imagine any way he could make up for that many mistakes. Unless he did a complete 180 and started volunteering at the homeless shelter.

"There's no greater pain then regret," he insisted, trying to make me feel sorry for him. As if that was going to work.

"I don't know," I muttered bitterly. "Being abandoned is pretty awful, in my experience."

I watch him wince, and it gives me a twisted satisfaction. To see the regret he feels for letting me go.

"Please, Bae," he begged. "Let me make it up to you."

"How are you going to do that?" I asked. I honestly couldn't think of anyway that he could. Any way he could give me back my life and take back all the horrible things he's done. "You let me go. You left me to grow up on my own. You destroyed lives. How can you make up for that?"

"I-I can try to make it up to you," he said shakily. The new hope and desperation flooding through his eyes strikes a cord in me, and I can't help it when my exterior starts to soften. My heart twists and a part of me wants to reach out to him. "We can start over, Bae. There's magic here. I can turn the clock back, make you fourteen again."

Whatever softness I had acquired was now frozen like solid ice. I can only look away from his face and let out a bitter laugh. It would always come back to magic with him, wouldn't it. It was his own sick addiction. A crutch he wouldn't be able to walk without. I suppose, I never really believed he would be different. I'm surprised I almost gave him the benefit of doubt.

"14 again," I muttered to myself in astonishment. "I don't want to be 14 again. Are you insane?"

"I can't make up for the lost time, but I can take away the memories," he continued, trying so hard to convince me and make me his son again. "Bae."

I couldn't even look at him. After all this time, he still thought magic was going to fix everything. He thought I was just going to let him take away my life so he could get his second chance without any real effort.

"Is that really the best you can do?" I asked him. "The only thing you can think of to fix everything is to get rid of my whole life. So you can pretend none of this ever happened. So you can act like we're still a family. You think you can just take away the person that I am and force me to be a child again. I don't want that. I don't want any of that."

His voice cracks when he whispered to me, making a desperate plea."Please Bae, I don't know what else I can do. I need to make this right."

"You think that using magic will make it right? You think you can just use it to make up for your mistakes," I yelled, my fury and frustration overwhelming me. "It won't. It can't."

"Bae," he tries to keep going, his breath shaking uncontrollably. The weakness that he continues to show makes me want to pity him. And that only makes me more frustrated with myself and him. "Please. Ever since you left-"

I don't let him continue because I can't stop my emotions from exploding.

"Left?" I chuckled darkly to myself, as if I had just heard a morbidly ironic joke. "You were the one who left me, Rumplestiltskin. You were the one that let me go. It wasn't the other way around."

I think he's going to try to apologize again. But I'm not going to let him. I can't stop the flood of words from drowning me.

"You know, I dream about it every night," I sneered, more to myself than to him. "I see you holding my arm and holding that dagger. I didn't think you would go back on our deal. I had so much faith in you, that you would do the right thing. Even when you gripped that dagger, I still thought you loved me enough. I thought it was just a lapse in judgement."

"I was just afraid," my father started. "There is nothing I regret more than breaking that deal."

"I begged you," I interrupted, my voice cracking from the sheer emotion. "I begged you and you opened your grip. You let me go. You chose all this crap over me."

I motioned around me, to the large expanse of items he had acquired through magic and deals over the years.

"I just can't understand," I whispered, exhaustion creeping into my tone. I looked up to see his face and I evenly met his gaze. He looked so fragile, so crippled. "I don't understand what I did wrong. I was going to give up everything for you, for us. Why wasn't I enough for you?"

That question seems to halt any response he was going to give me. I stare at him for what feels like forever, watching him search for the right words. I know I'm not going to get an answer, because I don't think he even knows what it is.

He finally utters something, stepping towards me, but he doesn't reach for me. His hands fall limp at his sides.

"I'm so sorry, Bae," he apologizes so sincerely that I almost wish I could forgive him. But even if I wanted to, I couldn't. I've been so angry at him for so long, I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I let all that hate go. "I'm sorry I failed you."

The self loathing look on his face is gut wrenching. It makes me hate him. It makes me feel sorry for him. It mostly just makes me feel hollow.

"Emma told me to talk to you, and I did," I stated simply, straightening my posture and looking him dead in the eye. "She doesn't owe you anymore."

I don't let him say anything else. I quickly turn away so I don't have to look at him anymore. Taking a deep breath, I gather my strength and head towards the door way of the shop. Just as I am opening the door, I pause, feeling a wave of nostalgia and regret. I'm compelled to look back at my father and immediately know that was a bad idea.

He looks so broken, just staring at the floor in despondence.

"After all the things you've done, to me and to everyone else," I said without bitterness or resentment. I didn't have the energy to be hostile right now. "I can't forgive you. I just can't."

It seems like a lame way to end the discussion, but I can't think of anything else that I might want to say. So, without another word, I exit the shop and slam the door shut behind me. I don't look back as I walk away.

Xxx

I'm not sure what was going through my head at the time, but after wandering aimlessly around the town, I found myself in front of Emma's apartment. I hesitated at the doorway, wondering if Prince Charming was waiting on the other side, waiting to punch me in the face again. I pushed down the nervousness and knocked. The door opened to reveal Emma on the other side. Her face contorted in confusion and surprise.

"Your debt to Rumplestiltskin has been repaid," I told her simply, keeping my face stoic and firm. "For the record, you should probably refrain from making deals with him in the future."

I'm about to leave, because I honestly don't want to bother her and her family anymore. But her voice stops me in my tracks.

"Austin," she said in a low soft voice. I felt her hand grab onto my shoulder and I turned to look at her. I immediately melt when I see the soft comforting warmth in her fiery eyes. Her eyes show me an understanding, a look that has always connected us. The look of a lost child. "Do you want a drink?"

My lips twitch to reveal a small smile. "Oh god, yes."

I'm a little surprised by the amount of liquor that Emma keeps in her apartment. As she pours me a glass, I glance around the apartment and take in the architecture. It was small and a little old fashion, but it was quaint and it looked nice enough. A lot better than the last apartment I saw her living in.

"Nice place," I tried to converse casually.

"It's getting pretty crowded, actually," she confessed with the slightest smirk. "With me, Mary Margret, Henry, and David."

"Speaking of which," I mumbled, looking around. "Where is the whole family?"

"Mary Margret and David took Henry to Granny's," she replied, standing on the other side of the kitchen island and taking a sip of her drink. "He's pretty upset about Archie's death."

"Right," I recalled. "The doc was his shrink. Why did he have a psychiatrist to begin with?"

"Well, he was talking about a curse that banished all the fairytale characters to small town, Main," Emma answered, rolling her eyes. "Would you honestly believe someone who thought that was true? You know, if you weren't a fairytale character yourself."

"I'm not really a fairytale character," I admitted with a shrug. "I have yet to see my name in any works of fiction. To be honest I kind of feel cheated."

"Maybe the brothers Grimm didn't find you interesting enough for their story's," Emma pointed out, a smirk playing on her features. "You are pretty boring."

"Oh yeah," I countered. "Why didn't they include you? Miss. Daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. You might as well be the poster child of chastity and virtue."

Emma rolled her eyes again and let a snort. I smiled to myself in contentment. It was comforting to know that we could still ease ourselves into a friendly-ish conversation. She looked away for a moment before turning back to meet my gaze. Her eyes were much more dark and serious.

"What happened?" she asked.

I knew what she was asking about. I knew she would ask about it. She was always so curious about my personal life.

"He wanted to turn me back into a 14 year old," I answered, downing the rest of the alcohol. "So we could get a second chance."

"Wow," she said slowly. Her eyes widening in astonishment. "This whole situation is so weird."

"I think he has an unhealthy addiction," I stated. "The whole reason I came to this place was to get away from magic. And what does he do, he brings it back and tries to use it to solve all his issues."

"So, what are you going to do?" Emma inquired, peaking her eyebrow in interest. "Are you going to try and work through your...issues?"

"And pretend that no of this happened?" I scoffed. "I'm not just going to forget all the horrible things he's done. I can't. He doesn't deserve forgiveness, because he hasn't changed. He never will. Magic has poisoned him and twisted him into a monster. I barely know him anymore."

Emma was frowning at me, trying to think on how to reply. But I wasn't going to change my mind about this. Not now.

"I didn't think I would be able to forgive my parents for a long time," she explained. "Even when I found out who they were. And why they gave me up."

"Bet it was fun to discover they were the same age as you," I joked, letting out a small laugh.

Emma shot me a dirty look, but I could see a ghost of a smile. That was all I needed to make my heart sing.

"I couldn't understand why they could choose to let me grow up alone," she continued solemnly. "But they did it to give me my best chance. They did it for my safety."

"That's the difference between your parents and mine," I whispered, more to myself than to her. "Your parents wanted you. Mine didn't."

I look down at the counter trying not to focus on the stab of pain I felt when I admitted that.

"I don't know how to deal with all this," she sighed. "They want us to be a family. I don't know how to be in a family. I'm not used to having people who love me. I thought that they didn't love me all this time. But they did. They actually wanted me."

"Yeah." I drank in the happiness that was practically radiating from her. I could feel the warmth flow through me when I saw how she glowed. "Well, who wouldn't want you?"

"You didn't."

She says it so quickly and I can see her curse herself after she lets it slip. I can feel my heart drop into my stomach. The rush of guilt hits me so hard, I almost double over. Or I would, if I could move from where I stood. But I was frozen, and aching all over. It breaks my heart to hear how fragile her voice was when she said that. Like she was still that lonely little lost girl who desperately wanted someone to love her. And I selfishly took that away from her. And left her more heartbroken than she was before.

"I'm so sorry Emma," I told her, my voice breaking as I said her name.

She looks away from me and takes a gulp of her drink. "Let's not go over the past," she insisted, trying to drive the conversation away from something to painful to talk about.

"Emma, I need to say this," I pushed forward. "I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for lying to you. I'm sorry for leaving you. I'm so sorry for all the horrible things that I said. It was cruel and unnecessary."

She takes a long shaky breath before looking up to me. "Do you think I'm going to forgive you?"

"No," I answered. "I don't deserve your forgiveness. But you deserve my apology. I want you to know that I regret everything I did to you. I'm sorry."

"I know," she said softly, her eyes focused on mine. Tears shining in her eyes, though she refused to let them shed.

Seeing the devastation I have caused her, right in front of me, makes me ache with regret. I was an idiot to think that I was making things better for her by letting her go. Breaking her heart, making her hate me, it only made things worse. It only made her become more closed off and shattered than she was before. The best thing I could have done for her, was love her with all my heart. At least then, I could have made her happy for a time. But I even failed at doing that. I messed everything up because I thought I wouldn't be enough for her. Because I wasn't good enough for her.

I should have let her decide that for herself. But instead, I pushed her away.

And now, we are both left cold and broken.

We are unable to go back to the start and change our past. All we can do is move forward now.

But how do two people move forward when there is so much hurt between them?

In one split second, my mind turns to Henry and I feel a small spark of hope alight from within me. Henry is our future and he will always connect us. Looking after Henry together will help us move forward. Or at least, I hope it will. If it doesn't, then Im not sure what else we could possibly do. Im not sure where else we can go from here.

Im startled by how strong her voice is when she speaks again. Especially when I hear the pure emotion in her voice.

"I was going to tell you about Henry that night," she admitted. I focused my attention on her and listened to her story. "But I was so angry and heartbroken. It hurt to look at you."

I try not to wince at that but I fail miserably.

"I moved on. Or I tried to. But when I started to show, my boss noticed and he fired me. Said a pregnant waitress would make the customers uncomfortable." She scoffs to herself and scowls at the floor. "I tried to find work, but there was none. None that would take me. I was a high school dropout with little to no social skills. Who would want to hire me for anything? I was evicted from my apartment when I couldn't pay the rent anymore. I had nothing. I had nowhere to go. So I started stealing to survive. It was all I could do. I broke into some rich guys house stole a bunch of old jewelry. When I tried to pawn it, I was caught by the police. I went to jail and when I was in there, I had Henry. I wasn't ready to be a mother, I could barely take care of myself out there. How could I take care of a baby on my own? I gave him up, in order for him to have a chance. It was all I could give him at the time."

"God Emma," I whispered. Feeling my insides churn at the thought of the suffering and helplessness she went through. "Im so sorry."

"Its not your fault," she replied, waving her hand, acting as if she was over the entire experience. "I just wanted you to know what happened."

"I should have been there for you," I scolded myself, cursing my own poor judgement. "I should have helped you when you needed me and I didn't"

"I don't blame you for it," Emma responded, reaching out and grasping my hand, silencing all of my thoughts with a simple touch. I could feel a tingle of magic underneath my skin. "Not anymore."

"Anymore?"

"I used to blame you. I used to blame you for a lot of things that went wrong in my life." Her expression seemed to light up in an instant. "But, if I hadn't met you. I never would have had Henry. And he's one of the few good things in my life right now."

I try to push away the guilt but it clouds my mind. So I focus on a light at the end of a dark tunnel.

"He's a good kid. A really brave guy," I said happily, letting the pride for my son soak into me.

"Yeah," she agreed, looking at me with a bright smile that only the thought of Henry could cause. "He really is."

"He has your eyes," I stated, grinning as I looked into the fiery hazel of her irises.

She lets out the smallest of laughs, and it is the most beautiful sound in the world. "But he looks a lot like you."

"Except he has your pasty complexion."

"Pasty!" she sputtered angrily. Her eyes alight with a new fury. I try desperately ton hide my grin and keep myself from laughing. "I am not pasty."

"Well, your mother is Snow White," I said thoughtfully, rubbing my chin mockingly. "So, its not surprising that you're so-"

"Fair," Emma interrupted me with a smug smirk. "Thats the right word. My mother was the fairest of them all."

"Im guessing thats not a genetic trait."

Without any warning, she punches me in the shoulder. Hard. Unfortunately, I had been shot in that shoulder a few days prior.

"That was my bad shoulder," I cringed in pain.

"Oh, that's right," Emma remembered. Not appearing to have any remorse for hitting me. "I heard about your heroic injury."

"Wouldn't call it heroic," I chuckled.

"Really?" Emma asked curiously. "It sounded pretty spectacular to me. I heard you jumped in front of a bullet to protect David. And then you karate kicked the gun out of Spencer's hand."

I frowned deeply. "I am very concerned about the rumor mill in this town."

Emma let out an actual laugh that time. I couldn't help but laugh with her. Slowly, her smile faded away. Leaving a grim line.

"Im going to tell Henry the truth."

I only nodded. "Do you want me to be there?" I would offer her any support she needed, if she wanted me. I would leave her alone if she didn't. It was all I could do for her.

"Yes."

I deeply apologize people. I was going to update on Sunday but I made the mistake of watching OUAT that night. I was in way to much emotional pain and had to search tumblr for comfort. That episode was heartbreaking, so I jammed in some nice angst for this chapter. Hurray! I know that some people are giving up on there stories after Neal died. But nope. Bae deserves a better ending. So I'm going to give it to him as best as I can. Hope you all enjoyed.

Please Review :)