Author's note: Oh my god, I have over 100 followers for this story now? That's amazing and I AM SO HONORED. I do apologize about the lack of updates, I think this week's once just managed to KILL me, and I was just like woah. Especially with Gold and the whole threatening thing I was all, WELL I DID THAT WRONG. But alas I wrote it way before we even got our scene, so I guess I just took a creative license. Anyway I hope you guys enjoy this chapter (and my Graham shout outs 3). Read and Review 3

Chapter 14- Father/Son bonding

It was nearing lunch time, and she was just about to head out to lunch when Charming stepped through the doors. Immediately he noticed Neal's presence as he walked in and he visibly stiffened. Emma stood up, walking towards him, before he attempted to pull his protective father act.

"What's he doing here?" Charming asked.

"He's helping me out with the filing; we have so much paperwork on that empty desk that I decided to at least make him do something useful" Emma said with a shrug.

"I told him to.." he trailed off realizing he had just outed himself.

"I told you that I didn't need you to talk to anyone, I'm very capable of handling Neal all on my own" she said as she crossed her arms across her chest, giving her father a look.

"I know, I'm sorry. But he hurt you Emma, that's not something that he can just get away with some repercussions" Charming said.

"Okay, but let me handle it all right? I appreciate that you want to look out for me, but I'm a grown woman, and I can handle my personal business on my own. Okay?" She said.

Charming nodded, and Emma frowned deciding to give him a hug she had appreciated that he wanted to look out for her. But much like she had told Snow before, she was used to handling things on her own, especially things like guys.

"Now didn't I say you could just take the day off? I think you said you were going to go check on the dwarves or something?" Emma said as she let go of him.

"I just wanted to let you know that Snow said she'd be staying late at school today, and so I was just planning on taking dinner to her, so you two didn't have to worry about us" Charming said.

Emma nodded, she and Henry were supposed to have dinner with Neal anyway so Charming and Snow having dinner together would be good. She ushered Charming out finally and she went back to her desk to continue on with the files. She worked through lunch, given the late breakfast she had, and by the time it was getting time to go pick Henry up from school she was about ready to call it a day. Neal had been quiet for hours and she looked out into the outer office to see that he was still hard at work alphabetizing the files, she shook her head, he really must have been bored.

"Hey, uh Neal?" She said, feeling a bit awkward.

He put down the file that he had in his hand and walked into her office, "Yeah?"

"Do you want to come with me, to go pick up Henry? We can have an early dinner if you want, and then you guys can do stuff?"

"You'd let me have him for a while?" Neal asked.

"No, I'd let you two hang out here in the office so I can keep an eye on you. But you'd be able to talk, I'd just be in here doing more paperwork"

She wasn't sure she trusted him with Henry yet, after all Neal had that flight risk potential and it wasn't something she wanted around her kid. After all Henry had dealt with that personality when she had first gotten here, and she didn't need another repeat for him. He looked like he wanted to complain, but she gave him a look said that this wasn't up for negotiation and that was it. Plus there was the whole, Regina issue that had to be addressed but she'd focus on that later.

"Okay that sounds fair" he said.

"All right well let's go" she said as she grabbed the on call phone and she headed out the door.

Neal trailed after her, neither of them spoke, she knew that they had to get over this at some point but she was still so mad at him. She also wanted to talk to August, he deserved a punch to the face too, taking the money that Neal had meant to be hers. It was thankfully a rather short walk from the station to the bus stop and they arrived right on time because Henry was just getting off the bus and he ran to Emma and gave her a hug.

"Hi mom" Henry said with a smile.

"Hey kid, have a good day at school?" she asked.

He nodded, and then he waved at Neal, "Hi Neal"

"Hey kid" Neal said as he gave him a rather awkward wave.

"Okay so I was talking to Neal and we decided to go grab an early dinner and then you guys can hang out at the station while I finish up my work. Does that sound good to you?" Emma asked.

Henry nodded as they made their way to dinner, where Henry spent a large amount of time grilling Neal on what his life had been like, while Emma sat there and picked at her food. She decided to take it to go, since she had lost her appetite. Henry was excited about getting to spend time with Neal, and they headed back to the station. When they got to the station, Emma went into her office and Neal and Henry went to sit by Charming's desk.

"Hey Henry, can I ask you something?" Neal asked.

"Sure, what?" Henry asked.

"The sheriff, the one who came before Emma. What happened to him?" Neal asked.

"He died, why?" Henry asked.

"Your mom, said that the jacket hanging in the office was his. She got kind of upset when I touched it" Neal said.

"Graham and my mom, they had a special relationship, and she blames herself for his death" Henry said.

"Special relationship?"

"Oh when he kissed my mom, he got his memories back of who he was from the Enchanted forest" Henry said.

"Oh", so that's why she was so protective of the jacket, the guy had been her boyfriend, and he had died, "So did they date then?"

"No, he died the day after he kissed her. I've heard her sometimes, apologizing to him when we go visit him at his grave and she thinks I went too far ahead to hear her" Henry said quietly.

"So you guys visit him?" Neal asked.

"Yeah once a week, every Thursday night" Henry said, "But please don't tell her I told you, it's our secret"

"I promise kid" Neal said, wondering if maybe he had to pay a visit to this guy. After all he seemed to have been the only person to break through Emma's walls, the ones that he was responsible for putting there.

"You still love my mom, don't you?" Henry asked.

"What makes you say that?"

"The way you look at her, it's the way Gramps looks at Grams" Henry said.

"Would it be bad if I said yes?" Neal asked, he knew the kid wanted to get to know him, but he wasn't sure if he wanted him anywhere near Emma.

"Of course, people who love each other should be together" Henry said with a smile.

"Yes, I love her. I tried to lose myself after what I did to her, but it didn't work. So I decided to clean up my act, in hopes that when she broke the curse, that I could be the man she deserves, the man I couldn't be when I left her" Neal said with a sigh.

"Well then you have to try" Henry said, "But I hope that you know that my mom won't make it easy. There was a reason she told me you were dead"

"Yeah I know kid, and she's in her complete right to hate me" Neal said, "But I'm hoping I can get her to change her mind about me, like you did?"

"I never hated you" Henry stated simply, "I know that adults sometimes make decisions that aren't the smartest, but they think it is. You made a decision like that, but you want to fix it, so I can't really hate you for that.

Neal blinked, really how on earth was his son so understanding, and how was it that he held no resentment towards him. After all most kids would have hated him for abandoning them, for landing his mother in jail, and therefore ensuring he'd end up being adopted. But he was forgiving him, and that made him feel good inside. And maybe, if his son could forgive him, he could forgive his father.