Hello everyone! I am SO happy to be updating again, and I really can't wait for you all to see what I have planned next! This is my longest chapter by far, but I kinda love how much you get to see from both the present day and flashbacks. You can expect to see a wide range of emotions from Dorothy in the next few episodes, and definitely more Deter and Daddy!Hook. I'm so excited for the next push of updates, but I wanted to know if anyone would like for me to update during the very long hiatus once I finish this season. I was thinking about posting a few one shots/ flashbacks of life on Neverland with Dorothy, Peter, and the Lost Boys! And I would love to include when Dorothy fakes her death with Rumple. So, if anyone's interested, let me know!
winxgirl1997: Your wish is my command! ;)
Guest 1: Aw thank you so much :) The Deter moments are some of my favorites to write and read, so I'm glad you like them! Expect more!
leelee1028: I'm so glad you think that because this is probably one of the most intense chapters I've written so far. I'm upping the ante every chapter and I'm so glad you like it!
orcafan1: Is this soon enough for ya? ;) Hook won't be upset with Dorothy, he'll just be even more protective and curious about this new her.
HermioneandMarcus: Thanks for reviewing!
Emma knocked on the glass door of Granny's before being let in by her father. Granny informed the group(Charming, Snow, Hook, Peter, Regina, and Emma) that they only have 20 minutes before she opened the restaurant. Grumpy likes his breakfast right at dawn. The blonde told the others of her findings at the quarry, "I went all over that farmhouse and the land around it; nothing."
Charming then listed off places Gold might go to. The Savior asked the group of heroes and villains around her, "Can someone please explain how this is even possible? We saw Gold-" Peter finished off her sentence, "Disappear into nothingness when Dorothy sent the both of us into a portal and we had no idea where we were going. Yes, we are all aware."
Everyone was silent before Pan spoke up again, "Why were all of you so calm when you saw me, yet you are all so shocked when you see Rumpelstilskin again?" Regina answered the immortal, "Because we knew for a fact you would stop at nothing to get back. Rumple, however, thought his family would be safer without him." Pan seemed to consider it for a moment, and decided that the Evil Queen was in fact correct. He would have done, and did, do anything and everything in his power to return to Dorothy. He wanted another chance.
Hook ignored everyone and revealed, "I may have an inkling. Back in the Enchanted Forest, Neal talked about wanting to get his father back. He didn't know how, he just...he missed his family. He was desperate to find a way to return to this world; he believed bringing his father back was the key." After that, Emma struggled with the possiblility that Neal could be alive, but she didn't know anything. He might not have even been brought over by the curse.
"With all due respect, we have bigger issues right now than who brought Gold back. The fact that he was in the Wicked Witch's basement for one. I wanna know what the hell she was cooking up with him." Regina told, and Peter absolutely agreed with her. He found himself doing that a lot lately, probably because she was the only one who was willing to do anything necessary to defeat the Witch.
The group then made plans to split up. Regina would go to the farm house, and the rest would go to Gold's shop.
Belle stared at the gold straw, and asked, "So, Rumple's alive? How is that even possible?" Truthfully, the motley crew wanted to know the same thing. Emma persuaded Belle to research and look for clues as to where the Dark One was and where he was going. If Gold was in town, he would come straight to Belle. "I will stay here with you, I'm surprisingly good at research." Hook stated, causing Belle to make a face.
"You. You do know he tried to kill me." The brunette spoke to the group, and Hook tried to explain that it was under dreadful and dire circumstances, but Belle pointed out, "Twice." In return, Hook sarcastically apologized and said, "Well, it was either me or Pan. I thought I would be the less painful choice. This will be my way of making it up to you." Belle reluctantly agreed, but she made it clear there was a thousand other people she would rather be with.
Charming turned towards his wife and told her that she should stay at the apartment. "But, I'm the best tracker here." Snow pointed out, and Pan raised his hand and corrected her, "Actually, I'm the best tracker here. Which is why I'm going with them." Snow rolled her eyes at the boy but backed down anyways. They would be fine with a strong magical being by their side.
One Year Ago: The Enchanted Forest
"I love him, all of him. Even the darkest parts." Belle spoke to Baelfire as he stared into space. He never understood how someone could do that, love a villain. Dorothy didn't get to see who she was really with until it was too late, but even after everything, she still loved Pan. Pan's name still left a bitterness at the tip of his tongue, but Bae knew how hard it was for his sister to defeat the love of her life with her own hands. Neal replied nostalgically, "Yeah, it took me a while to see past all of that. There was a good man trying to get out." Belle pointed out that he did, but the Dark One's son muttered, "Now, the irony is I need the dark part in order to get to the ones I care about."
Neal then pulled out a small item that caught Belle's eye. When she asked what it was, the man answered, "It's a thimble charm. It was Dorothy's, she gave it to me before sending me off from Neverland. It was supposed to be a reminder that we weren't saying goodbye. She told me, 'Never say goodbye because saying goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.' I don't know how it survived the trip."
Belle started to walk over to her true love's son and smiled, "Because it was born out of true love. The bond of family is one of the strongest loves of all. Now, come with me I think I know where we can find what we need." The pair then made their way into the library where Belle lit a few candles. They were about to start looking, but a voice stopped them. It was the candelabra.
"Don't be frightened, I am but a humble servant of this castle. My name is Lumiere." It spoke.
Present Day
Henry and Dorothy did their homework on the couch together at the inn. Dorothy was in the middle of helping her brother with a math problem when Emma walked in and sat down. The teenage girl saw her mother and asked, "Where you out all night? I didn't see you come in last night." Emma told her she was working on the case, and she brought them breakfast because she's super mom.
Henry looked down at his bagel and scoffed, "That's a bagel?" Emma smiled a bit and shot back, "Sorry, kid. We're not in Manhattan anymore." The kids knew their mom was probably going back out, so they didn't question her on it. Sometimes, they liked just being by themselves. The savior then asked if the two would want to go out with Leroy and the others on a fishing trip, and Dorothy immediately groaned.
Dorothy spoke, "No, I'm not going. Can't I just walk around by myself?" The blonde immediately shouted no, causing Henry and Dorothy to look at each other. Emma quickly spluttered, "I just don't want you going off by yourself. Why don't you ask Peter or someone to go with you?" The girl raised an eyebrow at that, her mom never wanted her to go alone anywhere with a guy.
"I'll go because I love fishing, not because neither of us believe you." The boy stated, and Dorothy smirked a little at that. Her brother could be so evil sometimes. Emma's eyes bulged out when he said that, and Dorothy elaborated, "You know you're not fooling us, right? Something's up." Emma tried to cover her tracks by lying, "I'm working on a case, you guys know how I get focused."
"It's not just that, it's this town. There's old friends that you've never mentioned, people whispering around us all the time. There's something you aren't telling us." The teenage girl continued, and Henry nodded as he agreed completely. Emma once again spewed lies to her kids, but her son cut her off, "You're not getting off that easy." Dorothy then added onto her brother's statement, "If you can't tell us the truth, then I want to go home. Back to New York."
Suddenly, Emma's phone shrilled, and the savior answered it. There was an urgency and shock in her tone as she told the kids she needed to go. "Mom, really. What's going on?" Henry asked quietly, and Emma relented just a little bit. "You two got me, okay? Something is up and it just got even more complicated. So, for now, can you just trust that I'm doing the right thing and I can fill you in later?" The kids nodded in return as their mother rushed to the hospital.
"Neal! You're here, what happened?" Emma exclaimed, and Neal replied, "I-I don't know. I remember seeing the yellow bug cross the town line, and the next thing I know I'm running around through the forest back in Storybrooke. Apparently, there's been a lot going on." Hook then brought up that they should probably tell him something, and Charming revealed that Gold was alive.
The savior then noticed the marking on Neal's hand. Belle was going to do some more research, and hopefully they would find out more information. Hook, Belle, and Charming filed out as per Neal's request so he could speak with Emma alone. They made small talk for a moment before Neal asked, "When can I see Dorothy and Henry? Hook said you were taking care of her for the past year, so I thought I'd ask you."
Emma was hesitant to reply but tried to anyways, "Neal, I don't-" The father and brother cut her off as he told, "I know I can't come barging back into your life, but-" Now it was Emma's turn to interrupt him as she countered, "It's not that. My memories came back, but theirs...They don't remember anything. The curse, their whole lives...you." Neal asked what Henry knew about his father, and Emma explained he knew that his father abandoned Emma when she was pregnant and landed her in jail..
"And what about Dorothy? Does she remember anything?" Neal questioned, a part of him already knowing the answer. The blonde sighed before replying sadly, "Dorothy still thinks she's an orphan, like her family never wanted her. She has no idea who she really is or anyone else in this town." Neal huffed as he spoke, "So they have no idea who I really am, that I'm just the jerk that abandoned you. We have to get their memories back, we have to fix this. There must be somebody who can-the Blue Fairy, Pan, or my father."
The blonde tried to explain softly, "Neal, they were happy there, in New York. They had a life." He pieced together that Emma didn't want their memories back, and when she said it was for the best, he shook his head, "I'm Henry's father and Dorothy's older brother. I want them to know who I am. They would want to know who they are."
Enchanted Forest
Neal and Belle exited the library after talking with the candelabra. They now held the key to the vault of the Dark One, now they just had to find it. But, that journey would be the next day. As soon as their footsteps were out of hearing distance, each one of Lumiere's candles lit back up. The Wicked Witch appeared in all her green glory as the candle came to life. "Nicely done, I don't think they suspected you for an instant. Which says more about them than it does about you. That Belle isn't as smart as she thinks, and that son of his is dumber than a box of hair." She laughed evilly.
"They're merely desperate to bring back their Rumpelstiltskin." Lumiere defended the pair, who he pitied. The witch sneered in return, "Not only desperate, blind. Baelfire wishes to return to his family, his sister. Dorothy Gale. Trust me, she's as wretched as the Dark One himself. The only good thing about that girl is her innocence, and I will take it as I swore to ages ago. And no one will get in my way."
The traitor ordered for his release, angering the evil woman in front of him, "Watch your tone, candle. There's more to be done, and you shall do it. Unless you desire to be the wax seal on an envelope."
Present Day
Dorothy ignored her mother's request-no, order. She was going to go around town and maybe shop a bit to ease her mind. Yes, she was alone, but what could go wrong in this small little town, right? Like always, Dorothy was right. Everyone looked at her oddly, surprisingly pity was in their eyes. It just confused her on so many levels, so she tried her best to ignore it. As she walked out of a shop, Dorothy accidentally collided with someone else.
"I'm so sorry, that was completely my fault." The girl apologized quickly, and she looked up to see a woman all clad in black smiling down at her. The woman responded with her accent, "No, really it's my fault. I'm such a klutz. I haven't seen you around here, what's your name?" The lady looked like she already knew it, but Dorothy told her she was Dorothy Swan. Being polite, Dorothy asked what the woman's name was, "Zelena, just Zelena. Anyways, I've got to run, but I will see you around, Dorothy."
Dorothy smiled and nodded in reply, carring on her day as usual. Zelena, however, smirked as she watched the girl travel into the stores in town. One of these days, she would have everything she needed, and she would get everything she desired. She would be better than her sister and Dorothy. They wouldn't even exist.
Hook plopped a bowl of jello in front of Neal, who seemed to be deep in thought. "Nothing like a green blob to kick start the appetite." The Dark One's son commented, and Hook quipped that it had great medicinal properties, of course. Neal put together that they put Hook on babysitting duty so he couldn't get away or go out in the cold after his father. "Thank you, by the way. For giving Emma the message to come back, and for retrieving Dorothy. I'm sure even without her memories she had to come kicking and screaming."
The father smiled a bit and spoke, "You know her well; Pan gave her a sleeping drought on the way here. You would have done the same." Neal nodded and looked at his hands, "So, how does it feel to play the hero after being a pirate for so long? Still waiting to swoop in and tell Dorothy you're her father?" Hook told that the feeling was unfamiliar, but all he wanted was to get his daughter's memories back and defeat the Witch. "So, what's it like to play the villain? If you truly had a hand in bringing your father back, I suspect you to have used the darkest of magic and pay an even darker price."
Dorothy's brother ripped off his iv and said he should be out looking with everyone else. He needed to set things right with his father, Henry, and Dorothy. Neal grabbed his jacket and shoes, and he stepped up to Hook. He was standing in his way. The two stared each other down before Hook embraced the man. Neal asked what the hell he was doing, and Hook stated, "This is long overdue. Sometimes when I look at you, all I see is a man. I forget that beneath all that you're still the boy I looked after all those years ago."
Neal remembered, it was almost impossible to forget that he once looked at this man like a father. "We got caught up in this nonsense over our shared affection for Dorothy. We are the only family she has left, so you have ten minutes before I let the others know you're gone." Neal thanked him before rushing off to the woods in search of his father.
Enchanted Forest
Neal and Belle trekked through the forest as they journeyed to the Dark One's Vault. There, they would open it to bring back Rumpelstiltskin. Belle spoke, "Ever since it happened, I haven't been able to stop thinking about Rumple's sacrifice. Before he got swept into that portal, he was willing to die to save everyone in Storybrooke." Neal corrected his father's love on one detail, "You know that wasn't it; he did it to save us. His family."
Belle commented that at least he wasn't dead, just lost. Neal was silent for a moment before asking Belle if she was surprised he had it in him, and she shook her head, "Of course not. Were you?" The man shrugged and responded, "I don't know, my papa wasn't the most selfless guy. I know he wished he'd never let me go through that portal; I know how sorry he was, but now that I have a family of my own I can't imagine ever doing what he did."
The woman tried to explain to him that his father regretted what happened and tried to get back to him many times. "That's one thing I can relate to because I would do anything to get back to Henry and Dorothy. I can't imagine a life without them, I don't want to." Soon, they made it to the cold and harsh clearing. They had to get Rumple back.
Present Day
Emma, Pan, and David strolled through the forest as the father and daughter duo talked about Neal. "So many things make it complicated, it's not just about me. He's hoping Gold can bring their memories back." Emma told, and Chamring said that would be an added bonus, for Dorothy knew what the Wicked Witch looked like and everything else. "Would it? A couple days ago I would have thought that was true, but now..." She trailed off, and Pan picked up on it.
"Now what?" He asked, apprehensive. Charming pointed out that they couldn't stay in Storybrooke without them, and Emma made a face at her dad who clicked, "Unless you're not planning to." Pan knew there was no way in hell that Emma would take both of them with her, Regina and he wouldn't let her. Emma went on, "A week ago, Dorothy, Henry, and I were playing a video game while eating fruit rollups. And now, I'm chasing after the Dark One hoping he can help me find the Wicked Witch of the West."
Pan opened his mouth to give Emma a piece of his mind, but they heard a pained cry come from somewhere in the woods. Peter took off in search, and Emma and Charming were right behind him. "Gold!" Emma shouted, seeing him now. To Peter, the Dark One looked absolutely crazy. In another life he would have cheered, but he needed to get Dorothy's memories back. No matter what.
Emma tried to get him to tell who the Witch was, but he cried, "There's no room! There's too many voices, too many voices!" Then, a flying monkey came up behind them. Rumple then ran away, and Charming took out his sword to fight the monkey while Emma and Peter sprinted after him. The two halted for a moment so Pan could try to track the Dark One, and he signaled that there was some movement.
The blonde shouted Gold's name, and in return Neal yelled for Emma. At one of his former Lost Boy's voice, Pan groaned. This would not be easy. Emma rolled her eyes at the immortal teen as she asked what Neal was doing there. "You expect me to stay in bed while you're out looking for my dad with Pan?" The man glared at the immortal teen who had a frown on his face, "Hello to you, too, Baelfire."
"We just saw him, but he took off again." Emma told her ex, who looked shocked, "So, it's true? He's back." The blonde then tried to explain the situation, "I don't know what's up with him, he just seems a little..." "Crazy. More than usual." Pan stated, causing the pair to glare at him. Peter put his hands up in surrender and let the two talk as the trio walked around.
Enchanted Forest
Lumiere tried to explain himself after Belle caught him on his lie, "I am who I appear to be. Except Rumpelstiltskin didn't bind me to this form, it was the Wicked Witch of the West." Belle repeated her name for good measure and wanted the candelabra to clarify. He spoke, "She wants you to bring back the Dark One so she can control him with his dagger." Belle hurriedly told Neal they needed to leave, but Neal stayed right where he was.
"Rumple didn't go through that portal for good so he could come back and be a slave to evil. Think of what she could do if the Dark One was under her control. We'll find another way to bring him home." Belle said, and Neal still stubbornly stood tall. He started to walk towards the center with the key in his hands, "I can't waste anymore time. I need to get back, to hell with the consequences."
He was making the same choice his father made years ago. No matter what, he needed to get back to his family. Dorothy, Emma, and Henry needed him. He pressed on the key and soon it burned a marking into his hand. The vault door lowered, and black ooze poured out and rose to make the shape of a person.
Present Day
Neal, Emma, and Peter walked through the woods while keeping an eye out for Gold. The former lovers made conversation about New York and Pan decided to eavesdrop on their conversation. He couldn't resist. Apparently, Henry and Dorothy loved the pizza and the city. They went to the park, the movies, and the zoo. "Didn't get lonely, just the three of you?" Neal questioned, and Emma was hesitant to answer the question in front of either men.
"Henry and Dorothy had tons of friends at school, and Dorothy and I had...people, sorry." Emma stumbled, and Neal shrugged it off while anger burned within Pan. While he was off going through worlds to get her back, she was with someone else. Another boy got to hold her, kiss her, and enjoy her light while she had no idea who she really was. She was his.
"Why are you sorry? Of course you did. I'm just kind of sorry I didn't get to do the whole 'I'm her big brother don't mess with her' thing. And, it's not like we were, or you even remembered...was it serious?" Neal said, causing Emma to tell him Walsh proposed and then turned into a flying monkey. Neal started to laugh, and Emma smiled, "Yeah, I almost married a monster from Oz that wanted to kill your sister. It's hilarious."
Neal then supplied, "Well, I almost married a minion of my sister's evil ex boyfriend, Peter Pan. So, I know what you're saying." The two laughed while Pan raised a hand and pointed out, "I'm right here."
The trio continued searching, and Neal explained to the blonde that he wanted her to be happy, even if it wasn't with him. The two were cut off by Emma's phone, making Pan extremely happy. Belle told Emma of her findings, Neal must have used the talisman to summon Rumple. But, the cost was his life. Suddenly, Neal started to scream, and Pan and Emma rushed to him.
They saw his face changing from his to his father's. Emma looked at Peter for help, and he had a calculative look on his face. He might know what's going on.
Enchanted Forest
Neal screamed as the black sludge turned into his father. Belle held her lover's son as he made his way towards them. Rumple was back with his family. Then, the Wicked Witch appeared. "Poor Baelfire, just couldn't learn from his father's mistakes. He wanted so badly to get back to his son and sister. He couldn't even see the forest through the trees." She taunted, causing shock and loathing to surge through the Dark One.
"You did this. You tricked him." He growled as he pointed the dagger at the familiar woman. The green witch shrugged and replied, "All I did was pass on some vital information from the help of a friend. Then, your son did the rest." She didn't even tell him the price of what he'd done, "Oops, it's the sin of emission, love. Although, I thought it was rather obvious. A return for an exit, his life."
Belle got up when Rumple told her to, and the Dark One spoke, "I'm not gonna let him go." His hands started to shake, for he couldn't hold onto his dagger and his son. He had to choose. The Dark One released his dagger, choosing to save his son. Zelena chuckled, "I didn't think you had it in you. All those years ago you started choosing power over love, I guess you've seen the evilness of your ways. But, it's too late now, Rumple, you're mine. You've got your son, but you've lost yourself."
Rumple started talking crazily, and Zelena complained, "Enough of this. Your madness is your burden, not mine. It's time to go, but before we do. Kill her." The Witch pointed towards Belle, who had tears in her eyes. Rumple would have done it if he had the chance, she could see it in his eyes. But, thankfully Lumiere trapped Zelena so Belle could escape. Hesitantly, Belle took the candlestick and ran away.
Present Day
Pan spoke, "Rumpelstiltskin is inside of you, that's how you're still alive." Emma's eyes went wide as Neal told that he could hear his father's voice in his head. The blonde deduced, "He said there was no more room, he meant you." Neal then pleaded for Emma to separate him and his father, but Emma refused. The man then turned to Pan, who was very hesitant. Dorothy wouldn't forgive him if he did this, but something needed to be done. She needed her memories back.
Peter finally agreed, and Neal explained to Emma, "He needs to do it. To save you, to save Henry, and to save Dorothy." Pan took his true love's brother's hands and concentrated on separating the two men. He could feel his magic working, and Emma just looked on in awe as a flash of green light emitted from Neal's chest. Rumpelstiltskin was right in front of them.
As soon as he saw Peter, he growled, "You." Emma stopped Gold from attacking Pan as she focused on the man lying on the ground. Gold asked what he did, and Neal calmed him, "It's okay, I told him to. So you could tell them who the Witch is. So Emma and Dorothy could defeat her." When the Dark One growled Zelena's name, both Pan and Emma's eyes widened. The blonde looked at Peter and questioned, "Wait, you know her?" The immortal teen looked at Rumple and revealed cryptically, "All too well."
Emma asked what she wanted, and Rumple told, "What she doesn't have." There had to be a way to save Neal. Peter knew that if Dorothy was here she would have thought of something already, she probably would have sacrificed herself to do it. They all realized that. Emma started to cry, "You never had a chance to see Henry. Or to get Dorothy and him to remember you."
"It's okay, they don't need to. They just need to know that I was a good brother and father. Tell Dorothy that no matter what, I never stopped fighting for her. That I always wanted her and that I found her. Give her this for me, too." Neal said, and he pulled out the thimble and gave it to Emma. Peter recognized the thimble from Neverland, Dorothy would hold it whenever she got sad. It was her beacon of hope until she gave it away.
Neal then directly told Emma, ''And go find Tallahasee, even if it's without me." The blonde nodded as tears rolled down her cheeks as she said Neal's name. "I'll be watching down on you guys from somewhere. Promise me the three of you will be happy. Promise me you'll treat Dorothy like she's your own daughter because she's never had that. I want her to have a family." The savior promised him, and she held him in her arms.
From off to the side, Gold tried to come up with plans to stop this. He needed to fix it. The father ran towards his fallen son, who told, "You can't. Thank you, Papa, for showing me what it is to make a true sacrifice. It's about saving the ones that you love. It's my turn now, so let go. I need you to let go." After saying I love you to his father, Neal passed on.
Rumple sat on a rock as he stared at his son's corpse after Pan and Emma left to find Zelena. He wasn't stupid, the Dark One knew that for now, he was the one she was after. That wouldn't be the case for long, though. He had to hold her off before she attacked someone else. "That was rather ill timed. Your son returning, staging that escape. I can see he'll no longer be a problem." Zelena showed up and made her presence known.
The man spoke in response, "My son may be gone, but he sacrificed his life so I could tell the savior and Peter Pan who you really are, Zelena." The Witch stepped over the fallen body and towards the angry wizard in front of her as he continued, "Now, it's only a matter of time before they wake up Dorothy. And then, she will find you and kill you. Unless, of course, I manage it first."
He got up and tried to come at the Wicked Witch, but Zelena held up the dagger as a form of defense. "Please, you can't hurt me, but you're more than welcome to try. I do so enjoy watching futility reprimand will. There, much better. Now that your head is uncluttered, everything is working properly. And it's so much more entertaining." She taunted, and Rumple reminded her, "You may control me, but it's over, Zelena. They know who you are. You'll never get close to Snow White's baby now, to any of them. Whatever your unholy desires are."
Zelena laughed a bit at that and raised an eyebrow at the Dark One, he could be so one sided, "Who says I need Snow White's baby? That child is just a backup in my overall plan. They knowing who I am no longer matters, not when I have you. Not that I have your beautiful brain. So, be a good little Dark One and get back in your cage." He did as she instructed, much to his dismay, and he thought about his son the whole time. She would pay.
Emma made her way to the lake where Dorothy and Henry stood talking to each other. Henry was telling Dorothy how much fun fishing with Leroy and the others had been, and she was happy he had a good time. The blonde her way towards the happy kids, and she really didn't want to break the news to them. "How was it?" The mom asked, and the kids turned around to see her. The two smiled as Henry excitedly told her of his day.
Dorothy quickly noticed her mother's mood and watery eyes and asked, "Mom? What's wrong?" Emma motioned for them to sit down with her on the bench, and they complied. The kids sat on each side of their mom with worried looks on their faces, "You guys were right. I wasn't completely honest with you about this case-this trip. The reason I brought us here was because someone was in trouble and the person who needed help was not a client. Henry, it was your father."
Shock radiated through both Henry and Dorothy as Emma continued, "Some bad people wanted to hurt him." When Henry asked if she found his dad, Dorothy knew by the look on her mother's face that she did. But it was too late. The blonde shakily told Henry that his father was a good man and a hero. He would have been a great father. The blonde then turned to Dorothy and said, "There's something you should know."
The girl had a curious expression on her face, and she told her mom to continue, "Henry's father...he's also your biological brother." Dorothy halted her movements before she got up from the bench and started pacing. Emma softly told her to sit down, but Dorothy snapped her head to the blonde and asked, "How long have you known?" The savior was silent for a while, not expecting that question from the girl she looked at like a daughter. At her pause Dorothy put her hand over her mouth and ran away from her family. Emma was about to get up and go after her, but Henry told her to give it a few minutes.
Emma nodded before enveloping her son into a hug. "I wish Dorothy and I could have known him." He said, and Emma broken heartedly shot back, "You did." Henry told her that she wasn't making any sense, but she didn't care, he needed to hear it.
Ten minutes later, Dorothy sat at the docks with tears streaming down her face. Peter and Hook watched her from a distance until the both of them retreated back to Gold's shop when Emma came up behind her. Dorothy could hear her shoes approaching, but she couldn't move. "All these years, I thought that I was just lost. When we were in New York, I thought that I'd finally come to a place where I could belong. So, I started doing things I normally wouldn't and I did bad stuff. Sometimes who we think we are isn't who we really are, but we just need a push to show us the reality."
Emma sat down next to her somewhat daughter and asked, "Who do you think you are?" Dorothy looked straight at the water as she answered, "I thought I was just a lost little girl who didn't matter and didn't think she ever would. In New York, I would sometimes cry myself to sleep because I just wanted to understand why my parents would give me up. So, I became that person, the one no one wanted. But, I'm done being that girl. Why didn't you tell me after all this time that you knew my brother?"
The blonde huffed and decided to be honest with the girl, "Because I didn't know if you would want to go home after you met him. I thought you would have wanted to be with him rather than Henry and I." Dorothy shook her head and admitted, "I would have gone with you, no matter what. Because you gave me a chance when no one else would. You're my mom and no one can change that."
Emma smiled at the girl and pulled her into a hug, understanding everything she was feeling. She went through the same thing at her age. The blonde then pulled away and took something out of her pocket, the thimble. "He wanted me to give this to you. Neal, he fought for you every step of the way. Even if you didn't know it, he always wanted you to be a part of his life. He loved you."
Dorothy nodded, and she knew her mother wasn't telling her the whole story. But, for now, she would let her grieve. Then, she would find out who her real parents were.