Chapter 20: The Roads We Have To Walk Are Winding
and all the lights that lead us there are blinding...

Storybrooke looked exactly as Emma remembered it - on the outside. On the inside, it was a totally different story. But to an unaware eye, the little shops on Main Street looked just like any other town. And the streets were bustling with locals. But to someone who knew, to someone from Storybrooke, they could see past the false town and see the people and places for what they were. To them, there were princesses and dwarves and people who had once been animals. To them, the isolated Pawn Shop was the home of Rumplestiltskin, and the big bad wolf lived above the local diner. To them, this wasn't home. This was hell.

But to Emma Swan, this was the greatest place on earth. Truth be told, she was sick of Enchanted Forests and ogres and mermaids and Indians and lands where boys never grew up. Not that she didn't think all that was cool, but honestly, she had grown up here. Even if she knew magic existed now, it didn't make those places any less out of the norm for her. But the best part, the very best part of being here in Storybrooke was that she was with Henry again.

"You have no idea how much I missed you, kid," she said, sipping her coffee. She had brought him to Granny's for a quick bite before dropping him off at the bus to school and heading to the station. God, she needed something stronger than coffee to deal with that right now. While she was sure David had handled things well in her absence, she knew she was facing a mountain of work when she got there. Especially since David had been so keen to give her her badge back.

"I missed you too," Henry said, piling more syrup on his pancakes. "What was it like? Did you really fight the Lost Boys?"

"And beat them bad," she rolled her eyes. "Honestly they need a long time out."

"What about the Enchanted Forest?" He asked eagerly. "Is it still there?"

"Well the land's still kicking," Emma said vaguely. She wasn't sure she was quite ready to tell Henry just how much havoc his stepmom had caused. As much as she hated to admit it, Regina was still part of Henry's life. And she did care about Henry. If nothing else, Emma supposed that could be her redeeming quality – for now.

"Ah, Henry," Mr. Gold walked over to them. Emma sighed, not prepared for a confrontation with Rumplestiltskin. Lucky for her, Ruby had volunteered to watch her pirate for her for the day rather than working in the diner. She trusted Ruby more than anyone besides her parents, who were busy catching up themselves today. God only knew what they were doing now, but she was trying something new – trust. "I do believe I saw the school bus a few stops away."

"Oh no, I'm late," Henry jumped up. He grabbed his bag.

"Okay, hold on, kid," Emma started to stand, but Gold stepped forward.

"Actually, Ms. Swan, I'd like a word," he said.

Henry just shrugged, making the decision for her when she looked at him.. "I can go alone," he said. "See you later, Mom." He ran out, and Gold took his seat across from her.

"What is it, Gold?" Emma sighed, taking a sip of her coffee.

"I've decided to make a new deal with you,' he said simply.

"Oh?" she raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think I would ever make a deal with you again?"

"Well you see, Ms Swan, as you have clearly noticed, magic is back," he said. "And while I do have a weakness that your little group currently possesses, I highly doubt that Regina is really going to care if I kill the pirate who failed to kill her mother, wouldn't you agree?"

"If you touch him-," she started, glaring at the man.

"Ah, ah, ah, I'm not finished, dearie," he smirked at her, bringing a finger up to silence her. "However, I would be amendable to allowing him to continue breathing."

"If I just sell you my soul?" she suggested, rolling her eyes.

"Well my prices are never that high," he laughed menacingly.

"What do you want, Gold?" she was tired of this game. Honestly, she had had enough games for a lifetime. Right now, she wanted to kill Cora and get on with the rest of her life, getting to know her parents and Henry and dare she say it, Killian.

"Glad you asked," he said, smirking again. "It's simple really. You help me with something, and I spare his life. Of course, the deal does not hold if he comes after me. You cannot fault me self-defense. However, if he keeps his distance, so shall I."

"And what exactly would I be helping you with?" she said suspiciously.

"Once upon a time, I lost my son to this world," he said slowly. "I would like him back. If you can bring him here, then I shall not touch a hair on your pirate's head. I'll even forgo the debt you owe me from saving Cinderella's bouncing baby boy."

She had almost forgotten that she still owed him one, almost. From what she knew of Rumplestiltskin, his greatest power wasn't just his magic, but his deals as well. Magic always came with a price, and she knew the man liked to collect. If he was willing to forget that on top of sparing Killian, he must really want his son back. Unfortunately, that was a feeling Emma knew too well. "I get your son back for you, and you leave Killian alone and you and I are even?"

"Precisely," he smirked, knowing he had her.

"You want me to sidetrack finding and stopping Cora to find your son?" she asked slowly, making sure she had it right.

"I wouldn't say sidetrack," he said casually. "I know where he is already, so it would simply be a matter of going to him and convincing him to come back here.

"And you can't do that yourself why?"

"Because I don't think my son would listen to anything I had to say unless he were prodded," Gold admitted.

"What's the catch?" she asked skeptically after a long time. It seemed too good to be true. Okay so maybe she understood how much Gold wanted his son back, and maybe she got that he wouldn't be too keen to see dear old dad again at first, but leaving Killian alone and a clean slate? Definitely too good to be true.

"What makes you think there's a catch?" Gold laughed once.

"Gold, what's the catch?" she asked again, rolling her eyes.

"Very well," he said. "I know who he is."

"And?"

"But I will only tell you once you agree to my deal. Those are my terms, Ms. Swan. Either you agree, or you don't. Though, you do seemed rather attached to the wife stealer."

"Why do I get the feeling that I'm going to regret this?" she groaned.

"Then we have an agreement?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Fine, who is your son?" she said reluctantly. She knew this was the better end of the deal anyway, whoever his son might be. She knew the fight between the dark one and the pirate could end up fatal. And she knew it was more probable that it would be Gold that walked away from it. If she could protect Killian, then she would. She'd just have to find a way to deter him from his quest.

"His name is Baelfire," Gold explained slowly. "Though in this world, his has apparently taken the moniker Neal Cassidy."

Oh fuck.

"I know what docks look like, you insufferable wench. I am the captain of a bloody ship," Hook glared unmenacingly at the wolf girl. It wasn't her really that was bothering him today, rather her duty. It seemed his blonde temptress had decided he would be better off with a guard. On the whole, Ruby was a nice girl, and once upon a time, he would have already been in her pants, but he had changed. Somehow, he was different now, a one woman man so to speak, and all because of that insufferable thing called love. It was the only reason he hadn't given the wolf girl the slip yet. That, and he was sure Emma would skin him alive if he did. Not that he didn't think he could handle her. But seeing as he had just discovered what a pleasure it was to be between her legs, he wasn't quite sure he was ready to let it go just yet. And he had a distinct feeling that her skinning him alive really translated to withholding of said pleasure.

"Well excuse me for trying to show you places you might like," Ruby rolled her eyes. "If you'd rather I showed you the Sisters' flower patch, then by all means, I'll lead the way."

But they stopped when they saw Emma coming towards them. He noticed she looked dazed. "Finally," he exhaled dramatically. "I thought I'd never be off the wolf leash."

"You're going to be wolf meat next full moon," Ruby grumbled under her breath, but Hook simply smirked at her before walking to meet Emma.

"Emma, love, need I remind you that I am a few centuries older than you," he said. "I highly doubt I need a nanny to watch me all day to make sure I don't go causing trouble."

She shook her head, as if clearing her mind from her daze. She looked at wolf girl, as Hook decided he'd be calling her from now on, and smiled weakly. "Thanks, Ruby, I really appreciate it."

"Any time," wolf girl said. "Are you okay? You look kind of out of it."

"What? Oh, yeah no I'm fine, thanks," Emma responded. Killian bit his tongue. Because he heard the lie. He wondered if this was what she always heard when she knew others were lying. Ruby seemed to realize this too. She looked skeptically at Emma, who just smiled. "I'm okay, promise. Anyway, I'm sure he wore you out today. I can take it from here."

"Why Emma, I am simply offended," he said dramatically. "As if I'd wear anyone out but you."

"Okay, time for me to go," Ruby said pointedly. "Hook, as much as I wanted to punch you today, you're not too bad. Try anything though," she looked once at Emma, and the implication was clear. This was a warning not to hurt her. He tried not to smirk. "And the wolf meat thing won't be a joke."

"Well now that you've got me quivering in my leather pants," Hook smirked. "I'll be sure to keep the warning in mind."

Emma just rolled her eyes at him, and waved Ruby away. Once wolf girl was gone, he turned on her. "What happened?" he demanded, stepping closer to her.

"Nothing," she said too quickly.

"Ah, ah, ah, love," he said quietly. "I thought the couple types weren't supposed to lie to each other."

"Is that what we are?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "A couple?"

"Isn't that what people in love do in your realm?" he inquired. "Become couples and such?"

"And how are you suddenly so aware of what couple in this realm do?" she asked.

"The wolf girl might have had us stop by the school on the tour of the town," he shuddered once, remembering the conversation he had had with Snow White. Amongst other things, she had been kind enough to remind him that a while ago, she had given him her blessing and had then preceded to drop a few warnings on what would happen to his insides if he hurt her daughter. He had to say she was far more graphic with her plans of torture than he would have expected.

"Oh great," she seemed to know exactly what that meant. "I'm going to kill Ruby. Please tell me she didn't take you to see David too?"

"Your father?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Luckily no, she spared me that. Now, why don't you tell me what you're so adamantly trying to avoid. What happened?"

"A mountain of work was waiting for me at the office," she said slowly. Lies. He could hear it in her voice.

"Try again."

She seemed to debate with herself for a moment and he prepared himself to smell out another lie. Finally, she sighed. "Gold," she said slowly.

Immediately the rage started to build within him. He raised his hook. "Where is he? I'll kill him."

"Killian, calm down," she put her hands on his chest soothingly. Still, he seethed. What had the crocodile said to her? He would make the reptile pay.

"What did he do?" he demanded.

"Nothing," she said truthfully. "He just wanted to make a deal."

"A deal entailing what exactly?" he asked slowly, feeling his anger shift towards her. Surely she knew better than to make deals with the crocodile.

"That I'd help him find his son," she explained.

"In exchange for what, Emma?" He asked. He saw her wince at his tone. But he did not stop glaring at her. Love or not, she would not get away from this. He knew she was about to see a new side of him, one that had otherwise been reserved for others. But at the moment, he was too angry to care.

"He'd leave you alone, and I wouldn't owe him anything," she said too quickly, the words mixing together.

He grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her to him. "And what makes you think I need you to get him to 'leave me alone'?" he asked.

"Because that's what couples do," she said faintly, as if trying out the word. "They protect each other. Now get off of me."

He didn't let go. "This is not your battle to fight, Emma," he said coldly.

"And it's not a battle I want to fight," she said, trying to free her arm, but he didn't budge. "Let go!"

Something else clicked in his head. He released her, pushing her back slightly. "You told me before that you owed someone in Storybrooke something. It was the crocodile?"

She took a moment to answer. "Yes."

His anger grew. "And you did not think to tell me? You know what that reptile did to me!"

"Well I didn't trust you at the time," she said. He could hear the anger growing in her voice too. "And so what? Does it really make a difference? Yes I owed him one because I was protecting someone else. And yes I agreed to his stupid deal to protect you. Sorry I actually care if you two start trading blows in the middle of town."

"That isn't your decision to make," he said coldly. "I will have my vengeance. I have been waiting for this for 300 years. You aren't going to stop me."

"No," she said finally. Her tone was just as icy as his. But it wasn't just anger now. He thought he heard sadness too. "I guess it's not. Why would it be? Who am I, right? I clearly mean nothing in this. Who am I to stand in the way of avenging your lost love? Because last time I checked, my name was Emma, not Milah." She turned away.

"Emma..." He started, all anger gone. Well at her any way. She was right, he supposed. He claimed to love her and to want her, all of her, but he hid away from her. He expected her trust but was slow to give his own. But how could he make her see? He did trust her, truly and completely, he did. This was just something he had to do, because Milah would not be able to rest in peace until he had. Because he had made a promise to her once upon a time, long ago, long before he had met Emma, just moments after they had pushed Milah's dead body into the sea, that he would avenge her death.

She whirled around, looked tired and worn out. "And you never did ask what could be so bad about that that it would upset me so much. Here's the icing on the cake. Ready for this? Gold's son? The one I agreed to find and bring back here to save your ungrateful ass? It's Neal." She didn't give him a chance to respond. "I'm sure you'll find your way back to the apartment. Try not to go picking fights with crocodiles or avenging your love on the way."

She turned and stormed away, leaving him to gap at her retreating figure, only two questions running through his mind.

What the fuck had just happened? And did she just say - Neal?

NEW UPDATE! I know I know it's been a while. Sorry! I feel like I say that all the time haha BUT ANYWAYS HERE YOU GUYS GO. I know I kind of threw the whole Neal thing in there, but I had it planned way back when we first thought Neal was his son and I have this whole plan in my head and I really want to do it and I kind of got side tracked from my original plan sighhh BUT ANYWAYS

THEIR FIRST FIGHT! What did you think? It didn't end in hot steamy angry sex I know D: BUT EVERYTHING'S NOT RESOLVED YET WINK WINK.

Things are about to get hot and heavy if I actually stick to my plan this time lol I'm kind of speeding shit up because I feel like I could drag it on forever haha and no I didn't forget! Cora is still out there! But remember, this is the first day after they got back to Storybrooke and Cora is still hiding in the shadows!

ANYWAYS, let me know what you thought of this chapter!