Chapter 37 – Unentangled

Neal stood staring at Tamara. He was totally stunned. He feasted his eyes on her for a moment; she looked gorgeous, dressed in a brown top and tight green skirt with high black boots. He finally found his voice. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you." She said softly as she went to sit down beside him. She and Emma exchanged greetings then Emma got up and headed out waving to Neal with a smirk on her face.

"Wasn't all that power enough to keep you satisfied?' Neal asked his voice full of resentment.

She smirked. "Apparently not. Neal I'm sorry I tricked you. I'm sorry I talked you into taking Henry to Neverland. I'm sorry for everything. After being at everyone's mercy for so long I lost track of the really important things. Power is great to have but it can't compare to love. I love you and I miss you. I would give up all this power to have you back." She said sincerely.

Neal's heart jumped. "Are you serious?'

She nodded. "Yes."

He pulled her close and kissed her. "You don't have to give it all up to have me, as long as you promise never to turn me into a frog or flying monkey or anything if we fight."

The tinkle of her laughter filled the air. "I promise."

"Can we live here at least part of the time…so I can be close to my son?" he purred in her ear.

"We can live wherever you like, I just don't ever want to be without you again." She assured him.

"Me neither. I just want to make sure that you are okay with my friendship with Emma? I will always care about her." Neal asked hesitantly.

"I know she is in love with Hook and that you are in love with me. Friendships don't concern me." She stated.

He grinned widely. "I need to take care of something my father did." He said getting to his feet.

Tamara nodded, "I'll come with you maybe I can help."

"Thank you but I need to do this alone."

Neal entered his father's shop. "Bae! What a lovely surprise."

"Did you truly threaten to rip Emma's heart out if Hook didn't back off?" Neal threw out the accusation angrily.

Rumpelstiltskin looked taken aback. "Who told you that?"

"It doesn't matter. Is it true?" Neal pressed.

"You belong with Emma and Henry." His father spat out. "That pirate has taken enough from us."

Neal looked horrified. "You did it! You really did it? You threatened Emma's life!"

Rumpel rolled his eyes. "I couldn't take her heart if I tried. She's the savior; her heart is protected because she's a child of true love. I only threatened Hook with that because…" he suddenly stopped looking uncomfortable.

"Because you ripped out my mother's heart." Neal swallowed heavily. "He's been telling the truth all along. I didn't believe him because I didn't want to, I couldn't cope thinking my own father ripped out my mother's heart. The thought was too horrible."

"I did it for you. She left you and ran off with a filthy pirate." Rumpelstiltskin shouted.

"No!' Neal shook his head. "You didn't do it for me. You did it for yourself, for petty revenge in a jealous rage. She had hurt you by loving Hook, so you killed her and then took Hook's hand. You murdered my mother and you almost destroyed Hook. Hook incredibly was able to put his revenge aside to save Henry, my son, your grandson. He's a better man than you are." Neal growled.

"Don't be so dumb, dearie. He did it to get into Emma's good graces among other things." He sneered.

"He did it for love!" Neal looked at him in disgust. "Something you obviously know nothing about."

Rumpel's eyes narrowed. "What of your love? I cleared a path for you to rekindle the love you had for Emma. With the pirate out of the way unable to distract her, she's all yours son."

Neal shook his head again. "No she's not and she will never be. It's too late for us. She's in love with Hook and I am in love with Tamara."

"Tinkerbelle that lying fairy, who stole my power and left you in the dust?" Rumpel spat.

"I've forgiven her and she is back, we are going to be together. So you see pops, you interfered where you had no right too." Neal said sadly.

Belle stepped out of the shadows. "Oh Rumpel – what have you done?" she asked tearfully.

"Belle? I only did what I thought was best for my son. For his happiness. I wouldn't have hurt Emma, truly I wouldn't have." He confessed remorsefully.

Tears rolled down Belle's face. "You … you killed Milah. I can't believe I love a man who murdered his former wife. What is wrong with me?"

Tears came into Rumpel's eyes. "I'm sorry, Bae, Belle. I did awful things, I know and I have a multitude of regrets. But please understand I would never have truly hurt Emma. I thought I was giving you and Henry a life full of love, something you and I didn't have because Milah left us. I didn't want history repeating itself. I let my past blame of Hook worm itself into my head."

"And yet despite having regrets you keep doing those awful things, don't you pops? Emma told me how you almost killed Hook in the mermaid lagoon." Neal accused.

"I also stopped that spell before it was too late. I was still the dark one then and sometimes the darkness welled up in me and I couldn't control it."

"Can't or won't?" Belle pressed.

Rumpel didn't answer. "I don't have my full powers anymore. It's easier to control these days."

"And yet you still thought to threaten Hook in such an awful way. And I'm betting Felix's limp didn't come from tripping over something." Belle accused.

"I'm sorry; I thought I was helping reunite Baelfire's family. Bae, I just want you to be happy."

Rumpel said sincerely.

"I know. It's your methods I can't support." Neal responded quietly, as he turned to leave he added. "I trust you won't stand in the way of Hook, if Emma decides he's the one she wants and I'm pretty sure he is."

Rumpel nodded. "I'm truly sorry, son. I won't interfere." He looked at Belle. "I promise."

Neal left. Belle stood looking at Rumpel as if wondering if she could believe him.

"Belle, I'm sorry too. I'm sorry for Milah, you have to believe me. On the ship to Neverland, Hook had a nightmare, he had dreamt of Milah. In that brief moment I understood him, I realized the pain I had caused him and for the first time ever I realized he had truly loved her. I never believed it prior to that moment. Belle, he was crying and I was crying with him. I had truly loved Milah as well. If I could turn the clock back knowing what I do now, I wouldn't do what I did. I would fight the demon inside me down, I would walk away. That night on the ship, I even attempted to comfort him. I can't explain what I did later on the island but seeing the pain I caused him again, I ended that spell. I am truly trying." Rumpel pleaded with Belle.

"It gives me hope knowing that you actually reached out to Hook when I wasn't there. Sometimes I think you only try to be a better person because I'm constantly prompting you so knowing you actually showed some compassion fills me with hope." Belle stated. "I need to go now; I owe a pirate an apology."

Snow had called Charming to meet them at Gold's shop but when they all arrived no-one was there.

"Maybe he's with Belle at the library." Hook surmised.

They headed in that direction and ran into Belle. She looked happy to see them. "Hook, I need to speak with you."

Charming interrupted. "Later. Where is Gold?'

"Last time I saw him he was in his store. Look if this is about…"

"Gold threatened Emma's life." Hook interrupted.

"I know and it's okay he won't do anything." Belle assured them.

"And how do you know that?" Charming asked.

"Neal confronted him and he admitted it was an empty threat. He couldn't take Emma's heart because she's a child of true love." Belle explained.

"What? Is that true?" Hook asked wide-eyed.

"Yes it is true, Cora couldn't take her heart either but he could still hurt her in other ways." Snow worried.

"Let's split up and find either him or Emma." Charming suggested.

"Before you go, Hook I just want to say I'm so sorry I didn't believe you when you told me what Rumpel had done to Milah. I know the truth now. I'm sorry." Belle said sincerely.

Hook paused for a moment then nodded and softly said, "thank you."

As everyone went off in different directions Hook decided to head for the Jolly Roger.

A cool wind off of the ocean had kicked in as he boarded his ship. "Emma?"

"Just me, Dearie." Came the ominous voice of the crocodile.

Hook's heart froze, Rumpelstiltskin was standing on the same spot that he had ripped Milah's heart out. He shivered and hoped Emma was far far away from his ship.

A/N; so this is not the final chapter as I had thought it would be. I had to wrap up some ends first. Hope you like. Next chapter – confrontations.