It took a while before Regina got the whole story told and Emma sat there silent throughout.

It wasn't until Regina was done that Emma had any reaction and it wasn't the one Regina was expecting.

"So, this is why I can't cross the town line," Emma said thoughtfully.

"No," Regina said. "This is … I don't know what this is but it's certainly not reality."

"But you saw me out there, I couldn't do it," Emma said. "I never understood why because it never made any sense. It's like this overwhelming feeling that I can't do it and this could explain why."

"There is no way any of this is true," Regina said. "How can you even think it is a possibility? He is claiming we are from another world, a world with magic, a world where you are a princess."

"So the idea of me being a princess is that unbelievable?"

"What? No! It's not … come on you can't believe this."

Emma stood up, "look I get this sounds far-fetched but think about this, you have never felt Storybrooke was the place for you. Of all the people in this town, you and only you, have ever wanted to leave. I wanted to leave but not because of this place – I wanted to leave to be with you. It has always been you for me – no one else. But I couldn't leave. I couldn't follow you. I couldn't do anything and I don't know why. Does what Neal said sound crazy? It does, don't get me wrong, but something being crazy doesn't make it false."

"But it has to be."

"Why does it have to be?"

"Because … because if it was true then based on what he said, I did this," Regina said. "I cast a curse and I did this."

Emma could tell the idea of this bothered Regina greatly and it would be easy enough to cast it aside as madness but something wasn't allowing Emma to do that.

"There is one way we could prove it," she suggested.

"What do you mean?"

"He said if we kiss then the curse would be broken."

"We aren't going to kiss just to prove that this isn't real. That's …"

"What you don't want to kiss me?" Emma asked.

"I think we are getting off-topic," Regina said. "What do you think I should do about Neal?"

Emma considered this. "We could kiss in front of him."

Regina gave her a 'be serious' look. "Ok," Emma said. "Let me speak to him. He doesn't know me and I don't know him. But we both agree you are important to us, so let me speak to him."

"That's not a bad idea," Regina said.

"I do have them you know," Emma said. "Kind of like that kiss I suggested."

Regina smiled at her. "We haven't even gone on a date yet."

"But we are going on one still, right?"

"Yes," Regina said. "We are still going on a date."

"Good," Emma said. "So, can I get an advance on that first post first date kiss?"

"You are still a huge flirt," Regina said.

"Is that a yes?"

"No," Regina said. "And it's bold of you to assume you will earn a first date kiss. After all, you didn't the very first time we went out. I mean you tried but …"

"You promised never to mention that ever again," Emma said.

"I don't know that I ever used the word promise," Regina smiled.

"Yes, you did," Emma said. "And I'm going to hold you to it."

"In all seriousness, if you would be willing to speak to Neal, I would appreciate it," Regina said. "Neal was there for me when I needed him the last couple of years. The idea that he truly believes this – because he does believe it – is out of character for him. He's always been a free spirit, but this is even a bit much for him."

"Tell me about him," Emma said. "It would help me know how to talk to him."

"What do you want to know?"

"How did you meet?"

"Couldn't have asked something simpler?"

….

Emma knocked on the door to Neal's room anxious to speak to him. After Regina had left her place last night, she had given a lot of thought as to what to say to Neal.

Even as Neal answered the door, she wondered if she was doing the right thing.

"Emma."

"Neal. Can I come in?"

"Sure," he said, as she moved by him. "I'm guessing that Regina has spoken to you about a few things."

"Yes, she did," Emma said. "And she asked me to come over here and talk to you about how crazy it is."

"Of course, she did," Neal said. "I should have known better than to tell her. Regina is too logical to believe in magic."

"Yes, she is," Emma said. "But I'm not, so we are going to sit down, and you are going to tell me everything about this curse and exactly how I break it. I mean does a true love's kiss have to be like some epic, well-timed thing or is it just any old kiss? Do I have to tell her I love her before I kiss her?"

Neal stood there in disbelief for a moment.

"You believe me?" he finally asked.

"Yeah. I mean it does sound crazy and all that, but it also makes sense for why I can't leave this town," Emma said. "I wanted to go after Regina all those years ago and couldn't. I still can't cross that town line and it makes no sense. Magic is as good a reason as I can think of at this point."

"Ok, but if Regina told you all of this, didn't she explain why it's a bad idea for you to break the curse?"

"Your dad, yep, she told me and you know what, I don't care what daddy issues you have going on," Emma said. "If breaking this curse is how I get to be with Regina, then you and your father are just going to have to work things out. This world has some good therapists."

"I'm not sure you understand," Neal said. "My issues with my father will become everyone's issues if we allow magic to come into this world. My father is very powerful when he has his magic – unstoppable even and if you think he will just be content to go along managing a pawn shop, you are mistaken. He is already talking about returning home and you of all people will not want that to happen."

"Why is that?"

"Let's sit," Neal said, and then he waited for Emma to take a seat and then took his own. "Let me explain to you what I know about how this curse all came about just in case Regina left something out. Keep in mind, I was here not there when all this happened so my information is limited to what my father told me, and as you can guess I don't fully trust him."

"Ok, well tell me then," she said.

He went on to explain all that he knew. Unlike when he was told Regina, he could tell that Emma was listening and considering it all – and not merely sitting there thinking he was crazy. She didn't interrupt with questions, but let him get through it all.

"Now do you see why returning home is not something you want happening?"

"Look, I'm not thrilled about the idea of returning to a place without indoor plumbing, but as long as I am with Regina, we will make it work."

"But you won't be with Regina if you return home. I'm not even sure you could be with her if you remain here."

"Why not? The deal was I get my chance to be with Regina, and you said your father does honor his deals."

"For once, it's not about my father, it's about your mother. Because your mother is queen and like here, she does not approve of your relationship and will do anything to stop it," Neal said. "That is why you went to my father in the first place back home. You wanted a way to be with Regina and the answer my father came up with was to send you here – a place where you wouldn't be under your mother's rule, a place where she couldn't stop you from being together. How do you think your mom is going to react once her memories are restored? Who do you think she is going to blame all of this on? It won't be my father because he will make sure that people know it wasn't him who cast this curse. What do you think she will do to Regina then?"

Emma hadn't thought about that aspect of things. Her mom was queen – Emma could bet her mother would love that.

"But back then, I was a teenager. I'm an adult now," Emma said. "She doesn't get a say in who I want to be with."

"That's not how our world works," Neal said. "Your mom has absolute power. It doesn't matter how old you are. You are heir to the throne and as such, the queen does have a say in your marriage. Honestly, I'm rather surprised she hadn't arranged a marriage for you when you were younger."

Emma couldn't help but shiver at the idea of her mother picking out a spouse for her.

"Ok, but just because things are done like that back home, or were, that's not the world we live in now. Do you think people are just going to accept being under the rule of a queen?"

"You'd be surprised," Neal said.

"Even so, Regina and I just won't go back there then. We will stay here in this world. Once the curse is broken, I will be able to leave town with her. My mom won't get the chance to have a say in it," Emma said.

"I wish it was that simple," he said.

"Why can't it be? Look, I want to be with Regina, I think Regina wants to be with me at least once she remembers who she is and all that, so the best thing we can do is break this curse as close to the border as possible, and leave town immediately before anyone is the wiser," she said. "You can come with us and you won't have to worry about your father either. Just tell me how I pull off this kiss."

Neal sighed. He could see that Emma wasn't willing to see any of these obstacles as obstacles. He wondered if this is how they ended up in this situation in the first place. She must have been desperate to have gone to his father for help.

"You want to be with Regina, I understand that, but Emma I'm asking you to reconsider breaking this curse, at least in the short term," Neal said. "Let me see if I can figure out a way to do this safely. I love Regina and I want her to be happy, and if I thought that could simply be done by breaking the curse, I would be the first one in line to congratulate you. But as long as there is some danger posed to Regina by breaking this curse, I'm begging you not to go down that route."

This time Emma looked at him in confusion. "What kind of danger do you think she would be in?"

"From your mother, from my father, from people who will be unhappy to find out she is the reason you are all here," Neal said. "Just give me some time to figure out a way to do this safely for Regina and you."

Emma sighed, "Ok, ok, I don't like it, but ok," she said. "But what if we accidentally break the curse. Again, I have no idea what a true love's kiss is so what if we do it without meaning to?"

"It's just a kiss," Neal said. "There is nothing special about the kiss itself. What makes it special is you and Regina. Think of it as you two are soulmates and the kiss is a manifestation of that. You two are lucky, not everyone has a soulmate."

"Just a kiss?" Emma said in disbelief. "You do realize I'm going on a date with her. How am I supposed to not kiss her?"

Neal shrugged. "Willpower?"