Sister mom
A guest asked for a oneshot of Emma taking Neal out of town for something and while they are out everyone things Emma is Neal's mom and he doesn't understand why they think she's his mom and not his sister.
This has happened to my friend a few times, there's a 14 year age difference between her and her brother haha.
LuLu: gap rule.
Neal would not quit bugging everyone about being the only member of the family who had never been to New York. It wasn't fair! He wanted to see all the things his parents, sister and nephew had seen. He wanted to see what Brooklyn looked like. He wanted pizza from Manhattan. He wanted to hear what people in Queens sounded like. He wanted to know why Long Island was called Long Island. He wanted to know everything.
After months of whining, Emma caved and took the bullet, agreeing to be the one to take her little brother to the city that never sleeps. Just for a few days though. She didn't want to risk losing him when he got all hyped up from the excitement of everything.
All through the plain journey from Augusta State Airport to JFK international airport Neal talked her ear off about all the things they were going to see and do. The Empire State Building. The Statue of Liberty. Even a picnic in Central Park. He had their holiday all mapped out for Emma.
"The night before we leave we'll go see Times Square all lit up at night. Then the very last thing we'll do is see Madison Square Garden and the Rockefeller Centre."
"That's all great kid. But first we're going to dump our stuff at Neal's old place and then get pizza. I'm starving." Emma told him as she ushered her excitable little brother into the cab. Even that excited him, the traditional yellow cab of New York.
Once there stuff was dumped at Neal's old place, Emma took her little brother to the nearest pizza place. That's where it happened the first time.
"What does your little boy want then?" The cashier asked. Emma saw Neal open her mouth to say that Emma wasn't his mom, but his big sister. She gently stood on his foot to stop him and ordered him a slice of pepperoni, knowing it was his favourite. Neal was a bit grumpy about it, but let it slide. However, then the same thing happened again when she got him gelato. Then again from the guy who sold them their tickets for the subway.
"Why do people keep doing that?" Neal asked Emma grumpily as they sat on the subway together.
"Doing what?" Emma asked.
"Thinking I'm your son." Neal answered her. "Your my sister, not my mom. What's their problem?" Emma smiled at her little brother's naivety. She put her arm around him.
"Not many brothers and sisters have as big an age gap as you and I, little man. It's normal for people back home because they understand the circumstances. People here, not so much. Just try not to notice it." Emma advised him. Neal huffed.
"Ok." He agreed. Emma squeezed his shoulder. She knew pretending their relationship was different was difficult for Neal, but it was only for a few more days. When they were back in Storybrooke everything would go back to normal, annoying little brother duties and all.
