Chapter 2: New Beginnings

Neal arrived home to find Emma leaning against the doorway to his bedroom.

"Hey," he whispered as he walked toward her. He held up a bag. "I got donuts. You still like jelly in them right?"

Emma let out a small but brief smile. "Yeah thanks." Neal placed the bag on the table. "And thanks for letting him sleep in."

"He had a long day, we all did."

"Still we could've gone back to the hotel like I suggested."

"Not an option. You're welcome to stay as long as you want, as long as he wants. I know it's not much space but-,"

"It's fine really. We're kind of used to tight spots aren't we?"

"Are you talking about the two of us or-,"

"Yeah I guess. I mean we did share a car for a while," Emma then turned to a sleeping Henry. "And Henry and I do share a two bedroom apartment with my parents. Those aren't the worst tight spots I've been in."

"What happened Emma, if you broke the curse why didn't you go back?"

Emma turned away from the room and made her way to the couch.

"I don't know. I asked Henry the exact same question."

"He knew?"

"Yeah, he believed in it before I did. He's what got me to Storybrooke in the first place."

"What do you mean he got you to Storybrooke? Did he drag you along on some kind of family road trip or something?"

"I didn't meet Henry until a year ago."

"Wait, what are you talking about?"

Emma stood up and started walking toward the window. She glanced at the dream catcher for a second as she looked out.

"I gave Henry up for adoption."

"You did what?"

Emma turned to Neal, "Hey I was in prison when I found out no thanks to you and when I got out I knew I couldn't raise a kid. He deserved to have his best chance, the same thing my parents did for me."

"The same way I did for you?"

"Don't compare the two!"

"Why not, they are exactly the same. You just can't admit it."

"No I can't because it's bull. You could've gotten me on my path one way or another but you chickened out. You were so busy running from magic, from your father that you didn't want any part of me."

Neal stayed silent. He wanted to refute her but he couldn't because she was exactly right. For more years than he could imagine he had spent his life running from magic, trying to escape and then to find out Emma was part of that world, it was his excuse to bail despite the deep love he had for her.

"That may be true, about me running from magic but I did want you and I wanted you to have your best chance. I couldn't have both. You deserved to be happy, to be with your family."

"I was happy and I had a family," Emma said her voice starting to break, "but you made damn sure that didn't happen. I don't care if you say everything happens by design, you chose to leave me. No one forced you. Hell you could've ignored August but you didn't. And right now, I'm not sure how I can forgive you for that."

"Mom," Henry said standing near the doorway. "Why are you two fighting again?"

Emma let out a small smile, "Hey kid," she said walking toward him. Emma took a deep breath. "What do you say we head back to the hotel and change and then we can go out and get something to eat okay?"

"Can Neal come with us?"

"Henry it won't take long. We'll come back I promise."

"You really promise?"

"Yes. Neal has offered us to stay here with him, if that's what you want."

Henry smiled, "It is."

Emma took a deep breath, "Okay then that's what we'll do then."

She looked up at Neal who smiled at her and then smiled at Henry.

Taking a taxi cab back to the hotel, the ride had been silent for the most part.

When they made their way into the hotel, Gold was sitting on the couch in the lobby. He stood as he saw Emma and Henry approach. Emma reached into her pocket and pulled out the room key.

"Henry go upstairs and get ready and pack your things okay?"

Henry nodded and looked at gold as he passed him.

"How's my boy," Gold asked when Henry was no longer in hearing range.

"Not a fan of yours. Now I see why." Emma crossed her arms, "You left last night."

"You did what I asked. Your debt has been paid Miss Swan. The rest was up to him."

"You never struck me as one to back down."

Gold looked down, his hands resting on his cane. "Yes well-," Gold changed the subject. "Why didn't you tell me you knew Baelfire? Why didn't you tell me about my relation to your son?"

"It was never your business and up until yesterday I had no idea who Neal was or that you were his grandfather."

"And I'm just supposed to believe that?"

"I don't care what you believe. I knew Neal had his issues with his father but I had no idea it was this. I have to get back to Henry. I'll help you get back to Storybrooke when you're ready but we're done. No more threats to me or my son, no more threats to my family. I got Neal to talk to you. However he chooses to handle that, I'm not responsible for."

Emma and Henry had spent some time in the hotel room. Henry had all ready showered and now packed his belongings as Emma took her turn. When she emerged she was dressed in fresh clothes and began packing her own things.

"Hey mom, how long are you and Neal gonna stay mad at each other?"

Emma froze what she was doing as she looked at Henry. "I honestly can't say kid. I've been mad at your dad for a very long time. It's not something that I can let go of easily."

"You said he was a bad guy, he doesn't seem like a bad guy to me."

"Maybe he's changed now. I'm not exactly who I was either."

"Can you tell me what happened?"

Emma sighed and walked over to the chairs and table that were in the room. She took a seat and Henry took the seat across from her.

"I was a lot different back then. I was only seventeen and had gotten out of the system when I was sixteen. Your dad wasn't the only thief. I was too. I was far from being any kind of hero. One day I was up in Portland, Oregon when I stole a car. That's how I met Neal. He was living in the backseat. He surprised me. We spent a lot of time together, stealing one thing or another, mostly things to get by since we weren't exactly responsible. We fell in love."

"What happened, why did you stop loving each other?"

"Your dad was the one who sent me to jail, Henry. That's why I'm mad at him."

Henry nodded as he began fitting some of the pieces together from Emma's life.

"Did you know who he was? Did you know he was Baelfire?"

Emma took a deep breath, "That I didn't know. And from what he's told me recently, he didn't know who I was either."

"So then destiny brought you two together."

"Now you sound like your father."

Henry shrugged, "Well it makes sense. I mean think about it: you're the savior and the curse was created so that Gold could find his son."

Emma looked at Henry for a moment. Could he really be right about that? Emma brushed off the thoughts.

"That's too technical for me right now kid," she said standing up. "Come on grab your stuff. Let's go meet your dad."

Henry nodded agreeing that this part of their conversation was over.

"Henry, wait a second," Emma said placing a hand on his arm. She knelt down to his level. "I know you're still mad at me and that's okay but I want you to know something. No matter how angry I am at your dad, if you see us fighting, it doesn't change the way I feel about you. I love you more than you know. And despite what Neal put me through back then, the one good thing that came out of that mess was you. I don't want you to ever forget that okay?"

Henry smiled and nodded at Emma.