Chapter 5: Trying to Deal

[1 week later]

"So what can you tell me about the new guy you hired," Jim Barry, the guy who owned the construction company asked his employee.

"Not much," said Aaron Quip as he looked over Neal's file. "He's gotten into some trouble but nothing major, petty thieving mostly."

"Serious thieving," Jim asked.

"No. There was an incident a while back about him stealing some watches from a jeweler he once worked at. They issued a warrant out for his arrest."

"Great so we have a guy who can steal expensive stuff from us."

Aaron laughed, "Like what, it's not like we keep the million dollars worth of jewels on site."

"Don't be a smart ass. Please tell me he actually paid for that crime."

"Afraid not, someone else took the fall for him."

"Who?"

"From what I was able to track down, an old girlfriend," said Aaron. Jim looked at Aaron in shock. "Trust me I had the same look," he said to his boss.

"Damn, girl must really love him for that one."

"Maybe."

"And Cassidy why hire him?"

Aaron shrugged. "He's not the first blue collar criminal we've had working for us. We never hire alcoholics or drug addicts."

"And you think that makes me feel better?" asked Jim.

"You were the one who implemented this system remember boss? You said that some of these people deserve a second chance at life. Cassidy seemed like the kind of guy who needed a break. Poor bastard has been through a lot. He's not a bad guy he just got mixed up in some stuff. He has no family other than maybe that girl of his. He's just a guy trying to get his life together to better himself. You can understand that can't you Jim?"

Jim looked at Aaron for a moment. "Damn son of a bitch, I hate when you ask me that about each new employee." Jim stuck a finger at him. "You're lucky I have a soft side for these urchins. Just have one of-,"

"My trust worthy guys keep an eye on him temporarily, I know you tell me that every time and have I ever screwed you over?"

"Not yet but there's always one."

"Then when it is it won't be Cassidy trust me on that."

Jim studied Aaron, he couldn't pin point it but there was something else and so he simply asked. "Just what is it with you defending Cassidy so much? You're never like this with the others."

Aaron stood up from his desk and looked at Neal's profile picture in his file. "Just think he deserves a shot that's all. Not all of us are lucky enough to get that. I owe it to him."

Jim looked at Aaron again but decided to leave it at that.

Emma Swan sat with her arms crossed in the counseling office. Unlike the many other facilities here this room wasn't a drab shade of white or gray. There were a mixture of light blues and yellows.

"If it makes you more comfortable," said Dr. Erica Mitchell, "We could always try a group session."

Emma looked at the doctor wanting to be any place else but here. "I don't do well with groups."

"Do you do well on your own?"

Emma shrugged. What did it matter, what did any of it matter?

"You've seen my file, you tell me," said Emma.

"I have seen your file but Emma they're just words on pieces of paper. They don't tell me anything about you. They don't tell me who you are. Your likes, your dislikes. They give the facts but not detail. Who are you Emma?"

Emma couldn't hold back a small laugh. In seventeen years how many time had she asked herself that question? Over time she had come to stop asking it, simply trying to live without wondering too much but then there would be moments when she found herself really alone that the question would enter her mind and it would lead to a whole series of questions and it would lead her on a quest, however temporarily, to search for those who had sent her away.

"Emma,' Dr. Mitchell said again, "Who are you?"

"I wish I knew," Emma replied.

"You have to know something."

Emma looked at Dr. Mitchell with a hard look, "What the hell do you want from me? You want the whole life story, fine here's the cliff notes version. How can a kid know who they are when they don't even know who the hell their parents are? I was found on the side of a freeway. I was placed in foster care, had a family for three years until they sent me back. When I was fourteen I started looking for my parents but after two years of asking around I stopped. How's that answer for your question?"

Dr. Mitchell smiled, "It's a nice start. Is that what scares you about being pregnant?"

Emma looked at Dr. Mitchell.

"Hey Cassidy," Aaron said as he walked over to Neal.

Neal was digging with a shovel in a pile of dirt. An hour ago he had been helping some guys with the cement truck before he was ordered off to help with some digs.

"You firing me all ready," Neal asked.

Aaron laughed, "Funny, no. I just thought I'd come give you the news that you've been officially hired by the higher ups."

Neal took off his hard hat and wiped the sweat from his forehead with a bandana that was placed in his back pocket.

"What kind of strings did you have to pull to make that happen?"

"Just reminded the boss of what kind of men he wanted in the first place. Even us screw ups need a chance every once in a while don't we?"

"Say's the guy who got the biggest hand out of them all."

Aaron smiled. "You got time for a break?"

"Yeah I got time. This dirt will still be here when I get back."

"Great," said Aaron.

Neal forced his shovel in the ground making sure it would stay as he followed Aaron to his office trailer.