A/N: Here's a new installment of The Bug: this one's a bit less heartrending than the previous one, enjoy.

Part 4.

Emma and her mother sat on the couch quietly till Emma fell asleep. She was really grateful for what her mother had done for her, she couldn't deal with Neal right now, the timings were all but right.
She woke up to find Henry seated near her, his warm body a promise of comfort and love. He was awake and the minute he realized she was too he gently hugged her saying "Mom I missed you last night", she breathed him in, ready to put her mask back on again for his sake. "I missed you too Henry, but Ruby insisted, so in the end I agreed, I just wanted to let you know I'd be staying out, did Mary Margareth told you right?" Emma knew he didn't saw her at all last night, and she also knew that Neal wouldn't say he saw her, because if he did he'd have to explain why she left, which he knew perfectly.
"Yes she did, don't worry mom" he yawned then said "Grandpa says he's going to teach me to swordfight today, I'm going to eat something and I'll get ready" he squeezed her arm and got to his feet lazily.
Emma looked up at him. She realized how blessed she was that her son was the person he was, she would've been alone know if he didn't chased her and took her home, she would've lost more precious moments to spend with her family and she couldn't thank him enough for caring for her even if she abandoned him. "Yes go eat something, I need to take a shower" I sure as hell do, she remembered "I'll see you when you get back then okay? Have fun with David".

An hour after she was all cleaned up and her son was gone so she was safely letting her face show her emotions again; she heard Mary Margareth downstairs preparing the usual big family Sunday lunch (a tradition she made up for Emma's sake, but she wouldn't admit it). Emma needed some fresh air, she felt useless at home today, and now every time her mother looked at her she remembered her teary eyes and for extent, the reason why they were like that. Emma grabbed her jacket and went for the stairs, then reassured Mary Margareth she'd come back in time for lunch and finally she was out of the building.
It was less cold than the day before, but she felt cold inside, and since it was still kinda early and she haven't had breakfast yet she ventured inside Granny's and she sat on a stall waiting for her hot chocolate to warm up her sorrows.
"Emma hi!" she heard a known voice and turned to see Anton weirdly standing at one corner of the bar, feeling too big to big to sit down himself must be an used-to-be-giant thing she thought, "I am glad you made it back from Neverland, I hadn't had time to say it to you yet".
Anton was always so sweet with Emma, maybe because he misjudged her when she was trying to get his compass, (and in the process he almost crushed her to death, but those are details, in the Enchanted Forest these days) . Emma has seen so much hurt in the world that he absolutely didn't blame him if he hated all humans back then, even if the memory of that moment was still vivid.
"Thank you Anton" she said, "I'm happy I'm back again, and Henry is safe thank god! How are you? Are you adjusting to our land fine?"
Anton smiled "Yes, I am, even if my new size still feels strange. I'm so sorry the beans got stolen and all this happened, I wish I could've helped find a more effecting cloaking spell to hide them. My brothers would've known better .." Emma was shaking his head "It was not your fault Anton, this people would've found another way to get Henry to Pan, they were determined in destroying magic and they'd have done anything to accomplish that, don't feel bad about it" Anton smiled again at Emma, looking relieved. He carefully leaned on the bar and after Emma took a sip from her mug he asked "So, where's Hook?"
Emma practically chocked at that and had burst out coughing loudly. "Hook?" she asked, breathless "Why do you ask about him?"
Anton looked surprised before saying "Aren't you two together?" Emma, trying to calm down her heartbeat, replied "No, what makes you say that? I asked you to keep him chained up so that he didn't follow me the last time you saw us two together!". Anton, looking embarrassed, said "But.. I...Well I saw you to talking when you chained him, and I overheard the conversation you two had, I just thought you were on bad terms then but I felt like there was something more. When the dwarfs told me he followed you here and then that he left with you for Neverland I just.." Emma was about to blush, so she just went "Oh.. ok, well he's fine and probably lounging in his ship if you must know. That's all" she said with a dismissing tone and waving away her right hand, as if the gesture would make her thoughts on the pirate go away.
Anton was, if possible, even more embarrassed now, but he carried on "Please excuse me Emma, I made assumptions I shouldn't have done, sorry. I haven't seen a lot of couples aside Jack and James and since he left her on top of our beanstalk to die, I just assumed that in your case both Hook and you were far more engaged in each other than it was in reality. I'm not used to humans interactions, and I've been alone for too long..." he had his cheek redder than his vest and was about to stalk off when Emma said "Really it's fine Anton it was just a little misunderstanding, don't worry about it. How are you doing with the dwarfs? Is your new apartment fine? " and they went on talking like that for some time, trying to move past both their embarrassment, then Emma excused herself and went back home to help her mother out with lunch.

Walking back to the flat she thought about what Anton said and blushed at the memories of the events concerning her and Hook, both old and recent. She didn't know a giant can assume that much just by eavesdropping and hearing news concerning them... "for someone who's never been in love you're quite perceptive aren't you?"
Oh shut up Hook, this is my head, give me a break! She thought, feeling uncomfortable with the emotions she had felt in the last hours. Emma Swan certainly wasn't used to face so many different feelings all at once, since she always tried her best to avoid them and now, present happenings were pushing her over her limits.
Cooking wasn't exactly her piece of cake but, she wanted to thank her mom for being so supportive and caring by doing something together, especially after all she said to her in Neverland, so she put her most convincing happy face on and she opened the door. Her family was reunited in the kitchen.
With Hook.
"Mom, hi!"Henry almost screamed, looking overexcited " Lunch's almost ready! Can you believe I actually crossed swords with Prince Charming AND Captain Hook ? We met him near the park and he joined us! How awesome is that?" he turned his head to face Hook and said "Best swordfight lesson EVER!"

Oh bloody hell.
 That was all that Emma could think of.

A certain smirk made its appearance in the emotional glass case Emma was living right now and she gathered her courage, then she smiled to Henry and said "Yeah, awesome kid" she walked closer to ruffle his hair and holding him near her, glanced at Hook, then at her mother, and finally at her dad.
Hook looked pleased and cocky like always, her mother looked petrified but no one else noticed, and her dad looked a tad annoyed to have Hook lounging in his house and, at the same time, amused.

They are getting along, Emma realized, startled by the very fact that David amongst them all was the most at ease. Except for Henry "Granma can the Captain stay at lunch?"

Oh Henry. Why?
Mary Margareth looked like she just got hit by a shingle while walking down a pavement. "Of course" she said abruptly, smiling wider than necessary, "Please sit down wherever you want Hook, I'll be ready to serve in a minute" she then looked at Emma, a helpless expression on her face.