Chapter 3.

"Cassidy," said Officer Marquez as he opened the jail door. "You're free to go. You're girlfriend isn't pressing any charges."

"She changed her mind just like that?"

"Don't take it up with me, take it up with her," said Officer Marquez.

Neal made his way to the area where he was to sign out and then get his belongings. Neal's saddle bag was returned to him. He checked to make sure the contents of it had remained. They would not return his dagger and sword though since they were unlicensed weapons. It didn't bother him that much though. After he was done he made his way out of the door and smiled at Emma.

"Thanks," he said to her.

"I didn't do it for you, I did it for Henry," Emma answered.

"Still I'm grateful."

Henry looked up at Neal, "So you're my dad," the boy said to the older man.

Neal smiled. Those were the same words Henry had said when they met on the fire escape of his apartment. He walked over to his son whom he hadn't seen in a year and hugged Henry tightly.

"I missed you buddy. I told you I'd see you again," and as he said those words he was looking directly into Emma's eyes, saying them not just to Henry but to her as well.

Emma felt so confused. Ever since Neal came back into her life he had been saying things that made absolutely no sense, as if this wasn't the first time in twelve years that they were meeting but it was.

Emma remembered those first couple of years with Henry after she had gotten out of jail. She had taken the car that Neal left her and her and her son spent two years living in Tallahassee. In a part Emma had figured that's where Neal would end up and for that first year she had some hope that she could find him there and they could make things work but they never did. Still she stayed another year because Tallahassee was home but after that second year they had moved to Boston where they lived until Henry was ten when she had gotten a better job in Manhattan a place where they had now been for two years.

Emma was taken out of her thoughts as Henry spoke.

"You know about me?" Henry asked looking up at his dad.

"That's kind of what I want to talk to the two of you about. We've met before you two just don't remember. It's okay I'll help you get your memories back."

"I think you're the one confused Neal," Emma said as they made their way out of the precinct.

"I'm not confused," Neal called after. "Listen to me Emma: a year ago we were in Storybrooke but the curse erased your memories of ever being there and as a result Regina gave you new memories to help make the transition easier."

"Neal this is crazy," Emma said and she then looked at him, "Almost as crazy as your outfit."

Neal laughed, "Yeah I guess I should probably get a change of clothes. Come on we can go to my apartment. I didn't exactly pack everything when I went with you to Storybrooke so I should still have some stuff back there."

"You have an apartment here," Henry said sounding excited.

Emma didn't know what to feel. She could feel her heart beat at a faster speed than she was used to. Neal had been in New York this whole time. For all she knew at the moment he could have lived just up the block away from her. Emma had always been good at tracking people down but she had given up on finding Neal because she had tried to let him go along with her past and yet he had been here all along. Emma wasn't sure how to act or how to be. She was angry and inside she was screaming and tossing around imaginary furniture and at the same time despite being so angry she also loved him, she had since the moment she saw him again and that hurt just as much as the other feelings she was having.

"Don't look so surprised," Neal said to Emma.

"Of course not," said Emma not wanting to give Neal the satisfaction, "Why should I care if my ex-boyfriend lives in the same city as me. You moved on with your life Neal, I get it, we both did."

"It's a bit more complicated than that. I'll explain everything when we get to my place, come on."

About twenty minutes later they arrived at Neal's apartment.

"Make yourselves at home," said Neal. "I'll be right back."

There was something oddly familiar about it to both Emma and Henry. It felt like some far off dream, everything about it was as she saw it in her dream. Emma looked up and straight ahead in the window was the yellow dream catcher from long ago. He had kept it. After all this time he had kept the one thing that had come to mean the most to them both. Emma had the keychain too but somewhere along the way she figured she must have lost it.

Emma made her way over to the dream catcher and looked up at it. She hesitated for a moment and then reached up for it as she had done once before, checking to see if it was real and it was. Did she really mean that much to him even now? She wasn't sure but the proof was in her hands.

Neal watched for a moment as his… he wasn't sure how to define Emma as. He watched her as she held their precious belonging.

"It's weird to be in regular clothes again," said Neal breaking whatever reverie Emma was in.

She was startled and placed the dream catcher back where she had found it.

Henry studied his father, "I liked the other clothes better. Is it true you had a sword and a dagger too?"

"Yeah buddy it is."

"Cool."

"That reminds me I've got something for you."

"You just met me," Henry said to him.

"Neal what are you doing," Emma asked.

"Just humor me please, I know you two don't remember and that's okay. I came back to bring you back to your parents but also to help you get your memories back."

"Our memories are fine," said Emma.

"I know you want to think that Emma but they're not. Like I said, Regina gave you new ones."

"Who is this Regina you keep talking about and how do you know my parents? I don't even know who they are but you know that."

"You're wrong Emma you do know your parents. Will the both of you just let me show you something please?"

Neal sat on the couch with Henry and Emma had her arms crossed as she walked over to the boys. From his saddle bag Neal pulled out a book and gave it to Henry.

"I know it's not exactly like you're first one but I got to give August credit, he's pretty good even for a ten year old. Your grandmother wanted to make sure I brought it back with me so you could have it. She said she wanted you to have hope."

Henry turned some pages and he stopped when he saw an image of Prince Charming and Snow White holding a baby. On the blanket was the name Emma.

"Look mom, it's you!"

Emma looked at the picture. She had to admit the people in the drawing looked like how she had dreamed but still she dismissed it.

"It could just be a coincidence."

"No it's not," said Henry. "I showed you my family tree, this only proves it." Henry looked up at Neal, "I was right wasn't I?"

"Yeah Henry you were," Neal said with a smile. "Trust our boy here Emma. He believes it why can't you?"

"Because it's not possible," Emma said crossing the room. "My parents left me on the side of a freeway because they didn't want me."

"They did want you Emma," Neal said standing up, "More than anything. They were just trying to give you your best chance, same way you did when you gave Henry up for adoption."

"I never gave him up," Emma said harshly, "I wouldn't do that."

"But you did, you just don't remember. Henry's always been a true believer, you know that. That's why it's so easy for him to believe this now. Nothing, not even a curse could change that. It's just who he is. We bore a magical son Emma and your parents bore a magical daughter."

"He's right mom," Henry said as he sifted through the book and grasping Emma's origins in a short time. "You're the savior."

Emma was on the verge of tears. She wanted more than anything to believe her son, believe Neal even, believe she had parents and a family who loved her but that's exactly why she couldn't. Hope was a lie- it was what people held onto when the rest of the world seemed to be throwing the bad stuff at you.

"I'm not a savior," said Emma. "I'm just a girl who ended up on the wrong side of the road. We have a good life Henry. I don't want to change that do you?"

"If it means you get your happy ending with your parents like I have with mine then why not?"

Emma felt herself at a crossroad. For as long as Henry had been in her life he never let up about his beliefs in fairytales and that they were his family and now Neal was egging him on. It wasn't good for Henry because that only turned Emma into the bad one here.

"Come on Henry, it's time to go," Emma said not wanting to be here any longer.

"Can I-," Henry said looking at the book and then at Neal, "Can I borrow this?"

"You can keep it buddy. It might come in handy for you."

"Cool thanks, Neal. Can I see you tomorrow?"

Neal looked at Henry and then at Emma, "I don't know that's up to your mom."

"Please mom?"

Emma wanted to say no but she knew she couldn't. If she said 'no' Henry would find a way to see him anyways since it was clear at this point that Neal was here to stay.

"You have school tomorrow," Emma answered. "You all ready skipped today."

"We can walk him together," said Neal, "Maybe get some breakfast beforehand. I'm thinking hot chocolate with cinnamon. That's your mom's favorite and yours too."

"How do you know all this stuff about me?" Henry asked.

"It's a long story buddy but I'll tell you about it whenever you want."

"That's all they are Neal, stories," said Emma.

"They're more than that Emma," Neal replied, "You'll see, I promise."

"I stopped trusting in your promises a long time ago."

"And I've been trying to make up for that ever since and you know I have," Neal said calmly, "You just don't remember but you will. I'll see you both tomorrow."

Henry hugged his dad before they left. Emma had never seen her kid more excited before and she wasn't sure how to feel about that. One thing she was sure of, her life was about to take a completely different turn than she imagined it would have been had Neal not come back into her life.

~END~

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Rescue Me #2- Show Me Who I Am