Chapter 5

"Henry, thank God," Mary Margaret said when she saw him come into the apartment. She hugged him tightly.

"I'm okay," the kid said.

"Still," said Mary Margaret. "Emma's probably going to kill me when she finds out what I let you do."

Henry stepped back as Neal followed inside.

"She'll probably kill me before she kills you, after all I kind of deserve it," Neal said to her. "Hi, Neal Cassidy," he said sticking out his hand which Mary Margaret shook. "I'm guessing you would be Emma's mom?"

Mary Margaret slightly shrugged. "That's what Henry keeps telling me." She looked from Emma to Neal. "And you and Emma would be… you would be Henry's dad?"

"Yeah guess so."

"Okay enough talking," Henry said going behind Neal to push him forward, "Go kiss my mom all ready."

Neal smiled at Henry, "Persistent little guy isn't he?"

Mary Margaret smiled back and shook her head. "You have no idea."

The three of them walked to Mary Margaret's bedroom where Emma still laid. Neal looked at her. She had grown up to be sure but he could still see the same Emma that he had fallen in love with.

"What are you waiting for," Henry asked.

Neal just shook his head and said to Emma, "Guess I know where he gets that from."

"Come on Henry," Mary Margaret said to the boy. "Let's go get something to eat and give Neal some time alone with Emma."

Henry looked up at her. "But what if he wakes her up?"

Neal turned to his son, "I'll wait until you get back buddy, I promise but Mary Margaret's right, I kind of need some time with your mom right now."

"Fine," Henry conceded.

Neal mouthed, 'Thank you' to Mary Margaret and she nodded to him, the two of them leaving Neal with Emma. She wasn't sure leaving her friend with a man she'd barely met was the smartest idea but Henry had gone through some trouble to get him here and given what little details she knew about Henry's father, which wasn't much, Neal probably wouldn't open up with her and Henry waiting around.

Neal had grabbed a chair from the small dining room table and brought it over to Emma's bedside.

"I'm pretty sure this wasn't part of the plan," he said to her. "What happened, Emma? You were supposed to break this curse not become a part of it. I'm sorry for everything. I know a lot of this is my fault. I was just doing what I thought was best for you. I was trying to get you home. You have no idea how many times I've regretted that decision or how many times I wanted to look for you. I've just always been so scared- of what you may think, of him finding me. But instead I was coward, just like my old man."

Neal took Emma's hand and squeezed it. "I'm so sorry Emma. You didn't deserve any of this. We deserved Tallahassee together, with our son." He shook his head and smiled. "Henry's a great kid. He's got both our looks but I think he takes after you, after your side of the family. He's not afraid of anything except maybe losing you. He's brave like you are, like his grandparents. And I'm sorry that it took this chain of events to bring me back to you. If I could do things differently believe me I would.

But I promise you, no more running okay? I don't care what happens between me and my father, I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for you and for Henry. I just want you to know that. I hope you can hear me. I'll wake you up I will but just hold out a little longer okay, I promised Henry I wouldn't do it without him. He deserves to be here when it happens."

At the diner Henry played with is fork, one elbow on the table and his face in his hand.

"Come on Henry," said Mary Margaret, "try and eat something."

He picked at his pancake and tossed a small piece in his mouth.

"I thought that when I brought him here that he would wake her up and that my mom would be okay by now." He looked at Mary Margaret. "Why is it taking so long?"

"I don't know Henry. I'm sure they just haven't seen each other in a while so it's probably hard for Neal and I'm sure it will be hard for Emma when she wakes up."

"But at least she'll be alive. I just hate that it's taking so long."

"I know you do Henry, so do I. Are you sure Dr. Whale can't help?"

Henry looked up at her and gave her a 'you've got to be kidding me' look.

"Okay, okay," said Mary Margaret, "I just think we're out of our element here."

"You are," Henry corrected, "I'm not."

"Right because I'm cursed and so is the rest of this town."

"Exactly," Henry said with a nod.

Behind Henry the door chimed and David walked in. Mary Margaret stiffened some. Things had been so difficult with them lately. Part of her wanted Henry's tales to be true but real true love in this world didn't work that way.

David smiled and walked over to the pair.

"Hey Henry, why so down?" he asked noticing that Henry didn't look all that happy to be here. "Where's Emma?"

"She's not feeling well," Mary Margaret answered as Henry placed a spoon in his hot chocolate, playing with it rather than really drinking it. It wasn't the full truth but it was the only answer she could give him in regards to the strange circumstances.

"And what about your mom," David asked referring to Regina.

Mary Margaret just shook her head hoping David wouldn't continue.

David, knowing it was probably a stupid move, pulled up a chair to the booth.

"Listen kid," he said to Henry. "I know you and I haven't spent a lot of time together but whatever is going on you can talk to me if you'd like."

"What's the point," Henry said. "You wouldn't believe me anyways. No one does except my dad and August and August is probably a wooden puppet by now."

"Your dad's here," he asked Henry but looked at Mary Margaret.

"He's trying to save your daughter," replied Henry.

Mary Margaret quickly looked at Henry, her eyes widening. "Wait a second," she said, "You didn't say anything about me and David…about Emma being…" She couldn't even fish out her words.

"I thought it was obvious," said Henry. "You're Snow White and he's Prince Charming."

David looked at Mary Margaret and then at Henry, "And they had a baby together?"

Mary Margaret looked down slightly embarrassed. "What kind of fairytales did I give you Henry?" she asked shaking her head.

"Can we go now," Henry asked ignoring her question.

"Lead the way," Mary Margaret said to him.

With Mary Margaret and Henry near the door, David turned to them. Henry's comments had piqued his interest. "Mind if I come?" he asked.

Mary Margaret took a breath and shrugged. "Why not, according to our grandson there, your Emma's father."

The three of them were outside heading back to the apartment, Henry several feet ahead of them.

"You don't really believe in all of this do you," David whispered slightly to Mary Margaret.

"It doesn't really matter what I believe," she answered. "The important thing is Henry believes it and if it makes him happy then that's all that should matter for a kid isn't it?"