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''Snow you've to come over to the hospital right away!''
''Red, slow down. What's wrong?'' The panic reflected in her friends' voice gives Snow chills all over. She holds the phone firmly in her hand while she's sitting on the couch in the living room.
''Belle's gone. Like she's vanished.''
''What do you mean she's gone? She's not supposed to be released from the hospital before tomorrow?''
''That was my exact same question to Dr Whale a few minutes ago, but apparently they didn't release her. He reacted just as shocked on her disappearance as I did. I came into her room and she was just. Gone. I checked the bathroom, the waiting area, everything. She's just not here anymore Snow.''
''Okay, stay there, I'll be coming right over.'' The brunette hangs up the phone and quickly gets her handbag and coat from the coatrack.
Charming is at the sheriffs' station, trying to find any information on Cora's whereabouts.
Snow storms out of the apartment, gets into her car and drives towards Storybrooke General.
Emma sits at the bar of the hotel, sipping from her drink. She glances at the fancy clock on the wall behind her. 7.08pm, it reads. 'He's late,' she thinks. Nervously she taps with her fingers on her glass. ''Emma, I'm so sorry,'' she suddenly hears behind her. ''You're late,'' is her response.
''I know, heavy traffic and… Well it's New York after all,'' he tries.
''Yeah whatever, so you wanted a chance to do your story. The time is now. I give you 30 minutes.'' Emma has her guards on. She actually doesn't want to hear his story at all. If there was a hole in the ground she could jump in and just disappear, she would. Metaphorically speaking of course. She never wants to experience anything like that Jefferson's-hat-incident ever again.
Neal explains her that he learned from August who she was and what she was meant to do. That he only reported her to the police so that she was able to fulfill her destiny.
''And precisely that is what makes me sick. The fact that I'm not able to live my own life. That it necessarily has to be directed by everyone else, because I've some sort of purpose and a destiny to fulfill. I didn't choose for that! And by the way, you did what Pinocchio told you to do?!'' Emma's voice is filled with rage. Then, she breaks down. ''I loved you! How could you do this to me?''
''I was trying to help you. I was trying to get you home. This was the only way to do that. If we would have stayed together, you wouldn't have been able to break the curse.''
Emma sighs. ''Fine. Fine! So what do we do now? Did you talk to your dad?''
''Yes, he wants me to come with you guys to Storybrooke.''
''And? Are you going to do that?'' Emma isn't sure if she wants Neal coming with them or not. She knows Henry would be devastated if they would have to leave without his father, but she on the other hand isn't ready for a happy lasting reunion with her ex-boyfriend.
''It's complicated.''
''Complicated, how?''
''It's complicated because… I'm together with someone Emma.'' He doesn't dare looking the blonde in the eyes.
Emma knew that that was a possibility, but hearing it directly from him makes the knot in her stomach grow tighter. ''I see,'' she only says.
''Don't get me wrong, I really want to get to know Henry and I can't think of a better way to do that than going with you guys, but I just can't. Not yet. I didn't really have had the time to figure it all out. But I will, I promise.''
''I understand,'' she nods quietly and turns her head away.
Neal still notices the painful look in the blondes eyes and is hurt by it.
''Henry was asking for you. Would you like to see him?'' Emma asks, changing the subject.
''Only if that's okay with you?''
''Yes.'' The blonde precedes Neal to her hotel room.
They find Henry lying on the bed reading a book. He jumps up the second he sees them entering the room. ''Neal! You came!'' He runs over to his dad and falls into his arms.
Emma's observing the situation and can't help but to feel a sense of warmth running through her body when she sees that the two act like they always have known each other.
Henry is showing Neal a comic book that he bought at the airport, and they talk non-stop for almost an hour.
Emma's keeping a distance. She feels it's better to leave the two having some time together to get to know each other. That is why she first takes a quick shower and reads a magazine later. Of course there is no way that she can keep her mind on actually reading the magazine for longer than a minute at the time. She regularly peeks over the magazine to glance at her son and his father.
''Okay, kid, I think it's better that I go now. It's getting late already,'' says Neal suddenly as he gets up from the bed.
Emma is surprised by the fact that Neal calls Henry 'kid' as well. It has become a sort of nickname for her son that she unconsciously felt to 'own, ' so it sounds weird to hear it used by someone else.
''Can't you stay a bit longer? We don't have to get up early tomorrow, right Emma? So it's fine if you decide to stay a little longer,'' the boy decides.
''No Henry, I'm sorry, but I really have to go.''
Emma walks him out. ''Thank you for visiting Henry, I can already tell that he adores you.''
''Well that feeling is mutual. It's a great kid Emma, you did a great job raising him.''
''I wish I could say that it was only me doing all the parenting, but unfortunately that's not true. He has lived with Regina for almost his whole life,'' she says.
''Regina? Regina the Evil Queen?'' he asks surprised.
''Yes well, in this world she goes by mayor Regina.''
''Imagine that,'' he says dryly.
''Yes, imagine that. Well good night Neal. I hope we can continue our conversation on how it goes from here, tomorrow?''
He wants to ask her much more about his son and their life back in Storybrooke, but he sees that Emma is tired. ''Yes, I'll be here tomorrow morning. But first I've a lot to explain to my… girlfriend.'' For some reason he finds it hard to mention her to Emma.
''How do you think you'll do that? Does she know about your past?''
''No she doesn't. And I'm not intended to go into more detail than necessary. Hearing from me that I have a son I didn't even know about, will cause her having a heart attack as it is. I don't even know how the hell to bring that news to her, let alone all of the other things.''
Emma nods understandingly. ''Yes, I know from experience that it's not easy to take it all in, I can assure you that.''
''Good night Emma.''
'''Good night Neal.'' She watches him heading for the elevator. ''What's her name?'' she suddenly asks.
Neal turns around. ''Tamara,'' he answers.
''Where's Hook?'' is the first thing Snow asks when she enters the hospital and sees her friend in the waiting room.
''Don't worry, he's still out. ''But there's still no sign of Belle anywhere,'' answers Red.
''And what about Greg?''
''Dr. Whale told me they released him today. You don't think that…?''
''I don't know,'' answers Snow. ''He told us he didn't see anything. But what if he lied? What if he did see something… magical? There must be some sort of connection between him being released and Belle's disappearance. I just don't know what it is yet. This time I don't believe it's just a mere coincidence.''
''Snow we have to find them! She can be in danger!'' Red's hands are trembling.
Snow places a reassuring hand on her friends arm. ''I'll call Charming. We'll need to start up a search.'' She takes out her phone from her handbag and dials the number of the sheriff's station.
That afternoon, they start their search for Greg and Belle, together with six of the dwarfs (Grumpy stayed in the hospital to keep an eye on Hook).
Snow and Red are covering the town center. They ask everyone if they've seen Belle or Greg, but until now they don't seem to have luck on their side.
''We've to find her Snow, I can't live with the thought that something happened to her and that we didn't do anything to stop it.
''We will find her.''
Red's voice is slightly panicking. ''I can't sense her anywhere.''
Snow suddenly stops and pulls her friend arm. ''Wait, is that who I think it is?'' She points at a person standing in the distance.
''Regina?'' asks Red.
''Yes.''
When Neal is gone, it hits Emma for real. It all hits her at once and she isn't prepared for it. Heavily breathing she sits down on the edge of the bed and covers her face with her hands.
Henry just comes out of the bathroom. ''Mom, what's wrong?'' He sits down next to her and looks worried, like the angriness he felt towards her flowed out of him the moment he saw her sitting like that.
The blonde hadn't see him coming and quickly dries the few tears that run over her cheek. ''It's nothing. Just silly. Get ready for bed kid.''
He does as he's asked and lays down in bed, pulling the sheets up to his chin. His focus is still on his mother.
Emma falls back on the bed. Mother and sons are now looking at each other in silence.
''Thanks mom for inviting Neal here. I know it must be hard for you.''
She smiles at him. ''You're welcome kid. And I'm sorry.''
''I know you are. I just need some more time to understand everything.''
Emma softly strokes away a strand of hair that is almost in Henry's eye. ''The first thing we have to do when we get back is getting you a haircut,'' she jokes.
He gives her a big grin and closes his eyes.
''Good night Henry,'' she whispers.
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