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That night, the comforting silence was rudely interrupted by the probing sound of the phone ringing.
All members of the Charming family were in a deep slumber right before, and David turns on his other side once more, when he feels a hand on his back.
''Honey, the phone is ringing,'' says Snow with a sleepy voice.
''What?'' asks David groggily.
''The phone is ringing.''
At that moment he notices a sound as well.
Together they walk down the stairs and into the living room where they find the telephone lying on the kitchen cabinet.
The two other family members entered the living room as well, worried about a phone call in the middle of the night.
Henry's hair is all tangled, and Emma doesn't look quite awake herself. They both sit down on the couch, and Emma absentmindedly strokes her son's hair while they're waiting for David to tell them what the phone call is about.
''Yeah?'' Asks Charming as soon as he picks up.
Snow stands behind her husband, and as her daughter beckons her to sit down with them, she just keeps staring at David, afraid for what's coming.
''I see,'' they hear the man saying into the phone. ''Where are you now?... Yes, okay.''
Henry glances questioningly to his mom, but she only shakes her head, telling him that she also doesn't have a clue what this is about.
''Okay, this is the plan. You tell the guys to just stay where you are. Don't get any closer, it might be dangerous. I'll be coming down right away. And stay. Where. You. Are. Understand?'' After David has put down the phone, the others are looking at him expectedly.
Snow is the first one who breaks the silence. ''What's wrong?''
''Please don't freak out, but I believe that after Greg, the entire world has now come into Storybrooke.''
''Ruby?''
''Yes?''
''Who is that man from the bar? I mean, who is he for real?'' Lacey's voice is no more than a soft whisper.
Red is lying in her bed, and the other brunette is lying on a mattress on the floor of her friend's bedroom.
''His name is Gold.''
''That's a weird name. Is that his first name?''
''No, it's his last name, but I've no idea what his first name is.''
''Oh okay… I don't know, he did seem familiar to me. Like I've seen him before. I just can't put a finger on where I know him from. I mean I'm not from here, and I assume he is. So how should I know him then?''
A spark of hope is enlightening inside Red. Was her friend breaking through in the girl next to her? How hard it is on her, Red needs to play the not-knowing game. She feels that they're getting somewhere, however explaining Lacey how she knows Gold might have the reversed affect. ''I've no idea. Maybe he just looks similar to someone you know?''
''Nah, I don't think so. I mostly don't hang out with older guys like that. But what the hell was that with: 'we're going home,' and him calling me Belle? What's up with that? ''
''I… I really don't know.''
Now, Lacey is sitting straight up on her mattress. ''Yes you do. You know!'' She cries out. ''I can hear it in your voice. You know more about this. Now, spill!''
Red inhales a large amount of air before she asks: ''Lacey, why are you staying here? In Storybrooke I mean. You just said you're not from here.''
''That's just because… because… because I'm not the kind of person staying in one place all the time. I'm a free spirit, I need my space. I'll probably be out of here soon,'' she says, without too much confidence.
''There was doubt there in your voice. Why did you have to think before answering this question?'' A smile appears on Red's face, and she's very grateful for the fact that it is too dark for the smile to be noticed by Lacey.
''There was no doubt. You must've misheard that.''
''I don't think so…''
''Well, okay, fine then. I don't know if it's this place or if it's you, but there's something keeping me here.'' She's eager to change the subject. ''But you didn't answer my questions. What was that man talking about?''
''I really can't say.''
''You can't, or you won't?''
''Both,'' admits Red.
''Fine. Well, I'll find out anyway. Whether it's with your help or without. I'm going to find out the truth. Good night.''
The sudden aggression that had been reflected in Lacey's voice startles her friend. She knows now however that something was triggered during the uncomfortable confrontation with Belle's lover in the bar. Red really hopes that Belle is able to break through. She knows she's somewhere inside this desolate girl, that is now lying with her back facing her. She just needs something more to help her friend to break out. ''Good night Lacey.''
''Neal?'' Emma sounds surprised when she hears the man's voice at the other end of the line. She didn't really think about where he was staying during his time in Storybrooke, but it seems that he's staying at his father's house. ''Is your father there? I need to talk to him. It's urgent.''
Snow turns around and spots Henry coming downstairs with his backpack. ''Henry, what are you doing?'' she asks friendly.
''I'm coming with you guys.''
''No Henry, that is way too dangerous. You need to stay here, while we solve the problem.''
''But I can help!''
The boys' nagging voice together with the accompanied puppy dog eyes, is almost enough to persuade his grandmother. ''Henry… You really can't. You know that.''
''But what if my mom shows up when you guys are away, and kidnaps me?'' The boy knows exactly on which buttons to push to get his way.
Emma sends a desperate glance to her mother. ''But he's the only one I can think of to be able to help us. Are you sure he's not up for it right now?... I see... Okay, see you in a bit. Bye.''
''Emma?'' asks Snow.
''Something's wrong with Gold. Neal says there's no way he is able to get his father to help us. Where are the dwarves now?''
''Charming headed up to the woods to meet them. They're sure that some sort of police force is observing Storybrooke just across the town line.''
''If that's the case we really should do something. This endangers the entire town. I'm sure that Greg has something to do with this. It's too much of a coincidence that right after he and Belle gone missing, this happens. We should've watched that guy better. It's our fault.''
''Emma, don't blame yourself. There were so many other things we had to worry about. We did our best. We will do now anything we can to make sure that our town will not be endangered.'' Snow stands at a certain distant from her daughter, afraid that coming too close will make Emma close up to her again.
''But there's no one who can help us. Neal told me that Gold just had a mental breakdown, because of what happened to Belle. He's not able to conjur magic now.''
The boy in the room had been quiet all the time his mom and grandmother where talking, but says now in a muted tone: ''then either you or Regina should do something.''
''What's that?'' asks Emma.
''You and mom are the only other people in Storybrooke who have magic, besides Mr Gold.''
''Henry, those are not options. First of all, I have no idea how to control my magic, and I definitely am not able to produce it whenever I want to. Secondly, we can't ask Regina.''
''Why not?'' The boy fumbles with his pajama while talking. ''I know that she's evil and all, but this is also something that concerns her. Also she has a big problem when they find out about us.''
''How much I hate to say it, but Henry is right Emma. Regina is our only option.'' Snow looks desperately at her daughter.
''But mom, you can't be serious about this? Not after what she has done to us. ''
''It's our only way. Unless you've another suggestion?'' She raises a brow to her daughter. When that is answered by silence, she continues: ''we should make a deal with her. We leave her alone when she helps us to shield the town from the outside world.''
''What about the Blue Fairy? She has magic,'' proposes the blonde.
''I doubt that she has enough power here to perform such a spell. Besides, Regina is the one who enacted the curse. I'm sure she knows a way.''
At that moment there is a knock on the door.
Henry is there first, closely followed by his mother and grandmother. ''Hey Neal!'' he says when he sees who's entering.
''Hey buddy.'' Neal's sincerely happy to see his son again, but is unsure about how to face Emma. ''Hi Emma, hi Snow,'' is the only thing he therefore says.
''Thanks for coming,'' answers Emma, feeling a little uncomfortable herself.
Snow observes the two, and she has to try hard to suppress a giggle. The situation is just too adorable. However, she feels the pressing need to protect her daughter at the same time. After everything that Emma went through because of him, she needs to know for sure that the man now standing in their living room has changed.
While Emma tries her best to ignore her mother's staring glance, she almost knows what the other woman is thinking. She really needs to tell Snow about what really happened eleven years ago. That's the next big thing she has to share with her mother. Something she doesn't particularly look forward to.
''So, what's the plan?'' asks Neal.
''Well, we just came to the conclusion that we don't have any choice but to ask Regina for help,'' answers Snow.
''Yeah, you came to that conclusion,'' snaps the blonde.
''Emma, we've talked about this.''
''Yeah, we did, and still I don't like the idea.''
''Do you think I like it? Emma, that woman has destroyed more than one ever can imagine! She took away my baby girl! She poisoned me with an apple. You know about all the things she did here in Storybrooke. Do you think I like it?! It's hard on all of us. Not just on you. So don't you dare start acting like an indifferent teenager now!'' Suddenly Snow was not able to hold in the anger she felt, and her cheeks flushed with rage.
In the time that Snow was yelling at Emma, Henry had moved closer and closer to his father.
Neal was now holding the boy's shoulders and held his breath.
As quickly as she could, Emma ran out of the door.
''Emma, please wait. Emma, I'm sorry!'' The brunette tries to follow her daughter, but the door is being slammed almost right in her face.
''Snow, please allow me.'' Neal rests his hand soothingly on the brunette's arm.
She nods, as tears are running down her face. She has screwed up with her daughter. Big time. She doesn't understand how this could've happened. Her hand is on her mouth the entire time, as she's trying to hold back the sobs. Why did she do this? She knew what would happen.
''Stay with your grandmother, okay Henry? I'll be right back. With Emma,'' says Neal. He ruffles the boy's hair and exits the apartment.
''Em?'' Neal finds the blonde sitting on the ground of the beach. He uses the light on his cellphone to find his way.
The blonde doesn't look up when the man enters the beach. ''How did you find me?''
''I just had the feeling that you were here.'' He kneels down next to her, leaving a few meters between them. He takes a pebble in his hand and throws it into the ocean. He waits patiently, knowing that Emma will talk eventually. When she's ready.
The blonde sniffs and pulls up her knees to her chest. She's not wearing any jacket, and the cold midnight-air make it hard for her not to shiver.
Neal lets the sand run through his fingers.
''What did you tell Tamara?'' Her voice sounds like thunder breaking through the silence.
''I broke up with her.''
Emma turns her head to him. ''You did what? Why?''
''It just didn't work. It never worked, but I just didn't want to see it. I was so glad with the stable life I had with her, that I never really thought about if she was the one for me. If she was the one making me happy. She helped me to get my life back on track, and was there for me all the time. It felt just safe to be with her you know?''
Emma focusses on the waving ocean in front of them.
''But when you came to New York, and when we met again after all those years, something changed. It got me thinking, that I maybe wasn't as happy with her as I liked to believe.''
An uncomfortable silence arises once again.
''She was right.''
''Who was right?'' asks Neal.
''My mom. She was right about me being a pain. I should act more like an adult, especially with Henry around. I can't just endanger an entire town, because I happen to hate my son's adoptive mother.''
''No you can't. But I can imagine your anger towards her. She hurt every member of your family, and now you're supposed to ask her for help?''
''Yeah well, I just should get over it, right?''
Neal can't help but grin at that sweet face of the blonde.
''What are you laughing at?'' Emma sounds offended, but can't help to laugh a little.
''Nothing.''
''Yeah, sure,'' Emma's voice is dripping with sarcasm. She gives Neal a playful push in the back.
''You don't believe me?'' He grins and splashes some water towards the blonde.
''What the hell Cassidy?! The water is freezing!'' As a response, she scoops two handfuls of water from the ocean and throws that back at him. ''Here, now you can feel it too!'' As Neal rises up above her, she gets up as quick as she can and starts running towards the other end of the beach.
The man is much faster of course. It only takes him a few seconds to catch up with her.
The two land on the sandy ground with Neal on top. They look each other into the eyes, but don't say a word. It's another one of these magical moments that just the two of them share.
Only the sound of waves rolling up the beach can be heard. The leaves on the branches of the trees behind them rustle quietly in the ocean wind.
Emma is finally the one who breaks the silence. ''We probably should be heading back,'' she whispers, eyes still focused on the man on top of her.
With that, the enchanted moment between the two is broken, and they both get up.
While walking back to Emma and Snow's apartment building, they shake off the sand that sticks on their clothing.
''I think we should give it another chance.''
''What's that?'' asks Neal.
''You and I, I think we should give it another chance.''
Thanks for reading! xoxo