Part 7 : Despair.

Weeks passed, it's true, but time didn't really do it, and Gold was worried about that.

Fiona came to visit him, this day. They talked, especially her, in fact, and she threatened him. She was suspicious, about Neal, because of the fact that she knew that he saw Henry.

Gold succeeded to make them disappear, with a lot of difficulties, by lying to her. She believed him, because he had no reason to lie to her, but the sorcerer knew that in a little time, if things continued that way, she would finally have doubts about it.

On Henry's side, things too were bad, and after he tried for a time to hope again, he fell a new time, seeing that his father didn't want to listen to him. It was just as with Emma, but worst, because at least, she wasn't cursed at that time. And the fact is that Neal wasn't supposed to break the curse.

So, the thing is that, no, Henry wasn't fine. He was falling again, alone, and with no one to help him.

Neal, on his side, was asking questions to himself again, about the main interrogation that tortured him : was Henry really his son ? The easiest thing to do was to do a DNA test, but he didn't dare to ask to someone to do it. He also was suspicious toward the mayor, because of Henry's insinuations.

And also because when he was seeing her, he really perceived what could be evil in her.

When he asked to his father to do what should be done, he immediately accepted, and it awake his defiance. Was that because he knew Henry was saying the truth ? Or the contrary ?

Neal was really tired to be forced to think about these questions.

His life became a routine, a new routine, in fact, with the presence of the ghosts added to this. Not only Emma and Hook, but also the other, excepted Zelena.

Neal was walking, without any purpose, it was a day where he had nothing to do, and his spirit was still invaded by all the revelations he had to face these last days. He didn't even start when Snow appeared on his side.

"Hey, the former princess said.

- Hello, Neal answered."

He really liked Snow White. She wasn't as Emma and Hook, who knew him, or seemed to know him. She wasn't as cold as Regina could be, and was really comprehensive.

She was the only one who didn't harass him about the curse, and she was really listening to him when he was talking.

"How are you ? He asked.

- That could be better, sure, Snow whispered."

Strangely, the young man did accept the idea that there was ghosts in Storybrooke, and that he was the only one who could see them. It was strange, but not as much as the other things he saw in Neverland or in the Enchanted Forest.

"What do you want to do, exactly ? He finally asked to the ghost, who was saying nothing.

- That you break the curse, or help Henry to do it.

- If I admit that I believe in the existence of a curse, how can I do that ?

- I don't know.

Neal smiled bitterly.

- Well, that won't help me.

- I am not someone who knows magic, you can talk with Regina or your father.

- I have some questions to ask to him.

- According to Emma, he knows many things. He is one of the people who remember, with Henry and his mother, of course.

He frowned.

- His mother ?

- The one who plays Henry's adoptive mother's role, the mayor of the town. The false mayor, obviously.

Alright… maybe that Neal was beginning to believe in this story.

Maybe.

(And maybe that the influence of the curse was becoming weaker.)

"Who is Emma ? He finally demanded. As Snow was looking at him with wondering, he decided to be clearer. I mean, toward me.

- I am not the one who can talk about it, but… it's a long story."

He had a flash by hearing Snow say these words, not knowing why, seeing another place, other people, and the same sentence, but said by him.

Not knowing why, the name New York, appeared in his mind.

"You had a story together, and you betrayed her. As I told you, it's pretty complicated."

It didn't really help them, but apparently, Snow hadn't finished to talk.

"Hook told me you didn't want to talk with him.

- He told you that ?

- Yes… he didn't ask me to interfere, but the fact is I'm done with this situation.

- How is it you concern ? Neal's voice wasn't aggressive, just surprise. Snow sighed.

- Well… when I see my daughter and Regina, I just think that they had to wait a long time before finishing to fight against each other. And I think that for you and Killian, it's the same thing.

(She didn't tell him that she insinuated something else, it would have been going too fast.)

- What does that change, in fact ?

- He changed, you know, said the princess with a smile. Neal turned back to look at her.

- Strangely, I have doubts about it.

- He is not the same as he was, really.

- What did it change ?

Snow's sad smile appeared again on her face.

- He stopped trying to kill your father.

Alright… so, she knew that too. And… was it true ?

"Really ? And his voice was so low and full of hope, that the ghost thought that her and David were more or less right.

- You want to know what changed ?

- Yes.

- We thought you were dead. Him and you father decided to stop fighting, so we could save Henry.

- What does Henry have to do with that ?

- He just had been abducted… and send to Neverland.

- Neverland ? Almost cried Neal. Henry had been in Neverland ? He said with a pale voice. By seeing him tremble, Snow understood how this island was a bad memory to him, and she admired him more for his courage, as he went back to it, despite his past.

- We saved him. You, me, Emma, Regina, David, your father. And Hook."

Neal jumped.

He didn't know if he could believe it, but… it did make sense. It was the only thing he could say about this story.

It did make sense.

And then, suddenly, a shout crossed his mind.

I will come back for you Henry. I promise.

His own voice. It was his voice. It's just there that he began to believe that all of that wasn't that crazy.

"So… will you talk with him ?

Neal sighed.

- Right… I will try."

Snow smiled, before she left.

She didn't say to Neal that he finally died, because she didn't know what it could provoke in him.

Not good things, obviously.

But, only some days after, things changed, in something not expected.

§§§§

Henry was becoming as his mother. His true mother, not Fiona. In the sense where he too was falling more and more. Just as her, the pain was submerging him, the one of having lost almost all his family, and even if he was happy that his father was alive, it wasn't enough.

(And despite the presence of the ghosts, the fact that they could do nothing didn't help.)

Because he didn't want to believe him, and things were still the same ; despite Gold's help. Without forgetting that Fiona was tired of his presence, and was asking to Hopper to "make things go faster" ; that is to say, show to Henry that what he was saying was a lie.

The situation lasted since five years, and it was in fact almost a miracle that Henry resisted such a long time. His hope and his resistance were becoming more and more weaker, and it became worst when Archie told him that he couldn't draw any more.

Maybe it was that thing which provoked what came then; to draw was the only thing which allowed him to continue to fight, and not become crazy.

And especially, especially, not forget.

It was what she wanted, that he stopped believing, stopped fighting, that he definitely gave up the fight.

And it was just happening…

Death wasn't a solution, but the fact is that he had no other one since a long time, and it could have one advantage.

It would allow him to see the people of his family again, the one that he didn't save, hoping they wouldn't blame him for his failure. Depression was in him since a time, and during an ordinary day, he was allowed to leave a time, alone.

He also came on this roof, as his mother did, during her wedding or when he tried to make her remember again.

Or the day she died.

Her story didn't end well, it's true, and it wouldn't be the case for his own story too.

The thing he didn't know, is that someone was looking at him since he left the hospital, and followed him until her was on the roof, full of worry.