Part 8 : Success.

The present situation didn't please him. Absolutely not, in fact, and what he was seeing was beginning to afraid him.

Yes, Hook was afraid, really afraid…

Henry's attitude was what frightened him, and, worried for him, he decided to watch him, seeing that he was more and more desperate, since he couldn't draw.

And the fact is that he couldn't receive any visit.

(Fiona wasn't an idiot.)

The reason why they let him leave outside, he didn't know, but it was probably coming from the fairy herself.

Hook had followed Henry on the roof, and was seeing him, there, without being able to do anything, as the young man was talking to himself, and was becoming more desperate.

He is going to to jump… Bloody hell, he is going to jump.

"Henry… HENRY !" Shouted then the pirate.

And, as the young man really seemed to be ready to commit suicide, it's just there that the pirate really began to panic.

He was shouting, shouting with all his forces, but it was just as if he was talking to a wall. Henry wasn't hearing him, he never would.

And suddenly, he perfectly knew what he had to do. The pirate began to run, before remembering he could be faster in another way, and directly appeared in front of Neal.

This last one jumped, and went at the back of the shop, as he wasn't alone.

"What do you want ?"

His voice was cold, because despite what he said to Snow, he hadn't have the courage to talk to the pirate, and didn't remark his panic.

"Listen to me Neal, if just for one time we just forgot our conflicts ? Because now, things are really terrible. They really are.

Neal raised an eyebrow.

- Why should I believe you ?

- Because your son is going to try to kill himself."

Neal became pale, not wanting to believe it. Then, he saw his look, and there, things began to change.

He is sincere.

Sincere, just as in Neverland ? His conscious told him.

Shut up.

And now, he was talking to himself…

He was really not sane.

Alright, alright.

He would believe him.

Just as Hook, Neal began to run.

He didn't need so much time before going on the roof. Henry was still there, looking at the ground, as hypnotized by it.

"Henry !" His father screamed.

His son turned back. He smiled, in a cold and sad smile.

Dead.

Neal still didn't know if he was his son.

What he knew, in fact, is that he would fight for him…

§§§§

He really had to hurry.

"Henry, he said again, just go next to me, right ? What you're trying to do… you can't do it, you just can't…

- Becoming as my mother ? Well, that's the problem, she is dead.

- Henry, please, stop, you have to stop that.

- Really ? Why should I do that ? You don't even believe that I am your son, so why should I trust you ?"

Even Neal didn't know.

In fact, that's Hook who saved them from the disaster.

"Tell him that you believe in him."

Neal hesitated for some seconds, before he began to talk.

"Listen to me Henry, I don't remember, that's true. But I believe in you.

Henry had a bitter smile.

- I am not ten years old any more, he said. My mom already did that. She tells me that she believes me, just so I can trust her.

- I believe in you Henry, I swear. I saw them. Your family. They are still there, they are looking at you. "

Henry, for a time, doubted about it.

Gold told this to him, but it was hard to believe, to believe in his grand-father, bto elieve in magic itself.

He needed proofs.

"Prove it !

His father turned in the direction of the pirate.

- And now, what do I say ?" He asked him.

The pirate quickly thought about it, and finally found answers.

"Tell him that you're with the man who taught him how to sail a ship. Tell him that his mothers love him and that they are still fighting for him, even in death. And that we don't blame him for not having being able to save us."

Neal repeated him exactly the same thing, and Henry smiled.

"Killian is with you ? For real ?"

He started, surprised that Henry believed him so rapidly, and by the fact that he seemed close to the pirate.

He must have missed many things.

Reassured about his father's intentions, Henry walked from where he was, and approached from him, still trembling. Neal took him by the arm, and realized with horror that Henry had more or less the same size as him. It surprised and shocked him, not knowing why, having in mind another little version of the young man.

Understanding what could have happened if they had been less lucky, and, taken by a sudden impulsion, Neal embraced Henry in his arms.

Seeing that the pirate seemed… relieved that all of this ended well, Neal whispered a discrete "thank you", hoping that Hook would understand what he was telling him.

And, as he was embracing Henry, he had a new flash.

A memory.

Is this my son ?

Yes.

He didn't remember everything, but he tried to stay focused on this memory, with difficulties, succeeding to remember some things.

"Henry, tell me…

- What ?

- Did I live in New York ?"

Henry looked at his father, and smiled

"Yes."

Things were moving again…

By looking on the ground, Neal saw that some people were there under them, as Archie, the psychiatric (so they knew that Henry fled), as Fiona.

He couldn't help but look at her with anger.

§§§§

The after of Henry's try wasn't really good. Neal could have not get into it ; in fact he shouldn't have.

But there was a curse, apparently. (He wasn't sure of that.)

And Henry was his son.

So he wouldn't give up him.

With the ghosts, things weren't good either, as the other learned lately what happened. Those who hadn't been there were trembling, knowing what would have happened if Hook hadn't been there.

Fiona was furious. Things weren't going as she wanted them to, as it was the case since some time. Despite what her son told her, she was still suspicious toward Neal, and knew that if something happened, it would be coming from him.

And from Henry, of course.

She asked urgently to talk to Archie, a thing she had to do, as her "son" tried to kill himself. It would have helped her, and she would have preferred that Neal had no influence in it, she would have been without this problem.

Without her wanting it, Neal get into the conversation.

She was just talking to Archie, being angry at him, for what happened.

"I have to tell you, Madam Mayor, that I didn't know that Henry left.

- Oh, really doctor Hopper ? Neal, what are you doing there ?

- Oh, nothing, I just stopped Henry from doing the worst mistake of his life," the Dark One's son whistled."

He still had doubts, but if there was something he was sure of, it is that Fiona didn't care of Henry. She didn't love him, she never did.

No matter that she was or no a monster who cast a curse. She was a bad mother.

I won't let my son stay with her.

He didn't even realize that the fact thinking about it had been so natural.

So normal.

The discussion that came then was long, difficult, and tiring, Neal not hesitating to question Fiona' qualities as a mother ; not understanding that he was taking Emma' role. This one was looking at him fighting the Black Fairy, with no fear, and was smiling.

Despite what just happened, she was hoping again, just as Regina who was with her.

What they wanted, it was the good of their son.

And Neal was really becoming to act goodly about it.

"You think that you can do better than me ? Convince my son that fairy tales are not real ? Do what I, I must admit, failed to do ?"

Fiona was suspicious, she didn't really like Neal, because, in a way, he wasn't a part of her curse. She just brought him back to prove to her son she was sincere, and to be able to have a control on him.

She looked at her grand-son for a time, trying to examine him. The fairy trusted in herself, in her magic and in her curse, and she made it so it would hit Neal to, so she wouldn't risk to have problems later. He didn't remember, she had the certitude of it.

Without him seeing that, she decided to search in his mind, to know if he remembered, and what he knew. Nothing, except that Henry was his son.

The fact that he knew it now didn't surprise the fairy. Henry told him, obviously, and it didn't worry her. It could have been worst, as him knowing for magic.

(He doubted. But he didn't know.)

It reassured her a little, and, not wanting him to attack her again, and that he couldn't discover something, she decided to accept that he takes care of Henry.

It would change nothing, no one would break the curse, so it didn't matter who would take care of her "son". And well, she must admit she was tired to have him with her, and she was tired that Archie came again and again to harass her as the boy was doing no progress.

She gave to her grand-son the one who was her great-grandson.

During this time, Neal decided to take Henry with him, that Archie, who admitted he could do nothing, accepted to do. During the day, they agreed about what they would do now, that is to say make Fiona think that none of the two thought that magic was real.

Henry had been the one who suggested this idea, evoking the fact that Gold could help them doing that.

"How do you want us to proceed ?

- You have to talk to him… he knows for the curse, you know.

- I think I kind of already knew it, in fact… I mean, if you're right, and that there is a curse, it makes sense that he remembers.

- You don't think there is a curse ?

- I have still doubts about it, but the thing I know is that there is something strange there.

- That's a beginning. But… you know that I am your son, right ?"

There was too hope in Henry' eyes (and injunction and Emma' and Regina') to let him say the contrary, especially if you took into account the fact that he discovered a new memory soon.

"Yes Henry… now I know it."