Chapter 6: Secrets & Talks
On his way out to the car Neal diverted when he saw Gold walking on the sidewalk across the street.
"Hey," Neal called out.
Now that it was just the two of them, Gold dropped his rough demeanor.
"Bae," he said with a smile. "It worked. You're here. You came back for me."
"Nope," said Neal. "Let me make this clear. I'm not here for you. I'm here for Emma."
"Bae listen, please."
"No you listen: I know you cast this curse to find me but like everything with you it came at a cost. The only reason I'm here is for Emma. You took her away from her parents. It's my job to see that she gets them back."
"And what makes you think they're here?"
"Don't play games," Neal shot at Gold. "I know everything. I know Mary Margaret in there is Emma's mother and so do you. They share the same chin."
"You noticed that too. Though to be fair Miss Swan could have broken the curse without you and yet here you are so deep down you must still feel something for me."
"It's not about you don't you get it?"
"So you keep saying but please listen Bae, there's no magic here yet but when the curse is broken I can get it back. You and me, we can start over. I can make you a young man again."
Neal shook his head, "You're unbelievable. You're still thinking about you. I don't want to be a young man again."
"Why not?" Neal remained silent. "How do you and Miss Swan know each other?" Again Neal said nothing and Gold began to understand. "Ah I see you love her don't you? I can rewind the clock back for her too. Emma can grow up with her parents. If you two are truly meant to be together then I'm sure you'll find each other again."
Neal held up his hands. "Just stop! Stop thinking about yourself for one minute. I won't do that to Emma. You think I want to be like you and abandon my kid, no thanks. Do you have any idea the hell I've been through because of you? The nightmares you've left me with? Every night for more time than you know I see you choosing magic over your own flesh and blood, letting me fall into God only knows where. The only reason I'm here is to get Emma back with her parents. As far as you and I are concerned we're done."
"Bae."
"No. You stay away from me, you stay away from Emma, you stay away from my family." Neal held up his hands and began walking in the direction of his car. "Just stay away."
At the very same time that Neal was outside Emma sat at the table with Mary Margaret and watched Neal talking to Mr. Gold from the window.
"I'm sure everything's okay," said Mary Margaret trying to calm Emma's nerves.
"I'm not sure," Emma replied taking her eyes off the window and reaching for her cup to take a sip. She liked the feel of the whipped cream make its way down her throat. "Something feels off. Neal has never been this cold before."
"He could be stressed," Mary Margaret suggested.
"No I've seen him stressed. This is different."
Emma shook her head. "I'm sorry you probably have more interesting things to do than listen to me worry about my boyfriend."
"Actually things are pretty much the same around here. At least it feels that way sometimes. He seems like he cares about you though, almost protective."
"Yeah he does," Emma said with a smile.
"How long have you two been together?"
"About eleven months."
"And you two are expecting," Mary Margaret said motioning to Emma's belly. A blush lit up Emma's face. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, I just couldn't help but notice."
Mary Margaret didn't mention anything about Emma's age. Though Emma looked young, about seventeen or eighteen, it wasn't her place to pry too deeply and so she didn't. And in general Mary Margaret didn't very much judge people. She had always done her best to give them the benefit of the doubt. What Emma's life had been before her recent arrival to Storybrooke was none of her business.
Emma placed a hand on her belly. "I guess it is starting to become a little obvious."
"You're glowing," Mary Margaret said with a smile. "How far along are you?"
"About twelve weeks."
Emma wanted to smile, to be happy but she couldn't. Not with her concern over Neal weighing down on her.
Subconsciously Mary Margaret reached over and placed a hand on Emma's. It felt like the natural thing to do even though they had just met. Emma looked down at their hands and it surprised her that she wasn't bothered by the act so she just left their hands as they were.
As if reading Emma's mind she said, "I'm sure whatever it is Neal is keeping from you he has his reasons. He'll tell you when he's ready. You just have to trust him."
"You sound like you've been through this before."
Mary Margaret let out a small laugh, "Me, no. I just think it's best to have faith in people. Sometimes they can surprise you even if at the moment they're scaring you or that you're worried about them. Sometimes people need a little push in the right direction, other times they need to clear their head before they can open up. You can't let that worry get to you though."
Emma continued to look at Mary Margaret as she gave her sound advice. It almost sounded like a mother giving advice to her daughter even though Emma had never known what that felt like.
"I hope you don't take this the wrong way," said Emma, "but things feel easy with you. I feel like I can talk to you, really talk. I've never had that with anyone besides Neal."
Mary Margaret smiled. "It's funny I was thinking the same thing. I know it sounds crazy but I feel like we've met before. You seem so familiar and I know it's crazy because we haven't met."
Emma twirled her cup on the table. "It's not crazy." She then looked at Mary Margaret. "It feels that way to me too.
The two women continued smiling at each other until Ruby broke whatever abnormal thing was going on between them.
"Do you guys plan on staying here all night case you know we gotta close soon."
Both Emma and Mary Margaret placed some cash on the table and then stood up, making ready to leave.
"My place isn't far," said Mary Margaret, "so if you ever need anything or just want to talk again…"
"I'll know where to find you," Emma said.
Mary Margaret smiled. "It was nice to meet you Emma."
"You too," Emma said.
Mary Margaret made her leave through the front door and when she was gone Emma made her way to the back where her hotel room was located.
That night Neal had tried to put the evening behind him, but now given that they were in the same town, it was a lot harder than he expected it to be. Sleep didn't come quickly enough. He wondered if he had made the right decision in coming here.
Around two in the morning Neal finally closed his eyes but sleeping wasn't easy. Darkness almost flooded the forest around him except for a bright lime green shining light from a sinkhole that lead to another realm. Neal begged and called his father a coward and then Rumple let go, Neal falling into the abyss calling out for his papa but this time the memory didn't end completely lost in darkness. The memory repeated itself except now instead of Rumple being the Dark One and he a young fourteen year old boy, Neal was now the adult he had come to recognize and Rumple was the man he had argued with on the sidewalk.
Neal jolted awake. He could feel the sweat trickle down his forehead.
Emma woke up at the sound of Neal's movement. "Another nightmare," she asked rubbing his back.
She was familiar with Neal's nightmares though he never told her what they were about, saying that he couldn't remember.
"It's nothing," Neal said sounding out of breath.
"Neal, was moving here a good idea? You seem stressed. The way you were with Mr. Gold, I've never see you like that with anyone."
Neal did his best to calm himself so Emma wouldn't worry. He looked at her with a new softness in his eyes.
"This place is good for you, you'll see."
"And what about you," she asked, concern creeping in her voice, "What aren't you telling me?"
"What makes you think there's something to tell?"
Emma ran her fingers through Neal's short hair. He had cut it a couple weeks ago and Emma found him even more attractive.
"Because I know you," she said to him, "And I know when you're lying."
Neal played with Emma's hair and placed a hand on her belly. "Ah right your super power. You know I still don't buy that right," he teased.
"Shut up, yes you do."
Neal took a breath. "There are some things I'm not telling you but not because I don't want to. I just need some time."
Emma nodded. She thought back to the words that Mary Margaret had said to her earlier about having faith in people even if they were starting to get you worried. Trusting people didn't come easy to Emma but she loved Neal. It was clear he was hiding something and he even confessed as much but pressuring him seemed like the wrong way to go.
Emma wrapped her arms around his neck. "Take as much time as you need. I'm not going anywhere."
Neal turned his face toward her and kissed her lips. "How did I get so damn lucky," he whispered.
"I keep asking myself the same question."
"Go back to sleep," he said to her as he got out of bed.
Emma sighed and didn't bother to ask where he was going. Whatever was bothering him the nightmare had disturbed him so much that he needed to get out for a bit.