Chapter 11

There was a loud ringing sound and I jumped, Terrence smiled and got up from the table as the ringing continued.

"It's called a phone Es, it won't hurt you I promise" he said squeezing my shoulder as he passed. "Hello?" He said, picking up the thing that he had called the phone. I watched him as he talked, not paying much to what he was saying, I just wanted to know how it worked. "No that's all Elsa." He said pulling back into reality. "Yeah no problem we can be there in 10 minutes." He said I stood up as he put the phone back onto the hook.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"A man by the name of Neal Cassidy showed up at Mr. Gold's shop. He had a marking on his arm and it was frozen over. His veins were frozen. Belle wanted to know if I thought it could be Zelena but you and I both know it isn't." He said looking at me.

"Are you accusing me of something?" I asked taking a step back crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"No, I know you aren't evil but maybe you helped him. That seems like something you would do." He said with a soft smile. I nodded closing my eyes.

"I just don't know how to help him now." I said opening my eyes again to look at him.

"I told them we will be there in ten minutes we should go. You can figure it out on our way." He said walking towards me. "I have faith in you Elsa." He whispered standing next to me. I looked at him and nodded.

"You have too much faith in me if you ask me." I said he smiled kissing me on the cheek.

"Always have, always will," he replied grabbing my hand.

We reached the hospital and a nurse led us to the room. Belle, David, Emma and Hook were all standing around the bed talking to Neal and they all looked at us. Emma was standing by Neal's head her hand rested on his shoulder.

"Neal this is Elsa and Terrence." Belle said Neal nodded.

"Nice to meet you." He said with a soft smile I smiled back politely.

"Why don't we give these guys some time to talk we all have work to do." David said everyone nodded Emma went to walk out but Neal grabbed her hand, she turned looking at him.

"Will you stay? If they tell me something bad I want someone who knows me to be here." He asked, Emma nodded. "So do you remember helping me?" Neal asked looking at me.

"Not off the top of my head but do you mind if I look?" He shook his head and I walked around the bed.

"It' definitely something I could do. It would have been painful but it looks like it stopped the poison. " I said holding his arm carefully.

"So you have ice magic?" Emma asked I looked up and nodded.

"Have since I was little, but I never knew how to control it." I explained looking at Terrence.

"Do you know how to undo it?" Neal asked.

"That's kind of where we hit a road bump. I do but it takes an act of true love. And I don't just mean a kiss, it has to be an act of true love performed by the victim. I'm sorry it's not so simple." I said he only shrugged.

"Lucky for me nothing in my life is simple, but I would do anything for Emma and Henry." Neal said looking at Emma.

"Could you give us a couple minutes?" Emma asked looking at me I nodded.

"We'll just be outside" I said walking out.

"Do you think they can do it?" Terrence asked looking back into the room.

"I think love is a powerful thing that is full of surprises." I said wrapping my arms around him.

A few moments later Emma came out.

"I'm going into the woods to look for Neal's father. I'm not risking his life by taking him with me."

"What about an act of true love?" I asked a little disappointed even in the short time I saw the two of them together, I knew it was love.

"I just, I, I don't know. I'm doing this with or without him." Emma said storming out.

I looked at Terrence before walking back into Neal's room.

"I'm sorry I can't do anything for you." I said looking at him.

"It's fine." Neal said looking down at his hand. "The poison's moving isn't it." He said not looking at me.

"Afraid so, it slowly thawing and the poison is moving towards your heart."

"So even an act of true love would kill me." He said forcing a laugh.

"Maybe not."

"Thanks for saving my life even if I can't remember it." Neal said I nodded.

"I'm sure I had my reasons." I said taking his good hand. "I know I don't really know you but from what I've seen you have two people that love you and many more that want you in their life. Don't give up just yet. I know what it's like to lose a parent and it sucks. Your son shouldn't have to go through that." I said.

"I don't want him to." Neal said looking at me. "Thanks for that." I nodded smiling politely.

"I hope I see you around. " I said squeezing his hand. I hardly knew this man but something about him made me want him to live and get another chance with his family. One that I never got.

Terrence and I walked back to the house in silence. He opened the front door and we slipped inside both of us letting out a sigh.

"I wish I could have done something to help him. If he doesn't do something soon he'll die." I said sitting down on the couch pulling my feet up next to me.

"It's not your fault Ess." Terrence said sitting down next to me.

"I gave him help once and now he needs it again but I can't give it to him." I said laying my head on his shoulder.

"Everything will work out. I promise." He said kissing the top of my head softly, slipping his arm around my shoulder.

"I hope your right." I said with a sigh.

"Always am" He said with a smirk making me laugh.

"You really know how to irritate me don't you." He ginned.

"You love me and you know it." He said looking at me.
Shaking my head I smiled looking at him.

"Doesn't mean I don't sometimes forget just how I fell in love with you. Don't you remember how much you use to taunt me when I was little?" I asked with a smirk,

"That was only because I liked you."

"Because me falling out of a tree is hilarious." I said raising my eyebrows at him.

"Okay that one wasn't supposed to end in you getting injured." He said with a frown I only laughed laying my head back down against him.

"I feel like I haven't gotten sleep in days." I said with a sigh.

"I know, but she's not going to hurt us this time." He said rubbing my arm softly.

"Want to take a nap with me?" I asked he nodded and I could tell he was smiling.

"No funny business." I said hitting him on the chest. He laughed as I pulled him off the couch and headed upstairs.

Being there with him made every problem disappear like it had never been there and it felt like home and safe. I smiled to myself as we lay in bed not saying anything while the afternoon sun shone through the window, as tired as I was I couldn't sleep nor did I want to. The phone rang again and I let out a sigh moving so he could get up to get it.

"Hello" He said while watching me. "Oh hi, yeah she's right here." He smiled handing the phone to me, I took it hesitantly.

"Hello?" I asked he laughed.

"Hi Elsa, it's Neal." My eyes widened hearing his voice, it was much chipper than it had been earlier.

"What a surprise, you sound happy."

"Yeah well I owe you my life now."

"How so?" I asked sitting up against the pillows.

"Well Emma went out to look for my father and after talking with Hook I went after her. Needless to say I almost didn't make it out of there alive."

"But I figured you would die from the poison if you ever melted the ice."

"I almost did but true love's kiss breaks any curse and in this case it saved my life. So thank you for doing this."

"Doing what? I didn't really do much."

"You brought Emma and I back together, we know we love eachother but we didn't realize just how much. I don't know if we're going to get back together right away but just having the woman I love back and my son is more than I ever thought I would get. So thank you Elsa." Neal said I could hear Emma say something on the other end but I couldn't hear her.

"Your welcome Neal and please call me Essie." I said with a soft smile.

"Alright well Essie we are having a party at Grannie's tomorrow and you are more than welcome to join, Terrence too" Neal said making me smile.

"Thanks we'll be there. Now enjoy the family." I said handing the phone back to Terrence who hung it up.

"So?" He asked looking back at me.

"True love is in the air" I said beaming.

"Oh is it?" Terrence said with a smirk as he crawled back onto the bed hovering over me.

"It is, Neal's alive because of Emma." I said looking up at him.

"And I'm alive because of you." He said I looked at him confused.

"What do you mean?" He sighed falling onto his back.

"When I was fighting the second time I didn't think I was going to get through it. Things were crazy and… Every night I would read the book you gave me and imagine you with me. Made things a little easier." He said, moving onto my side I ran my fingers through his hair.

"I love you" I said softly he looked at me with his sweet smile.

"I love you too" He said moving onto his side to face me I laughed as he grunted trying to get comfortable on the small bed. He smiled leaning in towards me, as I leaned back.

"What?" He asked with a sigh.

"Nothing" I smiled leaning back in to kiss him. I smiled to myself as his arms slipped around me pulling me closer to him.