The bogeyman
Hope asked for a oneshot of Neal having a bad nightmare and wanting to go into his parents' bed but feeling too cool. Snow finds out and convinces him.
The six year old woke with a start, sweat pouring down his brow. He had been having a horrible nightmare where the bogeyman had come and taken him away. He didn't know what time it was- but he knew it wasn't morning yet. It was still really dark. That's the way the bogeyman likes it- really dark. Neal sat up in his bed pulling the covers right over his head. What if his mommy and daddy weren't right and the bogeyman was real? If mermaids, fairies and trolls were all real why couldn't the bogeyman be? All Neal wanted to do was bolt out of bed and climb in with his mommy and daddy. They would keep him safe. But he was too big for that now- wasn't he? If his friends at school found out they would all laugh at him. He didn't want people to laugh at him. He would just have to be a big brave boy until the morning. Suddenly, he heard his door creak open. It was the bogeyman!
"Please don't hurt me!" He screamed, shaking under the quilt.
"Neal, calm down. It's just me." Snow said, scurrying over to the side of the bed and pulling the quilt off her shaking son. She quickly pulled him into a hug. "I heard you shouting in your sleep and thought I'd come up and check on you. Nightmare?" Neal nodded. "Want to come in with me and daddy?" Neal thought about it for a second, but shook his head. Still thinking his friends might find out and laugh at him. Snow could tell Neal really did want to be with them. "Nobody at school will know." She assured him. Both she and Charming knew he was having a couple of issues right now with fitting in. With his mommy's assurance, Neal changed his mind and nodded. Snow carefully picked him up and carried him back down to the bed she shared with Charming, who was sitting up waiting for her. "We have a special guest tonight." She explained. Charming smiled, moving over a little for Neal to be placed in the middle of the bed. Neal quickly settled down between his parents. The bogeyman couldn't get him here. Mommy and daddy wouldn't let him!