#swanthievery

Gift for @swanthievery !!!! Hope you enjoy! 

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Snow glistened as it fell from the sky, causes a white sheet to cover the entirety of Storybrooke. The town hadn't seen snow so peaceful in ages, normally it was accompanied by an attack, or curse.

Henry was the first to alert someone, Emma to be precise, of the events happening outside the small apartment complex. He jumped onto Emma's bed, stirring both her and Neal awake. "Mom, you have to see outside." His tone was serious, rousing a small fear in her stomach.

THINGS I’D LIKE: fanfic, giftset, graphics, video or fanmix. If it’s a fic then a holiday theme would be great, but not necessary. For ships I would love something with either swanfire, swanfire family (them with Henry), swanfirequeen family (Neal, Emma, Regina, and Henry. For this it could be swanfire or swan queen as the couple), or something with swanfire and their families (snowing and such). Also I like swan queen but I’d also like Neal somehow incorporated in it if it’s a fic. I’d really like it centered around one of those. Snowing, Sleeping Warrior, Mad Queen, Rumbelle can all be apart of it as well. For individual characters: Neal and Emma.

NO-NO’S: No captain swan, hook, zelena, or outlaw queen please. Also nothing negative about Regina.

WHAT I CAN DO: I can make gifsets, fanmixes, icons, and graphics.

WHAT I ABSOLUTELY CAN’T DO: I cannot write or draw.

BACK-UP GIFTERS: (YES OR NO): No

AN: Hello! This is your nealfire exchange gift! The general idea of this fic is ducklingspark which is an AU of swanfire where Neal/Baelfire and Emma meet when they’re around 14-15 when they’re both in foster homes

Baelfire hit the ground, he had finally gotten out of Neverland, he landed on the pavement in the middle of a street, he looked to his left.. Nothing, he looked to his right, there was a large metal object coming straight at him, lights shining bright. Baelfire had just managed to roll out of the way before it hit him and while the person driving the truck had probably thought just some crazy teenager, probably out on a dare, I remember those days and chuckled to himself, Bae was scared out of his mind, well, excited and scared. You see, Baelfire had heard some of the Neverland boys talking about the “technological advances” where they came from (whatever that meant), he had heard about televisions (he pictured a drawing that moved in a box, he wasn’t far off he’d soon learn) and “cars” which he pictured were something like carriages without horses (again, not far off). So that was a car he said under his breath in awe. He got up and brushed himself off.

“Hey kid!” Bae turned around quickly, he had picked up a faster reaction time from his time in Neverland.

“Where are your parents? Are you a runaway? What’s your name? Come here!” The woman said, Baelfire didn’t know what to say, it was hard to answer those questions, well, not that, they were just surprisingly loaded, his parents were.. Gone, his name was peculiar for the first time he had been in this land let alone one hundred and fifty years later and, well, he supposed he had ran away from his father. He walked over to the woman, who asked the question to which he replied the most eloquent response to a question he had ever said.

“Uhhhh” He looked down, avoiding the gaze of the concerned woman, inside he was knocking his head against a wall, he could have done anything at that moment, run away, lie and say his parents were down the road, it was like he had lost all of his ability to think on his feet the moment he had left Neverland. To be fair he probably had, who knows what kind of magic was there. Idiot he thought to himself. The voice of the woman brought him out of his thoughts.

“You are! Come on we have to get you to the police, she took his hand (more like his wrist) and pulled him (more like dragged him) straight away to her car, shoved him in the back seat and started driving. Mumbling things like "this is for your own good” and “you’ll be happy I was here” after Bae got over the initial shock of the events of the past five minutes, he realized this woman was trying to take him to the police!

“Hey! What the hell lady? You can’t just do this to me!” He half screamed, what were the police going to do to him?

“Actually I can kid, you’re a minor without a guardian, I am legally required to get you to the foster care system” that shut Bae up, he furrowed his brow, what the hell is a foster system? He thought as they pulled into the police station a cop came out

“What seems to be the problem miss?” He asked, a half-smile on his face. Bae and the woman got out of the car.

“Found this boy on the street, he’s a runaway, homeless, whatever the police call them nowadays” the woman said, Baelfire was about to say something but he realized the woman wasn’t wrong, he was a runaway, and he was homeless.

“Okay, miss, I’ll take it from here, thank you for your help, you can head home now.” The police man said, advancing towards Baelfire and gently taking his hand, leading him towards the police station. As they entered the station the former lost boy had a feeling this wouldn’t end up well for him. The police man instructed him to stand in front of the “camera” Bae had heard of cameras and understood the general idea but wasn’t expecting them to flash so he flinched and had to retake the picture of him from the front. After the pictures the man got him a bottle of water and had him sit down across from him.

“Now, I’m going to have to ask you some questions, first is what is your name, and your age?” The cop asked, turning on a computer to a “missing children” database

“Baelfire, and I’m fifteen” he mumbled

“Nealfire and you’re fifteen?” The man said, Bae was about to correct him but he then remembered that if the name Baelfire was a peculiar name back when he was in the land without magic 150 years ago it certainly wasn’t relevant now, so instead he replied a bit more audibly

“No, Neal, yeah.. Neal, and yeah, I’m 15” Bae, now Neal said.

“Okay Neal, my name is John two more questions, where are your parents, what happened to them?” John the police man asked, Neal flinched slightly, after all these years in Neverland it still hurt to think about his parents he hesitated then said, jaw clenched.

“My mother left when I was four and my father.. He.. Died about eight months ago” it was easier to lie to the man and himself about his father, Neal balled his hands up into fists to keep from crying.

“And do you have any other relatives, brothers, sisters, aunts or uncles?” The cop asked “because I don’t see you anywhere on the missing children database” he continued no wonder, I’m not from this land Neal thought to himself. But instead of saying that, he said

“No, I come from a long line of only children” the police officer seemed to find that hard to believe but sighed and replied

“Well, okay kid, I can’t get you in to a foster system right now, but I will get you in a home by tomorrow, until then, you can sleep here” he directed him over to the couch “and I’ll get you an apple or something, God only knows how long it’s been since you ate.” The police man got a blanket out and a banana and tossed them to Neal without saying a word. Neal accepted the items and laid down on the couch, he was a bit too tall so he had to curl up a bit but he wasn’t going to complain, it was the most comfortable place he had slept in since the darlings; But he didn’t go to sleep straight away, no, he stayed up for about another half hour contemplating what was going to happen the next day when he was put in the “foster care” system. Pondering wether he should make a run for it or let it happen, when would he be deemed “an adult” and be let out? Sixteen? eighteen? Twenty one? He hoped it was sixteen, God knows nobody was going to adopt him. But eventually he realized he needed sleep and eventually dozed off.

—–

The former lost boy woke with the sun coming through the blinds, he blinked a few times and then focused on the police man, now a different person than the night before, doing paperwork. Neal slowly sat up and the cop, hearing the sudden movement, turned his head.

“I see you’re up, not sure why, isn’t it early for someone of your age?” Neal didn’t know or care and was about to voice his opinions but the cop continued “why, I’ve got a daughter around your age, she’d sleep until three in the afternoon if she could, crazy teenagers” he finished turning back to his paperwork, giving a weird sort of laugh, again, Neal didn’t couldn’t care less about this guy’s daughter and her sleeping habits, he almost said this but decided against it, he sat in silence until the police officer piped up again.

“Well I’m all done the paper work, I’ve emailed your foster parents and they are coming to pick you up, they should be here in, oh, fifteen minutes” Neal observed that this officer seemed much more enthusiastic about his job than the one last night as he made his way over to the chair across said officer, Neal liked to look people in the eyes while talking to them, though this was quite the one-sided conversation as he hadn’t said anything substantial yet. Neal guessed the reasoning behind the officers joy was his amount of sleep, the cop last night, what was his name? David? Ethan? John? John, that’s right, seemed extremely tired. But the one this morning said again “the home you’re going to is a group home, boys and girls, perhaps you’ll get yourself a girlfriend” the man said, giving a weird sort of laugh, Neal didn’t find the joke funny, but cracked a fake laugh from within him, just to make it seem like he was enjoying the company of this stranger. The man babbled on, Neal didn’t really care but kept nodding his head and listened to the parts that seemed important like the names of his “foster parents” (Kimberly and Dave Underhill) and the street name they live on (ennings drive) until the people in question, his foster parents pulled into the parking lot of the police station. The officer escorted Neal out of the station, Neal thought about making a run for it but decided to at least try out this new life, this new start. Kimberly got out of the vehicle, and greeted Neal with a hug, Kimberly, the woman was a short blond woman in her mid-thirty’s Neal was a bit taller than her but wasn’t towering over her, she had heels on and an orange pant suit, it was clear she had her life together, but while also, obviously having a large heart. Neal wasn’t expecting a hug and so tensed up and widened his eyes and the hug was over as soon as it had started giving him no time to hug back. Kimberly’s husband, Dave, on the other hand, was quite the intimidating person, not in the sense of being able to slam you into the ground, but in the sense of the fact that he looked like he could sue you into oblivion. Dave was a sensible business man, dressed in an expensive suit, brown hair and square shoulders, about six feet tall. Instead of hugging Neal he gave a curt nod in the direction of him, Neal doing the same to him. Both showing respect to each other. In every sense they were the perfect couple, people who could, in Neal’s land, be fair, wise, and kind rulers of the land. Neal thought about this, wondering if they were a bit too perfect, but decided to push the thoughts aside as he was directed into the car. Neal got into the back seat.

“Oh you are just going to love the new cloths we bought for you! And our house, let me tell you about about our house, it’s nice and warm and big, you’ll have a ball there! Won’t he Dave?” Dave just gave a short “yes dear” and continued driving, in a way they reminded Neal of George and Mary Darling, Mary being extremely, sometimes sickeningly optimistic, and George being down to earth but welcoming. It still hurt to think of them too, every sense of family he’s had has been ripped away from him, he hoped that didn’t happen with these people, he tried not to think of them as “family” already, more as just.. Temporary housing. As Kimberly kept rambling on about how much he would love it there Neal was lost in thought, looking out the window and loving the way these “cars” brought a sense of peace to him.

As they pulled up into the driveway Neal did see that the house was large, about as big as the Darling manor. Which, in all fairness, was enormous. Neal got out of the car, which he realized must have been a nice one and walked up the stairs, before they went in Dave stopped Neal to have a chat

“Listen, you seem like a nice kid, but as there is lots of kids in this house we’ve established rules and a routine, you’ll have three hours of free time on weekends, one on weekdays, there is a discussion time for around thirty minutes each night, that is your time to voice your concerns, our rules are few and simple, try hard in school, respect us and the other kids, and ask us before going out, follow these rules and you’ll have as good of time as my wife says you will. Okay?” Dave sounded pretty serious when he said this but ended it with a smile so Neal wouldn’t be scared out of his mind, Dave then led Neal upstairs, showed him his room (which he shared with about 5 other boys) and left Neal to get changed for dinner.

—-

As Neal came down the stairs the other kids in the home eyed him wearily, Neal took a seat at the table and not thirty seconds after sitting down did a boy, around his age but much burlier than Neal, was standing behind him

“Hey twat head, that’s my seat” the boy said sauntering over to Neal moving his head up in a motion that clearly gave off the fact he expected Neal to move and sit somewhere else, but Neal wasn’t having any of it.

“No” the boy laughed

“What?” The boy said, apparently quite amused at Neal revolting his request.

“Did I stutter? I’m not moving, go find somewhere else to sit, I’m not scared of you, maybe if you hadn’t called me a, and I quote, twat head, I would have kindly gotten up, but I don’t feel like it now.” Neal replied sarcastically, unaware of how much he was being like his father. The boy could have staggered back, except he was determined to stand his ground; show his domination. Instead he mocked Neal’s slight, but noticeable Scottish accent. Making the boys behind him laugh, but Neal knew that “laugh” it was the same laugh he had done when the police man made a joke about him getting a girlfriend, it was a fake laugh, one that contained confusion and a little bit of fear. Neal could have called them out on this but instead gave a look that just screamed “are you really being this stupid right now?” And the boy quickly realized that the table was soon filling up, and if he got in to a battle, whether it would be one of wits or physical fighting (which Neal would probably win either way) with this new, skinny kid, and lost, he would be the laughing stock of the home for the next four years he would be in this dumpster. But he swore he would get Neal back one day.

Once everybody was seated, (a few of the younger kids staring in awe at how Neal was able to stand up to the boy) Kimberly and Dave started to bring out the food, dishing out the right portions to each of the kids, some of the “larger” kids were unhappy with their portion, Neal was more than satisfied with the amount of food he got. He ate silently, looking around the table, most everyone seemed to be in a conversation, so Neal just observed them, assessing them, trying to find who he should, and could make friends with. A few of the girls were making eyes at him, finding him attractive, but Neal only had his eyes set on one. A blond girl sitting across from him, she wasn’t talking to anybody, or staring at him. She didn’t look sad, or mad, or sick, or observing other people like he was, just, concentrating on her food, lost in thought. If Neal didn’t find her attractive he certainly knew that she was friend material. He said hello to her, but the table was so loud, she was so far away, and he said it so quietly it was unlikely anybody heard him. So he just decided to finish eating. He asked a boy next to him if he could leave after finishing, but unfortunately he couldn’t, only when everybody is finished could they move on to “discussion period” apparently. So for the next fifteen minutes He just sat, spaced out, not thinking about anything in particular until Kimberly ordered them to go to the den for discussion period. While some kids looked excited, others looked like they were dreading the entire thing. Neal didn’t exactly know where the den was but just decided to follow the other kids, keeping his eyes on the blond haired girl the whole time.

Discussion period started with Kimberly saying something that caught Neal off guard

“As some of you may have noticed there is a new child in our home, and his name is” her head turned towards him and soon every head in the room was looking at him, Neal was not expecting to have to say something but managed to stammer out

“Well uh- my name is Bae- I mean Neal.” He said scratching the back of his neck. Kimberly again, always joyful asked

“And how old are you Neal?” This time Neal’s reaction was almost instantaneous, with a quick

“Fourteen” he said as he sighed out and closed his eyes. Kimberly then decided it would be a good idea to have everybody in the circle of roughly sixteen kids to state their name and age. Neal was only interested in one person’s name though, it was nice to learn the name of the boy who made a desperate attempt at intimidating him and his little gang of friends. At the end of the little name collection time the only information Neal picked up was the fact that the blond haired girl was named Emma she does look like an Emma thought Neal, and the bully’s name was Tom. It was funny, all the stupid people in his life so far had been named Tom or Tommy. There was a Tommy in his village that terrorized him when he was four. A few lost boys that had been brainwashed by pan that were named Tom or a variation on it, he silently vowed to himself that if he ever had a kid, not to name them Tom. No matter how much Emma wanted it. Wait, what the hell? He hadn’t spoken a word to this girl and was already thinking about doing that to her? What was wrong with him?(though in all fairness he hadn’t seen a girl in centuries so any person of the female gender he would think of doing “that” to her) After discussion time he went upstairs to his bedroom, he met some of the people he shared it with. Elliot, Robert, Henry, Lance, and Sam Henry seemed like a nice guy, and so did Elliot, but Robert reminded him too much of his father for some reason, he was pretty neutral on lance and Sam but he was sure they weren’t too terrible. After talking to Henry and Elliot about the rules of the house in detail, like learning that tomorrow Dave would take him shopping for new cloths, some books, maybe a video game, and some stuff to play sports outside so that he wasn’t bored out of his mind. After that he decided to get into bed, borrowing a book from Elliot (who was on the top bunk above him) he eventually went to sleep at around nine thirty, a half an hour before curfew, with his last thought thinking about how this might not be as bad as the other lost boys said it was

–

Neal was awoken the next day by the small whispers of “hey kid” in his ear, he wasn’t suddenly awakened, but it was sudden enough to make him jump slightly. Dave apologized and told him to get dressed and meet him downstairs. Neal thought this must be his “shopping day” and quickly got out of bed and grabbed the clothes they had already bought for him so he had something to wear. The jeans and t-shirt were a bit big, but small enough to not be draping over him. Neal would be thankful to get some clothes that actually fit him though, as well as something to occupy himself with. When he came downstairs Neal noticed a plate of eggs Benedict on the table along with some toast and butter, with jam on the side of he wanted it.

“Not a bad breakfast eh?” Dave asked, he piped up again “so kid, this is our day to get to know each other, I can usually connect with kids like you, so don’t hold back, I’m here for you whenever.” Dave gave a reassuring smile and for the first time in what seemed like forever, Neal smiled back in a way that wasn’t fake.

“This breakfast it- it reminds me of what my father and I used to have” Neal said, almost tearing up. Dave gave an apologetic look.

“Yeah, I heard what happened to your father, real tragedy, no child should ever have to go through that; if you don’t mind, would you like to share a bit about him? Sometimes that helps you know?” Dave said, Neal knew he was trying to help him, Dave was almost trying to pry a closed clam open, and he was getting close to winning. But Neal trusted him, and perhaps that’s why he opened up.

“Yeah, I get it, my father he-” Neal stopped to both cram some eggs into his mouth and to think of just the right words to describe his father. “He was a good man, up until about a year ago we were pretty poor, we could barely keep the rent up, at sometimes he had to make the decision of whether or not we would eat or pay rent. And when my mother left, it only made it harder, sure, one less mouth to feed, but also one less person bringing in income, he- he always made sure I was was with a full stomach, and I was clothed and warm, even if it meant he didn’t get everything he needed.” Neal said, his voice cracking around the end, a couple tears ran down his face but he bit his lip and had some toast to keep from crying. Dave reached for his forearm across the table and rubbed it gently.

“Hey, I know it’s hard, if I can ask, how did he die?” Dave questioned, it only made Neal want to cry more, it was getting hard to keep the tears in and Neal just wanted to collapse on the table but he knew he couldn’t in front of Dave. “I’m sorry, that was out of line, I barely know you, I just, wanna give you help, I know this may not be the best thing for some kids, but Kimberly and I could enroll you into therapy?” Dave said, trying to be tender, Neal sensed Kimberly was better at this, but he trusted Dave more.

“No, that’s okay, I can work through my own problems” Neal said, “though it’s nice to know you’re always there” he continued with a nod to Dave.

“Well it seems you’re finished your breakfast, lets hit the road!” Dave exclaimed, clearly trying to cheer Neal up, Neal accepted the effort and cracked a smile. They listened to the radio on the way to the mall, Neal observed that the style of music was really upbeat and light, listening to songs like “breakfast at Tiffanys” and “wonderwall” they were certainly different to what Neal had been acostumed to, but they were a nice change. When they pulled into the mall parking lot, Neal couldn’t help but be astonished, this was the biggest building he had ever seen, well, aside from the sweatshop he worked in for 15 days until he escaped back before he met the darlings.

“Well, here it is kid, do you want to go for clothes or other things first?” Dave inquired, raising an eyebrow. While the thought of browsing books and finding out what video games were interested Neal but he had to go for the clothing, he wanted to become familiar with this lands clothing, he could know nothing about the new technology in this land, but as long as he looked the part, nobody would ask questions. They walked into a store called “Contempo Casuals” and Neal picked out a few pairs of jeans, a pair of sneakers, and sweat shirts and t-shirts for summer and winter. For some entertainment Neal decided to go “old fashioned” (as Dave called it) and picked out many books, a soccer ball and a deck of cards, he would get into video games and computers later, besides, they had a brand new console they had got a month ago called the Nintendo 64 and two shared house computers. They decided to eat lunch at a food court, Neal just got whatever Dave was getting, and copied how Dave was eating it, he wanted to blend in, Neal soon learned that burgers and fries were the thing of gods, and after they both got ice cream (which was also heaven on earth) all in all, it was a good day by Neal’s standards. There was one weird thing though, while shopping deodorant (which apparently helped odor on him, which Neal wasn’t going to oppose) he saw Dave sweep a box of things called “condoms” into the shopping cart, before Neal could ask what they were Dave just told him that he “was going to need them in the future” Neal vowed to find out what they were later.

–

During “free time” Neal decided to approached Emma, who was reading in the back yard, by herself, she also happened to be reading the book that Neal had picked out, but Neal had a plan. He read the first two chapters, (so he had something to talk about) and he would go downstairs and talk to Emma about it! It was the perfect conversation starter. Except when he went downstairs into the backyard, he couldn’t get anything out but

“Uhm.. So uh, I-you-we” he said while fidgeting his thumbs. Emma looked up, giving a look that said “can I help you?” But perhaps what the worst thing that he could have said was blurted out at that moment “YOU LOOK REALLY PRETTY” no, that’s not what he was thinking, he actually said that. He wanted to bash his head against a tree but instead he decided he would do it against his bed post later. So he politely (and awkwardly) excused himself and started walking away until something unexpected was said

“You’re pretty cute too, and hey, you’ve got the same book as me!!” Emma said while laughing nearly uncontrollably. Apparently after the initial shock, she found the whole thing funny and a little bit cute. She had also brought up the thing Neal was planning on bringing up, Neal didn’t know whether to be embarrassed or not. He decided to play it off and laugh at himself, scratching his head Emma patted the empty grass beside her. Indicating that she wanted him to come sit down, so he did. “Nice flirting skills” Emma said, cracking a smile, sure, to some boys she was pre-pubescent and short with her nose too long, but to Neal she was pure perfection. Her smile made Neal beam, They talked for a while, about the book, about anything really, until it was time for dinner, Neal still didn’t know if she was “into him” but he knew for sure when Kimberly called them in for dinner and they both stood up and Emma said something that completely knocked Neal off his feet.

“Should we kiss? Do you want to?” Neal didn’t know what to say, wasn’t it a bit early for kissing? He wanted nothing more to though, apparently he had thought for a bit too long, because Emma then said

“You don’t then? Okay..” And started walking away Neal had to do something quick, so he ran up, held Emma by the shoulders and kissed her, it was no tonsil tennis, but not necessarily a peck either.

“Actions speak louder than words” he said to her, and in that moment all they could feel was happiness.

—

Until they realized Tommy had spotted them. And from that moment onwards the teasing started.

“Looks like the ugly duckling and the Scottish kid are kissing” great, now I’m known as the Scottish kid Neal thought to himself, Neal stood in front of Emma.

“Like hell she’s an ugly duckling, she’s about as ugly as you are smart. And really? Scottish kid? You couldn’t find anything better than that??” Neal retorted.

“Do you wanna fight me? I will fight you right here, whoever wins gets to do whatever they want to her” Tommy said, licking his lips at the end, in the end, it was Neal that threw the first punch, to the groin. Using women in that way was Neal’s tipping point, soon enough it escalated into a brawl that amassed quite a following. It ended in Dave and Kimberly coming to break up the two. Both of them had a black eye, and Neal even had a few bite marks on him. Their foster parents, questioned them, deciding on one less hour of free time a day for two weeks, they both seemed to expect this from Tommy but frankly, Dave just seemed disappointed in Neal. The next morning Neal woke up to find a note on his bed from Emma. It said

Dear Neal,

I’m so sorry, I ran away from the foster system, this has nothing to do with you or the fight, but I can’t stay in this place anymore, I can’t stand it. I want you to know that I love you and I will miss you the most, even though we only knew each other for a while. I gave you a copy of the book so now you have two. It’s because we’re both so alike. Anyways, maybe when we’re older we will meet again, but for now, I need to be by myself. I would have said good bye but actions speak louder than words.“

Neal was heart broken, he gave his first kiss to someone who ran away the next day. He struggled to keep in tears but couldn’t, he cried for ages, everyone he loved he had lost, why him?

—

4 years later

Emma walked down a dark alleyway, she needed a car and needed one now. She found a yellow bug and broke into it, she didn’t know or care who’s it was, but she needed it. She had driven for about a mile when somebody in the back startled her.

"Nice job but, you could have just asked for the ke- wait, Emma?” Emma whirled her head around, thank god she was on the highway, because she slammed the breaks.

“NEAL?” She half asked, half said to herself in surprise. The car lurched forward as she slammed on the breaks.

“Emma what the hell why did you steal my car?” Neal uttered he was nor surprised than angry.

“I DIDN’T KNOW IT WAS YOUR CAR IF I HAD I WOULDN’T HAVE STOLEN IT” Emma screamed, she was freaking out, Neal finally got his senses back and told Emma to pull the car over so they could have a conversation that wouldn’t result in a car crash, Emma obliged, but was shaking while doing so. Neal slowly climbed into the passenger seat, he still liked to look people in the eyes while talking to them. It was at this time the anger kicked in.

“WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU DO THAT TO ME. I GAVE MY FIRST KISS TO YOU AN- AND YOU JUST LEAVE AFTER THAT? ARE WE OLD ENOUGH? ARE YOU DONE WITH YOUR "alone time”? SHOULD JUST GIVE MY VIRGINITY AWAY TO YOU AND HAVE YOU RUN AWAY AGAIN? I LOVED YOU EMMA!“ Neal screamed at the top of his lungs, he collapsed right then and there, Neal couldn’t stop the tears, everybody had left him, what was next? Was his father going to come back and beg for forgiveness too? He rested his head on the dash board and kept crying, little did he know that Emma was crying on the steering wheel too. She managed to get out

"Neal- Neal you don’t understand, I was miserable there, I had to get out” Emma stammered.

“And you didn’t think to take me with you? How did you know I would love it there? It was hell without you Emma” Neal said, he seemed calmed down but Emma knew he was anything but that, Emma thought, he doesn’t know that I think about him every day, I always thought he’d never cry, I also thought I’d never see him again though, but here he is, breaking down in front of me, who hurt him? What happened to him that he has so bad of abandonment issues? These thoughts plagued Emma until she could she decided to voice her thoughts.

“Neal, I thought about you every day of my life from that day on, I regretted leaving by my second day by myself, I wanted you to be with me and love me and hold me and tell me everything would be fine I-” Emma was cut off by someone’s lips on hers, she accepted it, the kiss seemed like it lasted for hours, in reality it was only a minute and a half of full on making out (still pretty impressive) when they finally pulled away Neal whispered in her ear.

“Actions speak louder than words”

—

11 months later

Emma woke up beside her husband to the wet fluid around her and searing pain. Of course she thought, Neal is still sleeping he was until a contraction hit and Emma and she cried out in pain which woke Neal up.

“Emma, what’s wrong is it the baby?” Neal soon realized that they were sitting in a pool of liquid, he didn’t know what it was, amniotic fluid or.. He didn’t want to think about it, blood. He got up and turned on the lights and was relieved to see it was not the horrific scenario he had been having nightmares about for nine months. But he then realized that it was time. Time for him to be a father. Emma got up and so did he, she worked on getting her shoes on around her “whale body” as she had named it (despite Neal’s protests) as Neal grabbed the “essentials” in quotation marks because after three minutes Emma got fed up with waiting. How long does it take to grab a hospital bag Emma thought, she waddled out to the kitchen to check on him maybe he had a heart attack dammit all, he’s supposed to be comforting me and getting me to the hospital, not the other way around! Emma thought angrily she got even more angry when she saw what he was actually doing. He was making coffee. Emma would have tackled him then and there if it weren’t for a contraction that made her double over. Neal turned off the coffee maker (only after it was done pouring his coffee) and rushed over to Emma. Leading her down the elevator of the small apartment and out the door to the yellow bug where so many things had happened while Emma was whisper-screaming curse words into his ear. She was in the middle of a particularly profane one when she stopped mid-way and slapped him across the face.

“What the hell Emma?” Neal said loud enough to wake a few neighbours Emma’s answer was simple:

“Actions speak louder than words”

—

The labour lasted thirteen and a half hours of screaming, pain, and one bite mark on Neal for saying just at the end of a rest between contractions that “at least she’d get rid of her whale body” the baby finally came out. The next five minutes were a blur to both of them they had learned that it was a healthy baby boy, Neal had cut the umbilical cord (only after realizing how gross a newborn looked) and Emma was soon holding their child. That sounded so right, their child. Theirs to look after, to love and nurture, to love and to hold, in sickness and in health and- wait, no, that was their wedding.

“What should we name it?” Neal said, Emma cut him off

“Him” she said, Neal realized it was no longer an “it” inside of his wife’s stomach, it was a living, human.. Him. It didn’t feel real to him, but Neal repeated “him”.

“I think.. Thomas?” Emma suggested but then laughed and they both thought back to when she had first found out she was pregnant.

They were living on the road, different place every week at least. That was, until Emma walked into the hotel room they were living in holding a pregnancy test. It wasn’t necessarily a mistake, but it wasn’t preferred either. Emma was crying. Neal got up.

“What is i- oh my lord, Emma are you-?” Neal raised his eyebrows, he didn’t want to even say it, they had only both just turned nineteen, and the way they were living was no way to raise a child. Emma nodded, cupping her mouth. “Not Tom, or Thomas or Tommy, okay?” Neal stated. She collapsed on his shoulder, looks like he had to be the strong one in this scenario. They laid out a plan to get their life “together”.

The next week they got a marriage license at the court house. They didn’t bother with a traditional church wedding because both of them were atheists and they had no one to invite (well, Neal could have invited the darling brothers but he thought they were long dead) Neal got a “temporary” job as an accountant and Emma started working at seven eleven. By month three they bought an apartment and by month five they were living so domestically you’d hardly think they were nineteen.

Neal quickly caught on she was joking (it was a long day) and laughed along.

“Seriously though, we can’t just keep playing the pronoun game when referring to him for the rest of his life” Neal said, cracking a smile to Emma. Emma didn’t have any ideas, sometimes Neal missed being I the enchanted forest, where you didn’t have to decide a name until “naming day” a week later. Well, to be fair it was just to be sure that the baby didn’t die before the parents got too attached to them but still. Then, genius struck.

“How about Henry?” Neal asked.

“What is he? A fourteenth century king that beheads women?” Emma inquired, Neal was about to respond but then their beautiful baby opened his eyes. Emma suddenly said

“Yes. Henry. Let’s name him Henry.”

“Why the sudden change in heart?” The Neal asked. Emma usually didn’t change her mind, like.. ever, even about the smallest things. One time she wouldn’t let Neal get a certain carpet because it was “too dark” (it was one shade darker that what she picked out and eventually bought)

“His eyes look like a henry” she said, not that that was a good reason, but Neal would gladly have his way.

“You know, maybe we shouldn’t, that’s the name of one of my friends I met in foster care, you know how big of a head Henry has” Neal jokingly said.

“Neal, I want you to know that I lo-” Neal cut her off.

“Emma, you just had my baby. You just pushed a watermelon out of your uterus, I think it’s safe to say, that actions speak louder than words.”

—

10 years later

“Hey Emma, I got a "storybrooke” postcard in the mail, do you know where that is? Who August Booth is? Because that’s who sent it..“ Neal said, walking in to their house, from getting the mail. Emma was making strawberry pancakes for breakfast for their children and eggs Benedict for her and Neal.

"I think it’s that small town right beside ou- holly hell what is that?” Emma called from the kitchen. Neal rushed in, they saw purple smoke rising from said town. Some, no, most people would have assumed some normal smoke with, powder or something in it to make it look purple, but Neal knew. This was magic. And magic had teared his family apart twice already and he wasn’t going to let it happen again. He took his wife and two children under his arms and squeezed. But the smoke was gone as soon as it had came, and it never touched their house.

“What ever this Storybrooke is I think we need to investigate it Neal” Emma said.

“Vacation?” Henry and Harmony said almost exactly at the same time.

“Yeah kids.. Vacation” Neal said, as much as he didn’t want to do it, Neal needed to stop magic from tearing other people apart. So they started packing. But Neal started to doubt himself.

“Emma this could be bad for our kids, I like this life, domestic and routine, now I’m not saying that I don’t miss our old way of living, but I help you with your bail bonds job all the time, and we’re not eighteen anymore an-”

“Shhhhhh” did Emma just… Shush him? Before he could get over the shock Emma came over to him.

The distance aches the worst. 

When they are very young, the distance is physical– castle walls and sprawling dense forest, duty and responsibility keeping her locked in while the looming threat of his father’s darkness keeps him running running running. They declare love in longing letters, devise elaborate plans to meet in thrillingly secret spots. They whisper promises and maybes and somedays in dark wooded places and it aches but the ache is still exhilarating.

When Bae turns 17, he goes to the castle to train for knighthood with a false history he and Emma have pulled together over months of careful planning with the tentative, buzzing excitement of hope and almost there. The distance is less limiting– they occupy the same space with relative ease now: in corridors and stables and even (when they’re feeling truly invincible) the tavern just a short walk from the castle grounds. Their distance, now, is propriety and discretion, in measured glances and hushed tones and looking over shoulders. It’s thrilling, still, if not a little disappointing. Their eyes sting with it every time they look away from one another, but the space between them is still comfortingly small.

Bae has been a full-fledged knight for a month, and Emma is months away from her official presentation to society when she becomes pregnant with his child. The sort of distance it brings is cold and wrapped up tight in finality, in nevers. 

Their secret expands to a small, tightly kept circle– Emma’s parents and a few trusted advisors. Dreams once whispered deep in the forest give way to stark realities with contingency plans. Stories are memorized and coached and recited with a real, looming threat overhead. It is no longer thrilling.

The weight of the distance sinks deep in his gut as Bae listens, with the rest of the kingdom, to the King announce that the Princess had wed in a quiet, private ceremony, that her love had been killed valiantly, saving a village, that she was now carrying a child. Emma, standing at her father’s side, doesn’t meet his eyes, and he’s glad for it– he couldn’t take how far away she’d seem.

The distance creeps in when he feels his child kick in his mother’s belly for the first while hidden in a dark, dusty corner, Emma’s heart all but beating out of her chest with the fear someone might walk by. 

It rings tauntingly in his ears at the proclamation that the young prince– his child, has been born, a full day after the fact.

It wraps around him tightly as he stands guard at Prince Henry’s coronation, eyeing the empty spot next to Emma, just the length of the banquet hall away.

There’s a cruel truth to the distance between them: it is not a bridge to cross nor a river to forge. It’s a canyon, a trench, unfathomably deep and impossible to cross.

C*pt*inswan

sk*eward