Author's note:

This story is written for one of my lovely beta's (And beta'd by her too): Pepper1622

Prompt: Any story about Neal and Henry, with Emma there too.

Set: After 2x14 and right before Neal falls into the portal.

Couple: Neal and Emma (Swanfire)

Hope you enjoy!

This story will continue with more Swanfire, following the rough storyline I have set. However, it would probably be more like drabbles/oneshots following a specific storyline, than a story.

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"I can't lose you, Neal, I can't," Emma says, tears falling down her face. "Not again."

"I am not going to pull you down with me," Neal claims, basically offering to sacrifice himself.

Emma sees Tamara; she seems to have doubled back. Emma knows by Tamara's expression that she's planning on attempting to push both Emma and Neal into the portal. She barely even realizes when she starts floating, lifting Neal completely out of the portal. Emma's hand goes out, surprising Tamara and pulling her past her. Tamara loses her balance and falls into the portal, closing it.

Neal looks at her, shocked, but launches forward and hugs her, which Emma instantly returns. The moment is short lived; Emma looks up at his face when he winces, before remembering he was shot. She looks down and her mind goes blank when she sees the blood coming from Neal's gunshot.

"We need to get you to the hospital!" Emma says quickly.

"I'm fine, Emma," Neal insists, trying to fake a smile through his pain.

"You're not fine—you've been shot," Emma replies. "Besides . . . I know you're lying," she adds, before pulling him closer to her so she can help him to the car.

Neal groans in pain and slings his arm around Emma's shoulders to support his weight and help him walk.

Emma leads him out, occasionally glancing at the wound. She helps him into the passenger's side of her car. "Are you okay?" she asks when he winces.

"Emma . . ." he starts.

"Right," Emma mutters, running around to get into the driver's side. She is still shaky from nearly losing him into the portal; things were said and almost said. She takes a deep breath before driving the car as quickly and carefully she can.

In her mind, Emma knows that it was in vain saving Neal now, when the town is in danger. But she has saved the town so many times; there is no way she will risk losing the person she loves. If he dies, there is no point saving the town. She pulls into the hospital parking lot, hoping there is still somebody there to help Neal, and gets out of the car.

Neal knows that if Emma wasn't here, he wouldn't be able to walk; he can barely manage the pain as it is. He blindly lets her lead him and does what she says. He pays attention when she makes him lie down and starts backing off. He just about gets eye contact with her, sees her saying something, but doesn't hear her, before she runs off, leaving him with some medical staff.

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Time skip to after they save Storybrooke. In this Henry was not taken, Emma and Regina used their magic to stop the stone, and Captain Hook did not return.

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Neal, Emma and Henry sit in a booth at Granny's, a coffee each for Emma and Neal and a hot cocoa with cinnamon for Henry.

"Are you going to stay in Storybrooke now?" Henry asks Neal, smiling at him.

"I'm not sure yet, Henry," Neal replies, having not worked everything out.

"Okay," Henry responds, accepting the answer, to the surprise of Emma. "Can I go see Mom? I haven't seen her since you two saved Storybrooke again."

Emma laughs. "Of course. Want me to take you?"

"No, I'm okay," Henry says, basically running out of Granny's.

"That was weird," Emma comments, looking at Neal.

"What do you think?" Neal asks, given her his full attention.

"I don't know. It could be nothing. She's his mother too," Emma replies.

Neal smiles. "I meant about me staying in Storybrooke. I want to know your opinion."

"Oh. Henry would love it. You're his dad—it would be good for him to have another male role model. That is, if you don't teach him to hotwire the cars," Emma teases, gaining a laugh from Neal. "I know your father would like it."

"I don't—"

"Wait. Your father can help a lot of people here, and he'll listen to you. Having you around may actually benefit Storybrooke."

"I don't see how he can help—he's the Dark One," Neal mutters, still not completely able to neither forgive nor trust his father.

Emma places her hand on his. "He is not entirely evil. He really has helped people, sometimes without even making his silly deals. Not to mention he has love in his heart."

Neal takes a breath, about to respond, before Emma decides to continue talking.

"He's your father, and he loves you too. All parents do things in their past that they may regret or that you disagree with. I'm not defending what he has done; I'm just saying that people change, and I'm really starting to sound like my parents," she says with a realization.

Neal chuckles slightly. "Hope, love and faith fixes everything?"

Emma laughs. "That's what they say. Everybody gets their happy ending."

"What is your happy ending?" Neal asks Emma.

"I'm the Savior—I don't get a happy ending," she replies, almost instantly.

"Everybody gets their happy ending, remember?" Neal assures, clasping her hand in his.

Emma glances at their hands, and her eyes instantly flicker up to his. The prominent emotions which were bubbling around had recently rushed to the surface when he nearly died. She had expected for them to settle and dissipate, because she didn't want to still be in love with the person who abandoned her.

However, Neal isn't just the guy that abandoned her when she was eighteen—he isn't the guy that sent her to jail. He is the guy who gave her the best thing she could have: Henry, even if the universe is against her, not allowing her to ever find a family, forcing her into loneliness so she could become the Savior and save everybody's happy endings. Maybe, now that she's here, now that she's completing her task, her prophecy, maybe the loneliness can end. She finally has a family, her mother and father, even though they are her age. She has a son, the most amazing boy ever, who found her and reunited her with her family. Even though she won't admit it to anybody else, she has Regina, who is like a sister; they hated each other, and yet are always there for one another. Maybe it's time for her to finally have her happy ending, to finally be able to love completely without fear of being rejected.

Emma looks back up at Neal, not sure when she looked away from him, and smiles. "I think my happy ending is right here in Storybrooke, with my parents, our son . . . and you. I think you should stay."

Neal smiles, his blue eyes lighting up. "Then I'll stay," he confirms, no hesitation or doubt in his voice.