A/N: So this was something I posted a LONG time ago and read recently much to my own embarrassment. It's pretty awful. Like REALLY not my best work whatsoever. I have fixed the major grammar issues and the few moments that made me cringe the most but I'm not going to put a TON of work into this. It's kind of a train wreck. I apologize and I hope you enjoy it anyway! If you're looking for some of my better OUAT AU work - well check out them all! - but I am working on one right now that I REALLY love and that is Lost Girl. Thanks for reading!
"Swan!" the deep tenor voice rang out behind the offending Miss Swan and a small smile graced her face. She wiped it off quickly before turning around and looking at the deep, accented voice.
"Captain Hook," She responded calmly. "You're still in town."
"Never fear lass, I listened to your warning. I shall take a break from my vendetta to fully consider the thought that the Dark One may have changed. I am, however, fully confident that I shall come to a far different conclusion than the one you wish me to arrive at."
"Thank you."
"If I find he is still himself, I will kill him Swan." She nodded, coldly. When Emma had overheard (a rather inebriated) Captain Hook boasting of his plan to follow Gold out of Storybrooke and kill him in the land without magic, she had instantly locked him up. After a few long (and if she was being honest with herself, bonding) conversations, she had convinced him that Gold was a different man. "Do you really want to be judged by who you used to be, Hook?" She had asked him. Something about his own past made the pirate stop and think, deciding to at least determine for himself whether or not Gold was the same man. Emma hadn't bothered to tell him that Gold had suggested that he no longer needed to leave town to find his son, that he had a way to bring this 'Baelfire' to Storybrooke. God help that poor boy.
"Mom!" A true smile spread across Emma's face now as she saw her son running to her. "Mom! We're going to go help Mr. Gold! He is bringing his son to Storybrooke right now and with Belle not remembering him he has no one for support or anything so you and mom and I are going to go be with him and help convince his son he is a different person."
"Oh we are, are we?" Emma asked dryly.
"Baelfire is coming here?" Hook's voice was suddenly hallow and weak. "The Dark One is going to force Bae to return?"
"You know him?" Emma was surprised. Perhaps the origin of their feud had more to do with his family that Gold had insinuated.
"We have to mom. Both you and mom owe Mr. Gold a favor and he is insisting." Damn. Emma had forgotten about that favor. But if convincing a scared boy to listen to his father for 5 minutes was what it took to get Ashley her child than it was more than worth it. Besides, if Gold did anything untoward to that child there were plenty of mothers, her's included, who would leap to action to protect the child. Emma sighed.
"Fine, kid, let's go."
"Might I come, love?" Hook's request surprised her. But perhaps he wanted to witness Gold's interactions with his child. That would certainly show a changed person. Wouldn't it?
"I don't know how Gold is going to feel about that but He can't do much more than ban you from his shop. You can always watch through the windows." She paused, curiosity getting the better of her. "Why exactly do you want to come?"
"That boy is terrified of his father. The Dark One ripped apart that boy's family and abandoned him to a new world all alone. He won't want a thing to do with him. But in this new world he may need help, or someone who understands his life. I can be that for him." Emma's heart softened at this. He was telling the truth, she could tell. And he truly wanted to be there just so he could be there for the boy. As they arrived at Gold's shop they found that Gold reacted to the situation precisely as Emma had predicted.
"The pirate can stay out." He almost snarled. "I don't want him to distract me as I get my happy ending." Emma nodded at Hook who moved to leave the shop. "Wait." Gold smirked. "Stay. On second thought I want you to witness as Iget my family back. Witness this pirate. I shall reclaim what you once stole from me."
"I never took your son, Dark One. We spoke of it, but Milah couldn't take him from you. She couldn't leave you with nothing. If she had known what you would become we would have never left without him." Gold held up his hand in anger, a small fire ball beginning to grow. Without thinking Emma raised her own palm and a white light flashed out, swallowing Gold's fire ball whole, extinguishing it. Gold stopped and stared at her.
"What was that?" Regina's voice chimed in as she entered the shop. "What on earth was that spell?"
"Been practicing dearie?" Gold asked with a smile.
"No." Emma responded shakily. "Sometimes I just feel or think something and then magic kind of just, does whatever I thought." Her voice was quiet, almost ashamed. Regina snorted in disgust.
"I have to practice for years and she just so much as feels badly for her pirate friend and stops his death like that? How is that fair?"
"Can we change the subject?" Emma asked. The ability to control her magic, or rather her lack thereof was terrifying. She had already accidently thrown several dishes and a potted plant against a wall, imagine if she were mad at a person! "We're here Gold. What is the favor?" The man in question cleared his throat and began to speak.
"When my son arrives he will likely run. I need you to go after him Swan, make him understand that he is safe here, and get him to talk to me. I just need to talk to him, to convince him I've changed." A snort from Captain Hook made it clear that he didn't quite believe the sentiment but a look from Emma silenced him instantly.
"Fine. Let's get this over with." Regina said with a sigh. Gold opened a safe behind the desk and pulled out what Emma could only assume was some sort of article of clothing. Laying it on the table he started pouring a neon green potion over it, saying some sort of spell.
"You're just going to summon him?" Regina asked. "Will that work?"
"Not by itself." Gold answered simply. Regina quietly pulled Henry away from the magic and stepped in front of him.
"Is this dangerous?" Emma whispered to Regina.
"Only if the person being summoned will fight it. And I have a feeling that this Baelfire will absolutely fight. Hard." The two women shared a glance and simultaneously stepped closer together, forming a wall that completely hid Henry.
"Perhaps the boy would prefer to wait further away from the swirling pit of doom, with me." Captain Hook suggested, gesturing towards the back of the room. Regina and Emma both looked warily from the pirate to the (now smoking) potion before nodding and all but shoving a clearly disappointed Henry at the leather clad man.
"Come on, lad, as soon as the spell is complete we can return to these lovely ladies' sides and great Baelfire." Henry still looked forlorn about leaving until Hook added, "How would you like to hear about my adventures with Peter Pan?" Henry was suddenly thrilled to follow but Gold now looked tense.
"If you're going to talk about that drivel, at least go to the back room where we won't be able to hear you." The two disappeared as Gold pulled out a globe and spun it, eyes continually following a glowing red spot somewhere near New York. The foreign words continued and Emma stared, entranced as colors began to dance and glow. "Regina, help me." Gold commanded. When she did nothing he looked up. "That's why you're hear. This is your favor. Miss Swan can track down and convince my son to speak with me, you will help with this spell." With another sigh Regina lay her hands over the globe and began muttering words with Gold. Suddenly all the colors that danced from their hands and the potion to the objects Gold had amassed on his desk and swirled up in what Emma could only describe as some sort of magical dust tornado on the floor. She sighed. When had her life become the sort of thing where it wasn't weird to say phrases like 'magical dust tornado'? A figure was slightly visible within the dust storm and as their shape became more and more clear Emma noticed a few things. One, it was definitely a man, not a child, Emma hadn't been sure what to expect. Two, his back was towards her, his thick arms held out before him as though he was blocking his face from something. And three, he was clearly fighting.
As soon as the dust died down a soft smile appeared on Gold's face.
"Bae."
"You have got to be kidding me." An oddly familiar voice rang out. Without a second's hesitation the man took off towards the door, head tucked inside a particularly modern hoodie. So he actually was from this realm. Emma slyly stepped forward and pushed out her leg, tripping the man soundly. As the man fell, he reached around and gripped Emma's arm, pulling her down with him. They landed with a solid thump on Gold's floor, Emma's hair falling in her face. She gripped his arm tightly, not about to let him up and run again. She brushed her golden locks away from her face - that was when their eyes met. Dread filled Emma.
"No." Emma breathed out.
"Emma?" Gold's son asked with a lopsided grin. Gold's son, Neal.
"Emma?!" Regina asked. "You know her name?" Emma was hyperventilating now. She released his arm and stumbled back, putting as much space between them as she could. Neal stepped forward.
"Em, what are you doing with him?" He asked, gesturing angrily towards his father.
"Neal." She breathed, still not believing this was happening.
"Em, is he hurting you? Has he threatened to hurt you?! What's happening?!"
"Did you know?" She asked, her voice weak. "Did you know the whole time? Who I was, where I was from?!" She was yelling now.
"Emma, please." Neal reached out for her but Emma pulled back as though she'd been burned.
"No! Answer me! Did you know?"
"Not at first. I swear, I had no idea." He smiled softly at her. "You jumped into my car remember?"
"Not at first? Do you think that makes this better?"
"Em, please, I did what was best for you."
"I can't do this." Emma breathed out, her eyes wide, flitting from one face to another.
"Emma," Regina's voice was terse. Emma searched for the words but finding none she did what she had always done best. Emma ran.
"Emma!" Neal's voice followed her out on the street but she didn't stop running. She couldn't think straight, couldn't breathe. All Emma could do, was run.
"You two know each other?" Gold asked in shock as Neal buried his face in his hands. "How do you two know each other?!"
"You don't get to ask me questions about my life. You lost that right when you let me go through the portal alone." Neal turned to Regina. "Hi. I don't know you but if you don't mind me asking, where would Emma have gone? I need to talk to Emma. I need to explain to her."
"No idea. Probably not to her parents."
"So she found them then." Neal said, a small smile spreading across her face.
"Yeah," Regina responded dryly. "Now back to more interesting questions. How do you know Swan?" Neal just shook his head.
"I need to go after her." Neal moved towards the door but before he could leave Emma came back into sight, anger streaming through her eyes like fire. She stormed into the shop and raising a hand slapped Neal as hard as she could. Regina's soft laughter was the only noise in the room.
"Emma, please, let me explain."
"No. The only person explaining shit in this room is your dad. Your dad. Rumpelstiltskin. Rumpelstiltskin is your father. Son of a…Nevermind. My point stands. I made a deal with him that I'd get you to listen. So now, you're going to listen to him. Because you owe me."
"You made a deal with him?" Neal shook his head. "Emma!"
"I am the only one who gets to be angry here!" She yelled. "All you get to do is sit your ass down and listen to your father. Then I will walk out that door and I will never see you again, is that clear?"
"Emma please,"
"Mom," Henry's voice piped up as he appeared from the back room.
"Sorry, love, he slipped past me." Hook ran out after him.
"You." Neal glared at Hook.
"Bae. You're looking well. If your mother could see you now."
"What, does everyone know him?" Regina asked dryly.
"Mom, what's going on?" Henry walked up to Emma as she knelt down and lovingly swept the hair from his face.
"Who is this?" Neal asked, eyebrow furrowing.
"This is my son." She responded, barely looking away from Henry's face.
"Your what?!"
"Henry, you need to go back with Hook for just a little while okay? We still have some things to sort out. Let's give Gold some time with his son, yeah?"
"Is that Baelfire?" Henry asked excitedly.
"Yes. But right now they need to talk alone, so I need you to go with Ho- with Killian okay?"
"Okay." Henry's voice was so innocent and so trusting. Emma looked up at Regina with fear and slowly shook her head. Regina looked back and forth from the face she knew so well to the man's face that bore several striking resemblances to her son's. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Wait, kid, how old are you?" Neal yelled out.
"Don't answer him." Emma and Regina called out to Henry simultaneously and Emma grabbed his hand and pushed him towards Hook.
"How old are you?!"
"Eleven!" Henry yelled back. "Now, why is everyone yelling?" Neal's hands were over his face and his eyes were filled with terror.
"He's eleven?" Emma flinched. "Emma, is this my son?"
"No, my dad was a fireman. He died." Henry looked towards Emma's emotional face and his confidence faltered. "That's what you told me, remember?"
"Is this my son?" Neal asked again. Emma cupped her beloved son's face in her hands and answered quietly.
"Yes." Henry pulled back from her and ran out the door.
"Henry-" Emma called out and moved to follow her.
"Swan let me. I doubt he wants to see you right now." Regina's words stung Emma, but her voice held no malice. Emma nodded, numbly as Regina followed her son out the door.
"How could you not tell me?" Neal's voice was low and filled with fury. In an instant, Emma's anger was back.
"Don't you dare. How exactly did you expect me to tell you? You left me before I found out."
"Come on Emma, August found me and said I was getting in the way of you finding your family! I knew how important that was to you!"
"So you let me take the fall for your crimes and go to jail for you because Pinocchiotold you to?!"
"Emma-"
"I gave birth to the most beautiful baby boy while I was in prison and I had to give him up to the system because I couldn't be a mother! Not without you!"
"You put him in the system? Emma!"
"I didn't have a choice you complete asshole! I was in prison!"
"But you have him now? Did you go find him?"
"No, he found me. Regina adopted him and he came looking for me. Brought me here."
"Emma,"
"No. Talk to your father. He's changed, okay? He's different. Just talk to him. And then go. I don't ever want to see you again."
"Emma, please."
"There's nothing you can say to change this. Killian? Come on. I'm sure Regina has no idea where Henry is. Come help us look?"
"And now you're going to trust Captain Hook with my son?"
"You have no claim to him! He is your son by blood only! So don't act all high and mighty! Besides, Killian's really good with Henry. And I trust him." Tears were threatening her eyes now.
Em, maybe you should talk it out with Bae." The pirate suggested quietly.
"Killian, please." Emma begged.
"As you wish." He responded without hesitation.