Hook's Daughter

Catching Up

It's after midnight but just pretend it's Saturday. Another update today (since it's after 12)

"Bae," Gold said, "You came back for me..."
"No," Neal replied. "I cam back to make sure you didn't hurt her. I've seen what you do to people who break your deals."
"Wait, you're Rumpelstiltskin's son?!" I asked. "Oh, my God. There's no end to this bloody family tree is there?!"
"Ashton, you're from there too?" He asked. I nodded, biting my lip. Neal turned back to Gold. "You have no business here, you can go."
"I'm not going anywhere," Gold replied.
"Get the hell out of my apartment!"
"Neal..." Emma began. Of of course, they knew each other too!
"You two know each other...?" Gold said. "You two know each other! How?"
"You sent me chasing after him," Emma replied.
"No, stop it! You're lying! How do you two know each other?!"
Of course, this same question was running through my mind too. How did they know each other? Neal never said anything to me about an Emma, so either it was a bad breakup, or he met her after he had to leave because of the thieving. Or both. Before I could step in and stop Gold from screaming, Henry decided this was a good time to come in.
"Mom," he said. "What's going on?"
Emma put her arms around him, getting down to his eye level.
"Who's this?" Neal asked.
"My son," Emma replied, turning back to talk to Henry.
"Is that Baelfire?" Henry asked, looking back at Neal.
"I want you to stay in that room for a little while longer, okay?" Emma asked Henry, a pleading look in her eyes. "Come on," she led him back into the room.
"How old are you?" Neal asked Henry.
"Don't answer him," Emma told Henry.
"How old are you?" Neal said, practically yelling this time.
"Eleven!" Henry yelled back. "Now, why is everyone yelling?"
"He's eleven," Neal said, looking at Emma, who had a sad look on her face
"Mom?" Henry asked.
"Is this my son?" Neal asked. Oh. Good luck with this Emma.
"No," Henry said. "My dad was a fireman. He died." He looked at Emma. "That's what you told me. You said..."
"Is this my son?" Neal asked again.
Emma whispered a soft, "Yes," and Henry hopped out the window onto the fire escape ledge.
I followed after him, giving Emma a look. "Why couldn't you just tell him the truth?"
"I-I never thought I'd see Neal again." Emma replied.
"So lying to him is better?"
"It seemed like it was the better choice."
"I don't know what the bloody hell happened between you two, but I know from experience that a parent lying isn't the way to go," I told her, and hopped out on the ledge after Henry.
"You alright?" I asked Henry.
"No," he replied.
"Yeah, I didn't think you would be. But I hoped."
"I can't believe my mom lied to me about this whole thing. Why wouldn't she tell me my dad was still alive?"
"Maybe she wanted to forget about him," I suggested. "If you want to forget about someone enough that you lie to your kid about their father, than I'm guessing your mum and dad might not have had the best relationship ever."
"I still would've liked to know. I thought he was a hero, saving some people in a fire fight. Sacrificing himself."
"Would you have rather known he was just a guy who left your mum?"
Henry shook his head.
"I wouldn't give your mum too hard a time," I told him. "She did what she thought was best, even if neither of us agree. Didn't her parents do the same thing? Maybe it runs in the family."
He gave a slight smile.
When I went back in, Emma and Neal were talking.
"How is he?" Emma asked.
"Not that great," I replied. "But it's not like he hasn't had problems before... He wants to meet you," I said, looking at Neal. Neal nodded and went outside with Henry. Gold was pacing the room. He was looking intently out at Henry.
Later on, after Neal and Henry had been outside talking for a while, they both came back in. They seemed happy, at least Henry was smiling.
We left the apartment complex, walking out onto the streets.
Henry and Neal were walking ahead of the rest of us. I was walking slightly behind Emma and Gold who stopped as Neal and Henry went into a pizza parlor. They did not go inside, they just stood there. Than my phone started ringing. It was Charli.
"Hello?"
"Ashton," Hook's voice said.
"What are you doing?" I asked him. "Why are you calling me from Charli's phone? I swear to God if you tied her up or something-"
"What? No, no. She let me borrow this...thing."
"Why are you calling?" I asked him.
"To tell you don't do anything when I make my move against the Crocodile."
"Wait, what? Outside of Storybrooke? What are you going to do?"
"I...haven't figured that out yet," Hook said. I rolled my eyes. "But I don't want you involved in this."
"What about if you don't exactly succeed and Emma calls the police on you."
"I don't know what that is," Hook said, "but I'm serious. Stay out of whatever I do. Understand?"
"I'm not going to just watch if you do something."
"Just promise me, love. Whatever I'm doing I don't want you getting hurt during it."
"This time I'm far enough away from you where you can't handcuff me. I don't have to promise anything."
"Just promise!" He yelled over the phone. But there was no hate or anger in his voice. It was worry. Complete worry. When I said this, Neal and Henry walked back out of the parlor, so I tried to finish up the conversation.
"Alright," I told him. "Just at least try not to get yourself killed."
I could practically hear his smirk.

"What are we talking about?" Neal asked Gold and Emma.
"Emma," Henry said. "Neal wanted to show me the museum. Do you think we can go back to the apartment and get my camera?"
I loved seeing the smile on his face again.
Emma looked at Neal, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, well, I...Kids like culture, right?"
"Sure, yeah. That's fine. You like the New York pizza?"
"Yeah," Henry replied. "It's delicious, cheesy, and doesn't lie."
I had to bite my lip not to laugh at that.