Finding You ( A sequel to A thief who stole her heart)

3. Long journey ahead

Neal began to stir and his eyes slowly peeled open.

"Where am I?" he groaned. Next to him, Phillip instantly woke up.

"You're safe." Phillip said.

Neal's head jerked in the direction of the other man's voice painfully. For a moment, he had forgotten that he had been shot, fell through a portal and loss consciousness.

"Careful," Phillip warned as he walked near him.

"I'm Phillip, Prince Phillip and my wife, Aurora, and our friend, Mulan, found you earlier. You were in bad shape, but we managed to fix you up." Phillip explained.

Neal eyed the stranger for a moment and came to the conclusion that he didn't look like a threat. He couldn't very well put up too much of a fight in his condition even if he was.

"Uh, thanks," he grumbled and laid back down against the makeshift bed.

"Sorry, we weren't really sure where to put you." Phillip apologized with a friendly smile. Neal gave him a nod that said he understood.

"So, Neal, what are you doing here?" Phillip asked as he took his seat.

Neal gave the man a confused look.

How did he know his name? Neal wondered.

Phillip held up Neal's wallet and passed it to him and then Neal understood. He took the wallet from him and put it back in his pocket slowly.

"Honestly? I don't know. You probably won't believe me, but I fell through a portal and ended up here." Neal explained.

He also told him how he got shot just before it happened, but didn't give up any other details.

"A portal?" Phillip repeated.

He began to wonder how that was even possible. Before he could inquire further, Aurora joined them.

"You're awake," Aurora noticed.

"I guess so." Neal said cautiously.

Mulan entered shortly after and Neal was beginning to feel more and more uncomfortable. He only knew these people as storybook characters, but knew nothing of their true character. Could he really trust them?

"You're awake." Mulan repeated Aurora's earlier statement. "What are you doing here?"

Neal tried to sit up again, wincing as he propped himself up on one elbow. Mulan stepped in front of Aurora protectively and prepared to draw her blade if necessary.

"I'm not going to hurt you." Neal assured them.

"You couldn't if you wanted to." Mulan commented, but kept her place in front of Aurora.

Neal managed to sit up and swing his legs over the "bed".

"I have to go. I can see that I've out-stayed my welcome." He said and tried to stand on his two feet.

"Go where? You won't get far; you're hurt." Aurora reminded him.

She stepped around Mulan and reached out towards Neal.

"You know Emma, don't you?" She asked.

"How do you know that?" Neal questioned.

"She was here before with Snow. I overheard them speaking of you. They were our friends." Aurora answered.

Neal didn't understand how Snow and Emma made time for a vacation to the Enchanted Forest, but he never got the chance to ask either.

"I need to get back to her. I need to get back home." Neal said and began to walk slowly.