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

13. Our Tallahassee

Neal's legs felt like jelly as he stood in front of Emma's apartment door. He wanted this moment for so long; to return to his loved ones and truly have a second shot with his family. Now that it was right in front of him, just within his grasp, fear began to set in. What if they rejected him? What if he somehow failed Henry or Emma again? What if he was every bit of a coward as his father and his father before him?

Neal raised his hand to knock, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

What if me falling through the portal was for the best? He thought.

Too consumed by his doubt, Neal didn't hear the approaching footsteps.

_

Emma was placing her gun back in its holster as she followed her father up the stairs.

"I still feel funny, David. How is it that we can't remember how we ended up at the sheriff's station?" Emma asked.

"We will find out, Emma, don't worry." He replied.

"I don't believe it." David gasped as he stopped at the top of the stairs.

"What is i---Neal?!"

Neal turned around at the sound of his name. He stared back at Emma and David, but was too stunned to say anything.

"Neal!" She called out again and ran to him.

"I thought I'd lost you." She cried out as she held onto him like her life depended on it.

"Emma," He suppressed the urge to groan as she pressed down on his wound.

He wrapped an arm around her.

"I missed you." He whispered.

"I've missed you too."

At some point they broke their embrace and went inside. Mary Margaret  and David retreated to their room to give them space to talk.

"How did you get here?" Emma asked as she took a seat next to him.

"You wouldn't believe it if I told you." He laughed.

"I live in Storybrooke, remember? Try me." She said deadpan.

Neal laughed and he felt a surge of pain coming from his side. He placed a hand over it.

"Neal, what's wrong?" Emma looked concerned.

"It's noth—ah!" Neal doubled over and fell to his knees in agony. The wound had never truly bothered him before. Aurora said that the bullet seemed to have just passed through. So just what in the hell was happening now? He wondered.

"We have to get you to the hospital." Emma stood and went to get David. They returned and helped Neal get into her bug.

Neal curled up into the fetal position and they sped down the street to get to the hospital.

"Who are you calling?" Emma asked David as she noticed the phone in his hand.

"Whale; we need him sober right now."

Emma agreed. The only doctor in town was Dr. Whale and he liked to hit the bottle, hard.

They arrived and assisted Neal into the building. Emma looked down at Neal's now bloody hands and tried not to panic.

She just got him back, again, and would not lose him.

"Hang on, Neal," She whispered as he was whisked away on a gurney.

Emma and David had to stay back in the waiting room.

"He'll be fine, Emma." David placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Emma nodded her head, but her mind was far from being at ease. She bit her inner cheek to prevent herself from crying.

She had to be strong; she needed to be strong.

_

Phone calls had been made and various people showed up to wait alongside The Charming's.

Mary Margaret, Mr. Gold, Belle, and Henry, who Regina dropped him off, were sitting in the small waiting area.

Any minute, that's what Dr. Whale had told them. Any minute and they'd hear an update about Neal's condition.

The approaching footsteps of a nurse caught their attention and they all faced her.

"Well?" Mr. Gold was the first on his feet to speak with her. Belle stood by his side.

"He's out of surgery. We thought the bullet simply passed through, but it had actually traveled up towards his heart. It's a miracle really that he's survived for as long as he had."

Mr. Gold gave the woman an intimidating glare and Belle had to place her hand over his in order to calm him down.

"Sorry. He's awake, but he needs his rest. Visiting hours are over, but I've been told to make an exception for you all." The nurse went on her away.

Mr. Gold wanted more than anything to walk down the hallway to his son's room. The true question was, would Bae want to see him?

"Rumple?" Belle whispered.

"I'm fine, Belle. Emma, Henry...you go first." Mr. Gold said.

Emma was surprised, but wasted no time grabbing Henry's hand and leading him down the hall.

"Thank you," She said as she passed Mr. Gold. She knew that it wasn't easy for him to not go to his son. His love for Bae outweighed his own selfishness.

They rounded a corner and found Neal's room. He laid there looking ghostly against the white linen. Emma watched his chest rise and fall as he breathed. His eyes were closed, but he turned his head once he sensed movement.

"Emma, Henry," He said in a raspy voice, slowly opening his eyes.

"Hey Neal," Emma gave him a weak smile.

"Neal," Henry rushed over to his side. "I knew you'd make it back."

"You did, huh kid? Thanks for having faith in me." Neal laughed.

Emma kept a small amount of distance between herself and Neal. He looked so fragile as he laid there.

"I'm not going to break." He looked at her as he reached for the remote to raise the top of his bed.

"I know," Emma nodded her head, but made no effort to move forward.

Henry engaged in small talk with Neal. He told him about their operation name and briefly about their plan to save him.

Neal was touched at everyone coming together just to save him. Especially Emma. After everything he had done to her in the past; she still loved him. He loved her as well and he'd spend every day making sure she knew that.

"I brought my book. Do you want me to read to you?" Henry asked as he reached into his book bag.

"Kid maybe some other time?" Emma said.

"No it's okay. Go on, Henry," Neal nodded.

Neal moved over a bit and patted the empty space next to him. Henry carefully sat down and opened the storybook. Emma sat down in a nearby chair across from them.

"Once upon a time in the Enchanted Forest, there lived a...." Henry began.

Emma smiled as she watched her son and Neal. Neal looked just as proud as he listened to Henry as he read.

This was it; this was her happy ending. Growing up in the foster system, she never thought having a family to call her own would ever be possible. She had been given false hope after each adoption but for some reason or another, she never lasted long with them.

She now realized that she had a family out there all along. David and Mary Margaret were her parents and they loved her; really loved her. Henry was the son she never imagined herself having. Neal. She paused in her moment of reflection to smile. Well Neal was the love of her life.