Evil Awakened (Dare to love #2) (OUAT fanfic)

Chapter 35 (Neal)

A Neal chapter has come!
The day our parents left Neal was incredibly snappy and almost angry with me but over the last few days he's been... he's been different. Before they left starting from the time Arthur was killed and even Hook, basically since Emma's left, he's mostly kept himself to himself, ever so often letting his anger and sadness explode at us. Not that I blame him, for a fifteen year old he's been through a lot. Quite honestly he's had to grow up faster than a boy should because of his pain. Luckily not to fast however, because by sixteen you are expected to mature a lot but still. Being a young teenager with no huge responsibility's, especially for a boy in his position.

Before it was Emma first in line to the throne, but now it's me which means I'm suddenly having to learn all this... stuff really quickly. Usually the eldest has a different education from the youngest, more of one, because they're the ones who learn just what it takes to rule. But as I didn't over the last months since Emma left and stepped down I'm now being force fed all this information. Sometimes I just feel like I'm drowning and somebody is pushing me further into the water. However ever since I forgave my parents, no ones pushing me into that water. I'm still drowning yes, the waves huge and angry. Drowning in an ocean of fear, guilt, sadness and stress.

Oh I miss you Emma. I miss how close we used to be, I miss our petty little arguments, I miss how quick you always were at insulting me. I just miss you, the old you. The happy you. The you before I betrayed you.

I am so sorry.

"Neal," George says, pulling me out of my thoughts, "Are you listening to me or not?" He asks, and as I look up at him suddenly concern fills his face, "What's the matter?" He asks, finishing his mouth full and looking at me.

"What- Yeah- Fine," I mumble, really not wanting to get into it. "Just tired," I lie, although I do feel tired I don't think I'd be able to get much sleep.

"Up late?" He asks me, raising a brow, "Preparing to beat me?" That's what I like about George. He isn't this bossy figure who tries to take over as I imagined he would- he really has changed- he's someone I can talk to, compete against. I mean I do love Will and we do do that but he's been pulling away recently and we haven't done any of the things we used to.

"You wish, I don't need practice," I resort, smirking. Hearing a muffled sound, I look up and see opposite me Will is Looking disbelievingly.

"You always did have a large ego," he tells me, "Ignorant, greedy, overbearing," and as he lists these, It's sounds less and less like he's joking making me feel a tinge of offence, guilt and anger.

"Greedy?" I repeat, wondering where an earth he got that from. Am I greedy? I don't think so- but then it might be obvious to other people and not to me.

"Yes," he nods, taking another mouthful of his dinner and chewing it thoughtfully before carrying on, "Obnoxious, bad tempered, way to optimistic but despite all of that also quite gullible and manipulative at the same time," he explains, not even bothering if any of this offends me. He's to cowardly to look me in the eyes whilst telling me this, keeping his eyes on his plate as he takes another mouthful.

"You of all people have no right to call me any of that," I tell him, not even bothering to keep the anger from my voice, "And besides I'm the future king now, something you'll never, never be," I continue, glaring at him as the look on his face remains neutral.

"Narcissistic," he says immediately, this time having the gut to look at me.

"How an earth am I narcissistic?" I ask my brother, who looks at me now frowning. He looks angry to and it wouldn't surprise me if this turns into a fight, after all my voice is beginning to raise.

"Enough. Both of you," George cuts in before William can awnser, part of me is glad because I wouldn't want to hear his awnser. The other part of me is angry at him for interrupting because I want to see how this turns out. Maybe.

"No I'd like to hear, care to share William?" I tell him, it's less of a question than an order. "I'd like to hear your thoughts,"

"I don't have to tell you anything," replies William, still sitting there at the table eating his meal like nothing is happening. "Not after everything that's happened to me," then it hits me, what this is all about. He doesn't really think I'm any of those things. Well the ignorance maybe, but the rest was just his anger trying to get out.

"Look brother," I sigh, lowering my voice, "I know your hurting and I know you miss Arthur but dint you think you've punished us all enough?" I question, begging myself not to carry on because I know what I'm about to say won't end well but my horrible mouth doesn't care. "You act like you're the only one who has been hurt by all of this! You keep victimising yourself while making every other person the villain! You only see what you want to see. You don't see how much I'm hurting or how much mother and father are hurting because you simply don't want to. Well brother I have news for you, you ain't the only one suffering here! We all are. WE ALL BLOODY ARE. SO WHY? WHY AFTER EVERYTHING CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT?" I shout, wanting to just scream and instead limiting myself to banging my fists on the table.

"I've lost people I love!" William resorts, as if we haven't. "First Emma, then Arthur, then mother and father and then even you!" And for a moment I feel a bigger pang of guilt, well that is until he opens his mouth again. For a moment I am sorry. For a split stupid second. "No one has been through more pain than I have in this family! I've lost the most people!" And I can just feel my blood boiling as he says this. To him, he's the only one who has felt pain. Everyone else has what? Been happy Emma's gone? Been happy yet another person has suffered? Watching our parents over the last months, I know they feel guilty. I know they're hurting. And that quote simply is the only reason they killed William. Not to hurt him, not out of anger or revenge. Out of guilt. They may have killed Hook for revenge, but not Arthur.

"REALLY?" I scream at the top of my lungs, ignoring George's presence (he did try to calm us but he knows it's no use) "SO EMMA DIDN'T SUFFER? SHE LEFT FOR THE FUN OF IT HUH? SHE IS TRYING TO GET REVENGE BECAUSE SHE WAS BORED HERE? I CAN NOT POSSIBLY MISS HER, MY OWN SISTER. AND OUR PARENTS? THEY'RE FINE, THEY'VE BEEN LEAVING CONSTANTLY TO GET AWAY FROM US? NO WILLIAM. WAKE UP AND GROW UP!" I shout so loudly my throat aches and hurts. Looking at up my brother, I'm shocked. He's not listening just pretending to choke to get yet more attention. "Oh stop it!" I groan, looking up at him, looking at the purpleness of his face. He isn't faking and as realisation floods me, I feel guilty. Ever so guilty.

"Will What is it?" I ask, exchanging looks with George before running to the other side of the table and barely getting their before he collapses. I hardly manage to catch him before he hits his head harshly. Falling quickly, his eyes stare up at me before closing, pain evident all over his face. Was he poisoned? Did he choke? Is he ill? As these questions invade me, tears burn in my eyes and I begin to shake him, trying to awaken him. No one else his my focus now, I completely block out the rest of the world as I look at my brother.

Come back to me Will. Come back.

"Guards!" I call, completely blocking out my step grandfather, "GUARDS! GUARDS!"

What's happened to him? Is he alive?