Thank you to @Hooked_On_Once for the new picture for this story!
Emma POV:
The Friday before Neal wanted to take Henry to the park, he called me while I was at work. My phone went off and I saw his name on the screen. I debated on whether or not to answer since I was at work, but it could be something serious.
"Hello?" I said.
"Hey, I need to talk to you about something." He started.
"Okay." I leaned back in my chair and prepared for the worst.
"When are we going to tell Henry that I can't be around forever? I realize I wasn't exactly right to tell him what happened between us before he was born, I don't want to overstep again. You're his mother, we need to make decisions together."
I kind of dropped my jaw, I didn't expect Neal to be so perceptive.
"Well, um, if I know Henry he'll come to terms with your death better than if we tell him you just had to go away. And I'd rather him know you didn't have a choice than think you just don't want him." I scratched the top of my head, thinking hard.
"You're right. I want Henry to know I want to be around him, and I wish I could be here forever. So we're just going to be outright truthful?"
"Yeah." I sighed. "I haven't ever lied to him, I don't want to start now. But don't tell him yet, he doesn't need it hanging over his head. Let him be carefree as long as possible." I requested.
"Okay, then it's settled. When it gets closer, we'll talk to him. And Emma?"
"Hmm?" I asked, focusing on my work now too.
"I want to talk to you about our past too."
I dropped the pen in my hand.
"Neal, I don't know if now is a good time." I cringed.
"Just hear me out. I've been thinking about it a lot. I'm just, just really sorry. I was a stupid teenager, all I knew was abandonment and I turned around and did it to you too. I just want you to know that if I could, I would go back and take the blame instead of throwing it on you." He finished. Then there was silence.
For a moment I didn't know what to say. "Thanks. I mean, it's worked out now. I don't think I would be where I am now. I might never have given up Henry, but I'm happy where I ended up."
"I'm glad to hear it." I could see that grin on his face now. "I'll see you tomorrow then."
"See you then." I hung up and groaned. Why did he have to be dying? Why couldn't we just have a normal arrangement between two parents?
Killian POV:
Emma got home after I did today. Her and Henry walked in the door, ready to start the weekend. She smiled and waltzed over to kiss me as I stood in the kitchen. Henry got himself a snack and immediately went to the table to do his homework. He liked to get it out of the way so he could play outside.
"Neal called me today." Emma said, looking over at her son.
"Yeah? To talk about tomorrow?" I asked.
"Not exactly. Henry?" The boy turned around to look at her. "Can you do your homework in your room today?"
"You guys just don't want me hearing what you're talking about." He remarked.
"Henry." I shot him a warning glance.
"Alright, I'm going." He trudged to his room without another word.
"I have no idea where he gets that from." Emma rolled her eyes.
"I couldn't imagine." I smirked at her, raising an eyebrow.
"Anyway." She smiled, but then it faded.
"What's going on?" I asked her.
"He wanted to know how we should handle telling Henry that he won't have his dad around for much longer." She stared at the counter.
"And?"
"We both agreed to tell him the truth, he can handle it and I don't want to lie to him." A tear ran down her cheek.
"Emma, it takes so much strength to do that." I rubbed her back with my hand.
"And he wanted to talk about what happened between us, when I went to jail I mean."
I tried not to let her know how tense that made me. It wasn't that I was jealous, but I hoped Neal wasn't under the impression that Emma would run back to him.
When I didn't say anything, she continued.
"He just told me he was sorry, and he would fix it if he could. I guess since he's going to die, he wants to get it all of his chest."
"Aye." I nodded. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. It's just that he's Henry's father." She wiped a tear from her face.
"Emma, it's alright to be sad that he's dying. I know what he was to you, I'm not jealous or mad. He was a big piece of your life for a while." I soothed her.
She looked at me with tears flowing freely now, her bottom lip quivering. I knew exactly what she needed and pulled her in.
"How can you be so okay with this?" She sobbed into my chest.
"Because he gave you Henry, and I know you never had anyone until him. It's okay, he was your first love." I patted her head.
"Who was yours?" She suddenly asked.
It threw me off for a second. There wasn't really anyone before Emma, my only long lasting relationship was Milah, and that wasn't love. I thought it was, but at the end I realized it never was.
"That would be you." I truthfully answered.
"What?" She leaned back and stared at me.
"The only other remotely real relationship I had was Milah, and I never loved her. When I met you, I realized I had never been in love, not really."
She laughed and cried at the same time, making me adore her even more. I pulled her in again and kissed the top of her head.
"I'm not that crazed and jealous man you might have heard of, I know how to be understanding."
"I'm just still getting used to it." She said into my shoulder. "I didn't know a relationship could be like this either, until I met you."
"I'm glad we have each other, Emma." I smiled. I had no idea what in the world I would do without her.