Neal and Leilani drove to Maine and talked about their lives. She felt that Neal wasn't telling her everything, especially since he was over three centuries old and that was a lot of memories to go through even if they had hours to discuss them. He did, however, get to know exactly how his sister was treated and how she was used as a tool for a war she had no reason to fight in. She'd only been a child but he guessed that they seemed to relate that way.
When he was a young boy he had been almost drafted to fight in the troll wars. That is, until his father had taken the power of the Dark One and saved him from that possibility. Leilani pointed out that their father had taken on the price to be paid in order for him to stay safe. Everything that Rumpelstiltskin has done has been for his child.
They made it to Storybrooke just as the first rain began and Leilani turned the windshield wipers on. Neal stared at the sign that showed the one place he had been avoiding.
"Welcome to Storybrooke," Leilani said as she pulled the car forward. She felt a shudder go through her body as she was closed off from her original Death and the other one took over.
Neal stared straight ahead as he chewed the inside of his cheek. They drove in silence as she navigated the roads to reach the house she shared with Luna. She'd called her father when they left New York but she hadn't since. He'd be surprised when she told him that she was home.
"Where are you taking me?"
"We're going to my house that I share with Luna."
"Your odd friend?"
"She's not odd," Leilani said indignantly. "She's special. Luna just knows things. You'll understand when you meet her."
Neal shrugged a careless shoulder before turning to look at the small town they'd entered. Leilani finally pulled into her house's driveway. The house was a dark blue with grey beams, it wasn't too dark but it pleased Lei's eyes. As opposed to her dad's peptol colored house.
They got out of the car as the garage shut behind them. Neal raised an eyebrow at the fact that she shut it so quickly.
"There's wards around the house that close up when the garage shuts. I'd rather not have some nefarious person sneaking in somehow," she answered his unasked question.
"Do you expect to go to war with someone or something?"
"No but it doesn't hurt to be safe."
He knew that this was merely caused by her days on the run while she fought in a war so he didn't remark on it. When they stepped inside they were immediately greeted by a blonde haired woman who he was guessing was Luna.
"Welcome back, Lei. Hello, Baelfire," Luna said in her usual dreamy way.
"Um, hello?"
"Luna! I missed you," Leilani said as she walked forward to hug Luna.
"I missed you too, Lei. But luckily you brought your brother back."
"I need to cook some dinner and invite daddy over," Leilani said as she stepped back.
"I already began dinner. You just need to call Rumpelstiltskin," Luna said before walking away.
Leilani followed behind her and Neal trailed after his sister. He wasn't altogether sure he wanted to see his father right now but he knew his sister wouldn't listen to him. After she'd threatened him for the fifth time on their way here he wasn't going to cross her. She was a rather vicious little thing.
Leilani left Neal with Luna as she made her way to her bedroom before smoking out of it to pop up in the Pawn Shops back room. It sounded like he was talking with Emma in the front of the shop. She stepped out of the backroom and smiled at Emma.
"Hey Emma. How are you doing," she asked as she stepped up beside her father.
Emma was surprised to see Leilani in the back of the Pawn Shop but smiled and greeted her in kind.
"I'm going that's for sure. How've you been, Leilani?"
"I'm fantasic. I just got back from getting my brother," she answered with a chirp to her voice.
Rumpelstiltskin seemed to freeze beside her before turning to look at her with hope in his eyes. She turned to him before saying, "I just came by to let you know that we were having dinner at my place. I wanted to invite you to join us."
"You know Mr. Gold?"
"Do I know him," she gave Emma a wry smile. "He's my father. Of course I know him."
Emma looked surprised by this admission. "Isn't Regina your sister?"
"She's my half sister. Our fathers are different."
"Oh."
Leilani leaned over to give her father a kiss on the cheek before saying, "I'll see you at dinner, daddy. It was nice seeing you Emma."
"Nice seeing you too, Leilani."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Neal took a shower while Leilani and Luna cooked dinner.
"So, how was your journey?"
"It was long. I thought I'd have found him the first day there but he kept seeming to avoid me. How was your week that I was gone?"
"It seems that Emma is trying to take Henry away from Regina. However, Henry seems to be coming around to Regina. I visited her a couple of times to get rid of the wrackspurts."
"Those buggers are everywhere," Leilani mumbled as she stuck a finger in her mouth to taste the sauce. It just needed a bit more salt and then it would be perfect.
Of course she could've easily have cooked with magic but she was used to making things from scratch. Her conditioning with the Dursley's were at play. The doorbell rang and Leilani hurried to open it.
"I see that you've added your own protections around the place," her father said as soon as she opened the door.
"It's sort of automatic," she said in embarrassment. She knew how strong her wards were and the fact that her father could tell exactly what they were and what they did had her reddening. It was a bit excessive.
"No worries, dearie. I'm glad you know how to protect yourself."
He stepped inside and took off his jacket and scarf in the closet. Leilani led the way to the dining room.
"I like what you've done to the place," he said as he glanced around.
Leilani looked around and smiled. Rumpelstiltskin had already furnished the house for her but Luna and Leilani had added their own touches. They'd replaced the heavy drapes with sheer blue grey gauze that let in the light from the window but gave them some privacy. There was also hints of grey and blue all around the living room.
They'd even begun hanging up some magical portraits that she'd retrieved from her trunk. Most of them were from Potter Manor but there were a few that came from the Black House. Many of them greeted her father cordially while others lifted their noses at their 'muggle' attire. Leilaani snorted in amusement as she led the way further inside.
She made sure to have her father sit at the head of the table before going back in to the kitchen. Neal chose that time to enter the dining room. He paused in the doorway as his father stared back at him. Neal ran a hand down his shirt before stepping into the room.
"Papa," he said by greeting as he sat down in the chair.
"Bae," Rumpel choked out.
"Don't." Neal didn't want to hear an apology. He'd already heard everything from Leilani. "I already heard everything from Lei.. I know you're sorry but that doesn't mean I don't feel hurt still. I told her that I'd give you a chance though, so here I am."
"Good. Good. I'm so glad to have you here." There was so much that he wanted to say but he chose to keep it to himself.
Soon they were all eating dinner together and talking. Everything was really peaceful even though Leilani had expected a huge blowout. She cleaned the dishes after sending her father off and Neal told her he was going for a walk around the town.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Neal pushed his hands into his pockets as he walked down the road. The night breeze was freezing in temperature after it had rained earlier. It would probably rain again but for now the night sky was clear. Everything was quiet in the surroundings except for the occasional passerby leaving to head home from late night work or the local watering hole.
He walked along in silence as he mulled over what had happened in the past couple days. Something suddenly drew his attention across the street. He wasn't completely sure what exactly it was but as soon as his eyes fell on the person he stopped in shock.
"Emma?"
The blonde looked up and across the street to the man who had said her name. She couldn't believe who she was seeing. Why was Neal here? Emma felt a bit cornered because Henry was with her.
Neal jogged across the street to stand in front of her. He smiled happily even as she grew a bit pissed off that he thought she'd be happy to see him.
"Neal," she said curtly.
"What are ya doin' here?"
"I should be asking you that," she said evasively.
"Who's this Emma," Henry asked from beside her.
"No one."
"I'm Neal. And who might you be?"
"I'm her son," Henry said as he pointed at Emma.
Neal's eyes widened before looking at Emma suspiciously. She shifted on her feet as she tried not to look into his eyes.
"How old are you," he asked Henry.
"I'm 10 almost 11."
It had been about eleven years ago that he and Emma were together and then she was in jail, serving time for 'stealing watches'. There was only one thing he could ask.
"Is he mine?"
"Neal can we talk about this another time," Emma asked a bit uncomfortably.
"Is he my son, Emma?!"
Henry looked confused as he watched Neal get angry at Emma.
Emma looked him in the eyes with gritted teeth. "Yes."
"You told me that my dad was dead," Henry accused Emma.
"Henry," she tried to say but Henry wasn't hearing it. Henry took off running.
"Thanks a lot, Neal," she said before she tried to chase after him. Neal grabbed her arm.
"How could you hide my son from me?"
"You left me to rot in jail. I didn't think you'd care about me let alone a baby. Now let me go."
He released her as though burned and she took off after Henry. Neal walked back to Leilani's in shock. He had a son. Emma was here. He'd have to talk to her tomorrow and get to know his son. It was no longer just his father and sister that he was staying here for.