Love [Neal Cassidy || OUAT || Double Swan #4]

12 - Family Business

At the pawnshop, Mr Gold entered as Belle was trying to leave the shop.

"Belle. Where are you headed?" Mr Gold asked.

"To the North Woods, where the Snow Queen's hiding," Belle said as she held up a pickaxe.

"And what business do you have with her?" Mr Gold asked.

"I have to fix a mistake that I made a long time ago," Belle said.

"What are you talking about?" Mr Gold asked.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you. You wouldn't understand," Belle said as she tried to leave.

Mr Gold stopped her, "Whether or not that's true, the fact remains that she defeated Emma, Alana and Regina. She is far more dangerous than you realise," Mr Gold said.

"I know. That's why I was... I was hoping you'd come with me," Belle said.

"I'm sorry, Belle. That's out of the question. I won't let you anywhere near her," Mr Gold said.

"I was worried you were gonna say that. Because... I really... Really didn't want to do this," Belle said as she took out the Dark One dagger.

"Belle, I gave you that dagger because I trusted you... Because I thought you would never want to control me," Mr Gold said.

"I know. I know, and I'm so, so sorry Rumpel. But if you won't come with me willingly, what choice do I have? Take me to the Snow Queen," Belle said.

In the woods, Alana and Emma were sat on a rock together going through the files they found, Neal was sat beside Alana, looking at her file with her.

"According to this, she was our foster parent for six months," Alana said.

"Yeah?" Neal said.

"That's the longest we were ever in one spot, but I don't remember a second of it," Alana said and sighed.

"You alright, Lana?" Neal asked as he placed his hand on her back.

"I'm fine. It was all a long time ago," Alana said.

"Mm, perhaps, but wounds that are made when we're young tend to linger," Neal said.

"How would you know?" Emma asked.

"Have you met my dad?" Neal asked.

"Right, sorry," Emma said.

"And believe it or not, I was once a child," Neal said.

"Yeah, like a million years ago," Alana said.

"It's more like 200, if not just under," Neal said with a smile.

Alana found some childhood paintings in her file, "Wow," Alana said.

"What is it?" Neal asked.

"It's a painting I did when we were in school," Alana said.

"That's so surprising?" Neal asked.

"It's not the only one," Alana said.

"I have some too," Emma said and the twins compared the paintings.

"I don't get it?" Neal said.

"This crazy woman has two whole files of our old art projects and essays," Emma said.

"Just like the one I have for Henry. You don't keep stuff like this unless you care about someone," Alana said.

"Well, perhaps the Snow Queen wasn't simply using you both. Perhaps she'd grown fond of you both over time," Neal said.