Break the vicious circle.

Part 2 : He is there.

The conversation continued some minutes, as Gold explained to Emma all the things that her and the other missed during these six last years. The situation wasn't good for Henry, but it was something they all knew.

The two of them thought about what they could do, without finding any solution. Every time, Gold was looking after him, as if he was afraid someone could hear him. And it finally happened, and then Emma decided to go.

Instinctively, she tried to open the door manually, before her hand crossed it, and it made her sight with discouragement.

She would never be used to it.

Rolling her eyes, she finally left, by crossing the door.

Literally.

But as she was outside, she stayed in front of it, without moving, thinking about what she would do, and how to say to the other what she just learned. In fact, she was already taking her phone from her pocket (one of the things they still had from the world of the living), to call Hook or Regina.

But before she could do that, she heard a noise in the shop. Probably Belle, or Gideon, she said to herself. She didn't expect what came then.

Gold started by seeing Neal come into the shop, and became afraid that he heard him talk alone.

"Hello dad", the young man said, who just woke up.

He vaguely heard his father's conversation, not taking attention to it, as he was sleeping a little at that moment.

He understood he was talking with someone, maybe a client, a woman apparently, after what he heard. He didn't understand what they said, just that it was an animated conversation.

"Hello son.

- With who were you talking ?

- No one, just someone who wanted informations."

The two men talked for a time, as Emma finally turned back to really listen the conversation.

And she froze immediately, surprised, almost unable to breath (which was nothing for a ghost). Her eyes opened wide with surprise, and she almost let fall what she had in her hands.

"Neal ?" She whispered in a moved voice, not daring to believe it.

The fact is that if she hadn't been a ghost, she would have probably fell on the ground, because of the shock.

She looked more carefully at the man that was in Gold's shop, still surprised. No doubt, it was Neal Cassidy.

Neal...

The one who betrayed her, and that she forgave.

Her first love and Henry's father.

And who died, bloody hell, so how could he be alive and there ?

Still moved by this discovery, she walked for a time in town, asking to herself what this new thing could change.

Neal was alive.

This new should have made her be happy, and it would have been the case if she had been alive, but it plunged her in a deep sadness. He was there, true, but it also meant the she wouldn't be able to talk to him.

In fact, it was worst, when she realized that, obviously, he had been cursed too.

Without waiting a second, she took her phone, in order to contact Killian. Despite their separation, they were still in good terms, and he was the only person with who she could talk about Neal. As he was the only one who knew him in the past.

Maybe he would be able to know how to deal with it, or that they would find together a way to use as an asset.

Without forgetting the fact that Gold could see her.

§§§§

Just seconds after that, he answered.

"Swan ? What happened so you call me now ? Did you find something ?

- In a way, the Saviour answered in an allusive way. The pirate frowned, understanding she wasn't okay.

- Emma, is... everything normal here ? You don't seem to be fine.

- Exact, Killian, I am not.

- Why ? What happened ?

- It's something I discovered by going at Gold's shop.

- And what is it ?

- Neal. He is alive."

There was a silence after this unexpected revelation. Hook became brusquely pale.

"What ?

- I saw him, in Gold's shop, talking with him. Neal is there, in Storybrooke, and he is alive.

- You're sure of that ? It was really him, not Gideon ?

- I know what I saw ! She said with conviction."

The pirate nodded. This new surprised and relieved him, as Neal's death had been... brutal. And strange.

And painful too.

"How can he be alive ?

- I would want to know that too. And it's not all.

- What else did you discover ?

- Gold saw me, I don't know how it is possible, but he saw I was there, he even listened me talk.

- Living people can't see us, it was the case since now.

- I know, I don't understand that too, I..."

Emma stopped to talk, as a sudden idea took her.

"You've got a theory about that ?

- Maybe... The main difference between Storybrooke' inhabitants and us, is that they are alive, and that we are dead.

- Until that, I follow you, said the pirate.

- Let me finish. So, we are not supposed to be in the same world, in fact, the only fact that we are here shows that things are not as they should be. I guess there must be as an... invisible barrier between them and us.

- That would explain why they don't see us.

- Yes. And for Gold, well... he died too, as us. But he came back to life then, that would explain why he can see the ghosts, and why he saw me.

- You think he will help us ?

- I don't know. The problem is that he would have no interest in helping us. And you know as I do that the majority of the time, Gold acts just for his own interest."

The last events before their dead and the curse showed it well ; Gold had the opportunity to kill his mother and he didn't, accepting to go on his side. If he had regrets then, it didn't prove that he would accept to help them.

"If I goodly understand, the pirate added, we are all alone.

- I'm afraid we are.

- Did Neal see you ?

- I don't think so. But as he doesn't remember..."

All of this didn't really help them, in fact.