Break the vicious circle.

Part 13 : Yes and no.

Neal was stressed. Clearly.

(In fact, he wasn't the only one.)

This time, he wasn't walking, just sitting down, next to the pirate. It was the first time he saw him since he had his memories back, and it was weird for him. Because he understood now why he wanted to trust him, even by knowing what he did to him.

Because they finally talked, and with what happened recently, with his new memories, Neal didn't know what to think, nor how to act.

But finally, he was sure of something.

During the second Neverland, they really acted like idiots. The more ironic was that the pirate understood it first. Maybe that he understood some things.

Too bad that Neal died after that...

Well, they couldn't know that at that time.

Hook, on his side, wasn't better than him. Snow (who definitely adored interfere between them), told him that she talked with Neal, without telling him where the conversation brought them. Same thing with Emma and Regina : when he told them where he was going, Regina's teasing smile kind of affected him.

It wasn't really the war between them, but she still loved to provoke him a little. It was funny, most of the time. But not always.

Not there, when she suggested that he was leaving them to go on a date.

Whereas it was just supposed to be a talk with a friend.

He, of course, convinced no one.

Not himself, nor the other.

(Oh, and of course, he never knew that there had been gambles about him and Neal.

Luckily for him, by the way.)

An exterior observer would have probably qualified them as inexperienced adolescents, who they were, in a way. Their problem was communication, a thing the other already told them about. It was more flagrant now that they were just in front of the fait accompli.

In fact, it was Hook who, without wanting it, triggered everything, deciding to go. A thing Neal didn't really accept, and the ghost saw with surprise his arm being grasped, as his interlocutor couldn't say a word.

And Emma' question came again to his mind.

What do I want to have now with him ?

The immediate answer seemed really simple.

Kiss him.

A thing he decided to do... some seconds after.

Because in his head, many things were swirling.

Doubts.

Fear.

A little hope, too.

Until he decided to chuck everything in.

To the hell with it.

And his mouth finally crashed on the pirate's, as if it was something he wanted to do since forever.

Or since a long time.

Since when, he didn't know, but the pirate, who first was for him the man I hate, became then the man who wants to be with my ex-girlfriend and was now the one who saved my son and that I want to kiss.

Yes, all of it was problematic, and strange.

And this kiss lasted, lasted, lasted... really for a long time. Apparently, none of them wanted this to stop, until Neal moved away in order to breath... and that he realized he kissed a ghost.