It had been a rough day. Everyone had them, but for Neal they seemed to be more and more frequent. Those days where nothing seemed to be going right. He just couldn’t catch a break. He was tense and it wasn’t until he felt Emma’s arms around him that he began to relax. He leaned back against her, feeling some of the tension float away. “It’s just been a long day, and nothing seems to be going right.” He murmured. “Well, it wasn’t until now. But, you make everything better.”

Emma smiled and tilted her head to kiss his cheek. “I’m glad I can help.” Her hands glided across his chest before sliding back to his shoulders, gently massaging them. “Wanna talk about it?” Maybe it’d help ease his mind.

A smile graced his features as he continued swaying gently. “I’m not going anywhere.” It was a simple, yet sincere promise. “The fact that I’m even being given a chance means the world to me.” He didn’t think he deserved it, but he certainly was grateful for it.

“Emma, we can take things as slow as we need to. There’s no pressure.” He reminded her once again. “I want this to work, I really do, but more than anything, I want you in my life, in whatever capacity. All those years without you, it just made me realize that life without you is not happy. I was never complete.”

His words were touching, up until a point. She shifted in her seat, taking a moment to collect her words and order them.

“Neal, I want to give this a shot as much as you, but you can’t say there’s no pressure and then spill out a confession like that. If this doesn’t work, if we’re not together, then where does that leave you? Unhappy because of me? You can’t put that on me. Or Henry. We’re his parents. I know he wants us together, and if he thinks it might happen and then it doesn’t, he’s going to be upset.” She wasn’t ready for Neal to be spewing and pouring his heart out to her and then brush it all away with a ‘there’s no pressure’ line. 

“I know you’re open with your feelings, but I’m....” well, he knew what she was, “I mean, I know you’re here and you’re not going anywhere. Can we... save it on the declarations?” Could they try being normal first? 

Once Emma was securely in her seat, Neal sat down in the swing across from her. He was facing her and he mimicked her movements, kicking off the ground until his swing was swaying in place like hers. “I have some pull in this town.” He chuckled at his own words. “Nah, my father helped me arrange it. He owns practically all the real estate in town.”

“Emma, I brought you here because I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier. How we’re not the same people we used to be. And you’re right. But, I also believe that we found our way back to each other for a reason and I don’t wanna run from that.”

He continued speaking softly. “I know we can’t go back. And the truth is, I don’t want to. Because as much as I regret leaving you, I don’t know what would’ve happened if I hadn’t. I don’t know if you would’ve found your family.” It was quite possible she wouldn’t have.

“We can’t go back, but we can move forward. I don’t want to pressure you, you know that, and if you’re not ready, I understand, but I’m putting it all out there. I want to get to know you, the person you are now. And I want you to get to know me. If that leads us to find Tallahassee together, then that’s great. If it doesn’t, at least we tried.”

The thought of Neal going to his father for her was... well, it was rather endearing. The two didn’t have the best relationship. As Neal started to talk, she continued to rock in her seat, thumb grazing the side of her drink absent-mindedly. 

What he said made sense, in both her head and her heart. It was rare for the two to agree when it came to these matters. Her thumb continued to pad the side of the cup. “I want to get to know you again too,” she finally said. Emma’s eyes traveled up, meeting his with a certain something hidden in their depths. “And I want you to stick around. Not just for Henry, but for me too.” It was hard for Emma to express how relieved she was to have Neal here, to know that he hadn’t left her, that he did love her. Part of her was afraid of this feeling he gave her, the warmth that bloomed in her chest, that old, almost forgotten feeling of security. 

Neal simply winked at her and then knelt down, pulling out his lockpick. He worked on the lock, frowning a bit. It was a bit more difficult than the other had been. Finally, however, he heard a click. “Got it.” He then stood up and took one of the drinks from Emma. 

“Just wait…” As he entered through the now unlocked gate, the park was surrounded by darkness. He flipped a circuit breaker just as he had years ago and smiled brightly when it lit up. “Now, that’s a view.” He murmured. “Shall we?”

She’d never get tired of seeing him work a lock. The furrow of his brow, the concentrated look in his dark eyes, ears straining to hear the pick against the tumblers. As always, the lock fell and the door swung open. She handed him his drink back before they walked in.

Her features light up with the park, her grin growing wider as the park burst into light. “It really is.” They both step towards the swings and she lifts the bar on one, Neal keeping it lifted as she takes her seat. That same courtly act accompanied by his charming smile. 

Suspended in the seat, her feet kick off against the ground to let her sway in place. “So how did you set this up?”

Neal was dressed casually in a hoodie, t-shirt and jeans. He had arranged everything and then made a pit stop at Granny’s for two hot chocolates with cinnamon. Shortly after, he arrived at the amusement park and spotted Emma. “Hey. Glad you could make it.”

He knew she was curious and he had every intention of telling her his plans. Or rather, showing her. His lock pick was tucked safely in his pocket. “Do you mind holding these for me?” He asked, extending the drinks to her.

Emma turned as he approached, smiling and nodding in greeting. “Well there were no curses threatening the town so I didn’t really have an excuse.” She watches him in amusement, eyes darting over the two cups in his hands. 

Both drinks were offered over and she accepted them. “Let me guess, going to pick the lock?” This was all too similar a situation, but it made her happy in a small way that she had forgotten.

He smiled lightly, remembering that night fondly. “If you want to.” He replied, softly. “I’ll meet you there around seven, alright?” That would give him time to make some arrangements, and grab a couple of hot chocolates. “See you tonight, Emma.”

She nodded gently, smiling, and the two parted ways. It was only a couple of hours until seven so Emma went back to the flat and debated on what to do. Her old glasses were still in her box and she dug them out to look at them. Even just holding them brought back memories. 

However, in the end she decided to just go as herself, not dressing like she had in the past. She had changed and that girl who had stolen the yellow bug so long ago was there, but not in the same way. 

So at seven Emma showed up outside the amusement park wonder just what Neal had plans for. She waited just outside the gates, which were locked, and scanned the area for Neal.

“No one said you had to be.” He understood what she was saying, and more importantly, what she wasn’t saying. He wanted to show her they could start over, yet he didn’t want to pressure her. “Look, why don’t we meet tonight? Meet me at the amusement park after dark. I have something I wanna show you. No pressure, no expectations. Just…please meet me.” He had an idea forming and if he pulled it off, it could be exactly what they needed.

She was a little stunned by his words, but nodded. “Ah, sure.”  He seemed to have something in mind and, if her suspicions were true, she had a bit of an idea. She’d never forget that night at the amusement park. But what did he expect to do? “Should I wear a ponytail?” Emma looked at him in amusement.

Neal looked at her intently. “Well, if that’s the case, why do you have to move on? Because I’m right here and I’m just as in love with you now as I was then, if not more.”

Emma sighed and looked away. It was harder to admit than she thought. “There’s a lot more to it than that. Twelve years is a long time. I’ve changed.” Her fingers tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “What I said in Neverland, I didn’t mean that I wanted you...” dead, but her throat choked on the last word. Instead, she gestured half-heartedly to suggest the word that her lips couldn’t form. “But I’m not ready.”