Chapter 16: A Reunion Eleven Years Too Late
Emma Swan had not changed that much in the eleven years since Sirius had last seen her. In fact, if anything, she looked better. She had gotten rid of the slightly nerdy glasses and her already gorgeous figure had ripened. Time had been good to her: it hadn't been good to him.
Well, he was looking a little better than he had been. His father's potions had made him look like less of a walking skeleton in the designer pajamas his future stepmom had bought him, and the haircut and shave he had gotten had helped too. But he was nowhere near the Sirius he once was, and he was nowhere near on the level of attractiveness that was equitable to Emma.
At first when the receptionist had called him and said that Emma Swan wanted to see—well, his father (of all people) he was a little puzzled.
It couldn't be his Emma. And then he thought maybe it was a trick or something—but no one knew about Emma. So, he told Hannah to ring her up. Probably stupid, but he had thought of the woman on a daily basis for almost twelve years now.
She and Harry. They were the only reasons he got out of Azkaban halfway sane. Really an emphasis on the word halfway. Because sometimes Sirius really had to wonder if he had really come out that unscathed, like the confrontations he had with is father. There were times he thought that maybe he could've come off more controlled than he did.
Although, he was really miffed about the Hogwarts thing. Still.
He had to give it to his father for leaving before he turned him into a snail, because that's what Sirius was pretty sure his father had wanted to do for him.
It was weird seeing Rumpelstiltskin being so protective over someone who was…well, not him.
But he was over Harry. Deep down inside, he knew his father cared and loved for Harry as much as, well, his father could.
But…
But he was Rumpelstiltskin and although Belle swore he changed, Sirius couldn't help but feel over protective of his godson and what his future might be because of the man.
He had to get them out of here.
But he couldn't even get access to any of his accounts as long as he was deemed as convict.
A convict without even a trial. That was something Sirius was very unhappy about. He had to find that stupid rat.
Which was complicated of course by the fact that his godson, his baby brother was being raised by a complete sociopath.
So, his plans were at a total wash. Which is why he had nothing better to do than let Hannah ring Emma up.
And besides, it was Emma.
The one woman he had ever stuck with more than two weeks. The one woman that Sirius had somehow convinced himself was the one all these years. The one he'd never be with. His golden dream girl.
She was just as shocked to see him as he was to see her when he opened the door. At first he thought maybe it was the pajamas. Maybe he should've tried to transfigure them into something appropriate. However, he currently lacked a wand and wasn't able to use wandless magic like his father or Harry. Really, the one good wandless spell he was good at was turning into a dog.
Although, Harry had told him he could learn if he wanted to. That their papa was a great teacher.
Sirius would stick to wands, thank you very much. If only to spite his father. He actually knew learning some wandless magic would be a good thing.
Magic.
He still couldn't believe he used magic.
Well, Sirius Black grew up in a magical home. But him Bae…
God, he didn't know if Azkaban made him crazy, maybe he had been crazy ever since he became Black.
He was Sirius though, he was sure of it—but he knew it wasn't. In a sense, anything before the ripe old age of eleven as Sirius Black was null and void. And even then, he didn't even get how he got to eleven. He had been perpetually fourteen when he was in Neverland, so how…
It didn't make sense.
All thoughts were lost though when Emma opened her mouth, "Neal?"
Oh yes, Neal Cassidy. Another one of his inventions. Honestly, he really didn't know what to call himself again. Padfoot just wasn't that professional of a name. Not that Baelfire was either. As for Neal Cassidy, he had merely called himself that for a summer. And he never really felt like a Neal.
Except with Emma.
Emma looked at him to acknowledge her. He sighed heavily, "Emma, this a surprise. Why are you here?"
She shook her head. "No. I must've gotten the wrong room. But there's no way you could afford a penthouse."
Actually he could. If he had access to his funds. The Blacks did have a lot of dough, though a lot of it had been depleted in the war. Somewhat. They were still filthy rich though, compared to most people.
He glared at Emma, "Hey."
"Well, if you could afford a penthouse why was it always Motel 6's with me?" She asked.
She looked upset.
Obviously.
It was probably because of the way he left her. Sirius admitted the entire situation had been a little fucked up. He had left in such a rush, the message that James had sent had seemed so urgent. Then when he met Harry…well, it was his godson. And then the Voldemort crap of course got started again, and thoughts about Emma took a backseat. Unfortunately.
But there she was, front and center in his mind. And in front of him and she looked like she wanted to smack him.
Probably should.
"You want to come in?" He asked suddenly. "I think there's some tea around here or we could order some room service."
Emma rolled her eyes. "I'm not here to get reacquainted with you, Neal. And what happened to you, you look like shit."
Gee, thanks Emma. Stating the obvious. Though, it was one of the things he had loved about her—she spoke her mind. And Sirius knew he looked terrible, but it still hurt hearing Emma say that.
Then again, she had never really complimented him on his looks.
She just wasn't like that.
"Why are you in London, Emma?" He asked. "Scratch that. Why do you want to see Robert Gold?"
He inwardly cringed at the alias his father was using. It seemed, so, so, normal. And the last name Gold did seem to suit him. Back in the old days, there was no need for last names. Which in this world, Sirius soon learned caused problems.
Thank God for the Darlings.
Though fat load of good he did for them.
He shuddered as he remembered them being carried off to Neverland. He still couldn't forgive himself for what had happened to them.
He had tried so hard.
And failed again.
He always failed.
Emma looked at him, "God, what happened to you Neal? You seem depressed."
He laughed. He wasn't depressed. Well, not as depressed as he was in Azkaban. If anything,
"Okay?" Emma said. "I don't see what was so funny about what I just asked you. Unless your life has sucked a lot lately."
"It has." He said as he looked at her, "You look great, Em."
"No." She quickly shook her head. "You are not doing that."
"Doing what?"
"Calling me Em." She stated. "You are not going to get back into my favor, Neal. I'm not here to even see you."
"I know that," He barked. Funny, barked. He could actually bark if he wanted too, but he didn't think turning into an actual dog would do him any justice with Emma. "You're here to see Rumple…Gold."
"You were going to call him by Rumpelstiltskin weren't you?" Emma asked. "You knew this whole time?"
He honestly didn't know what she was talking about. And he was trying to figure out how she knew his father was Rumpelstiltskin.
Emma, of course, didn't notice his shock. She had a tendency to be ridiculously obtuse to some things. It was something that Sirius had found charming back in the day. But now, he sort of wanted her to get a clue. Because maybe it would stop some of the glaring—he hoped.
"I can't read minds." He told her as he motioned her to come into the penthouse because he honestly felt a little uneasy standing there just in his bathrobe and pajamas. Which was ridiculous because if anything, living in Azkaban for the past ten almost eleven years should've drove away any modesty that he had.
"I really don't think this is something to read minds over, Neal." She replied as she walked over to the couch where he had been sitting on a minute ago and sat down. Well, that was a good sign. At least she intended on staying (he hoped). "I mean, seriously. Rumpelstiltskin. Most people if they heard that name would think you were crazy."
He sighed heavily and looked at her. "People are naming their kids all sorts of things today. At least that's according to the program I caught on the boob tube yesterday"
"Not Rumpelstiltskin." Emma said looking at him, "The question is how does a bum like you, know him."
"I am not a bum." Sirius said. "We are in the penthouse."
"Which you could never afford," Emma pointed out. "Unless your fortune has changed drastically, I doubt that it has."
He glared at her. "I'll have you know I've done a lot since I've last seen you, Em."
Yeah, in jail. And a lot was sort of pushing it. Really, he spent most of his days as a dog. Not really a great way to spend the past decade.
Emma raised an eyebrow. "Sure…Neal. So, again, how do you know Rumpelstiltskin? And don't call me Em. How many times do I have to say that?"
Should he tell her the truth? That the imp was his father. He had a feeling that Emma had some idea who the man was, and he really didn't want to tell her that he was her father. It was a bit of a turn off, after all. Though, Sirius knew he was being silly thinking that he could even have anything again with Emma. They were done. Kaput. But he still couldn't bear giving Emma the whole Darth Vadar revelation when it came to his relationship with Rumpelstiltskin.
So, he tried to change the subject. "I should be asking how you know him, Em. Please, tell me you're not making a deal with him."
He really meant that too. He wouldn't wish any of his father's deals on anyone. Except maybe Voldemort and Pettigrew. And Bellatrix, and maybe Lucius Malfoy. And, well, any Death Eater.
Emma rolled her eyes. "Believe me, lesson learned on that. I still owe him a favor, and I'm dreading what that favor is going to be. I hope it's not a foot massage."
Sirius grimaced at the very thought. "He has a fiancée, I doubt it's that."
"I know," Emma said. "But I still have nightmares. I don't know how Belle does it. You are getting me off topic, Neal."
"Am I?" he said as he sat down on the recliner in the living area of the penthouse. "I thought we were talking about your illicit deal with the Dark One."
"So you do know him." Emma stated the obvious.
Sirius laughed. "Yeah, I do. I'm guessing you do to. But how, you're not from his world."
"And you are?" Emma asked shocked.
Sirius sighed. "Yeah, I am."
"Yet you never said anything?" There was something about the way she looked at him that he didn't like. The way her eyes sparked. It was like he had set off the wrong switch.
Sirius sighed. "Well, what was I suppose to say…hey, I'm from a different realm. I don't think it would've gone over to well. Besides, it's not like I really remembered anything back then."
Emma murmured something that sounded, "Curse."
"What?" Sirius asked.
"The curse," Emma said. "Of course, but I don't know how you weren't stuck in Storybrooke with everyone else."
"What?"
She looked at him. "Didn't you come over with everyone else when Regina decided to throw her epic temper tantrum."
"Regina? Temper tantrum? Emma….I don't know what you're talking about."
She sighed heavily as she looked at him. "You don't know who Regina is?"
"No, I don't." He said. "Let's just say I jumped a few realms before I ended up here. So I'm not exactly caught up to date on my original realm."
"Jumped realms?" Emma asked.
Sirius shrugged. "Look, it's a very long and complicated story why don't…"
The look on Emma's face told him he was in for it. "I can't believe you!"
Sirius was preparing for the full frontal Swan assault when he felt a presence behind him. Imagine to his surprise when he saw a terrified looking Harry looking at him.
"Not now, Emma." He said as he turned towards Harry. The kid looked upset and that upset Sirius. Even more than the fact that Emma was currently chewing out his ass. Imagine to his surprise when Harry said that Belle was kidnapped. And kidnapped by Peter Pan of all people.
Peter Fucking Pan. Now that Sirius was starting to remember a little bit about what had happened to him between the time he was Bae and Sirius Black, he was having strange and terrifying dreams of Neverland. Even though he didn't have perfect recollection of those events he knew one thing: Peter Pan was a monster.
And when he mentioned this. Apparently, Emma seemed nonchalant about the entire thing.
"Yep, already knew that. That's why I came to warn the kid's father that Pan's after him."
"Pan's after my brother?" Sirius asked.
Harry rolled his eyes. Obviously, thinking that Sirius was being a bit slow. To be fair, a lot of this was going over his head a bit.
"He kidnapped Belle and was acting extremely creepy. If he wasn't a teenager I'd think he'd be a perfect candidate for To Catch a Predator. And he has Belle, we have to save her."
Sirius didn't even have any clue what Harry was talking about. Although, Emma seemed to. "To Catch a Predator, seriously, kid?"
"He's creepy, Sherriff Swan." Harry said then looking at her he asked, "Why are you here?"
Sherriff? Emma a police officer that was just ridiculous.
Emma shook her head at Sirius as if to say not now. Well, she certainly didn't say not now when Harry told her that his name was really Bae.
Back in the old realm no one ever associated his name with shit. Thanks to Harry, he really was going to have to pursue a legal name change.
He really didn't think the thing was as hilarious as Harry and Emma made it out to be.
But as annoying as the whole Bae=shit conversation was, his mind was turned back to Pan.
Pan wanted to play with Harry. And Sirius only knew how bad that really was. Which was why he asked his brother for his wand. It was stupid he knew. He knew his father had put wards up all over the place, but he couldn't want to do something. Anything.
He had to protect Harry.
He had promised Lily and James.
It was so weird. He knew that Harry was his brother, but a part of him was always going to think of him as his best friends, even though his father had basically threw an epic tantrum about this very fact.
And he did get where his father was coming from, he really did. He couldn't imagine how it felt to have a child stolen from you. Let alone, a child you didn't know exist. But then again, his father wasn't anyone. He was the Dark One. He was sure that Harry's biological mother was only looking out for his welfare and he wasn't exactly, well, stolen. Because Lily and James would never steal a baby.
He knew them.
"Holy crap, Neal." Emma said as she saw him use Harry's wand.
"What?" He said looking as he looked up. Wards came almost second nature to him. They were relatively easy to do, well, for him at least. It was just about concentrating the magic
Emma just shook her head. "I just….I just can't get away from weird can I?"
She was saying this the phone rang.
He picked it up, halfway imagining it was Pan. Imagine to his surprise when it was a woman of all things on the other end.
"You're not Gold," She said after he said pleasantries.
"No," He said. "I'm not. Who's this?"
"Snow White." She barked. "And I'm coming up."
He raised his eyebrows.
"What?" Emma asked.
"Do you know, um, a Snow White?" He asked.
"Yes," She said. "That's my mother."