entranceway | video

[Neal's not really one for broadcasting on the network much; too many years spent trying to go unnoticed probably, out of the public eye and away from whoever he'd been running from at the time. So while he's been in Wonderland for ten months, when the feed starts? It's only the second time he's purposely put up since he got to Wonderland.]

Uh, hey. [This is going to be awkward, isn't it? Maybe he should've stuck to text, but too late now.] So this may seem like something crazy to ask, especially since Wonderland is doing--whatever it does, again. [Rooms shuffling around, hills turned into valleys, who knows what else.] But I thought maybe we should talk about ways this place doesn't suck.

[No, he's not joking. Neal's got a reason behind this, even if he's not sharing it exactly.]

See, it's easy to complain about what's going on, and no one's going to blame anyone for it. But we're all stuck here regardless, so I just--I don't know. Thought that sharing the good things might make it a little easier. Y'know. While we're trying to figure out where all the rooms went.

[And what it might mean that for the second time, some event seems to be starting without any sort of announcement, and now outside of when everyone would expect it. Neal's figures someone else is going to have that covered anyway, like Emma or James, or one of those superheroes running around.

Hence the attempt at morale boosting, or whatever people want to call it. Honestly, Neal knows there are other people around in the same situation he is--not just stuck, but resigned to the fact that Wonderland is it. So why not reach out, try to find them, and commiserate?

He thinks over what he's said, then nods as if telling himself that yeah, the message is good, it gets the point across. Then he turns off the video in favor of sending out a pretty important private message. It's one he should have sent out sooner--much sooner--but for all the logic and good intentions, Neal's still carrying a lot of guilt over what Zelena made him do.]

[Private to Henry]

Hey buddy; you busy?

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"The fairest," and all that. [ :l ] I know a little bit of that story firsthand.

[ Minus the curse and all. She smiles wanly. ]

I know. I'm sorry that she left before I really got to know her.

[ And this Snow is friendly with Regina, oddly enough. ]

Not that I know of. But... it's our end game, I think. Either he'll find a way to us and fight or we'll go back there and fight. It has to end in a battle; doesn't it always?

[ Snow purses her lips, then sighs. ]

No, it isn't all that's going on. But he doesn't... remember. What else has happened.

Yeah? That's not really too surprising, I guess. I mean, for all the stories get wrong, they get a lot of stuff right too. [So it makes sense that Snow White would still face an evil queen, despite how many other details were different.

Like said Evil Queen changing; Neal and Regina aren't exactly best friends, but the woman's come a long way, and that's admirable in Neal's eyes.]

Unfortunately. I would say that at least you know the good guys are going to win, but--when does "happily ever after" actually happen, you know?

[So much for this being cheerful. Neal's just gotten pretty used to the idea that real lives, even ones where the fairytales come from, don't wrap up that neatly.]

Oh, damn. That's--wow. [Case in point? Bigby not actually knowing that he and Snow are together. Neal reaches up to scratch the back of his head, offering Snow a sympathetic look.] I'm sorry. That's got to be really hard on you.

Unfortunately. [ She'll never, ever bring up the dwarves, but that's far and away her biggest issue with the "stories." Even more so than when they paint her to be a fair, delicate maiden. ]

Not often. [ For now, she thinks, but for how long? ] ... You see it in bits and pieces, almost, but... never as long as you'd like.

[ Her smile is small, distant. Sad. ]

It is, but... [ What can she do? Snow just sighs, looking away. ] But I can handle it. I've taken care of things my entire life, this - it isn't any different.

[ Untrue, but she'll find a way. ]

[She pretty much nails it; happiness comes, but the ever after part? That’s more a pretty lie, a neat way to tie up stories for people who see them as just fairytales rather than someone’s real life. It’s a hell of a lot more complicated than just a few words, or how Snow tries to make it seem when she promises to handle it.]

You’d do better than I did in that case. I’m kind of in the opposite situation from you—when I got here, I found out the woman I loved had moved on and was with another guy. [Which is a really simple way of describing the mess that had been Neal’s life. He smirks at his own situation, glancing down for a moment.] It’s better now, but it took a hell of a long time to get there.

[ If he knew the story, she might point out that Bigby had run off to live in the woods for years after they'd have seven children together and had lived with another woman, but... ]

I'm so sorry. [ Really. Because she knows love, knows the pain of it all, and can hear the little nuances of it in his voice. ] It can take - I mean, it may never go away entirely. But I'm glad to hear that you're doing a little better.

Yeah. I mean, it’s kind of hard trying to redefine it. She called us family, and that’s good, but—part of me is always going to love her. [And Neal does feel a little guilty admitting that, given that he’s with someone else now too. It’s the truth though, and he looks down for a moment with a grin.] So I’m glad she’s with someone who makes her happy.

[Especially since Neal knows he’s lost the chance to be that person.]

Pretty sure we were talking about your problems though. [Don’t think he missed the part where this all turned around, Snow. He looks back towards his phone.] I don’t like to think that everything in our life is predetermined or anything like that—but I do believe fate plays a role. Destiny or whatever. It sounds like you two could be meant to be, so he’ll figure it out eventually.

It's much easier to deny things you think or feel about someone than to admit to them. [ It's soft, gentle. Earnest. ] So... it's brave, what you're doing.

[ Snow somehow hadn't missed her chance; despite denying her feelings for Bigby for centuries, she'd still been given the opportunity to be with him. She'll always be grateful for that. ]

Oh, don't worry about - [ But she trails off, smiling faintly. ] ... Maybe you're right. And thank you, Neal.

I already made that mistake—a bunch of them, really. [But denying what he felt, convincing himself that he loved Tamara more than he did, especially after Emma came back? Yeah, Neal’s been down that road, and he isn’t a fan of where it led.] So I don’t know if it’s brave or not. I just know better now.

[He shrugs, then grins as Snow starts to brush off his reassurances. He’s about to call her on it, but the woman catches herself first, leaving him to nod instead.] Hey, sure. And you know, if you ever want to talk about it or anything, you can come find me.

That certainly helps, too.

[ hmmm. ]

Of course. And you, if you need it. Or even if you don't.

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