Hey guys, this story came from my desperation for more Swanthief/Swanfire fics. I can't seem to find many on here and I don't know why! This one is pretty different so please bear with me!

To those of you awesome people who are following my other story 'Catching Up', I'm really sorry I haven't updated lately! I'm experiencing a bit of a writer's block and I get really distracted, so instead of writing my school assignment, like I'm supposed to be doing, I'm writing Catching Up. And instead of writing Catching Up, which I'm also supposed to be doing, I'm writing this story!

Okay, sorry about the ramble - this goes out to any other Swanfire shippers and is set after 'Tallahassee" as if Neal has met August and gone back to Emma regardless.

Sidenote: Neal won't be in the whole story (like the title indicates there are plot twists!) Enjoy:

"Babe what's wrong?" Emma asked, concerned. "The watches...?"

"I couldn't get the money for them. Someone was following me. But don't panic, I know a guy that can help us who lives about an hour away."

"Someone was following you? Neal! What happened? Did you know them?"

"Emma, don't worry about it. Everything's fine."

"Okay, you know I can tell that you're lying. What happened?" She demanded.

"Not now Em. Please. Let's just go get these watches sold. Then we can finally settle down. Buy that apartment we want," he mentioned enticingly. "You know, I think I want our future house to be blue."

She had to smile at Neal's blatant attempt to change the subject and couldn't resist replying, "No house of mine will be entirely blue. How about white with blue trim?"

"Okay," Neal chuckled, "I'm sure there'll be plenty of those going cheap in Tallahassee."

"Well we might have to wait awhile and start saving up to get it. As in with money from actual jobs now that we are upstanding, respectable citizens." Emma said with a slight smirk.

"That will definitely take some getting used to. We're not quite there yet, though, we still have to fleece the watches."

"Yeah, right. Remind me how again?"

"I told you," he said, flashing her a grin, "I've got a guy. Trust me."

"I do trust you, Neal." Emma said seriously, "And however long it takes us to get our house will be worth the wait."

"You bet it will," he replied softly before bending to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Let's go start our new life."

x

Neal's 'guy' turned out to be a thirty-year-old man missing three of his front teeth and living in a tiny apartment with his cat.

He greeted Neal with a surprised grunt. "Didn't think you were still alive Cassidy."

Emma glanced at Neal curiously but he just shrugged it off. "Yeah, I took off when the cops showed up at Milton's. I watched to make sure the others made it out, though. Everyone except Ryan did, and when I went to bust him out he'd already escaped. He always was the best at picking locks."

"That he was. So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company tonight?"

"I need a favour," said Neal uncomfortably.

The man raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, well, well, the infamous Neal Cassidy asking for a favour. I never thought I'd see the day."

"Alright I get it," Neal said bitterly, "You won't help." He turned away, tugging Emma's hand gently.

"I never said that. Just want you to acknowledge that it's okay to ask for a hand once in a while." The man gave Emma a quick wink and leaned in to announce in a loud stage whisper, "Neal here never accepted help from anyone when we were a bit younger. Said making deals and asking for favours only led to heartbreak."

"Yeah, well, things are a bit different now." Neal countered defensively.

"I'll bet. Now you've got someone you love to think of, eh?" He smirked at Neal's involuntary glance at Emma. "That's what I thought."

"Okay, you were right. Sometimes deals are necessary," Neal managed to spit out through gritted teeth, "Like right now for example. We need help, Paul. I need you to get in touch with a few of your black market pals."

"I'll see what I can do."

x

4 years later

"Mama, I want to help!" Her three-year-old son grinned up at her from the kitchen floor.

"Sure thing, kid. How about you test the sauce for me?"

She laughed as he nodded so hard he almost toppled over. Emma dipped a spoon in the spaghetti sauce and let it cool for a minute before handing it to Henry. The pasta started boiling over and she quickly grabbed the lid off and turned down the heat. Emma hating cooking, with a passion. She would've been perfectly content to eat takeaway for the rest of her life if Neal hadn't convinced her that Henry should have better food.

Emma turned around to discover Henry grinning cheekily at her, his face covered in spaghetti sauce.

"I only gave you a spoonful!" Emma laughed, "How did you manage to get that much all over you?"

Henry gave her an impish look, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Come here, mister. We'd better get that off."

She'd wiped about half of it off when they heard keys rattling at the front door.

"Daddy!" Henry squealed in excitement, squirming to get free. Giving up on getting the sauce off, Emma let him go and turned back to the pasta.

Henry's feet pattered quickly out of the room.

"Hey buddy!" She heard Neal greet from the hallway. "Whoa, what happened to you?"

"Mama's making dinner!"

"Ah," came Neal's amused voice, "That explains it."

"Hey!" Emma protested loudly, "I don't normally have spaghetti bolognese smeared all over our son, thank you very much."

"You're right," Neal grinned at her, coming into the kitchen with Henry in his arms. "Normally it's mashed potato." He gave his son a playful poke and Henry giggled uncontrollably.

Emma couldn't help but smile at her boys.

x

After the meal Emma picked up Henry, who had gotten more dinner on him than in him, and they settled down in the lounge room after changing Henry into pyjamas. Neal made their hot chocolates.

"So what did you get up to today little man?" He asked Henry as he moved to sit next to them on the lounge. Henry smiled up at him and babbled, "Mama took me to a house shop!"

"A house shop?" Neal looked utterly bemused and Emma had to laugh. She decided to help him out.

"He means a yard sale."

"Oh, a yard sale! Did you get anything good?"

Henry nodded vigorously and beamed at his father before wriggling out from between his parents and scampering off to his room. He returned a minute later and placed a small book in Neal's lap. He crawled up beside Emma again and looked expectantly at his dad.

Neal flipped over the book and Emma heard him give a slight groan.

"Peter Pan? Are you sure there isn't anything else you want me to read?"

"Please daddy?" Henry begged.

Neal gave Emma a faux glare. "This is all your fault. Your son is too adorable to turn down."

"Don't blame me Cassidy, that grin is all yours. Besides, what have you got against Peter Pan? Sure, Tinkerbell is a piece of work, but I love the lost boys."

"Of course you do," Neal teased, "You practically are one."

"Not to mention I fell in love with one."

"Yes you did," he replied, and Emma couldn't quite catch the emotion behind his words. Was it guilt, melancholy, anger? She wasn't sure. Emma shook herself. Why would Neal have any of those feelings? She must have imagined it, he probably just needed to sneeze or something.

"Okay buddy, it's your lucky day." Neal told Henry.

Henry squealed with excitement and settled himself on Emma's lap. Emma was sure he'd be asleep before Neal had finished the first chapter, and to her amusement his eyes soon began to close, only to suddenly reopen. After about the sixth time his eyes stayed shut and Neal quietly closed the book. Emma picked him up gently and carried him to his bed with Neal trailing close behind her, where she tucked him in.

She gave him a kiss and moved to let Neal place the book on the small beside table. She watched as he pulled Henry's blankets up to his chin and smiled when she saw Henry's sleepy eyes watching him.

"I wasn't 'sleep daddy," Henry yawned, and Neal smiled at him adoringly.

"Of course you weren't, buddy. But it's bedtime now so we'll read some more tomorrow." He gently placed a hand on his son's small head, and gave his silky hair a slight rumple. "I love you."

"Love you too. Night mommy."

"Night, kid," Emma said warmly, giving him another kiss, "Sleep tight."

Okay let me know what you think! I know it's a bit boring at the moment but the story starts to get a bit more interesting next chapter! Feel free to ask me questions you have about absolutely anything, and I would really appreciate reviews :)