Board Thread:Character Discussion/@comment-187.172.138.83-20130506222109/@comment-67.168.180.205-20130507071132

Rubelle wrote: One thing I don't understand is, if Neal loved Emma all along and was sorry for letting her go every single day, why did he not come to SB after curse broke. more importantly, why was he engaged to  Tamara in first place? After ten years of separation, guilt, and anxiety would you even try to visit your angry ex? But let's examine why Bae didn't go into Storybrooke after the curse had been broken. One, he knows that he hurt Emma, and assumes that she doesn't want to see him again. Also, owning up to your mistakes and apologizing to the person you're at fault to is one of the scariest things on this earth. Two, his father, Rumplestiltskin, is in the very same town as Emma. I don't think I need to explain that one. Three, if you haven't notice by now Nealfire's flaw is to distance himself away from the problem.

Now let's look into why he got engaged to a woman other than Emma. First, Neal has moved on with his life within the last ten years. He has settled down, met a nice lady (well he thought she was nice!) and has accepted that he isn't going to see Emma and his father again. Second, Neal has always loved Emma, but to him ( and Emma too) that door has been closed for a very long time. So he opened up to Tamara. He probably just wanted somebody to be in life.