The hug between Neal and Emma when they are saying goodbye wasn’t romantic. At least not in the “I’m so hot for you right now” way. But it was not just friendly either. There was depth and sadness and emotion, it was just everything. You could see on Emma’s face how sad and difficult it was to say goodbye and you could also see how much Neal leaned into it and relished every second he could. Who knows how long before he could hold her in his arms again. But he knows he will one day. This wasn’t a good-bye to him, it was a see you later.
Thinking back on the hug, I didn’t want it to be over the top. That wouldn’t have been natural at this point in the game. That would have felt out of left field. This is a “I trust you with our son and I WILL see you again” from Neal and a “I don’t know how to loose you again so WALLS UP” from Emma