Rumpelstiltskin walked back to his shop, closely followed by Emma. She slammed the door and gave him an angry look.
"How did you know?"
"I know everything, dearie."
"Don't call me that! And why can't you just let them leave?"
"More importantly, dear, why does it matter to you?"
Unwilling to tell him the full truth, Emma said, "They're good people, and they just want to get home."
"Oh, there's more to it than that, dearie."
"Yeah, like what?"
"Why don't you tell me?"
"Fine. The reason I care whether you let them go home or not is because... because I never had a home. And they do. And they deserve to get back to it."
Rumpelstiltskin looked at her for a moment before replying. "A nice sentiment, dearie, but it can't fight destiny."
"Look, if being here is their destiny, they'll find their way back here, the way I got here to break the curse. Then I'll believe you. But for now, how about we let them go?"
Rumpelstiltskin appeared at a loss for words. "Very well, dearie, tell them they can leave."
"Thank you", said Emma, walking away.
...
"Really? We can go?", Claire asked, hardly daring to believe it.
"Yep", said Emma.
"What did you say to get him to let us go?", asked Miles.
"None of your business", said Emma. "Anyway, goodbye."
"Bye, Emma", said Kate. "And thanks."
"No problem", Emma replied.
And then she watched as they walked away in the direction of the town line.
A/N: Don't worry, the story's not over yet!
