Chapter Ten: Game Changers

"A son? Did you know?"

Tamara gripped the phone a bit tighter in her hand and went silent because, in truth, she hadn't known. That either meant that Neal hadn't either or that she was slipping, and slipping could cost them. It had been a risk to begin with to go undercover at length like they had. He'd seen so normal, so at home in this world that if she hadn't caught him talking to August - she'd actually been tracking him, but had found herself in the perfect position to use Neal and had taken it - she'd have never believed he knew anything about it. She still wasn't entirely sure exactly where he fit into it all, but this place was teeming with magic. If the Home Office knew about it they would go ballistic. It had to be dismantled and, eventually, taken to the ground. It didn't belong.

"No," she answered before letting herself get too lost in thought. "He's acting strangely too."

"Is he on to you?"

"Maybe."

"If this place is half of what you say, we've hit the jackpot."

"It's not just that, Greg," Tamara whispered. She'd heard the name of this place before, and that had been part of what had sent her after August Booth to begin with. Storybrooke held a special and dark place in her lover's heart.

"You haven't heard anything about him, have you?"

"No, but I'm listening. You know I'll let you know as soon as I hear something."

"I'm coming up in the morning. If Neal knows but isn't saying anything, things could get dangerous. Is the kid there? The one the Home Office sent a picture over of?"

"Yeah. And get this. It's Neal's son."

"I'll be damned," Greg breathed in the other end of the line. "You picked a good one, Tamara."

"Sounds like it. Be careful coming in. If I hadn't been tracking Neal's phone I never would have found this place. It just kind of appeared."

"It does that."

"I'll see you in the morning. We'll wrap this one up and we'll be done with it. Maybe even take some time off."

Greg chuckled on the other end and they both knew how crazy that was. Their job was never ending. Magic didn't belong in their world and they'd been tasked to seek it out. They weren't alone, but they were certainly one of the more dedicated teams. It would be nice to put this one behind them though. With a place like Storybrooke shut down, they might actually be convinced to take a breather from it all.

Tamara ended the call and climbed into bed. Neal had stumbled through his excuse on why she should stay at the inn rather than than his father's house, but he hadn't joined her. She couldn't say she minded, honestly, even if it did strengthen her suspicions that he knew her secret. It gave her more room to move, more room to explore, and once they delivered the boy to the Home Office she could call off the phony engagement. She was pretty sure that taking his son away from him would handle that well enough anyway.

He didn't like her, nor did he approve. Baelfire had actually laughed when Henry told him so, but there had been plenty of assurances that Tamara would not be his new stepmother. She was dangerous, and he couldn't simply let her wander free around Storybrooke. Henry had been right to think that this had to do with the foreknowledge his dad had and he promised that as long as Henry stayed away from her that he'd be safe and that he and Grandpa Gold would handle it. That had been enough for him.

Now, though, as Henry sat at the diner and waited on Emma to finish ordering their breakfast at the counter, he found himself looking up at the same woman his dad had told him to stay clear of. Tamara was smiling and if Henry hadn't known that she was a very bad person - apparently she was an unwitting henchman of Peter Pan that thought she was there to destroy magic, but he wasn't supposed to mention that to Grandpa Gold just yet - he'd have thought she looked nice. Had he not known, he might not have disliked her so much. As it was, though, he tried to close his book as discretely as possible and smile convincingly.

"Henry, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry about last night. Neal said he only recently found out that he had a son. It took me by surprise, but I don't want you to take that wrong."

"No problem. I understand."

The smile just didn't end. "What are you reading on?"

"A book."

Tamara laughed. "I can see that. What's it about?"

"Nothing. Just some fairy tales." This wasn't good. He didn't like the way that Tamara was looking at it. Her interest seemed peaked and she reached forward, trying to take hold of the book. Henry had to relinquish it if he didn't want to be too obvious about it. He watched her carefully as she opened it up and flipped through it.

"Hello again."

Tamara froze at Emma's voice and Henry could have cheered. Even though the dark haired woman's hands never left the book, she turned, that terribly friendly smile right back into place. "Emma, right? You're Henry's mom."

"And you're Neal's fiancé."

"I am. Well this is awkward."

A slow smile that was much less friendly crossed Emma's lips. "Not sure why. You're welcome to him."

Tamara's smile faded just a little at this and she laughed nervously, finally relinquishing her hold in the book. Henry took advantage of the moment and shoved it into his school bag.

"Well, I was just going to grab a quick coffee and take a look around town," Tamara said, fishing her keys out of her purse. They slipped from her fingers and Henry caught Emma's attention, trying to convey his thoughts without speaking a out loud. She only shot him a confused look as Tamara stood back up. "Got to love these things," she laughed, motioning to the large purse. "You fish around for something and by the time you find it half the contents are on the ground."

"I'd look into a smaller purse if I were you," Emma advised tightly and Tamara seemed less comfortable than before, if possible, as she scooted away and Emma slid into the opposite booth. "What was all of that?"

"She wanted to see my book. Baelfire said she's bad. We can't trust her."

"Don't call him that. It's weird."

"Fine. Dad said we can't trust her."

Emma made a face, but was too smart to say anything about that and Ruby delivered their breakfast in front of them. The werewolf offered a wink to Henry and he grinned. At least she was on his and Bae's side.

"Well," Emma mused around her pancakes, "why doesn't he just break it off with her then? Get her out of town?"

"She won't leave. She's here to destroy magic, and if she knows Dad's into her she'll do something bad."

"Uh-huh."

Henry frowned. "Use your super power on her. She's sneaky."

"I didn't say I trusted her, Henry."

"But you don't trust Dad either, do you?"

"If you knew him like I did, you wouldn't either. Eat up. You'll be late for school."

"Will you at least go by the shop and talk to him today? Just give him a chance to explain and really listen. For me?"

Emma sighed heavily. "I have things to do today, but I'll try, Henry."

"What's so important?"

"I have a... lunch meeting I have to go to."

Henry tilted his head. "A meeting? With who?"

"Look at the time. The bus isn't going to wait on you, kid."

"You said no more lies, Emma. You promised."

Her shoulders slumped and she sighed again. "August."

"Is it like a date?"

"It's like a lunch."

"But you can't go on a date with August! Dad's here. You can-"

"Henry, your dad and I aren't getting back together. I'm sorry, kid, but it's not going to happen. Anyway, I thought you liked August."

"I do, but he's not my dad," Henry huffed as he stood up and grabbed his bag from beside the booth. "I'll see you after school. Don't forget you promised to try."

"I know. I will."

Well, that was better than nothing. After all, True Love wasn't easy. If it was, everyone would have it.

She should have dropped by the pawn shop before lunch, Emma knew. It was important to Henry that his parents were at least civil, and as long as Neal was making an effort to be the dad his son deserved, she could do that much at least. Anyway, she still needed to have a sit down with Gold and get answers about the fact that her name was written again and again in his cell and if that had anything to do with what had happened when Cora had tried to rip her heart out.

Emma hadn't made it by, though, and had found every excuse in Storybrooke to avoid doing so. Now she was back at Granny's, sitting in a booth and facing the door, waiting for a writer that was really Pinocchio all grown up. When had her life gotten so weird?

"Hey," a voice sounded from behind and August appeared, slipping into the booth opposite of her.

Emma felt a real smile perk her lips. "Hey."

"So, a bit overdue, but hey. I was trying to get you to break a curse."

"Is that all you were doing?"

August caught the unspoken question and he grinned roguishly. "Emma Swan, I do hope you aren't insinuating my intentions are anything less than honest. I'm on my best behavior."

"Why start now?"

"Well, from what I understand, Mr Gold got the lecture of a lifetime from Blue last night for turning me back without 'earning it.'"

Emma snorted. "Gold doesn't do anything without payment. What's he charge, anyway?"

"I owe him a favour," August said and she could hear the unease in his voice.

"I owe him one too. Fair warning: he likes to take his time on those."

"I don't think he will on this one. He's not my biggest fan. Probably doesn't want to have any reason to have me around."

"So why is he helping you at all?"

"Who knows, maybe he just likes pissing the Blue Fairy off."

Emma could hear the lie in his voice. There was a reason even if he wasn't saying it. She'd get it out of him. Eventually.

"So... Anything of interest happen while I was away? I hear you took an impromptu trip back home?"

They hadn't had much of a chance to talk the night before. She couldn't blame him. Marco had been overjoyed to see him and probably had just barely been able to let him out of his sight for this lunch. "Home. It's weird, it definitely didn't feel like home. I almost got eaten by an ogre."

August winced. "Standard days now, I guess. I'm up for a good adventure, but I draw the limits at things that want to rip me limb from limb and eat me."

"And? So you're good with one or the other?"

He grinned. "Just not both. Glad to be back?"

"Sort of."

"You don't sound sure."

Emma sighed, slouching down in her seat. "It's nothing, just my ex. Henry's father. He showed up and apparently he's Gold's son. Who knew? If that weren't enough, his fiancé followed him here and she's sketchy as hell and he's lying to Henry with this crazy story about time travel and who knows what else."

"Sounds like a rush," August said tightly, sipping at his coffee he'd ordered.

"More like a nightmare"

"What's the fiancé's name?"

"Tamara."

August went pale. "You've got to be kidding me."

"What? You know her?"

"No."

"I think your nose just grew a little there, Pinocchio," Emma teased.

"That never really happened," he countered and she had to laugh.

The rest of the meal went by with ease. They laughed and for just a few minutes, Emma felt a weight lift. August was good at that. He had a real talent for putting people at ease. Hours flew by, and by the time he said he should be getting back to help his papa with an order, Emma realized she needed to get over to the pawnshop if she was going to make good on her promise to Henry.

"We should do this again."

August grinned. "It's a date."

She tried not to let that smile get to her, but she thought maybe she should. It would be a nice guard against Neal's when she saw him. Despite his many, many flaws, Neal's smile had always made her a little weak in the knees.

The pawnshop was open when she arrived and the bell announced her entrance. Mr Gold looked up from where he was looking through a box and he snapped the lid shut instantly. "Miss Swan," he greeted with that smile that always made her a little nervous. "Bae's in the back if you-"

"Yeah. In a minute. First I need to talk to you."

"Me? What on earth for?"

The man could feign innocence with the best of them, but the fact that he never was really was a dead giveaway. "There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about since Mary Margaret and I came home."

Gold didn't say anything, merely lifted an eyebrow in question.

"The scroll written in squid ink that you sent us after," Emma prompted and watched the slow, knowing smile cross his face.

"Ah. That. Wanted to make sure it would stick. Apparently it worked."

"Apparently," the savior grumbled. She hated when he got like this. He had more than enough information to provide answers but chose to remain cryptic.

"Was there something else then?"

"I think I used magic. When Cora attacked us."

"Oh. That is interesting, though certainly not out of the realm of possibilities. You, m'dear, are the product of True Love. There is no magic stronger in all the worlds."

"So you didn't do that?"

Gold chuckled. "No. I simply took advantage of what you are."

"Papa?" Neal's voice filtered in from the back. "We have a problem. Oh. Hey, Emma."

"Hey. Everything okay?"

"I just heard from Henry. He thinks Tamara stole his book. Did you two see her this morning?"

"Yeah, she crashed our breakfast."

"The book about the Enchanted Forest?" Gold demanded, suddenly very interested in the details.

"She was looking at it," Emma mused out loud. "What would she want with it?"

"Nothing good," Neal answered and he and his father shared a meaningful look between them.

"Seriously, how much trouble could she cause with a book? It's a weird thing to steel, but the panic written across your faces is a little bit much, don't you think?"

"There's a lot of information in there, missie," Gold snapped.

"Her first thought is not going to be that she's in a cursed town where a bunch of magical people have been tossed into. It took me nearly a year to accept it."

"Oh I remember," the shop owner grumbled.

"Papa's dagger is in the book," Neal said as if that explained everything.

Emma, though, had no clue what he was trying to get at, much less why Gold was shooting him that glare. "Okay?"

"You don't get it," Neal sighed. "You knew about it in New York, I guess I just assumed -"

"Listen, if I'm going to be able to help you at all, you're going to cut the crap about the time travel. I don't believe you and if you want my help, you'll need tell me the truth."

Neal looked at her like she'd knocked the air out of him. He opened his mouth, closed it, and then rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he growled after a second. "The dagger, the one in the book, is the same one that Papa's curse is linked to."

"Bae-"

"It's Emma, Papa. You know she was going to find out." He turned back to her, ignoring the uncomfortable look his father now wore. "Anyone that has their hands on that dagger can control him or kill him."

"Kind of a big deal. Noted. Why would Tamara know anything about this? Did you tell her too?"

"What? No! Listen, don't ask me to explain it all, because you won't believe it anyway, but Tamara's not a good person-"

"You're the one engaged to her." He shot her a look and she raised her hands in defence.

"She's part of some sort of a group that's trying to destroy all magic here in this world."

Well, that did sound like an issue. If Tamara was really doing anything remotely similar to that, then she'd hit the jackpot of all magic. "So, what, she's going to use your dad to wipe out Storybrooke or something? Could she even do that? Couldn't you just say no?"

"It's not that simple," Gold said quietly.

"The short answer is no he couldn't stop it," Neal answered. "I don't think she knows what the dagger does, but if she were to find it she could do some real damage even by accident."

Emma pulled in a deep breath. "Okay, say I believe you, just for the sake of argument. You think she stole the book to find the dagger?"

"I think she might have taken it to get a better idea who everyone is and how to destroy the town."

"Picked a good one, didn't you?"

There was something in Neal's face that made guilt bubble up inside of her at the words. "Only one," he murmured, barely audible. He cleared his throat after a moment and straighten. "Anyway, we need to get it back."

She watched him carefully. "Okay," she said slowly. "What do you need me to do?"

August Booth had spent his days in many different ways since coming to the Land Without Magic as a small child. He'd been an orphan who knew where his father was, just not how to get to him. He'd been a kid on the streets, in between homes, and finally, he'd been a young man that realized he had a talent for lying and put it to use by creating fantastically woven stories that people would buy up as soon as the book hit the shelves. He'd traveled all across America and then when that had bored him, he'd ventured out. All along, there was a little blonde girl that hovered at the edge of his mind. She haunted his dreams and broached his thoughts at the most inopportune times. He'd learned to push her aside, but somehow she'd always managed to creep back.

Now he was all too happy to think about her. This place might be a little dull at first glance, but it most certainly had its perks. Especially now that he was human and could enjoy them. There wasn't a beach in sight, but there were some nice woods, and most of all, his father was here. He'd been running, August realized now, from place to place with a new lie following him that he worked into a new story and sold to finance his next big adventure. It had all led him back here, just as she said it would. Just as she'd promised.

So why did the sound of her voice behind him make him flinch now? Right. Because the Blue Fairy was very unhappy with his choice of help.

"Pinocchio, we need to talk."

August forced a lazy smile to his lips as he turned, not letting on for a second that fear was wrapping around him as if the strings he'd worn as a puppet were wrapped around his neck and threatening to cut off his air supply. He'd never understood as a child, but he should have been afraid of her then. He hadn't realized until he'd come across her as an adult that her expectations, all the strings attached to what she wanted from him, were impossible to keep up with. He'd tried, really he had, but he wasn't perfect. He was only… well, mostly human. "Blue, most people just call me August these days."

She offered him that tight smile that didn't seem as friendly as he remembered it as a little boy. "You sought out the Dark One's help."

"I thought once the curse was reversed and Emma believed I'd be returned to normal, but I wasn't."

"The Dark One never provides support without a hefty price, Pinocchio. Your selfless action to save your father's life was what allowed me to transform you into a human when you were a child. A similar action might have opened up a similar pathway now."

"So what, I should have just waited until my papa was on death's door and hopped right in there?"

The look she gave him told him that she didn't appreciate the lightness of his tone. "You were meant to guide Emma, and yet even when I set you back on your path you abandoned her again."

"What was I supposed to do, follow her to prison?"

"You were supposed to be there for her."

"Neal's not a bad guy, you know. He would have stuck it out with her, even if he'd known. It probably would have been better for her to-"

"It most certainly would not have been better for her," Blue answered sharply. "Baelfire was once many things, but his life was tainted by the darkness his father left on him. Even now he is covered in it. If you could see what I see in him, or feel what I feel, you would understand. You would not have sought the Dark One and his son's help above mine."

"Okay, I get it, you don't think I should have gone to Gold for help. Noted."

"I don't think you understand the weight of what you've done. What you now owe him could be more than you're willing to pay."

"Kind of like your promises?" August snapped and he pushed the fears and the threats back. He'd spent too long being told if he did this, things would get better, or if he simply acted that way. All he wanted now was all he'd ever wanted at his core: to be with his father. "At least I know he's good for his word."

She looked offended at this. "Fairies don't lie, Pinocchio."

"You did. To Snow White about the wardrobe."

"Because your father refused-"

"Don't push this off on him. The words left your lips."

The Blue Fairy stiffened. "He's already begun to taint you."

"Listen, what's done is done. No changing that now. I'm going to keep an eye on Emma. This time for sure."

"Don't allow Baelfire back into her life, Pinocchio. There is still too much she must do."

August stiffened at this. "Listen, Emma's going to choose who she wants, not who I want her to choose, but if it's all the same, I don't think she wants Baelfire in her life anymore. Either way, though, it's her choice, not yours. Not his. Not mine."

He didn't let her say anything as he turned. She'd always told him to be selfless, brave, and true, and that's what he was choosing right now. No one had a right to decide who Emma loved but Emma, not even the Blue Fairy.

She had spent the better part of the day pouring over the book. At first glance, it looked like a book of children's stories, but after a closer inspection Tamara started to see faces that she'd seen around town that day. The old woman who ran the inn, her granddaughter that waited tables, and even the woman that the party had been thrown for. She saw similarities as she kept searching and saw more and more as she continued.

A cup of coffee appeared over her shoulder and she took it, not bothering to look up as she flipped the pages back and forth. "If everything that's shown in this book came over when they were brought here then these are the key points we're looking for. There's this vault here-" she said, pointing to one page and then flipping back- "and this knife. There are fairies all through here that use wands for magic and I think I saw one of them dressed like a nun."

"How'd they get here anyway? Does it say?" Greg asked as he took a seat next to her.

"This lady cursed them, from what it looks like."

"That's the same lady that took my dad. I know it is. Regina. She's the mayor."

"She's also the Evil Queen."

"Fitting."

"Did you bring the equipment?"

Greg nodded, making a move to pull something from the bag that was sitting back on the bed. "The Home Office said it will pick up on anything that registers a three or above on the scale and should be able to estimate what level the magic is resonating at."

Tamara took the offered object and studied it. A flip of the switch showed a digital map of the town, lights highlighting where the higher-level magical objects were. They ranged from a three up to ten, the highest on the scale. "Too bad it doesn't tell us what each is."

"That place might be a good one to start," Greg said, pointing to a collection of dots on the map over one building, but Tamara shook her head and shifted the view of the map, showing the street.

"I think that's Neal's dad's place."

"He owns a pawn shop? Shady."

"Neal always did say his dad was an interesting soul. Look at this. We have two ten-ratings. Here… it looks like the mines, and here."

"Is that the library?"

"It may be the clock tower over it. It looked closed down when I went by earlier today. We should start there and check out the mines after nightfall."

"Sounds like a plan. What do you expect to find?"

Tamara pursed her lips together and flipped through the storybook again, eyeing a couple of the pages she'd marked. "Something powerful," she said and snapped it closed.

Rumplestiltskin had moved the dagger to the clock tower after August had discovered the location when they'd first met and he'd fooled the sorcerer into thinking he was his son. Before that day, only one other person had known where he'd hidden it, and he hadn't told Belle until she had accepted the keys to the library and had chosen to move into the caretaker's apartment there. He'd offered to move it again at the time, fearing that she might be caught in the middle should anyone discover its location, but she'd told him it was hardly necessary and that it seemed a safer and less conspicuous hiding place than anywhere in his own home or shop. Now, as he clicked his phone shut after warning her of the possible danger ahead, he felt that same dread set deep. She was brave, his Belle, and had assured him that she would grab the knife and take it straight to his shop, locking all the doors. He'd set up a spell up on the shop that only he could undo and it would snap into effect as soon as she crossed the threshold. She would be safe.

"I think it's time you let us know exactly what this Tamara woman is up to," Rumplestiltskin directed towards his son and Bae cringed a little and glanced over to Emma who was staring straight ahead as they approached the diner.

"I'll talk to Granny about getting a key and see if she's in," the savior said and was off before any agreements were made.

Bae sighed. "She's never going to believe me."

"That's really not the issue at hand, son."

"Right. Tamara. She thinks she's working for an organization out to destroy magic. She's actually working for someone else… unwittingly, I think. She's after someone else as sort of a side mission."

"How did you get mixed up with someone like that?"

"I didn't know who she was. I liked her. I thought I loved her, but she's been lying since day one."

"Who is she working for then? What is she after?"

"Don't freak out." His father shot him a look as they entered the diner and Bae sighed. "Henry."

Rumplestiltskin could feel the cold dread setting deep and he paused at the first table, eyes fixated on his son. "Why?"

"She doesn't know it yet, but she's working for Pan."

"Like Peter Pan?" an unexpected voice chirped. "You said he was really bad, right?"

Two sets of dark eyes jerked over to land on Henry who was grinning ear to ear, looking like he'd uncovered some secret and was quite proud of himself for doing so. Peter Pan was after Rumplestiltskin's grandson. Nothing about that could bode well for their future, and if this woman was a part of it, Rumple would be damned if he let her live. He couldn't quite go into that now, with his grandson standing there within earshot, but plans began to form in his mind on just how to protect him.

"Hey, buddy. I thought I told you to head on home and we'd take care of this?" Bae said as he pulled his son into a hug, the tension surrounding him showing that he knew just how difficult this could become.

"I wanted to help. So Tamara's working for Pan? We're going to stop her, right?"

"She's out right now and I've got the key," Emma called, dangling the set of keys that Granny kept for all the rooms. "Henry, you're helping Ruby put together the dwarves' dinner in the back."

"But I want to help!" the boy argued, but none of them were giving and his shoulders slumped in defeat.

Rumplestiltskin shared a meaningful look with his son before following Emma towards the back, Bae at his heels. They moved up the stairs and into the hall with a long stretch of rooms, finding the one that she was staying in. The lock clicked and the door swung open, revealing a neat and tidy room that hardly looked to be rented out by a spy trying to destroy magic and steal away the Dark One's grandson. The three of them stepped in and Rumple immediately stretched his hand out, magic leaping from his fingertips and searching. Emma, though, was already in the process of making use of her own set of talents.

The savior of Storybrooke bent down against the floor after walking the length of it, finding a loose board and she pulled it up, reaching in and digging around until she pulled a very familiar book up. "Jackpot."

Bae stepped closer and they looked at their son's book. Even from where he stood, Rumplestiltskin could tell it had been studied, the pages marked by sticky notes and bent for future reference. He watched with a growing unease building rapidly and Emma held the book up for easier inspection. "This your dagger?"

"It is," the Dark One said slowly and he reached for cellphone. He had to warn Belle. He needed to make sure she was out of the library and safely in his shop where she wouldn't be hurt. He needed to -

"Papa?" Bae's voice echoed and before he realized it, his son was standing right in front of him, one hand on his arm and a worried expression on his face.

Rumple blinked, finally realizing he'd dropped the phone and it had clattered down to the wooden flooring. The sensation had hit him so hard, so fast, that it had immobilized him for a moment and a terrible shiver made its way down his spine and he closed his eyes, reminding himself to breathe. "Someone has it," he whispered.

"Has what, Papa?" Bae asked, but by his tone he already knew.

"My dagger."

TBC

Notes: Well, this is my moving weekend. Thankfully I've written ahead enough that I should still be able to post on Monday as well. Wish me luck!

Next time - Chapter Eleven: In the Hands of the Enemy, in which Tamara and Greg have the dagger, protecting Henry becomes the priority, and Rumplestiltskin calls in a favour.