Emma packed Jefferson and Clara into her car and went the opposite way that Emma and Mary Margaret would going. Clara started crying when she saw Jefferson's back. She was nearly inconsolable when they told her they were never going back home. Jefferson didn't have much to say about anything as Clara sobbed in the backseat.

Emma pulled to a stop in front of one of the cabins and got Clara out of the car. Jefferson limped after them, he didn't want to lean on Emma.

Emma put Clara to bed, Jefferson had to sit by her bedside and promise he'd be right next to her when she woke up.

When Clara was finally asleep, Jefferson took off his shirt, Emma grabbed some fishing wire, a needle, gloves, tweezers, and pliers she'd already prepared ahead of time.

"You didn't tell me I'd go out a window," he said.

"Would it have stopped you from trying to convince the past me if I did?" she asked as she picked the glass out of his back.

He bristled, some of the glass fell away with the roll of his back, 'No, but it would've been nice to know."

Emma didn't say anything at first, "I have to keep things as close to schedule as possible."

"I don't care who you use to get your boyfriend saved," Jefferson whispered harshly, "Use the whole town if you want. Manipulate everyone like you're the child and they're the dolls. But you don't touch Grace with this stuff, and you don't touch Clara and you don't manipulate me. That's always been my stance and you did. I"m not a piece on a chessboard, I"m your friend."

Emma finished clearing the glass away and went to stitch up the more serious injuries, "I know."

"Or was your friend.'

Emma fought tears as she realized just how far she went. So far that even Jefferson thought she crossed a line, "I understand."

He stared ahead, tiredly, "I just want to go home."

"You won't, Jefferson. None of us do."

He fought tears, "I only wanted what was best for my family, and it's backfired on me so many times."

"I know."

Jefferson was quiet as Emma used the sterilized needle and thread to finish suturing, "You can't just keep expecting to withhold information to get what you want and come out looking good in this."

Emma went to bandage him, "I know."

But she'd given up on that a long time ago

"Anything I should know about?"

Emma didn't know, other than what Henry had told her about Grace And Jefferson reuniting, she didn't really know what would happen between then and now, "JEfferson, you."

He tensed, "I hope you're not lying."

"I'm not," Emma said and gave him his shirt, "But I can understand why you wouldn't believe me."

He took the shirt and pulled it on, "I'm going to go to bed."

"Probably best you take the bed with Clara," Emma said, "She'll probably want you more."

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As soon as Rumplestiltskin got clear of any looks he might have, he brought the others over food that would hold them for a few days. Emma breathed a sigh of relief when he handed over butter, bread, and cheese slices, just like he knew she liked, "Thank you."

"How's it going?"

"Rough," Emma whispered and closed the door a bit behind her, "I didn't tell Jefferson he'd go falling out a window, and now he's really mad at me."

"Most people that get manipulated usually are."

"I don't like the person I've become."

His face fell, "It's almost over, Emma. You'll forgive yourself in time."

"Will Henry?" her heart ached for her son, she missed him. She tried to put him from her mind, she couldn't focus on him as much as she did when she was first separated, It ripped her heart out to do so

"He doesn't have to know," he told her gently.

"He will know, he'll know if I'm changed," Emma ran a hand through her hair, "I've tried to teach him to be good and hopeful and to always do the right thing."

"This IS the right thing," he told her, "You're giving him his father back."

"But the things I've had to do to-."

"Good never gets what it wants just by doing good things. YOu know that."

"I'm supposed to be better."

"We've had this talk."

"And it never makes me feel better."

He looked like he wanted to say something. Then sighed, "How's Clara?"

"Scared, you know how she is with new things that overwhelm her."

He cringed, "Will you give her my love?"

"Yes."

He looked relieved at that, "Lets get things in motion, I think it's time to let Kathryn Nolan go."

"THat would be best."

He nodded, "You will forgive yourself, one day. For the wrong things you've done."

"You keep saying that. It doesn't happen," She gripped the door handle, "Maybe that's a good thing, if I still feel guilt."

He nodded, "Maybe."

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A crowded cabin meant Emma was climbing the walls. Jefferson could go out and about, but she stayed indoors to avoid being seen. Clara preferred to stay inside too. She and Emma worked together, they scrubbed the place from top to bottom, it wasn't sparkling but it looked a lot better.

Jefferson still refused to talk to her if he didn't have to. Emma checked his wounds, changed his bandages. He glared ahead and ignored her. Emma knew he had every right to be angry, but she also wondered if he was also angry at himself for failing to convince past Emma.

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Jefferson usually took the bed with Clara, leaving Emma on the couch. She slept fitfully, the couch was uncomfortable and lumpy in all the wrong places. If Jefferson was less mad at her, she'd insist on sharing with both of them, but she wasn't about to do that.

So she was awake when she heard talking going on close to the cabin. Emma stood up, pulled on her coat and opened the door to peek out. Two men's voices. One was Rumple, she knew that.

Emma pulled her boots on and walked towards the sound. She was careful of where she stepped and hid behind a tree.

Rumplestiltskin and…..August? What was that about? Thinking back, she tried to remember. She thought she could recall Rumplestiltskin talking to her about him at the party but she wasn't sure what about.

Then she watched as August pointed a dagger...THE dagger at Rumplestiltskin. Emma's heart leapt in her throat, she reached down and her hand closed around a rock, "By the power of the darkness, I command thee… Dark One."

"You're trying to control me?" Rumpelstiltskin asked incredulously.

"I command thee, Dark One!" August screamed

Rumplestiltskin pointed angrily at him, "You're not my son. You're not Baelfire."

August seemed to realize this wasn't going his way, "Papa, why would you say that? I'm just trying to use your power to help us."

Emma felt a surge of anger, this was what he did? Imitating someone's son? Imitating Neal?

"Enough!" Rumplestiltskin roared, "It's over, Booth. Or whoever you are. My son would never try to use me. And he would know, that this knife cannot harness any magic in this world, because there is no magic in this world. That's why he chose this place. He didn't want me…dabbling."

He yanked the dagger from August. August backed away, "So, why bury a useless knife?"

"Oh, I wouldn't say it was useless. It still cuts through flesh rather nicely. It's about time you start answering some questions, sunshine. Why the theatrics? Why didn't you just come to me?"

" I needed you to work for it. I needed you to want it so bad, you would ignore what your eyes were seeing. Do I even look like him at all?"

Emma felt the burning in her stomach as he said that. If anyone posed as Henry and said that, she'd rip their heads off herself.

"How do you know about this knife?"

"I hear things."

He pointed the dagger at August, " No one here that belongs here knows about this knife."

"No one here remembers."

"And, yet, you do," something dawned on him, "You're from there, aren't you? From my world."

"The fact that you're asking the question means you know the answer, "August told him with a hint of arrogance.

"Well, now that that's settled…" he grabbed August and slammed him into the tree, knife at his throat. emma started forward, but stopped herself. Rumple wouldn't murder August right? He had to know that Emma in the past would notice August was missing. She'd put connections between the two if Rumple was asking about him at the party, "How about my other question? Who told you about me and the knife?"

"A little fairy," Emma wasn't sure if that was a lie or not.

"Why did you want it? If you know who I am, then you know who I am," Rumplestiltskin sneered, "The chances of you surviving this little encounter are pretty slim. So, why take the risk?"

"Because I'll die anyway."

Rumplestiltskin pulled back, shock and disappointment in his next word, "What?"

"I'm sick. I'm sick, and I need magic. I was going to get the saviour to believe. But that woman… I don't think I'm going to make it long enough to see that happen."

Rumplestiltskin removed the dagger and leaned in, "She trusts you – it might be enough. Try again."

He pulled back, August slumped over, "You're going to let me live?"

"You're going to die either way," Rumplestiltskin mocked, "This way, at least I might get something out of it."

He headed to the direction of the cabin, Emma watched August slump to the ground. Rumplestiltskin walked her direction, Emma watched as he saw her there. He kept his face expressionless as Emma fell in step beside him. She was hidden from August's view by the trees, but she waited until she was far enough away, "DId you know I was there?"

"No, but I'm not surprised either," he was silent, "Did you know?"

"That he did this? No. I had no idea," she fought her own anger. Maybe it was because she'd been separated from her son for so long, she could understand Rumple's anger and disappointment

"My good sense said it wasn't him," he said almost brokenly, "YOU said it wasn't him but I kept thinking...what if something changed and he came? What if Emma was lying and he actually came? What if I could have my son back? But that would be too easy, wouldn't it? It's never been easy. I never wanted to cast this curse, I just wanted him back. I wanted to make it right. And I just poured out everything I wanted to say to a stranger! A stranger who pretended to be him,"

Emma heard him breaking down. She went to go embrace him. She expected him to pull away but he held her closer, "I suppose you think I deserve it right? The things I've done to manipulate everyone else, it's just just desserts for me."

"I don't think that."

"Because you're in the same boat with me now?"

"No, because you manipulating people doesn't make what he did any less wrong."

"Please tell me we can do this, Emma. Please tell me that we can save him. Please promise me that his death isn't' set. "

"It won't be. It's the future. We can always change the future"

"Not if it's fate."

Emma made him look at her, "IT's not fate or destiny that he dies."

They saw August limping away in the distance. Rumplestiltskin moved her out of sight, "Who is he?"

"Pinocchio."

"HE couldn't even be Geppetto's son before he pretended to be mine." he sneered.

"I thought you were going to kill him," Emma admitted.

"I wanted to. But I couldn't. HE's useful...and you and Belle would never forgive me."

"HE's still a dick though."

"He is. So are we . And don't expect me to ever forgive him"

"I won't," Emma promised.