Dealing with a coward

Hola it's Dora asked for a oneshot of Emma, Snow and Regina meeting a real asshole of a guy who is abusive and rude to his wife. When he slaps her, Emma defends the wife. He tells Emma that he's glad Emma's not his wife because he would end up killing her. I hope you don't mind me changing Emma's response a bit :). Trigger warning for domestic abuse.

"Emma quit staring at them." Regina hissed at her. "You'll just make the situation worse. Do your duty as the sheriff, not as the goody two shoes Saviour. Handle the situation properly or you'll just make things worse for her if you're wrong."

Whilst Snow, Emma and Regina had been having a coffee together at the diner that they saw the couple sitting at a booth a couple down from them. Emma was the first to key into the strange behaviour. She pointed out that the woman was never looking up. Not even to order her food. The man did it for her. He seemed to be sitting far too close for comfort. He kept whispering in her ear, all the while with this ridiculous false smile on his face. Emma very much suspected this woman was a victim of domestic abuse. Not that Snow and Regina disagreed with her, they just felt Emma's usual full on tactics might not work in this case.

"Consider that if you go in as you rather than as the sheriff with full evidence that he's going to be furious. Then that poor woman is probably going to feel that rage when they go home." Snow pointed out to Emma. "You need to handle this carefully, Emma."

"I know, I know." Emma grumbled, eyes still boring into the back of that couple's heads. It didn't mean she liked the soft approach. Fortunately for Emma, she didn't have to wait too long before she could be her usual self about the whole situation. In front of the whole diner, the man raised his hand and slapped his wife right across the face.

Emma was up like a shot. Before anyone else reached the couple, she was there, pulling the woman behind her.

"That was a mistake." She hissed to the man. "Do you know who I am?" He snorted.

"Should I care, sweetheart? What's a flimsy little girl like you gonna be able to do to me? She's my wife, and if she disrespects me, I'm going to teach her a lesson. End of. Now hand her back over before I press charges." Emma could feel her blood boiling.

"Actually, sir, not 'end of'. Your wife is not a piece of property that you own and you will not physically assault her. Especially not in front of the sheriff." The man started laughing.

"You're the sheriff? Were you the only applicant?" Emma didn't see the funny side. She turned to the woman.

"This is the last time you'll have to put up with this behaviour." She promised her before pulling out her cuffs and slamming them (slightly too tightly) on the man's wrists.

"Maybe a night in the cells might teach you how to curb your tongue. And that, is how you teach someone a lesson." Emma hissed. She couldn't stand abusers of any kind. The man's eyes darkened. He didn't put up much of a fuss, guessing- correctly- that Emma would be able to overpower him. "I'm glad you're not my wife. Aside from being horrendously ugly, you wouldn't last one night before I killed you for such disrespect." He said coolly.

"I wouldn't be your wife if you paid me, pal. Cowardly abusers aren't my type."

"And her parents would never let you get within ten feet of her." Emma turned her head, she hadn't realised her mom and Regina were flanking her. Snow looked dangerously at the man. A warning should he feel like causing any trouble.

"Emma, I'll accompany you to the station. Regina, would you please see that this woman has somewhere to stay and someone to talk to?"

"Of course." Regina said. The woman smiled gratefully at Emma before going with Regina, leaving Snow and Emma with the man. Emma tugged him to his feet and shoved him towards the door once Regina and his wife were a safe distance away. Snow followed behind them both, keeping a close eye on them. He would know what getting taught a lesson meant if he tried to lay so much as a finger on her daughter.