Author's note: Hi everybody! Thank you so much to those of you who favourite/follow my story or have been leaving me consistent reviews. I really appreciate the feedback, and it really helps to motivate me to write more.

Here's my next chapter- I hope you enjoy!

~..~..~..~..

Tiny and Grumpy made their way across the pasture to check on their growing crop.

As they approached the young beanstalk, the former giant smiled as he noticed the amount of growth the beanstalk had achieved since their last check.

"This place has great soil," he commented to Grumpy as they got closer. "This little guy is growing really quickly."

Reaching the beanstalk, Grumpy began watering the plant as Tiny began measuring its exact growth and adding it to the table he'd started to record its progress. Then he examined the leaves for any signs of illness or infestation.

It was while he was lifting a large leaf at the base of the stalk that he spotted it.

"Grumpy!" He exclaimed excitedly. "Grumpy, look!"

The dwarf bent down beside his newest brother, and it only took him a second to see what the former giant was so excited about.

For what had been the beanstalk's first flower the last time they'd checked, was now forming a tiny bean pod.

"Our first magic beans," the dwarf whispered.

"It worked,' Tiny grinned. "I don't believe it. It actually worked!"

"Ha ha!" Grumpy cheered. "Magic beans in Storybrooke! We're going home!"

"Wait," Tiny cautioned. "This was what Cora wanted me to do: grow magic beans here."

"So?" Grumpy couldn't see a problem. "Cora's dead now, what's to worry about?"

"Regina," Tiny said firmly.

That reminder caused Grumpy to resume his customary frown.

"If Regina gets her hands on these beans," Tiny put forward, "what do you think is gonna happen?'

Grumpy nodded in understanding.

"Nothing good," he muttered.

The two brothers shared a look.

"We need to tell the Sheriff at once," Grumpy said.

"And keep the information away from Regina," Tiny agreed.

~..~..~..~..

"Okay Ruby," Emma tried to stay professional as she regarded the young woman sitting in her office. "What exactly did you hear?"

"That's the problem," Ruby said apologetically. "They never really said anything specific."

"What did they say?" David asked. "Maybe there's a clue hidden that can tell us who Greg really is."

"And Tamara," Emma added.

David glanced over at his daughter but didn't say anything.

"Just start from the beginning," David encouraged.

Ruby took a breath, organising her memories.

"Tamara sat down at Greg's table, greeting him by name," Ruby began carefully. "He seemed relieved to see her. When I gave Tamara her order, she was thanking him for tweeting his food, so she'd have ideas for her restaurant."

"Then what?" Emma asked as Ruby paused.

"Greg asked about some 'other stuff' that he's sent her, and Tamara thanked him for finding this place for her."

"Tamara's been looking for Storybrooke?" Emma queried.

"And she got Greg to do the searching for her," David finished.

"Why though?" Emma pondered.

"Tamara said something about making a delivery yesterday," Ruby continued. "Then Greg asked about Neal."

"Greg knows Neal too?" Emma demanded.

Ruby shook her head.

"No, he asked Tamara who Neal was, and whether he knew anything." Ruby answered. "She answered that he knew about the town, but not her."

That made Emma freeze. Tamara had lied to Neal about who she was?

"She went on to say that Greg should recognise Neal," Ruby continued. "She said: 'he left a few years after you did.'"

"Left where?" David asked.

"Tamara said that 'finding lost things' was part of her job." Ruby explained as best as she could. "She said that she was good at it. She found Greg, and she found Neal."

"Lost things?" Emma repeated, frowning in thought before her eyes opened wide.

"Neal was a Lost Boy," she remembered.

"Like, from Neverland?" David asked.

"Yes," Emma nodded. "So, maybe Greg was one too?"

"Then who's Tamara?" David asked.

Emma thought hard. "Ruby, you said that Tamara told Greg she made a delivery yesterday?"

"Yeah," Ruby confirmed, nodding.

"Did she say where?" Emma asked.

Ruby shook her head. "She didn't, but Greg seemed to know what she was talking about."

Emma frowned, raking her brain...

"Wait," she whispered.

"What is it?" David was watching as the expression on his daughter's face changed.

"Mother superior," Emma whispered. "The Blue fairy. When she came to help us stop Cora yesterday, Neal asked her how Tamara was."

"Tamara was at the convent," David realised.

"That's where all the fairies are," Ruby added.

"But," David frowned. "Neal said that Tamara didn't know anything about magic, and Mother Superior-"

"Tamara also told Greg that Neal didn't know something about her," Emma reminded him. "She's been looking for Storybrooke for years, and has found two Lost boys from Neverland. She must have made a delivery to the fairies yesterday, which means that she does know about magic. She knows who Neal is, but hasn't told him anything."

"Lost Boys, Neverland, fairies..."David's voice trailed off as he made the connections.

"Tamara's a fairy."

"It's a possibility," Emma nodded slowly. "And Neal has no idea," she whispered.

"But, would Tamara know who Neal is?" Ruby asked. "I mean, besides a lost boy," she qualified. "Do you think she knows that he's Rumplestiltskin's son?"

"I'm willing to bet on it," Emma muttered. "How else would she have been able to get here?"

David folded his arms as he regarded his daughter and Sheriff.

"You think Tamara purposefully met Neal so that he could bring her to Storybrooke and the other fairies so that she could deliver something to them?"

"Can you think of a better explanation?" Emma put forward.

"She had Greg searching for her," David argued. "If he found us, why would she need Neal to bring her?"

"Maybe one of them was a back up plan," Emma thought aloud.

Wanting to stay focussed, David turned back to Ruby.

"What else did they talk about?"

Ruby thought for a moment.

"Greg told Tamara about seeing Gold with fire in his hand on the road," Ruby continued. "He'd also sent her a video of Regina using magic in the hospital..."

"What?" David wondered.

"And, he saw the giant," Ruby finished. "Tamara was quite interested in that," she added. "She apparently knows about magic beans, too, and that the giants grew them back home."

"Why am I starting to get a bad feeling about this?" Emma wondered.

And Neal has no idea that his own fiancé has lied to him...

"But neither Greg nor Tamara know we actually have beans." Ruby reminded them. "Which is good, as Tamara was saying they would help her."

"With what?" David demanded.

"Tamara didn't say," Ruby told him.

"Well," Emma announced, grabbing her jacket. "Looks like I need to have a little chat with my ex's fiancé."

"What are you planning on doing?" David asked warily, not sure what to make of his daughter's expression.

"I am the Sheriff," Emma told her deputy firmly. "It's my job to keep this town safe, and if Tamara has a plan to do something here that's to do with magic, then I need to know what it is."

"If she really is a fairy, then she could be here to help us," David told his daughter. "She probably just needed to come here to reunite with the other fairies."

"Then why all the secrecy?" Emma demanded. "If she knew what our town was, why would she feel the need to hide? Why not tell us she's a fairy? If she knew Neal was a Lost Boy, even if he wasn't Gold's son, he would still know about fairies, why lie to him?"

"I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation," David said in a placating tone.

"Yeah," Emma agreed. "And I'm gonna find out what it is."

~..~..~..~..

Emma knocked hesitantly on the hotel room door and after a few moments, Neal answered.

"Emma," he greeted with a smile. "What brings you here?"

"I'm, uh," Emma swallowed. "Actually here to talk to Tamara."

"Tamara?"

"Yeah, is she here?" Emma asked.

"No," Neal shook his head. "I found a note after I walked Henry to school, she said she's gone back up to the convent to finish her sketches."

"Sketches?" Emma repeated.

"Yeah, she's a bit of an artist," Neal explained.

Emma nodded, debating whether to tell Neal what Ruby overheard.

'Maybe not yet,' Emma thought. 'Not until I have proof.'

"Okay, thanks." Emma said slowly. "I'll head up to the convent, then."

"Wait."

Emma turned back as Neal stepped into the hallway.

"Why are you looking for her?" Neal asked.

Emma took a breath.

"Well," she began slowly. "Ruby overheard Tamara talking to a man named Greg Mandel, do you know him?"

"Greg Mandel?" Neal repeated before shaking his head. "No, why?"

"Well, Greg is not from Storybrooke, and he drove in here not long ago. Which isn't good for us, especially if he sees any magic in town, so we've been keeping an eye on him during his visit. And, according to what Ruby overheard," Emma said carefully, "he and Tamara know each other. She greeted him by name."

"What?" Neal was confused. Tamara had never mentioned someone named Greg Mandel.

"You said that Tamara doesn't know about magic-," Emma began.

"She doesn't," Neal said firmly.

"And I just want to make sure that's still the case," Emma finished. "We think Greg may have seen some magic, but we can't ask him outright and he hasn't said anything to us, but if he does know Tamara, he may tell her."

Neal swallowed anxiously as Emma regarded him seriously.

"I just want to keep us safe, and make sure Tamara hasn't learned anything she shouldn't."

Neal nodded in understanding. He'd spent a lifetime running from magic, he couldn't stand it if Tamara had to deal with it too.

"Alright," he agreed slowly. "Is there anything I can do?"

Emma shook her head. "Not until I find out more."

Neal nodded again. "You know," he added as Emma turned away. "If you do need anything..."

Emma nodded. "I'll find you." She told him.

Neal smiled slightly before remembering.

"Oh, Emma," he called, going after her before she moved down the stairs. "Henry asked me for a sword fighting lesson," he explained carefully, "and I said that I could teach him after he finished school." He raised his eyebrows quizzically. "That okay?"

Emma smiled, nodding.

"Yeah," she said. "It's fine. You can even pick him up if you like?"

Neal seemed relieved. "I'd like that," he said.

"His bus arrives at ten past three," Emma told him as she continued down the stairs.

"I'll be there," Neal called after her.

~..~..~..~..~

Emma drove slowly up the long driveway to the fairies' convent, looking around at the surrounding woodland.

As she parked the car, she could see several of Storybrooke's fairies outside and as she made her way up to the door, she paused as she spotted a couple of fairies holding wands.

She knew that the Blue fairy had her wand back- she'd seen her turn August into a real boy- but how did all the fairies get their wands back?

"Sheriff Swan," a voice called.

Emma looked up to see the Blue Fairy herself was standing at the entrance to the convent and was smiling politely.

"What brings you here?" She asked.

"Mother Superior," Emma greeted. "I'm actually here to see Tamara," she began, "but I'd be happy to talk to you first."

"What about?" Blue asked curiously. "I'd be happy to help in any way I can."

"Great,' Emma said, coming to stand before the fairy leader.

"First of all, just out of curiosity," Emma began, gesturing around them. "When did you all get your wands back? I thought they would have disappeared with the curse?"

"We made preparations in our homeland before the Curse struck," Blue explained. "So that when the curse broke, our wands would be returned to us."

"How?" Emma asked.

Blue smiled mysteriously.

"Fairy magic," she replied.

Emma frowned slightly, but realised that she still didn't know enough about magic to know what questions to ask.

However...

"It's a little dangerous though, having your fairy wands out in the open here," Emma told Mother Superior firmly. "Especially as there's an Outsider with you right now, as well as another in town."

"If you're worried about Tamara seeing fairy magic, have no fear," Blue assured the Sheriff. "We know how to keep our secrets."

"Even so," Emma granted, "the other Outsider, Greg Mandel, apparently did see some magic in town, and apparently, he and Tamara know each other."

That seemed to gain the Blue Fairy's attention.

"Really?" She asked curiously. "How do they know each other?"

"Not quite sure yet," Emma admitted. "But it's why I now need to speak with Tamara. We don't want her finding out about us."

Blue nodded slowly.

"Of course, Sheriff, I understand," she said, gesturing for Emma to follow her. "This way, please."

~..~..~..~..

Neal was wandering down the main street when he noticed that his father's shop was open.

Entering slowly, he heard the bell chime as he stepped into the store.

He hadn't really had a chance to look around yesterday, as he had been a little busy trying to stop Regina and Cora from breaking in, kidnapping his son and killing his father.

But now, as he looked around, he could see that the place was full with a wide range of eclectic merchandise, most likely things his father had gleaned from their home land he thought as he spotted a genie's lamp on a shelf.

"Bae?"

He turned to see his father emerge from the back room, behind a curtain.

"Hey Papa."

"Son," Rumple smiled as he came forward. "It's good to see you. What brings you here?"

Neal shrugged. "Just passing time, I guess," he answered simply. "I walked Henry to school this morning, and he asked me for some lessons on how to duel pirates. So, I promised to teach him after school."

"Duelling pirates?" Rumple smirked slightly as he made his way around the store counter. "That could be a useful skill, actually. And what does Emma think about this?" He asked curiously.

"Oh, she fine with it," Neal told his father. "She even said I could pick Henry up so we could go straight to practise."

"Well, it's good that you get to spend time with your boy," Rumple told him softly. "Your time together is precious."

"Yeah," Neal nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it is."

The door chime rang again, and Neal turned to see Lacey enter the store, with several shopping bags in her arms.

Her day-time attire was considerably more conservative than the revealing clothes she wore at night for 'work'. However, Neal thought that the knee-high boots, black leather skirt and royal blue corset, still didn't seem like the woman he met at the hospital.

"Hey," Rumple greeted her. "Have fun?"

"I got a whole new wardrobe," Lacey gushed as she entered.

"Lacey's refused to wear any of the clothes in her apartment," Rumple explained to his son, "so she wanted to get some things of her own."

"Thanks for paying," Lacey handed him a credit card smugly. However as Rumple made to retrieve the card, Lacey kept a tight grip.

"And to thank you properly," she whispered to him. "You can watch me try them on."

"You didn't do that in the shop?" Rumple asked, keeping his voice steady.

"Well," Lacey appeared to forget that Neal was in the room as she ran her fingers down the length of Rumple's tie before fingering the button of his jacket. "There were just so many things I thought you'd like," she whispered. "I'll need your approval."

Carefully, Rumple took Lacey's hand from his jacket.

"You can put the bags in the back room," he told her slowly, his eyes dark.

Smirking playfully, Lacey took up her shopping and made her way through the curtain that led to the office.

Rumple let out a breath.

"Wow," Neal commented, raising his eyebrows.

Gesturing for his son to follow him, Rumple made his way outside.

"You okay, Papa?" Neal asked anxiously as his father took deep, calming breaths.

"You see what she did in there?" Rumple asked, pointing back into the shop.

"Kind of hard to miss," Neal muttered.

"Well, she does that all the time," Rumple said, taking deep breaths once more. "She's playing games with me, trying to break me. But it won't work."

Neal nodded slowly, seeing the problem.

"But," Neal began, hesitant to voice his thought. "Would it be so bad if you did? I mean," he added quickly at the look his father shot him, "she is your girlfriend, after all."

"No, no, no, no, son," Rumple said quickly. "Lacey doesn't love me yet. She just sees another fare. And love," Rumple said firmly, 'is the only reason I'd do anything."

Rumple sighed, leaning against the front of his shop.

"Love," he whispered. "True Love is such a precious thing." He turned his head to son. "When you find it, you have to keep it. Never let it go."

"You're doing great, dad," Neal encouraged. "Stay strong and you'll be fine."

Rumple nodded in gratitude, "thank you, son." Hesitantly, he raised his head to look at his son fondly.

"And how are you doing?" He asked. "You're making progress with your son, but what about your True Love?"

Neal shrugged. "Tamara and I are fine," he said, and was surprised when his father smiled, laughing quietly.

"I wasn't talking about Tamara," Rumple admitted carefully.

Neal swallowed, shifting his stance awkwardly. "Who else could you mean?" He asked.

Rumple smiled again.

"You really didn't believe you would ever see Emma again, did you?" He asked. "That's why you bought Tamara coffee after your talk with August. You were trying to convince yourself to forget about Emma. Force yourself to start again."

Neal's jaw dropped in shock.

"I love Tamara," he told his father firmly. "We're getting married next year. You said that you were happy I'd found True Love."

"Oh, I don't doubt that you love Tamara," Rumple granted. "You can love more than one person in your lifetime. However," he added, "you only get one True Love."

"And you think my True Love is Emma?" Neal asked.

"Oh, I know she is," Rumple smiled surely.

"What makes you say that?" Bae demanded.

"The look on your face," his father said softly. "Emma has the same look. I've seen it on Snow, on Charming..." Rumple trailed off pensively. "What were the odds that you would meet, quite possibly the only other person from our world, in this one?"

"I dunno," Neal granted. "Fate?"

"Most certainly," Rumple nodded. "Why's that, do you think?"

Neal thought hard, before he raised his eyes.

"What do you mean 'Emma has the same look'?" He demanded, causing his father to laugh softly.

"I've been watching the two of you," Rumple told his son knowingly. "And I have seen you simply sparking off of each other. There's still a flame between you two."

"And why are you telling me this theory of yours?" Neal asked his father suspiciously.

"Because all I want is your happiness, Bae." Rumple stepped closer to his son, his face now serious, but gentle. "And if you're still holding a candle for Emma, I honestly do not see your relationship with Tamara making you truly happy, son."

"I love Tamara," Neal repeated.

"And I do not doubt that," Rumple repeated softly. "But is Tamara where your heart truly lies?"

~..~..~..~..

David entered the station, having just dropped Ruby back at the diner, to find Leroy and Anton waiting for him.

"Your Majesty," Leroy greeted. "We bring news of the beanstalk."

"What's happened?" David asked.

Anton stood to his full height.

"We have our first magic bean pod growing, Sire," he announced proudly.

David could feel his jaw dropping in shock.

"We have magic beans?" He confirmed.

"Well," Anton amended, "it will still take some time for them to be mature enough to pick, but yes."

Smiling, David shook the former giant's hand gratefully.

"Thank you, Anton," he told him. "Now we have some hope of returning to our homeland."

Flinching nervously, Anton raised his hands.

"I'm afraid it's not that simple," he said.

David frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"The cutting we planted was from the main stalk," Anton explained. "It's like the 'origin stalk' for the beans: unlike our usual bean crops that each grow beans for a specific land, the main stalk grows a variety of beans."

"So," David realised, "there's no way of knowing where these beans will take us?"

Anton nodded.

"They could take us to Neverland, Wonderland, the Enchanted forest, Oz," Anton listed some possibilities, "but we won't know for sure until the beans mature and are harvested."

"But, you said that this stalk will grow a variety of beans," Leroy said. "So, even if these first ones can't take us home, doesn't mean that others won't."

Anton nodded.

"But, there's no telling when the beans we want will grow," he cautioned.

"But now that we have our first beans, we know that they can grow," David nodded in understanding. "And they will grow. We just have to be patient."

~..~..~..~..

Blue led Emma through the convent toward the dining room.

"Sisters," she called out as they approached. "We have a guest."

Emma entered the room to see Tamara sitting with a few of the other fairies, sharing a cup of tea.

"Hi Emma," Tamara smiled pleasantly in greeting. "What brings you all the way out here?"

"Its Sheriff Swan here," Emma said firmly, keeping her face blank and professional. "I need to talk to you." She gestured to a side door that led to a porch outside. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," Tamara replied easily, leaving her cup on the table as she led the way outside.

Nodding her thanks to Mother Superior, Emma made her way after Tamara.

"So," Tamara began as Emma began walking away from the building, "what can I help you with, Sheriff?"

Emma waited until she was out of ear shot of the convent before turning to the dark haired woman beside her.

"How do you know Greg Mandel?" Emma asked, getting to the point.

Tamara raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"He's an old friend of mine," Tamara answered calmly, her eyes showing confusion. "Why do you ask?"

"He was in an accident here a while ago," Emma began slowly, watching Tamara's face, "and someone kept on calling him. It just seems a strange coincidence that he suddenly turns up out of the blue, and then you turn up, knowing who he is."

Tamara smiled.

"Is it illegal to have friends here, Sheriff?" She asked.

"Of course not," Emma said. "I was just wondering if you were the person who was calling him, and if that was one of the reasons you came to Storybrooke. He didn't give me many details about his accident," the Sheriff continued slowly, still watching Tamara, "and I was wondering if he had told you anything about his stay here?"

"Well, I admit that I had been calling him," Tamara granted. "He's a friend of mine, and when he missed our agreed calling time, I became worried. And yes," she admitted. "When he said that he was in Storybrooke, and then I found that you and Neal were travelling to Storybrooke, I thought it would be an opportunity to catch up with my friend."

"I heard that there was something else you had to do here, as well." Emma continued.

"Where did you hear that?" Tamara asked.

"Confidential," Emma told her plainly.

Tamara smiled. "Other than sketching, what else could I possibly do here?" Tamara's voice was still politely confused, but Emma noticed a hardness appear in her eyes. "I don't know anyone."

"So you didn't need to deliver anything?" Emma asked bluntly. She was rewarded as a flicker of concern passed over Tamara's features for a moment before resuming her polite expression.

"Delivery to whom?" Tamara asked. "As I said, I don't know anyone here, so how could I have something to deliver?"

Emma smiled. Tamara was hiding something, she was sure of it now. Tamara had avoided her direct questions and Emma had seen the worry flit across her face.

"You do realise that lying to an officer of the law is an offence?" Emma quizzed the woman before her.

"I'm not lying," Tamara replied smoothly.

"That's exactly what a liar would say," Emma whispered, taking a step forward. "Now I don't know what your agenda is, Tamara, but I know when someone isn't telling me the truth, and you're not."

Tamara raised her chin in silent defiance, the smile gone from her lips.

"My job," Emma whispered. "Is to protect this town and everyone in it. If you are, in any way, a threat to this town's safety, then I will find out, and you will answer to me."

"What makes you think I'm a threat to anything?" Tamara asked.

"Because if you weren't, you'd be honest with me," Emma told her. "And I know you're not."

Tamara stood proudly, unafraid.

"You can't arrest me, Sheriff," Tamara told her surely. "If you had any proof that I was a threat at all, I would be in cuffs right now."

"That may be, but I promise you," Emma vowed. "I will find out the truth about why you're here."

Tamara locked eyes with the Sheriff.

"Oh you will find out, I'm sure of it," Tamara told her. "But it will only be when I think it's time."

Smiling, Tamara turned away.

"Have a good day, Sheriff Swan," she called over her shoulder.

"Wait," Emma called after her, causing Tamara to stop and look back.

"You had something else to ask me, Sheriff?"

"Yeah," Emma said firmly. "Neal."

Tamara raised her eyebrows. "What about my fiancé, Sheriff?"

"Do you really love Neal or were you just using him to get here?" Emma demanded to know.

Tamara turned completely to face Emma, folding her arms.

"I thought you said I didn't have to worry about you, Emma," she told her.

"Do you love him?" Emma demanded again.

"We're engaged," Tamara told her.

"Answer the question: yes or no?" But as Tamara was evading having to answer directly, Emma feared she already knew the answer.

"Of course I love Neal," Tamara finally answered. "I'm here for him."

"How's that?" Emma asked, figuring she didn't just mean to support her fiancé in bonding with his son.

"You figure it out," Tamara told her. "Goodbye Emma."

Watching Tamara walk away, Emma began thinking hard.

Tamara was clearly up to something, but Emma still didn't know exactly what, or whether it had to do with magic, so she couldn't arrest her yet.

However, Emma could be sure of two things:

Tamara was up to something here in Storybrooke.

And she had lied about loving Neal.

~..~..~..~..

Neal waited at the bus stop, alternating between watching the road and watching the clock tower.

Finally, he spotted the school bus approaching.

As the kids began to file off the bus, Neal felt his heart leap as he spotted Henry running towards him.

"Hi Neal!" He greeted excitedly. "Are you gonna teach me to duel now?"

"Absolutely, kid," Neal grinned, opening the door to his rented car. "Hop in."

"So, where are we going?" Henry asked curiously as they drove off.

"To the docks, by the Cannery," Neal replied. He'd spotted a likely area earlier in the day. "If you're going to learn to duel a pirate, it's better to learn in a place where you'll encounter one."

"On a ship?" Henry asked eagerly.

"At the harbour," Neal told him. "Takes a while to get your sea legs, so you should learn to duel on dry land first."

"So," Neal began after a minute or two of silence, "how was school?"

"Okay," Henry said blandly. "August and I were able to talk during lunch, and-"

"What?" Neal asked. "Is this August as in Pinocchio?"

"Yep," Henry nodded. "Right, we didn't tell you: He'd turned back into wood, so the Blue fairy turned him back into a real boy."

"August is a boy again?" Neal asked.

"But he still remembers everything," Henry told his father. "And he says he needs to talk to you. I was gonna invite him to sword training with us," Henry admitted, "but he said that Geppetto was picking him up from school, and he wanted to spend some time with his father. He said he'd try to talk to you soon, though."

"Okay..." Neal granted slowly, wondering vaguely what it would be like to be a kid again, yet still remember being a man.

He didn't like the concept.

"Here we are," Neal announced as they parked the car outside the Cannery.

Henry jumped out of the car excitedly as Neal reached to grab the small, wooden practise swords he'd brought with him.

However as he locked the car, Neal noticed Emma drive up in the Sheriff's car.

"Neal," she called as she got out of the car. "I need to talk to you,"

"Oh, c'mon," Henry complained. "We were just gonna start training."

"We will," Neal assured his son, gesturing for him to walk ahead. "Don't worry."

As Henry ran ahead, Neal hung back with Emma.

"So," he prompted as Emma stayed silent. "What do you need to talk about?"

"I dunno how to say this," Emma began slowly, "but, I have reason to believe that Tamara knows more about this place, you, everything, than she's letting on."

Neal froze.

"What are you talking about?" He said quietly.

"Remember, this morning, how I told you she knew Greg Mandel?" Emma asked.

"Did he tell her something?" Neal asked urgently. 'Please, don't let her believe in anything he said' he begged in his head.

Emma took a breath.

"Well, when I went up to the convent," she explained, "Tamara eventually let me know that she does know Greg Mandel, and that she has her own agenda here in Storybrooke."

"What did she say?" Neal asked.

"That's the problem," Emma admitted. "She didn't say anything specific, and I didn't have enough proof on anything to take her in for questioning, so-"

"Wait," Neal demanding, turning towards Emma. "You were going to arrest her?"

"It's my job to protect this town," Emma insisted.

"But you said yourself, you don't have proof of anything!" Neal's voice was rising.

"Ruby overheard her saying she made a delivery yesterday," Emma said quickly. "I think she dropped something off to the fairies at the Convent, and that's how they all suddenly have their magic wands back."

"You think?" Neal echoed sceptically.

"Ruby also heard Tamara mention magic beans," Emma added urgently.

That pulled Neal up.

"What?"

"There was a giant in town while we were gone," Emma explained, "and he planted a beanstalk here. But only a few people here know anything about magic portal beans, let alone know we have a beanstalk here. How would Tamara know anything?"

Neal raised a hand, stopping Emma from speaking.

"Tamara doesn't know anything," he told her firmly.

"I think she's from Neverland," Emma continued, needing Neal to believe her. "Ruby overheard Tamara telling Greg that you 'left a few years after he did', and that finding lost things was part of her job. She also said that there was something about her you didn't know."

Neal shook his head. "And do you get all of your information from half-heard conversations?"

"Neal," Emma pleaded. "I'm trying to help you."

"Help me how, exactly?" He asked.

"Tamara isn't what you think," Emma told him. "I don't have solid proof yet, but I will. I just thought you had the right to know first."

"Why," Neal asked. "So I can start doubting the woman I'm going to marry?"

Emma sighed. She had known this wasn't going to be easy, but Neal was determined to believe that his fiance was innocent.

And while Emma could understand that, she still had to protect the town.

"I'm not trying to break up your relationship, Neal," Emma said slowly.

"Then what are you trying to do?" Neal demanded. " 'Cause it looks that way to me."

Emma felt her jaw clench reflexively.

"I can understand you not wanting to believe me," Emma said after taking a breath. "But while I do care about you Neal, it is still my job to protect this town, and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

Turning, Emma strode back to her car.

"Emma!" Neal called after her. "Wait!"

"Bring Henry straight home after your session," Emma called over her shoulder. "No later than 5:30, okay?"

Getting in her car, Emma shoved the keys in the ignition and took off, tires squealing on the road.

Neal watched as Emma drove away.

"What happened?" Henry asked, coming up beside his father.

Exhaling, Neal turned to his son. "Your mom and I just had a bit of a disagreement about something, Henry," he told him. "Nothing to worry about."

Henry didn't look like he was buying it, so Neal handed him a wooden sword quickly.

"Now," Neal began. "Let's have a look at how good you are with one of these."

Grinning, Henry grabbed the wooden sword handle.

"On guard!" Heny announced, before attacking.

~..~..~..~..

Emma heard the bell chime as she entered Gold's shop.

"Gold?" she called out. "You here?"

Mr. Gold emerged from his office.

"Good afternoon, Sheriff," he greeted smoothly.

"I need your help with something," Emma told him.

"Straight to the point, as always," Rumple grinned. "And why do you need my help?"

"Because, as Sheriff, my abilities are limited," she admitted slowly. "Yours, however, are not."

Rumple raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"And, uh, what makes you think I'll help you?" Rumple asked slowly. "You don't approve of my methods."

"But I approve of your results," Emma reminded him. "And in this case, I think you will have a very good reason to help me."

"And what would that be?" Rumple asked mildly.

Emma stepped closer.

"To protect your son," she told him.

That got Rumple's attention.

"What?"

"Tamara," Emma explained. "She's not who she says he is. She does know about magic, and she has her own reasons for being in Storybrooke. I think she's from Neverland, but I don't have solid proof of anything yet."

"You think she's magical?" Rumple asked slowly.

"Yes," Emma admitted. "I think she may be a fairy."

"What?" This time, Rumple's tone was sharper. His son was engaged to a fairy? "What makes you say that?"

"Ruby overheard her say that she made a delivery to 'them' yesterday," Emma told him. "Tamara was at the convent practically all day yesterday. I think she knows Neal was a lost boy, and I'm also willing to bet that she knows he's your son as well, and that's why she needed him to bring her here."

Rumple placed both his hands atop his cane as he realised what Emma was trying to tell him.

"You think she's been using my son?"

Emma nodded.

"I can tell when someone's lying," Emma reminded him. "And when I asked Tamara outright if she loved Neal, she avoided my question...and then she said yes."

"And?" Rumple's grip tightened on his cane.

"She lied," Emma whispered.

Rumple let out a breath. It didn't matter whether Tamara was magical or not, if she was merely pretending to love his son, she was going to pay for her deception.

"I tried to tell Neal, to warn him," Emma admitted. "But he didn't believe me."

"No, of course not," Rumple granted thoughtfully. "No one would want to believe that the one they loved had been deceiving them the whole time they were together."

Emma nodded, conceding the point.

"Tamara is up to something here, but I can't prove it yet," Emma admitted. "I have to protect this town, I have to protect my family, and..."she trailed off, lowering her eyes.

"We have to protect my son," Rumple finished for her.

Emma nodded.

Rumple smiled to himself. He knew Emma still cared about Bae, just as Bae still held a candle for Emma. And with Tamara now apparently on the wrong side of the fence...

"I did promise my son that I would do nothing to harm Tamara," Rumple admitted regretfully. "However, as his father, I need to protect him," Rumple continued resolutely.

"So, you'll help me?" Emma asked hopefully.

"Of course," Rumple nodded, his mind already working.

Emma met the older man's gaze.

"What's your price for your help?" She asked.

Rumple licked his lips, thinking.

"Well, Sheriff, if our suspicions are correct, and Tamara is indeed deceiving my son, we will have to let him know," Rumple met Emma's gaze seriously. "And his heart will surely break."

He watched as Emma swallowed, noticing as she did so, that some flowers standing in a vase nearby began to droop sadly.

"However," Rumple continued. "As much as I will want to be there for my son, I doubt he'd be interested in finding comfort in me. But you," he added carefully, "well, he may still be open to you."

"What makes you say that?" Emma asked.

"He still cares about you," Rumple told her softly. "And as much as I don't want my son hurt, I realise that will be near impossible if our suspicions are correct. Perhaps you will be the one to help him heal after Tamara breaks his heart."

Emma swallowed again, and while she kept up her defences, Rumple noticed that the flowers were beginning to slowly revitalise themselves once more.

Emma hadn't noticed the flowers at all, but Rumple knew how her magic worked.

Rumple smiled.

"Do we have a deal, Emma?" He asked, holding out a hand.

Slowly, Emma took Gold's hand.

"Deal."

~..~..~..~..

Author's note: Rumple gets to be a protective dad! I can't wait to write this...

Did everyone follow this chapter okay? I felt I was jumping around to different people quite a lot- was it consistent?

And now Emma knows Tamara's up to something! But we still don't know who she really is or what she's up to yet...

New Theory: I just saw the promo for episode 18 and while I'm still thinking Tamara is from Neverland originally, I'm thinking that she may actually be Tigerlily, rather than Tinkerbell, now. It would suit the 'born leader' aspect of her casting call. Tamara's face is also not looking so sweet, more like proud and determind, and Tigerlily was a very proud character, as I recall.

However, I've already pegged Tamara as a Tinkerbell for this story, as explained in my first author's note, so I can't change her character in this...Never mind! I've still got a couple of ideas.

I missed out a few things in this chapter, as I thought they'd fit better in the next one, so hopefully I'll be able to update soon.

Please review!