HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN! So I decided to do something special for you since this is technically your first birthday that I've been friends with you so, with a lot of help from some friends, we wrote you a bunch of mini fics to one shots to ficlets on a whole range of your favorite Once characters. Have an absolutely fantastic, amazing, awesome, hilarious magical birthday you lovely lady. You absolutely deserve it you Emma Swan you ;) Hope you like them!

9. Neal doesn't actually let go, so Emma and Neal are reunited. They find tamara and threaten to kill her. But does someone intervene? Why?

Written by: Kenzie

"Henry needs you!" I shout over the roar of the portal.

"I need you!" she begs. When I see the look on her, I know she isn't lying. And I know exactly what she's going to say. "I love you."

I look up into her beautiful blue eyes. "I love you, too," I say. A smile forms on Emma's face and she lets out a laugh mixed with a sob. I need to let go. I have to. If I don't, we'll both fall through and Henry will grow up like Emma did. Parentless. I can't let that happen to him. But I can't lose Emma. I won't lose her.

"Then don't let go," she pleads. "Please Neal, don't leave me."

In an instant, my decision's made. I tighten the grip I have on her hand. "Never." I manage to kick my shoe off, so the portal will close up. "Come on, help me up."

Emma gives me a tear-filled smile and starts to pull me up. I help as much as I can. And finally, we collapse side-by-side on the ground, our hands still intertwined. "You're alive," she whispers. I look over to the portal and see that it's now gone.

I pull her to me and stroke her hair. "We're alive." Her body begins to shake with sobs. I tilt her chin up to look at me. "Hey, it's alright, Emma. I'm not goin' anywhere."

"I thought I'd lost you again..."

"As long as I'm living, you'll never lose me, Emma Swan. Tamara never loved me, and I never loved her. It was all an illusion. You're the only one for me," I tell her. And I mean it too. I love Emma with all my heart. She is my everything, and I will never leave her again. I wrap my arms around her.

"Neal Cassidy, I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too, Emma," I tell her. I lean in and ever so slowly do our lips meet again after eleven years. Her lips taste sweet, even with the salt from her tears. It's amazing. I run my hands on her back; she tangles her fingers in my hair. She's amazing. She pulls away abruptly. "What's wrong?" I ask.

"Tamara. She's still-come on!" Emma immediately is on her feet waiting impatiently for me to get up as well. I stand slowly, the pain from my side is sharp, but I ignore it. Emma grabs my hand and drags me off in search of Tamara.

She slows ten minutes later as we round a corner. I hear their voices, Greg and Tamara. Emma raises a finger to her lips and pulls her gun from its holster. I nod in understanding. We stand in silence listening to the conversation.

"Baby, we need to change our plans," Tamara says. Baby?

Greg's talking now. "We can't!"

Tamara's voice sounds angry. "Greg, baby, listen, we need the boy. He's the real problem. I love you, but trust me on this one okay?"

Emma grabs onto me tightly. She mouths our son's name, and her face goes pale. I swallow. Tamara and Greg are together. They are after my son. Emma's grip on my arm is loosed and I look to my left. She's gone.

"Don't. Move," Emma demands, pointing the gun. I hold back a smirk; she never thinks these things through well. "I will shoot if you move, Tamara. I have no reason to not kill you."

"Emma, I-"

"Not now, Neal. She's not going to harm my son. Neither are you Greg," Emma says, her teeth clenched. She fingers the trigger. "Give me one good reason not to kill you both right here, right now." Both Greg and Tamara remain silent. I know I can't stop Emma now. "Then I guess I'll just have to kill you."

"EMMA!" I see Emma's mother running out from a corner. "EMMA, STOP!" she screams. Mary Margaret runs at Emma and tackles her. "I can't let you do this." Greg and Tamara turn to run, but David comes out, gun cocked. Mary Margaret sits up off Emma, and they both stand. "I won't let you blacken your heart Emma."

"Neither will I," I step forward and place my hand on her shoulder. "Are they really worth it Emma?"

Emma shakes in anger, fist clenched around the gun handle. I massage her shoulder with one hand until the gun flatters to the ground. "No, they're just worthless idiots."

"That's right," I whisper in her ear. "Now come on, let David handle it and let's go back to our son."

She nods slowly. "Our son. Henry. Yeah."

I kiss the side of her head and lead her away from Mary Margaret and David. I know her parents can handle Greg and Tamara easily. It was Emma I was worried for. But she's safe, and that's all that matters.