A/N: SPOILER ALERT: This chapter is is vaguely inspired by 2x18, and contains completely ridiculous speculation on future episodes. If you want to remain unspoiled, or you prefer more realistic stories, now's probably a good time to click the little 'x' in the top right-hand corner of the screen.
If you wish to continue; welcome to more of the scene-jumping madness that is the inside of my head. :-)
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
After half an hour of chatting with Emma mostly sitting silently next to her son, doing her best imitation of a shy child, Neal told Tamara he'd better drop Henry and his 'cousin' back with Emma's mother. Emma slid off the couch and stood ready to go, reminding herself to wait to be escorted. She thought a four year old taking a ten year old by the hand and leading him out the door would probably look out of place.
"Bye," Neal murmured quietly to his fiancé.
He refrained from kissing her goodbye as he usually did. He was trying not to be too obvious in front Emma. No matter how much she brushed it off and said she couldn't care less, Neal knew it bothered her to see him with Tamara. Emma was a master of emotional control, but he'd spent almost two years of his life with her. He'd seen through the tiny chink in her armour that opened up when he'd first introduced her to Tamara. For a moment he'd seen the girl he used to love with hurt showing in her eyes. He'd never wanted to hurt her.
"Bye honey, I love you!" Tamara's voice was as sweet as sugar, but Emma saw a flicker in her expression and then she knew.
This woman was lying to Neal's face.
She realised now why she'd been experiencing that vague feeling of dislike earlier. Tamara was a very, very good liar, but a liar nonetheless. Emma hated liars. She really hated them. It reminded her far too much of the times in her life when she'd trusted someone, only to realise that they were using her for their own purposes.
As she watched Tamara hugging a clueless and trusting Neal, something burned inside her. Her hands clenched into fists and she glared at the bold-faced liar. She felt that something swelling up inside her, like balloon blown up almost to the bursting point.
"Love you too," Neal replied, and Emma felt that balloon go bang.
"I never loved you," Tamara blurted out suddenly and loudly. Her hands shot up to cover her mouth, too late to take it back.
Emma and Henry's eyebrows shot up and their eyes bounced to Neal.
Neal stared at Tamara, too shocked by her words to form any sort of reaction. After a long silent moment, his mouth opened. After a false start in which he just mouthed the word, he managed to get out a single question.
"What?"
The response flew from Tamara's mouth without hesitation.
"I don't love you. You're just the means to an end."
Tamara's eyes widened, as she took in what had just slipped from her lips. Realisation dawned on her face and she fixed her sights on Emma.
"You," Her voice was incredulous, but certain. "You did this."
Tamara sensed the magic that wound around her. It was strong, stronger than anything she had ever encountered – this child was not as inconsequential as she had supposed. She was furious that this little wretch had managed to best her, and the anger pushed her to stalk forward a step.
"And you'll pay."
Tamara's voice had a cold edge Neal had never heard in it before. Her face was smooth and expressionless, except for her eyes. Her eyes were intensely focused and as cold as her voice had been when accusing Emma. Neal stepped in front of Emma, blocking her from Tamara's view. He played out an arm in front of Henry too.
"Tamara?" The hurt and confusion was evident in Neal's voice. He couldn't believe the transformation he had just seen in his fiancé. She looked the same, but it was like someone else had just stepped inside her; a stranger. A malevolent stranger.
Snow was contemplating ordering her third cup of coffee. Or maybe hot chocolate this time. Emma had told she should go and do something and even promised to call her back when she was done, but Snow couldn't leave. She knew the instant she left she'd start worrying about her daughter; Emma was so small, and lacked the ability for self defence her adult self was capable of. In fact, she was worrying about her anyway, but she felt better being close by Granny's Inn.
She glanced across the street, and did a double take when she saw Neal and her grandson running out of the building. Neal had Emma in one arm, facing backwards, and she was angrily waving her arms at someone who was hot on their heels; someone who seemed intent on hurting her child. Snow was on her feet and out the diner door in an instant. Her heart jumped into her throat when she saw the angry woman closing in on them, fast.
She wasn't going to make it in time.
Just then something sparked from Emma's hands. The spark was quickly followed by a larger flash of light and a broad whooshing sound. The woman whose fingers were just about to close on Neal's jacket flew back like a pellet from a slingshot, landing with a screech into a garden at the end of the street.
Snow stopped dead in tracks and stared after her, her jaw dropping open. Neal and Henry stopped and turned to see what had happened. Neal let Emma slip to the ground where she stared along with them for a second before breaking the awestruck silence.
"Woah... It worked!"
A/N #2: I know that was probably a bit rushed, but I just had to get rid of Tamara. Hate her. So. Much.