Chapter 6:

Tamara accused herself not long after the awkward exchange between Regina and Belle. Emma was left alone to her own devices. She walked around the first deck of the boat but she didn't see who she was looking for. Emma went up to the bar and ordered a vodka and cranberry. That drink is red and dark enough for what she had planned. After a few moments, the bar tender placed the drink in front of Emma; she smiled and thanked him for the drink.

Emma wanders up to the second deck of the boat and she can spot the back of Neal's head at the bow of the ship. Emma smiles to herself as she makes her way over to where Neal is standing and speaking to a man with brown hair and a boyish face in a tan colored suit.

"Yo, man. Want to bump it up a notch?" Emma over hears the man says to Daniel offering him something that looks like drugs.

Emma uses this as her moment; she trips and spills her drink all over the front of Neal's coat. "Oh, my God!" Emma exclaims.

"Aw." Neal says as he turns around to face Emma.

"I am sorry. God, I'm such an idiot." Emma tells him with a shy smile.

"No, don't worry about it. It's uh, probably the universe telling me I need a costume change." Neal responds was he takes off his now stained jacket.

Emma smiles and laughs at his comment.

"Uh…. I'm Neal." Neal says introducing himself to Emma. Neal extends his hand.

"Emma." Emma responds as she returns his handshake.

"How about I get you a dry martini? Twice the alcohol, half the stain potential." Neal offers with a smile.

"Sure. I'm sorry." Emma replies will shaking her head.

"No, no. It's okay. Now wait right here." Neal tells her while putting up his hand.

Neal walks away from Emma but makes sure to put his hand on the small of her back before walking away. Emma is in. Neal likes her. This is perfect and going all according to plan.

Emma is still waiting for Neal when Regina takes the stage on the dock across the boat. Regina had some sort of platform built so the stage is level with the upper deck of the boat. Emma watches as Regina looks out over her self-proclaimed subjects.

"Good afternoon, everyone, and happy Memorial Day." Regina starts off and everyone claps. Emma follows suit with an unhappy smile plastered on her face.

"I wanted the theme of today's party to signify a fresh start for all of us. As difficult as the last few years have been, they have been devastating on our charities. But now, as things are beginning to turn around, I'm looking forward to giving back, and I know that all of you are, too." Regina pauses here and the people on the boat begin to clap again. Emma follows suit yet again with the same unhappy smile on her face.

"So to start things off right, I'd like to announce the winner of the art auction, my dear friend... Belle Scarlett..." Regina says this as she extends her hand in the direction of where Belle is sitting on the boat.

"Oh! Congratulations!" Emma hears someone in the crowd say as the people around Belle begin to clap.

"Who won't be going home with the Monet this event, but with the treasured Van Gogh that hangs in the living room." Regina tells everyone.

Belle looks down at her hands awkwardly as the people on the boat all look at her.

Emma hears one of the socialites ask Robert, "But I though the Van Gogh was a gift from Belle and Will?"

Regina turns and says something to one of the security guards behind her. Regina is too far away for Emma to make out what she says. Emma notices the guard speak into his walkie talkie. After a few moments of talking, Regina turns to a guard behind her and says "Have Mrs. Scarlett escorted off of the boat."

Regina turns back to the crowd, "And in related news, Belle has asked me to announce that the beach house she shared with her husband is officially on the market." Regina announces.

A security guard is on the upper deck of the boat now and has reached Belle who is sitting about ten feet away from where Emma is standing which allows her to hear the conversation between them.

"Mrs. Scarlett…" The guard whispers as he helps Belle out of her seat and escorts her as she walks away.

Emma turns her focus back onto Regina.

"I'm afraid this will be her final weekend in the Hamptons. So call your realtors, ladies and gentlemen, because this one's going to go fast. And, Belle..." Regina calls out.

Emma watches as Belle pauses a while and looks up at Regina. "Wherever you end up, I hope that the Van Gogh is a constant reminder of the friendship we shared." Regina tells Belle with a cold and sinister smile.

Emma looks back at Regina who is now looking at her. Emma has not seen that look on Victoria since she was a child.

"Get your hands off of my daughter!" Emma hears her father cry out as someone grabs her and pulls her out of the house.

Emma screams and thrashes around in the arms that are holding her.

Emma hears someone says "I want that kid outta here. Now! Give her to social services!" Emma watches as Regina and Robert are on the porch of the beach house with the people storming her house.

"Daddy!" Emma cries out.

"Emma!" She hears her father call out.

"Settle down!" Emma hears the person holding her tell her.

Emma looks back toward Regina and screams.

"Where are you taking her?" Emma hears her father shout.

"No Daddy!" Emma shouts as they take her down the stairs of the porch.

"Amanda! No!" She hears her father shout out.

Emma continues to scream as they take her farther from the house. She watches as Regina and Robert stand on the porch watching as Emma and her father are torn apart.

"She sure is something, isn't she?" Emma hears Neal ask her which breaks her from her reverie. "My mother." He adds when Emma doesn't respond right away.

Neal hands Emma the martini which she takes with a smile.

"She sure is." Emma replies.

Neal raises his glass. "To chance meetings."

"To an unforgettable summer." Emma says while raising her glass toasting with Neal. Emma takes a sip of her martini and smiles at Neal.

If Neal only knew the half of it….

A/N. One more chapter (hopefully) until we reach the end of the pilot episode. What do you guys think? Should I continue the story?