A KIND OF MAGIC ↝ Killian Jones

⇒ CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

"YOU CAN... SEE the future?"

Chuckling, Wilma nodded at Neal, not blaming him for being a little confused or surprised, perhaps even a little amazed, as she, too, was still trying to grasp the reality of it and come to terms with the fact that it was a part of her. A part that she couldn't hide or run away from. "Well, I'm still kind of figuring it out, but... yeah", Wilma shrugged, looking over to Neal, "bloody strange, I know", before letting her gaze drop to her feet as they continued to trek through the woods. Gold was yet to be spotted, but when Emma's phone suddenly rang, Wilma felt a kick of hope — perhaps someone had some good news. Taking Neal's hand, Wilma directed the man a smile as they stopped, and Emma took the call, greeting Belle whilst lifting the phone to her ear.

Wilma couldn't hear anything, but she figured that it wasn't anything too good. Emma's face said it all. Then, of course, there was also the fact that out of nowhere, Neal started to howl in pain, and as he clutched his chest, he collapsed onto the ground and Wilma followed right behind to wrap a protective arm around his trembling body.

"Neal? Oh my god, Neal? What's happening?", Wilma started to panic, the last question directed towards Emma, and the brunette turned to face her friend with horror descending onto her face, but instead of finding anything comforting or relieving in Emma's eyes, the Savior seemed just as terrified and shocked. Wilma continued to hold onto Neal, begging for him to kick through whatever was happening to him, but her confidence faltered just a bit when the man looked up at him — and instead of a familiar face, his features started to shift and transform and Wilma was pretty sure that, for a second there, he changed into his father.

"What the bloody hell?", Wilma cried out, giving a look at Emma once again, but the blonde seemed just as helpless. Nothing made sense, especially when Neal took Emma's hand and shot her a reassuring look.

Telling Emma had to use her magic to separe him from Rumplestiltskin, Neal begged for her to save him. But saving him had a price, and one that caused a lump to rise in Wilma's throat. She didn't want to even hear the words, as saying it would only make it real, but Emma did so anyway, squeezing Neal's hand and looking over to him with sadness filling her eyes until tears started to roll out on her cheeks. And Wilma followed her lead, leaving both of the women crying as Neal begged for Emma to do it, to separate him and Gold, even if it was going to kill him.

"But you'll die", Emma whispered, and as she did, a tear fell out of her eye and dropped right onto Wilma's hand, making the woman shiver as she closed her own eyes and refused to look Neal in the eyes and see the gleam of death in them. She couldn't do this. Not again. She couldn't lose him, again. And the worst part was that this time, it seemed final — Wilma feared she wasn't going to see Neal ever again, that much like Walter, he would only be a memory after today, and she hated how real it felt. Because she knew it wasn't a pointless fear, it was probably true.

Emma did it anyway, because even if it was going to cost Neal his life, they needed Gold, they needed to know more about the Wicked Witch, they needed to save the town. And sometimes, people had to lose on the way to victory. War had casualties. Neal was one of them — an innocent man, just trying to help, and that was why Emma and Wilma tried to accept his choice. He was making a sacrifice. He was being a hero.

Emma's magic separated Neal and his father, causing the both of them to fly onto the ground, and in an instant, Wilma threw himself over to her brother and cradled his limp body, taking him onto her arms and letting her tears fall onto his shirt as she rocked back and forth on the hard ground. Wilma thought she was going to faint. As she looked into Neal's eyes, she saw good in them, but with each passing second, the light drained away and became replaced with darkness — inevitable darkness, destined to swallow him whole and take him away from his loved ones, including Wilma, who couldn't believe it was happening all over again. But at least, this time, she got to say goodbye. Properly.