I started laughing while Greg and I walked around Storybrooke. For someone who almost ran me over, he isn't that bad. While we waited for the mechanic we started talking. The wanker actually apologized for almost running me over. When I told him that he ran over my Papa, his eyes went wide and said something along the lines of yeah, I would want me dead too.
I didn't even mean to spend the morning with Greg. But I offered to show him around town that way he won't walk around and end up lost in the woods. He said he wanted to take pics of the scenery, so I'm showing him the best places for that.
"Ok, so if you want a desperate feel in your picture then just wait for it to rain," I said. I pointed at the park bench. "Just have someone sitting over there and look all sad."
Greg held up his camera. "You mind if I take one of you?" I gave him a confused look. "I said I was taking pictures of the scenery."
"Let me stop you right there," I said. "One, I'm way younger than you for something to start."
His eyes widen. "No, I wasn't implying -"
"Two." I grinned at him. "I get why you want a picture of me. I am that gorgeous." I went over to the bench and sat down. "Ready."
Greg sighed in relief. "Ok, just act natural."
I gave him a look. "What do you mean act -" Then there was a flash. Greg chuckled as he looked at the picture. "I wasn't ready."
He made his way over. "The way I see it, it's best to catch people when they're acting normal. It's not real if everything is always posed, you know?"
"I guess," I chuckled. Greg lifted the camera up and took another picture. "Hey!"
"Came out good," he said. He showed me the picture. "See?"
I looked at his camera. He's right. That actually does look a lot better.
》》》》
I know I should go at least get Snow out of bed, but there is nothing I can do that will make her stop moping about Cora. I understand that the first kill is hard, but what she did save us from our impending death. She did save Rumple. That's a half win in my book. When Snow wants to stop wallowing in bed, she'll come and find us.
Ruby placed the pies in front of us. She smiled at me before she went back to work.
"Can I ask you a question?" Greg asked.
"Shoot," I said I dug into my pie.
"Why do you have a sword with you? Aren't you a little young to have a weapon?"
Right. Things are different here. Or in someone else's eye.
"Well, my papa gave me the sword when I was young. I was so into pirates...let's just say I almost turned into one." Not a lie. I am a pirate.
"The one I ran over?" I nodded. "Wow, most parents give their kids a car or something. Not a sword. But if that's your papa, then who is the other guy you're living with?"
"That's two questions." I took another bite. "I'll answer that though. That other guy is also my father."
"Are they -" Greg motioned his hands in a together motion. I wanted to laugh right there. Papa and Rumple together. That's like saying Snow and Regina have a thing.
"Divorced," I lied. "I really don't know what happened. I guess their spark died down."
"Oh, that must have been tough when you were a child. Going house to house and hoped that one day they get back together."
Again, I wanted to laugh. "Yeah, well, my dads are happy. That's what matters to me." I should really change the subject before I start laughing and blow my cover. "And what are you doing? Eat before I snatch your pie away."
Greg chuckled before he grabbed his fork and started to dig in. Then Regina came over to our table.
"I hope you two are enjoying your pie," she said. She looked at me. She gave me a confused look. I mouthed 'Jax' to her so she would know what to call me. "Jax, I hope you're being polite to our guest."
"I am, Madam Mayor," I said. "I've been nothing but a bloody angel."
"Right." She smiled at Greg. "I'm Regina Mills, Mayor of Storybrooke. I'm also Henry's mother."
I grabbed my hot chocolate and held it up to her. "And a fine one at that."
Regina gave me a look. "Jax -"
I took a big gulp of my hot chocolate. "Fine, I get it." Regina wanted to talk to the stranger. "I needed a refill anyway. I stood next to Emma. "At least she asked nicely."
Emma gave me a small smile. "How was your day with Greg?"
"Normal," I responded. "He didn't bring up any fireball. Or he didn't ask me about anything that could to relate to magic."
Emma looked back. "I'm surprised you didn't stab him with your sword." Then she gave me a look while motioning to it. "Which most 16-year-olds shouldn't have?"
"What can I say? The guy apologized for running over Papa. And he let me punch him for five minutes, so all is good."
"Speaking of fathers...Has Hook tried contacting you?" Emma asked.
I sighed sadly. "No, I called the hospital and he wasn't there." I tilted my head to the side. "Which I don't get why I'm telling you. You might lock him up again and keep me away."
"Not this time. I just want to make sure he's not going to hurt you."
"A father wouldn't harm their child in any kind of way," Gepetto said. "Even Captain Hook would protect his little girl." I smiled at Gepetto until it slowly faltered.
"How upset do you think he'll be when he finds out I let the Crocodile live?" I asked nervously as the door opens.
"Hey," Emma said softly as she placed her hand on my back. "Wanting to kill Mr. Gold is Hook's dream, not yours. If he was really your father then he would understand why you couldn't kill the man who raised you for 28 years."
"No, but he'll be more angry at the man who faked my death and took me away for many many years." At least the Crocodile didn't take me when I was a baby. I looked up to see Snow rushing towards us. "Hey, lass."
Emma turned. "What's up? Why the urgent phone call?"
"It's August," Snow rushed out. "I found him."
My mouth flew open. "You found -"
"My boy?" Gepetto finished. "He's alive?"
"Yes, but...he's completely wooden," Snow broke the news. "He's been living in an abandoned trailer down near the toll bridge."
"What can we do?" I asked. "Can we help him?"
"No. But I know someone who might be able to - Mother Superior."
Gepetto had hope in his eyes. "Yes. Yes, the Blue Fairy. She helped once. She can help again. She must!"
I got up and started following them out. Oh, shit. Greg! I rushed over to our table. "I'm sorry, mate. Something came up. I have to go."
"Are we still on for later?"
"Sailing by the docks? Hell yes!" I answered happily before running out.
》》》》
Oh, wow. I have missed so much this morning. Bae brought his fiancee to Storybrooke. His fiancee! Now! That is not the best idea considering everything that is going on and the fact that Emma is still here. If they left on good terms then sure bring her, not when your ex breaks the bloody curse.
On another note, I feel bad for not keeping in contact with August. The last time I spoke to him was before Emma broke the curse and I said I'd punch him in the face. Right when he was turning back into a wooden puppet.
"I know about August," Mother Superior said. "He came to me shortly after the curse broke and asked if I would return him to what he was."
"Why didn't you?" Emma asked. Yeah, why didn't she?
"Because what he was is what he is. Do you remember the morning I found you on that beach all those years ago? The day I turned your son into a real boy?"
"Yes. It was the happiest day of my life," Gepetto said with a small smile.
"I told Pinocchio so long as he remained brave, truthful, and unselfish, he would stay a real boy. But I'm afraid he did not. That is why he changed back. And that's why there's nothing I can do for him."
Right, for leaving Emma. For lying about almost everything. I don't know what August did before the curse, but it must be bad if he turned back into the puppet.
"So in other words, you're completely useless," I mumbled.
"It's true he's done some things he regrets. We all have. But shouldn't he have another chance?" Snow asked. I have a feeling that there was another person she was talking about. Herself. Oh, Snow.
"If there is still a path of redemption for August, it is one that he must travel on his own. No one can force him, or it will not be true."
Just like that Gepetto started to lose hope. I understand that. It's the same look when I thought I would never see Papa. Gepetto hasn't seen August since...I don't know when. A long time.
"We'll find your son, Gepetto," I said. "He's a good man. He'll get his second chance." And I believe it. August might have done some shady things, but his intentions were good. I still have hope for him.
》》》》
We followed Snow through the forest towards the toll bridge.
"This is all my fault," Gepetto said.
"Our children make their own decisions, Marco. You can't blame yourself for anything that's happened," Snow tried to reassure him. Which I don't think it's working.
"Yes, I can. And you should blame me, too." Why would Snow blame him? "The wardrobe I built for you. The one that transported Emma to this world—she did not go alone."
We stopped. "Of course she did. The only had enough magic to transport one person."
"No, that was a lie I made The Blue Fairy tell you. It had enough magic to transport two, and it did—your daughter... and my son... Pinocchio."
"I could have gone with her?" Snow breathed. Oh, bloody hell. "With Emma?"
"There is no apology I could give that could ever make up for what I did. But I am so sorry."
Snow glared at Gepetto. I expected her to forgive him because he was only thinking about his son, but she shocked me by slapping Gepetto. Snow actually slapped someone.
"Snow!" I yelled while Emma breathed, "Mary Margaret. What are you doing? He's apologizing."
"No, no, that's okay. I deserve that," Gepetto defended her.
I shook my head. "No, you don't. You were only thinking about your son. You didn't want him to be stuck in this cursed world." I gave Snow a look while I said my last words to him. "You did what any other parent would do." If I had a kid, I would have lied and made sure he/she was safe.
Snow's mouth was still opened as she looked at her hand. "Marco, I am so sorry. I'm not myself. You just made a mistake. I would have done the same thing for my child. I forgive you. You were protecting your son."
"No. I burdened him with a weight no child should have to bear, and I called it love," Gepetto said.
Snow's mouth was still open while she looked behind him. We followed her line of vision and spotted the abandoned trailer. Gepetto ran over and pry the door open before going in. I'm happy for him. Even if he isn't in the best condition right now, August could finally see his papa.
Except when we looked in the trailer, it was completely empty. I sighed in defeat before looking at Emma and shaking my head. Where the hell could August be? Why would he leave in the first place? I understand that he's been running his whole life, but he needs to stop eventually and take a breather. He past the finish line, but he keeps going.
We started walking back. Emma's phone started to ring.
"Emma Swan," she greeted on the phone. Her eyes went wide. "August..." I stopped. Gepetto, Snow, and I crowded around her. "August. Warn me? Warn me about what?" She furrowed her brows. "August!" She looked at her phone. "Shit."
"What's going on?" I asked. "Where's August?"
"I don't know, the line went out before he could say anything." She looked at the caller ID. "But he's at the station, we need to -" I ignored the rest as I started running towards the car. "Jax!"
"Hurry up!" I yelled.
》》》》
I don't know why Emma called David and Henry, but I'm just trying to rush to the station and hope that August is still there. We've called numerous of times, but he's not picking up. We arrived only for the door to open. August stumbled his way out. We broke into a sprint.
"August!" Emma yelled. August fell on his knees before collapsing forward. "August!"
Gepetto reached him first and flipped him over to pull him on his lap. "Oh! My child. My boy. My boy. What happened to you?"
"I'm so sorry, Papa," August breathed.
"No. There is nothing to apologize for. Everything is gonna be all right."
August looked at Emma. "Emma."
"August," Emma said. August struggled to sit up.
"Emma... She's..." August kept gasping as he leaned closer to Emma's ear. "She..." Then nothing. August wasn't moving or breathing. I placed my hand over my mouth as I held back a sob.
"Oh, no," Gepetto's voice broke. "Not again." Then he leaned over August's head and started crying. My mouth flew open and I grabbed the closest person near me, which happened to be Bae. No, not again.
Bae looked down at the puppet. "August?"
"No. It can't end this way. He was supposed to get a second chance," Snow said. Yeah, he was. He was suppose to get a second chance.
"What happened?"
"Someone killed him to stop him from telling us something. He used his last dying breath to warn us. I will not let that be in vain," Emma said. And I'm going to kill the bloke responsible for this.
"Brave... truthful... and unselfish," Henry whispered. Then his eyes widen as he looked at us. "Brave, truthful, and unselfish. Don't you see what this means? That's what Pinocchio was supposed to be. There's still hope. We need The Blue Fairy."
Mother Superior ran over. "I'm here, Henry."
"What does that mean?" I asked. "Is there still hope?"
"I was able to turn Pinocchio into a real boy after he sacrificed his life for Marco's. If his actions today were indeed brave, truthful, and unselfish, then you're right. There's a chance I can do it again."
Gepetto looked up. "Please, I beg of you. Try," he cried.
Mother Superior nodded before she held her wand up. It glowed before she pointed it at August. His body started to glow before it consumed him. A huge smile came to my face when August was reverted back to a boy. An actual boy. Like Henry's age, not the grown man he used to be. Goodbye, August. Hello, Pinocchio.
Pinocchio slowly blinked his eyes open before looking at Gepetto. "Father?"
Marco smiled as he had a new reason behind his tears. "Pinocchio." I let out a breath before smiling at Bae. Gepetto held up Pinocchio's hand. "Look. Look."
Pinocchio let out a gasp. "I'm a real boy." He smiled at Gepetto. "I'm a real boy!"
Pinocchio smiled before getting up and hug Gepetto. Another smile came to my face as I heard a small gasp. I looked to see this mysterious woman standing next to us. Must be the fiancee. Bae really downgraded.
"It's...It's true," she breathed.
Mother Superior looked at Pinocchio. "Do better this time, Pinocchio." Then she bopped him in the nose.
Tamara looked at us. "Pinocchio? That's..." Wow, she's taking this really well. You'd think she'd acted like Emma when she found out or a bit more freaked out.
Bae nodded. "Yeah."
Emma went over to Pinocchio. "Pinocchio? I have to ask you a question. I need you to think real hard, okay? Before you turned into a little boy, you were trying to tell us something very important. Do you remember? You were trying to warn us about something."
Pinocchio shook his head. "I...I don't remember. If I did, I would be truthful. I promise."
"We believe you," I said. I looked towards Bae. "Too bad I can't kill the little twat that did this to him. Ram my sword right through his or her heart."
I mean, who does he or she think he or she is? Why would someone do that o August in the first place? When I find out who did it I'm going to kill that son of a bitch or bastard.
"I know, Cas," he said.
Tamara gave me a look while her mouth flew open. "Cas? As in..." she looked at Bae. "Cassandra Jones?"
I ignored her and went to the family. Emma hugged Snow while Henry hugged David. I went over and pulled all of them into a group hug. The Charmings smiled at me before we followed Gepetto. Pinocchio is finally going to get his second chance.
》》》》
A/N: Only two chapters left!!!!