Okay so I got this little plot bunny a few days ago where I started thinking, what if August hadn't left Emma? What if Home Office was an actual secret organization, not this really messed up Neverland ploy by Pan? And, what if Emma and August were part of Home Office?

And this is the ensuing fic that sprouted out!

I'll be jumping back and forth here and there, showing snippets to give you a background of what's going on before getting into the thick of the story. And just as an FYI Emma will be a tad bit more morally gray, but we'll see where things go!

I hope everyone enjoys this!

Emma let out a sigh, lying down on the hard surface that served as her bed, hands behind her head, resting on the flimsy fabric that served as her pillow. She was in for another restless night, just as she had been for the past week, ever since she found out she was pregnant.

The seesawing back-and-forth of whether or not she should keep the child or put it up for adoption was nagging at her. She didn't feel ready, but it wasn't as if she'd be alone. She had her friends who could help her. She knew she could count on August, plus Tamara and Greg were around, and they would try to help her out.

Or at least that's what she thought, until August came to visit her earlier that day.

"No, you can't keep the kid."

Emma had been expecting a response of solidarity, that he'd help her with this difficult transition, or at the very most have some doubts but eventually give in to help. Never such a forceful denial.

"Why not? Is it because you were jealous of Neal?"

August, from the other side of the glass, sighed, clutching the phone tighter. "No Emma, it's not that. Just think about it for a second. Our job has us moving around a lot, and doing dangerous stuff. Home Office don't look like the kind of organization that offer benefit plans for single mothers. Do you really want to expose your kid to that kind of life?"

"We chose this life August! Plus do you really want to put this child through what we had to when we were in the system?"

"No, I'd do my best to guarantee that the child will be put in a good home. But the real question is, what do you want for the child?"

It was Emma's turn to sigh, as she thought the options out. After a few minutes, she said, "Their best chance. A chance for a good life filled with stability and the whole perfect family we never had."

August nodded, and then pressed on, looking directly at her. "And do you think that that kid can get their best chance with you?"

Emma's stomach sank as the answer made clear. A tear escaped as she faced the fact. "No."

August felt bad for Emma. She was his best friend, almost like family to him. They had been together through it all, and now he was deceiving her. But it was for her own good. He had to protect her. Just like he always had.

1 month ago:

The abandoned parking lot was definitely on the creepy side, but he wanted to meet him somewhere where no one would look for him or could find out about this conversation. It was imperative that everything went according to plan, his proverbial cards stashed in his pockets and sleeves.

August saw Neal waiting, trying to warm his hands up by rubbing on them. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet, clearly impatient. Seeing him, the con-man gave him a small wave.

"Hey man. What's up? You told me you had something important to tell me. Though you have to make it quick, I'm supposed to meet Emma with some things."

August nodded slowly. "That's actually exactly what I want to talk to you about. You gotta break up with Emma."

"What?" Neal raised an eyebrow, he clearly wasn't just going to do as August said. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Do you know what Emma does?"

Neal scoffed. He didn't understand what the hell this had to do with breaking up with Emma, and he needed to get going, but the graveness in August's voice kept him in his place. "She's a con-woman, just like me."

"Wrong. Have you ever heard of Home Office?"

"What is it like Office Depot or something?" Neal failed to see what the hell this man was talking about. So far nothing made sense with anything. August had probably had one too many to drink or something. He started to walk off, saying, "Look man, I need to get going. If you want to talk again while you're sober-"

Neal's sentence died on his lips as August grabbed his arm with a grip much tighter than he would've given the writer credit for. Looking once more at August to see what his damage was, he noted how intense the other man's gaze was.

"You're not taking this seriously," August enunciated in an eerily calm voice.

"You're not making any sense, man! You're talking about me breaking up with Emma and her working at this office store!" Neal was livid. Who the hell did this clown think he was?

"Perhaps I need to try another tactic."

Neal scoffed, trying to release his arm with no success. "You think?"

August didn't let up on his hold. "I know you're Baelfire."

Said man blanched, spluttering.

"Now will you listen to me?" It was a rhetorical question. August knew the other man would do anything now that his secret was out.

Emma was practically forgotten as Neal resigned himself to listen to everything the man had to say.

"Home Office is a powerful organization. You see, although this is the 'land without magic', there's actually a shit ton of magic artifacts and dangerous people with magic in this world. Regular people here wouldn't be able to deal with the consequences if it became public knowledge that magic was real. So, we get rid of them."

"Rid of them as in..." Neal made a movement with his hand as if he was slicing his throat off.

August shrugged. "It depends; I never ask."

"But I don't have magic... and if you know my story you know that it was Rumple-"

"Yes yes, the Dark One. Believe it or not I'm from that world. Emma too."

For the first time that night, a ghost of a smile crossed his lips. "Seriously? She's-"

"Not my topic of discussion right now. The point is that there's a folder with your name on it on my desk right now as a potential informant. I will warn you, informants aren't given 5-star treatments."

"So you're going to bring me in?" Neal gulped. He wanted to run but the vice-like grip on his arm was still there. August probably knew about his tendency to run. Emma had the same habits.

"You have a choice. The file only talks about Baelfire, but the one picture there is clearly of you. Here's my offer: you run far, far away, breaking all ties with Emma Swan, never to speak to her again, and I let you walk free, and that file gets buried way deep in the catacombs that is the archives."

Something wasn't adding up to him. "Wait, why would I need to give up Emma?"

"Three reasons. First because I don't like you. Second, Emma and I are on a mission. Do you know why we're here, and not back in the Enchanted Forest?"

Neal shook his head. He had no idea but he was sure he'd find out soon enough.

"Our entire land was cursed. They were sent to another land to live a life of misery and unhappiness. Emma and I were able to escape before the curse reached us, and ever since then we've been trying to find a way to find them and break the curse. We're pretty sure they're in this land."

The con-man grimaced. "Sounds tough. Sorry about that, man."

"I don't need your pity. I need you to understand that you must never again try to contact Emma. Do we have a deal?"

Neal thought it over. "Not until you tell me what the third reason is."

"The curse was cast by the Evil Queen-"

"Never heard of her," Neal was quick to say.

August gritted his teeth. "I didn't ask you if you did." He took a deep breath as if to compose himself, and then kept talking. "Continuing. She cast the curse that decimated our land and confined them to their doomed existence. However, the witch didn't make her curse. Rather she got it from someone else. The Dark One, to be precise."

"Shit."

August ignored him and continued. "And how do you think Emma will react that her boyfriend's dad made the curse that took her from her family and forced her into a life of misery in the system?"

Neal tried desperately to think of a reason. "Because that was my dad, not me, I don't want anything to do with him. Why do you think I left?"

"Do you really think Emma will see it that way? Or what it'll do to her reputation when I bring you in? Home Office is already being kind enough by letting us join their ranks, and your involvement could doom her. The deal is what I said earlier. Either you take it all or I'll drag you to Home Office right now."

Neal knew this was a losing battle, and relented. "Fine. Deal."

Unfortunately that had also led to Emma getting incarcerated as Neal hadn't been there to pick her up. Of course, she didn't know that. August had fed her his own version of the events, explaining that Neal had skipped town, leaving her to be the fall guy for his deal.

So she was stuck there for 11 months. She still had 10 more to go and no idea how to deal with the fact she'd be pregnant for about 8 of those months.

"Hey, I'll start looking around for places to take your kid, places that will guarantee a safe and good home okay?"

Emma just nodded, afraid to say anything else without crying. After a few minutes of silence as Emma willed her emotions back in, she finally said, "Thanks August. I don't know what I'd do without you."

They hung up their phones and Emma was escorted back to her cell, and once he couldn't see her anymore, he finally stood up. Although his methods were less than ideal, he did what he had to do. It was the only way they would be able to focus on getting back to their families, and get revenge on the Evil Queen.

He was a lot angrier than Emma was at having been torn from his home. Since Emma had been a newborn, she didn't remember the life she had before, or of even having parents. She had no idea who they were, they could be anyone in the Enchanted Forest.

August on the other hand, remembered Geppetto all too well, and he vowed he would find a way to free him from the curse. If it also included burning the witch on the way, he would gladly do it.

And that was chapter 1!

So what does everyone think? Yay or nay?

This is a rehash of the show, but I promise it won't be verbatim in any way, shape, or form. I will be shifting some facts around to fit my story, so obviously things like August and Tamara meeting with the Dragon will be different, etc.

Also I'm not going to follow the whole August has to remain true to himself in order to stay a human, because really, it's impossible for any human being, despite how much they try, to be that altruistic. If there does exist, my hat's off to them. August is a human, and will continue to stay a human and his age in this story.

That also means that, like you saw, August will be a much shadier character. But he's NOT going to be an antagonist! He and Emma are both victim of circumstances, so they act like life has made them do.

I'd love for feedback so please let me know what you think!