I don't own Once Upon A Time nor will I ever. No copyright infringement intended.

Emma refused to let herself think about how much she missed August (especially with all the shit going down in Storybrooke) until the man's sudden reappearance in their lives. And when the thought suddenly hit her about why she hadn't been this happy in a long time, the realization stopped her dead in her tracks. "No," she murmured in shock. This couldn't be happening to her. She was in a relationship with a man she loved. But was she really?

She gasped and then glared at someone not paying attention as they walked right into her, apologized, and then hurried down the sidewalk. Emma thought she hadn't allowed herself to be happy because of the numerous villains playing Storybrooke at any given time but maybe it was because she had settled for Hook, someone who adored and loved her. It felt nice to be loved by someone who wasn't a family member (or Granny and Ruby, both determined to make up for the missing twenty-eight years) but that wasn't enough. She saw the way August used to look at her (and still did, now that she thought about it) and that was pure adoration and love, one different from Hook's. Emma didn't want to hurt him but it was time to end their relationship before either of them were in too deep.

As soon as she spotted Hook eating at Granny's, she hurried in and rushed him back to his room. "Emma, what is happening? You look upset," he observed.

"I'm fine," she told him, waving off his concerns. She decided to get straight to the point to make the break-up as painless as possible.

He had a feeling this was going somewhere he wasn't going to like and hoped she just got on with this. "Are you sure?" Hook pressed.

Emma nodded and then teared up despite her best efforts not to. "I'm in love with someone else and I want to be with him. I know I'm your happy ending but you're not mine. I'm sorry, Killian."

"August," he correctly deduced.

"Yes. Please forgive me."

Hook plastered a smile on his face. "Don't apologize, Swan. This isn't my first heartbreak and it won't be the last I'm sure. Go be with the man you love."

"Thank you for being so understanding." Emma sniffled, awkwardly hugged him, and then took off back to her apartment so she could see August again. She'd probably feel guilty for a long time about the way she had ended her relationship with Hook but at least it hadn't gone further and hurt them even more.

Laying down before she arrived, August went upright the instant he saw her, groaning at the pain it caused him. "Emma, what's the matter? Did someone hurt you? You look like you've been crying." He'd kill whoever hurt her and it didn't even matter that he could barely stand up.

"No, nobody hurt me. Are you feeling any better? You still look like you're about to keel over any minute now," she fussed.

"I'm not worried about myself right now - I'm worried about you. Why were you crying?"

Taking a deep breath, the nervous Emma sat down next to him on the couch. "How long have you loved me?"

The question caught him off guard and he gasped, staring down at his hands nervously. "Why are you asking me this?" Fuck, she was going to hate him especially since she seemed to be in a stable relationship with that pirate.

"I just want to know. Be honest," she pleaded. She was more nervous than she thought she'd be although Emma knew she had made the right choice in breaking things off with Hook.

"I can't even remember when it happened but I know that my feelings have been there since I first showed up in Storybrooke. They only progressed from there and I fucked it up." He'd hate himself forever for the numerous ways he hurt Emma in the past and would never be able to forgive himself either.

"You're not the only one, August. I wish we could have prevented you from dying and then getting de-aged. I've missed you so fucking much and I didn't realize how much until today." Shit, time to say it. She could do this. "I am in love with you."

His mouth dropped open and he gaped at her. "But what about the pirate? You seem happy with him. I don't want to break you up."

"You haven't," Emma reassured August before squeezing his hand. "The truth is, Hook and I aren't compatible. I realized earlier today that I was only settling for him when I won't be when I'm with you. And you love Henry and I'm pretty sure my parents hate Hook and think the world of you so that's a plus in my book."

August let out a breath and decided to tell her about the worries that had been plaguing him. "Emma, what happens if I get de-aged again? Then you'll be unhappy and that's the last thing I want."

"We'll cross that bridge if it comes to that but I doubt that'll happen again. Plus, magic brought you back so I'm sure it could do it a second time. So what do you say?" She waited expectantly for his response.

He surged forward and kissed her. "I love you too, Emma."

Emma giggled. "Glad to hear it," she murmured after reluctantly pulling away.

August couldn't quite grasp the concept that this was actually happening - the woman he loved felt the same way and wanted to be with him. This was the last thing he expected to happen after he was re-aged. "I'd made love you right here and now but I'm too exhausted. Sorry."

"Don't be. You've had a rough few days - life," she corrected before leaning her head on his shoulder.

He kissed the top of her head and snuggled in as close as he could get without hurting himself. "You comfortable?"

"Yeah."

"I'm glad."

And Emma and August settled in to watch a movie, trying to forget about the current villains wreaking havoc in Storybrooke for just a few hours. They were both content to know with certainty that they had found their happy endings (with an occasional interruption. It was Storybrooke after all).