Title: Selfless, Brave, and True
Chapter Two: Brave
Author: snarkysweetness
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Emma, August, Archie, Henry, Cora, Regina, Rumpelstiltskin, Neal, Snow, Charming, & The Blue Fairy; Emma/August
Summary: My take on what should happen in episode 18. When Archie fears August, who he's been hiding, is about to do something foolish and brave he goes to Emma for help. Will they be able to save August in time or will it be too late? And can True Love really conquer all or are there some curses that even love can't break?
Warnings: Spoilers for future episodes, angst, and a lot of feels.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author's Notes: Here's the second installment, lovelies.

Emma stood in the kitchen with a large knife and twirled it awkwardly. She had no idea how to cook anything but things out of a box, but Henry kept talking about how 'Regina makes this' and 'that' and how 'delicious' it all was and she had to admit, she felt inferior.

She'd barely had time to be a mother to Henry and the best she'd been able to do had been really bad tacos. Now that Neal was back with his father and here for Henry and Rumpelstiltskin wasn't dying, she was going to leave them all to deal with all of this supernatural bullshit. She wanted time alone with her kid and to just…

Deal.

With…

Things.

Like…

"August," she whispered as her eyes moved to a frame photograph of the two of them, with Henry, at her mother's coming home party following her imprisonment. She'd avoided the topic of his death, finding it too hard to bear, but she'd finally managed to sit down with Marco to tell him everything and in the process, grieve for him, finally. She hated that it had taken so long but with everything else that had been going on, she didn't think she would have survived it all while mourning.

After she'd spent the previous night crying over her dead best friend who she knew could have been more if she'd let him into her heart, she'd decided it was time to tell Henry the truth.

She wanted him to start trusting her again and if she wanted that to happen she needed to stop trying to shield him from everything.

A knock came from the door and she looked back to find Henry rushing to answer it. She yelled something about how he'd slip and fall, but it fell on deaf ears. She shook her head and put her knife away. Who was she kidding? They were going to Granny's for dinner and she knew it.

"Archie, hey." She said as he entered the loft with Pongo in tow.

"Emma, hi…can we talk?"

"Of course."

She moved towards the couch and motioned for him to join her. He nodded in Henry's direction and Emma realized Archie meant he wanted to talk to her alone.

"Hey, kid? Why don't you take Pongo for a walk while Archie and I catch up?"

"That's a good idea, Pongo's missed you."

Henry nodded and took Pongo before muttering that they wanted him gone so they could keep keeping secrets from him. Emma closed her eyes with a loud sigh. Jesus fucking…

"What's going on, Archie?"

Archie stammered uncomfortably for a moment.

"I don't know how to say this to you…"

"Just spit it out Archie, like taking a band aid off," she interrupted.

He muttered something about how 'two of you are meant to be with those attitudes' and she frowned. What was he going on about?

"Well, it's about…." He cleared his throat.

"ARCHIE!"

"August's missing!" He blurted out before turning completely red. Emma sat, dumfounded for a long moment, before assuming he just didn't know that August was dead. Maybe Marco hadn't…but why…had Archie even….

"What?

Archie, August is dead. I watched him die. I don't know why Marco didn't tell you but-"

"He's not dead! When you broke the curse, it brought him back but he wasn't human. I mean he was still wooden and…well, we've been trying to turn him back but…

He's been feeling restless, wanting to help you and I made the mistake of telling him about Cora and Regina and the dagger and now he's missing and I think he's going to do something stupid to keep you safe."

Emma's hand began to shake and then her head followed.

"No…this isn't…I watched him die!"

This wasn't happening. She hadn't finally come to accept his death and finally process it after weeks of pushing it to the side and avoiding it only to find out that the son-of-a-bitch was alive and well and had yet to come see her.

"Are you telling me he's been alive all of this time and he hasn't had the balls to face me?"

Now she was pissed. She'd forgiven him for everything; putting her in jail, abandoning her, lying to her, and stealing the money (she'd figured it out on her own), but only because he was gone.

But now?

She felt rage boil in her blood. She was going to find that coward and she was going to kill him.

Emma stood abruptly and grabbed her jacket.

"Come on, we're going to find that jackass!"

"But Emma, you don't understand…"

"Oh, I understand. He's a coward and he's going to explain to my face why he hasn't had the stones to be a man and tell me he's alive and then he's going to beg me for forgiveness for everything else he's done and then we're going to turn him back into a man so I can slap that beautiful face of his."

She was so angry she didn't even notice her Freudian slip.

"Emma, you're not listening to me! I didn't come here to tell you he's alive, I came here to tell you he's gone after Regina and Cora to try to keep you safe."

Emma reached for the door and then stopped. She allowed Archie's words to seep in and then she felt horror course through her.

"Why would he-"

"Because he's in love with you."

Henry came to the rescue, leaving her a moment to stand there speechless while he muttered something about how Pongo was freaking out. She knew it meant Cora was out there and she was loathe to take him along with her but if she left him with Archie…

"Henry, there's something I need to tell you."

Henry's face fell.

"What?"

"August is…Pinocchio."

Henry beamed up at her, probably relieved that she didn't have more bad news for him.

"I know."

"You-of course you do. Okay, well, he's been with Archie because…"

"I told him that Emma's enemies might want to use him against her and he's not entirely human right now-"

"Breaking the curse didn't help?" Henry asked.

"No and well, you see, August has been trying to help your mom from behind the scenes and he-"

"Decided he wanted to help for real? Like I did with the turnover."

Emma groaned.

"Look, Henry, the point is, we need to find him before he finds Cora. Got it?

Henry nodded enthusiastically and she took his hand before handing Archie Pongo's leash.

"Go find Marco and um…The Blue Fairy, I guess. We're going to see if we can find him before he does something stupid. And when I find him, I'm going to…well, it won't be pretty."

Emma closed her eyes tightly and prayed that her stupidly brave and stubborn puppet was still alive.

August hadn't left Archie's weeks; his own shame aside, he was sure the townspeople would be alarmed at the sight of a six foot wooden man. Wishing once more for his old body back, August carefully approached the back door to Gold's shop. Neal was sure to be staying with his father but August wasn't in the mood to die today so he hoped to find Neal somewhere out in the open, where his father couldn't kill him quite so easily.

Plus…

The back door didn't have a bell.

He was relieved to find it unlocked, it would be a bit difficult to pick the lock in his condition. He slipped inside the shop and did his best not to crash into anything. He heard voices from the shop and tip-toed his way towards the door to listen for Neal. If he was there, he'd linger until he could get him alone.

But…

"Now, Rumpelstiltskin tell me, how does one destroy the Dark One?"

August didn't recognize the voice so he moved closer, until he could make out three figures; Regina, Rumpelstiltskin, and who he assumed to be Cora wielding a silver dagger. The dagger he himself had once held with the hopes of controlling the Dark One.

Well…

Too late, once again.

Maybe he could help Neal get possession of the damn thing and…

"You're holding it, dearie."

"Mother, what are you doing?"

"Finding out his secrets, my love. I don't want him pulling any fast ones on us. Don't worry."

Even August could tell she was playing Regina. For The Evil Queen she sure had a streak of naivety when it came to mommy dearest.

"I command you; tell me how to destroy you!"

"With that dagger you hold, dearie and…" He fought it, but the dagger's control won out. "There was a prophecy. Henry is said to be the who will destroy me!"

Regina gasped and Cora took hold of her arm.

"This is good, now we can protect Henry, sweetheart. Now…go…find Henry and Emma, if you're with them when he comes…"

"Just one less reason for them to suspect us."

"That's right."

August moved back into the shadows as Regina left the shop. A moment after the bell rang; Cora held the dagger to Rumpelstiltskin's throat. Great, he was stuck in a shop with Cora and the Dark One, both of whom would light him on fire if given the chance.

Light spilled in from the back door as someone slipped in. August recognized the figure and before he could say anything or draw attention to them he covered Neal's mouth with his hand and shushed him. His old friend stared at him in shock and August shook his head. If they were discovered…

"Shh, Cora," he mouthed and Neal nodded in understanding.

"Now…here's what's going to happen. You're going to kill the entire Charming family, including Henry and Emma. And then when you're done I'll stab you with this little dagger and take your powers and then…no one will ever be able to stop me."

Neal rushed forward and August grabbed him and pulled him back.

"No, come on, we need to warn Emma-"

"That's my son-"

"I know but Cora's going to kill you if you-"

They heard footsteps and August pulled Neal into the alley.

"Look, I'll go the apartment, you check the diner, we'll get them somewhere safe, okay?"

Neal nodded and August rushed through the alley. As he rounded the corner he heard a loud crash and turned to find Neal groaning on the ground with Cora looming over him. As much as he wanted to save Neal, Henry and Emma came first.

He didn't have to go far to find them. A few blocks over from the shop he watched as Emma handed Henry off to her parents and he let out a sigh of relief.

"Look, just keep him somewhere safe and away from Cora until I find August, that's all-"

He opened his mouth to call out to her name became lodged in his throat as a possessed Rumpelstiltskin approached them. August knew a spell coming when he saw one and he rushed forward without thinking, surprised that he could move so fast. Rumpelstiltskin threw a spell in Henry's direction and before it could hit August shoved him out of the way.

August hit the ground hard as the spell knocked him off of his feet. His entire body felt as though it was on fire, which was ironic. He closed his eyes as the fiery feeling spread through him.

"AUGUST! NO!" Someone fell to their knees next to him and he really hoped it was Emma since she was the one screaming.

"Mom."

August fought to open his eyes and he found Emma clutching Henry with tears in her eyes while she stared down at him.

"August," she whispered through a sob as she kissed Henry's temple.

"Princess," he coughed. He could feel the life fading from him and he cursed Rumpelstiltskin for choosing such a torturous death for a small child. At least Henry didn't have to suffer it. "Where's…"

More voices. His mother's this time. He turned just in time to witness her use her wand to bind Rumpelstiltskin and he closed his eyes again with a small sigh.

"Henry's safe," he muttered, relieved.

"August, come on, don't do this to me again…"

He felt a hand on his cheek but he no longer had the strength to speak or open his eyes. A small smile crossed his lips as he realized he got to see her one more time before he died.