At Granny's, Red is behind the counter grabbing ice as she listens to August rant.
"He hit me! Twice. A thief hitting me for stealing", August scoffs.
"Here" Red hands him an ice pack for his face.
"August, he didn't hit you over money. He hit you because he left and then you bailed too. The money was to help Emma. He believed you and trusted you to be what you told him you were. Emma's guardian angel. And then there's finding out about Henry. That's got to be killing him."
August winced as the cold ice seeped onto his face.
"I was just a kid. No one trained me for this job. As much as Emma didn't want to be a savior, I did not ask for this. Besides resisting temptation isn't in my nature. In fact it goes against my very nature. They didn't carve me to be a hero. I am not built that way."
Red leaned against the counter top looking at August with compassion as she spoke "We can't blame our nature otherwise I could eat you and –
"Is that your way of flirting because –
"August! Look, you were a little boy at the time. No one blames you. That was too much burden for a kid. But now. Now you are grown. We've all made mistakes. Charming as David, Everybody has things they wish they could change. The what ifs are pointless. It's time to own the mistakes and move forward. Charming, Neal, Emma are owning up to theirs and trying to move forward. Even Regina is working on her's. Regina, the evil queen! You just need to come clean and start fresh."
The corners of August's mouth twitch slightly into a smile. "Red, you make it sound like it is so easy. You sound like you have a crystal ball telling you everything will work out."
Red tells August that he will feel better when he lets go of the past and can work towards his own happy ending.
August quips "I could have gotten one of those in Thailand -
Red's look of compassion turns to annoyance. "August, so help me."
"It's a joke". August puts his hands up in surrender.
August is silent as he stops joking and ponders Red's advice. It would be nice to have the burden of all those cursed years off his shoulders. He no longer has to keep losing himself to forget about the terror of the curse and burden it put on him and on all of them.
"Ok, looks like I should go talk to Emma. I'm sure you'll see me running in horror very shortly".
Red smiles as she quips "Well I like running. Kind of like you and your bike."
"I'd go running with you but I'm definitely more of a bike guy. Running in jeans really gives me a rash. But if I ever turn back into a wooden puppet. I could hitch a ride as you run or you could use me for fetching.
"Wolf not a dog. You are seriously looking to get hit again."
"No, I'm just stalling because I'm definitely getting hit for a third time today." August heads out the door as Red tells him to come by after she'll have ice for him.