It had been no more then a few days of the curse being broken and then magic being brought to Storybrooke before more drama seemed to ensue. Mary Margaret and Emma had been sent through Jefferson's hat with the wraith. Leaving the rest of us in Storybrooke trying to frantically find a way to bring them back. Regina, David and I were all taking turns making sure that Henry was always taken care of. I knew that I couldn't do much else in terms of finding a way to bring them back, so the least I could do was look out for my friend's son. Henry was a good kid, and right now his biological grandmother and biological mother were over in the enchanted forest without a portal to get back.
"We have to think of something! You have your magic back why can't you create some sort of portal to bring them back?" David yelled.
"It's not that simple David!" Regina yelled.
"Come on guys let's not all turn on each other now. Henry needs us, and so do Emma and Mary Margaret. We will figure out a way to get them back." I said trying to cool everybody down. "Regina, you want to redeem yourself? You want to earn Henry's love and trust back, then show us. Show us by helping us get Emma and Mary Margaret back."
"Sophie, it is not that simple." Regina said with a sigh. "I want to help, but I have no idea how to get back there and my magic is back but it is on the fritz."
"Okay, so we have to be smart, we have to figure out a plan to keep the chaos of town from completely erupting and then we have to find a way to bring them back." I said softly. "David, I'll help Regina figure out the magic, for now you need to find a way to let the people know that things are going to be okay."
"How do I do that?" David said sadly.
"David, you're the king here, I'm just a nurse. You will figure it out, maybe have Henry help you. He always has had a way of making people believe." I said with a laugh. "Go before they all cross the town line and lose who they are."
"How are you going to help me exactly?" Regina asked, her tone laced with sarcasm.
"I may not have any magic, but I can just be of some kind of assistance." I said with a sigh.
"Fine, let's go." Regina said as she headed off in the direction of the cemetery.
"David, call me if you or Henry need anything." I said with a smile, before heading in the same direction that Regina had stormed off in. "So where do you propose we begin?"
"What do you mean?" Regina asked confused.
"Well is there some kind of spell, a potion or a portal?" I asked.
"If you don't remember who you are or who you were in the enchanted forest how do you seem to know about magic?" Regina asked with an investigative look about her.
"I don't know honestly. I wish I did, but magic seems to be something I vaguely understand." I said with a sad smile. "So can you just let me help, it's the only way I feel the slightest bit useful."
"Fine, I'll drop it for now." Regina said as she turned to continue to a crypt where she then used some magic to unseal it. The door popped open slightly and we proceeded inside before Regina quickly closed the door.
"Worried something bad is going to get out?" I asked curious.
"No, worried the townspeople will figure out where I hide and kill me. I've made a lot of enemies with amongst those people, I'll probably never be able to redeem myself in their eyes." Regina said without looking at me. I could hear the sadness in her voice.
"You will someday." I said before placing my hand upon her shoulder. "I believe in you Regina."
She paused for a moment as my hand touched her shoulder. In that moment I felt a jolt of electricity shoot through me. I couldn't explain it, but it was amazing. She must have felt something similar because she turned around to look at me in wonder.
"What was that?" Regina asked confused.
"I don't know." I said as I pulled my hand off her shoulder and stared at it. I wasn't sure what I expected to happen as I stared at it, but it was definitely not what actually happened. "Whoa." We almost said at the same time as a white ball of light began to come from my hands.
"You have magic?" Regina asked.
"Why do I have magic? I still have no memories of who I am or was? So how the hell do I have magic?" I asked starting to panic.
"Calm down. Magic can feed off your emotions. If you are out of control your magic will be too." Regina said placing her hands over mine. "Just take a few deep breaths and try and relax. We will deal with your sudden magical developments later, right now we need to start reading up on magical portals and spells that allow us to get there and bring them back."
"Okay." I said blankly. "Regina, can we keep this between us for right now?"
"Of course." Regina said with a soft smile.
We began collecting books and ingredients laying them all out on an old wooden table that Regina had down under the crypt. I was beyond weirded out that I had suddenly gained some sort of magical abilities, but I had to push it all aside until we figured out a way to get Emma and Mary Margaret back. I did the best I could with what focus I had left to try and remain as calm as possible. There were a couple moments when I thought about it too much and my hands would glow, but Regina would also pipe in with some encouraging words to relax and calm me. This was insane, would this be how it was for the rest of my life. Trying to control my emotions so my magic didn't suddenly do something I hadn't intended it to do? I wasn't sure I could live like that. But then almost as if Regina could sense what I was thinking she would offer hope. Hope that I could someday control my magic.
We must have spent hours going through books, and still we seemed to find no answers. I was beginning to get quite frazzled so Regina suggested I head back home to get some rest. Not only was I incredibly worried about my friends, but I was also dealing with the unsettling reality that I now had magic. I nodded in agreement and said a brief see you in the morning before rushing out of the crypt and back to my house. I decided a hot soak in the bath and a tub of ben & jerry's was the perfect way to try and numb my feelings about these new powers I now possess. That night I had the same dream as the night before. Dreams about ships and a dashing pirate's heart being ripped out in front of me. This was all getting a little too weird and I could really use my friend back here to whine to. Emma always offered a shoulder to cry on and an ear to talk off when you were going through a hard time. We offered that to each other, and that was the other reality that was hitting me now, my friend was gone and I have no idea how to get her back.
"Em, where the hell are you?" I said to the empty room when I woke the next morning. I ran my hands across my face and sighed once again before finally deciding to climb out of bed and start the day. I figured I would head over to Mary Margaret's loft where David and Henry were staying and see how things worked out with the townspeople yesterday afternoon. It had to have gone better than the searching that Regina and I had been doing. Since we hadn't turned up a single lead on how to get the ladies back to Storybrooke. It looked like on our end it was going to be a wait and see game for now. I threw on a pair of tattered dark wash jeans, a white fitted tank top and a plaid shirt. I decided if I was going to be sifting through more dusty books today then I might as well be comfortable. As I headed for the door I grabbed my black ankle boots and my purse. I had a car, but decided the walk wouldn't kill me. Besides from the look of things it was a nice sunny day so why not enjoy it.
I made my way through the quaint town, stopping to grab some muffins, coffee and coco from Grannies before finally making my way over to Mary Margaret's loft. I gave a quick knock before just heading on in.
"David, Henry! I brought breakfast." I yelled as I turned to close the door. When I turned back around I saw that they were both in the kitchen and David was making what looked like eggs and bacon. "Well look at that the King that can cook. I'll take whatever he's having.
"Morning Sophie, Did you and my…" Henry began but I could see he was uncertain as to whether or not he should still call Regina his mom. "Did you guys find anything yesterday that could help us bring them back?"
"No unfortunately we did not find any leads." I said with a sigh before sitting down on the stool beside Henry. I ran a hand across his back in a comfort measure. "Henry, you do know its okay to still call Regina your mom. She did raise you, and that doesn't change just because a curse was broken."
"I just don't want anybody to be mad at me because I call her mom." Henry said sadly.
"Henry, she is your mother and so is Emma. I promise you that anyone who has a problem with that will have to go through me or your gramps over here okay?" I said with a laugh.
"Sophie is right Henry. Regina and I may have our issues, but I would never expect you to stop calling her your mom. And Emma wouldn't expect it either. You're a lucky kid, some people have no mom's and you have two." David said with a genuine smile.
"Thanks Grandpa, thanks Sophie. That makes me feel better." Henry said with the smile only a child could have. He then happily dug into the breakfast that smelt so delicious. I gave David a small smile as he placed a plate in front of me.
"This looks and smells amazing David. Thank you, so how did the town mob handling go yesterday?" I asked as my smile turned to more of a smirk.
"It was a bit panicked for a while, but I think I was able to convince people that the best thing possible would be to get back to some sense of normal." David said as he smiled proudly. "I do think they would feel better if we had some answers on how we plan to get Snow and Emma back, but for now the calming of a panicked mob will suffice."
"That's good." I said as I put another forkful of the delicious breakfast in my mouth. "I am sure they are in the enchanted forest trying to find a way to get back to us too. So one of us is bound to be successful."
"Mom's the saviour, she always find a way to win." Henry said with a smile that beamed of pride as he spoke of Emma.
"You're right kid she always does doesn't she." I said as I smiled back at him. "So what do you charming gentlemen have on the agenda for today?"
"More searching I suppose." David said as he finally sat down with his own plate.
"Well hopefully we find some answers soon. I know they will be fine David. Emma and Mary Margaret are so strong. They will fight whatever they have to in order to get back to us all." I said as I placed a hand on his. "Say has anyone seen August around since Emma and Mary Margaret went through the portal?"
"No I guess I haven't." David said as he looked at both Henry and I. "Didn't you say something about August turning to wood before Emma broke the curse."
"Oh yeah. He was because Emma wasn't believing his mission was failing. Maybe because Mom broke the curse it stopped turning him into wood." Henry said as it all just hit him.
"Okay, how about you guys finish up your breakfast and I will go and check on August." I said as I put the last mouthful of egg in my mouth. "Call me if you find anything?"
"Of course. Same goes for you." David said as he waved me off.
I left the loft and made my way back to Granny's. I had been up to August's room on a couple of occasions so I figured I would check here first. I got up to the room and the door was ajar. It sense a chill of worry up my spine. I may not know August very well, but I knew that Emma cared for him. She didn't let people in very easily, but August had managed to sneak in past her walls. So if Emma couldn't be here to help August then I had to be. I gave the door a gentle push and it swung open, but instead of an intruder I was greeted with an empty room. Everything he had was gone. It took me a second to realize that he must have moved to his trailer in the woods. It wouldn't be a long journey, but I wagered that there may still be people out there that didn't realize they were not in the enchanted forest.
It only took me about 15 minutes to find the airstream that had been parked out here for the last few months. I was relieved to see some smoke flowing out of the chimney and some items lying around that gave the indication that there was someone living here again.
"August." I yelled as I knocked on the trailer door. "August its Sophie. I am coming in, please don't be naked."
I opened the door to the trailer and nearly fell over as I tripped over a large heavy wooden…man. Oh my god August did turn back to wood. I could see his bright blue eyes blinking at me, but it didn't seem like he could move much else.
"August, What happened?" I said as I did my best to pick him up and lay him on the couch. "I thought this would have stopped when Emma broke the curse."
"Turns out that isn't the case." He said with a hallow laugh. "I'm not entirely wood...yet, but I imagine unless we find Emma soon that I will be."
"We're working on that. Maybe we can find Blue and see if there is anything she can do to turn you back into a man." I said throwing out blind ideas.
"It can't hurt, but there is no way I will make it back to town. My joints are so stiff I am basically a wooden block." August replied.
"Well then I will have to bring Blue to you. Stay put." I said offering a sarcastic laugh. "Right of course you're going to stay here. Okay I will be back as quickly as I can be with the Blue fairy."
"Great." August said blankly. "Hey Sophie, thank you…for coming to look for me I mean."
"August, I know Emma doesn't always make it clear, but she cares about you a lot. Emma is my family, the only person I can remember from when I was younger. If she came back and I had not done anything to help you it would kill her. She can't lose you." I said offering a smile in an attempt to reassure him. "Hey August, in case things don't go as we hope…would you like me to get your father here too?"
"No…when Blue is able to turn me back into a man I will go to him. For now he cannot know that I failed him." August said sadly.
"You didn't fail him August. Emma broke the curse. We all have you to thank for that. It just took more convincing then you thought." I said placing my hand on his wooden one. "I'll be back in a flash."
I let out a worried breath as I closed the door to the trailer. I really hope that Blue has a way to reverse what is happening to August. Something told me the task was easier said than done and that feeling had me really worried that Emma was going to lose another man she loves. Without a second thought at the prospect of August turning entirely to wood I ran back to town to find Blue. She had to have some sort of answers. I ran as fast as I could to the welcome centre where I knew all the nuns, I mean fairies would be. I was winded by the time I ran through the door.
"Blue…I mean Mother Superior…I mean…" I stammered.
"Sophie, Calm down what is it." The fairy said as I did my best to regain my composure and my breath. The moment she told me to relax I remembered my magic and did my best to hide my hands in case they decided to start glowing. "You don't have to hide your hands from me child. I can sense the magic in you already."
"Oh…wait what? How?" I asked confused. "How do you know I have magic? Do you know who I am?"
"I'm sorry I'm afraid I do not know who you are besides the Sophie I know from this land. I do not recall ever meeting you back in the enchanted forest." She said offering a sad smile. "However, I do know that you have great magic inside of you Sophie. You possess so much power, just promise me you will never let it corrupt you."
"Okay, I won't." I said blankly, clearly confused. Then I suddenly remembered why I was here. "Oh right…August! I need your help he's...he's turning back to wood."
"Oh no. Take me to him." She said in shock.
"You'll be able to help him right?" I asked, as we ran back out through the forest to the airstream.
"Honestly, I don't know Sophie." She replied. Her own voice filled with worry and sadness.
We finally arrived at the airstream trailer, and I was suddenly filled with a terrible fear. Before we even opened up the door I felt this feeling that made me believe we were too late. And sure enough the look on the Blue Fairy's face confirmed it. Just so I could be sure I decided to ask.
"We're too late aren't we?" I asked as tears began to pool within my eyes.
"I'm sorry Sophie. He did fulfil his task, but he took too long. Now I fear the only thing that may save him is…"
"True loves kiss?" I whispered without even thinking. "We have to get Emma back here and fast."
"Emma, you mean?" The Blue fairy asked as she looked up at me.
"If we find Emma I'm sure her kiss will bring him back. True loves kiss can break all curses can it not?" I asked.
"It is said that it can, but I have never turned a wooden puppet to a boy before him. So this is new to me too." Blue replied.
"We have to try right?" I asked. All I need was a nod from her before a plan to make him more comfortable came to mind. My phone began to buzz so I rambled off something about getting the dwarves to bring him down to my house before I answered it. "David I…Henry? Wait slow down kid. I'll be right there."
"What is it Sophie? What's happening?" Blue asked frantically.
"David is under a sleeping curse. I have to go. You need to get the dwarves here now. I can't leave August all the way out here. He needs to be close by when Emma gets back." I said before running out of the trailer and over to Mr. Gold's shop.
I ran into the shop out of breath and desperate for answers. I saw Henry sitting with the book beside David's sleeping form. While Gold and Regina were sitting back anxiously watching the pair.
"What the hell happened?" I yelled. Regina was the first to speak.
"Henry was having nightmares, turns out they were not just nightmares. They were a side effect of the sleeping curse and a woman named Aurora is in the enchanted forest with Snow and Emma. We were able to communicate with them, but Henry got burned." Regina said as a mother's fear filled her voice.
"So Prince Charming decided it would be best if he went under a sleeping curse to communicate an important message to help get them home." Mr. Gold added.
"Okay, so why isn't he awake? If Snow White was in the room then wouldn't they have kissed by now? He should be awake?" I questioned.
"We don't know Sophie. Don't you think if we knew we would have told you?" Regina yelled.
"Look don't bite my head off okay. Emma is my friend, and David is her father. When they do get back here I can't have them losing someone they love." I said as tears filled my eyes. "It's the least I can do, protecting the people they love most."
"Look Ms. Mathews we will find a way to get them back and we will find a way to wake David, but for now all we can do is wait." Mr. Gold said blankly.
"Fine. We wait." I said as I pulled up a chair next to Henry. "So what are we reading kid?"
"My grandparents' story." He said with a sad smile.
"Come here kid." I said pulling him in closer to me. I wrapped an arm around his back and Henry laid his head upon my shoulder. "We're going to get them back. All of them."
I wasn't sure who exactly I was trying to convince him or me.
