In the month that had passed since Emma's birthday they both August and Emma had taken things slow in terms of the romantic side of their relationship much to the disappointment of Emma who wanted them to move forward.
While August had been researching where the people from the Enchanted Forest had ended up but the problem was any results he found in his research would always be inconclusive or there would be something to make him change his mind. From the moment August was free of the foster system and had means of transportation he had been trying to find out where everyone from his original land had been since the day the curse was enacted. He hadn't had any real luck in his search but now that he had Emma with him and out of the system gave him new hope. Even though he hadn't had any results in his search there where still some locations that he hadn't checked so he decided to give them a look. Not wanting to drag Emma all over the country he decided that it would be best if he went on his own. Not just because it would save Emma the journey but because he didn't want to give her any hope in case the places he was visiting turned out to be wrong and their parents where not where he suspected. False hope, he knew, was the worst.
After making the preparations for his trip August went to Emma's room and lightly knocked on her down and waited until she told him to come in. When she did he opened the door and was greeted by a small peck on the cheek, "I have to go somewhere," he said apologetically.
Emma went and sat on her bed and didn't say anything for a short moment. She didn't look at him until she turned to speak to him. "Where are you going?" she asked not wanting him to leave.
"I need to do some research for a book," he lied, "means I'll be gone for about a week at most."
Although she had been living with August for a month she had still felt like she had only just moved in now that her room was how she wanted it and she had something good, although slow, with August. "A whole week?" she asked shocked."I've practically only just moved in."
"I know," August said joining Emma and sitting on her bed and taking hold of her hand and rubbed it gently with his thumb, "but I need to do this."
Emma knew that August needed to work on his writing so tried not to protest that much even though him leaving for a week was the last thing she wanted. "When will you leave?" she asked trying to hide her disappointment.
"Tomorrow morning."
Emma stared at August with a mix of anger and disappointment, not even trying to hide it any more."Tomorrow? Why the hell that soon?"
"The sooner I leave the sooner I can get it done and come back her. Come back to you."
"Well then you better get some sleep for your journey." She could feel the bitterness in her words but just turned away from August and stared out of her window, completely unhappy that August had left it so late to tell her he was going away.
The next morning August had left to find his father and Emma's parents. Even though she let him go without any more protests or trying to persuade him to stay August could feel how upset she was and knew that whatever he would say wouldn't help how she felt. He just thought of how happy she would be when he found her parents and reunited them.
