I managed to get back to Regina's safe and sound. She let me in easily, leading me to the guest room I had been staying in. However, it was different. It had more reds, with a bookshelf and a closet filled with clothes. "I know you don't want to go back to the loft." Regina started. I turned to her, "I want you to feel at home here in the meantime. And, you're always welcome here."
"Thank you Regina." I said softly, a rueful smile on my face. I shuffled into the room, closing the door behind me. I set my phone face-down on the nightstand. I lai down on the bed, staring at the wall. I laid there for who knows how long before my phone started to ring. I let it ring out before going to voicemail.
"Hadley." Ben's voice sounded from the phone. I closed my eyes, Ben please... "I know you can hear me, you don't need to talk...just listen. Mary Margaret feels so so guilty about killing Cora, I keep on checking up on her at the loft and she's a shell of herself. Look, I know it's gonna be hard to move past this but you need to make an effort. They're your family whether you like it or not. So please...come to Granny's in an hour, David will be there, please talk to him." The phone disconnected. I opened my eyes, glancing to the clock on the wall. It was just past twelve, so David would be at the diner at about one. I laid there for a while longer before slowly lifting myself from the bed. My legs hanging off the side. I stood, grabbing my coat off my chair. I pulled it on before leaving. I looked around the house when I got to the bottom step. It was silent, Regina was gone. I waved my hand, creating a note for her on the kitchen table and walking out the front door.
I made it to Granny's quickly, sliding into the booth at the back, facing the door. Soon after, the bell rang above the door. I looked up and saw David. He scanned the diner before his eyes found mine. He physically sagged in relief, hurrying over to me. "Hadley." He breathed, sliding into the seat opposite me. "Are you ok? What happened?" I looked down at my clasped hands.
"I was scared." I told him. "You hated Cora so much, and she raised me, I was afraid you were gonna hate me too."
"Hadley…" A pair of hands reached out and clasped mine. My eyes snapped up to meet David's. "I could never hate you. Yes, Cora has done some bad things, and we...did strongly dislike her. But we can't deny the fact that she raised you."
"I grew up surrounded by Evil, my home lived, breathed and spoke Evil. How can you stand me?"
"Hadley, you're my daughter. I love you no matter who raised you or how you grew up."
"Do you really mean that?" I whispered. "Truly, you mean that?" David stod from the booth, pulling me up as well. He let go of my hands and wrapped his arms around me. My eyes watered. This was the first hug I had gotten from him where I truly felt loved. My arms shook as I wrapped my arms around him as well.
"I truly mean that." I laughed, burying my head into his chest. We were then interrupted by his phone ringing. We reluctantly separated from the hug as David answered the phone. "Yeah...Agust? Here? Where?...We'll be there." David hung up the phone.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Grab your coat, we need to go." I didn't question him as he grabbed his jacket and started to move. I hurriedly grabbed my cape-like coat, pulling it over my shoulders as I followed him. We met up with Emma, Mary Margaret, Marco (who was Gepetto in the Enchanted Forest) and Henry. I refused to talk to Mary Margaret though I could see she wanted to talk to me. David was constantly calling someone as we hurried to the Storybrooke Sherif's Department. "If August is still at the station, he's not picking up." I looked towards where the station as a door burst open, and a man made entirely of wood stumbled forward.
"August!" Emma called, breaking into a run towards the man. We all followed suit, and managed to reach him just as he collapsed. Marco fell to his knees.
"My child…" He muttered. I'm guessing August is Pinocchio. Marco rolled August onto his back and cradled him close. "My boy, my boy, what happened to you?"
"I'm sorry Papa." August breathed.
"No, there is nothing to apologise for. Everything is gonna be alright." August turned his head to the blonde kneeling next to him.
"Emma…"
"August." Emma said. August sat up, leaning his head closer to Emma.
"Emma...she's..she's…" August was then still. My hand reached up and griped my coat, he was dead.
"Oh no." Marco sobbed, "Not again." He then started to cry over him.
"August?" A voice beside me windered. I looked up and saw Neal had approached.
"No...it can't end this way." Mary Margaret stated. "He was supposed to get a second chance."
"What happened?"
"Somone killed him to stop him from telling us something." Emma told him, "He used his last dying breath to warn us. I will not let that be in vain."
"Brave...truthful...and unselfish." Henry muttered. "Brave truthful and unselfish!" Henry looked at all of our confused faces. "Don't you see what this means? That's what Pinocchio was supposed to be. There's still hope. We need the Blue Fairy." And just like Magic, said person appeared. I guess in Storybrooke coincidences aren't all that common. When I looked up, I was taken aback by the familiarity of her.
"Queen Belle?" I wondered, surprised. The maybe-my-boyfriends-mother shot me with a confused look before turning to Henry.
"I'm here, Henry." She said.
"What does Henry mean?" Mary Margaret asked.
"I was able to turn Pinocchio into a real boy after he sacrificed his life for Marco's. If is actions today were indeed brave, truthful and unselfish, then you're right. There's a chance I can do it again."
"Please." Margo pleaded, "I beg of you, try." The Blue Fairy lifted her want, pointing it at August's still body. It started to shine with magic, and August's body did the same. After the light died down, Marco was now holding a young boy. The little boy, Pinocchio, slowly looked up.
"Father?" He wondered.
"Pinocchio." Marco lifted Pinocchio's hand so he could see, "Look, look!"
"I'm a real boy!" Pinocchio breathed. "I'm a real boy!" Pinocchio then stood, turned and gave Marco the biggest hug. I smile softly, it was nice to see father and son reunited. I felt a hand on my arm, and I looked over to see Mary Margaret looking at me. My expression hardened.
"I haven't forgiven you." I told her. Mary Margaret drew her hand back. "Not yet, anyway." I averted my eyes, "David reminded me that you're my parents, and you love me no matter what, so just...give me time."
"I can do that." Mary Margaret told me. I gave her a ghost of a smile before the two of us, along with Emma and Henry left, back to the Blanchard Loft. I'd call Ben when I got there, and tell him everything, but not right away. My eyes fell to Mary Margaret walking arm-in-arm with David. I had to sort out a few family matters myself.
