He left her alone

Just one of my own now. Based on a movie I saw recently. Ten points to your team if you work out the movie :P. I've raised the age gap between Emma and August to 10 years.

Her mommy might not be saying anything, but Emma knew she was mad. Really mad.

"Don't be upset with Auggie." Emma whimpered. She winced as her mom pressed the antiseptic soaked cotton wool bud to the cut on the side of her head. "He just wants to find his daddy." Snow sighed.

"I know he does, Em, but that doesn't mean what he did tonight was right…" Just then, Snow heard the front door opened. She stiffened. That could only be August. She knew she shouldn't shout at him, at all, really, but especially in front of Emma. But she knew she might not be able to help herself. She was just so mad at him. She heard him running up the stairs. He still didn't know Emma had gotten hurt.

"Em! Emma! Wake up! I think I've got a major lead!" Snow heard August go into Emma's bedroom upstairs. She knew he must be panicking, realising his little sister wasn't in bed, where he had left her, but Snow wanted him to panic a little right now. She heard him thunder back down the stairs and run towards the living room. He froze at the doorway when he saw Emma sitting opposite Snow. He gasped. What had happened to her? He made to move into the room.

"Don't." Snow snapped. August froze at the doorway. "Don't come in here." Snow warned him. For the first time that evening, she looked up at her adoptive son. She was so disappointed in him. "I left Emma in your care. You were supposed to be looking after your little sister. I was in the middle of parents' night when I get a call from Mrs Havers next door saying that she'd found Emma outside after getting clipped by some kid on a bicycle who rode off rather than see that the little girl he hit was ok." Snow said bitterly. "I had to leave and come home and explain to our nosey neighbour that I hadn't left my seven year old home alone, that her big brother was watching her and must have fallen asleep. I had to lie for you, August." Snow said. August looked down, ashamed.

"Is Emma ok?" He asked. He had never meant for her to get hurt. He thought she'd stay asleep. Snow placed a band aid on Emma's head before standing up with Emma perched protectively on her hip.

"She'll be fine. She's been very brave. I'm going to take her up to bed. We'll discuss this further when I'm back down." Snow warned him. August nodded, staying in the hall. Emma looked at him as her mom passed by him to take her up to bed. She hadn't meant to get Auggie into trouble.

Snow got Emma settled into bed fairly quickly before coming back down to August, who was still standing in the hall.

"Come in." She said coldly. August shuffled into the living room behind her. He may be at least a foot taller than Snow now, but he felt like an ant next to her right now.

"I know you want to find your dad, I want to find Charming too, but that did not give you the right to leave Emma home alone tonight." Snow told him coldly. "She is seven years old, August. Her life is complicated enough as it is. She could have got seriously hurt here tonight. You're lucky it was just a bike and not a car. I need to be able to trust you, August. What you've shown me tonight has me doubting that I can."

"You can trust me, mom." August told her quietly. "I'm sorry. I just got excited. I really have found a lead on them. But you're right, leaving Emma here alone was stupid. Even if I thought she was sleeping. I promise I won't ever do something so stupid again." August told her. He loved Snow and Emma, and knowing Emma got hurt because he wasn't thinking killed him inside.

Snow nodded in response, her jaw locked. She was still furious at August, but she understood. She wanted to find Charming too, and she had already made some risky moves to get them closer.

"No, you will not." Snow told him. "You will be grounded for a month, and I'm taking your SNES. Is that clear?" Snow told him. August nodded, he thought he was getting off lightly. "Good. Now get to your bed." Snow told him. August shuffled back out of the room and headed up the stairs. He had really messed up this time.