S8, E4: Unwooden Love

Almost three years ago...

Wilbur ran and ran in the woods. He was now free from every thought about his father and mother and what happened...

He sighed. He remembers all over again. Wilbur's mother, a villian who his father will never tell who she was, seduced his father in a drunken night, resulting of Wilbur.

Wilbur groaned. He will never ever get true love like his father August's friend, Emma Swan.

Thinking about the troubles August went through, Wilbur suddenly stumbled upon a girl.

She was his age, with long wavy black locks and dark brown eyes that were a few shades away from black. And that were focusing on a target she was going to shoot with a bow and arrow.

Thwack! The arrow sailed past the trees and hit the target's center. Satisfied, she pulled her earphones out of her ears and sat on a log.

What do I say, he thought. Because of his life mysteriously took place in his home all his life, he had never seen another kid before. He decided to go with the careless charming route, which he inherited from August.

"Hello there."

The girl widened her eyes at the sight of Wilbur, "Why were you spying on me?"

Forgeting about the 'route' he was taking, Wilbur became honest, "I just never met another person like me."

The girl, still carrying the bow, walked up to Wilbur, "My name is Hope. Who're you?"

Wilbur's head suddenly went off like a bell. Hope? That was a name that August always said. But for who...???

Wait. Emma Swan.

Then his head snapped. Hope!

"Hope!" his voice echoed his thoughts, "my father talk about you a lot! You are his friend's daughter!"

The gi- Hope, he rephrazed, looked shocked, "Who is your dad?"

"My dad's August, Pinocchio for others," he finally took a chance to introduce himself, "My name is Wilbur."

"Of course! I have read so much about August!"

Wilbur looked confused.

Hope smiled, "The storybook? Has he talked about that?"

Wilbur smiled. It was the one thing he wanted to get to see his father's true history, to see if he lied. But it wasn't with him becaue of that same reason, "Yeah. You read it?"

"Definite! Ly," she explained. Hope had never been so excited, "I have read and memorized the stories my whole life!"

Then, Hope shyly said, "May I show you?"

"Please. I am trying to get away from my dad! OF COURSE!!!"

"Well, good thing my pirate of a dad taught me some of his old ways. I can get you covered." Then she shyly said, "Can I call you Will instead?"

Feeling good with his proposed nickname, Will said, "Sure. Now lets go see that storybook of yours."

Traveling through Rumple's woods in present time...

Finnian is not drunk anymore, thank god. Alice is still getting annoyed by his charm that he is trying to dazzle upon her during the trip, but there was no use. Stopping for a break, Alice said that she'll go 'hunt down some firewood' as Finn and Hope set up camp in the woods near Rumple's castle.

"When, will any girl be my friend. Other than you, I mean," Finnian gave his perfect smile and winked at Hope, who (as usual) rolled her eyes, laughing.

"You really need to work on it. I am not going to be with you forever."

"Might. You might not be," Finn still smiled.

"Please. You should be thankful."

"I am. But you will be more thankful later on..." Finnian suddenly looked serious.

Hope's heart quickened. I hope he doesn't mean...

Realizing she used her own name in that thought, she gave a light chuckle, which Finnian came at ease. But he was about to say something else when Alice yells for them to come.

Gathering their things, they had to where Alice's voice was heard.

"I think we should go now than wait here." Even though Alice sounded serious, Hope heard the excitement in her voice.

"Without a plan?" Finn asked. For some reason, the brave, dashing Finnian Hope knew was scared.

"It's okay," Hope chimed in, "He himself told me I can come in. We should be fine."

"If you're fine with it, so will I," Finn looked more calm, so they edged toward Rumple's castle.

As soon as they reached the gigantic doors of the castle, Hope gave a reassuring look at Finn and knocked the doors. They opened immediately and the trio stalked inside.

Suddenly, Hope and the others heard giggling behind them as the doors closed.

"Hope Swan-Jones. You heeded my call...with friends," Rumplestiltskin walked in front of them, regarding each person.

"Ooh, I see Alice of Wonderland..."

"And other places..." Alice muttered, annoyed.

"And...you!"

What?-, Hope thought as she saw Rumple gave Finnian a long look, which he returned, confused. Seeing that Hope saw this exchange, Rumple regained his composure and beckoned them to come to his long table which stood in the middle of the room.

"Your father and mother had come here eighteen years and one day ago, Hope, for the exact same reason as you," Rumple's hands summoned a crystal ball, "Now, let's see if your true love remains the same or it has changed."

"Wait a minute," Finn interrupted, "the true love can change?!"

"Yes, yes, Asher," Finnian flinched at Rumple using his real name, "Prophesies can change, like it did with your mother, Hope. As you know, she didn't die as the prophesy said. Now, let me see who it is and no interruptions!"

With a giggle, Rumple closed his eyes as the crystal ball grew cloudier. And then it faded as Rumple became shocked...

Shocked?

Before Hope can say anything, Alice asked, "What did you see, Weaver?"

Rumple looked at Alice, "Call me Rumplestiltskin, Alice ofWonderland."

"Sure, Weaver."

Grimacing, Rumple said, "The answer that I had told Emma Swan and Hook have changed."

"What?" Hope was astounded, "Who is it, then?"

"There are two possible suitors. Both are boys, but I only know one of them."

Hope's heart quickened, "May you tell me who is he?"

"Are you ready for it, Hope Swan-Jones?"

Unsure, but willing to know, Hope said, "Yes."

Rumple simplily said, "Wilbur," and burst into more maniac minutely giggles.

Then, Hope's heart sank to her stomach. Why does it have to be my best friend, she thought. Why him?!

"And you don't know who the other one is?" Finn spoke, his eyes on Hope, looking for her reaction.

"No..." Rumple frowned, looking straight at Finnian.

Before anyone said anything, Hope said, "Thank you for your kindness. I must leave now."

"Wait, Hope!" Rumple yelled. When Hope finally turned around, Rumple giggled, saying, "Before you leave, I can tell you a clue on who the other is..."

"Then say so."

"The reason why the true love choice prophesy thing changed was because on her friendship on certain people, the hope you gave them," Finally taking his watching eyes on Finnian, Rumple looked at Hope, "that's the clue, friendship and you. Now you may go. Byebye!"

Rumple waved them goodbye. After the doors shut, Rumple gave another giggle.

"How many jokes in Hope's lifetime can I use hope?"

Three years ago...

August Wayne Booth sat on his bench at his workshop, where he called home for 13 years. His son has not come home, and he was starting to get worried. Geppetto, his father, died, and now Wilbur is the only thing he had.

Luckily Wilbur wasn't raised and kept by his mother. What August would have gave to have Wilbur with another woman, his true love possibly. It could have set Wilbur right, that true love did exist in his family. Luckily, Emma didn't know about his son until the coronation of Regina. She visited him in secret, saying that he can have a quiet life on his own, protecting his son from what he was destined to be, one of the ones that might set Emma's daughter into the darkness. He was fine with that, even though he pained him to keep Wilbur away from other children and for August himself to not see Emma again. August never seen Hope Swan-Jones, Emma's daughter, either.

Suddenly, the workshop's door opened and Wilbur came through.

"Hello, Papa."

"Why did you run away?"

"To find my own happy ending."

"Did you find it?"

Wilbur laughed, "No. But I did find a friend. Emma's daughter."

August froze, "Hope? Emma?"

"Yeah. She is the same age as I am, She is really nice. She showed me the storybook. Henry's storybook."

August froze even more, "You shouldn't have seen her."

"So what? Even if I did, you can't stop me or erase my memory, because I have a feeling it will happen again."

If he has a feeling it will happen no matter what, he might have a feeling of true love without realizing.

August sighed. The damage was done, "You can see her, Wilbur. She can be your friend. I can't keep you here for long."

August never seen the happiness that had lit upon his son's face. "Thank you!"

"Yeah, now go to bed. You can see her in the morning."

Wilbur quickly went to bed without complaint, which was unusual.

August just hoped, for Hope's own sake, that Wilbur won't send her into darkness.

Or better, that Wilbur wasn't the only one that wanted Hope's heart that night unknowingly.

He never even knew how much that was true.

Back home in her room...

Hope Swan-Jones sat in bed, looking at the window. She had come home a few hours ago, and luckily Killian wasn't worried (if he was, than she was in trouble. Then again, he knows she can fight...somehow.). Alice went to her own home while Finnian...just wandered off somewhere.

She ate her dinner without complaint, not speaking with anyone. All she was thinking was how Will, the boy that was lonely for 13 years of his life, was her true love.

Possibly.

All she knew was how that she can fall in love with him. All Will ever was to her was a friend, nothing but friends no matter what Lucy came up with to make her fall in love with him.

But then, who is the other? Friendship and her, meaning hope. Who did she give those to?

She didn't know at all. All she thought of Will. Will, her friend. The boy who asked for stories from the storybook to keep him from horrid thoughts of his beginning. The boy who had never met another person before. Until he had met her.

And now the prophey had begun. Darkness has risen.

Because of two thirteen year olds trying to escape from their stuffy homes.