In the evening, Regina was on a bench in front of the town hall, worried. Snow White found her and sat down next to her former enemy.
« I'm sorry, Regina, for August, but he just needs to take some time, I'm sure it will work out eventually. You know, it took years for us to trust each other. There were doubts and betrayals before all of this. »
« I was an awful stepmother » she said suddenly, looking at her with regret.
« Regina, come, that was the past »
Snow wanted to look away, she hadn't thought about it in years
« I see that you make up so much with Luxe, it's cute »
« How did you maintain hope during those terrible times? »
« When my mother died, then my father. I mean, I had nothing. And then I realized while you ... the evil queen was trying to kill me that the only way I could stay alive was to never give up. You taught me how to have faith, You were the one who taught me that hope is a choice. »
« I would like to ask you a favor, I knew you were going to resume teaching. As I will not be with Luxe often, I would like you to tell me how she is, that we try to see each other »
« Did you get very attached to her? »
« Yes that's right, she's a young girl who hasn't lived an easy life, I believe she needs to feel loved and accepted here like you did for me, which helped me to change »
« Of course, Regina », she smiled at her.
The next morning the Geppetto family started breakfast as the last of them was about to go to school with some fairy tale kids.
« How do you feel in this new city, Luxe? » Marco asked
« It's funny, among all the possible scenarios to find out who my parents were, I never would have thought of that », she laughed, « but I never felt so good at home. Even though you are fairytale characters, you are real, you are human beings, and I love you very much, that's why I am so happy to be here! »
« But you also have another family, very different », recognized August
Marco and Luxe looked at each other, not understanding
« Your mother's family. Your mother is a normal woman, if I have the right to this term »
« It's not normal to choose her job to me, began to get angry. I saw the picture of her in your drawer, you haven't emptied everything. And seeing her, it didn't hurt me at all. You told me that it was this photo that gave you back your adult appearance but everything that you both went through, I don't care and that you liked her, so much the better. If I had to find myself a mother or maternal support, it would be Regina or even Emma. But, my real mom didn't do anything for me, all I went through was her fault, she could have chosen to keep me with Neal but she didn't and then she didn't. isn't even looking after me, she didn't even check if I was adopted or not, someone else had to do it. She disowned me the moment she knew she had conceived me. Maybe you gave her up but I didn't ask for anything, now sorry but I have to go to class. »
As she knocked on the door, August held back the fence, a little sad at her reaction. She turned around with hurried eyes.
« Luxe wait, I understand you resent her, but wouldn't you want to know her or at least let her know that you're with me? »
« Look, you might have had a great time in Sri Lanka and good for you, but I'm happy here. She didn't want me back then, she won't want me today and it's better for all of us that it stay that way so the discussion is closed! »
The old Pinocchio knew it was much more complicated than that. He never knew with precision the reaction Annie had when he left her without saying anything and he preferred not to know it. He was getting used to not getting into easy situations like Regina had done with the Evil Queen, but he was subject to respecting his daughter's choice. Her happiness was far more important than the two best years of his trip. He decided to let Annie go from his mind once and for all, he just had to tell himself that Luxe was her daughter, it wouldn't go any further.
On the high school side, Luxe joined Henry, strongly forgetting what had happened that morning. Snow White accosted them.
« Hi Henry, Luxe, welcome you », she said with a motherly smile
« Thank you ! » the young girl smiled
« I could talk to you at the end of class »
« Of course » she surprised herself.
A few hours later August found Emma near the harbor, she looked worried.
« Are you okay ? »
« Hi, she said with a small smile, Mr Hyde was killed finally actually Hook killed Dr Jekyll which killed Mr Hyde, which means if we want to eliminate the evil queen, we will have to kill the original »
August started to worry about Regina, he wanted to reassure her so badly, to be there for her but he was tired of playing the gentleman, he wanted her to understand her mistake.
« You know there are other ways to eliminate someone than to kill them, you will find I am convinced of that. »
Emma found her friend a little cold for Regina and that was not like her, but she had other things to think about. August saw her wrist move against her will, she was trying to hold it back.
« Hey, what's wrong », he worried when he saw her elsewhere, « Emma »
He took her shoulder
« It's nothing ! »
He was getting fed up with her lies and wanting to always keep it to herself, it was like when she was the dark one. He raised his voice.
« Emma, it's not nothing, please stop, you start again, I know you too well, he insisted. I see you're not doing well, when I saw you at Archie's yesterday you looked devastated »
« You are so insightful »
« You haven't known since time tell me please I won't tell nobody I worry about you Emma »
« For a few days, I have visions, I fight someone with the sword, I don't know their face and when my vision ends I die »
« I'm sure it's just a dream after everything that's happened to you in darkness and the underworld »
« No, I assure you that no, I was informed by an oracle and all its visions, it is my future, it is the fate of the saviors, what makes you smile? »
« I think you've forgotten the lesson I taught you a long time ago. If you believe in it strong enough, you will change your faith, we are all able of changing your faith, you just have to want it and what will allow you to get out of this situation is in there »
He touched her forehead, she smiled at him and saw him go. She recognized the August she had just met, still enigmatic but continuing to give her good advice. Since her visions began, she has never been more confident and was ready to tell her parents about it.
Around the same time, Luxe waited for the Savior's mother in the hallway. She begged Henry that she would join him later. Snow White separated from her colleague, Shirin, and approached the high school student.
« What did you want to tell me? »
« I had a discussion with Regina last night, she really wants to see you, she told me that she would like to hear from you very often. She doesn't always know when she can see you. You know she needs support right now »
« I'll go see her when I get home ». Luxe left, eager to join Henry, but Snow held her back.
« Are you ok with your dad? »
« It could be ok »
« If you have any doubts, problems, don't hesitate to tell me about it, I'm here for that, you know. With Emma, it was not so easy for her to accept me as her mother when she found out about the curse, it took a while. »
« I imagine »
Luxe accompanied Henry to his foster mother. Regina was moved to see the teenager. They both decided to spend the evening together walking around the city. They managed not to even mention the man who tied them together. August saw them through the window, he had a pang in his heart.
Luxe returned home to her father and grandfather with a smile on her face.
« You look happy, it's nice, I just saw you with Regina »
« You are not going to forbid me to see her »
« Of course not, I told you we are a big family here, you can see who you want, I just need you to keep me posted that's all »
« I'm sorry for my reaction this morning. I know I don't understand everything yet, but I know what I've been through myself and the only real leaders I have found were my parents. Maybe you think I should blame you more than my mother but your gesture was the least selfish gesture you made in your life, you wanted to protect Emma so that she could break this curse and find your family, well after that didn't really happen but Regina told me that when you read the letter, you didn't hesitate for a single moment to want to meet me despite all the complexity of this whole thing and I'm very touched. And you were there for me until before I dived, you hosted me when we didn't even know each other and I thank you for everything »
August, with tears in his eyes, bent down and caressed his daughter's cheeks.
« But don't make a parallel with the reasons your father had to abandon you or Snow with Emma or even with Henry, she gave birth anyway in prison, all that has absolutely nothing to do with our situation, she laughed. I know that she, she would had the possibility of guarding me or watching over me, one way or another, she didn't have a real constraint. »