Everyone was waiting for them, impatiently. Emma rushed into the arms of her family: Killian, her parents and Henry. Lily did not participate in their hugs. The savior saw her, went to her friend and introduced her to the father she had been searching for.

"Lily, this is your father, Ignir, aka The dragon."

Both didn't say a word but she thanked her friend.

"In fact, it's not me to whom you owe it, it's August, he's the one who thought of him as your legitimate father and he, too, who persuaded him to see you again ."

"Where is he ?"

August had disappeared, Emma had not noticed, yet she had an idea in mind. And she was right. She left her old friend with her father and joined her friend in the hospital.

In Marco's room, Emma saw Pinocchio at the bedside of his father, sobbing. He seemed desperate, distressed, literally destroyed, and then she understood the cause of this sadness. Several minutes before Emma came in, Geppetto had opened her eyes but had put them out for eternity, just to say a few words to her son, one last time:

"My child, I am so proud of you, I wish with all my heart that you will be the happiest of men, promise me that you will find a woman who will give you love, like, I, I loved you all at long of my life, that you will found a family, as I never could do it, I believe in you, Pinocchio, I love you my son …"

"I'm sorry, suddenly Emma told him .

August doesn't say a word. He approached his benefactress, took her in his arms and then left towards the exit.

"I'm going to Granny's."

"You want me to come with you ?"

"No, I'll be fine, I need to be alone."

Night had fallen, the orphan had settled at the middle table, the same where Emma and he had their first discussion a few years ago. He had played the stranger in the city and had a lot of fun, but that night he was not thinking about it, he was in his sullen thoughts.

"What can I get you ?" the waitress asked

"A coffee, please", he replied without looking at her.

"I'm bringing you this."

She came back to him with the cup of coffee ordered. She noticed that he did not look on his plate.

"Are you okay ?"

August didn't answer. Suddenly, he saw on the waitress's arm a star-shaped birthmark. After remembering the story of the Dragon, he understood who this brand belonged to. He raised his head to look at her and established a face that was not unknown to him.

"Lily? What are you doing here ? Since when do you work here? Sit down, I beg you."

His mood had changed in no time when he recognized the woman he secretly loved. Lily sits in front of him.

"You must be August, right? I didn't even thank you for my father so thank you very much."

"Oh it's nothing, it made me happy, anyway you look radiant."

"Thank you", she said, blushing. "I've been working here since the old waitress, I don't know her name anymore, Granny's granddaughter went to live with her girlfriend in Oz."

"Oh yes, you talk about Ruby."

"You know her ?"

"Not very, we spoke only once really, she was very interested in my travels."

"You traveled a lot, where did you go?"

"After leaving Emma at the orphanage I went to new horizons, I went in a lot of different places, I was a real nomad. The main places where I stayed for more than a month were Nepal, Sri Lanka, Phuket and Hong Kong."

"And which place did you prefer?"

"As I said to Ruby, I really liked Nepal, but the country where I really felt at home, except Storybrooke, was the Sri Lanka."

"I feel that there is a woman hiding behind, what happened?"

"Yes you're right, he announced smiling, I gave up after 2 years of sublime romance."

"Why ?"

"It's complicated, and not very interesting. When we have the opportunity, I will tell you with pleasure", he said ironically.

She changed the subject, she had noticed that it was a moment in his life that he wanted to forget.

"I'm sorry for your father, I know he was your only family."

"How are you aware?"

"I visited him at the hospital. During my adolescence, when I was in prison for theft because of my ex, I was forced to volunteer and I liked. So I wanted to do it here and Dr. Whale hired me. He told me that his name was Marco, aka Geppetto, in the world of tales. I deduce that you are Pinocchio, we wouldn't have guessed at first glance."

"Yes you're right but I prefer August."

She smiled at him and stroked his hand. August was embarrassed but appreciated this gesture which was not unpleasant. The current passed very well between the two young people. They talked, laughed for good hours. They didn't even see the time.

"Already midnight!" Maleficent's daughter exclaimed . "I must go."

"I'll have to go with you", the writer insisted.

"Gentleman I see", she mocked.

That night, the city seemed to be extinguished, noiselessly, without individual, perfect moment to live his love in broad daylight. The dragon's daughter and her charming suitor walked next to each other, very close.

Lily stopped in front of a luxurious villa that belonged to her mother. She thanked August for taking her back, but as soon as the biker turned back home Lily shouted her name. She approached him gently, she wanted to kiss him but took too much time to resolve it then the lover understood her gesture and immediately put his lips on hers of his own free will.

She felt the ripple of a kiss through her body and bloom under the surface of her skin. Her joints fluttered, her breath quickened, her lips fell heavily against hers and her tongue pressed against them, seeking a foretaste of this seductive atmosphere.

They both understood that their feelings embodied reciprocity and that their budding love could only make them feel happiness. They had finally found a chance for redemption and especially they deserved their happy ending. The past can not be completely erased but they will overcome their fears, their anxieties of yesteryear because they know that nothing could separate them as their love will become strong and can break the ice.

Maleficent had seen the whole scene. She was upset to see her daughter, with whom she had so much trouble building bonds, in the arms of an older man that she did not trust him. This genuine couple separated after their hugs, they say "good night", "make sweet dreams" with a nostalgic air. The famous dragon finally sees them parting.

Then, she went to the palliate to watch for the arrival of her daughter. Lily was in her thoughts, dreamy after spending one of the most beautiful nights of her life next to a man she loved, who could understand her and give her love.

"You come home late", arises his Lily jumped at her mother, who had managed to get her out of her romantic dreams.

"You scared me, you're not lying down ?"

"What were you doing with that wooden puppet?"

"This wooden puppet?" the young woman exclaimed , surprised. "Don't say that, he's no longer the same and I trust him."

"You should not."

"Stop! I am no longer a child and I forbid you to judge him. He brought me back my father when he was not obliged. He wanted me to have a family, a family he will not have anymore. I had a wonderful time with him. He helped me for my father and I managed to comfort him after his death. We need each other. When we were together, I finally felt myself and not like the person whom we put blackness in it to make bad choices. I knew from now on that I could make the right choices and love him, support him. I'm sure it's my chance and I want to grab it."

"How can you be sure you've just met him? He spent all his life lying. It did not change, it fooled us when we wanted to have information about the author, me, Regina, Gold, Cruella and Ursula."

"You were evils. He's smart, he's not going to help the other side. And then he did it too to protect himself and his friends, Emma and the others."

"I concluded then that you really fell in love with him, seeing as you defend him", his mother protector worried

"I think so", Lily said without looking at her and disappearing to lock herself in her room, leaving her mother livid.

The next day at noon, at Granny's, Pinocchio found his lover, alone at her table, as he had seen it the first time. But now she will never be. He accosted her and sat in front of her. She didn't notice it.

"Hi", he said with a big smile.

No answer. He got closer and tried to kiss her, but she pushed him away with a sign of refusal. He was surprised by this sudden attitude.

"Are you okay? What's wrong ?"

He seized her hand with great delicacy.

She looked up at him and saw so much love in his eyes.

"You know you can tell me everything."

She saw all this anxiety felt by her new boyfriend. She was both happy and sorry.

"What's happening to me? What happens to me is that I'm in love with you and it makes me so unhappy, so helpless, since what happened yesterday, I do not know what to think, I feel ... lost and above all to see you like that in front of me, so protective, I find it irritating."

He started to laugh.

"I don't see funny."

"I can understand how you feel but you do not have to hide your feelings for me. I love you Lily, and I do not have to hide it from you. (She sighed.) I am sincere, why are you so scared?"

"Well, if you want to know everything I had a lot of boyfriends but my relationships have always finished badly. They sent me to prison, others manipulated me or I manipulated them, and others took advantage of me. Because of my curse, the one the lovely ones have created to save their daughter, I'm programmed to make bad decisions. My life is not worth saving. I destroy everything, it is in my nature."

"You have changed."

"And it is for this reason that I am afraid to do something that I will regret and especially to hurt you. You are a good man, August, you do not deserve a woman who has lived all her life in the darkness."

"Never will I abandon you, Lily, I care about you. I loved you from the moment I saw you. I do not care who you were in the past, all that matters to me is who you really are now. No matter what happened, you're not wrong. You were only the victim of an unfortunate whim of fate. You are not responsible for the misfortunes that have happened to you, it's not your fault. That's why you deserve a second chance, and you have to grab it as a gift to you, as I did. Leave yourself a chance, be honest, keep no secrets, no fear, choose love, it's the only thing that deserves to take risks. No matter what you do, I will support you whatever happens and I will never let you down. I made this terrible mistake with Emma, baby, I would not do the same thing with you. You must not be afraid of the people you love because they are the only ones who can really help you overcome your fears."

Thanks to his comforting words, the young woman found her beautiful face that her beloved loved so much. She took his hand, approached him and kissed him tenderly. She felt so lucky to have met someone who didn't judge her and who considered her as she was.

"Leave her !" suddenly Maleficen shouted, "live your life somewhere other than in the same space as my daughter, a dirty lying puppet and without feelings."

Everyone who occupied coffee that day was literally was not surprised by the witch's reaction. He put his lips on his lover one last time and walked to the exit, crossing the dark eyes that the magician bore on him. Lily, furious and disappointed by the reaction of her mother went straight through the back door.

Emma had seen the whole scene, she went out of the cafe to join her friend:

"I'm sorry, she's very hard with you"

"Oh, it's not the fact that she insults me that annoys me, it's she thinks I'm too bad for her daughter, it's the hospital that does not care about charity."

Emma laughs.

"You're right, I'm sure she'll end up accepting you ... a day when the other. In any case, I am happy by what I see between Lily and you, it became crazy love in a very short time. When she sees how much you love her daughter and how good you can make her happy, she will understand who you really are."

"You knew that?"

Emma didn't understand this sudden question

"What?"

"Last night, to accompany me to Granny's home when you knew the pain of loneliness when you lost a loved one. You knew Lily was on duty tonight."

"Yes, I knew it. There was no one that night, so you could be quiet, get to know each other. On the other hand, I did not think that the current would pass so well between you two, given the nature of Lily before."

She changed.

"Yes, that's what I conceive."

August took her shoulder

"Thank you Emma."

She smiled at him.

"I forgot, I visited Archie this morning, to announce the death of Marco and he told me he would like to see you to talk to you."

"Very good, I go right away .. Emma, did you announce it to Hook?"

Emma frowned, and took the coffee door. "Auguste did not understand this secret which refused to be revealed but at the same time it was not really his problem. She will sooner or later tell him that.

He got on his motorcycle, parked just in front, and left in the direction of the office of Dr. Hopper.

He knocked on the door of the psychotherapist.

"Archie!"

The man seemed desperate to have learned the death of his best friend but when he saw Pinocchio he had always considered his son, he was blessed. The two men were so happy to see each other after such a tragic event. They took each other in their arms.

"Are you alright, boy?"

August sits next to his conscience

"Let's say it's okay, you wanted to talk to me?"

"I was wondering if you would accept that both of you, the Geppetto family can organize the funeral in a few days and make a speech that can show the people of Storybrooke how important your father was to you and to all of us ..."

Two days later, all Storybrooke had gathered in Cemetery. Archie was standing on a small stage opposite the tomb, he spoke of his friendship with Marco for centuries.

"Now, I would like to conclude this sad day with the words of the man he loved the most in the world: his dear son"

August walked up to the platform but suddenly he felt someone put an object in his hand. He turned around and saw the Dragon.

"I give you this back. It was a whale pendant necklace with a rope that had been used to carve Pinocchio, to animate it. In Hong Kong, you put it to me. I had given in exchange for the potion that could make you become human again, when you began to transform yourself into a puppet. Now that all this is over, I give it back to you. You told me that this tie was the object you cherished the most in the world, and for good reason, this was the only instrument that reminded you of your father. Keep it, to remember him."

August smiled at him rushed to his beloved and squeezed his hand with a big smile

"Good luck!"

August smiled at her lovingly. He walked on the stage and took the microphone:

"For some people, it was Marco for other Geppetto. But for all the people of Storybrooke, he has always been like the grandfather of this city. The old man who loved children, who loved them because he dreamed of having children and everyone respected him because he was wise and generous. But my father lied to you all to protect his only child. If he had not had the idea to get me in the wardrobe, Emma would have lived with his mother but if he had not been there, he would never have built it and we will never had a savior. However, Emma and I, we lived all our lives alone, because fate had decided. When I arrived at Storybrooke, when I saw my father again, I did not blame him for leaving me, it was I who called myself a culprit for dishonoring the promise I had to make to him. But how could I forgive myself? He did not remember me anymore. Now that I have finally found him, I know that I can not go back to the past or erase the time lost (the tears began to flow) but when I saw him in his workshop he told me something that I will never forget "if I had a son, that would be enough for me", so yes, even after when he recovered his memory, when he saw me for the first time in miserable puppet, what it mattered to him it was not to reprimand me, no, it was to be what I am, that is, his son, whom he has always desired. When he died, I did not think anyone would have been so fond of me, but I was wrong. Today, Lily is here to tell me that this is not the end, that there is still the possibility of being loved. Now that there is love in my life, I can finally be proud of the person who was behind this affection: you, father. (He put his hand on the coffin of his creator) Your love showed me the way to follow, I promise you that I will spend my life to prove my gratitude to you."

August dried his tears. He joined his girlfriend and took her in his arms. Maleficent contemplated them, pensive. A familiar voice slipped on her back.

"You should be more tolerant with him"

She turned around and was surprised to see her friend and rival forever, the ex-evil queen .

"Regina!?"

"I know you're not the kind of woman who forgive easily but look at them, I'm sure he can make her happy, that's not all that matters to you."

"You may be right."

They stared at this new couple.I bet he'll surprise us.

Six weeks have passed. Lily and August were as happy, united and in love. On leaving Granny's cafe, they greeted the savior with a big smile.

I"'m coming back, I'm going to get us two coffee", Lily kissed his lover on the cheek and touched the hand of his childhood friend, before borrow the door of Granny's.

August began a discussion with her benefactress.

"Did you announce it to Killian ?"

"Do not insist."

"You have to tell him. Why does it matter to you?"

"This is not your problem, August"

"I know well, but it's for you that I insist so much. Killian must know it."

"How wrong?" Hook suddenly landed with a big smile.

"For him", the honest man maintaind

The daughter of Maleficent came out of Granny and offered a goblet to the biker. She felt the atmosphere tense.

"What is happening?" She asked her companion.

No one said a word. Emma hesitated to open her mouth and then decided to spit the piece. She looked at her husband straight in the eye.

"Okay we are waiting a baby, I'm pregnant."

Killian sketched a big smile. He took his wife's hand.

"Emma, it's wonderful, but why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Emma took his hands off his husband's.

"I have something else to tell you. It was too painful to keep it to myself."

She stared at her friend, disappointed. August instantly understood this look, but nevertheless, he let her speak without saying anything.

"Emma, you know you can tell me everything", the pirate insisted.

"Well, When August and I, we went in search of Lily's father, we tired a lot , we settled in Neal's apartment and before going to bed, after telling our stories, when we remembered how we got closer, we kissed each other."

Hook was shocked, never he could have imagined that his wife could have cheated on him. Lily was uncomfortable, she left.

"Lily wait", August said

She stared at him.

"You disgusted me!"

He turned to the married couple.

"Killian, I'm sorry."

The pirate raised his hand on him and punched him.

"Hey, what's the matter with you?"

August put his hand on his cheek, which showed a big sore, but he was not in pain. Emma touched him helped him up, but he pulled away from her.

"No, it's all right Emma, I deserved it. Don't worry!"

"I don't want to see you anymore!" Hook screamed.

He nodded and left without saying anything to the woman he loves.

"Why did you do that?"

"It had to come out", the pirate retorted, devastated.

The savior squeezed the hand of her husband.

"Hook, I'm really sorry, it was a terrible mistake."

"Did you sex together?" Captain Hook asked, worried.

"No, of course not, we just kissed, it lasted not even 1 minute, but I pushed him back, he wanted to go further. Hook, can you forgive him and forgive me?

He took his wife in his arms

"Of course, Emma. I spent all my miserable existence eliminating Rumplestiltskin who had killed Milah, I will not repeat the same trick with August. I know how much you have a strong chemistry with him, but I'm sure of one thing, it's not love. You told me some time ago that it was just a friend, but it's wrong, is not it? he is much more than that for you, he is like a brother. At that time, I pretended to be jealous, only because I find that what binds you is wonderful, and I envied you because since my brother died, no one had been there for me to support. He abandoned you, but he did it all his life and he changed for you. Apart from Neal, I had never seen you attach yourself so much to anyone. He is your only true friend and I do not want to break what you have put so much time to build. I love you Emma, and that you have approved what happened between both of you means that you trust me and that you do not feel anything for him. Am I mistaken?"

She took his cheek

"I think you've notified everything and understood everything. It took me so long to open up, to tell people how I felt about them, I was very long unable to do it. But I have my heart, I knew how I felt about the people I loved and all that is thanks to you, Killian. You taught me that in life, there are not only moments to fight, that there are moments of happiness available to me. Finding myself alone with him, it went back to the time when he turned into a puppet and where I could not do anything, I could not even tell him how sorry I was not to have believed, not to not be able to help him. I felt helpless just like with Neal, when he died. I only wanted to make up for lost time and this kiss, I could not explain it, I will probably never understand, but one thing is certain, I have no feelings for him and it's you that I love."

"Me too, I love you and then live with you, our future child, it is the family that I always wanted."

They kissed languorously.

During this time, on the side of August and Lily, that did not manage. The more August wanted to apologize, the more Lily rejected him.

"Lily, it was a mistake a terrible mistake."

"It doesn't change anything you did."

"But I don't understand, we were not even together yet, this was a kiss, nothing more, I assure you."

"Yeah, very good. But I know that before you already had feelings for me, that's why you were so determined to bring me back my father, so why?"

"I didn't think the flow would go so well between us, but it's not It's more of the past."

"Oh yes, that's why you let Emma talk about it. My mother is right, you're a liar and a deceiver, all you told me weeks ago about not giving up, that you were there for me, it was an illusion."

"No !"

He grabbed her arm, tears began to flow from the biker's eyes

"Lily, I know that i'm not the kind of man who is openheart very easily. I never said "I love you" to the woman I went to Sri Lanka, or even to my father because I was just a coward, a bum. My father was never aware that his son had such affection for him because I never told him and never showed him. But with you, it's different. When I'm with you, I feel stronger, less pitiful than I've been before. I love you Lily, and I need you to believe in me, you trust me, I beg you, I need you, your love."

She stared at him in the eyes, full tears

"I'm sorry August, you ask me too much."

She left August 's eyes and said to Emma from afar

"Are you happy, Emma, you rotten me again. Congratulations you started by taking my opportunity to do good and now you take me the boy I love, you're very talented, in this area, Miss The Savior."

Emma didn't answer. She was disappointed by the reaction of her friend but told herself that she was not quite wrong. Lily looked at her friend again and threw the cup filled with coffee and left without saying anything. Hook and Lily had tenderly thanked him for this unfortunate kiss. First, a shot in the face, then warm coffee, it was served ...

He went back to his worshop house, went to shower, dishonor but suddenly, someone knocked on the door. He got dressed.

"Emma, I don't need you, it's okay"

"It's not Emma."

He recognized a woman with a sweet and memorable voice. He put on his pants and a t-shirt and opened the door.

It was Belle.

He did not know her well, but he knew that she was always the kind of girl you can count on and they had one thing in common: they both liked literature.

"Belle, what are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?"

"Of course."

She came in long before he agreed

"I attended the whole scene between Lily and you."

"Oh, I see, you come to give me your little lesson on hope and redemption, don't worry about it, I've heard it before."

"No, I'm here to tell you not to give up."

"I am not the kind that gives up easily but Lily is like her mother, she does not forgive I've kissed another girl, her best friend, whoever she is."

"You were not together yet and Rumple did a lot worse, you know and I never gave up, I made so much effort for him and look, my efforts paid a heavy price. When we love someone and we see the good in him, we do not abandon him, especially when he does not see it himself. Lily doesn't see the strong love you feel for her, she is blind, but I saw it, you would have given your life to show her that you had changed"

"How do you do to see the good in others?"

"There is only good in you and Lily too, only you do not want to manifest it, it's what you both look like. Go talk to her, quietly, but don't abruptly."

He smiled, he knew she still had good advice and that she was trustworthy if how a horrible beast such as Rumplestiltskin could have become a good man

"Thank you Belle."

"I also came to say goodbye."

"You go away ?"

Rumple and I are traveling with our child, Gideon. He just had one year old.

He gave her a book he had made filled with blank pages. On the back, we could see a rose in tribute to the beauty and the beast.

"I give it to you, with this you can write all this trip and read it to your son. You finally realized your dream, Belle, you go to see the world, I did it too and that's what gave me a great adoration for writing."

He took her hand and smiled but suddenly, this exchange of glance was only of short duration when they heard a great roar.

"What is this noise?" the young woman asked.

They went out and saw flames. They were horrified.

"I will see, stay inside, you will be safe."

"Be careful, please! ..."

August walked the city when suddenly he saw a monster of average size. It was more specifically a dragon. By his measurements and his eyes, he recognized Lily immediately. He remembered that Emma had notified her that she did not control herself when she was in this form. He remained motionless in front of the creature, not knowing how to do anything. A familiar voice shouted:

"August, Warning!"

Booth couldn't hear the voice of his protege, who was immediately thrown by the animal's tail hard on the hard ground.