***What do you guys think is going to happen? Would love to hear your speculations! Will the charming fam be reunited? Let me just say poor Mary Margaret! Enjoy!***

Chapter 6

Day 181 Cont'd

"What do you mean I'm not allowed to see Emma anymore?" Mary Margaret was growing furious. She never got angry before, she always kept her cool. She clenched her hands into fists at her sides.

"Regina was concerned. She said you'd been seeing Emma behind her back and were almost stalking her."

"I have been nothing but good to Emma. Emma loves me and I love her."

"And that's why Regina is concerned. She thinks you're growing an unhealthy attachment to her."

"I've been there for Emma since day one. I have helped HER with Emma since day one. She didn't even know what to feed her."

He swallowed hard, her voice was growing angrier and he knew it. "I'm sorry but she's her mother, she has the right."

"What about Emma's rights? Doesn't she matter?"

"She's a baby, her mother decides what's best for her."

"I am what's best for her.''

"I'm sorry Ms. Blanchard but I'm going to have to ask you to leave." He closed the door.

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"We're married?"

Regina nodded. "Yes. Dr. Whale says you are well enough to go home. Perhaps seeing our children will help trigger some memories."

He smiled. "We have children?"

"Yes. A seven year old boy named August. And a 6 month old baby girl named Emma."

"Emma..." He beamed. "That's a beautiful name."

"Yes, but there's something you need to know about August. Ever since you've had your accident years ago he's been a little troubled. He didn't take it very well. He's created a fantasy inside his head that I'm evil and that he and Emma aren't our children."

He frowned. "Poor kid. Is this all because I haven't been there for him?"

"I think it will help when you come home."

"I'd like to see my children, maybe it'll help trigger some memories."

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Mary Margaret paced back and forth along the sidewalk. Maybe she was going crazy. Now she's separated from Emma permanently. Perhaps she has grown an unhealthy dependency on her. But she was the one who always calmed Emma down. She was the one Emma loved. All she wanted was what was best for Emma, and she truly believed that was her. Was August right is Regina really the evil queen?

"Ms Blanchard!" August hopped off the bus and walked over to her.

"Oh hi August."

"Did you wake him up?"

She nodded. "But something happened. Your adoptive mother said he's her husband."

"She's lying! He's yours!"

"And now I'm not allowed to see Emma anymore."

"That's the curse. She's doing all this to hurt you!"

She wiped away some tears that were falling down her cheek. "I really do love Emma. I want to believe you."

"It's the truth. You have to believe me. If not for you then for Emma. She needs YOU."

"But if all this isn't true I could go to jail if I tried to see Emma."

"But it is true. You woke Prince Charming up. Otherwise he never would wake up."

"Why are you talking to my son?" Regina came up beside them, David followed. "I have a restraining order against you that includes August."

Mary Margaret looked up at David who was looking at August. She turned back to Regina. "I don't understand. You let me spend the night caring for Emma. What changed overnight?"

"Yeah if she helps care for Emma, why isn't she allowed to see her?" David put his hands on his hips.

"She's been seen sneaking to the park everyday just to see my children. This is unhealthy for her or for them. It's become almost an obsession."

David was speechless. It made sense why his 'wife' would be concerned but he felt something off about her. It was Mary Margaret he was drawn to who he felt he trusted.

"Come on August, we're going home."

"NO!" He ran in the opposite direction and didn't stop.

"Should we go after him?" David grew concerned.

"I'll take care of this. I know where he's going." Regina took off after him.

"I don't understand." David was shaking his head.

"Everyone thinks I'm crazy."

"No… I don't think you are. When Regina told me about our children I thought when I'd see them it would trigger some memories. That I'd at least feel some sort of connection to them. Just standing next to August right now I felt nothing. I must be a terrible father." He sighed then looked Mary Margaret in the eye. "You feel connected to someone else's child, but yet I don't feel connected to my own child. Something is wrong here."

"Yes something is wrong here. She is a liar if she told you they are your children. She adopted them just 6 months ago."

"What? She said I've been in a coma for years and that our son has been troubled by it since. Something isn't right here. I don't feel connected to my supposed family, the only person I feel connected to is you." He placed his hand on her cheek.

His warm touch felt right. She shared his same feelings. She looked at him with her wet eyes. "Only thing that makes sense in this town is you and Emma even though our circumstances don't make sense."

"So you feel the same way?"

Mary Margaret nodded. David cupped her face in his hands and pulled her in for a long kiss.

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August just kept running. He had enough of the evil queen. He didn't feel safe. He didn't feel like Emma was safe. He had enough. He ran and ran until he saw him. His sweet gentle father who would do anything for his boy. Who even lied and schemed just to protect his boy from a horrible curse. He stood there watching his father all out of breath. His father always made him feel safe, always made him feel loved. Even when he was still just a puppet his father always made him feel more than just a wooden object.

He ran over to the opened garage where he was fixing a cookoo clock. He went right up to Marco.

"You again?" Marco displayed a jolly grin for the boy. "Where's your mother?"

"Can I help?" He looked at the clock Marco was working.

He chuckled. "You know how to fix clocks?"

"Yeah. Align the gear on the spindle. Then press the spring." August pointed to it.

Marco looked at the boy then tried what he suggested. And then the little bird popped in and out of the clock making a cookoo noise.

He smiled at August. "Who told you that?"

"My father."

"He taught you well. He must be very proud."

August's eyes filled with tears.

"What's wrong?"

"You're my father."

He was about to respond when Regina showed up. "There you are. I've been looking all over for you."

"Please don't make me go with her. I wanna stay here with you."

He shook his head. "Your mother has been worried about you. If I had a… if I had a son, I wouldn't want him wandering around alone."

"Come along August. Your father is home now."

"My father? What?"

"Yes your father woke up, now let's go."

"No this is my father." He turned to Marco. "You have to believe me." He looked up on the shelf and pointed at the wood carving of a whale. "That was mine!"

"Go with your mother."

"No…" He started crying.

"Come on August." She took his arm.

Marco walked back inside the house so August went with Regina without fighting her.

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David was sitting on the front step of Regina's house when they got home. He decided to find out more from Regina. He didn't trust her, he knew something was wrong.

"August say hello to your Dad."

"He's not my dad, he's Prince Charming."

"Prince Charming?" He chuckled.

"You don't believe me either?" August ran in the house and up to his room.

"Listen, we need to talk. Something is off here." David grabbed Regina's arm.

"Uh sure we can talk. Can we go up to check on Emma though?"

He nodded. "Okay."

They walked inside, Regina set her purse down. Graham greeted them. "Hi." He looked at David. "Who's he?"

"My husband."

"Your what?"

"My husband. Thank you for babysitting Emma, here's a twenty go play some games at the arcade."

"You're married?"

"I know you've had a little crush on me but I don't get involved with babysitters. Now it's been a long day. Goodbye."

He left the house confused.

Regina and David walked up the stairs to Emma's room. Regina walked over to the crib. David stood in the doorway as he spoke. "Mary Margaret said you adopted these children 6 months ago. I feel no connection to you or to August. You said I've been in a coma for years. That makes no sense. Besides how could that baby be mine if I've been in a coma?"

"You must be mistaken. I didn't say for years. I meant almost a year." She lifted Emma out of the crib. "And Mary Margaret is wrong, they are not adopted."

"Okay… but why would I not feel a connection to my son."

She walked over to him and showed him Emma. "This is Emma, your daughter."

David's mouth dropped. Emma's blonde hair that had started growing in was just glowing under the light, her blue eyes just sparkled looking up at him. She was just like an angel. It was as if a beam of light was just radiating from her. His eyes filled with tears and he reached out for her. "Can… can I hold her?"

"Yes of course. Emma this is your Daddy." She handed her to David.

He held her in his arms and kissed her forehead. "Hi Emma. I'm your Daddy." He wanted a connection that made sense, and Emma provided that for him. He would do anything for that little girl from then on. He held her tight.