Chapter 5
When the cat's away, the mice will play
A week later, Emma still had not called Lily yet. August noticed her absence conspicuously as Emma went about her usual routine of keeping her body fit, but he found he only saw her in passing. The blonde's face was always filled with tension and her green eyes were guarded, unyielding in any information. A few times, he almost stopped to knock on her door but thought better of it, knowing as he did the attraction he felt brewing between them.
She might not be aware of his feelings yet, but August was all too aware of his own forbidden feelings. He was supposed to be the Savior's guardian, not her lover. The Apprentice had stressed to him that he needed to ensure both Lily and Emma made it to the town of Storybrooke. He was left to assume it was important they remain together, but his mind had other ideas sometimes. With Lily out of the picture, he found the temptation to go knocking on Emma's door quite overwhelming at times. He resisted the urge with a doggedness he didn't remember he possessed.
Emma and Lily might not have been speaking, but that didn't stop Lily and August from meeting. He was dozing on his couch, having fallen asleep channel surfing, when he heard a knock at his door. It was afternoon around lunch time, and when he opened the door he found Lily standing there. The brunette had looked better. Her hair was knotted, her lips chapped, and her fingernails showed signs of worry, chewed down to the nub until they were jagged and short. Lily let herself into his apartment, walking past him hurriedly.
"Well hey there," August said, glancing at her over his shoulder as he shut the door. He looked curiously at her as she plopped onto his couch, slumped down in defeat. Her head hang heavy on her troubled shoulders and her hands rested uselessly at her sides. "Not to be rude, but are you sure we should be seeing each other like this?" he asked, gesturing at her. Lily scoffed, "Oh please, like I don't know my girlfriend's schedule. Emma's at work right now," she commented with ease and confidence she didn't feel.
She crossed her arms over her chest, feeling the need to hug herself. "Is that what she is? I heard differently," August teased, and Lily glared at him. "I thought Emma would realize we didn't do anything. You did tell her that, didn't you?" Lily asked, and if looks could kill, the glare she aimed his way would have killed him dead on the spot. "Of course, I told her you were innocent," he said. "Maybe she just needs some time," he added, coming to sit beside Lily on the couch. Lily looked truly miserable.
August wished that he could comfort her. "We'll figure something out," he tried to say reassuringly. Lily sighed, and she frowned, trying and losing the battle not to shed any tears. She found herself seeking solace in the stubbled writer, and she turned to him and buried her head in his chest. He smelled like leather and Jim Bean as he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her.
"You haven't told her what you told me, have you?" she asked quietly within the circle of August's arms. He tensed almost imperceptibly, having hoped that Lily drank far too much that night to remember him telling her about his plan. "I haven't," he replied. "We could use that," Lily said hopefully, pulling back some to look pleadingly into the writer's blue eyes. August hated himself for not remembering exactly what he had told her in his drunken state. How much does she know?
"How is that going to help?" he questioned her, and Lily sat back away from him. She pouted and crossed her arms over her chest, adopting a stubborn stance. "You can tell her about this man, and when I back you up and say I'm going with you, how could she stay behind?" August eyed her for a moment, and then sighed. "You think it's that easy, don't you?" he asked. Lily looked confused, "What?"
"You don't get it, do you? Some people, like you and me, we can go on faith but Emma isn't like that. She's the type that needs proof," he said, truly disdained that what he was saying was the truth. Emma was a hard nut to crack, and the walls she had up stretched on for miles. Lily bit her lip, worried. Her new friend was right. She herself could hardly believe she was daring to believe in this wild quest. It was going to be a lot harder to convince Emma.
"You're right, Emma's not going to believe that a magical sorcerer is going to help us find our parents," she said, a furrow in her brow as she thought hard about their predicament. She was going to have to team up with August in order to get her happy ending, to get Emma back and finally find her parents.
"But you know," August said, "Emma doesn't have to believe in magic to go to Storybrooke. We just have to get her there." Lily considered this for a moment. "But how? Emma's lost hope. She doesn't see any point in looking anymore," she said sadly."Then we just have to convince her that it's worth looking one more time. We just have to remind her how important this all this," August said, brainstorming.
What could they do to convince Emma to leave a place she was finally comfortable in after all her years of running? "I don't see how we're gonna show her that," Lily said, coming up blank for ideas. She shrugged helplessly and August suddenly gripped Lily by the arms reassuringly and a mischievous smirk crept onto his face. "You leave that to me, I might have an idea," he said.
* ~ * ~ * ~ * ONCE * UPON * A * TIME * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *
Hours later, August was standing outside Emma's door. He was determined to ask her out this time and he had a very specific outing in mind. It was a Saturday and Emma was off work. He could hear music playing next door and was glad to recognize some good old rock and roll instead of hearing her play the blues. He took it as a sign, and raised his hand to knock at her door.
The blonde answered and the look on her face was taken aback at first. Then, a smile broke out on her face as she took in his blue Boston Red Socks jersey and matching baseball cap he was wearing. He was wearing blue jeans and sneakers to match. The smirk on his face, coupled with the stubble, made it almost impossible to deny how good looking he was. He was holding out a white red socks jersey, and smiling ridiculously. "I got two tickets to the game today, and I know just the person who wants to go with me," he said, eyeing her up and down.
Emma's loose curly hair was down around her shoulders and she wore a blue tank top and black shorts, her normal attire for kick boxing class. "Unless this is a bad time?" he asked, uncertain, and the crushed look on his face at the prospect made Emma think twice. "Oh, no, not at all," she shook her head and opened the door wider, inviting August inside. "Let me just get ready then, alright?"
She left August to the living room and the TV remote control and went into her bedroom with the jersey he gave her. She switched shirts into a black short sleeved t-shirt with a scoop neck and dark blue jeans she had to pour herself into. Her black ankle boots were next, and then Emma pulled the white jersey over her frame and pulled her hair up into a messy, high pony tail.
She reemerged, ready for a fun outing in the sun, and August insisted they ride his bike to the ball park. It was their first time to be so close to one another, and Emma found herself holding on unnecessarily tight to the writer. Her hands might have brushed his abs a few times, trying to ascertain the planes beneath his blue jersey. Leaning into him as they rode felt natural, and Emma felt safe with the black helmet he'd given her.
"Sorry if I scared you," August said as they dismounted from the bike, and she handed him her helmet so he could stow it in the side bags. "What? I wasn't scared," she scoffed, her hands coming to rest jauntily on her hips. "Oh, I thought that was why you were gripping me so hard," he knowingly said, shooting a flirty glance her way. Emma nearly blushed, but looked away just in time.
"Those bikes are dangerous, the way you were taking those turns I might've fell off," she defended herself and August grinned like the chesire cat. He had loved the feeling of her pressed against him, and was eager to repeat the experience. But then, he was a masochist, after all.
August followed Emma through the parking lot with some effort, puffing uncomfortably every once in awhile due to his leg. The parking lot was huge and finally they reached the box stand and presented their tickets. They entered the park and could hear the tell tale music of all baseball games wafting through the air.
Emma spotted a vendor and went to buy them two huge big gulps and loaded hot dogs. They could hear the announcer on the PA, and August noticed a number of kids and adults scattered about the rows of plastic green seats they passed. They walked down the steep, concrete steps and found their seats behind third base. They had a decent view, and August and Emma wooped against the away team.
After the third inning, August excused himself to go fetch them some beers and noticed two kids sitting together alone, eating popcorn. The boy threw some popcorn in the wild blonde hair of the girl and she squealed, pushing him. They looked like siblings, and August drifted closer towards them. He sat in the chairs behind them, and leaned down to talk to them. "Good game, huh?" he said, surprising the two kids. "Yeah, great game!" the brother said enthusiastically, but the girl was looking suspiciously at the stranger talking to them.
"I'm trying to help my friend out," August said, and gestured down at Emma a few rows down. "It would really help her out if two would let her take you guys back to your house after the game," he solemnly told them, hoping they would go along for Emma's sake. "Our parents are coming to get us after the game," the boy said, and the blonde sister nodded emphatically. "I'll make it worth your while," the stranger promised, and the girl and boy couldn't help but look excited when he pulled out some cash.
"What do we have to do?" the girl asked. "How are we supposed to help her?" the little girl asked, genuine concern and a desire to help showing on her eager face now that she might have enough to buy a doll or two. "I want you two to pretend like you've lost your parents, and she'll do the rest." He handed the money to the little girl, and she nodded with determination as August left her to get the beers he promised.
"Long line," August said when he returned, dropping into the seat beside Emma's. He was holding two foamy beers in styrofoam cups and held one out for Emma. She thanked him and started drinking the beer with gusto, hollering at the men on the bases. Who knew Emma could be such an exuberant fan when she seemed so stand offish usually. August felt like he was truly seeing her be herself for the first time, unguarded during a happy moment. She didn't need to hide anything, she was just having a good time. August was glad he invited her.
Many beers later, August was getting anxious to see the two siblings from earlier. He and Emma were standing outside the main entrance, and Emma was stuffed full of hot dogs and good beer. She smiled quite a lot, and even hung onto August's arm for support as they walked. They looked not unlike a cute couple, and suddenly that is when his eyes fell on the two kids standing by a bench, looking expectantly their way. August steered them towards the bench, claiming he needed to stretch his legs out after being cramped in those seats for so long.
Emma sat down beside him, and before long, her attention was caught by the two children. "Don't worry, Nick, we'll find them," the older sister said, patting her brother's arm as the young boy sniffled. She looked up and around, her gaze flicking towards August, before searching the crowd exiting the stadium and making a show of looking around. "Mom? Dad?" she tried calling out, taking a few steps from the bench. Emma started to grow concerned. "What's wrong, guys? You can't find your parents?" she asked, alarm growing by the second.
"They said they'd pick us up, but we can't find them anywhere," the young boy Nick wailed, going into hysterics. Behind Emma's back, August rolled his eyes but followed along nonetheless. "Calm down, kid," he said, "Where are they supposed to meet you?" His sister started pointing towards the northwest corner and answered, "That's where they dropped us off." The kids knew good and well their parents were expecting them out the south exit instead, and hoped their parents didn't discover them before they could finish the task the stranger had given them.
"Maybe you guys missed each other," Emma said, reaching into her pocket to pull out her cell phone. She looked expectantly back at the girl, and asked, "What's your name?" The girl walked up to Emma and looked hopefully up at her and said, "Ava, and this is my brother Nick." "Ava, do you guys know your parents number? Maybe I can call them," Emma suggested.
August barely shook his head no, and Ava noticed and supplied their home number knowing no one would be there to answer. "That's my dad's number," she said, and Emma rang with no answer. She did confirm it was their number by the answering machine, and then stood up. "Well, let's go take a look for them," she said, offering her hand to the girl.
Ava took Emma's hand easily and her brother followed behind, August bringing up the rear. The group headed the long way around the building to where their parents were expecting to find them, but by this point, they had already grown worried and went to park the car and go inside to look for their kids. So when the group got to the south exit, no one was there to pick up the kids and they did a full circle around the stadium with no success in finding them. "Well, do you guys know your address? Maybe we can just catch a cab and take you all home to meet them," August suggested. Emma was impressed he was willing to leave his bike behind in order to help the two kids out.
Ava supplied their address and the two kids climbed into a taxi with the couple they'd just met. They were secure in the knowledge they'd be able to get a new toy or two at the end of the exchange, and they were almost home. Nick kept saying he wanted his mom, and Emma hushed him sitting in her lap. Ava sat between she and August.
Emma started to grow wistful, reflecting on how many times she'd wished for the same thing. Emma could sympathize greatly with two kids lost, just looking for their parents, and absent mindedly stroked the young boy's head to comfort him. The gesture was not lost on August, and he watched her "soothe" the boy's frazzled nerves.
They pulled up to the house, and the kids went up to the gate and opened it, inviting the two strangers into the yard. The adults didn't feel it was appropriate to enter their house, so they waited on the porch steps for Ava and Nick's parents to return. They didn't have to wait long before a beige minivan pulled into the driveway, and the kid's parents piled out of the van in a rush. The mother was strawberry blond haired and their father had brown hair like Nick's. The sheer joy and relief written on the mother's face was enough to make Emma smile at their reunion.
"Nick! Ava!" their dad called out, and the kids rushed towards their parents. The mother grabbed Ava in a fierce bear hug, and they noticed Emma and August sitting on their porch for the first time. "Oh, thank you! You two must have brought them home," the woman said, filled with gratitude. "Oh, it was no problem," Emma said, "We just wanted to make sure they made it home alright, and that you guys were okay." The parents insisted they come in for dinner, but August and Emma begged off, and the parents were left to happily herd their children in doors for the night as twilight fell upon the city.
Emma and August rode back to the stadium in the cab in silence, but Emma had a huge grin stretched over her face the whole ride. "Well, that's my good deed for the day," August remarked as they alighted from the cab. They walked through the abandoned parking lot back to where August parked, and Emma found herself excited to have the wind whipping past them on the back of August's bike. She held on tightly to him once more and August rode back to their apartment complex with a smug smirk in place.
When it was time to part ways at their respective front doors, August wasn't quite ready to leave Emma. The long look they shared at the door suggested she felt the same, and August realized he wanted to lean in and kiss her good night. Emma pursed her lips, sure that he was going to kiss her by the way he was looking at her. But instead, he cleared his throat uncomfortably and was about to excuse himself for the evening when Emma blurted out, "Wanna come in for a drink?"
August grinned wolfishly. "I should have known you could never get tired of me," he teased, and Emma chuckled and shook her head, letting them into her apartment. She went to the kitchen while August seated himself on the couch in front of the TV. He noticed the fairy tale story book was laying on her white coffee table, and he picked it up and spread it over his lap to read it.
She came back with two cold bottles of long necked beer and stopped short in the doorway, looking at her mysterious next door neighbor. His eyes were scanning the page he was on intently, and the easy way he draped himself over her furniture as though he belonged there made her eyes linger on his trim figure just a little longer than was appropriate. She gave her head a little shake when she realized she was staring and chastised herself, blaming it on all the alcohol.
She sank down onto the couch beside August and handed him a beer. She smiled a lazy grin he learned only alcohol brought out in her. The easy smile on her lips was so endearing his urge to lean in and capture her perfect pink mouth in a searing kiss was hard to suppress. He needed her to come with him to Storybrooke. He couldn't wait much longer. True, he needed her to redeem himself in his father's eyes, but really he felt like he needed her because he wanted to be close to her and protect her like he should have been doing all along. He desperately wanted to do right by her now.
He had spent the last few weeks getting closer to her and trying to get to know her so he could find the best way to bring up his knowledge of their shared past, but he somehow always found himself distracted by their easy going relationship and bantering and flirtatious energy she emitted when he was around. He was attracted to her and her precious mind and felt directly responsible for making her realize the role she played in the story book, The Savior. He needed her to become the Hero he knew she was.
He took a sip of his beer and gestured to the book he was holding. "Read any good ones?" he inquired, indicating the glossy pages of the book. He thumbed through them and Emma scooted closer to him on the couch, dragging the huge volume half way across her lap. At this point, their legs were touching and neither of them moved to correct the soft pressure they both felt from the other. August was suddenly breathless, and let her take the volume from him and flip through the pages.
"I never suspected the Queen of Hearts would be Cora!" Emma admitted, reaching out to show him a particular page. It was the story of how Regina the Evil Queen infiltrated Wonderland with the Mad Hatter in order to rescue her father from her diabolical mother's clutches. "This story is so much darker than the other versions of Alice in Wonderland stories," Emma elaborated.
"When I read that story, I was amazed at how selfish the Queen was being. She took away someone else's father so that she could be reunited with her own," she said rather sadly. The idea of anyone's parents being taken away was obviously enough to make her blue. August wrapped what he told himself was just a friendly arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze. Emma rested her head on his shoulder.
"I'm glad we were able to help those kids find their parents," she said, feeling good about herself. "What if I helped you find your parents?" he asked. "You know, maybe your parents were taken away," August proposed after a long moment of silence stretched between them. "Don't you want to try and find out?"
Emma stirred beside him, whipping her head up to look him dead in the eye. "What'd you know that I don't?!" she demanded to know, her voice unintentionally rising an octave. She'd always known that August was keeping secrets, and by God, if he actually did have some information she wouldn't put it past him! He was mysterious enough about his own past, it wouldn't surprise her if he was keeping secrets about hers.
"August," she begged, turning on the couch to look directly at him. The book fell from her lap, and August glanced briefly down at it as Emma clasped the front of his shirt in her hands. "What is it that you think you know?" she asked tiredly. "How can you lead me to my parents?" she asked, her voice trembling with the sound of her palpable doubt.
"I know that you come from a land filled with magic. You know, The Enchanted Forrest?" "You mean... the forest... in the book?" Emma asked, and if her eyebrows could've met her hairline they would have. She looked incredibly incredulous at August and narrowed her eyes appraisingly at him. "It's a shame, the good looking ones are always a bit touched in the head," she complained.
"I'm serious!" August said, looking Emma straight in the eye. "You came from a different land, and there's a man from that same world living in Maine who can help us find our parents, Emma." She rolled her eyes and sighed exasperatedly. "August, if you expect me to believe I came outta some fairy tale world, you're barking up the wrong tree." "Emma, you have to believe me," he tried to interrupt but her voice rose over his, "No! August, no way! That's insane."
Her face morphed into an expression of anger as she looked at him. "You're insane! Insane and a drunk, why should I believe anything you have to say?" Her eyes pooled with angry tears from the super charged situation and August could have clawed his own face in his frustration.
"You need to get out, August," she commanded in a low, thick voice choked with emotion. "It's sick and just plain WRONG of you. You must have some balls to dangle some fairy tale crap like that in my face! How am I supposed to believe in some magical answer to all my problems when my life is shit?" How he expected her to swallow such lies was unbelievable.
"This is the real world, August," she said, and stalked towards the front door and jerked it open. "I don't know what world you live in, but I think you should go now," she said, showing him the door. August slunk out of the room with his proverbial tail between his legs and miserably reflected how things could have gone better.
Forget the magic, if she wouldn't believe in magic, he knew she at least yearned for answers enough to go where her parents could be. Maybe Lily had the right idea. She and Emma had spent a life time searching, and he alone knew all too well how fruitless their search had been. As long as The Evil Queen wished it, they would never be able to find their parents in this realm until Emma's 28th birthday.
August hoped like hell that Lily's plan could work, that the two of them together could at least convince Emma to go on one last trip with them. He hoped she wouldn't be able to resist his offer to possibly be reunited with her birth parents, even if it took a crazy man leading her to them. He would just have to try again.
A/N: As always, please read and review! They should be making their way to Storybrooke soon enough.
