Trying to Come to Terms and an Offer of Lessons

Emma sat across the island from Mary Margaret-Snow White-and fingered a cup of hot chocolate with cinnamon. She took a sip and said, "Regina escaped last night."

"Did she?" Snow asked, looking up from her own cup with a whipped-cream-and-cinnamon moustache.

"Yeah, by magic. Apparently she attacked that kid again. You know, Gold's son. I think she has it out for him and his family. Kidnapping Belle and Jefferson by way of thugs, and she keeps trying to kill that boy."

"And to keep that kid safe..."

"...jailing Regina isn't going to work." Again, they had come to the white elephant standing in the corner, next to the lamp and failing to blend in. "How long have you known it would come to this?"

"Ever since we got our memories back. You?"

"Pretty much ever since I started believing, so about the same time, I guess." Snow nodded. "I just...I just don't think I'm up to it." Snow nodded again. "Well, you're my mom, or you're supposed to be. Aren't you supposed to have any motherly wisdom?"

Snow merely shrugged. "Wish I knew what to say, but my experience with breaking curses is Charming breaking them for me."

"Fantastic, but I'm not sure I wanna ask him for tips, and I certainly don't want to kiss Regina. I don't know if you've noticed, but she's not exactly my type."

Snow smirked, and they both chuckled softly to their mugs of cinammon hot chocolate. But Emma couldn't bring herself to keep up the happy mood. "So I guess I kinda have to do this," she said after a long moment. "Ugh, I'm not gonna be happy about it."

"She did take away all of our happy endings, ripped Charming's and my love apart, and did everything in her power to try to keep you from your son. She basically tried to destroy all of us so she would come out on top. If I were you, I'd jump on the chance to get rid of this bitch."

"Well, you're not me. I am."

"I know, and that's what makes you so special."

OUAT

August finished waxing the bike, wiped his wooden hands off, and walked out of the parking garage. When he returned to his apartment, he tossed the rag into the hamper and moved to the desk to write, well, something, anything buzzing around in his head.

He stopped short when he saw Bae sitting on his bed. "You know, there's such a thing as knocking."

"Don't want others knowing where or who I am," he replied. "Regina has apparently escaped from prison, and she's after me in earnest. I'm almost convinced of it, though the only reason I can fathom why is to keep her curse active so she gets her happy ending and we're the ones stuck here in the middle of a hell frozen in time."

"Well, you've got a point there. Okay, kid, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see if you were still alive, since I almost got attacked in my sleep last night."

"By Regina?"

"The same."

"And she disappeared afterward?"

"Yep. I heard from people about town that she'd escaped her prison cell. The response is a mix of anger and fear."

"Makes sense. Crazy bitch decided to curse basically everybody and screw them all over, but she is incredibly powerful."

"If her magic is anything to go by."

August walked over and sat on the bed, one leg on, one leg dangling off. "Okay, kid, so Regina's out to get you, probably targeting your dad. I saw how much he loves you when I pretended to be you."

"You did what?"

"I was turning to wood and I knew in a magic-less world I would die, but for some weird-ass reason, I thought I could still control your father through his knife. I'm an opportunist. He wanted me to be you, I played along to get the knife, it didn't work, and look at me now."

"He saw through you, I bet."

"After a little bit, yes."

"No wonder he talks of you coldly."

"Wouldn't be surprised. I kinda do deserve it."

"He didn't kill you because you were going to die anyway. That's the only reason."

"He knows I'm alive now, so why am I not dead yet?"

"Because I know you and we talked about the whole killing-people-to-protect-me thing, and you did help me save Belle and Jefferson, so that probably plays into it, too."

"Your dad's a strange man."

"An enigma in a strange-looking suit."

August chuckled, and Bae allowed himself a laugh, as well. "I guess as long as we're friends and I help keep you safe, I'm doing alright."

"Seems so."

"So, anything new on the battlefront besides you being attacked in the middle of a night by a psychotic witch?"

"Nope."

"Okay, kid, how's about you take a break from all this tactical thinking crap and let me teach you how to work the bike."

"The metal steed, you mean."

"Whatever you wanna call it. Wanna see how it works?"

"You mean I can learn to ride it? All by myself?"

"Yeah. You like the ride?"

"Very much so."

August smiled, and he gestured to the door with his head. "C'mon, I'll show you how the steed works." Bae grinned.