SORRY IT'S TAKEN ME SO LONG TO UPDATE. LIFE HAS BEEN PRETTY CRAZY LATELY, BUT I WAS HOPING SINCE I ENDED 'THERE'S A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL' I'D BE ABLE TO UPDATE THIS SOONER/FASTER/BETTER. I'M WORKING ON IT, GUYS! AS ALWAYS, FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED. THANKS FOR READING!

DON'T OWN IT.

James looked at his wife.

"Emma, we're planning your baby shower."

"What!?"

Emma stared at them in shock, her hand resting on her slightly rounded stomach.

"It's going to be so exciting!" Snow beamed.

"No, no, no. It's okay. I'm not subjecting her to that." The blonde made a face, but the unshed tears in her eyes told them how grateful she was. "Anyway." She cleared her throat. "I want to finish my pancake now that I can actually eat cause I'm not puking."

"Have you guys thought of names yet?" Henry asked.

"Nope." Emma replied. She turned her attention to Snow. "Do you and Dad have any plans tomorrow?"

"Why?" Of course the Queen wouldn't give a straight answer. Emma swallowed her frustration.

"Please answer the question and stop worrying about my feelings."

"Fine." The brunette smirked a little. "Yes, Charming planned something for me though he won't tell what."

"Thank you." Emma smiled. "That means the three of us can do something."

"Four technically." Graham hadn't left her side and rubbed her stomach for a moment.

"You know what I mean."

"Dad?" Henry called out tentatively.

"Mhm?"

"Can we go for a walk in a little bit?"

"Of course." Graham smiled.

"Ok. I guess I'll try to teach Boston how to fetch." Emma shrugged. "I assume you two have some royal running of the kingdom thing to do."

"Actually, we should hold a meeting…" James said after a moment, glancing over to Snow.

"I agree." She got up and cleared the plates.

"Alrighty then." The blonde started searching for the dog.

Henry grabbed Graham's hand as they made their way through the forest. They'd been walking in silence since they left the castle, but Graham was enjoying the sounds and sights of nature. Finally, the boy spoke up.

"I want to ask someone out tomorrow."

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Um… what do I say?" Henry looked up, blushing.

"Just tell her how you feel." Graham suggested. "You can't go wrong doing that."

"What if she doesn't say yes?"

"Rejection is something we all face sooner or later." He said softly. "It hurts but… in the end it's worth it because then we get to be with our true love."

"How do I know if she's the one?" Graham laughed at that. He's 15 and thinking about marriage?

"Well, you have to meet your true love to know." He smiled encouragingly. "Don't be scared, Henry."

"Were you scared when you asked Mom out?"

"We didn't exactly date… we kissed and I died. Next thing I know, I see her standing in her nursery and she kisses me. A few weeks later, I proposed." Graham explained.

"Were you scared when you asked her to marry you?"

"Who wouldn't be terrified when asking a woman like your mom to marry him? Henry, terrified doesn't even begin to describe it. But you know what got me through it?"

"What?" The boy whispered.

"I knew that if she said yes, we'd be so happy. And we are."

"Thanks for the talk. Let's go back, it's getting kinda cold."

"If you make me get that ball one more time I swear I'm going to-!" The sound of laughter floating in from the living room stopped Emma midsentence.

"Babe, you okay?" Graham walked in with a smirk.

"That is the stupidest dog…" She pointed at Boston.

"Remember, be gentle." He picked up the tennis ball and threw it. "Go get it, Boston. You can do it." He encouraged, his voice high pitched. The dog retrieved it without a problem, dropping it right at his feet.

"Damn dog." Emma cursed from her position on the kitchen stool. "I'm going to screw her up."

"No, you're not." Graham hugged her from behind. "I want our daughter to be just like you." She gave him a look, and he added, "Except maybe a little emotionally open. You know, to people."

"It's okay." She laughed quietly. "I want the same. Being closed off sucks. Hey, where's Henry?"

"He's planning a speech."

"For what?"

"He's asking a girl out tomorrow."

"He's what?" Oh great, more tears. That was getting annoying.

"You know he's 15, right?" Graham asked gently. "He has to grow up eventually."

"No, don't say that." Emma pouted, swiping at her eyes angrily. "He's my son… I just got him back five years ago, Graham. I'm not prepared to lose him."

"Emma, you're not losing him. He just won't be the ten year old you know him as forever. He deserves to find happiness elsewhere. I never wanted to leave my wolf family, but I did and I have you and him. He'll have a family someday that he'll love just as much as you love us."

"I'm not talking about this right now." She got up and began pacing. "I um, I need some time. I'm gonna go for a walk."

Emma found August sitting in his usual nook in the tree.

"Hey, Princess." He hopped out, then knelt and waved at her stomach.

"No touching." The blonde crossed her arms.

"I see you're cranky today." He smirked.

"I was in a great mood until Graham told me Henry's asking some girl out tomorrow and put it ever-so-lightly that my son is growing up."

"And you came to me because..?" His voice held concern and friendliness, not hostility.

"Cause my mom is no longer my friend, I used to hate my dad, Graham isn't being objective, and I can't talk to my son about him getting older." Emma huffed. "I need a friend, August." Her voice broke at the end. "I'm sorry, it's the hormones."

"Hey, Em, it's okay." August pulled her into a hug.

"I'm so sick of crying." She mumbled into his shirt. "I literally… I can't handle anything right now. Like hearing Henry call Graham 'Dad', it felt like I was melting. And this morning, I made Graham a pancake shaped like a heart."

"I don't know, I kinda like this new you." He grinned goofily. "You're funner."

"That's not a word."

"I don't care."

"It's going to start snowing soon, August. You should live in the castle till spring at least." Emma said softy.

"I already told you I'm fine."

"August." She said sternly, fixing him with one of her looks. "I'm not going to let you freeze to death. Either you live with us or you work things out with your father. Your choice."

"My dad isn't really in a forgiving mood…" He shrugged.

"Take me to your house." The blonde commanded.

"Uh, Emma? What are you gonna do?" He asked, already beginning to worry.

"Just trust me."

"Alright." He put his hands up in surrender, figuring it was wise not to argue with the pregnant woman. "Did it ever occur to you that you're the one not being objective with Henry?" Her response was silence. They trekked through the forest for a half an hour until they saw a small cabin in the clearing. "Home sweet home." August muttered. Emma didn't even knock; she simply barged in, fully prepared to give Gepetto a piece of her mind. The old man looked up at her from his position on a chair.

"Princess, to what do I owe the pleasure?" He got up and bowed.

"Cut the crap, you ignorant son-of-a-bitch." She glared at him. "You'd rather let your son die than let go."

"I'm sorry, what is this about?" Gepetto looked genuinely confused. August stood near the door in the shadows, wanting to stay out of it as much as possible.

"I know you're pissed about August leaving me, but I've forgiven him. So why the Hell can't you?"

"Because he broke a promise that didn't just affect me. It affected someone else: you and your parents."

"And if he hadn't I wouldn't have Henry! I wouldn't have Graham! I'm happy, goddamn it!" Emma yelled. August smirked. She was screaming at the top of her lungs trying to convince people she was happy. She was a living oxymoron if he ever saw one. "I thank August every night in my head before I sleep for making the decision he did." Emma's voice softened. "There are tons of people out there who would give anything to be with their child. Think about that." Wanting to let her words sink in, the blonde stormed out. August offered his father an apologetic smile, stepping into the light.

"Pinocchio, my boy." Gepetto cupped the younger man's face. "I'm so sorry." He began to cry a little.

"Look, I know Emma's very persuasive when pissed, but you don't have to pretend just to keep her from punching you in the face. I promise it's not that bad."

"Do I look like I'm pretending? I love you, Pinocchio. I was mad for a while, but then I realized how selfish and childish I was being. I wanted to tell you that, I just… I was embarrassed and I couldn't face you." Gepetto stared at his feet.

"Papa…" August blinked back tears. "I miss you."

"I'm here now, Son." He placed a kiss on the younger man's head. "And I promise to never let you go again."

"Clean slate?" August suggested.

"Clean slate." Gepetto agreed.

"Um." The writer cleared his throat. "I should go check on Emma. She gets lost easily."

"Right, of course." He smiled. "I'll make your favorite for dinner tonight."

"Thanks, Papa." August returned the smile and walked out. He found Emma leaning against the house, arms crossed, a smirk playing across her lips. He watched her curiously for a moment before she said,

"I'm sorry that I left you in there to fend for yourself. You guys needed privacy, and I'd be more of a mess than you are if I had to watch that."

"See? You're more fun." He teased. "Anyway, would you like to stay for dinner?"

"I can't, but thank you, though. Mom and –Snow and James are at a council meeting, Henry's figuring out what he's going to say to that girl, and Graham's cooking ability scares me."

"Can't Henry cook?"

"He can make some stuff… but I want to be home with him."

"No, I completely understand. Can you find your way back?" He asked. Emma scoffed.

"I'm not helpless."

"I know." He grinned. "Is it a boy or girl?"

"Girl."

"Wow. Henry must be ecstatic."

"He is." Emma nodded. "I should probably get going…"

"Yeah, okay. Thanks, Emma. For what you did." August said sincerely.

"Any day." She smiled and turned to walk away. "Hey, want to be her godfather?"

"I'd be honored."

"Great. I'm going to ask Red to be her godmother, so… you two better get along." Emma smirked.

"As long as she doesn't eat me it'll be fine." He assured her.

"She won't." The blonde laughed. "I'm glad you and your father made up. I really am. Have a good night." With that, she disappeared into the forest, with what August described as a bounce in her step.