juliet •peter pan•

FIFTY-SIX

The group headed back into town. If August wasn't in the trailer, he might be somewhere else in town. Juliet was starting to get tired, but she knew they had to keep going. All of a sudden, Emma got a phone call. 

"Emma Swan." She stopped walking and looked around, shocked. "August." Everyone's eyes turned to her. Marco and Snow went closer to Emma. "Warn me? Warn me about what?"Juliet tilted her head to the side. What could August warn Emma about? 

"We need to go. He's in trouble, isn't he?" Juliet asked Emma. Emma looked at her mother, then started walking toward town. As they got closer to town, Charming and Henry joined them. 

"If August is still at the station, he's not picking up." Charming said after trying to call him. He put his phone in his jacket. Juliet heard a noise and looked over to see August stumble out of the sheriff's office. Emma started running. 

"August." August stopped, and fell to the ground. Marco grabbed his arm. 

"My child. My boy. My boy." He turned August around so that he could see his face. "What happened to you?" August sighed.

"I'm so sorry Papa." Marco shook his head. 

"No. There is nothing to apologize for. Everything is going to be all right." At this point, Juliet couldn't tell if Marco was trying to comfort August or himself. August looked at Emma. 

"Emma." 

"August." He struggled to sit up so he could tell Emma something. 

"Emma. She's..." He stammered for a few seconds before falling silent. Marco had tears in his eyes as he set August down. 

"Oh no. Not again." Emma stood up and saw Neal, who was coming over. 

"August?" Snow looked at August in disbelief.

"No. It can't end this way. He was supposed to get a second chance." 

"What happened?" Neal asked. Emma sighed. 

"Someone killed him to stop him from telling us something. He used his last dying breath to warn us." She looked at Marco. "I will not let that be in vain." Henry mumbled something. Then he looked up at Emma. 

"Brave, truthful, and unselfish! Don't you see what this means? That's what Pinocchio was supposed to be. There's still hope. We need the Blue Fairy." Everyone looked at Blue, who had just run over. 

"I'm here, Henry." Juliet folded her arms. 

"What does he mean?" Blue looked at August.

"I was able to turn Pinocchio into a real boy after he sacrificed his life for Marco's." She walked over next to Emma, explaining. "If his actions today were indeed brave, truthful, and unselfish, then you're right. There's a chance I can do it again." Marco looked up, hopeful. 

"Please. I beg of you. Try." Blue nodded, pulling out her blue wand. She closed her eyes, and brought the wand down. It started glowing, and then August was transformed into a little boy, wearing green overalls and a red hat. He opened his eyes slowly and looked up at Marco. 

"Father?" Marco smiled from ear to ear in both relief and happiness. 

"Pinocchio?" Everyone was smiling now. Marco grabbed Pinocchio's hand. "Look." Pinocchio looked at his hand. 

"I'm a real boy. I'm a real boy!" He exclaimed. He then stood up and hugged Marco. Juliet noticed Tamara walk over to them, and a wave of uneasiness came over her. Emma bent down to Pinocchio. 

"I have to ask you a question. I need you to think real hard, okay. Before you turned into a little boy, you were trying to tell us something very important. Do you remember? You were trying to warn us about something." Pinocchio sighed. 

"I don't remember. If I did, I would be truthful. I promise." He then went home with Marco and Emma hugged her parents. Juliet smiled, but she still felt off. There was something not right about the situation, and she had a feeling Tamara had something to do with it.