Once Upon A Time ~ Book 1

Chapter 114 - A Real Boy

A giant, wooden, polished bold was now on the inside door Mary Margaret and Emma's apartment with black, metal decorations on it. It bolted open and August stepped inside, some tools in his hand as he locked it.
"No one is getting through that." he said, turning to Emma and Mary Margaret while stood by the door, looking at the bolt.
"Wow, when are you installing the torture chamber?" asked Emma, surprised at the size and design of the bolt.
"You don't like it. I call it medieval chic."
"I don't care what I looks like as long as it keeps Regina and her skeleton keys out." said Mary Margaret.
"This is pretty handy for a writer. Where did you learn how to do all this?" asked Emma.
"Wood shop. Eighth grade."
"Oh! Speaking or school, I have to get going." said Mary Margaret walking towards the counter.
Emma followed her. "Umm.....are you sure you're ready to go back?"
She chuckled as she poured her coffee into a flask. "After a stint behind bars, how tough can a room full of fourth-graders be? Besides, aren't you the one we need to be worried about?"
Emma leaned against the counter now. "Me? Why?"
"Well, you did threaten to take Henry away from Regina." said August from the table, packing his tools, chisels and hammers.
Emma turned to him. "Oh, that wasn't a threat. I'm hiring Mr. Gold to help build a case against her."
Mary Margaret looked at Emma, a little wearly.
"She tried to frame you for murder." said Emma, looking at her.
"But you do know what happens if you win?"
"Yeah."
"And you're ready? To be his mom?"
Emma smiled. "Yeah."
Mary Margaret beamed and a muffled voice came from the walkie talkie on the counter.
"Code Red! Code Red!" Henry's voice said from the walkie talkie as Emma picked it up.
"Hey, Henry. What's going on?" she asked calmly.
"Meet me at Granny's. It's an Operation Cobra emergency."
"I'm on my way." said Emma turned to Mary Margaret and August who stood by the door.

Emma walked briskly through the streets of Storybrooke, alone, now in a coat and the walkie talkie in her hands.
August ran quickly behind her and caught up. "Emma, wait up."
"You heard the kid. Operation Cobra calls." said Emma, glancing over at him.
"I didn't think you believed any of that."
"Oh, I don't. But sometimes, it's the only way to get through to Henry. "
"You know, a custody battle against Regina isn't to accomplish anything."
They walked along through the streets of Storybrooke and past the clock tower.
"You need to see the big picture." he said. "That's the only way you're gonna understand what your up against. That's the only way you'll know how to beat Regina."
"Okay, new guy, how's that?"
They walked accross the road.
"Take the day off. Come with me, and I'll show you."
"And where exactly would we be going on this magical mystery tour?" she stopped when they reached the other side of the road and looked at him.
"If I told you, you would never come."
She walked away from him.
He didn't follow her but watched her go, calling after her. "Oh, come on, take a leap of faith. You come with me and I promise you, you'll find exactly what you're looking for."
She turned around to face him abd walked backwards. "My kid needs me. I don't have time for faith." She walked around the corner to Granny's Diner, leaving August alone at loss at what to do.

Emma walked into Granny's Diner and over to Henry in a booth, the fairytale book open in front of him.
"Hey, what's the emergency?"
"Shh......" he hissed, putting his finger on his mouth. "This is sensitive." he said quitely.
She sat down next to him. "If it's sensitive, why are we at Granny's out in the open?" she whispered.
"I'm hungry.... Who else knows that we hide the book in the Sherif's station?"
"No one. Why?"
"Someone changed it. There's a new story in it." he ruffled through the pages.
"Why would someone add a new story?"
"To tell us something we need to know about the curse."
"And what would that be?"
"I don't know. The story isn't finished."
"Why would someonw go to so much trouble to add a new story and then not bother finishing it?"
"That's what weird. The story's about Pinocchio. Everyone knows how that ends."
"Well, maybe that's why it was left out."
"Or maybe there's more to it." he turned the page.
"Herny, you are going to be late for school. Let's go." she stood up and he looked down at the new illustration of a stormy blue sea.

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A little raft floated on the mighty blue waves of the stormy ocean. The waves tossed and heaved the raft that held Geppetto and the little wooden boy. The rain lashed from the heavens onto them in the dark, cold night.
"Hold on, my boy!" called Geppetto over the loud and thundering storm as he gasped the ropes holding the raft together.
The little wooden boy panted heavily, grasping with all his might on another rope. "I'm trying, Father!" he called back to him.
The thunder crashed and the lightening flashed in the dark sky as the tail of a giant whale revealed from beneath the mighty waves.
"Faster, Father, faster! He's catching up!" cryed the wooden boy.
"The current, it's too strong!" he shouted, pulling the leaver on the raft.
The boy panted and breathed heavily in fear as the whale swam closer and closer, diving beneath the blue waves and up again.
"Don't let go!" Geppetto shouted.
The wooden boy held tighter and tighter to the rope as his little shoes slipped and slid on the soaked wood.
The whale created a giant wave, almost knocking them from their raft.
"What is it?" shouted the boy.
"We must abandon ship." he said, not answering his question. "Take this." he handed his boy a life vest. "This is the only one."
He refused to take it. "No, Father. I am made of wood. I'll float. We can both survive."
"No. We don't risk." he insisted as the waves grew stronger and the rain lashed. "Take!"
"No, Father. You take it." he pushed it to him as the whale rose from the water again, now, his jaw wide open, ready to engulf them.
"Save yourself!" cryed the boy, diving into the deep, blue, mighty ocean.
"Pinocchio!" cryed Geppetto in fear as the whale jaw was almost clamped around him.

Geppetto lay on the sandy, pebbal beach, the remains of wood from the destroyed raft, scattered accross the sand, the calm, little ribbles of waves, gently swoped over his feet. The sun shone on his peaceful face.
Suddenly his eyes opened and beneath him he saw the life vest. His eyes suddenly widened in shock and he looked around the beach. He stood up, the seaweed falling from his soaked cloths.  "Pinocchio." he looked around the beach for a sigh of life. "Pinocchio!" he looked down at the life vest again. "He saved me." he smiled and chuckled. "Oh, where are you?" he called, getting to his feet. "Where are you?" he smiled, then as he turned his head to look along the shore, his face fell as he saw ahead, his little innocent, wooden boy, lying face down in the water in the midst of broken wood.
He ran quickly along the shore, the life vest in his hands, panting heavily, muttering under his breath. "No, no, no, no, no." he jumped over some rock and fell into the water next to him. He lifted his light, wooden body into his arms. "No." he cryed, holding the wooden boy close to him as he cryed sadly. "No." he looked down into the boys wooden face, his bright, blue eyes open, but still, the way they once were. "I wish that I could save you, my boy." Geppetto cryed and held his close to him again, his arms wrapped tight around him.
Suddenly the Blue Fairy fluttered towards them and Geppetto looked up at her.
"We still can." said the Blue Fairy.
Geppetto stared up at her, panting heavily. He held up his beautiful, wooden boy's body. "Please.....save him." he cryed.
The fairy flew closer then waved her little, blue wand.
Pinocchio's wooden body disappeared in blue mist and then a real boy, identical to the puppet appeared in his arms. His eyes flickered open and Geppetto looked down at him in surprise, happily as his boy awoke.
"Father?" said Pinocchio, looking up at him.
Geppetto looked up at the Blue Fairy, thankful, more thankful than ever before.
She chuckled, beaming happily.
He looked down at his precious boy again. "Pinocchio......" he held up his little pale hand before his face. ".....look!"
"I'm a......real boy." he said happily looking down at his hands.  "I'm a real boy!" he said excitedly, looking up into his father's face.
Geppetto wrapped his arms tight around Pinocchio and the Blue Fairy chuckled happily.
They all sat and hovered down by the shore, their faces full of relief and happiness that was indescribable.
"Thank you." Geppetto said to the fairy. "I don't know how I could ever repay you. This is all I ever wanted."
"You ans Pinocchio have found each other. Now go, life your life together as a family."
"Here. Come, my son." he said, lifting him from his lap.
"Remember, Pinocchio, be brave, truthful and unselfish. So long as you do that, you will always remain a real boy." she blew his a little kiss.
Pinocchio smiled and his father put his little red hat on his head.