The Kindred Souls of Lost Children

Disclaimer: I Don't Own OUAT

Rated: T

Characters/ Pairings: Emma/August, Emma/ Neal, August/Neal Bromance

A/N: So I know I've been writing all of these different OUAT fics lately but I've had all of these different ideas. And with how things have been going in OUAT my soul needs it. It's my therapy. So this is different than my other fics because it's AU in a whole what if scenario if August never left Emma and then they both met Neal later. Because come on these lost children needed each other.

Emma walked around the streets of Portland rubbing the coffee stain on her waitress uniform. She supposed the ruined blouse didn't matter since she was never going to wear it again. Hey they were the ones who were messing with her and poured scolding hot coffee on her without even apologizing. So wasn't it the natural thing to do to tell them where to stick it? She counted the remainder money from previous tips and what would be left in her pay check it was nowhere near enough money to cover for their expenses. It wouldn't be enough so August didn't have to sale his motorcycle. He loved that thing he had found it in the junk yard and repaired and worked on it for years. It was a piece of junk before August got to it but he restored it and now it looked brand new. August was always good with his hand that is how he became a repair man. He has been working so much lately and it's still not enough to make ends meet. Some of his repair jobs were sparse and they had to go without air conditioning for a little while it was either the air or food. It wasn't the worst situation they've been in. They've survived on less. They lived in and out of cars, in shelters, and even slept in an old abandoned warehouse for a while. Now they actually were in their best situation but it still sucked just scraping by. It sucked that they had to work so hard instead of just stealing, scheming, and taking what they needed to survive. She knew the whole stealing thing was wrong. August had a particular hang up about it. He never liked doing it and only did it when it was absolutely necessary. He always yammered on about how she needed to remain pure and untainted. He always said stuff like her staying on the right path and how she was born for greatness. He treated her like she was someone important like she was the only one who mattered. It sucked because August mattered too. He mattered to her. She was sure he had hopes and dreams other than making sure she was some kind of perfect princess. She suspected he wanted to be a writer. He loved telling her over the top Fairy Tale like stories. He would regale her with tales about how she was some kind of Bad Ass Princess who battled evil witches and wizards and fought dragons. She really didn't know where he got his material from. Any time she heard about princesses before they were prissy little girls who wore tiara's and waited around for their Prince Charming to rescue them. Those types of girls weren't exactly her role models. Her role model was August he fought for her unselfishly only thinking of her. It was high time that she fought for him.

He had looked out for her ever since she was a baby. He told the authorities he found her on the side of the road but later told her that her parents loved her and they were trying to give her, her best shot. He never went into the details but always told her they would see her parents again someday as long as they stayed on the right path to get home. She believed in those particular fairy tales when she was little she imagined her parents were super important and they only left her for a huge important reason. But as she got older her belief wavered and she started to think it was just a lie August told her to have something to look forward too. It was why people told little girls fairy tales in the first place so that they would be good. They were told if they were good and did everything they were told then their prince charming would rescue them from poverty and take them to nice castle of ease and luxury. She knew by now that was a bunch of crap. She had her August to rely on but in all honestly he had her too. Although he was so devoted to his ridiculous fairy tales and ideas of her staying on the right path he did have a little problem staying on the right path himself. There were a few times he got himself in messes that she had to get him out of. And there were more than one occasion she had to haul his ass out of the bar before he got into a bar fight.

He put too much pressure on himself and when he wasn't measuring up to how he thought he should be he'd beat himself up and would get drunk in self-pity. She was always there to pick him up. He always hated it though when she would pick him up from one of his drunken stupors and tuck him in bed. He would mutter how a princess shouldn't have to demean herself to picking up after a puppet. He would mutter how he was supposed to be her protector and how much he was messing up. She would simply tell him he was wrong and how it wasn't just on him they were there for each other, like they always have been. It had been just the two of them for so long, well mostly.

When she was eight years old and August was 15 they made him leave their foster home and made him go to one for teenage boys. There were some grown-ups who thought that August and her were too attached to each other and thought it was strange since they weren't even related. They told them it would be for their own good to be separated. She pulled on his leg in tears the day they made him leave. That was it she thought she would be alone for then on out. Then finally he came back to rescue her from one of her suffocating foster home. He wasn't alone though he brought a friend of his he met at the all boys foster home he was made to go to. They went in and gallantly rescued her like she was some princess trapped in a dungeon. They were over dramatic like that. For a while it was the three of them living on the streets, putting on cons, and stealing what they needed to survive. August and his friend actually made it into a fun game for her. She was just a kid though she didn't know any better. August's friend hung out with them for a little while until he went his own way saying he couldn't stay in one place for too long. She realized that he was running from something more than foster care and the system. He used the excuse of him being a loner so he left, which was fine by her really the two of them fended for themselves just fine.

Emma arrived home in their small apartment changing her clothes. She knew August wouldn't be mad for losing her job like he should be. He should be pissed off but he didn't want her to work in the first place, he wanted her to concentrate on school. After surviving on the streets for a while, August learned how to forge paper work and they gave him 'legitment' lives. He forged the guardianship papers and then according to anyone especially schools he was her legal guardian. He forged old school records too. She hated school at first but soon got used to it. She did it mostly because it made August happy.

After Emma changed her clothes she went to the empty tiny kitchen and found some food. Her appetite wasn't so big right now too worried about August and giving everything up for her. She saw a note that said, "Had to work late, there's TV dinner's in the fridge."

She opened the refrigerator absent mindedly. She really couldn't think about food right now. She saw his motorcycle keys on the counter. He was taking the bus so he can save the mileage so he could get a good price for his motorcycle when he sales it. That was it she couldn't rest until she could make sure that her August did not have to give up his motorcycle.

Emma walked along the pretty much abandoned alley way with her oversized bag. She scanned the area making sure no one was around to see her and sauntered over to the yellow bug. She grabbed the crow bar unlocking the car. She then took the rock and screw driver and got the car to drive. This was it she was almost home free.

"Impressive." Someone said as he popped up from the back seat.

She jumped up startled.

Then he jingled the keys.

"But really you could have just asked for the keys."

"I just stole your car; your life could be in danger." She said on edge wondering why this guy was so cool about her stealing his car most people would be upset.

"Neal Cassidy." He said.

He waited for her to say her name and then she finally said,

"Emma Swan."

"Good name."

Emma asked, "So what do you live here? Or are just waiting for your care to be stolen?"

"Why don't I tell you over drinks?" He said she could hear the flirty smile in his voice.

"Excuse me." She said almost looking back at him but then she just ran a stop sign.

"Hey eyes on the road." He said panicked.

"I'm not having drinks with you. You might be a pervert." She said annoyed. This isn't what she needed right now. All she needed was to find a way to help August.

"I might be a pervert but you're definitely a car thief." He said.

"I said I was sorry. " Emma defended.

"No actually you didn't." Neal pointed out.

Then suddenly police sirens blared in the back.

"Oh no." Emma muttered. Oh great the last thing she needed right now was to deal with cops.

He quickly put the keys in the admission and got rid of her of the screw driver and other evidence as fast as he could. It actually impressed her to see how fast he could cover everything up.

"Oh man." He said.

Emma asked, "Is there a problem officer?"

"License and registration please." The cop said.

"Sorry officer. I was just teaching my girlfriend the stick here. I won't let it happen again." Neal said.

"Okay, this just is a warning. Watch the road." He said.

"We'll do officer." Neal said as polite as possible.

Then Neal hopped in the front seat and said, "Phew that was close."

Emma looked at him for a moment realizing something.

"Oh great I just stole a stolen car."

He smiled and said, "Yeah. Now how about that drink?" Neal asked with a smile.

"I don't think so." She said.

"Why not?" He asked.

"I'm busy." She said.

"Doing what robbing a bank?" He asked half joking.

"Nope, stealing a car. I obviously can't steal this one since you live here and all." She said tilting her head to his back seat with a few bags, blankets, and left over wrappers.

"What makes you think that?" Neal asked.

"Well you know you were sleeping in your car. And who keeps blankets in their back seat?"

"Hey maybe I'm on a road trip and you're just interrupting?" He aksed.

"In a stolen car?" Emma asked skeptically.

Then Neal said amused, "Well, aren't you just the observant one."

"It's a gift." Emma said smiling proud.

"I bet. So how about we make a deal?" Neal asked still upbeat.

"What kind of deal?" Emma asked cautiously.

"I help you steal a different car and then you let me buy you a drink." He said smirking.

"Uh. What is it with you and drinks?" Emma asked annoyed.

"It's the best way to get to know someone." Neal said grinning.

"You mean it's the best way to take advantage of a girl." Emma shot back.

"It's the best way to have fun and lighten up." He said.

"Fine, let's get this over with I can't be too late."

"Mistake number one. You're taking the whole thrill out of it." Neal said.

"So what are you going to teach me all of the tricks because I really don't need it? I did steal your car after all." She pointed out sure of herself.

"Yeah, with me in it. Lesson one make sure no one is in the car before you steal it. Oh Rookie, mistake."

"Hey, I'm not a Rookie. I'm just a little rusty." Feeling a little put down feeling the need to give excuses. She never thought she would have to defend her thieving skills to anyone.

"Good thing I'm here to jog your thieving memory." He said with a smile.

Emma couldn't help but laugh and said, "Alright then come on Sensei show me your tricks."

They arrived in her apartment parking garage. She just needed to run upstairs to get the paint and then they could park the car they stole, put her phone number on it, and then she can forget about this whole thing. She could be home free and sale this car give august the money and she would never have to see this random car thief guy again. That was what she wanted right? As she parked though she realized she had just let this strange car thief she just met know where she lived. She couldn't believe it. She usually was more careful around guys. Guys hit on her all of the time as she would walk home from work she would no how to handle them and would even go the long way home to make sure they didn't follow her home. But this car thief guy who did all of this so that he could get her drunk and most likely take advantage of her, she practically inviting him to her place. What was she thinking? She was just so excited about getting this done and there was that fact that Neal was right it can be fun. There was a bunch of laughing and giggling while they stole the car. She hadn't giggled that much in her life. At first he seemed like this world wise car thief but she realized he had a streak of silliness in him too. At some points he just seemed like a big kid, like he never got a chance to grow up, or maybe he didn't really want to. His light heartedness was nice. She liked it. For a while she forgot about her woes and her worries and they just had fun.

Reality started to hit and she realized this could have been a really bad idea.

Then she said, "Okay, I will be right back I just got to get that paint so I can put for sale on it and we can park it somewhere else."

"Why not just park it here?" Neal asked.

"Because she knows she would get caught." August said folding his arms across his chest.

"August!" Emma said jumping up startled and then she said, "I can explain."

"No need. I think I can access the situation pretty well on my own. You stole this car with some random guy inviting him to your apartment real quick to get the paint so you can sale the car trying to get away with it."

"Wow, he's good." Neal said impressed.

"Yeah, it's called being her guardian." August said trying to sound as authoritative as he could.

"You look a little young to be her guardian." Neal said.

"You look a little old to be going after a seventeen year old girl." August retorted.

"Seventeen?" he asked surprised.

"I didn't realize that she seemed so mature."

"Yeah and stealing cars are so mature." August replied.

"It's fun actually." Neal chimed in.

"Fun? Is that why you did this Emma because it was fun?" August asked.

"I did this for you!" Emma yelled.

"I don't want you to do that! I'm working so hard for you so you will stay on the right path. I know we used to steal together Emma but that is over. We have a chance to be good. We have to take it."

"You know you look familiar have I stolen from you before? Or maybe you've stolen from me?" Neal asked not really seeming to pay attention to August and Emma's argument.

"Who do you think you are all being proud of being a thief?" August asked.

"I like to call myself a professional street rat." Neal insisted.

August looked at him hard and then said, "Neal? Is that you?"

He looked at him and said, "August?! Oh holy shit August! Is that really you?"

"Yeah, man. I can't believe it." August said with a happy bewildered look on his face.

They both hugged excitedly.

Then Emma shrugged and teased, "Do you two need a moment alone?"

Neal then looked at Emma in realization. "Oh my, oh no, no, no. This isn't your little princes is she?"

"The one and the same." August said pleased.

"Oh, man, that's just so… weird. We were about to go for drinks." Neal said thinking out loud.

"No harm done man." August said putting his hand on his shoulder.

Emma looked at him and said, "Wait August. Are you telling me this is the guy who helped to rescue me when I was little?"

"Yeah." Neal said still bewildered.

He swallowed hard looking at her somewhat awkwardly and said, "You grew up."

"It has to happen to all of us sometime." Emma said.

"Not necessarily." Neal said with a small voice.

Then August said, "Well, let's continue this little reunion in the apartment. You can join us for dinner."

Then Emma protested, "But then he'll know where we live."

"If you didn't want him to know Emma then you shouldn't have brought him here in the first place. We really do need to have a talk about inviting strange men to the complex. It's alright with Neal he's one of us." August said his stressed lecture mood had totally disappeared replaced with glee, Emma would take it she missed his smile. Maybe Neal coming into their lives would make things better.