Works in Progress

Pulling off a Band-Aid

Disclaimer: I Don't Own Once Upon A Time

August sat at the bar staring at his drink before taking a sip as he continued to listen to his pal rant. He did not look up at the rambling man beside him and instead just sat there rubbing the perspiration from his glass like it held all of the answers, like this small little glass of beer could suddenly fix him, and he would stop loathing in self-pity. At least at this particular pity party he had company.

"Look, you have no reason to be afraid of your father. At least he isn't evil and didn't choose magic over you. At least you were brought here by your father's love for you. I was brought here because he loved magic more than me. So don't sit there and tell me you just can't face your father. Your father's awesome! Mine sucks!" Neal dramatically finished his little 'my father ruined my life' monologue that August heard many versions of multiple times before, and took another drink.

This pity party was different though, he did have an objective: convince Neal to come back to Storybrooke. It was something he really didn't think would be that hard. After all, Neal wanted to be reunited with Emma once the curse was broken. So he was surprised when Neal called him a little while after he got the postcard and told him he just couldn't go back to Storybrooke, but thanked him for keeping his promise. So of course he had to see him to convince him to go. How in the world could he do right by Emma if Neal just stayed away? The girl deserved to be happy so the least he could do was keep his promise and help the lovebirds reunite. Here he was trying to convince the guy to get over his daddy issues and just go back to Emma, like he knew his friend always wanted to.

"Okay, I get it. We all know your father needs parenting classes and didn't exactly make the best choices but-"

Neal gave him a glare and sarcastically replied, "Really?"

"Yeah, but it has been a very long time, so who knows? He could have changed. When he thought I was you he seemed truly sorry he left you. " August said hopeful that his little encounter could do something to persuade Neal.

"Yeah, and he created a curse that ruined a whole town of people's lives just to get to me. I can't go back there." He shuddered and took another gulp of beer.

"What about Emma? Wasn't she the whole reason for you to get your life back on track? " He asked getting a little too serious for comfort.

"Yeah, but maybe you can just have me meet her outside of Storybrooke." Neal's voice raised a higher pitch.

"Yeah that conversation will go over well. 'Hey Emma, remember Neal, your first love. You know the guy who set you up to go to prison. Well funny story I told him to do that. It's cool, we're drinking buddies now. So go on the back of my motorcycle to meet him out of town.' Sure that will be safe." August described in slight horror of Emma reaction once he told her the truth.

"Well, you don't have to say it like that."

"Okay then, enlighten me. How should I say it?" He challenged.

"I don't know, lie or something. You're good at that. You are Pinocchio after all."

"Low blow. There's a flaw in that plan, though. Emma's a human lie detector. She's like the only one who can tell I'm lying without the wooden nose." August hated when Neal pointed out Pinocchio being an expert liar and all. Sometimes it was great actually talking to someone who knew who he was but other times it kind of sucked to be reminded that there probably was some type of flaw with him being made out of wood and being only known for lying.

"Okay fine, that idea's out the window. So what's your brilliant plan?" Neal asked pointedly.

"You go back there and reunite with Emma. Let me know how it goes." August patted Neal on the shoulder.

"What? How is that a plan at all! No way am I going to face the wrath of Emma Swan by myself." Neal asked fear clearly spread across his face. Emma's skill to make grown men act like scared little kids always amused August.

August laughed, "You're afraid of Emma?"

"Of course I am afraid of Emma. We've both watched her from a distance. She chased guys like us down for a living." He then chuckled in his drink, "I always thought it was funny that this expert bounty hunter girl never noticed her own two stalkers."

"Hey, I wasn't her stalker. I was her Guardian Angel." He pointed to himself proudly.

"Yeah, whatever helps you sleep at night, buddy." It was Neal's turn to pat August on the shoulder.

August sighed. Yeah he was more of her stalker then her Guardian Angel. He was supposed to be her Guardian Angel. He was supposed to watch over her and protect her, but instead he bailed on her and didn't come back until he was almost dying. No wonder she didn't believe him. No wonder he failed. His only shot at redemption was to convince this guy to go back to Emma, have Neal tell her the truth about what really happened, and live happily ever after and blah, blah, blah.

"Look, you have nothing to be afraid of with Emma. I mean sure when she first sees you she'll be pissed. Yes, from my experience with Emma she can make you feel like a scared little boy, but once that is over you can tell her what happened and she'll eventually forgive you. All will end well." August said as he took another sip trying to hide his masochistic discomfort of thinking about their epic romantic reunion.

"Okay, since you seem to know her so well. How do you think she will react to the fact that my father is Rumpbellstiskin and the whole reason why she and her family had to suffer was because my father was just trying to find me?" Neal asked.

That left August a bit speechless. He really had no idea how Emma would handle the whole Rumpbellstiskin is Neal's father reveal. He took another drink. For the first time in a very long time, he was fresh out of ideas. He supposed it shouldn't matter to him. It was Neal's problem, not his. Still he couldn't help but feel like it was his problem too. Years ago he would not care, as long as Emma broke the curse that was all that mattered to him but now everything was different. He was different. As for Neal, that poor guy he couldn't help but care what happened to him. He had changed a lot since they first met too. It probably had something to do with a lot of drunken pity parties, beating each other up sporadically for getting off of the right track, and bonding over being thrown into this overwhelming world without a clue how to navigate it. Or it could possibly be the fact they were both haunted by the same dreams.

After a few more drinks they still were not any closer to solving the problem than they were when they decided to embark on this brilliant plan of trying to settle this over drinks.

Finally, August pointed his index finger up intellectually, "So in conclusion, we both admit that we're afraid of our fathers and Emma. And our only solution I could think that wouldn't physically or mentally harm us would be to run, run far away, but that hasn't worked out for us so far. So basically, we're screwed."

Neal shook his head in defeat and raised his glass, "I can drink to that."

Then they both put each other's glasses together and had one more drink.

August woke up with a piece of paper stuck on his face. He stretched realizing he had fallen asleep on his stomach on Neal's floor. He stretched his arms realizing he fell asleep wearing his leather jacket. He pulled off the paper of one of Neal's many sketches of Story Brooke characters. He looked around the room to see that Neal was nowhere to be found. He picked up a torn up piece of paper that said, "Went to work".

August rubbed his eyes and headed to Neal's desk where there was a fresh coffee pot as usual. Well, that was a bust he didn't gain any progress in the whole convincing Neal to go back to Story Brooke plan. He really did not think it would be this hard. Sure he knew the fear of reuniting with his father was always there but it was Emma. Neal actually had a real shot with her. Even though it was over a decade ago August knew that Emma still thought of Neal. She had kept that yellow bug for all of this time. He knew Neal didn't move on either as he roamed through Neal's small cluttered studio apartment he touched Neal's dream catcher that Emma gave to him. Where ever Neal was he always kept it with him.

August knew that Neal was not happy living this life. Sure it was a step up from living out of your car and hitting convenient stores and it was a step up from a lot of the different low places Neal reached in his life. He had a full paying job in the most thriving city in the world. He had a job where he got to use his talents. Neal was an artist working for an advertising company. August was sure it was fulfilling and all of that but it would not fill the emptiness that was inside of him. It would not make him forget about Emma. August knew no matter how many distractions you gave yourself whether they were appropriate or not there was never any forgetting Emma.

He could never forget her. He could not forget her smile, the way she laughed, or the way she gave him her "you have to be kidding me" look. He could not forget the curve of her lips, the look in her eyes, or the amazing way she was with her kid. He knew there was no forgetting her. A selfish part of him wanted to abandon his mission and go back to Emma and just be with her. He almost died because of his selfishness. The whole town almost missed out on the curse being broken because of his selfishness.

He was done being selfish. Emma, Henry, and Neal deserved to be happy. Neal had a real shot at happiness. August knew Neal could not stay away from Emma forever. So there was one last thing he had to tell Neal. He had no idea how he was going to break the news to his friend, but he knew he had to.

August waited around Neal's apartment for Neal. He passed the time by writing in his notebook he carried around with him. As he looked around he realized that Neal was still getting dreams just like him. So he continued to write.

When the door swung open Neal walked in throwing his business duffel bag on the bed, looking miserable.

"You're still here." Neal said slightly surprised.

"I am. Look there's something I have to tell you." August said as all of the blood rushed to his head. He didn't realize he would be this nervous. He knew this was a talk he had to have with him. It shouldn't have made him want to run far away but he looked at Neal completely oblivious about what he was about to tell him.

August began to pace.

"So maybe you should sit down." He told Neal who was already sitting down on his messy bed that was covered with wadded up papers and some of his sketches.

"Oh this has got to be good." Neal said folding his arms waiting slightly entertained with his fidgeting friend.

"Maybe I'll sit down." August said as he sat down and then he stood back up and then he started to pace again. This was not going to be easy but he knew he had to do it.

"Woa, there buddy your starting give me whip lash. Sit still man." Neal said.

"Right." August said as he sat down trying to sit still but failing miserably. He folded his arms and then unfolded them. He leaned his elbow on his knee but then immediately stopped that.

"Alright, you are starting to scare me. You didn't sleep with Emma did you?" Neal asked afraid.

Yeah, well, at least it wasn't like that.

"No, no, nothing like that." August said still nervous.

"Okay, just spit it out It's like pulling off a Band-Aid." Neal said getting nervous at his friends nervousness. There wasn't much that got his friend the former puppet nervous.

"Fine. You've got a kid." August spit out. Yeah, like pulling off a Band-Aid, that was a good idea.

Neal stared at him blankly and said, "Say what?"

His eyes stared into the deep abyss. He couldn't of heard August right could he?

"You're a dad congratulations! His name is Henry. Cute kid. So apparently Emma had him at jail and gave him up for adoption. Regina ended up raising him and he was the reason why she came back to Story Brooke in the first place. And yeah that's it." August said speaking as fast as Neal has ever heard him. Geesh no wonder he was nervous.

Neal's eyes widened in shock and then he said, "I need a minute to process this."

His mind spun a mile a minute. How could he process this? He had a kid with Emma and August knew and now he was just getting around to telling him. This was huge. It really did color the whole going back to Storybrooke debacle. But a kid? He had a kid? A KID!

"Yeah. Take your time." August said with the smoothness in his voice returning and the nervousness leaving his body like it was never there in the first place.

Then Neal stood up, walked up to August, and proceeded to punch him in the face.

August rubbed his reddened cheek and said, "Yeah, I deserved that."

"You bet you did. Seriously August a kid? I got a kid! How could you not tell me?!" Neal asked furious.

"I didn't know until I arrived in Story Brooke and that was not something I could just tell you over the phone." August defended himself.

"How come you didn't know sooner? You were supposed to be her Guardian Angel. You were supposed to be watching over her." Neal said rubbing his hand through his hair pacing around his messy room, still careful not to trip and fall.

"I know. I know. She was in jail when it happened. I couldn't exactly find out about it." August said on alert.

August's excuses ceased to amaze him.

"I know man, but if you had just grown a pair back then and simply introduced yourself like you should have a long time ago you would have known." Neal said still seething.

"How many times do we tell each other not to play 'the would have could have' game?" August informed him.

"Too many times to count. But this is my kid, he's what ten years old now?" Neal asked, still not believing that they were having this conversation.

"Yeah." August said.

"I missed his whole childhood. I never got to see him grow up."

"I know."

"I missed out on having a family with Emma."

"I know."

"I missed everything." Neal said with so much deep sorrow in his voice it hit August like a kick in the stomach.

"I know. You will never know how sorry I am. And if I played 'the would have could have' game I would think about me leaving again during that time and not coming back for several years. I wonder if I made the right choice in making you leave. You cleaned your life up maybe you could have cleaned it up sooner if I hadn't interfered. You don't think I think about that. I do think about it every day." August said filled with deep seeded regret.

"Yeah, that's why we keep on telling each not to play the 'the would have could have' game. Because we just don't know. I could have gotten my act together or could have not gotten it together and I would have put a kid in that kind of life and no kid should be in caught up in that kind of life. No kid deserves to have a father for a criminal." Neal said with a dark echo in his voice. August knew he wasn't just talking about hypothetical Henry.

"I know." August said as he patted Neal on his shoulder sincerely.

Then he continued, "That is why you need to go back now. I get that is scary to face your father and the wrath of Emma is always frightening but you have a kid. He's a great kid and now that you know he's out there you can…"

"Do right by him?" Neal asked unbelieving.

"Yeah." August responded simply.

"How am I supposed to do that? He was raised by Regina and he has my bad genes he's probably doomed." Neal said looking at the window all of his fears about becoming his father coming up to the surface.

"He is not doomed and either are you. Yes, your father did evil things and you were raised with that until you were about Henry's age. But now Henry has a real shot at a real family who can love him, who can teach him the right things." August said bringing back his smooth story telling voice.

"How can I teach him anything when my father is…?"

"You really have to get over that man. You left him because of what he became. When you realized you were going down the way wrong path you fixed it. You are not doomed to be evil just because your father was the Dark One. And either is Henry. Despite his being raised by the Evil Queen herself and his 'genetics', which by the way aren't that bad; he became the most amazing kid ever." August said firmly.

Suddenly Neal was completely jealous of August getting to meet his son before him. August met him and thought he was amazing. It wasn't a huge surprise he was Emma's kid, at least he had some good genetics in him. He wanted to meet his kid. He wanted to be reunited with Emma and be a family with them. For the longest time he never thought he could have that. There were so many times he dreamed about having that with Emma. But a lot of those dreams were clouded with the deep seeded fear that he wouldn't make it as a father. He feared that there was something wrong with him, that there was something dark in him. He feared that he would be just as a screwed up father that his father was to him. He feared that whatever that darkness was it was in him and then it would pass down to any kid he had. But now he had a kid and if he never showed up in his life now that he knew about him he would be just as bad as his own father. His father abandoned him when he needed him the most, he couldn't do the same to his own kid.

Then Neal said resolved, "Okay, then what are we waiting for lets hit the road."

"What? I am not going with you." August said fear flashing in his eyes.

"Why not?" Neal asked.

"I can't face my father. I messed up too much. He sent me on a mission and I failed completely." August said regret dripping out of every word.

"Not this again. How many times do we have to go down these downward spirals? You almost turned back into wood because of your downward spirals. I almost lost a chance at a family because of mine. Sure it is going to be like going through hell going back there and facing the music but it's either now or never. We both have to man up and just take it. Besides with the two of us combined we make one full man with some ounce of courage." Neal said trying to look at the bright side.

August said, "Someone's optimistic."

"Well, maybe you are finally rubbing off on me."

"Yikes." August said and then he sighed and continued to say,

"Well, let's go before we change our minds, again. This is going to be interesting."

Neal put his hand over his friend's shoulder and said, "To say the least."

August looked at his buddy sadly knowing that Neal really had no idea how interesting it was going to be. August didn't know how he could face his father and Emma once they knew the truth of his failure but he knew that it was now or never. His whole plan of leaving and just sending Neal back, while sounded a little noble still was cowardly. He wanted to get out of the way so his buddy Neal and Emma could be happy. But it was still cowardly leaving and not facing the music of his bad choices. So he had to go there to get the guilt ridden reveals of his mistakes over with. Hopefully it was as Neal said, "Like pulling off a Band Aid."

August leaned against his motor cycle folding his arms looking at his watch realizing they have been waiting in front of the "Welcome to Story Brooke" sign for a half an hour. Neal had the rental car parked on the side of the road as he stood in front of the town line just staring at it trying to move one step closer but then taking two steps backwards.

"Anytime now Neal."

"Ok, why don't you do the honors?" Neal asked clearly freaked out about crossing the town line.

"Look Neal, it's going to be okay. The town won't eat you up and spit you out."

"Are you sure about that? Rumpbellstilsin lives in this town and magic is back. Anything can happen." Neal said his face getting paler as looked onto the town like it held a fire breathing dragon.

"Come on man it's like you said pulling off of the Band-Aid. We have to just finally face our fears. It will be fine." August tried to reassure him.

"I know and I will just give me a minute." Neal said as he rubbed a hand through his short dark hair.

"We've been out here for half an hour." August complained.

"Why are you in such a rush?"

"I'm just ready to get this over with. I am ready to pull off the Band-Aid." August said.

Neal eyed him suspicious.

"Is that all?"

"Yes, that is all." August said pointedly.

Neal stared him down not buying his explanation.

"Really?"

August huffed annoyed and said, "Look, I really just want to get this over with okay."

"Why you didn't want to come back here? You're afraid to face your father so why are you all of the sudden in a rush now?"

"We decided we are going to do this, so I just want to do this. I really want to get the whole telling Emma what really happened over with. So you two can live happily ever after and we all can move on with our lives."

Neal stared at him for a moment contemplative.

"Did something happen between you two while you were here?" Neal asked.

"What? No. Of course not." August said not really looking Neal straight in the eye.

"Pinochochio." Neal said in a chiding voice.

"Balefire." August echoed.

Then suddenly a police cruiser drove just above the town line towards them. August looked at it; his heart almost went in his throat. Emma was coming to them. This was it. This was going to be the moment of truth. It was going to be the moment where they had to pull off the Band-Aid and tell Emma the truth.

Emma did not come out of the police cruiser. It was David Nolan, or well Prince Charming. He came out wearing the sheriff badge and gun on one side of his waist and a sword on the other.

August gulped at the sight of him. Neal and August looked at each other afraid. Of all of the fears they had about coming they completely forgot about the one big fear that should have put on the top of their list: Emma's father.

I love both guys so no bashing please. I've had an August/Emma/Neal triangle fic in my head for such a long time, but it always changed in my head as the show went on. And yeah, if you haven't figured it out Neal=Balefire. I always liked the idea that Balefire was Henry's father and that he and August were somehow friends. I know from Tallahassee it does not look like they could be friends but hey I love it when friendships are unlikely ones. More to details on how they became friends will happen later. Review please.