Daniela Swan Once Upon A Time

Broken

" I know what she did Henry. I was the person most hurt, but that's exactly why I refuse to let you leave alone! If you're going to see August and then her, then I am too. " Dani's eyes glittered with determination as she looked at Henry fiercely.

Sighing Henry nodded and with that the two left to Granny's.

Scene Change

Once they arrived, they rushed past the dinners and to the inn part of Granny's. Getting to August's room, Henry raised his hand to knock. Before the door had even fully opened Henry was talking. " August, please, we need your help! Emma wants to leave! "

August looks shocked. " What? Slow down. "

Henry rushes on, panicked. " You we're gonna make her believe. You have to! "

" I know Henry, Dani. I'm sorry. I - I failed. " August replied with a solemn look on his face.

" Failed? " Dani asked quietly.

August looks at Dani in concern, worried about how quiet she has been. " I tried to show her. First it was my legs. And now, now take a look. "

With difficulty August starts to pull down his sleeve. " At the unvarnished truth. "

Finally managing it with a gasp of pain, the kids are shocked at what they find. His arm is completely wooden. Henry decides to point out the obvious. " It's wood! "

" Yes. "

" All of this, we were right. The curse, it's real. " Henry continues in disbelief.

Dani shakes her head, how was he so excited when their friend was in trouble?

" You both are smart kids. " There's a slight grin on his face as he speaks.

" And you're Pinocchio. " Dani says quietly, mind racing with the ways she could possibly help him.

August grunts in pain as he pulls his sleeve back down. " What gave it away? "

Dani looks at him seriously, mind still racing. " Why are you turning back to wood? Your story said nothing about you turning back. "

August sighs. " I'm changing back because I haven't exactly been a good boy. And uh, " August goes to kneel, hitting the ground with a pained exhale. " Well, if the curse doesn't break, this doesn't stop. "

Henry smiles. " So we show Emma that you're turning back into the puppet you were. And then she has to believe! And when she does, she could break the curse! "

Looking down gloomily, August replies. " I tried that. She doesn't want to see. So she doesn't. There's nothing more that I can do. I'm getting tired. It's hard to ride and it's hard to walk. Soon it's going to be hard to breath. "

" So we have to do something fast. " Henry nods in determination.

" There's nothing to do. " August insists. " And with what little time I have left, I want to spend it with my father. "

" Marco. "

" Told you you're a smart kid. " August smiles gently.

Looking around nervously, Dani speaks up. " There's nothing more that you can do. But we can do this, I know we can. And I can help you too. "

August looks confused, so Dani goes to elaborate. " I have Magic. I can't make it stop, but I can take away your pain. "

Making August lie down on his bed, Dani gets to work. She had never tried this before, so she wasn't positive it would work. But he had tried so hard to help them. Now it was her turn to help him.