Hook's Daughter

Bloody Brilliant

"There's no one here," I told them as I walked inside the camper. Charli went to the back of it, looking inside the small bedroom and bathroom. We went back outside the camper as my phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Ashton?" It was August.
"August? What's wrong, where are you?!"
"I need you to listen to me. I have to warn you..."
"Warn me? Warn me about what?" I asked. The line went dead silent and I put away the phone.
I looked at everyone wide eyed.
"What's wrong?" Charli asked.
"It's August, he was trying to warn us..."
"About what?" Emma asked.
"I don't know, the line went dead. We need to get to the station. Right now."

We ran as fast as we could to the station. David met us along the way. He tried to keep calling the station phone, but no one would pick up.
"If August is still at the station," David said. "He's not picking up."
But he was, as it seemed, still there. When we were less than 100 feet from the station, the door opened, and August, completely turned to wood, stumbled out and fell to the ground.
"August!" Emma yelled as we all ran to him.
"My child," Marco exclaimed. "My boy, my boy! What happened to you?"
"I'm so sorry, Papa," August told him.
"No, there is nothing to apologize for. Everything is going to be all right," Marco assured him.
"Emma..." August whispered in her ear. "She's..." But he didn't finish. His eyes stayed open as he slumped back against the cold concrete.
"Oh, no," Marco sobbed. "Not again..."
"August?" Neal said as he came up to us.
"No," Mary Margaret said. "It can't end this way. He was supposed to get a second chance."
"What happened?" Neal asked.
"Someone killed him to stop him from telling us something," I told Neal softly, "He used his last dying breath to warn us."
I didn't want to believe this had actually happened. Apart from Neal, August was my only good friend I first met coming to this world. Even if the circumstances had not been ideal, I had trusted him. I had his bloody motorcycle for God's sake.
"I am not letting that be in vain," Emma said angrily.
"Brave, truthful, and unselfish," Henry muttered. "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."
"I'm here, Henry," she said, running up.
"What does Henry mean?" Charli asked.
"I was able to turn Pinocchio into a real boy after he sacrificed his life for Marco's. If his actions today were indeed brave, truthful, and unselfish, then you're right, there's a chance I can do it again," Blue said.
"Please," Marco said. "I beg of you. Try."
Blue nodded and used her wand to cast a light over August. He was transformed into a little boy, no more than ten years old. I didn't want August to be dead, but it hurt to see him so young. Even if he was alive, I still felt like I had lost my friend.
"Father?" Pinocchio said as he woke up.
"Pinocchio," Marco replied. "Look! Look."
"I'm a real boy... I'm a real boy!" Pinocchio exclaimed, hugging Marco. Tamara walked up at this point.
"Hi," Neal said to her.
"It's...it's true," Tamara said as Blue walked up to Pinocchio.
"Do better this time, Pinocchio," Blue told him and he nodded, smiling.
"That's...Pinocchio?" Tamara asked.
"Yeah," Neal said.
"Pinocchio," I said, getting down on a knee so I was at his height. "I have to ask you a question. I need you to think real hard, okay?"
He nodded and I continued,
"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," I told him.
"I don't remember," he replied. "If I did, I would be truthful. I promise." I smiled at him and stood back up. Everyone went their separate ways, Emma, Mary Margaret, David, and Henry back to their apartment, Neal and Tamara to Granny's, Marco and Pinocchio to his workshop, and Charli and I back to the complex.
"I had fun today," Charli said.
"Yeah," I said. "Me too."
"Thanks for your help too," she said. "I feel better about my parents now."
"Glad I could help," I smiled. "It's fun to have a friend."
"Well, I'll see you later, yeah?"
"Yeah," I said, and went back to my own apartment.

Neal and Henry were sword fighting. It was great to see them both smile and have fun. I was sitting on a bench, watching as they clashed their wooden swords together. Neal let Henry get the upper hand, and soon Henry was holding both swords.
"Gosh, Neal," I said. "You need to step up your game. You're getting beat by a twelve year old."
He smiled at me. "You think you can beat me?"
"Oh, I know I can beat you."
"What do you say, than. Let's see if the pirate can fight."
"Alright," I stood up and Henry handed me a sword. "Let's see if the Dark One's son can."
I flipped the sword in my hand.
"Show off," Neal said. I smirked,
"I prefer the word amazing."
He struck with his sword, but I deflected it, twisting my wrist around to strike back.
"Maybe you are good," I told Neal. "But I'm still better."
We struck back and forth for a while. Every once and a while one of us would get the upper hand. I decided to end the fight and twisted my wrist once, turned the sword to the right, and Neal's sword fell out of his hand. I smiled.
"Henry," I said. "I guess your dads not very good with a sword."
Henry laughed. "Maybe you should teach me, Ashton."
Neal laughed too. "Yeah, you're pretty good, Ash."
"Thank you," I said. "Glad you have been taught something today."
"What's that?"
"Pirates are bloody brilliant with a sword," I said. "And don't forget it."

I already have the next chapter written and ready to. I'll post it tomorrow after noon sometime. Thanks for reading and getting this book to so many views. I'm so happy when I see comments and votes. :-)
Love you babes,
Liz xx