Emma leaned against the bright yellow building, checking her phone and new watch nervously. Neal was running late; late enough, she was about to call him. He couldn't be another person to abandon her. Until she saw him, to her right. He held a finger to his mouth and began to walk slowly away from her. Emma followed his lead and snuck around the building, following Neal until they safely got to their bug. Emma got into the front seat next to Neal and closed the door giving Neal a look.

"You were supposed to come immediately, and then you sneak up behind me and have us sneak away? What is going on?" Forget about the watches, what was he up to? She thought he wanted Tallahassee as much as she did. Why make her doubt him?

"I'm sorry, there was a cop on the other side of the building. I noticed the officer coming after you." He ran a hand through her messy hair, "I had to plan a way to get us both out safely." Neal placed the hand on her shoulder, "I wouldn't leave you, you know that, right?"

"Old habits die hard, I know you understand." She sighed, leaning her head into his hand. "Can we leave tomorrow instead? I'm a bit exhausted."

Neal gave her a nod and removed his hand before driving them back to their motel room. He was so lucky Emma didn't catch his lie like she usually did. She must have been more exhausted than Neal thought. He definitely knew what being left behind looked like. That's how he knew that August wasn't thinking about what Emma truly needed. August wanted Neal to run off and let Emma rot in jail while he would get away scot-free. Sure, they were robbing stores, and he was keeping her from that so-called destiny, but they loved each other. You don't leave people who you love. August would be searching and following them for the next few years, but it would be worth it. She was worth it.

Emma took off her glasses and closed her eyes. Neal was focused on the road, and they wouldn't be back at the motel for a while. Then it would be a long travel day tomorrow. Tallahassee, sure she knew nothing about the place, but it would be home. Finally, a home with the man she cares for, and a chance for normalcy.

It didn't take long for Emma to fall asleep as Neal kept at the wheel. He noticed how young Emma looked when she slept, she was almost 18 but her constant attentiveness and past struggles made her seem older. Neal loved those moments when she was carefree, like the day they chose Tallahassee. He finally arrived at the motel and woke her up with a kiss on her forehead, "We're here."

"Just a few..." Emma fell back asleep before finishing her sentence. So Neal did as anyone from the Enchanted Forest would have done, he picked her up in his arms bridal style and brought her to their room.

~~~

Emma's eyes shot open as the alarm clock went off across the room. She noticed Neal sleeping beside her; nothing would wake him up when he was relaxed and felt safe. She got up and turned the clock off. They arrived at their hotel in Tallahassee two weeks before and were already running out of food and money. Emma assumed she would have to go and find a place to pull a con soon, even though Neal was trying to get them both on the right path. He was job searching all night, and with no real experience, he wasn't the most impressive candidate. Neither was Emma as a former foster home run away.

She sat down at their mini table after taking a quick shower. Emma loved quiet mornings, especially the hot cocoa with cinnamon that the hotel offered. As she took her last sip, there was a knock on the door. They weren't expecting anyone, Neal would have told her if he was. She stood up in her white robe and opened the door a sliver. A man with brown hair and striking blue eyes stood in front of her.

"Excuse me, who are you?" Emma stuck her head out the door. The man looked nervous, great, he wasn't police. He spoke casually with an easy smile, "Emma, is Neal awake?"

"I asked who you are, not who you are looking for." Forget the fact he knew her name, this guy was looking at her like he knew her. It was getting creepy. The only reason she didn't slam the door in his face was Neal.

"I'm August, a friend." August noticed her uneasiness, and that was before he said anything about knowing her when she was little or even fairytales. Best to keep all of that quiet around her, she would only understand when she turned 28, that was the destiny that awaited her.

"Well, friend," she rolled her eyes, "Neal is sleeping after a long night." Could this man leave already? She wanted to get dressed so she could snatch up some food for the rest of the week.

"Could he be woken up? This is an urgent conversation. It's about a problem with his childhood. It seems Neal forgot what happens when you run away from fate."

"Alright." She begrudgingly opened the door to their hotel room. She didn't know this man, but she also didn't know the details of Neal's past; Emma knew not to push it. Hopefully, he'll get whatever it is sorted out. At least he didn't seem to be lying. That was a good start.

August entered the room, and Emma shook Neal to wake him up, "If you don't get up, I'll pour a bucket of ice water all over you." She threatened loudly. Neal slowly woke from his deep sleep, his eyes went from his robe covered girlfriend to August. August. He found us. It's only been 2 weeks.

Emma gave Neal a quick kiss, "I'm going to get dressed and leave you both to chat. Don't break anything, we don't have the money to pay the hotel back." Emma looked between them and headed toward the bathroom with a pile of clothing.

"Can she hear us?" August asked, watching Emma walk off.

"Yes, wait a few seconds. My girlfriend will be blasting music soon enough." Neal paused, and music began playing from the bathroom. He loved how Emma could transform when she heard a particular song; she would go from hostile to a dance party if the right tune was on. "She dragged the radio in there a few days ago." He cleared his throat, "Why did you follow us, August? If you can't tell, I don't plan on leaving her."

August crossed his arms, "I know you think you mean well, but you are a criminal, a bad influence, and not letting her follow her destiny. She is meant to save all the people from the enchanted forest Neal, as much as you despise your father, you know it's the right thing to do."

"It's also the right thing to stay with Emma, do you know what she has been through August? You ditched her, and she went from home to home, never belonging. I've given her stability, a home. What could have jail done, August? She would have been heartbroken, having me leave her after knowing her past? That's cruel." Neal's voice got angrier and louder as he spoke. Hopefully, Emma was too busy listening to that new pop song.

"It's not about you. Your girlfriend is going to show up there on her 28th birthday, whatever you do. But if you come along, hating magic because of what it did to you, and then make sure Emma does not believe? She will be stuck there in a loop until she breaks the curse. It's her destiny, I'm sure your father wouldn't be too happy if she stepped out of line." August sneered. He had to get this through his thick skull. Of course, the jail wasn't the best course of becoming free of Neal, but it would keep her away from him just long enough until she breaks the curse. So he could be with his father Gepetto once again. "If you don't leave her, then I'll make sure the police find both of you. You will be separated, Neal, and while she might not hate you for leaving her, she will still hate you. You made her a criminal."

Neal couldn't stand all the emotion flooding through him and punched August in the gut. August hunched over in pain, "You know you can't run forever."

Suddenly the music stopped, and Emma hummed, exiting the bathroom in jeans and an oversized T-shirt. Then Emma remembered August was there, and a rosy blush spread on her cheeks, and she stopped humming. Once she got over her embarrassment, she realized August was hunched over, and Neal has a bright red fist at his side. Emma reprimanded, "I don't know what happened between the two of you, but I'm not standing for another criminal charge on my head." She walked over to Neal and wrapped her arms around him before giving him a quick kiss, "What did he do to deserve your wrath?"

Neal held her against him and jested, "He said that he wanted to send you to an enchanted kingdom for you to become a princess in one of those ballerina tutus."

Emma gave Neal a 'Do I really want to know?' look, "You both sort this out while I go shopping." Emma left the men, grabbed a backpack, the keys to the bug, and kissed Neal's cheek.

"Don't kill each other." She said strictly before leaving the bedroom and heading toward the bug outside. It would be a bit more complicated, pulling this off on her own, but she would manage.

It wasn't hard for August to see what they saw in each other. They both thought that the other was alone and that it was their job to fill that gap. Emma just didn't know that she didn't have the many missing holes in her backstory as she thought.

Neal shook out his fist and sat down by the mini table. "No more punching, just talk." August nodded and moved to the seat across from Neal.

"She brought no money with her Neal, she is planning on robbing a store." August pointed out, "I'm sure she picked up that habit from you. Look, while I want you to leave, I don't want Emma suffering in a cell. But the jail time will teach her how to do things the right way and allow her the time to get over you. A perfect solution. She is only 17 Neal, she doesn't have our years of life experience. It's up to us to help out."

Neal remained silent. The more August spoke, the more he realized that while he thought him being there for Emma was a good thing, maybe it wasn't. It made him want to slap himself in the face for such thoughts, abandoning Emma and making her pay for crimes he committed. It would take more than a few conversations for him to truly leave her until she broke the curse, of course. "I need proof of this curse, August, you know I left years before any curse was cast."

"I guess it's time for us to take a trip." August smiled. It was working; Neal was finally doing the right thing.

~~~

Emma parked the bug a block from the store and placed her backpack correctly. While she hated the pregnant con, it was advantageous. Emma entered the store and headed straight toward the back. She had cased the place earlier in the week as it was the closest shop to the hotel. It didn't take long for her to pack up some snacks, drinks, and toiletries. The shop was pretty empty, and the cameras were placed at a junky angle; she would be fine. She even went up to the counter and purchased a pair of Tallahassee shirts for herself and Neal. Cash, of course, and then left with her goodies. She turned around, and luckily no one was after her. But when she did reach the bug, a policeman was waiting for her. Emma quickly began to back up and drop the goods from underneath and ran. The officer noticed seconds later and began to chase her. Emma didn't know where to go; they hadn't come up with a safe spot yet. So she kept turning corners, and it didn't take long for her to get out of breath. It was exhausting running from the law. Emma noticed that she had never been in this area before; running wouldn't work for much longer. Right before she decided to get moving again, the officer stopped in front of her, he even pulled out his gun.

"Emma Swan, you are under arrest for possession of stolen goods. If you don't cooperate, I will have to use more than words. Take off the watch and then hands above your head, miss." The police officer said clearly. Emma raised her hands up, proving she had no weapon and let herself be handcuffed.

"Where are the rest of them?" The officer asked. Emma looked downward, "I don't have them." Did Neal make the trade of the watches in Tallahassee yet? She knew he planned to do it this week. Neal didn't have any idea about which shop she chose, what if he couldn't get to her. Who even turned her in? How did they find her? Only Neal knew about the watches...could he? Or was it just the cameras? Emma let herself be led back to the police man's car; this would be a long day.

~~~

"She should come with us, maybe something will spark a memory." Neal pointed out while he packed up a few of his few belongings. Traveling with Pinocchio wasn't something he wanted to do alone, especially if he might bump into his father.

"Emma can't step foot in Storybrooke until her 28th birthday, you know that, Neal. Now hurry up, put your suitcase in my car outside, and let's get moving. It takes about a day by car." August pushed him. The sooner they left, the faster he could get Neal away from Tallahassee. August knew what was happening to Emma about now; he called it in, of course. August just had to keep Neal from finding out just long enough to get Emma sent to Phoenix. It would be easier once he convinced Neal, then he wouldn't contact her while she was in jail and once she gets out.

"Just let me write her a note." He quickly grabs a paper and pen from a drawer and writes, 'heading on a trip with August,
I need to deal with some things from my past. You know the drill, stay out of trouble. I love you, Emma.
-Neal'

~~~

It's been almost 12 hours since Neal left Tallahassee, and Emma has not called or answered any calls. He knew she could take care of herself, but something felt wrong. Was this paranoia? He began to dial her number once again.

"Neal, maybe her phone is dead, or she lost it. Calling so many times isn't helping anyone. Remember, we won't even be staying the night in Storybrooke. We just enter and look around then leave. We can't have anyone see us." August pointed out.

Neal nodded. She was fine, and he wouldn't even be gone half a week. Or so he thought.

Author's Note: all chapters and context might have spoilers from all 7 seasons of Once Upon A Time but I will have lots of changes so they might not be as obvious. Some of the wholes I leave can be filled by actually watching the show. Hope you enjoyed.