A/N: So, anything that is underlined and italicized took place in the Enchanted Forest. Anything that's normal takes place in Storybrooke. Pretty much how it's gonna go for the rest of the story. Just wanted to make that clear. Happy reading :)

She sighed, staring out at the night sky as she did so. Music played in the room behind her, but she was happy to be out on the balcony, the cool air blowing on her skin.

A throat cleared and she turned to see him standing there.

"Father," Anastasia greeted.

"You look lovely, Anastasia," he began. "What a beautiful young woman you've turned out to be. Makes me feel old now."

"Father! I'm not that old!"

"You, your sisters, and your brother are all growing up so fast."

"Can't Alexei come down and have some fun for once?" she asked. "It is my birthday. Shouldn't I be celebrating it with all of my siblings, tonight?"

"You know we can't do that." He sighed. "Here. The real reason I came out here." He held something out to her.

"A present?" she asked, taking the box from him.

"Why don't you open it and see?"

She did and took out the golden box within. She gasped, seeing the emerald decorations, the pearls….

"A jewelry box?"

"You forgot the most important part." He reached in and took out a necklace. "Here."

He took the box and stuck the necklace's charm into the lock. He spun it around and the lid opened. Two figures were dancing there, spinning around in a waltz as music began to play.

"A music box," she whispered. "It's our song!"

"I thought you might like it." He closed the lid and handed it back to her, also fastening the necklace around her neck as he did so. "Now you have something to remember your family by."

"It's wonderful, father. But…. Why would I need to remember you?"

He leaned on the railing, eyes scanning the town below them. "Dark times are coming. The people are rioting more and more. Something tells me a change is coming soon."

"I thought you had planned to talk to them, to explain everything."

"I did. But things have grown worse, Anastasia. Much worse." He shook his head, seeing the look on his daughter's face. "I'm sorry for having to bring this up on your birthday."

"It's alright." She put her hand on her father's arm. "I want to help, father. You know I do."

He smiled and nodded, leading her back inside. "How about I request a dance instead?"

Once the dance was over, she snuck out of the ballroom, grabbing a box before making her way up to the room in the tower, quietly opening the door as she did so.

"Alexei! Alexei, wake up!"

"Anastasia?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

She stuck her lip out. "You forgot what day it was, didn't you?"

He grinned. "How could I forget my sister's birthday?"

"Which one?" she asked.

"My favorite!"

"Alright! You're forgiven!" She climbed into his bed and sat down across from him. "I brought this, too." She set out the box and opened it, revealing two large pieces of cake. "Can't have you missing out on my own celebration."

"Shouldn't you be down at the ball?" he asked.

"It's only been one dance, you know. They won't miss me that much." She sighed. "Everyone's too busy talking about this announcement."

"Announcement?"

"Someone came in. Said he was placing a 'curse' on our family or something like

that."

"Are you scared?"

"Not really." She shook her head. "Oh, and you have to see what father got me!" She took out the box and showed it to him.

"A...box?" he asked, peering at it.

"A music box!" She inserted the charm and opened it so he could see.

"Wow!"

She got to her feet and curtsied. "If I may have this dance, Prince Alexei?"

He smiled and stood, bowing as he did so. "I'd be delighted, Princess Anastasia."

They waltzed around the room, half-spinning and half-dancing.

Something crashed outside and they stopped.

"What was that?" he asked.

"I don't know."

He ran over to the window. "Anastasia! Come look!"

She did, peering over the windowsill. She gasped, seeing the dark crowd storming into the castle.

"The rioters!" She ran over to the bed and grabbed the music box. "Alexei! Hurry! We have to get out of here!"

She grabbed her brother's arm, pulling him out the door. He ran behind her and out into the hallway.

Men roared, charging toward them. She gasped, skidding to a halt before turning around. "Back that way!"

They ran out the door, heading through the servants' quarters and to the stables. She mounted her horse and stashed her music box into the saddle bag. She dug her heels into the sides of her horse, galloping away as she did so, charging past the rioters.

Anastasia slowed her horse once she was in the forest, gasping for breath as she did so.

"We made it out," she whispered. She frowned, glancing around as she did so. "Alexei? Alexei? Where are you?"

Anna sighed, sweeping the leaves into the bin, humming to herself as she did so. Laughter reached her ears and she looked up, seeing a kid run into a parent's arms. She smiled, trying to imagine herself as that kid, parents eagerly waiting for her, her dad's arms ready to swing her high up into the air as her mom smiled….

Then the sound of doctors talking overhead shattered the image as she woke up in a hospital bed. They looked at her, asking if she could remember anything. She knew that her name was Anna, at least, but that had been about it. That was a long time ago, though. Years and years of searching around Storybrooke, and nothing. No relatives had ever come to visit her, no happy faces had ever greeted her, saying that they missed their little girl.

"Anna?" a voice asked. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." She did her best to smile. "What are you doing here, Henry?"

"Dr. Hopper's session just finished." He sighed, holding the storybook in his hands.

"Oh." She bit her lip, knowing what he meant. Henry was the mayor's son, but he was also a bit off. Everyone had heard of his claims that they were all fairytale characters trapped in another realm by some Dark Curse, waiting for the Savior to come and rescue them on her twenty-eighth birthday.

"Yeah." He shrugged. "You sure you're okay, Anna?"

"I'm fine. I never did find my family anyways. Guess I'll never find them…."

"Maybe they're still in the Enchanted Forest?" he suggested. "Your parents, your sisters, even your brother."

"Right," she remembered. "I'm a princess, aren't I? What was the name again?"

"Anastasia," he reminded.

"Course. Isn't there supposed to be some prince with that too?"

"He's not exactly a prince. His name's Dimitri. Here he's actually Dean."

"Okay. The princess part? Maybe. Me ending up with Dean? Definitely not. Can't stand the guy."

"It's the curse."

"If that's true, then I really hope you find the Savior."

"I should probably go," he muttered.

"Don't you have school?" she pointed out. "Since your mom decided to give you weird early-morning sessions?"

"Not today…. It's a...special-no-school-day today."

"Henry?"

"Fine." He sighed. "I think I sort of found my birth mom last night-or at least where she lives. I think she might be the Savior that'll free us all from the curse. She is twenty-eight, or at least, she will be. I was planning on going to find her. Please don't tell my mom, Anna! Please!"

She shook her head, knowing how desperate she had been once to find her own parents. "My silence isn't free, you know."

He grinned started running off. "I'll owe you one when I get back! The best grilled cheese from Granny's! I promise! Thanks, Anna!"

"Henry!" she called out after him. "Be careful, okay?"

"Got it!"

"Wow. The price of your silence is a sandwich."

She rolled her eyes and turned around to face him. "Really, Dean? The local con is going to tell me how to do something?"

"Hey!" He put his hands up. "I'm just a guy trying to do a little good for our town! And if it makes me money, well, what can I say then? I'm happy, so everyone else should be happy, right?"

"I should report you…. Wonder if the sheriff's station is still open…."

"Yeah right." He shook his head. "You're too in love with me to do something like that!"

"Me? You must have me confused for someone else. You are the last person I would ever fall for!"

"I'm hurt."

"Good! Because that was the intention!"

"And people wonder why you're the street sweeper!" He grinned. "Because you know what, Anna? One day: I'm going to have made so much money that I'll be able to afford a one-way ticket out of this town and out into the real world. So while you're busy sweeping streets, I'll be out there travelling around and doing whatever I want. And hey, maybe I'll give you one last chance to be nice to me. What do you say, huh?"

"When you stop being annoying, then I'll be nice to you! Oh, wait…. You can't really do much about that, can you? Because the only way you make any money around here is by scamming everyone else."

"One day, Anna!" He smirked and saluted. "One day!"