Here's another chapter for my lovely readers!


Dahlia pressed the blue ice bag on her cheek, as she kept her head elevated. She felt ridiculous with the pieces of gauze sticking out of her nose. But the nurse told her it was to stop the bleeding.

"You are lucky that it's not broken," the nurse said, inspecting her left pinkie finger.

The teen rolled her eyes and continued to stare up at the ceiling. The only injuries she acquired were a bruise on the cheek, a split lip, a punched to the nose and a possible broken pinkie. She didn't know how that happened. It must have been when her hand collided with Nicki's teeth. All she knew was that the redhead received a few more injuries than her.

"Ouch!" Dahlia yelped. The sudden movement to her pinkie made a sharp pain travel in her finger. "What the hell!?"

The door to the nurse's office opened before the older woman time to respond. The principal was the first to enter the room, followed closely by Regina. The mayor's eyes widen when she saw her daughter's face. She quickly rushed to the teen's side and inspected her face.

"You know what happened?" Dahlia asked Regina.

The dark haired woman nodded. "I do."

"Do you think I can take these pieces of gauze out. They are starting to itch," Dahlia glanced at the nurse.

"Just be careful."

"Ms. Maeve," the principal cleared his throat. He waited until the teenager made eye contact. "Just like Nicki, you will be suspended for a whole day," he passed the white slip to the teen. "I hope there is no repeat of this ever again for next time it will be expulsion."

"There won't be," Regina said. "I will make sure of it."

The principal nodded and left the room.

"How much trouble am I in?" Dahlia grumbled, throwing the gauze in the trashcan by the cot.

Regina glanced down at her daughter. "You're grounded. That means no tv, no cellphone, and won't be spending time with your friends after school."

"For how long?"

"A week."

Dahlia huffed. "Fine."

"I don't want you getting in another fight," Regina took the ice bag away from the teen's hand. She inspected the bruise that was forming on Dahlia's jaw. She felt anger again at the girl who had hurt her daughter. "You are lucky that your jaw wasn't broken or your nose."

"Sadly, the same can't be said to her pinkie," the nurse piped, moving the finger slightly.

"Son of a bitch!" Dahlia hissed. She felt the sharp pain that traveled on her pinkie. "Will you stop doing that!"

Regina gave her daughter a stern look, "Language, young lady." She turned her attention back to the school nurse. "Is her finger broken?"

The old woman sighed heavily. "It's fractured. She will need to wear a splint."

"For how long?" The mayor frowned.

The nurse inspected the pinkie once again. "Hmm, I would say about three weeks. She will have to go to the doctor's in a week to see how her finger is healing. That's all I can say."

"Three weeks wearing a splint?" Regina repeated.

The older woman nodded, walking to the wall cupboard across the room. "Better a splint than a cast." She opened one of the doors and took out a small box. She moved some things around until she saw the plastic sealed splint. She grabbed that and the medical tape.

"Does anything else hurt?" Regina asked her daughter, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Any other injuries we should know about?"

Dahlia shook her head. "Just the bruise and split lip. And the slight throbbing in my nose."

The nurse walked back to where the two dark haired women were. "This might hurt a bit."

"Okay."

Regina started to run her fingers through her daughter's hair when felt her tense and wince. Slowly she felt Dahlia calm but Regina continued to brush her daughter's hair.

"Can it be taken out before the tree weeks?" Dahlia curiously observed the nurse on what she was doing.

"Depends on how fast your finger heals."

After the splint was put on properly, the nurse informed them how to take care of the splint. Soon after, Regina and Dahlia left the office.

"You will come with me to my office for the remainder of the day," Regina cliply told her daughter as they walked out of the school building. "Work on any school assignments you have."

"Yes, ma'am."

They were close to the mayor's car when Regina grabbed Dahlia's arm, making her stop. Regina glanced at her daughter. "I meant what I said before, child. Don't get in another fight like this again."

Dahlia was about to make a snippy comment but stopped. She noticed how anxious Regina looked. It was the same expression her sister would give her whenever she did something stupid or reckless. She sighed and gave a slow nod. "I won't do it again."

Regina smiled faintly before pulling her daughter in a hug. The mayor kissed the top of Dahlia's head. She felt the teen hug her back, making Regina smile once more.


"What did you have in mind, sheriff?" Mr. Gold said, barely glancing up from his work.

Emma placed her hands on the counter. "Regina is framing Mary Margaret. I don't have court worthy proof but I know she is."

"And why does this surprise you?" He raised an eyebrow at her. "You have seen Mayor Mills's strategies. She will do anything to get what she wants. She has not limits."

"Then I'm done playing nice," Emma frowned. "I want to rescue my friend from been accused of something she is not guilty of. And you are the right person to help me."

"You don't approve of my tactics."

"I don't," Emma said bluntly. "But I do like your results."

Mr. Gold curiously watched the blonde. "You have a plan I assume."

"Yes. I think that Henry and Dahlia might help us. An inside operation," Emma explained. "Henry will be on board but we are not so sure of Dahlia."

"The girl looks up to Regina," he said. "It will be difficult to break the imagine she has of the mayor."

"There has to be way for Henry to convince her."

"I may have an idea for what you should tell your son," Mr. Gold smirked. "It's all going to be about timing."


Henry was staring at the boats in the docks when he heard footsteps behind him. She turned around and saw Emma approaching him. He waved at her and patted the empty space next to him on the bench.

"How is Dahlia doing?" Emma asked, sitting next to him.

Henry shrugged. "She's quiet. I think she is hurt because of Ms. Blanchard's almost skipping town last night."

"Mary was just desperate. She had the sense to come back and that is what matters."

"If you say so."

"Henry, there might be a way to prove your teacher is innocent," Emma glanced down at her son. "But I am going to need your help."

"What is it?" The young boy eagerly asked. He wanted to do anything that will help Mary Margaret clear her name.

"We need you to convince Dahlia to work with us," explained Emma. "We need to break the bond between her and Regina. That will help us on proving that Mary Margaret is been framed.

"No!" Henry's eyes widen in fear. "That's a bad idea!"

"Why?" Emma stared at him in confusion. "Regina will never suspect a thing."

"Do you remember what happened to Graham? The Evil Queen killed him because he turned against her."

"You think that she will hurt Dahlia. Didn't you tell me that Dahlia was The Evil Queen's daughter?"

"She is. But it's not Dahlia that she will hurt. My mom will never hurt her," Henry shuffled closer to Emma. "It's the people that made her daughter turn against her that she will inflict pain on."

"There is no other way," Emma said. "Don't you want to break the curse and for everyone to get their memories back? Operation Cobra?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm going to need your help. Regina will stop at nothing to destroy Mary Margaret. It's time for us to fight back and to do whatever we need to do to stop her," Emma grasped his hand. "We need all the allies in our side. The heroes' side."

Sighing in defeat, Harry turned to look at the sheriff. "What do I have to do?"


Dahlia quickened her steps as she walked down the sidewalk. She had found out that tomorrow morning her sister would be extradited from town. Henry had told her that she should go tonight to see her or else she would have to wait until the trail. He told her that he will cover for her when his mom came back. Dahlia wasn't sure but she sore that Henry looked guilty when he recommended for her to visit her sister.

She brushed it off and concluded that he must have been tired. She started to jog towards the Sheriff's station, since she doesn't know how long Henry will be able to cover for her in case Regina was home already. She turned the corner and stopped short.

"Is that Regina's car?"

She recognized the black Mercedes in the station's parking lot. She was confused as to why the mayor will be here. Her sister wasn't receiving any visitors and there weren't any more questioning going on. She quietly stepped inside the building and waited for any voices. She could hear from a distance her sister and another voice.

"Probably Regina," mumbled the teen.

She walked as quietly as she could to where her sister was been kept. She could hear her sister saying something about 'justice'. She pressed herself against the wall, and peaked in the squad room. She saw Regina standing in front of her sister. They haven't heard or noticed her yet.

"I'm sorry!" Mary Margaret sobbed at the mayor. "If I ever did something to you it wasn't my intention. I'm sorry!"

"Apology not accepted," Regina harshly whispered at the woman across from her.

Why is Regina been unpleasant to my sister? What happened between them? Dahlia frowned. She was about to make her presence known when her sister started to talk again.

"I wouldn't hurt anyone! I never had in my life!" Mary Margaret grasped the bars of the cell door. "I didn't kill Kathryn!"

Regina smirked, caressing the teacher's face mockingly. "Oh I know. I had always known that you were innocent of this crime."

Dahlia felt as if someone had punched her in the stomach. She couldn't believe what she just heard. Regina knew her sister never killed Kathryn. She didn't want to believe in what Regina just said. She stepped inside the room, starring at how Regina grasped her sister's chin. "You knew?"

Upon hearing her daughter's voice, Regina let go of Mary Margaret in horror and turned around.

"Please tell me it's not true." Dahlia's voice quivered. When she saw that the mayor was lost of words, she leaned against the wall in disbelief. "Oh my god."

"Let me explain," Regina said, taking a few steps toward her daughter.

Dahlia pushed herself off the wall and took a few steps back. "Don't! How could you do this!"

The mayor felt as someone had crushed her heart. She stared at her daughter with sadness. "Give me a minute to clarify—."

"There is nothing to explain!" Dahlia shouted. She could feel tears wanting to spill from the corner of her eyes. "Just stay away from me." With one last glance at the mayor, she bolted out of the room.

"No," Regina let out a pained whispered. She went after her daughter, running as fast as she could on heels. "Dahlia!" She pushed the doors opened with all her might. She wildly looked everywhere in the parking lot for any sign of her daughter. But there wasn't any.

Regina is out of the station but doesn't see Dahlia anywhere in sight. "Dahlia!," she called out, glancing around in desperation. The minutes ticked away and Regina let out a chocked sob. "Don't leave me again, my little light. Please come back to me."


Dahlia's chest hurt as she continued to run. Her vision was becoming blurry as the tears fell down her cheeks. She stopped to catch her breath and whip her tears. She couldn't stand any longer. Dahlia's knees came in contact with what felt like dirt.

"Why?" she sobbed, grabbing a fistful of the soil. "Why would she do this?"

She didn't know how long she was there sobbing on the floor. Crying for Regina's lies and betrayal. She thought that Regina was a good person. Someone she could always go to, someone who wouldn't hesitate to listen to her. Regina had always greeted her with a smile and hug, something a mother would do to a child. And that's what everything more painful. Regina was like a mother to her.

Dahlia sniffed and rubbed her eyes. She glanced around where she was. She noticed that she had run into the woods. She knew that she couldn't stay here all night. Shakily, she pushed herself off the forest's floor. She dusted the dirty off her clothes. She was about to start walking when she heard nearby footsteps. Soon a figured emerged from the trees. It was Derek.

"Dahlia?" He asked, confused. He noticed the tear tracks on her cheeks and how red her eyes were. He immediately felt protective and walked towards her. "Are you hurt? Did something happen to you?"

"Regina…" Dahlia whispered before meeting him halfway. She wrapped her arms around him, burrowing her face into his covered chest. She once again felt tears spill from her eyes.

His eyes widen when he felt her body shake. He didn't hesitate to pull her closer to him as she continued to cry. He wasn't sure but he thought he heard her say the mayor's name. He held Dahlia in his arms, rubbing her back in comfort. Minutes ticked away and Dahlia's crying started to cease. He waited patiently for her to say when she became quiet.

He then heard Dahlia's deep breathing and moved his head slightly. He noticed that Dahlia had cried herself to sleep. He would have to wait until morning to find out what happened. Careful not to wake her, he picked Dahlia in his arms. He felt her gripping his shirt and rested her head on his chest in her sleep as he carried her to Granny's Bed and Breakfast.


Sorry if I brought the tears. What do you guys think that Regina will do now? Or Dahlia?

Don't forget to review!