Hello, everyone! Here's a new chapter, but warning: with school craziness, I'm not sure when I'll be posting steadily again, so please have a little patience with me.


Ada sighed, standing outside the door and examining it. Pouting a little, she rolled her eyes before evidently deciding that she would be polite enough to knock this time.

"Miss Ward?" Archie Hopper said, having opened his door to see the redhead standing there, fiddling with the hem of her pale blue dress. Her heels were a pristine white and she shifted foot to foot in obvious discomfort. Dr. Hopper was feeling more than a little uncomfortable himself.

"Alright," Ada cut to the chase, "I still don't forgive you for turning on Emma and Henry like you did. You haven't done anything, as far as I'm concerned, to earn this forgiveness, but-," she swallowed a bit of her pride, "Emma is worried about Henry, and I worry about what Emma worries about so here I am."

"You want me to- talk about Henry? Miss Ward, I do have to keep some-."

Ada waved a hand, cutting the Doctor off, "I realize, doctor-patient confidentiality. I respect that, and so does Emma. Here's the thing, I'm not here to find out what Henry tells you or what he thinks about me or Emma or Mayor Mills. I'm here for advice."

"Advice?" the Doctor asked, before stepping aside so Ada could come into his office, "Well, I can usually help with that. Henry just left his own session, interestingly enough."

Ada nodded, sitting down on Archie's couch, looking out the window. "It's so quiet here. Especially for a girl who spent most of her life in cities," she gave the Doctor a small grin.

"Well," Archie sat across from her, "Henry agrees with you- he just pointed out to me that there are no crickets."

"Yeah," Ada remarked after listening for a moment, "That's odd- normally those are pretty standard. We even get a few in Boston."

Archie shrugged before coming back to the point, "So, Miss Ward- you wanted advice."

"Yes, and you might as well call me Ada, we're going to be seeing a lot of each other for as long as I'm in town."

"And, uh," Archie fixed her with a searching look, "How long will you be in town?"

Ada shrugged, "As long as Emma is."

"And how long will that be?"

"If we're counting this as a session- which I guess we could since I asked for advice, when does the whole doctor/patient thing kick in?"

"The moment you walk through the door, Miss Ward- whether you are a patient or not, so, please, feel free to say whatever you want and know I'll keep it to myself."

It was Ada's turn to give a searching gaze, "Very well. For Emma- she gave up Henry for his best chance. Ten years later he runs away and finds her, insisting she's a Savior who is going to bring back all the happy endings. Emma and I have both gone through the Foster System, we've both run away on more than one occasion. Kids don't run when they're happy, and the fact he's given her this title- Savior- and a job description that's fit for Superman, well, it has us worried. It seems to point in the direction that Henry is very unhappy with his life and situation here." Ada straightened on the couch, "Emma gave up Henry for his best chance. And so far, we have no evidence that Henry got that. Emma and I are going to stay here until we know that Emma didn't sacrifice the thing she loved most for nothing."

"And what would constitute "for nothing?"" Archie asked.

"Anything but Henry's best chance," the two adults were silent for a moment, letting the words hang in the air, "It seems like this entire town is terrified of Mayor Mills, including Henry. And while he may be frightened of her, the constant disobedience on his part suggests he doesn't respect her either. Granted, I don't respect the Mayor, everything she's done to me and Emma since arriving here has made me suspect her own mental stability, but she's done nothing to earn respect. She's a bully. I hate bullies. But for Henry, for her son, not to respect her but to also fear her? So much so that he creates a story about a Dark Curse cast over all the most beloved fairytale characters- people who represent hope, and happiness, and love- and about how they are oppressed, beaten down, by an Evil Queen who he stylizes as his own Mother? God, Dr. Hopper, that implies an awful lot of bad.

"Then to go searching so desperately for a way to find Emma, his birth mother- so much that he stole a credit card from an obviously well-liked teacher who he seems to respect and hold a high regard for, and single-handedly take himself through buses and taxis to make his way to Emma?

"Henry told us that he discovered Emma was the Savior and pointed at how the book named the Savior "Emma", literally. But he wouldn't have found out Emma's name until he had already started looking for her as his birth mother.

"It's just-," Ada sighed, "I'm a child advocate, right? And if I were to have a case like this come across my desk? I would have had Mayor Mills investigated so fast her head would spin. There are warning signs all over the place- Henry's belief in the curse only one of them. Henry said she left him alone for most of the day on Saturday. I mean, granted, Henry's ten, you don't exactly have to worry about him choking on baby food any more but he's still ten- he needs someone around if something were to happen or if there was some emergency or, god, just for company! His isolation? His lack of friends his own age? Even lack of contact with adults besides his own mother and then his psychiatrist who is paid for by his mother? All big giant red flags. Is Henry ever outside of her control? He's running away constantly, seeking out attention from anyone besides Mayor Mills, he's clearly rebelling against such a tight rein."

"You seem to be very focused on Mayor Mills' parenting of Henry," Archie observed.

"Well, how are you not?" Ada asked, "Seriously. Does none of this concern you at all? I'm focused on this, yes, because that's why Emma and I are in town- I'm focused because it's my job, I'm focused because there is a little boy- a wonderful, sweet little boy- who is in a lot of pain and no one else seems to be doing anything constructive about it!"

Archie swallowed, "What- uh- what do you suggest?"

"Tell me how you think Emma and I should treat Henry especially in reference to the curse."

"But-."

"No," Ada cut the therapist off, "I'm not telling you any sort of plans I might make. I'll tell you information relevant to our discussion and no further. You sold out Emma to Regina. Yes, you've apologized, but you have not made amends for that behavior. I am not willing to trust you with that yet."

Archie nodded, "Well, I suppose I can respect that. As for Henry- the curse is how he communicates."


Emma had (unsuccessfully) tried to ignore Ada's grin that morning when she had left for her first day of work as Deputy. And she had appreciated the fact her sister said nothing about the new job other than to wish Emma luck with her first day. Emma didn't really think she needed it, especially as most of the shift had passed with some instructions from Graham and only one phone call, complaining about noise from a neighbor.

Graham was nice, he made terrible jokes, but he was nice. And Emma could see herself enjoying working with him. However, that did not mean she was going to let him get away with this travesty.

"A tie?" Emma asked, holding up the uniform Graham had left out for her, "You know you don't have to dress a woman as a man to give her authority."

"So you think you can get people to do what you want in that red coat?" Graham asked, lips twitching with amusement.

"I'm getting you to do what I want right now," Emma bragged, tossing the uniform onto the floor.

"Well," Graham bargained, "At least wear the badge," he held it out to her, "Go on. Take it," Emma studied the star for a moment- looked at the shine on it, "If you really want to be a part of this community, you have to make it official."

As soon as Emma clipped the badge to her belt, the ground shook, causing a lamp to crash to the ground and the cabinets to rattle. She and Graham exchanged wide-eyed looks just as as both of the phones started ringing.

Seemed like her new job was off to a rollicking start.


Ada stood beside Marco and Ruby at the sight of the mine collapse, and couldn't help but give a low whistle.

"I've got to hand it to your town," she told the two townsfolk, "Between me and Emma arriving, Mayor Mills attempted smear campaign against Emma, Emma hacking down parts of her apple tree, a coma patient waking up and going for a stroll, Ashley and Alexandra and all that drama- this town sure never gets boring."

Marco shrugged, "I don't understand it. Storybrooke has always been very calm."

"Like watching paint dry," Ruby chimed in.

"We must be bad luck for your town," Ada jokes and both Marco and Ruby gave a chuckle as they continue to stare at the hole left by the collapse.

Mayor Mills arrives in her car then, calling out orders immediately, "Everyone step back, please."

"Is that a crater?" Ruby asked Marco, peering down.

"No," Marco told the waitress, "There were tunnels, uh, old mines, something collapsed."

"Be careful," Regina continued shouting, "Step back!" Ada turned around to see Graham and Emma approaching- Emma with a Deputy badge on her belt.

"Howdy there, Sheriff," Ada called out to Graham, who pretended to doff a hat to her.

"Ma'am," he jokingly drawled, faking a Southern accent, to her amusement. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Sheriff," Regina stepped up to the group, "Set up a police perimeter. Marco, why don't you help with the fire department? Miss Swan, Miss Ward," her eyes rested coolly on Emma, "This is now official town business. You're free to go."

"Well, actually," Emma corrected, fingers lightly brushing up against her new badge, "I work for the town now."

Regina's burning eyes settled on Graham, who gave a small smile, "She's my new deputy."

"They say the mayor's always last to know," Regina gritted out.

"It's in my budget," Graham immediately began stemming possibly arguments.

"Indeed," Regina gives Graham a long look the turned to address Emma, "Deputy, why don't you make yourself useful and help with crowd control?" Emma took a look at her new boss, and, at his nod, went to go do so.

Ada piped up then, "Any orders for me, Madame Mayor?" she asked. Regina ignored the redhead and turned to the crowd, which Ada then went to join.

"People of Storybrooke, don't be alarmed. We've always known this area was honeycombed with old mining tunnels, but fear not. I'm going to undertake a project to make this area safe, to rehabilitate it to city use. We will bulldoze it, collapse it, pave it."

As she was speaking, both Dr. Hopper and Henry arrived, joining Ada where she stood.

"Well," Ada wondered, "She's certainly…enthusiastic. Shouldn't we just- clean it up before we start the campaign speeches?"

"Pave it?" Henry asked stepping out of the crowd, drawing everyone's attention, "What if something's down there?"

Regina leaned down, tugging on Henry's shirt as she asked him in a whisper, "Henry, what are you doing here?"

"What's down there?" Henry whispered back, his eyes suspicious.

"Nothing," Regina insisted, "Now step back. In fact, everyone," and she sent a special glare at Ada, "Please, please step back. Thank you. Let's go boys," that last was directed at the crew, but before Regina took another step she bent down, an odd expression on her face, and picked up a shard of glass. Ada's prickings came, causing goosebumps to erupt out on her arms. Regina slipped it into her pocket.

Henry, too, noticed the Mayor's preoccupation. "What's that?" he whispered to Emma who was setting up caution tape.

Regina was quick to direct her attention back to the ten-year-old, "Henry, enough. Listen, this is a safety issue now wait in the car," she turned to Graham and Emma, "Deputy Swan, Sheriff, cordon off the area," she ordered, gesturing.

Henry got out of his mother's car as soon as her back was turned and spotted Ada, Archie, and Emma all close by, "Hey, Archie," he called, beckoning the man and two women, "Over here." As the three came up to see what the boy needed, he looked over the three of them like a general about to issue orders, "This requires all of Operation Cobra... the three of you."

"I didn't realize I was in Operation Cobra," Archie said, sounding flattered.

"Of course you are," Henry told the man, as if it was obvious, "You know everything," he addressed all three adults, "We can't let her do this. What if there's something down there?"

"They're just some old tunnels," Emma denied, shaking her head slightly.

"I'm with Emma on this," Ada shrugged, "Tunnels collapse all the time, and they only get worse with age. These have to be decades old from what people were saying."

"They just happen to collapse right after you get here?" Henry asked them, his entire face showing his disapproval of their inability to connect the dots, he turned to Emma specifically, "You're changing things. You're weakening the Curse."

Emma was quick to refute that, "That's not what's happening."

"Yes it is," Henry insisted, sounding frustrated, "Did you do anything different today? 'Cause something made this happen." Ada's brow furrowed as she noticed Emma lightly touch her new badge, an odd look on her sister's face.

She'd have to ask about that later, then.

"Henry!" Came Mayor Mills' sharp tone, "I told you to wait in the car. Deputy, do your job. Miss Ward, whatever it is you're doing here, please conclude it." Archie started walking away while Ada rolled her eyes, going to help Emma and Graham with whatever they needed. Passing by Mayor Mills, she bumped into her, "Sorry," she muttered before moving on, placing something into her pocket.

"Dr. Hopper," Regina called after Archie, "A word, please?" Archie approached and waited, "Okay, we're done with this," the Mayor pronounced, her words cutting and full of bite.

"Uh," Archie began, unsure what she was saying, "Excuse me?"

"My son," she said, her voice tight with control, "We need a new treatment plan. Everything I do he thinks is part of some horrible plot. I can't cover up a safety hazard without him thinking I'm hiding something. How am I hiding something terrible in an old mine? How is any of this logical to him?" she questioned, her tone rising.

"He's got an amazing imagination," Archie said, trying to make the Mayor understand, but she cut him off before he could go further.

"Yes," she hissed, getting in his face, "That you let run rampant."

"Well," Archie tried to again explain, "I think it would be wrong to rip away the world he's constructed. I'd rather use it to try and get-."

"Sometimes I think you've forgotten. You work for me," Regina's voice was strong, a tone of steel, and Archie felt a few chills run up his spine, "You're an employee, and I can fire you. This is my town. You will lose your office, lose your house. I can cut you down to size until you're a tiny, shrunken little creature, and this," she grabbed and held up Archie's umbrella, his good luck charm, his favorite possession, "Will be the only roof over your damn head."

For a moment, Archie felt himself prepare to protest, hearing Ada's words in her head- how he had failed Henry. How Henry was his responsibility. How no one seemed to stand up for Henry against Regina. How Regina was a bully. His throat was building up with the words, brimming with them, ready to do battle for the child that was under his care.

"What would you have me do?" came out instead, and even as he cursed his cowardice, he waited for orders.

Regina stepped even closer to him, her lips curling in distaste, "You take that delusion out of my son's head- and you crush it." With that, she shoved the umbrella into Archie's chest, stalking off.


Ada lay in her bed at Granny's examining a piece of glass that she had picked out of Madame Mayor's pocket. She hadn't picked a pocket in years- it was nice to know she still could. And while she felt just a tiny twinge for doing it, she reasoned that it was just a piece of glass, Mayor Mills wouldn't miss it, and if she did- she'd probably just assume it fell out of her pocket at some point.

It was pretty, Ada'd admit, though she wasn't sure why it seemed to set off her prickings. Only faintly, but Ada had spent her whole life listening to them, and so she examined the glass.

It was smooth, and perfectly clear, thick, too, and bent slightly so it curved. It was good quality, Ada knew, but aside from that- nothing. Sighing, she went into the bathroom and opened up the cabinet. Tucking the glass inside the box of tampons for safe keeping, Ada went back to bed.

She had very strange dreams that night.


Ada sat in Mary Margaret's apartment, next to Emma as they listened to the sweet teacher unload her conscious. Sometimes, Ada felt a little jealous of Mary Margaret. After all- the woman was rooming with Emma, something that previously was a privilege that only Ada had been allowed. But it was times like these, when she saw how sweet the woman could be, that she felt guilty for her own petty jealousy, especially since having a friend other than Ada would be so good for Emma. Ada would do whatever was best for her sister, so she swallowed any jealous twinges, told herself that she was ridiculous and selfish if she indulged in it, and followed Emma's lead when it came to Emma's life.

"I am the worst person in the world," Mary Margaret confessed to them as they eat ate a S'mores.

"Really?" Emma said, an eye brow raised in tandem with Ada, "In the whole world?"

"If Katheryn was horrible it'd be easier, but-," she sighed. "She's so…nice." The teacher added a special emphasis to the word, causing Ada to grin a little.

"Nice?" the redhead asked.

"And what exactly would be easier?" Emma lead, peering up at Mary Margaret.

The woman's eyes darted too and fro before she shook her head and muttered, "Nothing."

"Nothing's a good idea," Emma said while Ada nodded. "You're smart, you know not to get involved with a married guy, it's worth the heartache," Emma counseled. "Trust me," Emma sighed, and Mary Margaret darted a look to the blonde.

"Not that you should ignore these feelings," Ada jumped in before it could get too heavy, "You can't help what you feel, but you can control how you act. Acknowledge the emotions, and remind yourself why you don't need them. Then, focus on something you do need- your students, your friendships, yourself. I recommend the last one," Ada grinned, "You're too nice. Need to tell people "no" once in a while."

Before they could get any farther, there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Emma said, leaving the S'mores to go open it.

Henry stood there, sobbing, wiping his nose with his sleeve, "Kid," Emma breathed out the word, "What happened?" Henry continued to sniffle and Emma lead him inside.

"Henry?" Ada said, moving off the stool she was sitting on to make room for the boy. She motioned for Emma to put the boy there while she also exchanged a look with Mary Margaret. Understanding immediately, the teacher left the S'mores supplies out and went into another part of her apartment. Emma sent a flustered look to Ada- this was a test. A moment. To see how Emma would deal with a crying Henry was a big deal, and Emma never was sure of herself. Ada squeezed Emma's hand, leaning in to whisper into her sister's ear.

"You'll be fine, just hold him. Remember what you wanted as a kid when you were upset and give him that. Let him guide you. Relax and you'll do fine."

Ada brushed Henry's hair back from his face, "How about I leave you with Emma for a bit, hmm?" she asked the boy, leaning down slightly so she was on his level. Henry sniffled and nodded. "Okay, you need me or Mary Margaret- just call. We'll coming running."