Hey all and here we are! The final update of the year. I want to say a massive thank you to all of you who have read my stories throughout the year and reviewed, favourited and followed. I feel like this LucyMaxine world is growing and I cannot begin to thank you enough for the support. Writing is the only thing I feel I can do and it makes me so happy to write and share my stories with you, no matter where you are in the world. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting me and I have a couple of new fics lined up for 2018, well one for sure and the other I will see. Thank you so much again. Big thanks to Speedy-Skye and Kaia (hugs about the fic) for their reviews and everyone that has reviewed this fic since I posted it.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. See you on the other side.

LucyMaxine xxxxxxx

The Two Truest Believers-Part 36:

Regina and Zelena were already up and both dressed before Eva was even awake.

"When are we going to take her?" Zelena asked.

"Probably after lunch. I just want it to be her special secret place to go," Regina said.

"Don't you ever think that Miss Swan is being the way she is because you're taking care of Eva?" Zelena mused as she drank her morning coffee.

"Miss Swan gave up the wrong twin and I like to make her know it," Regina smirked before checking her phone.

Emma was awake and sat with Mary Margaret as she waited for Henry to wake up.

"OK spill," the teacher finally said, "there's something on your mind."

"Eva as always. I know I'm making all these mistakes with her but I fear I'm too late to get her back as Regina has her exactly where she wants her," Emma sighed.

"She will only remain in their grasp as long as you don't fight for her," Mary Margaret said, "you're the one who raised Eva, not her and if you want both twins then you are going to have to play the sisters at their own game," she said before seeing Henry walking down the stairs.

"You know you're about to have a fight on your hands," Zelena said, "Emma will not give up until she has both of them away from you."

"I will discuss this with you later. Are you coming with me later when I show her?" Regina questioned before a small voice spoke,

"Show me what?" Eva had finally woken up and was now stood watching the sisters.

"Nothing," they said in unison before busying themselves with the breakfast.

Mary Margaret had left Emma and Henry alone and the two were looking at the book once more and trying to figure out how to get Eva away from Regina and Zelena.

"We need to get her to see the book or at least the pages with the Evil Queen," Henry said as he turned the pages until the Evil Queen and the Wicked Witch of the West, "She has to see these pages and then she might begin to believe us."

"Eva's a tough nut to crack and I should have realised sooner that you and her would end up being in the middle," Emma said, to Henry, "just because she sees these pages it doesn't mean that she'll believe us."

"Maybe Mr. Gold can help," Henry said, "after all he is meant to be Rumpelstiltskin and his shop is full of stuff."

"No after lunch," Eva heard Regina whispering to Zelena, "because then she can have all afternoon there before I have to take her back to Emma and discuss Eva's wishes for the school Careers Day."

"And how do you think that'll go?" Zelena whispered.

"The usual where that woman's concerned," Regina whispered back before sipping some coffee and looking through some paperwork. Eva was now wondering what was going on as the whispers all but confirmed to her that something was going on. She watched the sisters before Zelena looked at her and Eva quickly looked back down at her book.

Eva kept watching Regina and Zelena over lunch and was trying to figure out what the sisters were up to but sadly neither sister was dropping any hints and it was annoying Eva as she was one who got impatient and annoyed easily. She just sat and ate her lunch in silence as she knew she'd have shouted at them and she really didn't want to do that at all.

"So I will come around here more often and try and get Eva to look at the book and we shall see if she starts to believe us," Henry said, "or maybe I could leave the book here and you could read it to her. After all she does love stories. She just can't believe that these ones are real."

"We have to try something kid because we're losing her," Emma said, "and it's all my fault. I've been neglecting her to spend time with you. Now I need your help to get her back."

"Operation Rescue Eva is a go," Henry said.

"I rather like that," Emma said before looking at the book again.

"Eva come here please," Regina said after lunch and Eva marked the page in her book before going over to Regina and stood in front of the woman. Regina placed a long chain with a key around Eva's neck, "keep it safe and secret. Only you, myself and Zelena know about this key. Now quickly go and get your boots and jacket on and I'll show what door it unlocks."

"I promise Regina," Eva said before hurrying off to get her boots and jacket on before waiting for Regina and Zelena.

The three of them walked down to the Clock Tower and stopped in front of the doors.

"That key opens these doors," Regina told Eva.

"But it's just a couple of doors," Eva said before she looked at Zelena and saw her silently urging her to open the door, OK. I'll open the doors. They're obviously hiding something," she said before putting the key in the lock and opening the door.

Regina and Zelena soon heard squeals and Eva rushed inside and Zelena grabbed the key from the door and quickly followed Regina inside, closing the door behind her. She watched as Eva looked around at all the books.

"You like it?" Regina asked.

"I love it," Eva smiled.

"Well then it can be Eva's Library. Go and pick a book to read until you have to go back," Zelena said and hurried off before finding a chair to sit in and read her book.

Eventually the time came when the twins had to be swapped back so Regina headed to the Loft with Eva and Emma answered the door before Mary Margaret hurried Eva inside.

"Can I have a word?" Regina asked.

"What about?" Emma questioned.

"Careers Day at school. Eva wants to shadow me and Henry no doubt wants to shadow you," Regina said.

"No way are you having my son or daughter. I will be having them both," Emma said instantly, "that way you cannot brainwash my daughter."

"May I remind you Miss Swan that Henry is legally mine and I could say that you are brainwashing my child," Regina said.

Mary Margaret looked at the two before stepping closer,

May I just say that all this won't help the twins? You both want the best for them and you may think that that is keeping one or both twins away from the other but it's not," she said, "it's about letting them be happy and see the people they want to see. That will make them happy, not fighting over 's not fair on them."

Regina and Emma sighed realising that one of them was going to have to back down first.

"Fine," Emma sighed, "if that's what they want to do then I can live with that," she said, "we'll talk about this later as I want to spend some time with my daughter," she added before Regina called Henry over and the two left. Would a truce be called or would the parental war go on? Only time would tell.