The next morning came. Evie had a small headache, but she held her head and looked over as her phone alarm was twinkling in her ear and she soon picked it up and turned it off before yawning as she then came to do her weekday morning routine. She then went to the bathroom and began to get dressed before knocking on her little brother's door.
"Hey, Henry! Shake a leg!"
Henry's groan was heard before he was heard shuffling in his room, going to get ready. Evie soon came downstairs and turned around before flinching once she saw her mother right behind her and didn't even realize she was there, so she clutched her chest with a gasp.
"Sorry for the scare, my dear." Regina smirked at her teenage daughter.
"Ugh..." Evie groaned before she took a moment to collect herself. "...It's fine, Mom... Really. Would you like me to make you some coffee?" she then offered wearily.
"That'll be fine, Evie," Regina nodded. "I'll take it to go though."
"Early morning meeting or something?" Evie then asked as she got milk for Henry's bowl of cereal before putting it at his side of the table before she decided to get some too as she took the box of Applejacks and put it aside to ger her mother some coffee.
"You could say that," Regina replied. "I have to be quick and plus, tomorrow is Saturday and you need to be in charge of Henry."
"Meeting?" Evie then guessed.
"City Council," Regina nodded. "I'll be sure to see you two after you wake up, but I can't stay long, but I'll try not to be late either."
"Okay, Mom. I'll look after Henry." Evie replied.
"Just remember not to let him out of the house and that should probably go double for you too, so no seeing her gal pals to talk about cute boys or whatever you teenagers do nowadays." Regina then said.
Evie resisted the urge to scoff and roll her eyes from that. "Yes, Mom..." she then said wearily before nodding.
"Good girl," Regina nodded before looking at her box of cereal. "Why do you kids eat Applejacks when they don't taste like apples?"
"Well... Why do some people think there's a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Why do teachers need an answer book? Why do we drink water when our bodies have water in them?" Evie retorted with a small shrug and smirk. "They just do and we just do." she then added, quoting from an old cereal commercial.
"Hm..." Regina smirked back. "Very wise... Don't get too wise though, you'll get yourself in trouble."
Evie merely nodded in response before she began to make the coffee for her mother the way she liked it before she would get her own cereal and sit down. She then finished getting the coffee the way her mother liked it before putting it in her traveling mug and then held it out for her. "Here you go, Mom," she then said. "Piping hot and fresh from the brew."
"Thank you, my dear," Regina approved as she accepted it. "You're becoming quite good at being Mommy's Little Helper."
"Please don't call me that in front of the others." Evie murmured to herself feebly.
"I'll see you and Henry later," Regina decided before she went out the door with her travel mug. "Remember what I said!"
"We will!" Evie replied innocently before groaning slightly once she was alone with her thoughts.
Soon, Henry came downstairs and Evie pushed over his bowl of cereal before she came to have her own with some toast. The siblings both said "Morning" to each other before they began to eat up.
"Mom going to work?" Henry guessed.
"She said she had an early meeting," Evie nodded as they ate up together. "I'll take you to school as usual though and it looks like we have most of Saturday together at least."
"You wanna help me out with my science homework?" Henry asked. "You're so good at it. I don't know why you try to hide your smarts around the other kids at your school... Especially Magda, Amalie, and Scarlet."
Evie just sighed. "It's a big kid thing, Henry... You wouldn't understand." she then advised.
"Well, if you gotta grow up to change yourself just to make other people grow up, then I don't wanna grow up," Henry said. "Paige and Dee Dee like me just the way I am."
"You're still little kids though," Evie replied. "You'll understand that once you become a teenager that you have to change in order to get a lot of people to like you. It's just all part of growing up, Henry."
"Well... If that's the case, I still don't wanna grow up." Henry firmly pouted.
"Fine. You don't have to grow up," Evie smirked. "You can just run away to Neverland and live with Peter Pan and become a Lost Boy."
"That would be cool." Henry chuckled.
"Maybe someone in your school is Peter Pan," Evie smirked. "Is he in your storybook?"
"I haven't seen him, but maybe we both will someday," Henry shrugged. "Maybe after Emma breaks the curse."
"Mm-hmm..." Evie just hummed before eating more of her cereal with him and drank some healthy mineral water, grimacing at the taste, but still drank it anyway. After all, that was what the cool girls in school drank.
"Lemme guess... Drinking gross water is also part of being popular in school so you'll have a lot of friends?" Henry then asked.
"Now you're getting it!" Evie then said before groaning. "Ugh... I'm starting to think maybe drinking yucky sewer water would be better than this."
"Maybe it is yucky sewer water and Magda, Amalie, or Scarlet are descendants of The Rat King." Henry remarked.
"From The Nutcracker?" Evie laughed. "I thought it was The Mouse King?"
"Sometimes it's The Rat King." Henry clarified.
"Is that even a fairy tale?" Evie then asked.
"Maybe," Henry shrugged. "It sure sounds like one anyway, especially with Clara's adventure against The Rat King and her one true love, The Nutcracker Prince, especially when she wakes up after her adventure away from The Land of Sweets and The Sugarplum Fairy."
"When did you become the ballet buff?" Evie asked, surprised at how much Henry knew about The Nutcracker Prince.
"From my friend Dee Dee," Henry explained, looking a little bashful. "She wants to be a ballerina when she grows up."
"Oh, yeah..." Evie said thoughtfully. "Isn't she that girl who stands on her tiptoes and twirls around all the time?"
"Uh-huh," Henry nodded. "I'm surprised she isn't in The Red Shoes Dance Academy."
"Hm... Maybe someday," Evie shrugged. "Maybe her parents couldn't afford to send her to the school yet."
"Well, I hope she gets to go in," Henry nodded. "She's a very wonderful dancer."
"I'll take your word for it." Evie replied as she began to finish up her cereal and soon sipped her bowl after lifting it to drink the remaining milk.
Eventually, after breakfast, the Mills siblings gathered their things and began to leave home so that they could get to school. However, as soon as they left, they were met with a surprise just outside the door.
"Emma?" Evie blinked. "What are you doing here?"
"Hey, guys. I thought you'd like a little stroll on your way to school," Emma smiled. "Don't worry. Your mom didn't see me."
"You're playing with fire, Miss Swan, but... I guess we could use the company." Evie warned before she smiled back.
Henry beamed, glad that his sister agreed to let Emma escort them to school. They soon hit the streets together as Evie told Emma where to go and that Henry would go to school first since the elementary school was closer to home than the high school.
"Are you sure we can be seen out in the open?" Henry asked during the walk.
"Enough sneaking around. If your mom has a problem with me walking you guys to school, I am more than happy to have that chat." Emma replied bravely.
"How brave and admirable of you, Emma." Evie remarked.
"Yeah. You'll need that for Operation: Cobra," Henry nodded in agreement. "Speaking of, do you think we need code names?"
"Isn't 'Cobra' our code name?" Emma asked out of confusion.
"That's the mission. I mean us," Henry replied. "I need something to call you."
"I guess it'd be too awkward to call her 'Mom' right away?" Evie asked Henry.
"A little bit," Henry nodded. "Your mom, our mom, Mom might've been my mom for 10 years, even if she isn't, but you're right. Calling Emma 'Mom' would be weird." he then added as he tried to address Regina properly to Evie.
"Oh, um... Well, I don't..." Emma stammered before she then shrugged. "You can just call me 'Emma' for now."
"Emma's a good name anyway." Evie agreed.
"Thank you." Emma smiled.
"No problem, Emma." Evie smiled back.
"Okay, well I'll see you later, Emma." Henry then said as he came to go over to his school, seeing his classmates on the blacktop before the morning bell would ring.
Emma nodded before looking at Evie. "So, next stop yours?" she then guessed.
"Yeah..." Evie agreed before seeing the police car about to ride over to them before her eyes widened. "Let's hurry up."
"What? You got a date or something?" Emma teased with a small smirk.
"Let's just hurry up." Evie urged as she took Emma's arm and rushed with her.
Emma glanced over in concern before shrugging as they rushed over to the high school as the police car passed by.
"...Evie?" Graham blinked as he glanced out the window, though he just kept on driving before sighing. "Oh, Evie... I know I can't replace your father, but I just want to be there for you and Henry so you don't feel left out as I bond with your mother." he then said, deciding to drive over to the high school so that he could see and talk with Emma as he had to talk with her about something important.
Eventually, they made it over to the high school as Evie was now mostly quiet.
"You can stop walking with me here." Evie said to just before they would make it to the school grounds.
"You don't want me to see you at the door or meet any of your friends?" Emma asked in concern as Evie was a sweet girl, but she seemed to be a little uncaring right now.
"Sorry, Emma, I just can't be seen with you like this right now, especially in public... Because you're unpopular." Evie then said.
Emma flinched as that stung a little bit.
"You understand, right?" Evie asked.
"...Yeah, I understand," Emma said softly. "I just thought you were a kind and sweet girl. This is something I'd expect from The Queen Bee from your school, but not from you."
"...Sorry, Emma, it's just business," Evie said before she decided to take out a pair of sunglasses to wear as she walked further ahead of Emma. "You know how it is."
Emma frowned before shaking her head and turned around as she heard a police siren while Evie made her way over to school. Luckily for Evie, no one seemed to notice or see her with Emma which would probably save her reputation and possibility of becoming a Pinkette with Scarlet, Magda, and Amalie. At least, she very much hoped so.
"Hey, don't worry about Mal the other day, okay?" A tiny voice piped up suddenly.
"Huh?" Evie blinked before looking over as the freckled boy from the diner the other day was sitting right next to her with a small, comforting smile.
"It'll be okay," Carlos told her as he smiled back. "Mal just likes to be left alone. She's not as tough as she seems. She only talks a big game."
"She does?" Evie blinked. "What about you?"
"I don't have a game," Carlos shrugged before looking bashful. "Unless you consider getting beat up and pushed around a game, which in a way, I guess it is, but really it's not that entertaining, unless you happen to be the one doing the beating and punishing."
"So... You're that Carlos kid, right?" Evie asked him calmly.
"Yeah, I am..." Carlos nodded. "We met before actually."
"Yeah?" Evie asked.
"I was at your 6th birthday party," Carlos said bashfully. "I was encouraged to go outside and make some friends even though everyone was two years older than me."
"Oh... You must be a child prodigy then?" Evie guessed.
"I guess you could say that..." Carlos shrugged bashfully. "I've always been very smart for my age."
"Oh... Well... Sorry, I don't remember much about that party, but it's good to see you again and at least you seem friendly." Evie smiled softly.
"Well, I try my best." Carlos said before chuckling.
"Then you excel." Evie smiled before they shared a laugh together.
"Ahem!" The teacher, Mrs. Murphy, cleared her throat and glared at them.
Evie and Carlos flinched before they took out their books and hid their faces away from her. The teacher nodded before she turned around and went back to the lesson on her chalkboard.
"Anyway, don't worry about Mal," Carlos whispered to Evie. "She actually thinks you're interesting for who you are."
"Really?" Evie asked, a bit surprised. "She didn't seem that very much interested in me when I saw you guys at the diner the other day."
"Just give her some time... Maybe she'll warm up later," Carlos advised. "You can stick by me though."
Evie smiled warmly. There was something about Carlos who reminded her of her little brother and he even felt like one since he was 14 and she was 16 like everyone else in the room aside from the teacher of course. Mal eyed Evie as she looked curious and thoughtful, almost like she was hatching some sort of scheme, but kept it to herself for now. However, she wasn't the only one, especially once some homework assignments came back with them being marked for the students from overnight.
"Here are your homework papers back." Ms. Murphy told her students.
Some students looked satisfied and some other students looked dissatisfied with the end results.
"Oh..." Chad frowned as he didn't like how his homework assignment looked.
"I guess this is why some kids study." Magda complained as she held her head after seeing her homework again.
"Congratulations, Evie. You really improved since your last assignment." Ms. Murphy smiled approvingly to the dark-haired girl.
"I try my best, ma'am." Evie nodded.
"You succeed in that case," Ms. Murphy approved. "You're one of my best students after all."
Evie smiled bashfully, but was still a bit proud of herself. Chad began to look over at Evie a bit thoughtfully as her intelligence gave him some sort of idea for something. Not only him though as Magda had an idea herself, but she would put it to use sometime whenever the time would be right, especially including the help of Amalie and Scarlet.
Sometime after class, Mal seemed to be talking with Jay about something as they stood beside Carlos who was at his locker. The two bigger students were laughing at each other while Carlos looked a bit shy and quiet compared to them. Evie wondered what they were talking about, but at the same time, she thought maybe it would be a good idea not to get involved. However, all three of them looked over and seemed suspicious as Chad walked over to Evie and made her blush as they talked with each other for a few moments until Chad then left and Evie let out a squealing sound, seeming to be very excited about something.
"I wonder what that was all about?" Jay commented.
"I think I have a pretty good idea," Mal guessed. "Chad is coming over to her house for a study party or homework help or something like that and Evie accepted."
"You sound pretty sure about that." Jay remarked.
"Yeah." Carlos added.
"Trust me, guys. I know what I'm talking about," Evie replied with her hands on her hips. "I've seen it a lot on teen soap operas like on Mackenzie Falls."
"Should we tell her?" Carlos then wondered.
"Meh," Mal scoffed and shrugged. "Let little princess Evie Mills figure it out herself."
"Yeah! It's not like we're all friends or anything." Jay added as he huffed and crossed his arms.
"Heh... Yeah..." Carlos added as he smiled sheepishly and weakly. "W-We don't need her."
"No way." Jay and Mal added, though Carlos seemed a bit unsure about that.
Meanwhile, Mal's prediction seemed to come true as Evie looked like she was walking on air.
"Ooh! I can't believe it! I'm gonna have a study date with Chad Herman!" Evie beamed to herself as she did a little victory pose with her arms in the air.
"See? What'd I tell ya?" Mal asked Jay and Carlos before walking off. "We're out of here."
Jay nodded as he then followed after Mal. Carlos looked a little worried about Evie before he then went to go after Mal and Jay before he would get in trouble with them. Evie was oblivious to their company, so she just kept dancing in excitement and anticipation, though she began to wonder if her mother would even let her be with Chad.
Eventually, before the Mills family knew it, it was Saturday and the weekend came. Regina surprisingly allowed Chad to come over that day for his and Evie's study date, but on one condition: they both had to watch Henry and couldn't leave the house, except for Chad to be picked up and be sent home afterward along with a few other rules she had set for Henry since he was grounded. Evie was too, but Regina was sure that a study date would be harmless enough especially since her daughter was very intelligent, even if she sometimes tried to hide it from cute boys like Chad himself. Evie seemed to be wearing very noticeable make-up, such as red lipstick that made her lips look big and her mascara made her eyes look big. Henry didn't like it at all, but Regina told him to be polite for his big sister's sake, though it was sometimes hard to ignore with the strong scents of perfume Evie was dousing herself with.
"All right, Evie. I made some apple tarts for you and your friend," Regina said as she walked by to finish up her make-up. "You can share them, but remember your rules and make sure Henry remembers his too."
"Homework only, keep an eye on Henry, and sit at least six feet apart from Chad." Evie recited almost like she was forced to memorize those rules.
"Very good," Regina nodded. "Also, make sure you share with your brother if he wants any treats, but make sure he eats his vegetables too. You can order in anything you like for lunch, but it has to be healthy and nutritious and you already have a dessert right here."
"Yes, Mom." Evie replied calmly.
"Very good," Regina said before she went to put on her lipstick before she would head out the door, leaving her children home alone for most of the day. "I know you think otherwise, but I don't enjoy these Saturday city council meetings. Sometimes they're just unavoidable. Now, you know the rules like your sister knows hers?" she then asked Henry once she caught a glimpse of him.
"Yes on homework, no on TV, do whatever Evie says, and stay inside." Henry then memorized his own rules.
"Good boy," Regina approved. "Under no circumstance do either of you leave this house."
"You mean don't see my mom." Henry then said.
"Henry..." Evie sighed quietly and sharply before she looked out the window rather eagerly.
"She's not your mother. She's just a woman passing through," Regina retorted to Henry. "Now do as I say or there will be consequences. I'll be back at 5:00 sharp," she then told him before she opened the door just as a certain blonde boy was about to knock on the door before seeing her. "Ah... You must be Charles Herman?"
"It's Chad now, Madam Mayor..." Chad replied with a small smirk, trying to be brave and confident as he held his backpack over his shoulder. "You look very lovely today."
"Why thank you, Charles," Regina smirked, ignoring his requested name as Evie came to let him inside. "Unfortunately I can't stay long. I have a meeting, so you and Evie will have to go on without me and her little brother is here too. They're both grounded, but I made an exception to let you come over as long as you study."
"Yes, ma'am. Only studying," Chad nodded. "Got it."
"All right. You kids have fun," Regina replied before she went out to her car. "Goodbye, now."
"Bye, Mom!" Evie called out as she shut the door and then beamed warmly. "Hi, Chad... Good to see you~"
Henry rolled his eyes and shook his head slightly at the sight of Chad who made him cringe just from the condescending smirk on the blonde boy's face.
"Chad, this is my little brother Henry," Evie introduced with a small smile. "So glad you could make it."
"...Hey." Henry greeted Chad rather indifferently.
"Aw... I love kids and they love me..." Chad smirked before ruffling up Henry's hair. "Right, little man?"
Henry groaned and glared at him.
"Henry, you wanna go watch TV in the other room?" Evie asked. "We don't have to tell Mom."
"...No thanks," Henry said as he shook his head. "I think I need to do some important work."
"...Henry." Evie said, concerned and had a feeling she knew what her little brother meant by that.
"I'll get out of your way." Henry told them before suddenly turned away and went to head away from the two teenagers.
"Well... Now that little ankle-biter's out of the way..." Chad smirked eagerly. "Maybe we should get started, Eva?"
"My name is Evie..." Evie corrected with a firm pout before she smiled innocently. "Erm... All right... Let's get started."
"Right." Chad smirked and nodded rather eagerly.
Evie then led him into the living room and grabbed her backpack while Chad sat down next to her and began to take his backpack as well.
Meanwhile, at Ms. Blanchard's loft, the short-haired woman was bringing a plate of food out for Emma who was unpacking her belongings as she got more settled into Storybrooke.
"I'm so glad my stuff is here," Emma said in relief before she took the plate from the short-haired woman. "Oh, thanks."
"So that is all your stuff?" Ms. Blanchard asked curiously.
"What do you mean?" Emma replied.
"Is the rest in storage?" Ms. Blanchard then asked.
"No, this is all of it," Emma shook her head. "I'm not sentimental."
"Well, it must make things easier when you have to move." Ms. Blanchard replied before there was then suddenly a knock at the door. She then got up and decided to go and answer it as a certain brunette-haired boy with hazel eyes was at the door.
"Good day, Ms. Blanchard," Ben greeted as he nodded his head. "Is there a Miss Emma Swan here?"
"Erm... Yes, actually," Ms. Blanchard replied. "Hello, Benjamin, nice to see you and what a big surprise... I thought the rent wasn't due yet."
"It isn't. I'm here for a very different reason on my father's behalf." Ben stated as he came inside to see Emma.
Emma glanced over at the boy curiously.
"Ah... Miss Swan," Ben greeted before nodding his head. "My name is Benjamin Gold. You spoke to my father when you came into Storybrooke for the night at Granny's Bed & Breakfast."
"I remember," Emma nodded. "You seem like a nice kid."
"I try my best anyway," Ben said with a small smile. "He needs your help to look for someone."
"Really? Um..." Emma stammered.
"You know what? I am going to jump in the bath." Ms. Blanchard said before walking off suddenly.
Ben glanced at her before looking back at Emma before he brought out a picture of a younger blonde woman. "My dad gave me this to help your search a little in who he's looking for," he then told the blonde woman in his proximity. "Her name is Ashley Boyd and she's taken something quite valuable of my father's."
"So why don't you guys just call the police?" Emma then asked him.
"Dad says she's a confused woman," Ben explained maturely. "She's pregnant, alone, and scared. He just wants what's his and he doesn't mean for the girl to get into so much trouble just because of him."
"And what does your father need?" Emma then asked. "And why doesn't he come for help himself?"
"I'm not supposed to tell you and he's still recovering from last night." Ben explained calmly.
"Recovering from what?" Emma then asked.
"Well... Last night... Ashley assaulted my dad when he was closing up his shop for the night while I was at home finishing my homework," Ben explained calmly. "He mentioned that she needed something to change her life. Please, Miss Swan, you have to find her and my dad doesn't want to call the police and the last thing he wants is to have the baby be born in jail. You can understand that, right?" he then added.
Emma looked a little soft before she answered the boy's question. "No, of course not." she then said.
"So you'll help him then?" Ben asked hopefully.
"I will help her." Emma decided.
"Good..." Ben nodded. "I'll go tell my dad right away."
"Okay... See you later then..." Emma then told him.
"Have a good day then." Ben said before he suddenly left and went to go back to his father until the door opened again.
In came Henry who let himself inside as he came to see the blonde woman. "Hey Emma, I was thinking we-" he started to say until he froze on the spot once he saw Ben.
"Hey, Henry. What's up?" Ben smiled innocently at the boy.
"Nothing much...?" Henry replied, seeming uneasy around the older boy. Okay.
"Good. Give my regards to your mother and Evie, and um... Good luck, Miss Swan." Ben then said before he suddenly left, almost mysteriously like his father.
"Do you know who that is the descendant of?" Henry asked in a warning.
"Yeah, of course I do." Emma nodded as she thought it was obvious, especially since Ben introduced himself at the door as the son of Mr. Gold.
"Who? 'Cuz I'm still trying to figure out who his parents were." Henry then said as he thought more about the fairy tale world.
"Oh, I meant in reality." Emma then told him as she searched through her things.
"Is that all you brought?" Henry asked as he checked her things as well.
"Henry, what are you doing here?" Emma then asked him.
"My mom's gone 'til 5:00 and Evie has a study date with Chad, I thought we could hang out." Henry explained calmly.
"Aw, kid, I wish I could, but there's something I gotta do." Emma sighed as she sounded busy suddenly before she would change her clothes.
However, after changing her outfit and heading out the door, Henry refused to leave Emma's side. "Please let me help." he begged on the way down the street.
"No, no it could be dangerous." Emma advised.
"The pregnant maid is dangerous?" Henry asked in confusion.
"She assaulted Mr. Gold." Emma explained.
"Cool!" Henry smirked a little bit.
"This isn't a game. She's desperate."
"How do you know?"
Emma sighed, thinking of her own personal experience. "Because I know." she then told him as calmly as she could.
"Well, then let's find her." Henry then suggested.
"Oh, no, no, no, no there is no 'let's'," Emma shook her head as she approached her car. "You cannot come with me."
"Then I'll look for her myself."
"Then I'll find you and I'll bring you back."
"Then you wouldn't be helping the maid."
"I am just trying to be responsible here."
"And I'm just trying to spend time with you." Henry retorted as he began to get into the car.
Emma sighed and groaned in defeat. "Oh, that is really not fair." she then told him as she came into the car with him to start the car and drive off with him.
"So the maid, what's her story?" Henry asked Emma before they began to ride off and would go and question people as she had a new job in Storybrooke now.
Meanwhile, Evie and Chad continued to study, though Evie seemed to be a little bit distracted. Yes, she had a big crush on Chad, but not that sort of distraction as her heart was paining about another thing: the disappearance of Henry, worry of him getting caught into a far worse punishment for both of them, and what could be going on with him right now, especially after what happened to John Doe who ended up being Mr. David Nolan. This mystery of their Fairy Tale Town was getting very dangerous and it was getting away from her as she had a hard time focusing on studying with Chad.
"Say, you wanna get me another apple tart? Those are like the best I've ever had." Chad then suggested with a smirk.
"Oh... Sure..." Evie smiled and nodded before she got up and walked off into the kitchen before she sighed to herself. "Henry... What are you doing out there? I'd love to go and check on you... But I made promises to Mom... I can't lie any longer..." she then heaved a sharp sigh. "...I have to go after him..." she then told herself before she got a couple of more apple tarts to share with Chad.
Chad was looking over at Evie's notebook and seemed to be copying down her answers. He smirked and chuckled to himself, looking satisfied at what he was doing.
"Chad... I'm sorry..." Evie said as she walked over as he copied her answers before looking up at her and she didn't seem to notice what he was doing. "I have to go after my little brother, but you have to promise me something."
"Yeah, Babe?" Chad asked as he took one apple tart from her before eating it suddenly.
"Don't tell my mom we went out, okay?" Evie asked him as she put her hands on his shoulders and looked into her eyes. "She can't know."
"Is this about that silly fairy tale thing your brother's obsessed with?" Chad asked with a scoff and rolled his eyes. "That kid needs to grow up, don't you think?"
"Well... Yes, but it makes him happy," Evie replied. "I have to be there for him. He'll grow up eventually, I'm sure, I'm just playing along until he snaps out of it and realizes that Emma's not important and he's just overreacting and romanticizing the idea of this curse in his head. Do you understand?" she then asked.
"Uh..." Chad blinked, looking and sounding clueless from her big words and technological point of view of Henry's stories.
"Just trust me and promise me you won't tell my mom?" Evie begged. "Otherwise, we might not be able to see each other after school again."
Chad looked wide-eyed, but was of course more worried about not being able to use her for homework answers to do better in class. Though, he wasn't going to tell her that before he then nodded and smirked. "Sure, I won't tell," he then said. "But... You have to do my homework for me. You know how busy I get with after-school activities like sports, right?"
"Oh... Uh... I guess I could do that," Evie then said. "You can't get something for nothing after all. Mr. Gold at least seems to think so."
"Great! It's a deal..." Chad then smirked. "Just remember to keep your end of the bargain."
"Okay, Chad~" Evie blushed as she smiled a bit from his smirk. "Our secrets will be safe with each other."
"Deal." Chad nodded before they shook hands on it.
Eventually, Evie grabbed her own backpack and came to meet up with Henry as Chad snatched her answer paper for himself without her knowing. She then came and went to meet her little brother just as they were leaving Granny's Diner after talking about something with Ruby and Emma did a quick meet and greet with Evie before she told them to wait in the car for her next stop: she was going to see Sean Herman himself, the older brother of Chad.
"Hey, kiddo." Evie smiled at Henry.
"Hey, Evie... I thought you had a study date with Chad?" Henry replied.
"I did, but I decided to cancel... I thought you were too important right now," Evie said. "Besides, I'm already doing okay in most of my classes as long as the other popular kids don't know. What happened here?"
"Ruby just told us about Ashley Boyd's family who robbed Mr. Gold last night," Henry explained. "Apparently Ashley has a step-mother and two step-sisters. Does that sound familiar to you?" he then prompted.
"...That is eerily uncanny..." Evie had to admit as that made her think of none other than Cinderella. "It just has to be a coincidence though, right?"
"What do you think?" Henry asked with a small smirk.
"...Knowing you it's just part of the curse," Evie then said. "I sorta remember Ashley from school before she had to drop out when she got pregnant. I'm not sure if I support it, but I'm not having children until after I get married."
"That sounds good, Evie," Henry replied. "Though I'd love to be an uncle for your kids someday."
"We'll see," Evie smirked warmly. "So why's everybody suddenly asking Emma for her help?" she then asked.
"Oh, you don't know? Apparently, Graham let her become a deputy for him," Henry explained. "I don't fully understand it either."
Eventually, Emma came back to the car to tell Evie and Henry what they had missed. Ashley had sold her future baby to Mr. Gold to give the child a proper and happier home since she was only 19 and that Mitchell Herman, Sean and Chad's father, was pretty much running Sean's life with a tight shift and didn't want him to get involved with Ashley in any way.
"You can't make her double-cross Gold," Henry warned Emma. "No one's ever broken a deal with him."
"It's a really dumb thing to do, Emma." Evie added in deep warning.
"Happy to be the first. If Ashley wants to have this baby, she should have it," Emma replied as she began to pull her car up to Granny's Diner and they soon left the car to go inside. "Anyone who wants to be a mother should damn well be allowed to be one."
Ruby was shown to be standing over at the counter before she saw that she had company.
"Why didn't you tell me she sold the baby?" Emma asked the rather sultry waitress.
"Because I didn't think it was important." Ruby shrugged innocently.
"Really?" Evie retorted. "Considering that's why she's running away?"
"Look, Ashley's my friend. I don't like the idea of people judging her," Ruby defended. "Evie, you wouldn't want your friends to be judged too, wouldn't you?"
"...Fair point." Evie then had to admit.
Emma then looked over and saw a tiny figurine in the shape of a wolf with hints and flecks of red on the bar table, so she picked it up suspiciously. "Ruby, where's your car? You didn't send me to Sean to find her, you sent me there to give her a head start." she then demanded suddenly.
"Look, I'm only trying to help her." Ruby defended softly.
"Yeah, so am I. Ashley's in more trouble than you know, Ruby," Emma replied. "Where is she? Don't make her deal with Gold without me."
Ruby looked hesitant before looking over at the Mills siblings. "I can't talk in front of them. They're the mayor's kids." she then said to Emma.
"Oh... Okay then..." Evie said softly.
"Hey! We're on your side." Henry retorted then.
Emma sighed before she whispered to him. "Henry, I need to find this woman, and in order to do that, I need you and your sister to go home, okay?" she then told him urgently and quietly. "So please listen to me, seriously. She's not gonna tell me anything if you're around."
"Okay. Henry said, seeming to understand right away.
"Thank you." Emma then said in relief.
Henry took Evie's hand and they began to walk off, looking like they were going back home. Henry and Evie soon left. Henry then put his finger to his lips to shush Evie before leading her somewhere else which was a secret until Emma would drive away. Evie would've questioned this, but at this point, she just decided to go along with whatever her little brother wanted just to keep him happy, though she knew that this story was going to have an unhappy ending sooner or later.
"She left town. Said she was gonna try Boston," Ruby then informed Emma once they were alone. "Thought she could disappear there."
"How long ago did she leave?" Emma then asked.
"About a half an hour." Ruby replied.
Emma was soon driving off, on her way to Boston to look for Ashley, but she wasn't alone.
"What did she tell you?" Henry asked as he sat up from the backseat, startling Emma suddenly.
"Henry! What the hell?" Emma complained before looking over. "Evie, you too?!"
"Heh... Surprise?" Evie smiled nervously.
"I am going to Boston, you guys can't come with me." Emma firmly told the Mills siblings.
"You can't go to Boston, she can't leave!" Henry cried out. "Bad things happen to anyone that does."
"What makes you say that anyway?" Evie asked.
"Emma tried to leave the night she got here and almost died." Henry reminded.
Evie then groaned and rolled her eyes slightly.
"I don't have time to argue with you over the curse," Emma then sighed wearily. "I've got to get you home."
"We have to stop her before she gets hurt," Henry retorted as he talked about Ashley. "We're wasting time. If you drop us off, you'll never catch up to her."
"Henry..." Both Evie and Emma sighed.
"And then Mr. Gold will call the police, and he'll have her sent to jail." Henry then continued.
Emma's eyes widened before she suddenly relented. "Buckle up," she then told them before sighing to herself. "Ashley, what did you get yourself into?"
"Okay, just keep your eyes peeled guys," Evie suggested. "Let's keep an eye out for Ruby's car."
Emma nodded before she looked at Evie briefly before doing a double-take with wide eyes about her make-up.
Evie then looked forward before looking back at Emma with a small smile. "Do you like my make-up?" she then asked. "I did it for Chad."
"...Tone it down a little bit," Emma suggested before she looked back on the road. "You look like a Bratz doll come to life."
Henry snickered a little while Evie firmly pouted and shot her little brother a look. After a few more moments of driving, they soon saw something that made a few red flags come out.
"Emma, right there," Evie pointed out to the blonde woman. "There's Ruby's car."
Emma nodded and soon began to pull up her car just before the Storybrooke border where Ruby's car was. "Ashley?" she then asked before going to check in the car as she saw it, but it was empty which confused her.
Evie and Henry looked around until the teenage girl found something else again.
"Look!" Evie gasped once it hit her.
Ashley was shown and she was now screaming. She was sitting on a patch of grass and she looked very uncomfortable and unsettled as she sat on the grass near the car.
"Ashley... What's going on?" Evie asked a bit worriedly.
"My baby. It's coming!" Ashley told her as she looked wide-eyed and fearful.
Soon, they got right in Emma's car and began to drive away from where they once were.
"This is really happening..." Evie said to herself. "I'm helping someone with giving birth."
"Calm down, I'm sure Dr. Whale will take care of that and you can just wait with Henry," Emma told her before trying to comfort Ashley. "Don't worry. The hospital isn't that far."
"No, no, no, no, take me to Boston," Ashley fearfully told Emma. "I can't go back there."
"Oh, no we don't have four hours, trust me. I know." Emma frowned.
"I can't go back there, please," Ashley begged through sobs. "He's gonna take my baby."
"I won't let that happen, but do you know what you're asking for?" Emma then asked as she had experience about what Ashley was going through. "If you keep this child are you really ready?"
"Yeah." Ashley insisted, trying to sound mature.
"Are you sure? Because I wasn't." Emma then replied.
Ashley looked and sounded surprised. "...You weren't?" she then asked.
"Nope. If you want to give this kid its best chance, it's gonna be with someone who's ready, so know what that means," Emma advised as comforting as she could. "Your whole life is gonna change, and once you decide that it's yours, this running away can't happen. You have to grow up, and you can't ever leave. Understand?" she then added.
"...Yes. I want my baby." Ashley nodded as calmly as she could.
Evie and Henry smiled a little before they soon went off to the hospital. Today was probably the world's longest Saturday with the misadventures.
Luckily, they soon made it to the hospital and Dr. Whale came to tend to Ashley just as the young mother started to scream. Emma, Henry, and Evie were now waiting in the waiting room together as Evie tried to calm herself down as today was probably the craziest of her life.
"You know Emma, you're different." Henry remarked.
"What's that?" Emma asked him curiously.
"You're the only one who can do it." Henry then said.
"Break the curse?" Emma asked.
"We know, Henry," Evie chuckled warmly. "You've mentioned this to us before."
"Yeah. You keep telling me that." Emma added.
"No, leave," Henry explained what he meant by that. "You're the only one who can leave Storybrooke."
"You and Evie left and came and found me in Boston." Emma reminded.
"But we came back. I'm 10 and Evie's 16," Henry defended. "We had no choice, but if anyone else tried to go, bad things would happen."
"Anyone, except me?" Emma asked curiously then as Evie decided to check his phone a bit.
"You're The Savior. You can do whatever you want," Henry replied. "You can go."
Another doctor soon walked on over to see the trio, but mostly the blonde woman. "Miss Swan, the baby is a healthy six-pound girl, and the mother is doing fine." she then informed with a warm smile.
"Aww..." Evie smiled and cooed as that sounded so sweet.
"What lovely news," Mr. Gold smirked as he suddenly arrived with Ben. "Excellent wor, Miss Swan. Thank you for bringing me my merchandise."
"Dad, you don't have to do this." Ben spoke up softly.
"Benjamin, wait here. I'll be right back." Mr. Gold told his son sharply.
Ben swallowed thickly, but he did what his father asked him to, fearing about disobeying him.
"Excuse me, guys... I'll be right back too." Emma then told Evie and Henry.
Evie nodded at Emma before the woman soon walked off suddenly. She then looked over before her eyes widened. "Ben... Hi..." she said, almost sounding surprised to see him after so long.
"Evie... Hey..." Ben blinked before smiling sheepishly. "What's it been? Like 10 years?"
"Heh... Maybe..." Evie smiled back bashfully as she played with a loose strand in her darkened hair.
"What's going on here?" Henry asked as he looked between Ben and Evie.
"Oh... Henry, you remember Ben French, right?" Evie asked bashfully. "We were the best of friends when we were little."
"Yeah... Really great friends," Ben added as he nodded and smiled sheepishly. "Now I'm just studying really hard at home to make my dad proud of me."
"Oh, yeah... You're Mr. Gold's son, right?" Henry then asked Ben.
"Yes... I am," Ben replied. "I don't get out of the house much... I'd love to play sports like football and Tourney, but he really needs me home, especially on the weekends where I help out in his shop. Plus, ya know, collecting rent all the time." he then shrugged nervously.
"I guess you've gotten so busy since the last time we used to hang out," Evie nodded. "I'm up to big and crazy things too myself."
"Yeah... Like Emma Swan being around here and especially your brother," Ben said knowingly. "Sounds like a hectic adventure in enough itself."
"Oh, it sure is." Evie nodded.
"Right..." Ben smiled sheepishly. "Well... Good to see ya, but I don't think I can stick around too long. As soon as Dad's done here, we gotta head back home. You know how it is." he then added.
"Yeah... I totally get it," Evie replied as she nodded her head. "Well, it was good to see you."
"Good seeing you too, Evie," Ben said. "I'll see you around the neighborhood, okay?"
"Sounds good, Ben. Or in the hallway." Evie replied.
"Right..." Ben said before he suddenly walked away mysteriously and awkwardly.
Henry began to look curious before he looked at his big sister.
"Well, that was weird." Evie muttered to herself.
"What happened between you guys?" Henry asked as he looked at her. "Did you just stop being friends?"
"Oh... Sometimes these things happen when you get older, Henry," Evie sighed with a small shrug. "You get older, your interests diverge, sometimes you accept these things, but sometimes it's shameful to think that friends you once had for life and feel inseparable with can just drift away suddenly. It's a little sad, but sometimes it's just part of life."
"...Well, I hope I never lose friends like Dee Dee and Paige," Henry then said. "They're very good friends to me, especially Dee Dee."
"Well, I'm glad you found a best friend like that, Henry," Evie smiled warmly. "I hope you two can be best friends for life and that I get to hang out with her too someday."
Emma soon came back over to the Mills siblings.
"You okay, Emma?" Evie asked.
"I think I feel much better now," Emma said calmly. "Let's go see Ashley, okay?"
Henry and Evie smiled a little before they got up and came to follow Emma into meeting the new mother in Storybrooke as the nurse let them into the room before she then decided to leave the room just as they had entered.
"Hi, Ashley." Evie greeted softly.
"Evie... Long time no see," Ashley smiled as she held her new daughter in her arms. "It's really great to see you."
"Great to see you too." Evie smiled back warmly as she came closer and began to coo at the baby girl in Ashley's arms.
"What's her name?" Emma then asked about the baby.
"Alexandra." Ashley replied warmly.
"What a very pretty name for a very pretty princess." Evie smiled.
"Oh... Thank you," Ashley beamed before looking at Emma. "And thank you for getting me here."
"Mr. Gold was outside," Emma began to explain. "I took care of it. She's yours."
"She is? But what did you do?" Ashley asked curiously.
"Made a deal with him." Emma then said.
Evie tensed up a bit as something about that made her feel very nervous.
"Thank you. Thank you." Ashley gushed as she beamed in relief about her baby's future, so glad that she would get a chance to live happily ever after with Alexandra.
Emma looked very happy at the tender family moment as well before she took a look at the time and suddenly looked urgent to the Mills siblings. "Oh, hey, guys, it's almost 5:00. You gotta get home." she then warned them.
"Whoa... Where did the time go?" Evie's eyes widened before she smiled sheepishly. "I don't suppose you could give us a lift, Emma?"
"I'd be happy to, Evie." Emma smiled back warmly.
"Thanks... Henry and I are a little short." Evie nodded.
"Hey! I'm only 10!" Henry pouted.
"I mean on cash, Henry." Evie clarified with an amused smirk.
"Oh... I knew that." Henry covered up bashfully.
Evie just laughed a bit before they began to follow Emma out of the hospital as they rushed rather urgently. They soon made it into the car and it was time for the race back home before Regina would beat them there.
"I'm sorry I ruined your study date with Chad, Evie," Henry said. "I couldn't just sit at home. You could've just waited for me back home and you wouldn't get in trouble just because of me."
"It's okay, Henry... I'll find you," Evie smiled warmly. "I will always find you."
Emma smiled at the siblings, admiring that bond before she suddenly said, "Pumpkin."
Henry and Evie then glanced at Emma.
"My codename," Emma then explained. "I was thinking in honor of Cinderella... 'Pumpkin'."
Henry shook his head from that suggested.
"...Well, I think it's cute." Evie shrugged.
"Cute?" Emma groaned before pouting at Henry. "You got a better one in mind?" she then asked the boy.
"Yep." Henry nodded, but said nothing else.
Evie and Emma just looked at him as he was being silent for a bit.
"...Well?" Emma prompted Henry.
"I'm not sure you're ready yet." Henry smirked in response.
"Oh, there's Jane..." Evie noticed as she looked out the window and called out as she rolled the window down. "Jane!"
"Do we have time for teenage gossip?" Emma asked as she started to slow her car down.
"This won't take long, I promise," Evie told her before she called out the window as a plucky young girl with short brown hair with a big baby blue bow in her hair, wearing a darker blue robe was shown to be walking around with a bouquet of lilies in her hands. "Jane, have you seen my mother come by? Is her council meeting still going on?"
"Council meeting? I don't remember hearing anything about that," Jane said before shrugging. "But no, I haven't seen her around. Sorry... I was just on my way to deliver flowers to my mom."
"Oh... Is it her day today?" Evie asked softly.
Jane nodded in response, looking a little sad.
"Okay, Jane. You have a good visit. Thank you for your time." Evie replied as she rolled her window back up.
"See you later then, Evie." Jane said before she went back to walking down the street on her way to the town's cemetery.
"...What was that all about?" Emma asked in concern before she started driving again.
"Oh... That's Jane," Evie explained. "She lost her parents when she was a baby, so she lives with The Sisters of Saint Meissa Convent. Mother Superior looks after her."
"Oh... So she lost her mother?" Emma guessed.
"Yes... No word about her father, but he could be gone too," Evie nodded. "It's sad, but she says she feels a lot at home with Mother Superior. It's like her mother just blew up out of existence or something."
"Well... That's good to know at least." Emma said.
Evie gave a small smile before they were soon very close.
They soon made it to the mansion and luckily it seemed like Regina wasn't home yet. Once they pulled up to the side, Evie and Henry wasted no time in getting their seatbelts off and came to rush off inside, but they had to stop again briefly.
"Guys!" Emma called out which made them stop in their tracks and turn around to face the woman. "About what you said at the hospital, about me being able to leave?" she then began to say.
"Yeah?" Henry replied calmly.
"See you tomorrow." Emma then said.
Henry smiled at that. Evie also smiled and soon, the Mills siblings continued to run into the house as their mother was very close behind them, but luckily, she didn't even see them. Once Emma saw Regina's car, she decided to hit the road herself before she would be in worse trouble than the two of them. However, as Henry ran upstairs, he lost a shoe in the process on the steps like a certain fairy tale princess and Evie soon jumped onto the couch and brought out her textbook, humming innocently.
"Kids?" Regina called as she came into the living room briefly and saw Evie sitting with her headphones on and seemed to be doing her homework, then went up the stairs and groaned once she saw something on the steps and picked it up on the way into her son's room. "Henry... What did I tell you?" she then scolded as she opened his door, finding him lying down on his bed with a book. "Do not... Leave your shoes lying around on the stairs. Someone could get hurt."
Henry smiled and nodded before Regina left his room and he soon let out a sigh of relief. Evie did the same from where she sat, then looked curious as she saw her notes scattered around before she picked them up to sort them out for her folder.
Meanwhile, a pair of brothers were on their way to go and visit a certain someone.
"Why do I have to come too?" Chad complained. "I have a life, you know."
"Chad, being nice and seeing someone won't kill you for a few mintues," Sean hissed to his younger brother. "Who knows? Maybe this will be fun."
"Ugh... Babies are disgusting..." Chad rolled his eyes. "They don't even do anything... Except eat and cry and poop."
"Hey, so do you, but Dad and I keep you around the house, don't we?" Sean smirked.
"Not funny, Sean." Chad murmured in slight embarrassment.
Sean chuckled in victory before he soon came into the room to see Ashley and Alexandra as Chad trailed behind. "Is that her?" he then asked as he came over to the blonde girl.
"Sean." Ashley said as she looked over in surprise.
"I am so sorry," Sean said to her softly. "I never should have left you."
Chad rolled his eyes as he decided to tune out Sean and Ashley as he began to play on his phone.
"You're back?" Ashley then asked.
"Yeah, I'm back and Chad decided to come over too." Sean nodded.
"Against my will when I could be taking perfectly good selfies by the pool if I may add." Chad added rather selfishly.
Ashley groaned a bit.
Sean rolled his eyes with a sigh at his very selfish and conceited brother who had no charm whatsoever and not a lot of "there, there" either before he smiled at Ashley. He then decided to sit down on the side of Ashley's bed with a pink gift bag. "Here, I got her a present," he then said before laughing with Ashley a bit as he took out a pair of shoes and began to put them on Alexandra like she was their little princess. "I don't know if they're gonna fit."
"They're perfect," Ashley beamed at him. "Though I don't know where I could probably find a babysitter."
"Oh, Chad will be happy too. Isn't that right, Chad?" Sean then smirked a bit.
"Yeah. Sure. Whatever." Chad said, focused on his phone right now, not even paying attention to what was going on around him.
"Oh, thanks, Chad!" Ashley beamed. "I knew you would be a good help."
"Uh-huh... Sure..." Chad said before he realized what was going on. "Wait, what?"
"Oh, Chad, I'm so glad you decided to become Alexandra's new babysitter!" Sean beamed as he hugged Chad suddenly. "Hey, look at it this way! She could think of you as like her big brother!"
"What? NO! I want a do-over in this discussion!" Chad cried out. "NOOOOO!"
Alexandra then reached out and began to pull on his hair.
"Argh..." Chad groaned. "I so didn't sign up for this..." he then complained, trying to make Alexandra stop, but he seemed powerless against the grabby baby girl.
Ashley and Sean chuckled warmly together as this seemed to be their very own happy ending ever after. Definitely Alexandra too and certainly not for poor Chad, but then again, Chad is the worst. He had to learn sooner or later that despite what he may think, the entire world does not revolve around him.