A/N: Ginger is not a Descendants or Once Upon a Time OC, she is a character from the series Ever After High. If you'd like to see more of her in future chapters, just let me know and maybe you will see Nicholas and Ava again in future chapters with her!
Evie brought Henry with him as she had to visit Dark Star Pharmacy to pick up a few things as an errand for Regina. She began to do light shopping while Henry would try to keep himself busy and soon found material in the form of good old superhero comic books. Evie glanced over and hid a small smirk as she hoped that maybe superhero comic books would probably keep Henry busy from the fairy tale curse for a while and maybe he would start talking about other things like TRON or anything else he was interested in that were appropriate for his age.
"Whatcha readin'?" A young voice asked.
Henry blinked before looking over to see a blonde girl, not Dee Dee, but still roughly his age as she approached him. "The Hulk vs Wolverine." he then told her calmly.
"I'm Ava," The blonde girl said to him. "I think I've seen you around school. You're in Ms. Blanchard's class, right?"
Henry nodded before another dark-haired boy close to their age walked up to the blonde girl.
"Almost ready, Ava?" The boy asked the girl.
The blonde girl nodded at him before smiling at Henry as she showed the other boy. "This is my brother, Nicholas." she then told him.
"Hi," Nicholas said with a small smile. "Come on; let's go." he then told his sister.
"You wanna come hang out?" Ava invited Henry.
"Sure!" Henry beamed before he blinked. "Oh, wait."
Evie was soon coming over with the things she wanted to buy before being stopped by her brother.
"Evie, can I go hang out?" Henry asked hopefully.
"You wanna hang out with someone?" Evie asked. "Is it Dee Dee?"
"Uh... No, it's my new friends." Henry said with a small smile.
"You made new friends?" Evie asked as she started to smile back, looking excited and happy for her brother.
"Uh-huh," Henry nodded before looking at Nicholas and Ava. "This is my sister, Evie."
"We've heard of you too," Ava then said innocently. "You go to the high school, right?"
"That would be me," Evie replied. "Do you two have any brothers or sisters I would know?"
"Probably not," Nicholas said. "It's just me and Ava."
"Oh, okay," Evie smiled before she looked at Henry. "All right, Henry, you can go hang out with them. I'm done here anyway and I'll just see you at home."
"Okay then." Henry nodded as he went to join Nicholas and Ava.
Evie then got her stuff out and got ready to check out.
However, Mr. Clark suddenly bolted to the door to stop the kids from leaving suddenly. "Where the hell do you think you're going?" he then scolded the trio of kids. "Open up your bag."
"What?" Henry frowned.
"Hey! What's going on?" Evie complained that Henry was seen as a troublemaker.
"Don't think I didn't see you rob me," Mr. Clark scolded. "Open your bag."
"Mr. Clark, Henry wouldn't steal." Evie scolded.
"Oh, yeah?" Mr. Clark replied before he took Henry's bag and began to look through it before he pulled out a fistful of candy. "And a liar, too."
"What?" Evie asked softly and very much in disbelief.
Henry frowned before facing Nicholas and Ava once he saw right through them. "That's why you were talking to me. So your brother could put that stuff in there." he then realized softly and sadly.
"Henry... I'm shocked," Mr. Clark scolded Henry once more. "And you two; just who do you think you are?" he then asked Nicholas and Ava.
The two kids just looked over before looking away.
"Mr. Clark, I happen to know for a fact that Henry wouldn't steal." Evie piped up.
"I'm sorry, Evie, but I'll have to call your mother." Mr. Clark replied before he brought out his phone to make a certain phone call.
"Evie, I didn't take that candy." Henry told his sister.
"I know you didn't, Henry," Evie replied before looking at Nicholas and Ava. "How could you two do such a thing?"
Nicholas and Ava just backed up away from Evie in response. Evie tutted and shook her head at them as she put her arm around Henry while Mr. Clark called Regina. After making the call, Mr. Clark soon began to take Evie's items and began to ring her up and even after he was done, she decided not to leave Henry's side until this issue would be sorted out as her little brother was wrongly being picked on.
Soon, Regina came over to see what the problem was.
"Well, I'm sorry, Madam Mayor, but your son was shoplifting." Mr. Clark soon told the woman.
"Were you?" Regina asked Henry a bit sternly.
Henry merely shook his head.
"And what about Evie?" Regina then asked.
"She was shopping in the back," Mr. Clark defended. "Look for yourself to see that Henry was stealing."
"He was not!" Evie complained.
"Please..." Regina told Evie as she put her hand up before looking to see Henry's bag with the candy, then shook her head. "My son doesn't eat candy and he knows better than to steal. It was obviously those two," she then said rather icily. "We're going."
"I told you..." Evie whispered with a firm pout to Mr. Clark since he was accusing Henry of something she knew he would never do in a million years.
Regina, Henry, and Evie soon went to head for the door just as Emma was about to come through it.
"Guys. What happened?" Emma asked the Mills siblings.
"Miss Swan, must I remind you that genetics mean nothing," Regina reminded the blonde woman coldly. "You're not his mother and it's all taken care of."
"I'm here because I'm the Sheriff." Emma retorted calmly.
"Oh, that's right," Regina then said. "Go on; do your job. Take care of those miscreants." she then added before she went to leave the store with her children.
"I'm sorry Mr. Clark made you feel like you were trouble, Henry." Evie said softly to her little brother.
"It's okay..." Henry shrugged. "I thought maybe I had some friends, but I guess I didn't."
"You still have Dee Dee." Evie reminded with a small smile.
"Yeah... I guess you're right..." Henry replied.
"Maybe you guys can hang out for when I go out." Evie said.
"Are you going on a date with Doug?" Henry beamed.
Evie looked wide-eyed at that question.
"Absolutely not!" Regina suddenly spoke up. "Evie, you may go to your Teen Party Night or whatever it's called, but no dancing with boys! Teenage boys only want one thing from a girl."
"Yes, Mom..." Evie sighed at her mother's overprotective behavior.
"What do they want?" Henry asked innocently.
"Nothing you need to worry about, especially those two crumb snatchers," Regina told him. "Let's go home and drop it for now."
"Thank you for at least letting me go to the Teen Night." Evie said lightly.
"You're welcome." Regina said with a nod, but she didn't exactly smile.
They soon made it back home. Henry sat on Evie's bed while the girl went behind a changing panel to try on a special new dress for her evening planned with some schoolmates in an attempt to make some special new friends since she was a bit lonely like Henry. Sure, she knew people and remembered them from elementary school, but it seemed like everybody got distant from each other after that awkward phase in puberty.
"I wish I could go to this Teen Night with you, Evie," Henry said. "Especially since it's going to interfere with your station in Operation: Cobra."
"I'm sure I'll find a way to survive away from Cobra for a while, Henry," Evie replied with an amused smirk. "Also, don't worry. I'm gonna be staying far, far away from Chad."
"Good," Henry nodded. "He was no good for you anyway, even if his mother's Cinderella."
"I have a hard time believing that Cinderella would have such a douche for a son." Evie rolled her eyes before she cupped her mouth with a small yelp.
"What's a douche?" Henry asked curiously.
"...D-Don't worry about it," Evie told him. "And don't ask Mom either."
"Is it a code word?" Henry then asked.
"Uh... Yeah... Sure, let's go with that," Evie smiled nervously before she stepped out, wearing a cape with her dress. She had on a dark blue gown with the cape's collar raised up high like in a way The Middle Ages would wear it and she wore her hair down and had on knee-high boots and gloves up to her elbows. "What do you think of this outfit?" she then asked.
"You just need a crown and you'll really look like The Evil Queen." Henry replied.
"I guess it's a bit much, huh?" Evie smiled sheepishly.
"Would you like a pet raven to go with your cape?" Henry asked, trying to make a joke.
"Oh, wow," Evie smirked before she went back behind the changing panel to try something else. "I guess it's a little late for Halloween."
"Just a little bit." Henry nodded at his sister.
"I just hope Teen Night is at least interesting," Evie then said as she changed her clothes. "Sometimes these events that town holds to appeal to the teenagers can be really cheesy. I remember our first big dance when I was about your age when we were all sitting in the gym and they even played 'The Hokey Pokey' and some of the teachers tried to dance to get the kids to dance with them."
"Grown-ups... They just don't understand us, huh?" Henry replied. "They were kids once and yet they just do what no kid ever wants."
"Exactly," Evie nodded as she poked her head out briefly. "Just enjoy being young while you still can. I'll be graduating soon and then I don't know what I'll wanna do with my life, though... Mom wants me to be The Mayor in her place for when her time comes to retire."
"...Do you wanna be 'Mayor'?" Henry asked calmly.
"Sure..." Evie replied, though her voice sounded hollow. "It's what Mom wants for me, so it's for the best that I follow her footsteps, right?"
"But do you want to be The Mayor, Evie?" Henry repeated maturely. "Is that something you really want?"
Evie paused before she decided to answer that question. "Uh... Well..." she then said flatly.
"Yes?" Henry soon prompted.
"...No, Henry," Evie soon admitted quietly as she blushed about her honesty. "I don't want to be The Mayor of Storybrooke after Mom. I wanna go down my own path... But-"
"You don't have to be known just because of what Mom does or says," Henry said to her. "Besides, she's bad, and you aren't bad. You were just born that way. You, Ben, Chad, Carlos, Mal, Jay, and everyone else in your school don't have to be like your parents."
"But... What else do we do?" Evie asked.
"Like you said. Go down your own path," Henry advised. "What do you wanna be more than anything for when you grow up?"
Evie paused before smiling softly. "Well... Honestly... I wanna be a fashion designer like Edna Mode when I grow up," she then confessed to him quietly. "I've been making my own clothes for a long time, even when I was in diapers, and heck, I even designed my own diapers."
"I don't think that last part is true." Henry smirked playfully.
"Oh, sure, ruin my dream," Evie smirked back to show that she was just joking. "But... Yeah... I made you that scarf, didn't I?" she then reminded.
"Yeah... You did..." Henry nodded as he played with the rim of his scarf a little. "It's a little silly sometimes, but I really do like it."
"Just don't tell Mom, okay?" Evie then asked. "I don't know how she'd react if she found out I didn't want to become The Mayor after her."
"That's just part of her plan as The Evil Queen anyway," Henry then said. "She's the Queen and you're the princess, so you inherit her throne."
"Right... The fairy tale thing..." Evie then murmured before nodding before smiling. "Just don't tell her I said any of this?"
"...I won't, Evie, but you should," Henry replied calmly. "It'll just show her another sign that you're growing up."
"Growing up is scary sometimes, but... It can be rewarding..." Evie said before she stepped out to show her next outfit idea. It was a short-sleeved dress that was splattered in blue and green with a black waistband and black boots and she still had her cape. "How about this?"
"That might work out," Henry nodded before looking over. "...You're really fond of that cape, huh?"
Evie looked down and away bashfully.
"...Was it your dad's?" Henry asked softly based on how Evie reacted to that statement.
"Um... Uh... Mm-hmm..." Evie nodded before she looked back at her little brother. "Mom said he would probably want me to have it. I don't really remember Dad very much, so... When she said that this belonged to him when I found it one day, I kinda wanted to keep it... So she let me."
Henry looked soft and thoughtful then. Evie then came over to Henry and hugged him with a firm nod.
"You can wear it to Teen Night if you want," Henry suggested. "That way he knows how much you appreciate him and miss him."
"I think he would like that very much, Henry." Evie said softly and emotionally about her missing father.
"I know he would." Henry agreed.
Evie smiled as she sniffled and wiped her left eye as she put her hands together. "How about a quick snack and we'll check on your homework, huh?" she then suggested.
"Okay..." Henry nodded. "Thanks for letting me help you, Evie."
"I know being a helper when it comes to fashion is probably the last thing you wanna do, but you seemed like you wanted to talk," Evie said. "Also, just forget about Nicholas and Ava. They're probably not going to end up being important anyway. Just think about Dee Dee. She's your real friend."
"Yeah, okay..." Henry replied with a small smile. "I guess there IS something on my mind aside from those two anyway."
"Care to share?" Evie offered as she came to change back into her normal clothes and wrapped up and folded her cape to put away in a safe place for the time being.
"Well... I guess... Um..." Henry stammered a bit. "...I guess I'm thinking about... Well... My dad. You had yours and you barely know him... Plus Emma was alone, so... Maybe she can tell me about my dad?"
"Oh... Henry..." Evie said softly and worriedly. "It might not be a pleasant story. I mean... She seems like she had no choice but to give you up for adoption."
"I just wanna know about him," Henry defended. "You get to know about your dad, so I wanna know mine. Do you think Emma would mind if I asked?"
"...Well, I dunno about that, but I guess it couldn't hurt to ask," Evie said with a shrug before she stepped out, dressed back to normal now. "The worst thing she can say is no."
"It's only fair." Henry replied.
"Right..." Evie nodded. "Just don't be too discouraged if it's too painful or uncomfortable to talk about, alright?"
"Okay, Evie..." Henry said softly.
"Good boy," Evie smiled. "Now let's get you ready for some homework and we'll go see Emma later, okay?"
"Okay." Henry said with a small smile back.
Soon, Emma was doing more work and research on Nicholas and Ava. She soon found out that they didn't have any parents and Mary Margaret told her that no one ever knew about that even when she had seen them in school and the best idea for them would be to be put in a foster home, though it was highly likely that they would be separated from each other if they went through that.
She even asked for help from the man known as Mr. Krzyszkowski and certain documents about the siblings had been removed by, surprise, surprise, Regina. Nicholas and Ava lost their mother some time ago and their father was missing and unknown as said by their birth certificates. After some time had passed, Evie and Henry came to see Emma in the sheriff's station to find out more progress on the mysterious twins of Storybrooke. Emma was in her office at the station, very hard at work. She had a pile of papers and files on her desk that she was trying to sort out diligently.
"Any luck?" Henry asked as he came into the room with his book.
"No." Emma shook her head.
"Bummer." Evie replied.
"Thanks." Emma rolled her eyes at that remark.
"I know who they are," Henry piped up as he put the book on his desk and flipped through his pages. "They're brother and sister, lost, no parents: Hansel and Gretel."
"Oh, come on," Evie told Emma. "Not even you can deny that resemblance."
Emma looked over before looking back at the Mills siblings. "...Anything in there about the dad?" she soon asked.
"Just that he abandoned them." Henry replied.
"Though in most stories I grew up with, they have a wicked step-mother who tries to ditch them in the woods until they meet The Blind Witch." Evie added.
"Sounds like a familiar story," Emma remarked about Nicholas and Ava's father. "Whoever this guy is, he could be in Laos by now." she then muttered.
"No, he's here." Henry replied.
Emma gave Henry a long look. "Just how do you know that?" she then asked.
"'Cuz no one leaves Storybrooke," Henry reminded. "No one comes here, no one goes. It's just the way it is."
Emma gave him a look. "I came here." she then reminded.
"Because you're special," Henry explained to Emma. "You're the first stranger here, ever."
"Though I could've sworn I saw someone here before Emma came around..." Evie said to herself before her eyes darted. "Maybe... Ugh... Childhood was so long ago." she then muttered as she couldn't seem to remember right now.
"Right, I forgot," Emma then said before shrugging. "Well, if he's around here anywhere, I'm going to find him."
"Sounds good," Evie nodded. "Ready to go, Henry?"
"Just a minute, Evie," Henry said before he looked at Emma. "Can you tell me about him?" he then asked hopefully.
Evie's eyes widened as she expected she knew what her little brother was going to ask Emma.
"I don't know anything yet." Emma simply stated, referring to Nicholas and Ava's disappeared dad.
"Not their father, mine," Henry replied. "I told you about your parents and now, you're even living with your mom."
"Mary Margaret isn't... She's... Never mind." Emma stammered before sighing in frustration.
"Please?" Henry begged. "Evie gets to know about her dad, so I wanna know about mine."
Emma then looked over at Evie. Evie gave a small shrug, but she did nod as she thought maybe it would be good for Henry, but she hoped it wouldn't be too painful for Emma to talk about.
Emma sighed before she started to tell Henry about his father. "I was pretty young. I'd just gotten out of the foster system and the only job I could get was at this 24-hour diner just off the interstate," she soon began to tell Henry while Evie looked a bit curious. "And, um... Your dad was training to be a fireman. He always got the worst shifts, so he'd come in and order coffee and pie and sit at the counter and always complain that we didn't sell pumpkin pie, but he always came back the next night anyway." she then revealed to him.
"Did you get married?" Henry asked hopefully.
"Oh, no. Nothing like that. We just... We hung out a few times outside of work and... Life happened," Emma explained calmly. "His got better and mine got worse and... I got into some trouble."
"And you went to jail." Evie guessed.
"Yeah. Before I went, I-I found out I was pregnant with Henry," Emma nodded as she explained. "And I tried to contact him, and I found out that he died saving a family from a burning apartment building," she then faced the boy calmly. "So, you think I'm a savior, Henry, he was. Your father was a real hero." she soon concluded.
"Oh..." Evie said softly with a small smile, though another part of her had to wonder if it was even true.
"Evie has her dad's scarf. Do you have anything of my dad's?" Henry then replied to Emma. "Something you can remember him by? Something I could see?" he then asked hopefully.
Emma sighed, seeming to be exhausted now. "I-I don't. Henry, I'm sorry. I gotta go. I may know how to find this guy," she then suddenly said before looking at a basket there that was filled with heart-shaped sugar cookies. "Huh? Where'd these come from?"
"Oh... Those must be Ginger's cookies." Evie guessed.
"Ginger?" Emma asked.
"Oh! You shouldn't eat those!" Henry gasped. "Ginger made them!"
"Henry..." Evie firmly pouted.
"Who is Ginger?!" Emma asked the Mills siblings. "Besides, this looks really good."
"Ginger is The Blind Witch's daughter," Henry replied. "You know what she did to Hansel and Gretel so who's to say she won't do the same to us? The Blind Witch lured Hansel and Gretel to their doom, remember?"
"Oh, come on," Evie rolled her eyes as she had her hand over her own sweet treat. "You're not gonna eat them because of what Ginger's mom supposedly did to Hansel and Gretel?" she then added before she decided to eat the cookie anyway.
Henry gasped and looked fearful for his sister's life suddenly.
"Wow... These are beyond delicious and spectacular," Evie smiled as she enjoyed her cookie very much. "I happen to know Ginger a bit, Henry. She's one of the best students in Culinary Class, plus there's a pie baking contest at school where Mr. Horner is supposed to be judging and I hope she wins."
"I'm just looking out for you, Evie, like you look out for me." Henry reminded softly.
"I know you are, Henry, but you just said I didn't need to be like Mom, so maybe Ginger's not like her mother," Evie reminded gently. "They're really good cookies, Henry."
"Hmm..." Henry paused thoughtfully.
"Well, you guys enjoy the cookies. I got work to do." Emma told the Mills siblings before she decided to get going.
"You wanna take the cookies with you?" Evie offered.
Emma looked over before giving a small smile. "I guess that couldn't hurt, right?" she then said as she accepted the cookies since they were just sitting there.
Henry and Evie looked at Emma and soon walked out with her, but they wouldn't follow her this time.
"I guess those cookies aren't terrible if The Blind Witch's daughter made them." Henry said.
"If you say so, Henry..." Evie shrugged before looking over.
A girl with low pigtails and glasses was shown before quickly hiding.
"Ginger Braeburn?" Evie soon called.
The girl poked her head back out before she smiled nervously and waved.
"That's The Blind Witch's daughter." Henry noted.
"Henry, let's not call her that in public, okay?" Evie suggested before she walked over to see the girl. "Um. Hey." she then spoke up.
"Um... Hi..." Ginger said as she stepped out and rubbed her arm nervously. "Sorry."
"Hey, it's okay," Evie smiled. "We got your cookies. They're really beyond spectacular."
"Really?" Ginger asked softly.
"Yeah," Evie replied. "Regardless of what my little brother might think."
"Am I in his book too?" Ginger asked.
"Well... No, but he thinks your mother is The Blind Witch," Evie explained. "So he's a bit nervous about trying your treats."
Henry looked bashful and mortified for thinking like that since Evie just said it out loud.
"It's okay," Ginger sighed sharply. "No one really likes my food in school for whatever reason."
"Well, I'm sure your mother, whoever she is, would like them," Evie suggested. "There's nothing like a mother's support, especially when she makes chocolate chip cookies."
Ginger seemed to glance at Evie quietly.
"...Well, you know," Evie then said with a small smile. "Wait, didn't your mom ever make you, like, chocolate chip cookies? Like, when you're feeling sad, and they're fresh from the oven, with a big old glass of milk, and she just makes you laugh and puts everything into perspective and-"
Ginger continued to look at Evie a bit funny.
"...Why are you looking at me like that?" Evie asked softly.
"...Can you keep a secret? Especially from your mom?" Ginger asked before biting her lip.
Evie then looked around before simply nodding. "I'm keeping a pretty big one from her right now actually." she then said softly.
"Okay," Ginger said before looking around and coming to go over to a bench to sit down and talk with Evie while Henry came behind. "...I don't have a mother." she then confessed to Evie.
"What?" Evie whispered loudly with wide eyes so that no one else would hear.
"Well, I guess I did, once upon a long time ago, but... I'm on my own back home actually." Ginger admitted quietly.
"What about your... Father?" Evie then asked. "What happened to him?"
"I never met my father," Ginger said as she put her hands together. "I was with my mother a long time ago of course, but... I don't know or remember what happened to her. I've been on my own in Storybrooke ever since."
"And no one's found out or realized?" Evie asked.
"No one really pays attention to me anyway, especially due to my baked goods," Ginger said with a shrug. "I don't wanna be taken away to Foster Care, so I've had to be very careful. Especially whenever your mother comes around or when Mr. Gold and Ben come to collect the rent."
"Oh... Oh, my gosh... I'm so sorry," Evie said. "...Well, I won't tell anyone and try to keep your secret safe, but you better be careful. It can be hard to keep secrets in this town."
"Especially away from Jordan Glass in school," Ginger sighed. "She seems to report stories that aren't even her business just so she can be popular and be an ace reporter like her dad."
"Oh, believe me, I know all about Mr. Glass and his reporting skills," Evie rolled her eyes before she gave a small smile to Ginger. "But don't worry, you can trust me and Henry."
Ginger gave a small smile back. "Thank you, Evie. That makes me feel a little bit better." she then said.
"At least a little bit better is better than not feeling better at all." Evie smiled sweetly.
"Indeed." Ginger smiled back before she stood up.
"Oh. Are you leaving?" Evie asked.
"Uh, yeah. I gotta get going, but I'll see you around, okay?" Ginger then said.
"Oh, sure," Evie replied. "Catch up with you later, Ginger."
"See ya later then, Evie. You too, Henry." Ginger smiled as she then walked away to head down the street.
Evie beamed warmly. "You see, Henry? Ginger won't hurt anyone," she then said. "Whether she's The Blind Witch's daughter or not."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Henry said before smirking. "Kinda like me saying you didn't have to be evil like The Evil Queen even though you're her daughter?"
"Oh, Henry. Do you have to be right about everything?" Evie playfully rolled her eyes in response.
"Why, yes... Yes, I think I do." Henry smirked innocently.
"Hmph... Little sneak..." Evie smirked back before ruffling up his hair and making him laugh.
Meanwhile, Emma had come to see Mary Margaret again and gave the sugar cookies to Nicholas and Ava. Luckily, the twins seemed to enjoy the cookies as they were very good even if the supposed Blind Witch's daughter made them. While they were eating, she soon came downstairs with a box that she brought with her when she moved in with Mary Margaret. "I want to show you guys something." she told the twins before pulling a blanket out of the box.
"What's that?" Nicholas asked.
"It's my baby blanket. It's something I've held onto my whole life. That's the only thing that I have from... From my parents," Emma explained. "I've spent a lot of time with a lot of kids in your situation, and all of them, all of us, we held onto stuff. I want to find your father, but I need your help. Is there anything of his you've held onto?" she then prompted, hoping the baby blanket would help motivate them into pitching in.
Ava looked thoughtful before she answered. "I might have something, but if I give it to you, you'll make sure we stay together, right?" she then replied.
"Right." Emma nodded.
Ava then nodded in return and she soon pulled something out of her pocket and handed it to Emma.
"A compass." Emma remarked.
"Our mom kept it. She said it was our dad's." Ava explained.
"Thank you." Emma said softly.
Ava gave a small smile before looking curious. "Did you find them?" she then asked.
"Who?" Emma queried.
"Your parents." Ava replied.
"Not yet, but I'm going to find yours." Emma replied in strong determination as always.
"When you go out, can you bring back more cookies?" Nicholas asked. "These are the best cookies I've ever had."
"Me too." Ava added with a hopeful smile.
"I'll try." Emma gave a small smile as they continued to enjoy Ginger's cookies despite what others thought about them.
Sometime later, Emma had gone to see Mr. Gold and the two talked for a while about the compass belonging to the Zimmer twins. Ben was coming back after running an errand before he looked over to see Emma and his father talking in private.
"Good luck with your investigation." Mr. Gold soon told Emma.
Emma nodded as she then left and Mr. Gold hid a smirk, holding onto a blank index card.
"What was that all about?" Ben asked his father.
"Never you mind that," Mr. Gold replied. "Let's just say Sheriff Swan is about to solve a mystery."
"...Okay, Dad." Ben shrugged.
Mr. Gold nodded with a small smirk before he handed Ben a broom in exchange for the goods the teenage boy had picked up. Ben then traded before accepting the broom and went to sweep up the floor.
"...Why do you smell like sugar?" Mr. Gold asked.
"Culinary Class went wrong in school again today," Ben said. "We could really use some proper guidance in there."
"Hmm... Well... I hope you can find it," Mr. Gold suggested. "Maybe you could get a teacher to help for the visually challenged."
"A blind cook? I don't think so, Dad..." Ben chuckled as he swept up the floor.
"Oh, believe me, my son... Stranger things have happened..." Mr. Gold smirked innocently.
Ben shook a chill down his spine about his father's smirk, but kept quiet as he continued to sweep up the floor. He looked like he had something on his mind, but decided to keep it to himself for now.
Evie soon came over to Ms. Blanchard's place to meet the Zimmer twins as they weren't as bad as she or Henry thought as they were just misunderstood. "I heard there was some sort of activity going on?" she then asked her former teacher from when she was around Henry's age.
"Just some baking," Ms. Blanchard smiled. "You and Henry are welcome to join Nicholas and Ava if you want."
"Man, everybody's baking today," Henry said to Evie. "First Ginger and now the Zimmer twins?"
"Guess it's just a baking kind of day," Evie said. "Maybe I should drop you off and so some... Teenager stuff."
"Evie, you can join too if you want," Ms. Blanchard advised. "Baking is a really good stress reliever."
"Oh... Are you sure?" Evie asked.
"But of course," Ms. Blanchard smiled. "You were always good at baking when you were a kid."
"Well, you can thank my Easy-Bake Oven for Christmas back then for that," Evie smiled bashfully. "You sure you don't mind a lot of bakers in your kitchen?"
"I don't," Ms. Blanchard smiled. "You look like you need to take a break from the stress and pressures of being a teenager anyway."
"I guess I could take a little break from that stuff," Evie said with a small shrug. "Guess it might be good to hang around the kiddies for a little while."
"That's the spirit," Ms. Blanchard beamed as she let Evie come inside and shut the door behind her. "Come on in and take a load off."
"Thanks, Ms. Blanchard," Evie said as she came inside. "You know, I hope you get married someday. You'd make a really great mother."
"Why, thank you, Evie," Ms. Blanchard beamed. "That's a real compliment."
Evie smiled before looking over as the telephone began to ring.
"You go and have fun with the kids," Ms. Blanchard suggested as she walked over. "I'll get that."
"Well... Okay..." Evie shrugged before smiling as she decided to go hang out with Henry and the twins.
Ms. Blanchard smiled as she soon answered the phone. For a little while, there was a small back and forth before she suddenly walked over. "Excuse me, Evie, I need to step out for a few minutes," she then said. "Would you mind watching the kids?"
"I thought I was taking a break from being a teenager right now, Ms. Blanchard." Evie smirked playfully.
"Well, yes, but I'm gonna need you to be a big kid for a minute," Ms. Blanchard smirked back. "I won't be long."
"Well, all right," Evie nodded. "I'll make sure your house isn't burnt down before you come back."
"Please do, I quite like it here." Ms. Blanchard chuckled warmly before she went to go out the door.
Evie giggled before she smiled and started to have fun and bake with the younger kids. She even tried to make it seem like a cooking show as she tried to act like Martha Stewart like she saw on TV sometimes. The kids didn't get the reference, but they had fun with Evie regardless.
"And while we're waiting..." Evie said before she sat with the kids at the table as they all had glasses filled with chocolate milk and straws. "Some delicious and amazing chocolate milk."
"Here, here!" Ava cheered before she took a sip with the others. "Oh, wow. Evie, this chocolate milk is really good."
"I'm glad you like it," Evie smiled. "And the best part is you can make it at home if you don't have any in the fridge already made."
"Really?" Ava asked.
"Mm-hmm," Evie smiled. "You can just use ordinary white milk and put in some chocolate syrup and stir it all up."
"Wow. It's that easy?" Nicholas asked. "I thought maybe chocolate milk came from a brown cow or something."
"Not quite, Nicholas," Evie chuckled warmly. "Ms. Blanchard was right though... Baking homemade chocolate chip cookies was a lot of fun, I guess I was just stressed."
"Being a teenager is tough, huh?" Ava asked. "I'm a little nervous about that too."
"It's not so bad once you get there, but yeah... It can be a challenge sometimes," Evie said with a small smile. "I'm sure you guys will do just fine once you're in high school though. Just don't miss me too bad once I go to college."
"College? Now that sounds like a challenge." Nicholas remarked.
"Yeah, it really does, especially living far away from home," Evie nodded. "I'll probably handle it alright though. I'd like to see the world... Explore more outside of Storybrooke."
"Well, when Emma breaks the curse, then you'll be able to." Henry then whispered to Evie.
"We'll see, Henry. We'll see." Evie nodded before she sipped more chocolate milk with the kids.
Later on, it was soon getting dark as the kids ate their chocolate chip cookies. Ms. Blanchard then came inside, looking a little grim about something.
"Hey, Ms. Blanchard," Henry smiled. "You look like you could use a cookie."
"Yeah, have some with us," Evie added. "We made plenty."
"You'll have to finish up those cookies and say goodbye." Ms. Blanchard said in a sorrowful voice.
"What...?" Evie asked softly. "But... But why...?"
"Nicholas, Ava, you need to go outside with Sheriff Swan," Ms. Blanchard told the twins. "Right now."
Nicholas and Ava looked at each other before looking back in concern. Evie and Henry also began to look concerned.
Soon, everyone was outside as Regina came to take care of Evie and Henry while Emma would take care of the Zimmer twins.
"Come on. It's gonna be-" Emma said before she took out the compass to give it back to Ava. "Here. I'm sorry. We gotta go."
Nicholas and Ava soon began to get into the car in silence before Emma shut the door.
"Emma, you don't have to do this!" Evie cried out.
"Evie, don't disturb Sheriff Swan's work," Regina scolded. "Let's go, Henry." she then ordered.
Henry then shook Regina's hand off his shoulder before he ran over to the car, going right to the driver's seat to talk with Emma.
"Mom, stop," Evie said before facing her mother. "You can't tell us what to do like this. You're upsetting Henry and his new friends."
"Friends? Friends?! HA!" Regina scoffed. "May I remind you that two got your little brother in trouble?"
"They're not trouble, they're just misunderstood," Evie told her. "You need to be reasonable, you're acting like a..." she then started before quickly stopping herself.
"What? Go on... Say it." Regina demanded as she narrowed her eyes at Evie's rebellion with her hands on her hips.
"An Evil Queen." Evie narrowed her eyes.
Regina's eyes widened before she looked even more stern. Evie did flinch at Regina's cold gaze, but tried to ignore it so she could stay brave and confident. She then decided to walk away from her mother to go and join Henry to possibly help out.
"No, you can't take them!" Henry warned Emma through the window. "They can't leave Storybrooke, Emma, they can't. Something bad will happen."
"Something bad has already happened." Emma retorted before she started her engine and then drove off.
And once she was gone, Regina watched her with a mischievous smile on her face.
Evie looked over at her mother's reaction and felt her heart crushing deep inside her soul. "...She really is an Evil Queen..." she then whispered in horror and concern.
Meanwhile, as they left, they soon came to the town line. Nicholas and Ava refused to speak as they were on their way to Boston and out of Storybrooke. However, just as the car was about to pass the town line, the car suddenly became shaky and eventually stopped.
"You gotta be kidding me." Emma complained.
"What happened?" Ava asked suddenly. "What's wrong?"
"Engine stalled." Emma said before taking out her cell phone.
"Who're you calling?" Ava asked.
"Help." Emma told her as she placed the call.
Meanwhile, as the call was taken, Regina began to go back home.
"We'll see you in a little bit, Mom." Evie spoke up softly.
"Hmm..." Regina paused a bit firmly, though she kept walking.
"I'm sorry if I got you in trouble, Evie," Henry said. "You're not mad at me, are you?"
"No, Henry, I'm not mad at you," Evie promised. "I might be six feet under by the time I get back home and probably banned from going out to Teen Night, but I'll at least come with you to make your special delivery to Emma."
"Thanks, Evie. You're the best big sister in the world." Henry beamed.
"No, I'm not... But thank you." Evie smiled warmly as a certain truck was leaving a garage before heading down toward the town line.
Henry smiled back before they shared a hug.
Back in Emma's car, Ava was watching the compass and soon noticed that the needle was starting to move which delighted her immensely. "Nicholas, look!" she then told her brother.
The needle had pointed to the back of the car which made the twins turn around to look to see that a new car was approaching them. The car soon stopped and out came a man by the name of Michael Tillman.
"Those are them?" Michael asked Emma.
"Those are them." Emma nodded.
"And the car?" Michael then asked. "It's fine?"
"I just wanted you to see them, just once. I didn't think I could do it either," Emma explained, giving him sympathy and empathy. "I gave up Henry 'cuz I wanted to give him his best chance. When I saw that he didn't have it, I couldn't leave. I was just as scared, more, probably, but once I saw him, got to know him, I couldn't go back." she then added.
Michael looked at her as he walked near the car and came over to the twins who were rumored to be his long-lost son and daughter. "You're taking them? To Boston?" he then asked.
"I don't have to." Emma told him.
Michael then looked in the back to see Nicholas and Ava as they began to remind him of someone. "...No, you don't have to." he then said. He then came over to the car as Ava lowered the window.
Emma then smiled with joy as it looked like Nicholas and Ava were finally reunited with their father after already losing their mother.
"Mr. Tillman? Is everything all right?" Ginger asked as she poked her head out the window.
"It's all right, Ginger," Michael told her. "We're going to have some extra company back at my place. I don't want you to sit on that twisted ankle when I almost ran you over on the way home all alone."
Ginger blushed bashfully.
"She seems like a sweet girl too," Michael then told Emma about Ginger. "She was taking a walk and I almost ran her over, but she had a little accident."
"So I've heard..." Emma nodded. "I think Evie knows her."
"Probably," Michael replied. "It's a small town after all," he then looked at the twins. "Come on, you guys. You're coming home with me too."
Nicholas and Ava seemed to beam at that hopefully. Ginger looked out the window and waved at them as they made their way out of Emma's car. The twins looked over and waved back at her.
Soon after, Emma came back home to Mary Margaret to share something with her before she decided to do some deep thinking. She was looking at a newspaper cutting about a 7-year-old boy finding a baby girl on the side of a road as they seemed to show up out of nowhere before being placed in a foster home together. Once Henry and Evie saw Emma, they came to see her before they would go back home together that night.
"What's that?" Henry piped up right behind Emma, startling her a little.
"Just an old file," Emma said to him before seeing him carrying a white box. "What's up?"
"Pumpkin pie. I thought you'd like some," Henry told Emma before making her smile. "...It was pumpkin, right?" he then asked.
"Right," Emma nodded before she began to look thoughtful. "Henry, about your father..." she then started to say.
"Yeah?" Henry replied.
Emma paused thoughtfully before she then decided to say something. "I'm glad that I told you." she then covered up.
Evie glanced over as she had a sneaking suspicion that Emma was hiding something from Henry.
"Me too." Henry said before hugging Emma and she soon hugged him back.
"Gimme that." Emma then smirked before she took the box from Henry and then opened it so that she could eat.
"You need the magic word first, Emma." Evie smirked playfully.
"Please?" Emma then asked.
"Yes." Evie then smiled and chuckled warmly.
"What you did, with Ava and Nicholas, you really are changing things." Henry soon said to Emma.
Emma smiled warmly at that before they soon heard a sound.
"Is that a motorcycle?" Evie wondered before looking over and seeing that that was exactly what it was.
There was a stranger on a motorcycle before he walked over to the three as he pulled up next to them. "Hey." he then greeted.
"Hey." Emma replied.
"Is this Storybrooke?" The stranger then asked.
"Sure is, buddy." Evie replied.
"Any place to get a room around here?" The stranger asked.
"Uh, you're staying?" Henry asked, a bit surprised.
"That's the plan," The stranger nodded. "I'm just looking for a bed."
"Granny's Bed & Breakfast is just off the road, another two blocks." Emma suggested since she was so used to Storybrooke right now that she could help out a fellow stranger.
"Thank you." The stranger then said before walking back to his motorcycle.
"Who is that?" Henry asked Evie.
Evie just frowned and shrugged in response.
"Hey, I didn't catch your name!" Emma soon called out.
"That's 'cuz I didn't give it!" The stranger called back before he got back on his motorcycle and suddenly drove off.
Henry and Evie just blinked, feeling just as, if not more, confused than Emma.
"I thought you said strangers don't come to Storybrooke?" Emma said to Henry.
"They don't." Henry replied.
"Hm... Maybe he's a professional liar." Evie scoffed and rolled her eyes as Henry shrugged.
"Come on, Evie. We better go back home." Henry suggested.
"Right behind ya," Evie nodded before smiling at Emma. "Enjoy the pie. Good night, Emma."
"Thanks," Emma replied. "I wouldn't mind some of those chocolate chip cookies you guys made either."
"Sorry, but I sorta dropped them." Evie smiled bashfully.
"In your mouth?" Emma smirked.
"Lucky guess." Evie smirked back.
Emma chuckled a little before shaking her head as she had another misadventure with the Mills siblings until next time.