I sat on the docks with Mary Margaret and David in the dead of night for a little privacy. We were discussing the situation regarding Regina. We were all huddled together under a blanket, me in between the two. "If we're going back to the Enchanted Forest, are we really going to leave Regina behind?" Mary Margaret wondered.

"She's too dangerous to bring with us." David said. "We have to leave her."

"We can't leave her." I insisted, looking up at him. "She's my sister." I could feel that Mary Margaret was going to protest, so I looked over at her. "Don't start. We're working through this so you have to hear my side of things. I was raised by Cora, she was the only parental figure I had for then years in my kingdom, so if Regina is her daughter she's my sister…" I then blinked. "Wow, I'm both Henry's adopted aunt...and biological aunt, wow, that's something. Anyways, I was even named after Regina. I can't in my right mind leave someone who's in the same boat as me, hell, my friends wouldn't either."

"Henry wouldn't like it either." Mary Margaret added. "She is his Mother, despite all the horrors."

"Mary Margaret…" David sighed. "Those horror's will continue. You wanna give her another chance? Because every time we do she-"

"She slips, I know." Mary Margaret interrupted. "What do we do?"

"We bring her with us." I reminded them. "Give her a chance. She doesn't have to live in the Enchanted Forest, she can come live with me in Auradon. Ben can for sure make room in the Castle for her."

"Instead of a chance, we give her a choice." David stated, ignoring my slacked jaw. I didn't think he'd ignore my statement. "Come back, live out her days in Rumple's cell, or stay here."

"You're not even gonna consider anything else?" I demanded. "I thought you were supposed to be better." I then stood, knocking the blanket off me.

"Hadley-" Mary Margaret tried, however, with a wave of my hands, I disappeared, only to re-appear in my room in the loft. I sighed, pushing my hair back. They were gonna need a bit more convincing.

TIMESKIP

I made idle chat with Emma as we entered Granny's diner. I didn't realise where I was walking and accidentally bumped into Tamara. "Oh!" I gasped, jumping back. "Oh, I am so sorry!" I apologised. I quickly knelt down to help pick up all her things. Emma joined us on the floor to help pick up the items.

"He, uh, still hates mayo, huh?" Emma questioned, referring to Neal. I then picked up a note, it had a lot of names on it, Mary Margaret, David, Regina, Mr God, even Archie and Mother Superior were on the list. Next to their names, were their Enchanted Forest counterparts. My eyebrows frowned at the names down the bottom of the list.

Auradonians

Mal - Daughter of Maleficent

Evie - Daughter of the Evil Queen

Jay - Son of Jafar

Carlos - Son of Cruella

Ben - Son of Beast and Belle

Unknown

Hadley Hearts - Daughter of the Queen of Hearts? Daughter of Mary Magret/Snow White and David/Charming?

"Avoids it like the plague." Tamara agreed. I offered her the paper, which she took gratefully before we all stood.

"How are you doing here in Storybrooke? I mean, it's a lot to take in."

"Understatement." The two women shared a laugh. "But uh…I guess you two know that better than anyone." Emma and I shared a look.

"I guess you could say that." I said. "I came from a place similar to this so it wasn't much of a jump."

"I had Henry." Emma said. "He got me through it."

"Right, yeah, Neal's doing the same for me." Tamara sympathised.

"Even so, it's pretty crazy here."

"Emma's right." I agreed. "If...if the outside world ever found out about Storybrooke, no one would have any place to go. There are a few people here who'd be taken to a black site and be tested on."

"Look, Emma, Hadley, you don't have to worry." Tamara assured. "You can trust me."

"That's good to know." Emma said.

"Be seeing you later?"

"Yeah, I'll be seeing you." My eyes followed Tamara as she left the diner. When the door closed behind her, I shared a look with Emma. We had the same thought. We didn't trust her one bit.

TIMESKIP

"Tamara is the 'she' August was trying to warn us about." Emma insisted, the two of us trailing after Mary Margaret. We were in the loft, trying to make our mother see reason.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret gasped. "Shh!"

"What? Don't 'Emma' me!"

"Henry is upstairs." Mary Margaret whispered. "Look. I know this has been hard for you."

"No, this isn't about me, this is about August."

"Emma's right." I agreed. "I was there with you. August died trying to warn us about someone, some woman. I-I don't fully trust Tamara, my instincts are going off whenever I'm near her. She's got a list of names of everyone who lives here, and not just from Storybrooke, my friends were on there as well. Beside them were their Enchanted Forest counterparts and my friends' parents." I purposely didn't mention my name. Mary Margaret didn't need to know. "Shouldn't that be a concern?"

"There could be a million explanations for what you saw." Mary Margaret soothed.

"We don't know anything about her." Emma stated. "And she lied to me. When she said that I could trust her, she lied."

"But your 'superpower' has been known to be unreliable, Emma. Especially hen you're emotional." Mary Margaret rubbed Emma's shoulder comfortingly before grabbing her bag and walking to the door of the loft.

"For the last time, I don't have feelings for Neal! That was over a decade ago, I'm over it."

"I have to agree with Mary Margaret on this one." I said softly, "You don't really seem like you're over it."

"You're supposed to be on my side!" Emma protested, turning to me. I lifted my arms up.

"I'm just saying. I know when someone has feelings for another, I've seen it."

"You may not have feelings for Neal anymore." Mary Margaret continued. "But if you tell Henry that you think his dad's fiancee may be up to something, then henry's gonna think that there's a chance his parents could get back together. So keep it to yourselves, please? 'Till you know something more?" Mary Margaret then closed the door, leaving Emma and I in silence. We shared a look.

"So...we're back in business?" A voice spoke up, causing me to jump. Henry was standing there with a grin on his face. "I heard everything."

"I...I thought you were in the shower." Emma said.

"Exactly. Operation Cobra's back on. We're investigating Tamara, right?"

"Get your coat. You too Hadley." I nodded. Henry and I moved to the hooks and pulled off our jackets, slipping them on.

"Operation Cobra…" I wondered, turning to my nephew, "Am I missing something?" Henry merely grinned. "That is not at all reassuring."

TIMESKIP

Pretty soon, Emma, Henry and I were seating in Emma's yellow car, which she called a bug. We were parked a little way's down from Granny's, Emma in the driver's seat, me in the passenger with Henry in the back. "Operation Cobra was about breaking the Curse." Henry explained, "THis is about keeping Storybrooke secret." I nodded along in understanding. "We need a new name."

"Operation Tiger." Emma stated.

"Why do you get to pick?" I protested.

"I'm the oldest, that's why I get to choose."

"We're twins!"

"I'm twenty-eight, you're sixteen."

"Seventeen." I corrected. "My friends and I all turned seventeen when we were in the Encanted Forest. But that's beside the point!"

"I want something like the town." Henry but in, causing the two of us to turn to him. "Something that hides in plain sight. Something like a praying mantis." I turned to my sister. I could see her concede to the name and I groaned.

"We're seriously going with the kids idea?" I complained.

"Duck." Emma ordered, gazing out the window. The three of us quickly sunk down in our seats to avoid being seen. I scooted up slightly to try and spot Tamara. However, it was just someone else. "No, it's not them." Emma reported, causing us to return to our original positions.

"Stake-outs are fun." Henry commented.

"Not usually. But this one? Yeah, kind of."

"Is it because of us." I cooed, "You like hanging out with us." Emma gave me a shove, causing me to laugh.

"I thought by now we'd be having adventures over there, you know." Henry admitted. "Just riding horses, shooting bow and arrows. This is cool too."

"Is that still something you want?" Emma asked. "I mean, if there was a way to go back to the Enchanted Forest?"

"Is there?"

"No, Henry, there's not." I told him, sending Emma look. "This is just entirely hypothetical."

"There is. A way back." I slumped in my seat. "A mean or something. The Giant brought it back, didn't he?"

"He is quite smart." I commented to Emma. "He gets it from you."

"Hey!" Emma protested.

"If you let me finish, you get it from our Mother."

"That's awesome!" Henry said. "We cna get, like, a castle, you, me and Neal."

"Oh, hey, woah, no way...that...we're not...that's not…"

"Duck!" I called, my eyes widening as Neal and Tamara exited the diner. We all ducked down. When we were sure the two couldn't see us, we emerged from our hiding place.

"Operation Praying Mantis is on." Henry stated coyly.

TIMESKIP

The three of us snuck through the halls of the Bead and Breakfast, making small talk along the way. "So, once we find proof that Tamara's evil, I guess the wedding's off?" Henry commented.

"Henry, Neal and I aren't getting back together, you know that, right?" Emma asked.

"I mean, once he's single, it could happen. Thrown together, moonlight, wine…"

"Listen to me, Henry. I am onto Tamara for no other reasons, not because she's with Neal, ok?"

"Surprisingly, almost this exact situation that occurred when Ben and I got together." I mused. "Granted, there was more love potion and a plot to steal Fairy Godmother's wand in the mix, but it all worked out for the better." Henry turned to me with a smile. I gave him a stern look, pointing at him with my tattooed arm. "No. Mal and I swore no more love potions." Henry deflated somewhat. We soon approached the door. With a simple wave of my hand, there was a click and the door swung open. We went to enter the room.

"Uh, uh, uh, uh." Emma said, placing a hand on Henry's chest to prevent him from following. "You gotta be the lookout."

"But what do I do?" Henry asked, "Whistle?"

"No, that's too obvious, you gotta hit the door. You know, like, just, like kick it." Emma demonstrated kicking the door. "Like you're bored, like...or like, like stumble into it like, 'oh i didn't…' you know."

"That seems so convoluted." I muttered.

"Just hit the door, ok?"

"Hit the door?" Henry clarified.

"Yeah."

"Got it, now go." Henry all but pushed us into the room. When the door closed behind us, we started to search.

"So...what was that all about you and Ben?" Emma asked. I cringed.

"I haven't told you any of that, have I?" I asked.

"Nope."

"Well, I spelled Ben to get closer to Fairy Godmother's Want at his coronation, he broke up with me in front of the entire school and his cheerleader girlfriend, but the spell washed off in an Enchanted Lake and we never stole the wand but, right after his Coronation we talked it through and decided to see how this relationship would work without a spell."

"That sweet." Emma said, turning to me slightly. I smiled at her.

"Thank you. It's only been a couple of months but...I think Ben and I are gonna turn out fine." We then continued to search. It wasn't until there was a bang on the door, and Neal's voice cut through the air.

"Emma!" He called. The door then opened, and Neal strode into the room.

"So, you weren't here, and the door was open, then we just…" Emma trailed off.

"Emma, what's this about? Neal asked.

"Tamara, we think she's playing you."

"She's playing me? How?"

"I think she's the 'she' August was trying to warn us about. I didn't want to tell you until I have proof." Neal laughed.

"Ok, yeah, well as long as you broke into our room to spare my feelings-are you out of your mind?"

"He warned us about a woman."

"Which covers half the world. You roped the kid into this? And your sister?"

"She lied to me, remember? I have that thing with lies?

"You thought you had a thing with lies. I never bought it."

"Would you trust the instincts of a Jaberwocky?" I asked, crossing my arms. "That woman makes me edgy every time I'm near her."

"Yeah, you did buy it, Neal." Emma stated. "Listen to me, Neal. She's got a list of Fairy Tale characters and who they are, she's even got Hadley and her friends on the list. Whoever she's gonna give that to they could blow this town right open."

"Emma, I helped her make that list. I have to help her come to grips with this place. It's not easy, you know? She's trying to deal with it, for me.

"Yeah, but the detail she had on me and my friends were something that I haven't told anyone other than my family." I stated.

"David told me." Neal said, causing me to roll my eyes.

"Ok, I know what it looks like, but it isn't that." Emma insisted. "Do I look like a jealous ex? Ok, maybe I'm crazy, but let's find out. There's a floorboard loose that shouldn't be. So let's look under it, if there's nothing there. Fine, I back off."

"Yeah, ok, sure, what the hell." Emma lead us over to the floor. She knelt, finding the floorboard. She gave it an experimental tug before looking up.

"A little help?"

"Oh, yeah." Neal knelt down and helped pull up the floorboard. Emma reached in and found nothing.

"Oh…"

"Listen, I know Tamara being here is a little awkward-"

"Don't...Henry, Hadley, let's go." Emma stood, and then after the floorboard was put back, the three of us left.

TIMESKIP

Henry, Emma and I returned to the loft, and indulged in some ice-cream. "You know, I believe you." Henry admitted. "About Tamara."

"You should." Emma said, "'Cause I'm right."

"And when we prove it, we can all go back to the Enchanted Forest." I let out a little laugh.

"You may all be, but...I'll be going back to Auradon." I said. "As much as I'm coming to care for all of you...I can't deny that Auradon is my home." I looked in between them. "Ben is the King, he's already been away far too long. And I'll be going with him...they need me." Henry and Emma shared a look.