I hope everyone had a nice holiday break. I sure did, though I got really sick towards the end, hence why this is delayed. But never fear, more chapters are coming soon. If you like it, please consider Following or Reviewing so more people can discover this story. Thanks and enjoy!

"So, in short, you're Regina's daughter, he's Snow White's son, and I'm supposed to believe your mother agreed to your marriage?" Maleficent didn't exactly look like herself. Dressed in a pair of Neal's sweats and a Boston University sweatshirt, the only parts of her former self that were visible were her biting tone.

But Apple nodded enthusiastically anyway, "Yes, well she wasn't exactly happy about it when we started dating, but she came around eventually. I mean, I won't say mom and Snow are best friends or anything, but they don't hate each other. Obviously, my mom realized that Cora was a manipulative bitch, and that if she couldn't stand up to her mother than neither could a ten year old, but on the other hand, Snow did kill Cora, so let's just say they have their moments."

Neal was cooking in their small kitchen, trying not to laugh as she settled into the third day of explaining everything Maleficent had missed over the last 35 years. So far, Apple had explained Regina's conversion to the side of good, her brother Roland and father Robin Hood, and the fact that Maleficent and Regina were not only best friends, but that Mel had been her Maid of Honor. So far, Maleficent had approached everything with skepticism and out right blasphemy.

"Ridiculous!" This was no exception. "I've know your mother for longer than you've been alive, and not only would she have gutted Snow White at the first opportunity, but she would never have adopted a child," she eyed Apple with distain, "or had one herself for that matter. She has no heart," she sat back against the couch smugly, "that's one of the reasons I liked her so much."

And again, Apple shook her head with infinite patience. "OK, I'm probably telling it wrong, let's try again."

Emma kicked her feet up on a plush ottoman by the fire, "Sorry Kid, whatever you're trying to find, it's not here. Every book we've opened has been blank, we're not going to find any clues rummaging around in here."

Carrying over another heavy stack of books, Henry set them down on the end table close to Emma's chair and took his own seat, grabbing the first book, and flipping through the blank pages. "Something's here, I can feel it. I don't know what yet, but I will when I find it. Operation Mongoose is dead in the water without a clue, and since Robin found the last one stuffed in a book, that's where we need to keep looking."

"Well, that or we could just go get some of that delicious pizza," Killian swaggered into the room. He'd been checking out the rest of the house, but had obviously given up. "What do you say, Henry, fancy a slice?"

With a sigh, Henry closed the book, "Sure. Mom, can I borrow your phone so I can tell my mom I won't be home for dinner?"

Henry grabbed the offered phone and ran out into the hallway, knowing that there was no reception in the magical library filled with empty books. Killian smiled as he ran past, before approaching Emma, and after making sure Henry was in the hallway, leaning down for a chase kiss.

Smiling herself, Emma added, "Is that your way of asking permission to pick the toppings, because pineapple is not a pizza topping, it's a component of fruit cocktail."

Killian shrugged and fell into Henry's abandoned chair. "Actually, it's just my way of saying hello." Leaning forward suddenly, he leered at her, "I'm smart enough to know I'll have to offer more than a little kiss to get what I want on the pizza."

Playing along, Emma replied, "Oh yeah? What are you offering, I might be persuaded."

"Oh what am I offering, eh!" He stood, extending his hand to Emma before lifting her out of the chair and giving her a proper kiss. "That's just the preview, Swan," he smirked as Emma slowly came back to herself from the toe curling kiss, "I promise to make it worth your while."

Leaning forward Emma claimed his mouth, and between kisses said, "OK, half, you can have them on half, but it better be worth it."

"Oh it will be," he growled playfully.

"So, mom says," Henry began as he came back into the room, and while Killian allowed Emma to escape his embrace, he refused to release her hand. "That I need to be home by 9, and to bring her back a salad, and I texted grandpa and he and grandma and Neal are going to meet us there."

Emma laughed, patting Hook's chest affectionately, "Sorry, Big Guy, you remember what happened the last time, Mary Margaret saw pineapple on the pizza."

Henry laughed, picking up his coat and backpack, "She said you couldn't date my mom if you continued eating fruit on pizza."

"Well," Killian smiled, placing a hand on the back of Henry's shoulder as he guided him from the room, "I will just have to convince your grandmother of the finer merits of apples from pine trees."

Emma and Henry were still laughing as they climbed into the car.

Belle picked up the book, the one from the library she'd buried under the rest. It was crisp and new in her hands—she'd been the first person to check it out. Not surprising.

"Adoption" was sprawled across the top in block letters, a smiling happy family with two racially different children, gazing at the reader.

With her heart beating wildly in her chest, she cracked the book.

Suddenly, a loud crash filled the quiet house and Belle gave a shocked cry. The sound of falling glass tinkled down the hallway, but it was the loud whooping outside and the gunning engine of a car that caught her full attention.

Carefully, she rose from the table and walked to the edge of the kitchen, as the sound of teenagers drove into the night. On shaking legs, she walked down the dark hallway. The sound was wrong in what should have been a still house, and she looked above the staircase to see the magnificent stain glass window shattered, the colorful pieces rising like jagged teeth from the hardwood floor. They sparkled like tears in the little light that came in from the dark moon, but it was enough to see the large rock, and the piece of paper rubber banded to it. She wasn't surprised when her fingers shook, or but she hated that her mind immediately wished her husband was there to comfort her.

Refusing to give him another thought, she unwound the page from the projectile and tipped it so she could read the hastily scrawled script.

"The only good Gold is a dead Gold! Die whore!"

Her hand went protectively to her belly.

Then her fingers turned to claws as she crumpled the note in her hand and returned to the kitchen.

Not bothering with a glass, she just unscrewed the cap on the Crown Royal and tipped it back like it was ale.

After a third of it was gone, she dropped the book onto the floor and kicked it under the table.

It took her two tries before she connected.