I woke up to the smell of freshly cut apples and other scents in the air. I looked around at everyone, I still wasn't used to people being in my tower. I had spent eternity in solitude, it seemed, and this was very unfamiliar. I climbed off the window sill. Regina was the one who was cutting apples, and a smile flickered cross her face when she looked up at me. Although, it disappeared as quickly as it came when Mary Margaret said good morning to me. I smiled at her and walked over to where she was bent over a steaming pot. I looked into the cauldron, careful as to not let my pants catch on the burning logs beneath it, and was surprised. Inside it was a soup that she was making, she had cut up carrots, green beans, corn pieces, and potatoes and threw it into the boiling water.

"You got all this from my garden?"

Concern and worry crossed over Mary Margaret's face, "Is it okay? I didn't want to wake you to ask and I just assumed! I'm really sorry, Alex."

"No, no. It's fine! Soup never crossed my mind to make." I chuckled, "you're brilliant." I tucked my hair behind my ear and smiled at Regina, but she ignored me. Hurt, I turned away and ran into David.

"Mmph!"

"Oh, sorry. I wasn't looking." I felt his rough hands on my arms, from when he caught me, and struggled out of his loose grasp, "It's fine," I muttered.

Emma, who was still sleeping, woke up and cried out, "Mom, that smells wonderful! Whatcha makin?"

"Come look, lazy." Mary Margaret replied back, throwing her daughter a perfect smile.

Feeling out of the group, I went to the door and let myself out. Jogging down the cold, damp, stone steps, I listened as my steps bounced off the lonely walls. Reaching the courtyard, I paused and looked around. Walking over to the creek, I took off my sandals and hiked my pants up. Stepping in, I felt the cold water rush around my legs. Mud seeped up through my toes. All around, frogs launched themselves into the water for safety. They surprised the fish, which in turn, darted around my feet. Rubbing up against my legs, I laughed and watched them. It's the simple things in life. I listened to the voice inside my head and agreed with myself. I sat down on the bed of the creek and closed my eyes.

"Quite the conversation you had last night with the evil queen."

I yelped and fell into the creek.

"For a princess, you're very, how do I say it? Unrefined?"

I looked up to see Mr. Gold standing above me, smirking. His hands wrapped around his stupid cane. "Well good thing I'm not a princess then," I spat. "And she's not evil." I added.

"Are you sure about both of your assumptions, dearie?"

"What?" This guy had lost it.

I marched out of the water, soaked. Grabbing my sandals from the dirt, I glared at him. He continued to smirk, but moved out of my way. Clenching my shoes in my hand, I made my way back up the tower. Stomping up each stair, I slammed the wooden door open, and walked in. Everyone was eating some of Mary Margaret's soup and Regina's apples laid untouched in the middle of the table. 'Evil Queen…' I shook my head and stood there. Hook immediately began to laugh at my predicament and David was joining in with him when he failed to keep quiet. Mary Margaret looked shocked. When I looked at Emma she was blatantly smiling, and even Regina bowed her head, but not before I saw her smile.

"Your bowl of soup is over there." Emma offered, still smiling.

I practically growled at all of them and stomped over to my mirror, but not before I grabbed my brush out of my knapsack that I had packed the day before. I threw my sandals against the wall into the corner. I looked at my reflecting image in the mirror, and moaned. My black hair was matted flat to my head, and my brown eyes had storm clouds in them. I raised the brush and got to work.

It took a while to brush out my hip-length hair but I finally finished the task. When I set the brush down, Mary Margaret came over and asked if she could braid my hair. I looked at her, and said no, but when her face fell, I changed my mind and quickly replied that she could. She sat behind me on the floor and began. Emma picked up my soup and brought it over to me. The soup was really good, I had to give it to Mary Margaret, and I finished within minutes. Regina walked over and took my bowl from me to go wash it. When Mary Margaret finished my hair we both stood up to look at the product. We stood in front of the mirror. She had braided my hair into a headband type look and then continued the braid down around my head. When she reached my ear, she braided it into a long ponytail that fell over my shoulder.

"You look like a princess!" She exclaimed clasping her hands together under her chin.

I looked at our reflections and smiled.

"So where are we going?" Hook looked at everyone, waiting for an answer. "We can't just start wandering all over the place hoping we'll stumble into your boy." He looked at Emma, "Sorry, love."

Emma rolled her eyes, "None taken. Does anyone know where Tamara and Greg were going? Did anything they say stand out?" She looked at everyone standing in the circle. "What about you, Regina, did they reveal anything to you?"

"If they did, don't you think I would have said something." She glared at Emma. Geez, they really hate each other.

Emma turned to me, "Do you know of anyplace where I might find my son?"

"He's my son too!" Regina yelled out.

"Ladies! Turning against each other won't solve anything! We all need to work together to find Henry." David's voice boomed in the tower. Once he was satisfied with their silence he turned to me. "Is there anyplace-"

"I think you all have forgotten that I have been locked away in a tower for my whole life! I would like to help, but I don't know anything! The only person that I could think could help was the lady who helped me, but she's gone."

"Okay, what's her name?" David asked, taking charge.

I struggled to remember her name, she only told me once. As it was she wore a hooded cloak whenever she would visit me. She revealed very little about herself.

"…I think it was something like…. Cora?"

Emma turned white in the face, and Mary Margaret instinctively drew closer to her prince charming. Everyone was silent but Regina was the first to break the silence.

"Did you say," her voice cracked, and she had to regain her composure, "Cora?"

"Our old friend." Hook smiled deviously.

I looked at all their faces, even Gold's face fell into a look of coldness at the mention of her name. It was then when I realized something was wrong, very wrong. What had I done?