I hope everyone had a good weekend. Enjoy!

"You stare a little harder, it might magically appear in your stomach."

After a moment, I finally registered someone nudging my arm and talking to me. Blinking a couple times, I looked around and took in my surroundings. I was sitting at the counter, in Granny's, nursing a mug of coffee between my hands. Emma was standing next to me with a slightly worried look, the smile slowly leaving her face.

"Kid, you okay?" She asked, her hand still on my arm and her head tilted, taking me in.

I shook my head, and reached a hand up to tuck my dark hair behind my ear.

"Emma… Hi. Good morning" I said, and cringed at the strangled, chipper voice that attempted to escaped my lips.

I gave her a mix between a grimace and a smile. "Sorry, yeah. I'm good. Just a little tired."

Looking at the time, I saw that it was 7:30am.

Stepping up, and sitting on the stool next to me, Emma ordered herself a coffee and some biscuits and gravy, to go, as I took a long sip from my mug, willing it to wake my tired mind.

"So, what brings you to Granny's this early?" Emma asked, as she tapped her car keys on the counter, waiting for Ruby.

"My mom doesn't let me drink coffee, so, well… gotta get it somehow." I said with a guilty smile. "You?"

"Needed some breakfast before Sheriff duties, and I was spying on Mary Margret." Emma replied, smiling back at me.

I looked around trying to find the woman of topic. "Oh, she's already gone. You missed a juicy mishap."

"Are you talking about the love fest between her and Mr. Nolan?" I asked, turning back to the counter.

Emma gave me a surprised look.

"I'm here most morning for coffee." I said with a shrug. "Mr. Nolan comes in at 7:15, every morning, and Ms. Blanchard is always here. They sneak looks at each other, make awkward small talk. It's pretty obvious." I stated, while trying to wave down Ruby for a refill.

"Huh." Was the blondes response next to me. "Well, I better get to work or the Mayor will see to it that I'm fired for being late." Emma said, grabbing her coffee and to go bag from Ruby, and swinging herself off the bar stool.

I gave her a small smile in goodbye, trying to decide if I really wanted to drag myself to school.

"Guess who was in front of the house this morning!"

I jolted as Henry threw himself next to me on the picnic table. "Jeeze! What is it with you and your mother feeling the need to attack me in a sleep deprived daze?" I snapped at him.

"My mother?" He asked, scrunching up his face in confusion. "Wait, you talked to Emma this morning?" He asked with a smile, before remembering what he'd come to tell me.

"That new guy I told you about, he was in front of the house!" He continued, as he gave me an expectant look

"Am I supposed to understand why that's a big deal?" I asked, confused as to why this was important.

"Well… I don't really know yet, but we need to keep tabs on these things, for Operation Cobra." He said earnestly.

My mind flashed back to the conversation with my mother. "Elizabeth!"

The way she'd yelled the name still rung in my ears.

"Maddie, you okay?" Henry asked, looking at me, then taking in our surroundings.

"Wait, I meant to ask, why are you eating over here anyways?"

I was eating at one of the few picnic tables that sat next to the track. No one ever came out here because it was a bit of a trek, for a lunch time meal, or the kids who did risk the journey, were usually up to no good. However, with the brewing storm, I knew no one would be out here.

Deciding it was pointless to lie, nor having the energy, I sighed and said, "I'm avoiding people."

"Oh, does this have to do with your fight with mom?"

"My fight with mom?" I questioned, not following him.

"Yeah, you know? Whatever fight you two had that is making you avoid each other."

I stiffened involuntarily. "You don't have to tell me about it, I've just noticed you've been… different."

"Elizabeth!" The name echoed in my ears again...

"We… She…" Words were failing me. Sighing, I turned to my brother, "Henry, can I read your book again?"

Birth Giver: Where are you, Madelyn?

After reading the text, I put the phone down. I honestly don't know why I still carried it, seeing as I can't even remember the last time I responded to a message. I was down at the docks, sitting next to a boat house, my back resting against a wall, and the story book opened on my legs in front of me. I was supposed to go do filing at my mother's office, after school, but decided I needed some air instead. The wind had picked up, but I didn't mind. Let the storm come.

Flipping through the story book, I paused now and again to take in the pictures and to adjust my hold on the pages, as the wind tried to rip them from my hands. As I turned to a page that had the older man and the Evil queen, I felt a twang jolt through my heart causing me to feel sad looking at it, but I still didn't know why.

Shaking my head, I continued. Suddenly, my mouth dried out and a felt my heart rate increase. That boy, I knew that boy. I quickly scanned the text and felt my stomach drop.

"Andrew and Elizabeth had been looking for Snow for two weeks now, when..."

"Fairy tales, huh?"

I jumped in my seated position, the story book falling out of my hands, onto the ground next to me. My eyes shot up, and widened as I took in Andrew, standing above me.

"Whoa, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." He said, crouching down to my level and collecting the book from the ground next to me.

"Dang, this thing is heavy," he responded, handing the book back to me.

I gave him a tight smile as I retrieved the book, "good thing I didn't try to sit by the water." I joked. "My brother would have killed me if I'd dropped it into the ocean."

He let out a laugh, as he sat next to me, propping his back against the wall. We sat in silence for a second, before I randomly asked, "do you believe in magic?"

He gave me an amused look, "Man, you must have been at a good part in that book."

Feeling my cheeks staring to burn, I realize how dumb the question sounded, and looked down to the sand and dirt that covered my legs. Henry had buried the book at the castle, and I'd had to retrieve it from there. I lamely tried to wipe my pants clean, waiting for Andrew to respond.

I heard Andrew let out a breath next to me. "I don't know, but I do believe that more than fate keeps bringing us together."

Had my life not been a whirlwind of craziness, as of late, I would have blushed at that line, but with all that had happened, this wasn't a time for flirting.

I felt myself scowl, and after seeing my face, he continued, "Maddie, I'm not being sarcastic or hitting on you." Surprised, my eyes locked on his, and it was a struggle not to lose myself in their green depths.

"It's like… everywhere I go anymore, there you are." I heard him force air out his nose, "a month ago, I honestly hadn't ever seen you, but lately..." He let out a humorless laugh, and held up a small camera that I hadn't noticed he'd been holding. "I came down here to take pictures of the water and the storm, and who do I run into..." His eyes met mine, "you."

I just stared at him, curious where he was going with this. "I know nothing about you, other than you're crazy smart." He continued, as I gave him a skeptical look. "Hey, if Mrs. Tanner brags about you, and boasts about you being in her bio class, then you're smart." I felt myself blush again, as he went on, "and you're the mayor's daughter, but that's it. That's what I know about you… And yet… I feel like I know you more than that… It's… strange."

I was stunned by his confession and honesty, so much so, that I didn't know how to respond.

"I'll admit, I'm attracted to you, but I know you have a boyfriend. And yet, I still want to be around you. Find myself is randomly in the same places as you…" He shrugged, "so I'm not sure if I believe in magic, but I believe something greater than both of us is at play here."

I felt my mouth open and close and I had to look away from him. I couldn't say, "Oh yeah, I think that's because my mother is actually the Evil Queen and put a curse on all of us. We're from a completely different land and have a whole history together, per this book."

Ugh, I was starting to think like Henry.

"Oh, and that for the last few day's you've been eating lunch alone at the trouble maker's tables."

My mind jumped back to the present. "So you're stalking me? That's what we're really getting at here." I teased, raising an eyebrow.

Andrews eyes widened slightly. "Has anyone ever told you, you look like the mayor when you do that."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "Yes, they have. Numerous times."

He let out a small laugh as we fell into a comfortable silence. The silence was broken when my phone started ringing. We both looked down between us, to see Birth Giver Illuminated on the screen.

"Birth giver, huh?"

Clinching my jaw, I quickly pushed the decline button, and shrugged. "Were not exactly on good terms." I said simply.

"Wow, you have some balls. Declining a call from the Mayor? I hear bad things happen to people that stand up to her." His voice was light, and joking, but it sent a cold chill down my spine.

"I need to go." I said, abruptly standing. "See you later."

Andrew, too, jumped to his feet, grabbing my arm gently, stopping me. "Sorry, it was… I didn't mean" Andrew stumbled over his words.

I gave him a tight smile. "No, you're right, she's a tad scary sometimes." I tried to joke back, but my voice was flat. "You're fine. I just remembered I need to stop by the Sheriff's office is all."

He took a small step back from me, releasing my arm. "Oh, well, I'll see you around Lynnie."

I felt my face contort in surprise and confusion. "Lynnie?" I questioned.

This time, Andrew's cheeks burned red. "I, uhh.. I give nicknames to everyone I like… and well, everyone calls you Maddie or Mads from what I hear, so… I went with the second half of your name."

A genuine laugh escaped my mouth and I felt a real smile spread across my face. "Well, that's a first, and it sounds like you know way more about me, than you tried to let on." I said, still laughing. A smile spread across his face as I said, "See you around, Drew," with a wink, as I headed off. I could hear him chuckling, as I walked away.

My spirits were lifted, but only temporarily, as I headed back to town. The uneasy feeling returned to my stomach, with each step I took away from Andrew.

Taking a breath, I headed towards the castle to return the book. I no longer needed it. No, now I needed to find the blonde, I had some questions that I wanted answered.