Enjoy!

After taking a deep breath and wringing my hands a few times, I walked into the Sheriff's station. I hadn't been in here in some time, and yet, nothing looked different.

Walking further in, I saw Emma trying to get a flashlight to work. "Son-of-a-bitch, does everything in this damn place need new batteries?" I heard her mutter to herself.

I stopped, still in the entrance to the office, deciding that this was a bad idea. I had just turned, when the blondes voice came from behind me. "Maddie?"

I winced at being caught and slowly turned to face her. Giving her a tight smile, I took a few more steps toward the desk she was at. "Shouldn't you be at home? Is everything okay?"

Looking around the room again, I reluctantly brought my eyes to hers. Emma and Henry had the same brow line, I realized.

"Kid?" Emma asked again, standing up and placing the flashlight in her hand, now on the desk, and taking a few steps towards me.

"How did Sheriff Graham die?"

The question blurted out of me before I could stop it.

Emma paused, shocked by my unexpected question.

"Okay, um. Here kid, let's sit down." Emma said, reaching out her hands as if to guide me to a seat.

I took a step back from her and said with a more even tone, "Graham… what was his cause of death?"

"Maddie, I don't know why you…" Emma started.

"You asked me once if I believed Henry, and well, I'm simply trying to figure that out." I said, cutting her off. I'd been trying to sound assertive, like I'd heard my mother be so many times, but my voice came out sound flat instead.

Emma eyed me once more, "I don't remember the conversation quite like that, but…" Seeing the serious look on my face, Emma sighed and continued, "Uh, the coroner ruled it as natural causes. His heart just gave out."

I automatically started chewing on my cheek, and started playing with my necklace. "Come here, sit down." Emma said, as I let her guide me to a seat. "Where is this coming from?"

"Do you believe it was natural causes?" I asked, as I looked into her green eyes. She sat in a chair facing me, and leaned back, letting out another sigh.

"What are you getting at?" She asked, a stern tone to her voice.

"I don't know..." I mumbled out. "My mom… She and the Sheriff... Well, I... They… He kissed you and..."

"And you've been talking to Henry?"

"Huh?" I asked confused.

"You know, how Henry is so sure your mom killed Graham." Emma continued nonchalantly. She let out a small laugh, but then sobered up as she looked at me. My eyes had gone wide, Henry had something about our mom doing it, but I'd brushed him off. But what if she had?

Clearly seeing the alarm on my face, and knowing where my thoughts had gone, "Kid… Come on. How would Regina even do that? Henry is ten and in this fantasy world, but you… I thought we were on the same page?"

After a moment all I could only muster was a small shrug. "We are." I said, unconvincingly.

Leaning forward, Emma waited until I met her eyes. "Graham had a heart attack. He was sick, and under a lot stress. It's tragic and horrible, but it does happen. Yeah?"

For someone who'd given up being a mom, the blonde was damn good at it, I found myself thinking.

Emma was right. The name slip with my mom was simply that, a slip of the tongue, and killing… that was way too extreme. I was acting crazy. Shaking my head, I said, "You're right. I think I'm just having a delayed reaction to his death or something..."

Emma eyed me, but didn't push further. Suddenly the lights flickered, and Emma looked to the window, as she stood, she said, "Alright kid, you better get home before the weather gets any worse. I need to go prep some emergency gear anyways." She rubbed the back of her neck. "And find some batteries" She said, glaring at the flashlight on the desk.

Standing, I went to fix my jacket, and the scarf I had wrapped around my neck, but my necklace was tangled in it. Probably from me fidgeting with it so much. Seeing my struggle, Emma reached out, "Here let me help you."

After struggling with the chain for a few seconds Emma said, "Huh, it's really woven in there." I could feel her gentle pulling around my neck. I heard a sharp in-take of breath, as I suddenly felt my necklace chain sliding from my neck.

Emma stood in front of me holding my necklace, a shocked look upon her face. I, too, stood frozen, as a wave of memories came crashing upon me.

"Maddie, sorry. The claps broke." Emma said, apologetically. Still holding my necklace in her hand.

However, I couldn't hear her. I looked around the room, feeling as if I was taking a big breath of air after breaking the surface of the water.

The blonde looked apologetically, but I wasn't aware of her. "Thanks for the talk. I should go." I said, not looking at her and solely focused on getting out of there.

"Wait, your necklace?" Emma questioned.

I turned, and looked at the broken chain dangling from her hand. Reluctantly, I grabbed it and gave her a small smile. "Thanks." I said, and started walking out.

"I can pay to fix it." Came Emma's voice from behind me, but I didn't hear her. My mind was still flashing memories before my eyes. Andrew, Snow, grandfather, My mother... My mother.

Anger filled my chest.

My mother.

I clutched my necklace tightly in my hands.

My damn mother.

"Alrighty then..." Emma said, watching the young brunette leave and turning back to her desk. Emma was really starting to question Regina's parenting. Both Henry and Maddie seemed to have some major mental health issues. Shaking her head, Emma slid on the giant sheriff's coat and grabbed some equipment to take to the cruiser.

Storming into the house, I slammed the front door. Henry emerged from the kitchen, eating a sandwich and dropping crumbs on the floor.

"Where's mom?" I barked at him.

Henry froze, mid chew, and looked at me. He shrugged, "she's not home from work, yet." he said, around the bulge of food in his mouth.

"Son-of-a…" Anger seethed from me, as I looked to the table next to the stairs. My mother's car keys were there. Grabbing them, I turned back to the door.

"Maddie?" Henry questioned from behind me, slight worry in his voice.

"I need to go take care of a few things." I said, as I went to retrieve my raincoat from the hall closet.

"but… mom's car. You can't just..."

It was true, I seldom ever drove. I had my license, but walking was easier, seeing as how my mother had a stick up her ass about me driving her perfect car.

"Leave mother to me." I said, turning to go. Pausing, I turned back to my brother, walked up to Henry, and gently grabbed his head. I kissed his forehead, and then turned and left, storming back out the front door.

It was freezing outside, and the rain had started pouring by the time I'd reached my destination. However, I paid no attention to the cold and the storm that was now raging outside. Shifting from foot to foot, I waited for the door in front of me to open.

I suddenly saw movement on the other side of stain glass windows, embedded in the top of the door, and after the door slowly opened, a confused Derrick stood before me.

"Maddie?" He questioned.

My heart hurt for the confusion on his face. I'd been avoiding him, hadn't talked to him in days… Derrick, Ray, and Chris.. I hadn't been able to face them with my mind the jumbled mess it was.

I was soaking wet, but didn't care. No, I needed to fix things, or change things. Actually I didn't really know what I was doing.

"Derrick... can we talk?" I breathed out, practically pleading.

He didn't open the door further, but stood and crossed his arms. Okay, well I deserve this I decided.

He looked at me expectantly, but didn't say anything.

"Okay..." I huffed out. Then taking a deep breath, I continued, "Derrick, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for how I've been acting. For how I've treated you as of late."

When he still just stood there, I shifted on my feet again. Sighing, I looked up at him. "I'm really sorry, but we have to break up." There was no point beating around the bush, I decided.

His slightly angry face, quickly contorted to one of confusion. "Wait, what?" Clearly that's not how he'd expected this conversation to go, nor me for that matter.

I gulped down the bulge in my throat. Derrick. He was one of my best friends, at least in this world... But, I couldn't, we couldn't… I loved Andrew.

"I'm breaking up with you." I whispered out.

"What? Seriously? What is going on, Maddie?" I tried to form words, but they were caught in my throat. There was no way to explain, so that he'd believe me. "Is this because you want to date that Biology TA?" He demanded, sounding angry again.

My eyes jumped to his in surprise. "It's… It's more complicated than that" I started.

He flinched as if I'd slapped him. "You know what, I'm done caring. You want to date him, then fine." He started to turn away from me.

"Derrick, wait!" I said, jumping forward and placing a hand on the door.

"I'm done waiting, Maddie." Was all he snapped out, as the door slammed in my face.

Part of me wanted to cry, but I was more angry than anything. Not at Derrick. No, he was a victim in all of this. I looked at the closed door once more, willing him to open it, to let me explain, but I also didn't even know what to say.

Slowly, I turned at trekked back to the car. My hands were shaking as I tried to put the key in the ignition. She'd done it again. My damn mother, had destroyed my life, again.

I'd waited out the storm out, in a parking lot, so by the time I pulled up to the mansion it was well after dark. I had no idea how this was going to go, or what to even say to my mother.

This was the last place I wanted to be, and I had tried to think of anywhere else I could go, but I realized I didn't have an escape. I knew Ray would be furious with me. I had no money for a room at Granny's, and well, Andrew didn't even know who I really was.

Looking to the window, I could see my mother sitting in the study, at her desk. "Typical," I muttered to myself.

Reluctantly, I turned off the car and got out. As I entered the house, I was met by silence, which surprised me, as I had been sure my mother would have been at the door, ready to attack.

Deciding to get it over with, I threw the keys on the small table, and headed towards the study. I heard my mother's chair, and then her footsteps quickly approaching the door.

"Where the hell have you been?" She demanded, once I was in her line of sight. I was just outside the study, my mother still within. She crossed her arms in front of her, her face a mask of rage.

My gray eyes met her brown, and I was filled with anger. All I felt was anger, fury, and hate. I hated her so much for what she'd done.

When I didn't immediately go to respond, she continued, "Madelyn, I demand that you..."

Scoffing, I cut her off and snapped, "Don't you mean Elizabeth?" She flinched somewhat, from surprise or confusion I didn't know. Hell, I didn't care. My new motto I suppose.

I simply took one more step up towards her, expecting her to step back, but she held her ground. Her hands now on her hips, almost as if she were daring me to continue, so I did.

"You… How could you?!" I screamed at her.

She simply raised an eyebrow, at me, not following. I was beyond furious, and struggling to speak, so I reached into my pocket and pulled out the locket, shoving it into her hand.

Her eyes glance down, and then widened, as they jumped back to mine. Her mouth parted slightly, but before she could say anything, I turned and walked out. Heading straight to my room, and slamming the door once there.

In my room, my anger was turning into tears of fury and heart ache, but this wasn't a time for crying, or self-pity. I'd cry later. Memories and feelings kept flashing before my eyes, but I ignored them. Now wasn't the time to figure out this Maddie vs Elizabeth stuff. No, now I needed to get out of here.

Looking around, I took a breath, and headed to my closet. Pulling out my track duffel bag, I started to fill it, with stuff. I had no plan, but all I knew was I needed to get away from her, and find somewhere to think.

Welp, Elizabeth is officially in Storybrooke! There will be flashbacks starting next episode. Cheers!

*Hey all. Just want to send out hugs and love during these crazy times. Best wishes, and please, if you need someone to listen or message, message me anytime. Your voice matters, regardless of what side you're on, I'm here for ya. I might not know you, but you matter to me. -Shan