"Henry, where the fuck are my clothes?"

It was unclear who was more startled by the sudden scream from upstairs. Henry let out a short screech himself, and dove under the kitchen table. Regina just about dropped her makeup where she had been applying it in the mirror by the front door. It was so rare that her daughter spoke like that. It was becoming more and more common. She waited a few seconds, hoping it was just a mistake. It wasn't. Lynn stormed down the stairs, already having finished her own hair and makeup. She was only in her camisole and leggings. Regina frowned. Her daughter was looking more and more like Aria every day. It made her sick. She's just a teenager, that's what they do. She wants to be like her friends, and it'll be okay. Still, her mother hated it. More than ever, she resented Leah and Stephen, and their daughter. The three of them. She reminded herself that Lynn wasn't stupid, that she was capable of keeping herself safe, that she was able to chose her friends. She was mostly happy. Mostly. She was probably over tired, too. She had been up until two the night before, on the phone with Aria and the girl she had dragged into their circle at the beginning of the last school year. Regina hated both of them.

"Henry!" Lynn snapped when she stalked into the kitchen, seeing her brother under the table. "What did you do with my clothes? You know I -"

"Lynn Mary Anne, that is more than enough!" Regina sent her daughter a dark look. "Henry," She waited for him to crawl out from under the kitchen table. "Give your sister her clothes back, and finish your breakfast. You both need to leave for school soon."

"He doesn't have to leave in twenty minutes!" Lynn snatched her dress back from her brother. "And it's all wrinkled now! Look, momma, he -"

"You are not," Regina said sharply, realising how low cut and short the dress was. "Wearing that to school for many reasons, not the least of which being that it's almost November and you'll freeze if you wear that. Go find something else."

Lynn scowled at her seven year old brother but did not say anything else before storming back upstairs. Henry, looking about ready to cry, suddenly hugged his mother. Regina paused before loosely embracing him back. She's a teenager, it's fine. We've had these fights a few times before, it's not a big deal. She'll be fine before she leaves, she always has been. She tried not to think about it more than that. Lynn had gone out with Aria over the weekend, and the two of them had been meeting up more and more frequently, usually with either her mother or Sherry driving her to wherever Aria and now this girl "Cindy" decided the three of them would meet up. Though she had only met Cindy's parents once, she didn't like them much more than Leah and Stephen. Like them, they seemed off. Like them, it felt as if she had known them before. That was something she had increasingly been telling herself was unreasonable. Leah and Stephen, she was certain, she had known before. She startled again when Henry let her go. He didn't look scared, just sad. Hesitantly, Regina finished her makeup, and, then, started up the stairs to her daughter's room. The door was still open. After a moment, she tapped the back of her hands against the door. Lynn flinched, and that was when her mother realised she had been crying.

"What's going on, Lynn?" Regina softened her voice when she stepped into the room. "This isn't like you."

"It's not," Lynn sniffled. "I'm sorry, momma, I just…"

She broke down, crying again. Regina sat down beside her on the edge of the bed, and wrapped her arms around her like she had when Lynn was much younger, letting her daughter sob into her.

"Lynn?" Regina gently pressed. "Do you really want to go to school today? I won't make you if you don't feel up to it."

She glanced up at her mother, still crying, but she nodded.

"It's been hard, momma," She whimpered. "Aria and Cindy are getting really close. After the first last year, the sleepover…they just got really close. And the sleepover the other night, they left me out so much that they hooked up with me in the other room!"

Regina's eyes met her daughter's in disbelief.

"I'm so sorry, dear," Regina held onto her daughter tighter. "Is there anything I can do?"

"No," Lynn mumbled. "There's nothing anyone can do. I just need to hold onto my friends."

Recess.

Most of the kids were running around, playing, enjoying themselves.

Henry Mills, however, was sat against one of the walls by the doors back into the building.

He wasn't sure what he wanted to do, but he didn't want to play. It was too cold, anyways. He pulled up his scarf over his head, keeping it wrapped from his head down to his neck, tucking under her coat. He jammed his hands into his pockets, and pulled his legs up to his chest. The seven year old was bored, too. It was cold enough to snow, but it wouldn't. Snow didn't usually start to fall in Storybrooke until November. It would be at least a few more weeks before the first snowfall of the winter. Henry sighed. He just wanted to go back in and half focus during silent reading. It wouldn't be for a little while until he could do that, though. So, he continued to stay where he was, letting his mind wander. He wondered about his sister. When his mother had come back downstairs and walked him to school, she had told him she would not be going to work that day. When he had asked her why, she had said she needed to stay home with his sister. He didn't know why. Lynn had been angry, sure, but she got that way sometimes. She hated missing school, too, always wanting to do something. His mother hadn't told him much more. She had lingered when she had dropped him off, too.

He thought it was strange.

She seemed almost afraid that, if she let him out of her sight, he would disappear.

It was so weird.

It was going to be a weird day.

He sighed.

More than anything else, now, he just wanted to go home.

"Henry? What are you doing over here?"

The seven year old looked up in surprise, seeing one of the teachers looking at him, worried.

"I just want to go home," He said. "Have you heard anything from my mom, Miss Blanchard?"

She shook her head, and then sat down beside him.

"Something going on at home?" She paused when he didn't respond. "It's okay if there is, Henry."

"Netta has been weird," He muttered. "She didn't go to school today and my mom didn't make her."

Mary Margaret considered that. "Is she sick?"

Henry shook his head. "I don't think so. She was angry this morning because I played a prank on her. I've played hide and seek with her clothes before and she always thought it was fun. She didn't today. I don't get it."

Mary Margaret hesitated. "Is something happening with her at school, maybe?"

Henry stared at her, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Netta's really popular," He said. "She, Aria, and Cindy are the kids everyone likes. She's got a great time at school."

"Sometimes things aren't always what they seem," Mary Margaret glanced between him and the other kids on the playground. "The other kids like you and you seem to not want to be around them today."

"I just want to go home," Henry told her again. "Mom didn't go to work because of Netta today."

Mary Margaret raised an eyebrow, unable to mask her shock.

Regina never misses work for anything. And there's a town council meeting today that she's supposed to be at.

"It'll be alright, Henry," Mary Margaret stood up, and reached out a hand to help him up. "Sometimes we all have bad days. Try not to worry too much about it, I'm sure things will be fine."

"They will."

Mary Margaret turned around, startled, taking a small step back with Henry. An older woman, with fading red hair, and in what was no doubt incredibly expensive clothes was standing nearby.

"Do you mind taking a short walk with me, Miss Blanchard?" The woman said. "It'll only be a minute. I have to get back to South Portland soon."

Mary Margaret glanced between her and Henry before nervously nodding and brushing herself off.

"It won't take long," The woman added, walking with Mary Margaret. "I know I'm not welcome here."

21:38.

Humming to herself, her earbuds in, Ruby kept cleaning up for the night. Things had been slow, again, with the last person to leave about half an hour before being Mary Margaret. Ruby smirked to herself. Mary Margaret was gorgeous. She still didn't pick up on her flirting with her, though. It was a lost cause, she knew, but it was good fun. Ruby kicked her flats off and turned on the water to the sink. She kept humming to herself, washing down some dishes before sticking them in the dishwasher. It was one of the last things she had to do for the night. As soon as the dishwasher cycle was done, and she put the clean dishes away, she could lock up and go to bed. It was a routine, and one she enjoyed a lot more than she had just a few years earlier. She couldn't help but wonder why that was. A few years ago, things had started to change. She wasn't even sure quite how long ago it had been. She couldn't remember living anywhere else, either, even though granny talked about how much of a rambunctious child she had been down just a little south in Portland, Maine. It was the strangest thing, but it didn't matter much, either. Things had been getting better, and -

She pulled one of her earbuds out and turned around. Setting down one of the last dishes in the pile, she flicked on one of the dimmer lights when the door to the cafe shut behind the woman who entered. She couldn't hide her surprise. Looking exhausted, and somewhat nervous, Regina stepped in. Ruby slipped the last few clean dishes into the dishwasher. She then quickly washed and dried her hands before coming out from behind the counter. The two women stared at each other for a minute, both of them somewhat ill at ease. After a time, Ruby pulled out her other earbud, slowly wrapping them over her shoulders. Regina looked almost scared, fingering her purse anxiously. It was a sight Ruby had never seen, and one that took her aback. There were a few times she had seen Regina anxious, lost in thought. Most of those times had been when Henry was a baby, and until he was about four. Three years. She hadn't seen the mayor this ill at ease in three years. To say it was startling was an understatement. Ruby almost couldn't believe it. Not thinking, she stepped over and gave Regina a loose, brief hug that she, surprisingly, allowed and returned. Ruby paused when she let her go. It was a strange night.

"Everything alright?"

Regina hesitated. "No," She finally said. "Ruby, can I ask you something? It's about Lynn."

"Oh," Ruby stepped over to the lunch counter with her, and the two of them sat in the bar stools right next to each other. "Of course. What is it?"

"When you were in year eight…" Regina sighed. "Did you ever…have a group of friends that you had an odd relationship with?"

"I think everyone does," Ruby said. "Why?"

"Lynn's friend, Aria, who she's gotten close to these past few years brought in this other girl, Cindy, just over a year ago," Regina paused. "But things have gotten a bit…contentious since then."

"Ah, yeah, the triplet group," Ruby spaced out for a minute. "That sucks. Yeah, the three of you will be really close and good friends, but sometimes two of them will be closer, and the other one gets left out. It sucks. Actually, no, scratch. It really fucking sucks."

Regina sighed. "That's what has been happening to Lynn. She was freaking out about this morning. I haven't seen her this upset or this…obsessed with pleasing people in ages, if ever."

"I get it, that happens," Ruby shook her head. "You probably will think it's crazy, but that happened to me in high school. A year or two ahead of where Lynn is, obviously, since she starts high school next year but still. But, honestly? I think she'll be okay."

"Really?"

Ruby nodded. "It's probably not that big of a deal, to be honest. It sounds like normal intergroup jealousy."

Regina glanced down at her hands briefly and, to her surprise, Ruby reached over and reassuringly patted them.

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't believe it, Regina," Ruby said kindly. "And, if it helps, if Lynn ever wants to talk to someone…I'll be here for her. Like I said, I know what it's like. And I'm happy to help. Whatever you guys need, just let me know."

Replies To Reviews:

Sammii16: things are definitely getting more and more complicated. with that, things are not looking better for all of them, and the past is starting to mirror the present a bit too close for comfort, especially where the idea of revenge lies.

jasouatfan: Lynn's a quick thinker, and it definitely helped her put the pieces together when she started to get more and more of her memories clear after Henry was brought home. Gold, too, though in much darker ways.

barrattajennifer: Regina does her best thinking when she forces herself to stay calm, but too often things don't give her that opportunity. with Leah inching closer and closer to the truth, and Aria picking up on it too, that is most certainly walking onto the precipice of trouble for everyone.