"This is for the District Attorney's office," Graham clicked on the audio recorder alongside the video camera. "Regina Eveline Mills, do you consent for your daughter to speak on the record today, the 19th of December, 2052?"

"Yes."

Graham nodded. "Lynnetta Mary Anne Mills, do you understand that everything you say today will be recorded and potentially presented to a grand jury ahead of a trial?"

"Yes," Lynn stared down at her hands, and quickly took one of her mother's, squeezing it tightly. "I know."

"Alright," He opened up a police file. "What were you doing on October the 7th, 2052?"

Lynn swallowed hard. Her mother reassuringly squeezed her hand.

"I went to school like normal," She started. "I got up a bit late, so I had to rush a bit. I went to school, and it was a pretty normal school day. I got home around when I usually do…so around six or seven in the evening. I made myself dinner while my mom was watching my little brother do his homework. That's pretty normal for us. Momma might have been reading too, but I don't remember."

"What were you doing after you made dinner?"

"I did a bit of my own homework. I also showered, did some other things around the house. I had my little brother help me pick out an outfit to go out in, but I didn't tell him where or why. Anyways, so eventually he went to sleep, and momma checked on me a few times but then went asleep too."

"Did you stay home that night?"

Lynn started to shake a bit. She shifted towards her mother on the couch where they were sat in the police station. She curled tightly into her, and Regina gently treaded her fingers through her daughter's hair.

"I didn't," Lynn said quietly. Graham pushed the recorder closer towards her from across the desk from her and her mother. "I left home a little before midnight," She went on. "I was going to see some friends. I can drive okay, even though I can't get my licence for another few months. I found a car I knew I could…"

She trailed off.

"Lynnetta?"

"I keyed the car," She said, her voice wavering. "And I drove it off."

"Why did you take that car?"

"Because I was going to see friends."

"Who were these friends?"

Lynn was shaking worse, her eyes fluttering open and shut. She tried not to cry.

"Aria Watson," She whispered. "And Cindy Springer."

"How do you know them?"

"We go to school together."

"When did you all meet? What was the relationship like?"

Lynn quivered a bit, and held tighter onto her mother. Silence. Regina shifted a bit herself to better support her daughter in her arms, careful with Lynn's braced left leg.

She's unlikely to recover that leg entirely. Most likely, she'll have to use a brace for the rest of her life.

"Lynnetta? Are you able to continue speaking at this time?"

"I met Aria when I started school in New Hampshire when we were in year two in 2045. We just sort of…knew each other then. But we got in a bad fight the year after in year three in 2046. I punched her in the face."

"So how did the two of you become friends?"

"We were kinda…rivals, I guess, during year three. But, a few months into year four, Aria forgave me and said she was sorry she made me so lonely. So we became friends pretty quick."

"How close were you two as of October the 7th, 2052?"

"Very close. She…"

Lynn trailed off, biting at her lip.

"Aria kissed me a few times," She said awkwardly. "We were pretty close. But she had gotten a lot closer with Cindy."

"When did you meet Cindy? How did you know her?"

"Cindy came to school around year seven, and she and Aria had some classes together. Aria brought her into the group with us."

"How did that make you feel?"

"It was okay, at first," Lynn's voice started to waver again. "But Aria and Cindy started to leave me out a few months ago. I mean, we were all still close, and they had started doing more things without me last year, but it was mostly a few months ago. I guess I thought it was just because everyone likes Aria. The worst time was…"

"Before the 7th of October, 2052?"

"Yeah," Lynn said, her voice breaking. "We were at Aria's house, got into her mom's liquor cabinet. Her parents were at some sort of…function in Manhattan. We were at their house - mansion - in New Hampshire with all their staff. It was fun at first. But Aria started talking about weird things, and she and Cindy…"

Silence.

"Lynnetta?"

"She and Cindy accidentally locked me in a room," She said, blinking back tears. "I tried to get them to let me out, but they didn't realise they locked me in there because they…they…were…hooking up."

"That must have been uncomfortable."

"It was."

"So, how would you characterise your relationship with Aria and Cindy on the night of the 7th of October, 2052?"

"Best friends. They said we were going out to just rebond. They said they were going to make things up to me. When I got there, they had champagne. I think they got it from Aria's parents. Aria was driving a lamborghini. I don't think she has her licence either, but…that was what she drove."

"Alright. What happened after?"

"We talked, for a little. Just stupid shit. Aria eventually told me to put the champagne away. So I did. I went to put it in her car. Aria had told me that I wouldn't have to worry ever again."

"What did that mean?"

"I thought it meant she was apologising for leaving me out. Cindy had agreed with her, so I assumed that was what she was saying," Lynn was starting to hyperventilate. "That I wouldn't have to worry about them leaving me out of things ever again."

"What happened after you put the champagne away?"

"I started to walk back towards Aria and Cindy, since we had been sitting on the hood of Aria's car. They weren't on it anymore, but…" Lynn broke down, her breathing heavy and she started to sob. Her mother held her close, keeping her steady. "They had knives. And..and they ran at me."

"With the knives?"

"Yeah."

"What happened after that?"

"They…they stabbed me," Lynn was not sure what the world around her was like, but it was dizzy. Spinning violently. "Aria…Cindy…climbed on me. Kicked me. I was on the ground I was sobbing I got stabbed they just kept going stabbed me and I just couldn't do anything I screamed I tried to kick them but they kept going and…"

Then the world went dark.

"Mills fainted. This interview will continue at a later time."

Graham stood up to switch off the video camera, and then the audio recorder. Regina pulled her daughter up onto the couch the little she needed to. She sat back against one side of the couch, and pulled Lynn up the best she could, holding her steady in her arms.

"I'll add these to the file with the DA's office," Graham grimaced when he saw Lynn starting to blink back into consciousness. "I'll go get her some water."

The world was still spinning. Lynn curled into her mother and started to cry again.

"What happened, momma?"

"You fainted, dear," Regina said, lightly scratching Lynn behind her ears just like she had when her daughter was a baby. "It's going to be okay. You don't have to keep talking, today. You're doing so well, Lynn. Honestly. What you're doing is incredibly brave, and I'm proud of you."

Lynn weakly nodded through tears. "I love you, momma…" She whispered.

Regina startled a little when Lynn held tighter onto her but then sighed.

"I know, and I love you too."

Emma Swan stumbled into her apartment. It had been a long day, and it was late.

She slammed the door shut behind her, and tossed her coat off her shoulders. She dropped her hat off her head. Kicked off her shoes. She resisted the urge to slide back down against the door and sit down against it. She also resisted the urge to lay down and fall asleep right there. Her mind was too awake for sleep, though, and certainly not restful sleep. She flicked on the lights. There was a pop. One of the bulbs in the kitchen popped dead. She swore under her breath. Just another thing that needs to be fixed up and replaced. Fuck. She stared up at the ceiling for a second, and then stumbled into her bedroom. She flicked on the lights in there too. She dropped her bag down on her bed, and grabbed one of her laptops from off her desk. Climbing into bed, she let herself sink into it. She leaned over to pick up her purse again, albeit briefly, to pull out her mobile. She plugged it in right next to her bed. For a few seconds, she closed her eyes. When she opened them, she turned on her laptop, tapping around the sides of it while it booted up. She quickly logged in. Opened the main browser. Opened the dark web browser. Minimising the dark web browser, she typed in a word - a name - she had been dreading typing. She had taken a break for good reason after seeing the crime scene photographs in the filing with the Somerset DA.

She typed it anyway.

Storybrooke.

A click. The search results popped up quickly. She breathed a soft sigh of relief.

In the box on the right side of the screen were some photographs together. The town name was just below it, with the classification. Just below that were the description of the town from Wikipedia, and some statistics.

Storybrooke is an incorporated community in Somerset County, Maine, United States Of America. Storybrooke is about forty five minutes to an hour from the line separating Somerset County and Franklin County.

Weather: 8F, wind speed of 2MPH, 49% humidity.

Local Time: 22:13

Elevation: 600FT

Hotels/Hostels/Motels: Average Price: 123$ per night.

Emma tiredly rubbed at her neck. The text was starting to swim before her eyes. She almost laughed. At one of the bar shows, a woman with pink hair with a powerful, high pitched singing voice (and a surprisingly quiet, high pitched speaking voice with a slight Jersey accent) had remarked that the blonde bounty hunter was part of 'the order of the sleepless.' Her mind began to wander. The two of them had exchanged mobile numbers a month prior. They texted back and forth fairly frequently, though only saw each other when she was in town for shows. Emma paused. The pink haired woman had a myriad of keychains, but one of them…she almost knocked her computer off her lap when she jumped in her skin. Storybrooke. The pink haired woman had - among her almost impressive amount of keychains - one with that word on it. In large, bubble letters no less. Did she live there? She had mentioned how she moved to Maine as an adult after being born and raised in the south, Virginia specifically. Why had - she moved to where her wife had made some close friends shortly after they got married. That was why her accent was so mixed. Emma took a look towards her mobile, and then back to her laptop. Was it possible the pink haired woman lived in this Storybrooke?

Storybrooke.

It had been bothering her for weeks, ever since she had first seen the crime scene photographs.

It had even begun to subsume her in nightmares, leaving her with the uncomfortable and uncanny feeling that it was related to something in her distant past. Why was this case - and the town it came back around to - in particular so choking?

Storybrooke.

That name which felt so familiar even though it made little sense as to why.

Regina Eveline Mills.

Emma swore under her breath. She snatched her mobile off the charger and dialled. The other line rang out for almost a full minute. Click. She let out a sigh of relief, almost as if she were catching her breath. Eventually, she began:

"Chloe, I need to ask you something."

A yawn, followed by footsteps on the line.

"What about? You don't usually call late. I'm surprised you aren't passed out."

"I can't sleep," Emma started drumming her fingers off the sides of her laptop again. "Probably because my mind has been overwhelmed."

"Work?"

"Sort of. But it's more than that."

"In what way?"

Emma hesitated.

You're going to make yourself sound completely insane if you word this wrong.

She pushed that whispering voice in her head aside.

"Chloe, you said you live in Maine, right?"

"Yep. Sherry and I have lived her for about fifteen years, now. Sherry and I have a long term friend here and her family, so it just made sense."

"What's the town called?"

Silence.

"Storybrooke," She said. "Sorry, I was straining the pulp out of my lemonade."

Emma laughed a little, but she was starting to feel her body sink down in anxiety, fear, deja vu.

"Can we talk?"

"We…we are right now, aren't we?"

"I mean more specifically."

"I'm just as insomniac as you right now, Emma, so throw it at me. What's going on? You alright? Did something happen?"

"No, no, nothing happened. At least, nothing happened to me," Emma paused again, almost terrified to say the words. "Can we talk about Storybrooke?"

Silence.

It was longer, this time.

She tried not to dwell on what her friend's silence could mean.

"Emma," Chloe said softly. "You're not going to believe me."

She almost burst out laughing but found herself to know better.

What the fuck does she mean I wouldn't believe her?

The thought was irrational, she told herself. Everything had a reason. Everything had a good reason, a logical one to provide answers.

"First, I have to ask: do you believe in all that?"

"You mean the things you practise on me like palm reading and tarot?"

"Yes."

"To tell you the truth, I don't really believe in all that. But it does amuse me."

"Alright."

"Why did you need to ask that?"

"Things are more complicated and unstable than they seem, Emma."

"You took your medications, right?"

"This isn't a manic episode. And, thankfully, I haven't had one of those in almost a year."

"Sorry," Emma said with a grimace. "Chloe, honestly: why do you want to know if I believe in all that?"

"Because you cannot understand everything by being stuck on one way of thinking. And you will never believe me or understand what I'm talking about if you get stuck in that."

"I'm desperate for answers, Chloe. Try me."

She hesitated but then sighed.

"Can we meet up in Boston in a few weeks after my next show? I need to think things through so I can explain this without confusing you."

"That's fine. Just stay safe, Chloe."

"Don't worry about me. You're the one in the most danger all of the time, Emma. And, I know this goes against everything you say and do, but I have to ask you to do what I always keep in mind and do my best to live by. When you find yourself in a difficult situation, remember, don't tell lies, but you do not have to tell the truth."

Replies To Reviews:

barrattajennifer: you didn't have to wait long! (i got excited and wrote them the same night, just edited this one today)

jasouatfan: Mary Margaret's biggest misstep has always been being far too curious about Regina, most especially in their past life, which Regina has never let go of. Emma's curiosity can be a problem for her, too, but not in the same way as Mary Margaret.

Sammii16: everything about these lives draw Emma in, and, while she is not aware of it, she's walking into her own past.

Coral Skipper: i hope this chapter did not disappoint, then! thanks so much for the love!

The White Shell Mermaid: she is home now! and don't worry, i'm an impatient writer too so being that detailed was a LOT for me too. i hope this was a good chapter for that especially, and i'm excited for (and to hear what you all think of) what's to come!