"Where is he?" Ruby groaned, nearly running Artemis over when she walked into Town Hall. "Where's who?" Artemis asked, dodging Granny who was walking around with a crossbow.

"David." Ruby said running her fingers though her hair. "He not here. The meeting meant to have already started!" she cried, looking back at the crowd. "He's not answering his phone, I don't where he is-"

"Ruby. Calm down." Artemis said, looking at growing complaints and fidgeting. "I'll go, see if he's around. He must be close, just keep everyone from…not rioting." Artemis said quickly.

Turning around, pushing the doors opening jogging into the street. Most of the people were inside Town Hall, leaving the streets empty.

Made her job a bit easier.

"David! David!" Artemis shouted, running down a few streets, stopping in front of Granny's diner. "Dammit David, don't be such a f-"

Artemis froze. 'It can't be…'

She found David. Dress in the same plaid and jeans across the street, dragging someone else by his scarf. 'It can't be.'

Turns out, in can be. Considering her luck, and how no one she knew wore purple scarves casually. It was strange how people could be happy and yet, still feel incredible dread at the same time.

This? One of those moments.

"Jefferson?"

She lost Robin when she was nine.

It hadn't been her fault, it wasn't his either. If anything, it had been an unfortunate incident. Artemis had just settled into life with Robin and his Merry Men. She had nearly mastered her shooting technique, mastered the art of thievery and pickpocketing and had developed (for her age) the art of ripping someone a new one with her words (and if needed with her fists)

Unfortunately while this was all well and good, it still didn't change the fact that she was nine. Or that even the greatest of fighters could be greatly weakened by an ambush.

She remembered the Queen's Guard crashing through the camp, swords draw with bloodthirst smiles. The biting wind that cracked on her back like whips, the scurrying, the shouts.

Snow had coated the floor in a thick blanket. When Artemis half swam though the snow. She had been running for hours. Clutching only her bow, with her flimsy coat wrapped hazardly over her shoulders.

Robin and the rest of his men were deep into battle, the former throwing Artemis deep into the forest. Giving her a yell to run. As far and as fast as she could.

She still couldn't tell how long that was. But she knew better than to stay still. The Queen's Guard was evil and had no qualms about killing, no matter if they were innocent or guilty.

Her last family had already been murdered by their hands. While Robin and his men were more than worthy of escaping them unscratched, she couldn't get the images of their broken bodies out of her mind.

Collapsing into the thick snow, Artemis bundled herself up behind a tree. Pulling the flimsy coat tighter around her, the bow resting in her hand.

It was the middle of winter, in the middle of nowhere. One of the harshest the Enchanted Forest had experienced in years.

By all rights, she would have died from exposure, lack of nourishment, water. No one was around for miles.

No one was supposed to be around for miles.

She never really knew how he found her, asleep and shivering huddled up in a tree. She didn't feel him, wrap a warm coat around her, picking her up as one would a small baby and taking her home.

She didn't remember that, (mainly because she was unconscious) a small cottage in the depths of the forest. A home with a family, a home with a three year girl and a warm green eyed red headed mother and wife.

Artemis didn't remember the first time she was brought into the hearts and the home of 'Mad Hatter' and his family. Where she would remain for the next five years.

She didn't remember the way the wind howled and the fire cracked, when Jefferson and three-year old Grace piled blanket after blanket to warm her up. While Priscilla boiled water, and stoked the fire.

The fear of the small child dying. The relief when she slowly began to stop shivering, finally relaxing into the blankets.

Artemis didn't remember any of that.

But he did.

David often worried about his sister.
Not because she was outspoken or occasionally unempathetic, not even because she was so unbelievable stubborn for her own good.

Mainly, it was the amount of people she knew, and how ALL these people seemed to know her far better than him.

Take right now.

Sitting at a table, with the man (Jefferson) who was meant to help him get his family back, and apparently knew Artemis well enough to receive he reaction of relief (and so tears) that he got.

Artemis who was sitting awkwardly between them, avoiding both their eyes, oddly enough reminding him of a young child, knowing she was in for a good scolding and trying not to send off any firecrackers.

The silence was deafening.

"Can you get me through?" David asked, setting the hat in the middle of the table. Artemis glancing up, looking mildly surprised at it. He felt a whole story was going to be coming soon.

"No."
"Can you get them back?"

Jefferson dramatically rolled his eyes. Artemis cracking a small smile. Least he knew where she picked up that habit from.

"Can you get it to work?" David asked again, trying to remain calm. There was too much going on, to start unravelling his sister too.

"Huh!" Jefferson scoffed, a wide almost saddened smile on his face. "If you only knew." he said wiping one of his eyes.

"Okay. You had a little girl's tea set in your car and a stuffed rabbit toy, so I'm thinking you have a daughter you love." David started, catching Jefferson eyes flicker to Artemis before back at him. "Well, I do, too. And a wife. And they're out there somewhere. In the Enchanted Forest, or a void, I don't even know. But I'm going to get them back."

"They're in the Enchanted Forest, that's for sure. I just can't get there." Jefferson replied quickly.

"It still exists?"
"It exists. I don't know if that matters, since we can't go there."
"So, you won't help me?"

"I'm a portal jumper, and you destroyed my portal," he said gesturing to the hat. "So you're out of luck." he said.

David lunging forward grabbing Jefferson by his scarf. "David!" Artemis said grabbing his wrist, giving him a 'what the hell look' placing a hand gently on Jefferson's shoulder, seeming ready to push the two apart or punch him in the face.

Considering it was Artemis, and the look she was giving him, she would probably push the two apart, then punch him in the face.

"Well, I'm the closest thing left to a sheriff here, so I can just throw you in a cell until you figure out a way." David hissed.

"Then all we'll do is both sit. Stuck. Two lives in our heads, cursed worse than ever." Jefferson whispered. David slowly releasing him, Artemis dropping her hold on David, her hand still on Jefferson's shoulder.

"Two lives, forever at odds. Double the pain, double the suffering." Jefferson mumbled, suddenly jumping up, turning over the table and running down the street.

"Jefferson!" Artemis shouted, bolting after him.

She looked so small. Bundled under blankets, warm blonde hair, spilling out of a plait, curling up in a small ball under the blankets.

She was older than Grace, maybe around eight or nine. "You're going to scare the living out that poor girl if you keep staring." Priscilla said gently, rubbing his shoulder.

Jefferson smirked, leaning back in his chair setting down the needle and hat in his hand. "I'm just checking if she's breathing alright. I don't know how long she's been out there in the snow." he mumbled to himself, stoking the fire a bit more.

"I know." Priscilla said placing a hand on Artemis's forehead. "She's burning up," she said suddenly. Jefferson dropping the stoker, checking as well. "That's no good."

"No, it's not." Priscilla said biting her lower lip. "I'm going to go Mrs Fellcrown, see if she has anything for it." Priscilla said quickly, grabbing her coat and gloves.

"Mama! Mama! I wanna go too! I wanna see Mrs Feecaw." wailed Grace, running into the room, jumping in front of the door. Priscilla paused, sharing a look with Jefferson. "Okay, get your things, we have to be quick."

Grace nodded, running back into her bedroom, running out of it dressed head to two in her thickest coats, running out the open door. "Grace wait!" Priscilla and Jefferson shouted.

"Watch her closely, keep her warm, Jeff." Priscilla said, running out the door after her energetic daughter.

Jefferson sighed, sitting down on their coffee table. "Guess it's just you and me, blondie."

He-

"Jefferson!" Artemis shouted, skidding to a halt in the middle of the forest. "Jefferson! You there?" she called, the leaves crunching under her boots. Jefferson didn't move, under the tree trunk she was currently standing on.

"Jefferson?" she mumbled, standing on the trunk directly above him. Her shadow casting on the mossy green floor. "God, I hate when you do that disappearing thing!" she snapped, looking behind her.

"It's not fair and you wonder why Grace and I didn't want to play hide and seek with you." she grumbled, kicking a stone landing a few feet from him. "If you are out there…for what's its worth…I'm sorry."

"Sorry that I left…It was probably one of the worst ideas I had…but…I couldn't stay, especially after what happened Priscilla, which I know is my fault."

Jefferson shut his eyes, leaning against the small hillocks.

"And, no. I don't think you can convince me otherwise. I dare you." Artemis said, looking out into the lush forest. "Anyway, I just…leaving that day was the…" Artemis took a deep breath, the strange burning of tears reaching her. "…hardest things I ever had to do. You were my family and I missed you and I…"

Artemis sighed, shaking her head. "You're probably not even here," she said, laughing shakily, wiping a few stray tears that slipped out. "Three years and I've only really cried once… and now…That's just mean, you're mean, old man." Artemis scoffed, folding her arms, jumping off the tree trunk.

"Anyway, I just needed to say that."

"Everyone who loves you will lose you." David said, addressing the town. Artemis walking out of the forest, leaning against a tree listening.

"But there's something worse – you'll lose yourself. Look, I get wanting to leave here, I do. And I get that it's easier to let go of bad memories, but… Even bad memories are part of us. David, Storybrooke David, was – is – weak, confused. And he hurt the woman I love. I wouldn't give up being Charming just to be him, but, you know what? I wouldn't make the other trade, either. Because that David reminds me, not only of who I lost, but of who I want to be. My weaknesses, and my strengths. David, and the Prince."

"I am both – just like you. You are both. The town is both. We are both. Stay here, and every choice is open to you. Live in the woods if you want. Hell, live in a shoe if you want. Or eat frozen burritos and write software. Let's open Granny's and the school. And get back to work. I will protect you. She won't be able to hurt any of us. Not as long as I'm alive. Not as long as we all come together. As we did before. As we shall do again." he finished.

Everyone was silent.
Before they slowly began walking back to their cars.

"Nice speech." Artemis said, standing next to David.

"Yeah?" David asked, looking her over. She seemed deflated somehow. "You okay?"

Artemis nodded, watching as the cars began to drive off.

"So…" David said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Jefferson i-?"

"He's my dad." Artemis said instantly. "Was, is? I-I don't know anymore, but… Jefferson saved me more times than I can count and…I had a home…with him and Grace and Priscilla…and…You know what, I really don't want to talk about this right now." Artemis said, running her fingers though her hair.

"Okay." David said gently, rubbing her behind her back. "But, Artemis…you can talk to me, you know that right?" David said smiling gently at her. Artemis smiled back, patting his hand.

"Thanks, David."
"Anytime."

Scribing down a new more things in her notebook, with one hand, and half braiding her hair with the other, Artemis looked around the quiet loft.

David and Henry were out for breakfast, they both had tried to get her to go, but after the events of yesterday, Artemis decided against it.

She didn't want to ruin Henry's good mood.

Peter, Jefferson, Regina, Emma she had just woken up and it felt like the world was crashing on her shoulders.

Peter hated her.
Regina hated her.
Emma seemed to be bordering on dislike to hatred.

The reality was that Jefferson probably did too. And she didn't even know what happened to Grace.

"Oh, god kill me now." she groaned, tossing her hairband across the room, laying her head on the table.

The sound of something lightly pattering on the floor, made her open her eyes.

In the middle of the room was a small paper aeroplane in purple paper. Picking it up, looking it up and down. Artemis walked to the window, poking her head out of it. "Hello?" she said, looking down. On the ground, a pile of paper aeroplanes were squished in the front on the ground.

Someone knocked on the door. Artemis sighed, shutting the window, tossing the paper onto the table. "Yes?" she said opening the door.

"Hi." Jefferson asked, playing with the rims of his hat. "Can we talk?"

Hiya!

Sorry, this is a tad late! I was really liking how this chappy came out though...Thoughts?

On an unrelated note, who's watching Falcon and Winter Soldier? I've been wanted to do a Marvel fic, for a while...not sure yet though...

Anyways, I hope you all like this chappy as much as I did writing it :)

Thank you all for reading, reviewing, faving and following!
Anyways, as usual please review, like, fav, follow, PM, ect. :)

Till next time...