Chapter 52

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Just as they were about to pull away, Emma's phone buzzed. She quickly picked it up to read the message.

"What is it?" Regina asked.

Hanna leaned up from her spot in the backseat. "Is it something about Lily?"

"Yeah, one of my contacts found an address, but it's five years old."

"Emma what is it?" Hanna asked, noticing the look on her face.

"This is in Lowell Massachusetts, which is less than 30 miles outside of Boston," Emma told them. "Which is where I lived five years ago. Lily and I grew up in Minnesota, separated as kids, and ended up living less than an hour apart as adults?"

"Like I said, fate. You're connected. It's been pushing you together," Regina said.

"It may have been pushing us together as kids, but last time I saw her I'm the one who pushed her away."

"What happened between you two?" Hanna asked. She didn't get an answer though. Emma just turned on the car and started to drive.

Hanna just sighed and looked out the window. She watched her little town go by. She didn't know why, but she got a little nervous as they got closer and closer to the town line. She knew nothing bad would happen. The line didn't work the same as it did during the curse. They could cross without bad things happening. Getting back in wasn't so easy, but they had the scroll the Snow Queen used to get into Storybrooke, and Hanna knew they would get back in just fine. Hanna couldn't help but hold her breath though as they drove past the sign that read "Leaving Storybrooke" and entered a whole new world Hanna had never seen.

They were a few hours into their trip when Hanna's phone started to ring. She looked down to see her mom's picture pop up onto the screen. Hanna just sighed and shook her head. She actually lasted a lot longer than Hanna thought she would. Hanna answered, and found herself talking to both of her parents on speaker. She told them where they were and assured them that she was just fine. Before hanging up, she told them not to worry and promised to call them back in a few hours.

"That was just Mom and Dad. They said…"

"Yeah I gathered that," Emma told her, not wanting to hear about what they said.

"They said to say 'hi and be careful'" Hanna said, finishing her sentence. "When are you going to get over this Emma?"

"I'm not in the mood, Hanna," Emma warned.

"They did what they did, but they apologized for it," Hanna said, ignoring what her sister just told her. This was the perfect opportunity for Hanna to talk some sense into there sister. Emma was trapped in the car she couldn't run away from this now. "Why can't you just forgive them?"

"I just can't."

Regina looked over at Emma. "I know I told you this before, but I'm telling you again. You're acting like…

"A petulant child. I know I know…" Emma said with a roll of her eyes.

"Your parents did a bad thing. They apologized, now get over it," Regina told her.

Hanna grinned. She liked having Regina on her side. "Regina's right. Just move past this already."

"They weren't honest about who they were. They said they were heroes. You want to forgive them, fine, but I have too much to worry about right now," Emma turned up the music on the radio so her two passengers would quit bothering her about forgiving her parents already. She wasn't ready to forgive them yet.

Hanna just rolled her eyes and sat back in her seat. If this was going to be Emma's attitude the whole time, she was in for a long ride.

They finally arrived at the address Emma received. As they walked through the hallway to Lily's apartment, Hanna tried to stay in the middle and away from the grungy walls as much as she could. This place was disgusting. There was newspaper and other stuff all along the floor. Hanna could smell something a little funny too.

"Why did I go through the trouble of creating Storybook when I could have just cursed everyone to live here?" Regina said as she eyed up the place.

Emma walked up to the apartment door and knocked. They waited for an answer when a man came out of the apartment across the hall.

"Yeah?"

"Oh. Sorry to disturb you" Emma said. "We're just looking for Lilith Page. Is she around?"

"No, she ain't around," the man told her. "Not for years."

"You know where she moved?" Emma asked.

"Lady, she ain't moving nowhere. She's dead."

Hanna's eyes went wide. "Oh, no…" She looked up at her sister, noticing the shock on her face.

"What?" Emma asked in disbelief.

"Car wreck a couple years back. Pretty sure she was drunk," the man said with a shrug. "Not that anyone missed her. I mean, she was a weird one. Kept to herself. 'Course she had one of those personalities that you wanted to stay far away from. A real loser."

"She was my friend!" Emma yelled as she quickly pushed the guy up against the wall, her arm up ready to punch him.

"Emma! No, don't," Hanna said as she ran up beside her.

"Emma! It's not worth it," Regina told her.

Hanna watched as Emma stared the man down. Hanna didn't know what Emma was going to do. She seemed to be deciding whether punching him would in fact be worth it or not. Hanna let out a sigh of relief when Emma finally lowered her arm and let the man go.

"Hey. You okay?" Regina asked Emma.

"I'm fine. I'm absolutely fine," Emma said as she walked past them and out of the building.

Hanna looked up at Regina. "I really thought she might…"

"Me too." Regina put her arm around Hanna. She could see the worry in the young girl's eyes. "Come on. She'll be alright."

"Want to talk about what happened back there?" Regina asked Emma once they were back in the car.

"Nope." Emma told her.

"You nearly put that guy through a wall."

"Emma you can't…" Hanna started to say.

"Look, I know what you're thinking, but what happened back there wasn't me turning dark. It was…mourning a friend. Can you understand that?"

Hanna sighed…she wasn't so sure. She believed in her sister and knew Emma would never let her heart go dark. She just had this bad feeling that something was going to happen to make Emma snap. She couldn't help but be afraid Gold's plan would end up working.

"Emma, you know you're not responsible for what happened to her," Regina said.

"You sure?" Emma said, turning her head towards Regina. "You heard what that guy said. Her life wasn't pretty. It was dark. That darkness was meant for me. Or could have been. Or…"

"Emma!" Hanna shouted, just before Emma hit a wolf that was in the middle of the road. Luckily, she swerved to miss it just in time. The car came to a screeching halt.

"You alright?" Emma asked as she turned back towards her sister.

Hanna nodded her head. "I'm fine."

They got out of the car and looked around. The wolf was gone.

"This has happened before," Emma said. "The wolf in the road and an accident. The first time I tried to leave Storybrooke."

"Stop overthinking," Regina said as she kicked the tire. "It's not fate. It's just a flat. We need a new tire. Unless fate wants you to go to the Coffee Mug Diner for help, I'll chalk it up to 'accidents will happen.'"

Hanna shrugged. "Maybe fate does want her to go to the diner," Hanna said with a grin as she starting walking down the road.

Regina just rolled her eyes and followed.

"I'll get a tire. You get some coffee," Regina said once they made it the quarter mile down the road to the diner/gas station.

Hanna followed Emma into the diner.

"Two cups of coffee and a pack of Advil," Emma told the waitress. "Make it two packs."

"Anything for you?" the waitress asked Hanna. "You don't look old enough for coffee."

"Do you have hot chocolate?" Hanna asked.

"Sure, coming right up."

The waitress brought back Hanna's hot chocolate. She set down two cups for coffee and started filling them with the pot she picked up from the counter. "Tough day?"

"You don't know the half of it," Emma told her.

"I'll leave the pot here then," the waitress said.

Hanna noticed Emma looking at a mark on waitress's hand. Hanna looked over herself and noticed the mark…it was shaped like a star. Hanna thought that was a very unique birthmark. She took a sip of her hot chocolate and made a face. This was no Granny's…not even cinnamon would help the taste of this stuff. Hanna carefully pushed it aside and looked up at her sister.

"What is it?" Hanna asked once the waitress had gone. Emma looked like she had just seen a ghost.

"It's…it's her."

"Who?"

"Lily…" Emma said, eyes still wide with shock. She quickly got up from the table to follow her.

"Cars being towed in," Regina said. She sat down at the table and noticed the look on Hanna's face. "What's wrong? See another wolf?"

Hanna just shook her head.

"Where's your sister?"

"Regina, she's alive," Hanna said.

"Well I sure hope so. She was still breathing when I saw her two minutes ago."

Hanna shook her head. "No…Lily. She's alive. Emma just followed her outside."

"Let's go…" Regina said as she stood from the table, leaving her coffee behind.

By the time they found Emma, Lily was already walking away from her towards the school bus that had just arrived. Hanna noticed Lily talking to a little girl, who had just gotten off the bus.

"Tires being fixed," Regina informed Emma. "So it was her. Well Emma, looks like you didn't ruin her life after all." Regina watched as Lily walked off with someone, who seemed to be, her daughter.

Regina and Hanna started to make their way back to the car when Emma turned and walked back into the diner instead.

"Emma, what are you doing?" Hanna asked, once Emma came back.

"I just swiped Starla's timecard. It has her real address."

"But she said she didn't want our help," Regina said.

"And she was lying," Emma said matter-of-factly.

"But Emma, you saw her with her child," Hanna said.

"A child," Emma corrected her. "You know me. I know when someone's lying, and she was. She always has."

Regina sighed. "Emma you don't know that?"

"Why would she be any different now?" Emma said with a shrug. "Something's wrong. We have to go find her. I'm gonna help her this time. I'm gonna get her back to her mom."

Hanna looked up at Regina. They both shrugged and got into the car. They couldn't deny that Emma was probably right. That super power of hers was never wrong.

They arrived at Lily's place, and luckily she wasn't home. Regina and Emma looked around, while Hanna ventured off on her own. She walked down the hallway. She looked up and saw all of this stuff on the wall. Hanna stepped closer to get a better look. There was a map with "Storybrooke" written in red ink and the approximate location of the town circled. There were pictures and names of fairytale characters. There were lines drawn everywhere like she was trying to piece it all together. Hanna even spotted a picture of a young Emma. Lily already knew…she knew about everything.

"Uh, you guys. Come look at this," Hanna called out to Regina and Emma.

Regina and Emma walked up beside Hanna and examined everything.

"She was looking for you," Regina said to Emma.

"No, my parents," Emma said, pointing to the pictures labeled Snow White and Prince Charming. The pictures each had a giant red X on them. "She wants revenge."

"Emma, what do you think she's…" Hanna started to ask as an engine roared outside. It was Emma's car.

They ran out to find Lily driving away in Emma's yellow bug. From her map, Lily knew knew where Storybooke was. The Snow Queen's scroll…the one they were going to use to get back into Storybrooke was in the car too. She would have easy access right into town. She wanted a way into Storybrooke, now she's got one.

"Emma, what are we going to do?" Hanna asked.

"This," Emma said as she picked up a wrench and smashed the window of another car the was parked right next to them. "Get in, Han. And buckle up."

"She's doing it again, Regina. Every time I let Lily in, she rips apart my life," Emma said as she sped down the road. "Now she's going after my parents. I have to stop her."

"You will, but you can't go in with a head full of steam. You'll end up doing something you regret."

"Really? Tell me your majesty, what are your plans for Zelena? A nice chat over tea?"

"That's different."

"How? If Zelena lays a hand on Robin Hood, you'll destroy her, right? Right. So, I'll do the same thing to Lily."

Hanna leaned up in her seat. "Emma, stop. Your starting to sound like…"

"Like what? A villain? This is the real world, Hanna, there are no heroes and villains. Just real people with real problems."

"Emma, I just don't want you to do something you'll regret," Hanna told her.

"I won't regret anything, trust me."

"There she is," Hanna said when she spotted the yellow car in front of them.

Emma punched the gas and zoomed even faster down the road, trying to catch up with Lily.

"Emma…" Hanna said as she sat back and held onto the seat.

Emma pulled into the other lane and was right beside Lily. Lily swerved the car, causing Emma to have to go behind her again.

"Swan, watch it!" Regina warned.

Emma continued to swerve, trying to get beside Lily again. She was swerving too though, making it almost impossible for Emma to get around her. Emma finally managed to get the car in front of Lily. Emma quickly spun the car around so she was face to face with her yellow bug.

"Geez Emma…" Hanna said when they came to an abrupt stop.

"Stay here, Hanna." Emma got out of the car and slammed the door

Hanna listened to her sister and just watched them talk for a few seconds. She quickly scrambled out of the car though when she watch Emma pushed Lily to the ground. Hanna ran towards Emma. She didn't want her doing something stupid.

"Hanna, don't," Regina said. She put her arms around her, preventing her from getting any closer.

Hanna tried to wiggle free from her grasp. "Regina, let go."

"No, you're not getting in the middle of this."

Hanna sighed. "Emma stop!" Hanna shouted, trying to get her sister's attention. Then she watched Lily punch Emma square in the jaw. "Hey!" Hanna yelled, trying even harder to release herself from Regina's grasp. Nobody punched her sister. Hanna heard the thunder and saw the lightening in the sky. She watched as the headlights on Emma's bug burst, causing sparks to fly everywhere. Emma wasn't in control and that terrified Hanna.

"Your parents were monsters, Emma," Hanna heard Lily yell. "They banished me and threw you in a wardrobe. And now here you are, ready to die for them, because you're so perfect. The Savior. Well, they deserve to be punished, and there's only one way to stop me and you know it." Lily went after Emma, but Emma quickly dodged her and threw Lily to the ground. Emma pulled out her gun and aimed it right at her former friend.

"No!" Hanna shouted. Emma couldn't do this. Would this be what made Emma snap and turn her heart dark?

"Of course it ends this way," Lily said. "This just makes too much sense."

"I'm just trying to stop you from doing something you'll regret," Emma told her.

"You can't. Thanks to you I'm hard-wired for bad decisions. So come on, just put me out of my misery. You know the truth. We both know my life isn't worth saving. And if you let me go, I will destroy everything. It's what I do. So come on…be the hero and end this right here before it even starts," Lily taunted.

Emma continued to stand there, pointing the gun at Lily. Hanna could see her arms shaking slightly. "Emma put the gun down. You can't do this!"

"If you pull that trigger, you will be the one who ruins your life this time," Regina said. "And Henry's and your parents' and your sister's…everyone's."

"I have to protect them," Emma said.

"Emma please!" Hanna begged as tears streamed down her face. "Don't do this!"

"Lower the gun. Your parents need a hero, not a murderer," Regina told her.

"I'm already a murderer."

"Cruella was an accident," Hanna said.

"If you cross this line, Emma, the journey back isn't easy. Trust me, I know," Regina said.

Emma kept her gun pointed at Lily's head. "Maybe this is my fate. Maybe I'm suppose to go dark."

Hanna just shook her head. She knew exactly why Emma just said that. She should have never told her which of them was actually in the vision. This was all her fault. She should have just kept her mouth shut. Hanna felt Regina's grip loosen and quickly pulled away. She ran over to Emma, standing right in-between Lily and the gun.

"Emma, no! This is not your fate," Hanna said, looking her sister right in the eyes, begging her to stop all of this.

Emma quickly put her gun down. "Hanna…"

Hanna instantly wrapped her arms around her sister, relieved that she was able to stop her.

"Emma listen to me. This is not you." Hanna looked up at her sister. "This is what Gold wants. Don't let him win. Don't let your heart go dark. Please, let's just drop all of this."

Emma wiped the tears from Hanna's eyes. "Okay, Han. Okay. I'm sorry." Emma pulled her sister close and just held her. She was glad that she was here…glad that she was able to stop her from doing something that could have destroyed so many lives.

Hanna stayed with Regina while Emma went off to talk to Lily.

Regina sat down on the edge of the road next to Hanna. "Are you okay?"

Hanna just nodded her head. "I really thought she was going to do it."

"So did I."

"She's just so angry, Regina. I…I have to do something. She has to forgive my mom and dad. She has to stop being so mad. The things she's been doing. I just…what if Gold succeeds? What if Emma does go dark? What if…"

"Hey, hey…calm down." Regina put her arm around Hanna. "None of us are going to let that happen to Emma, okay? We're all here for her. She's going to be just fine."

Hanna looked up at Regina. "How can you be sure?"

"I can't, but I guess I have…hope that she will be."

Hanna grinned. "I think my mom's hope speeches are rubbing off on you."

"Yes, well. Don't tell her that," she said giving Hanna a nudge.

Emma returned with Lily and informed Regina and Hanna that she was coming back to Storybrooke with them. She noticed the look Hanna gave her. Emma assured her that she wouldn't cause any problems with their parents.

Hanna sat in the back with Lily. She noticed Lily glancing at her every few seconds.

"What?" Hanna finally asked, getting annoyed with the staring.

"Who are you?" Lily asked.

Hanna just raised her eyebrows at her. "Hanna…" Emma told Lily her name before they got in the car, did she forget already?

"She's my sister," Emma told her.

"Sister?" Lily asked, obviously confused.

"Yeah, she's my twin. She came over during the curse with everyone else…it's a long story." Emma didn't feel like getting into all of that right now.

"Well that explains why she looks just like you." Lily turned to Hanna. "So, did you live happily with mommy and daddy then while Emma was off in the real world?" Lily asked.

"Uh, no…" Hanna answered.

"She grew up in an orphanage," Emma informed her.

"Oh…sorry," Lily said with an apologetic smile.

"It's no big deal," Hanna said with a shrug. She turned from Lily and just looked out the window. She didn't feel like talking anymore. Hanna felt her head droop, but she quickly lifted it back up. She did not want to fall asleep. After about another hour or so though, her tiredness got the best of her and her eyes slowly started to close.

Hanna opened her eyes, realizing where she was yet again. "Crap, I let myself fall asleep," Hanna groaned to herself. Now, she was stuck here until she was awake again. Hanna wasn't as scared as she was the first time, but she still hated it in here. The room was so hot and the fire…it just seemed to get hotter and hotter the longer she was in here. Hanna just sat down and pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She really wished her mom and dad were here. She was never in here for long before they pulled her back out again. They weren't here this time though. What if she was stuck in here for hours? She never told Emma about being in the burning room. What if nobody noticed? Who was going to wake her? Hanna started to panic as the flames came closer and closer. They were going to burn her. Hanna felt like she couldn't breathe…

"Hey, is she okay?" Lily asked, nodding her head towards Hanna.

Emma looked in the rearview mirror and saw the distressed look on her sister's face. "Crap…" Emma quickly pulled the car over. Her parents' told her about her dreams in the burning room.

"What's wrong with her?" Regina asked as she got out of her seat so Emma could get to Hanna.

"She's visiting the Netherworld while she's sleeping," Emma told her.

"Ahh, Maleficent's curse," Regina said with a nod of her head.

"Yeah…" Emma reached into the back seat and gave her sister a little shake. "Han! Hanna, wake up!"

Hanna quickly sat up and looked around. She saw Emma, Regina, and Lily all starting down at her. Hanna was breathing rapidly and was trying to catch her breath.

"Just relax, Han. You're okay," Emma reassured her.

"Why don't you come out here and get some air," Regina said.

Emma backed out of the car, so Hanna could get out too. She held out her hand and helped her sister out of the car.

Hanna walked over and sat down in the grass. She pulled her knees to her chest and buried her head in her arms. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down. She didn't know why she got so worked up over that stupid room.

Emma walked over and knelt down beside her sister. "Hey…you okay?"

Hanna looked up and shook her head. "I want Mom and Dad." A few tears escaped her eyes and she felt like such a baby, but they always made her feel better after her nightmares. She needed them right now.

Emma sighed. "Hanna…"

"Why don't we call them?" Regina suggested.

"Here Han, you can use my phone."

"Will you call them, Emma?" Hanna asked. She saw an opportunity to make Emma talk to them. Hanna really did need to talk to them. They were the only ones who could calm her down, but she would be stupid to not use this to her advantage just a little bit.

"Hanna…" Emma really didn't want to talk to them right now.

"Please?" Hanna said, turning on the charm in her eyes.

"Fine." Emma unlocked her phone and dialed her mom's number. "Hi…no everything's fine…yes, we're both okay. Hanna just fell asleep and…yeah, here." Emma held out the phone to her sister.

Hanna took the phone from Emma and held it up to her ear. "Momma?"

"Hi, baby. Are you okay?"

"Yeah…"

"Are you sure? Your dad is here too. You're on speaker," Snow told her.

"Hi, princess," David said through the phone.

"Hi, Daddy. I'm sorry for bothering you guys. I know it's stupid…"

"It's not stupid, Hanna. We know how scary that room is," David told her.

"I just wish the dreams would just stop already," Hanna said with a sigh.

"They will, sweetie. I promise," Snow assured her. "You'll be home soon and everything will be just fine."

"Okay." Just hearing their voices made Hanna feel much better.

"How's your sister?" David asked.

Hanna glanced up towards Emma. "She's…she's alright. We found Lily and are going to get Robin now." Hanna didn't want to go into anymore detail about everything that happened.

"Okay," Snow could tell Hanna had more to say, but she wasn't going to push it. "Are you sure you're going to be alright?" Snow asked.

"Yeah I'm okay now. Thanks for talking to me."

"No thanks needed princess. Be careful, and call if you need anything. We love you," David said.

"I love you guys too. Bye." Hanna hung up the phone and gave it to Emma. "Here, thanks for calling."

"You're welcome." Emma put her arm around Hanna. "Are you okay now?"

"Yeah I'm good," Hanna said with a nod. "Did you have any of those dreams?" Hanna asked. The thought just occurred to her that Emma was under the same curse she was.

"Yeah, just once though," Emma said with a shrug.

"Lucky…" Hanna looked up and saw that Regina was on the phone. "Who is she talking to?"

"I'm not sure," Emma said just as Regina hung up the phone and started walking towards them.

"I lost my leverage over Gold. We have to go get Robin, now!" Regina opened the car door to let Hanna in the backseat.

Hanna quickly scrambled into the car. She wasn't sure what Regina meant by leverage, but she wasn't going to question her right now. They all piled back into the yellow bug and set off to save Robin Hood from that Wicked Witch.