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As soon as it turned twelve on the clock, a knock sounded at the front door. Emma opened it to reveal Gold as he asked, "Ready to go, Ms. Swan?"

"Almost." Emma answered and backed away from the door and then headed over to her duffel bag. Henry and Astrid walked around the corner as Henry spoke up, "Do you think it will be cold where we're going or warm?"

"I think layers are always a good idea." Emma replied to her son.

"I thought the terms of our agreement were quite clear. You owe me a favor, you alone." Gold said.

"I'm not leaving Henry here with Cora lurking about-" Emma started.

"Your sister seems quite capable to take care of him for a few days." Gold cut her off.

"Yeah, and let my son be turned into some sort of Viking or whatever while I'm gone?" Emma remarked in amusement, "So either we both go or we both stay."

"Well, I resent that. I'm awesome-" Astrid remarked also in amusement with a glance at the ceiling and then down. "And adorable."

Gold sighed and said, "Well then. We'll have to purchase another plane ticket, won't we?"

"Wait. We're flying?" Emma inquired while Astrid helped her nephew slide on his coat.

Gold gave a fake smile and replied, "Don't worry, I'm covering expenses. Even the new ones."

"You're a real gentleman, aren't you?" David spoke up as he walked down the stairs. Astrid chuckled as Henry wrapped his small arms around her waist and she placed her hand on the back of his head.

He was going to miss her.

"I'll call you right after I get off the plane, okay, Astrid?" Henry told his aunt as he looked up at her fondly. He treasured her a lot and adored the girl, even if they only met like a few weeks ago. He didn't want anything to happen to his aunt while he's away-- even though he knows she can protect herself.

"I'll be fine, buddy." Astrid assured lightly.

"I know, I just-" Henry started and then was shocked by the teenager picking him up and hugging him tightly, one hand still on the back of his head as his legs wrapped around her waist and arms wrapped around her neck.

Henry grinned as he hugged her back while Snow, David, and Emma watched the two of them with fond smiles of their own.

"I love you, A." Henry murmured in the nape of her neck. When Astrid placed him back down on his feet, she rolled her eyes and kissed the top of his head and replied, "I love you too, Buddy."

Henry's grin grew even more because it was the first time she had admitted that she loved him and knew he had wormed his way into her heart.

"All right, Gold, you're going out there with my family. Just know if anything happens to 'em-" David started towards Gold.

"Then you'll what? Cross the town line and David Nolan will hunt me down in his animal rescue van?" Gold remarked, cutting him off.

"I'll be devastated. This isn't a threat. It's a request." David finished, "Take care of 'em."

"I promise no harm will come to your family." Gold assured, "After all... We have a deal."

"Thank you." Astrid told him, "That is sort of... oddly reassuring."

Henry and Emma hugged their family once more and left out of the apartment with Gold, now leaving Storybrooke.

"I already miss that kid." Astrid remarked, sitting down on a stool at the counter where her parents were who both laughed.

***

"You like the holster, huh?" Snow inquired towards her husband as she finished washing the few dishes in the sink.

Astrid was sitting on the living room floor Indian-style in front of the T.V, playing Call of Duty. David placed his sheriff's badge on his belt and chuckled, "I miss carrying a sword."

"Well, it looks good on you." Snow smiled as Astrid paused the video game and stood up while buckling her belt to her pants and fixed her twin swords on her sides.

"If you miss carrying a sword, then why don't you carry one? I still carry two-- along with thirteen daggers, and occasionally, a battle axe." Astrid remarked in amusement, her hands over her hips as she looked at mainly her father.

David chuckled and kissed his daughter on the side of her head after wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He looked over at his wife and said, "Come on. Leroy has the dwarves on Cora watch. They've got eyes everywhere, but they could use our help."

"I'm going to. I know Cora the best and I am an excellent tracker." Astrid commented as she already made her way over to the door.

"We can't stop you from going, huh?" Snow asked her in slight amusement while David slid her coat on her.

"The only way I would miss this would be if I was unconscious. And tied up. In a concrete bunker. In Berk." Astrid remarked with a smirk on her face.

"How hard could it be to find a powerful sorceress in a small town?" Snow replied and opened the door to find Regina standing right there about to knock.

"Apparently not very hard." Astrid remarked cheekily.

"Regina, you're back." Snow started as her daughter smiled and remarked, "Told you so. She never really went away."

"I know you two think I'm responsible for poor Dr. Hopper's death-" Regina started as David commented, "He's... alive."

"I- I know, Astrid told me. She really is something special... You're very lucky to have a daughter so loyal like her." Regina commented, nodding at the teenager in thanks.

"Yeah, we are."

"Your mother. She's here-" Snow started as Regina commented, "Yeah, Astrid told me about Cora framing me for his murder like she had done to her."

"Wait. What are you talking about?" Snow inquired, her eyebrows furrowed as she looked over at Astrid.

"Yeah, I forgot to tell them about Cora framing me just like she had done you." Astrid told Regina before looking at her parents and added to them, "Sorry?"

"Okay." David shrugged, letting it go.

"We were wrong. And we're so sorry." Snow started towards Regina, "Astrid knew what was right and she believed you, even if she didn't even know you very well. We should've listened to both of you."

"I know." Regina replied, "But if Cora's here, then we're all in danger. Please, you have to let me see my son. I can protect him."

"He's not here." Snow said.

"What?" Regina replied in slight shock and disbelief.

"Mr. Gold asked Emma to help him find his son, and they left about an hour ago with Henry." David explained.

"And no one told me?" Regina asked, upset. Astrid glanced down at the floor, biting her bottom lip.

"We didn't know where you were, and to be honest, Regina, I don't think Emma has to run anything by you." Snow answered the woman in front of them.

"No, I suppose she doesn't." Regina murmured and turned around and walked away.

Snow closed the door as David sighed and Astrid commented, "That went well."

"With her, it doesn't get much better." David replied, "Come on. Let's go find Cora."

"Where?" Snow asked.

"No idea, but our daughter here knows who to ask." David answered while handing his wife her bow and arrows as she strung it around her shoulders.

Both of them looked over at Astrid who groaned, "Bloody hell. Really? Why? Him-- Are you serious right now?"

"Sorry, kiddo, but he's our best bet on finding Cora." David replied.

***

Astrid, David, Leroy, and Snow followed Hook down the pier towards his ship; Astrid already knew where it was. "AJ, kid, you didn't even ask about my recovery." Hook said with a small grunt as they made it to the edge of the pier.

Snow chuckled a little sarcastically and answer for her daughter, "How are you feeling, Hook?"

"Come closer and feel for yourself-" Hook started as Astrid stopped David and pushed the pirate herself as Hook grunted in pain.

"You wanna lose your other hand? Just show them your bloody ship." Astrid said as Hook chuckled quietly, looking at the teenager.

"Come on. Archie and Astrid told us. It's shielded somehow, isn't it...mate?" David added, moving his daughter from the man and stepping forward to him.

"Aye." Hook smiled, "That it is." Snow lifted an eyebrow and could now see some similarities between Astrid and Hook, more than she would care to admit. "Follow me." He turned and began walking again as the four followed him.

"I don't know what you expect to find. Cora won't be there." Hook commented, stopping and looked over at them.

"Well, maybe she left something behind that will tell us where she went. Let's go." David replied, pushing him forward.

"No funny business. I'm watching you, pirate." Leroy told him as Astrid snorted some and Hook remarked in amusement, "Yes, dwarf. That should deter me from any malfeasance."

"Oh, don't worry, Leroy. He'll help us." Snow assured.

"What makes you so sure?" Astrid and Hook both asked her simultaneously, exchanging a look with one another. Hook smiled at the teenager who rolled her eyes.

"Because you're a pirate. You know which way the wind blows, and right now, it is gusting towards us." Snow answered towards Hook, "Plus, you don't want to let Astrid down, do you?"

Astrid's jaw flexed, giving her mother an unamused look at her using her to persuade Hook.

"Ah. I see where your daughters got their gumption." Hook remarked before turning to Astrid, "AJ, if you will. Follow her."

Astrid sighed and stepped up onto the invisible steps and entered onto the ship, Hook following second with the other three following behind them.

"You sailed this ship from our land. Can you sail it back?" Leroy spoke up towards the pirate who leaned against a railing after he stepped up.

Hook sighed and looked at the dwarf. "My ship? She's a marvel. Made from enchanted wood. We weathered many a storm together- Astrid was on a few journeys as well, seen many strange, glittering shores. But to travel between lands, she must go through a portal."

"Yeah, what do you know about Cora's plans?" David spoke up towards him.

Hook looked over at the teenager who watched her father and the pirate now. "AJ, your father is bothering me."

Astrid smirked and folded her arms across her chest. "Good. Then he's doing his job." David smiled at her and looked back at the pirate a few feet beside him.

"Cora's not the most communicative of lasses. I will tell you this." Hook sighed, "Whatever malice she has in mind, her weapon of choice is in here." He tapped a large covered box.

Astrid stepped forward and stopped in between Hook and Leroy as David and Leroy removed the sheet off of the box to reveal a a large man. "Anton." The teenager whispered to herself as Hook was the only one who had heard the girl.

"Who's that?" Snow was the first one to ask aloud.

Astrid fell through a portal and landed on the ground in a forest; She looked around and caught her breath. "Stupid witch!" Astrid exclaimed, unsure of where or even when she was. The woman had pushed her into a portal, and before she knew it, here she was in another realm full of uncertainty.

She began walking down the trail and later came to a village and then entered inside of a tavern. Astrid had bumped into a man that looked to be a prince. "Aren't you a little young to be in a tavern, kid?"

Astrid scoffed and remarked, "Nope."

Prince James chuckled and commented, "Well, okay then... Where are your parents?"

"I, uh, don't have any." Astrid answered.

James didn't know why, but the girl seemed familiar in a odd way. He seemed connected to her somehow, and he felt like he needed to protect her.

Which was weird for the man because he didn't really care about anyone else other than himself pretty much.

"Prince James at your service, Kid. If you have no place to stay, you're welcome to stay at my castle in a spare bedroom. No harm will come of you." He introduced himself and offered.

"I- I don't know. I don't even know you, Sir." Astrid commented while taking a step back, her hands on the handles of her swords at her sides before lightly joking, "Why would you even want to help me? For all you know, I could be some murderer or worse."

"Oh, well, I don't know exactly why, but you seem familiar." James admitted as he walked towards the door before stopping again, "You coming or what?"

"Yeah, sure, why not?" Astrid shrugged and followed after the Prince.

"So Cora used magic to make him travel sized?" Leroy started after Hook had explained who the former giant was.

"Whatever she intends to do with him, it's important." Hook replied.

David looked up over at the pirate and commented, "Oh, I think you know exactly what she intends. You're holding out." He stepped close to him and glared at him.

"Well, either have your lovely wife torture it out of me, which I promise will be fun for both-" Hook started.

David grabbed his neck and held him against the post. "Why don't you and I have some fun?"

"Hey, okay, stop... Let him go." Astrid told him as David looked back at his daughter in slight surprise and asked her, "Why?"

"Because he doesn't know what she's planning." Astrid answered as David released the pirate.

"Why don't you wake the bloody giant and ask him yourself?" Hook added while handing a key to the teenager who sighed and took it from him.

Astrid moved over to the cage with her parents close behind her, but she stopped and looked over at David, saying, "I think I know what he's doing here. You might want to go over there, Dad. There was a man who looked like you... upset him."

"What? What do you mean?" David questioned the teenager who inserted the key in the lock and twisted it, removing the lock from the cage.

"I'd listen to her if I was you." Hook commented towards David who furrowed his eyebrows.

Astrid opened the cage door and knelt beside the mini giant, placing a hand lightly on his arm. "Hey." He woke up and jumped back a little, looking at the girl in front of him. "It's all right. You're safe now."

"Astrid?" Anton said in confusion as she helped him stand out of the cage. Astrid nodded and replied, "Yeah, it's good seeing you again, Anton."

"Where's that witch?" The former giant questioned.

"She's gone." Astrid assured as he looked down at his body and hands and back at her and asked her, "What did she do? She made me small."

"Come on. Let's get you outta here." David spoke up towards the giant who faced him. Anton said, "You."

"Me?" David asked while glancing over at his wife and daughter and back at him.

Anton grew angry and repeated but louder, "You!" Hook then swiftly pulled Astrid back protectively just as Anton punched David who flew back and crashed onto the next floor.

"David!" "Dad!" Snow and Astrid exclaimed.

"Hey you big-" Leroy started and was fixing to attack him as Anton knocked him down and ran down the stairs towards David who readied his gun. Anton kicked the weapon out of his hands, though.

Astrid moved out of the pirate's arms and ran towards the bow that her mother had put down and then picked it up and also an arrow.

She readied the arrow in the bow and released the bowstring as the arrow narrowly missed Anton's head as the former giant stopped quickly.

Anton looked up and over at Astrid who had already armed another arrow in her bow, "I'm sorry, old friend. That was a warning shot. Move towards him again and the next one will go through your bloody head."

"Step away from my husband." Snow also ordered as she stood next to her daughter.

"You know what this man did, Astrid. Why are you defending him?" Anton demanded towards the teenager.

"That wasn't him. It was someone else. This one is my father." Astrid tried explaining to him.

Anton didn't want to believe her; He wanted him to pay for his family being taken away from him. "You may have me outnumbered, but this isn't over. You think I forgot what you did!? I didn't. You'll pay for your evil. I promise you'll pay!"

Anton ran off of the ship as Astrid handed the bow and arrow back to her mother and looked over at Hook who had one eyebrow lifted.

"Astrid, how the hell did you know that giant?" Snow demanded which made the teenager take a step backwards. "I mean, he wanted to kill David. Why? How do you know him? Tell me-"

"Stop. She doesn't need you to interrogate her like that. Astrid will tell you when she wants to." Hook spoke up, defending Astrid while stepping over to the two of them.

"It's okay, Hook." Astrid nonchalantly said, "She needs to vent. I'm just glad that she feels safe enough to take it out on me."

Snow sighed as David joined them then, the woman saying, "I'm sorry, Astrid."

"You seem to be saying that a lot to me lately." Astrid remarked and walked off of the ship but not before stopping on the first step and glancing behind her at them and adding, "You guys coming?"

Leroy stepped off of the ship and followed the girl; Snow and David turned, fixing to follow after their teenager until Hook grabbed Snow's arm with his hand.

The couple looked at the pirate who let go and began, "The thing about Astrid, she's undeniably loyal to her family and friends; She'll probably be your most outspoken supporter and she'll always do what must be done without regard for herself."

"Why are you telling us this? We already know our daughter-" Snow replied.

"Astrid is emotionally driven, and as a warrior, sworn to protect those she holds dear." Hook finished, "Her guilt and responsibility toward her family probes her to take immediate actions; She's willing to defy direct orders to ensure the safety of her loved ones."

"You really care about her." David realized.

"Aye. Astrid's the only family I got left." Hook said, "And she deserves a good family after everything she's been through. Take care of her and get off my ship."

Snow and David stepped off of the vessel and walked down the pier where Leroy and Astrid was waiting. "Geesh, about time. Hook still alive?" Astrid spoke up first.

"Yeah, he is." David replied and wrapped his arm around his daughter's shoulders and pulled her close. "We are lucky to have you in this family, Kid."

"Oh God. What did Hook tell you?" Astrid commented as she glanced from Snow to David.

"Nothing we didn't already know." Snow shrugged and then said, "Let's head to Granny's and get something to eat while we figure this whole Anton situation out."

***

Astrid, Snow, David, and Leroy sat in a booth at the diner as Snow spoke up first in shock, "David, did that giant just say he'll make you pay? For what? Astrid?"

"I have no idea. I've never seen that guy before." David shrugged.