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Astrid looked in her full-length mirror in her bedroom at her attire for the day; She was wearing a pair of black skinny jeans that was ripped at the knees, a gray tee shirt that had red at the collarbone and the end of the sleeves, a red and black flannel shirt left unbuttoned, and red converse high tops.

Her blonde hair that was usually braided was left down with a red beanie over her head; She sighed at the unfamiliar girl as her reflection.

Astrid was also wearing her orange topaz ring, her red gem necklace, her twin swords, and now she was also wearing her betrothal necklace that her first love had gave her.

Astrid noticed the kransen sitting on top of her dresser and closed her eyes and shook her head some before reopening her eyes and stepping out of her bedroom while starting to hide her thirteen daggers on her.

Astrid walked down the stairs with just one last dagger in her hand and a frown on her face. Snow and David glanced over at her as Astrid started, "I have twelve daggers on me, but I can't find anywhere else to hide my last one."

"Don't use it." Snow laughed as Astrid looked at her seriously and asked her mother, "But what if I need it?"

"You have twelve more and two swords strapped to your sides." David also pointed out while laughing some. The teenager scowled and slid the dagger down in her boot that already held a knife.

David noticed his daughter's scowl and said, "Come on, come eat." Astrid sat down at the counter while David poured a cup of hot chocolate with cinnamon and set the mug beside her.

Snow turned around after facing a mirror and staring at her reflection. "What are you doing?" She asked her husband.

"Making breakfast." David simply answered as Snow asked, "Why?"

Astrid lifted an eyebrow at her mother in confusion, not knowing why she was so upset. "I'm hungry." The said girl spoke up, trying to help her father out of Snow's defensiveness.

David smiled some and nodded in agreement while he continued to fix the pancakes, which the teenager was happy about because she loved this fluffy breakfast food.

Snow gave him a look and said, "You don't think I know what you're doing? We talked about this. We had a deal."

David set the dishes down and looked at her, saying, "I know. I know. But with the curse broken, I thought maybe you would change your mind."

"Well, I didn't." Snow sadly replied and moved towards the door but stopped at the table, noticing the wrapped gift, "What's this?"

"Birthday present." David answered.

"No, I told you-" Snow started.

"It's not from me." David stopped her as both of them glanced over at the teenager who now had a mouthful of pancakes as she also said after swallowing the bites, "It's not from me. I don't even know what birthdays are. From where I'm from, we don't celebrate the day of our births."

"No one else knows." Snow told David as he replied, "Apparently someone does, and they also think you should celebrate. It was left outside the door this morning."

Snow unwrapped the gift and opened the box as David asked, "What is it?" Snow held up a tiara and looked like she was about to cry; David walked over to her and softly began, "I thought that was lost when the curse hit."

Snow sniffled and replied, her voice breaking, "So did I." She handed her husband the crown and picked up the card and read it. "Johanna."

"I didn't know she was in Storybrooke." David replied as Astrid curiously spoke up, "Who's Johanna?"

"She took care of me when my mother passed away..." Snow quietly explained.

"After the curse, we were gone a while. People are still finding each other." David spoke up as Snow took the tiara and replied, "I have to go."

"Hey, hey." David stopped her and placed his hands on her arms, "Happy birthday." Snow kissed him and replied, "Thank you two for understanding."

As David helped her slide on her coat while Snow slid on her scarf, Snow said, "You should go. It's getting late, you have to work."

"I know, I just-- I wish this day made you happier." David replied.

Snow sadly smiled at him and commented, "I know. But we both know it can't." She hurried over to where her teenage daughter sat at the counter and kissed the side of her head and then she left out of the house.

David sighed and then moved back over to the counter and joined his daughter, both eating pancakes silently before he asked curiously, "Why do you even need exactly thirteen daggers?"

"It's my lucky number, I guess," Astrid shrugged before adding, "I always survive a fight or battle, don't I?" She bit into another bite syrupy pancakes and sighed in content.

"That- doesn't really make sense, but everyone has their superstitions," David chuckled while also taking another bite of his own breakfast.

"So, Astrid, want to come to work with your dad today? Gives us a chance to get to know one another even more." David then spoke up after taking a sip of his coffee.

Astrid sipped some of her cocoa before setting it aside and taking his mug of coffee and downed the whole warm beverage in one huge gulp also. "Much better."

David chuckled again and said, "Don't tell your mother I gave you caffeine."

Astrid grinned and looked at him before saying, "Let's go to work."

They cleaned up in the kitchen, grabbed their jackets, and then exited the apartment. Astrid looped her arm with her father's as both headed to his truck; She glanced up at him fondly and then moved to the passenger side of the truck and got in before he did.

He soon drove them to the sheriff's station and both of them entered inside while also taking their jackets off.

David turned the lights on just as both of them heard a coin drop onto the floor. "Dad, look out-" Astrid started just as Hook hit David in the head with a crowbar and David fell to the floor now unconscious. "Not cool, Hook."

"Apologies, AJ, but I think he has something of mine." Hook replied while taking the keys off of David.

"Your hook." Astrid realized while the pirate nodded and unlocked the drawer at the sheriff's desk and retrieved his hook.

"Come with me, lass." Hook now spoke up and stepped back over to her.

Astrid shook her head and replied, "No. These are my parents-"

"So was I-" Hook began.

"I know. And I've had a lot of parents, though, but Snow and David-- they're my birth parents." Astrid corrected herself.

"I know, AJ." Hook nodded while discreetly slipping the pair of handcuffs off of the still unconscious David.

Astrid glanced at the pirate moving towards her as she quickly jumped behind the chair in front of her and kicked it towards the one handed man; Hook dove out of the way of the flying chair as it crashed where he previously stood at.

Astrid was then caught off guard by Hook cuffing her left wrist with a handcuff and placed the other part against the sturdy desk. "Sorry, Kiddo, it's better this way. You won't get hurt."

Astrid gave him a look and pulled her cuffed wrist, trying to break the handcuffs. "Hook-" The pirate turned on his heels and headed towards the door as Astrid called after him, "Hook!"

Astrid then began to pick the lock of the cuff with one of her daggers. "And they said that these wouldn't come in bloody handy." She scoffed in amusement under her breath.

After five minutes had passed, the handcuff on her wrist fell against the desk and she ran over to her father, kneeling beside him, letting out, "Dad, hey. Come on, wake up."

Snow walked into the Sheriff's station and started, "David?" She came into view of the room and saw their teenager knelt beside her unconscious husband on the floor. "David!"

Snow knelt on his other side and shook him while asking Astrid, "What happened?"

"Hook-" Astrid started just as David came through and finished for her with a small grunt, "He ambushed us, mm."

"Are you two hurt?" Snow asked in concern.

"I'm okay-" Astrid said.

David sat up slowly and replied after her, "I'm fine. It's not me he wants. It's Gold... And his hook." He had noticed the opened desk drawer and added, "I'm surprised that he didn't take Astrid, frankly."

"He wanted me to go with him, but I said no. And then he had managed to handcuff me to that desk-" Astrid commented, "And then I picklocked it, so it's okay."

"Yeah, I'm gonna enjoy throwing his ass in jail." David replied.

"Hook isn't the problem, David." Snow began seriously.

"Tell that to my head." David grunted while bringing his hand to his forehead lightly just as his teenage daughter moved her now glowing hand and healed the cut on his head and the small concussion occurring. "Thanks, Kid."

"It's Regina. She's been lying to us. She's been working with Cora to find Gold's dagger." Snow finished.

"The dagger controls him. If Cora gets it, she can force Gold and all his power to do her bidding." David said.

Snow nodded as Astrid then spoke up quietly, "Or become the Dark One herself."

"Neither one of those options sounds good. Lucky for us, we can call the man himself." David replied while now dialing his other daughter's phone number, "He's with Emma."

"I already tried it. Sent a message." Snow commented.

"We can't just wait." David said while hanging the phone up.

"No, we have to buy time until they call us back or return." Snow replied, looking over at the teenager beside them.

"How?" David inquired.

"Either Astrid can stall Cora and Regina until then or we put some doubt in Regina about Cora's motives." Snow started slowly.

"Why Astrid? You want to send our daughter to face two very powerful women?" David commented.

"I'll do it. They'll listen to me, I think." Astrid shrugged.

"Why?" David repeated slightly.

"Cora was once like a mother to me in a way. She won't hurt me." Astrid answered, "And Regina trusts me, especially since I was the only one who believed her."

"Still haven't let that one go, huh?" Snow and David both asked in unison.

"Still kind of hurts." Astrid admitted.

"What can we do to make it up to you?" Snow asked her.

Astrid moved her hands over the handles of her swords at her sides and sighed, saying, "Nothing... Let's just go already."

"No, no, hang on. Astrid, talk to us. We're your parents, let us be." Snow persisted, stopping her daughter.

"No, I- I don't want to talk about that anymore." Astrid commented, her voice breaking a little, "I-I can't... Please, just let's go. There's bigger things to worry about."

"Astrid, let it out." David said.

"Fine! You didn't believe me. I get why you wouldn't believe Regina, I do, but... I'm also your daughter." Astrid started, her blue eyes watery now, "You didn't and wouldn't believe me or believe in me and that hurts."

"Astrid-" Snow and David both started.

"No, you wanted me to talk to you, so listen." Astrid stopped them before continuing, "Since I was reunited with you two, I have always believed you. I have always stood by your sides, taking your sides. One time I actually ask for you guys to do the same, you don't."

The couple watched the teenager in front of them carefully, their eyes watery as well. "I left my home to find you and then left my home again to be with you guys." Astrid finished, "I left everything to be with my real parents and twin sister..." A single tear fell onto the girl's cheek coldly as she added, "All for them not believing in me."

Astrid gasped inaudibly, not knowing that was how she really felt, as she quickly added, "I'm sorry. I told you I didn't want to talk about it because, now, you're the ones who are hurt..."

Snow immediately pulled the teenager into a reassuring hug and commented, "We're hurt because you're hurt. We never want to see our daughters get hurt. We do want to protect you girls... I'm so sorry we didn't believe you, Astrid. If you're confident about something for now on, we will believe you."

Astrid smiled some and pulled back to look at both of her parents, murmuring, "I know."

***

Astrid went to talk to Cora while Snow went to Granny's to talk to Regina; David was a few feet from where his daughter was standing near the docks, but he was hidden.

"Cora?" Astrid called out just as the said witch appeared in front of the girl, "I know what you're looking for-- The Dark One's dagger."

"And you're here to try and convince me not to look for it?" Cora remarked, "Did your parents send you down here all alone?"

"You know more than anyone that I can protect myself." Astrid argued.

"What are you doing here, Astrid? Come to switch sides? Because, I'm afraid, that offer's expired." Cora commented and then flicked her wrist, slinging the teenager through the air as Astrid landed on the edge of the pier with a painful thud. "You're nothing, dear. You're no Savior or Dark One or even my daughter."

Astrid started to roll over onto her side just as Cora lifted her onto her feet by her magic and held her there. "So, what're you doing here?"

"To- To ask you about him. Is there a-- a way to retrieve a soul from a Wraith?" Astrid murmured out.

"Yes." Cora admitted and just as David revealed himself and was fixing to lunge at the woman, Cora launched Astrid through the air and very far into the ocean away from the pier.

"Astrid!" David exclaimed just as Cora vanished into her purple smoke. He ran down the pier in search of a working boat. "Hang on, Kid."

Astrid landed in the ocean with a splash and resurfaced, keeping herself afloat by moving her arms and legs. She was so far in the ocean that she couldn't even see Storybrooke.

Astrid went under the water for a few seconds from a wave crashing down on her before managing to get back above the water. The girl coughed some and muttered, "Come on, Astrid."

She began to swim back to shore but grew tired after thirty minutes had passed; Astrid stopped swimming to catch her breath just as another wave crashed into her, pushing her below the water.

She moved back above the water with a cough and a small groan. Sometimes, she wished that she learned more of her magic to teleport, but Astrid never did fully learn because she doesn't like to have to rely on magic.

Astrid was exhausted after this past hour of trying to swim to shore and trying to stay above water.

Another large wave hit her down as the teenager began to fall deep underwater just as a determined green eyed teenage boy dove into the water after her and wrapped an arm around her waist, swimming them back to the surface.

He climbed onto the saddle on the back of her dragon, Stormfly, and now held Astrid in front of him and in his arms. "Astrid. Astrid!" He started, shaking her awake, "ASTRID!"

Astrid's blue eyes opened halfway as she looked at the face of her once-betrothed and best friend, weakly letting out, "What took you so long?"

Hiccup hugged her tightly in relief, his chin lightly over her shoulder. "Oh, thank Thor." He murmured softly.

Astrid opened her eyes again and looked at him, quietly starting, "Is this real? Are you really-?"

"I'm here, it's real." Hiccup finished for her as they flew over the water back to shore.

They past David riding in a boat towards where Astrid was previously at; The said girl made them land on top of the large boat, startling David. "Dad-"

"Astrid-" David also started and helped her off of her dragon, now hugging her in concern and relief with one hand on the back of her head. He pulled back and looked his daughter over for anything broken. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I am." Astrid nodded and glanced over at her best friend who watched the two in slight confusion. David also noticed him and looked between the two. "Dad, this is Hiccup, my betrothed and my best friend. He saved me."

"Thank you for saving my daughter." David replied towards the boy who nodded in response.

"Daughter?" Hiccup repeated and then looked at the girl now beside him, "You found your birth family. That's great, Astrid!"

Astrid nodded with a small smile. "Yeah. I'm very lucky." She replied and looked at her father with a hopeful-fond gleam in her eyes.

They arrived back at the apartment and Astrid took Hiccup to her room upstairs and told him to stay while she and her father goes take care of the Cora and Regina business.

David and Astrid picked up Snow and the three of them now rode in David's truck as they headed towards the convent.

David and Snow talked between one another while Astrid sat there in thought, looking out of the window. Astrid knew that choice of her going back home with Hiccup or staying with her sister and parents was going to have to be made soon.

She just didn't know how to tell her parents and twin that she was leaving them. Astrid couldn't just blurt it out like that and expect them to be calm and glad. No, they would be really hurt and devastated, even if they acted happy about it.

Astrid doesn't want to hurt her best friend again or her parents and sister and even nephew. She just couldn't do that to them; She loves them too much, even if she just found her birth family a few weeks ago.

Astrid zoned back in to their surroundings as David stopped the truck and the three of them exited the vehicle, immediately running over to Mother Superior who was walking down the steps to meet them.

Snow started, "Mother Superior, we need your help!"

"I know, something's wrong. I sense a great deal of dark magic has been expelled." Mother Superior replied.

"That's why we're here-" David began as Astrid finished for him, "Cora and Regina are trying to find Gold's dagger."

"So they may control the Dark One." Mother Superior commented.

"We're hoping your magic will find the dagger first." Snow added, "Please, Mother Superior, you're our only hope."

***

Snow, David, Astrid, and Mother Superior was now standing in front of Gold's shop while Mother Superior held her wand towards the door, it glowing for a second until she dropped it with a yell of pain.

Mother Superior rubbed her palm and commented, "He's casted a protection spell."

"Well, then we need to try something equally powerful." Snow said.

"Dark magic?" David inquired.

Mother Superior scoffed, "Dear, you don't know what you're saying."

"Cora can't get that dagger." Snow replied, "If dark magic is the only thing that can break that protection spell, we need to make an exception and use it." She lowered her voice towards the Blue Fairy and said, "Just like you told me once before."

"What? I never told you any such thing." Mother Superior replied as she looked over at Snow in disbelief.

"Look, I kept your secret-" Snow started towards the woman.