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Astrid was in the park with Stormfly and Hiccup; It was the day that they were leaving and also the day where she had to make the choice to stay or leave.

Astrid rested her forehead against Stormfly's face, one hand under her chin and the other on the side of the dragon's face; Both of their eyes closed as they prepared to part ways again.

"You sure you don't want to come with me?" Hiccup asked, not wanting to leave his best friend behind. "These people, your birth family, they seem to not really appreciate you."

Astrid sadly smiled, her eyes watery, as she softly commented, "Families can be hard. But, despite everything, they are your family, and when someone comes along and threatens that bond, you'll do anything to defend it... You never give up on family. Ever."

She removed the betrothal necklace around her neck reluctantly, a single tear sliding down her face. "Here." Astrid placed it inside of his hand and closed his hand for him, but still held his closed hand in hers.

"You live your life, and I live mine. I know you're out there, and I'm out there too..." Hiccup began, "Someday?"

Astrid smiled a little and nodded, "Someday."

"Can you change your mind now and come with me?" Hiccup lightly asked.

"Sorry, but no." Astrid answered also lightly, "May we meet again, Hiccup Haddock."

"May we meet again, Astrid Hofferson." Hiccup replied while mounting the dragon beside them as he now sat on the saddle on Stormfly's back.

"Take care of Stormfly for me." Astrid commented as Hiccup assured, "I will."

Astrid watched the two of them fly high into the air and soar at mech speed and into a portal back to Berk.

That's when Astrid began to cry. It hurt more to watch another loved one just leave like that, like it was so easy.

"I chase your love around a figure eight, I need you more than I can take." Peter and the Lost Boys watched Astrid sing and dance around the camp while she finished the final touches of their defenses, "You promise forever and a day and then take it all away."

"Never knew you could sing like that, love." Pan spoke up with his usual smirk on his face as the Lost Boys smiled.

Astrid looked over at them sheepishly but quickly smirked and replied, "You never asked."

The Lost Boys then carried on with their games or their training as Peter stepped over to the girl, his hands clasped in front of him.

"Pan, do you like me?" Astrid suddenly asked in amusement, stepping even closer to him but not too close.

"Why do you ask?" Peter answered with another question curiously, a little suspiciously.

"Well, because some of the Lost Boys told me you did. So, is it true? Do you have feelings for me?" Astrid replied, a small smirk on her face.

"Yes, it's true. I think I can make you very happy, Astrid." Peter commented, tilting his head slightly to the side.

Astrid stepped back, not really expecting him to admit that he liked her like that. "Oh." was all she could manage to say.

"I hope your sister will be able to forgive your mother for what happened to Cora. Astrid must be completely broken up about this." David sighed after walking away from the bed where his wife was laying at and had moved over to Emma.

"She will. Astrid's like the strongest person that I know. Nothing can break her." Emma told her father.

Just as she had said that, Astrid walked into the Blanchard apartment, and as soon as she stepped into the doorway, she dropped onto her knees on the floor, completely broken.

"You okay?" David asked his teenager in concern, walking over to where she was still on the floor.

"I had to let my love go again for my family-- and I recently lost someone who was like a mother to me. So, am I okay? No." Astrid admitted as her father led her over to the counter and sat her down in the chair on her nephew's other side. "But I will be."

David sighed quietly and started, "Your mother-"

"I know. It's okay. I forgive her. After all, she still is my mother." Astrid cut him off before she stood up and moved over to where Snow still was laying at.

Astrid noticed the still full plate of breakfast food on the bedside table and sighed. "How about you? Mom." She started but received no answer from the woman as she tried again, "Mom, you have to eat."

"Go away." Snow muttered in her pillow. Astrid jumped on the bed and rolled on top of her mother and continued to try to get her mother to snap out of it, "Come on, Mom. Mom, Mom." The girl bounced a little just as Snow shoved her off of the bed, making Astrid hit the floor face first.

Astrid stood back up and looked at her, now upset as she let out, "Okay, alright, Mom, fine. Push your daughter who's also hurting away. See if I bloody care."

Astrid stepped out of that part of the room and moved back over to the counter and sat down beside her nephew. David looked at her in concern as she said with a fake convincing smile, "I'm alright."

"Anything?" Emma asked.

"She won't eat a bite." David answered as Henry asked in confusion, "What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing. She's just a little... sick." Emma shrugged as Astrid rolled her eyes.

David glanced at Henry and then at Emma as Henry noticed the look and pointed it out, "You guys are lying to me, aren't you?"

"No one's lying." Emma replied.

"But you just did?" Astrid began as Emma slightly glared at the teenager and looked back at her son.

"Just like you did about my dad." Henry added, upset.

"Henry, I-" Emma started, fixing to place her hand on his shoulder as Henry pulled away and scooted his seat closer to his aunt. Emma glanced over at David and said, "He's right. No more lying."

"Emma-" David started.

"He deserves to know." Astrid added in agreement with her sister as their father sighed and nodded some.

"Here's the thing, Henry. Cora's death... Mary Margaret was partially responsible... for it, and that's why she's so upset." Emma explained carefully.

"No. No, no, she couldn't." Henry started as someone knocked at the front door and David left to go answer whoever was knocking.

"She was trying to protect us." Emma added, hearing a quiet scoff from her sister who quickly covered it by shoveling a spoonful of Froot Loops in her mouth.

"But she's Snow White. She wouldn't hurt anybody." Henry commented just as David opened the door and told the person, "Get out."

"I think you're gonna wanna hear what I have to say..." Gold said, glancing over at Snow, "For her sake."

Emma, Astrid, and Henry stood up from the counter and moved over to David and Gold as Henry wrapped his small arms around his aunt's waist. "What are you talking about?" Emma asked the man.

"Regina." Astrid answered as Gold nodded and added, "She's planning to strike back against your mother."

"What is she gonna do to her?" Henry asked while tightening his hold on his aunt who moved an arm around his shoulders.

"Oh, she didn't say." Gold answered.

"No. You don't get to come in here and just drop a bomb like that. You're gonna figure this out." David replied, "And you're gonna help us."

"And why should I?" Gold inquired.

"Because aside from us being family now, Mary Margaret saved your life. Now you owe her a debt." David answered him, "And you always pay your debts, don't you? You're gonna help us stop Regina."

Pan's green eyes absorbed Astrid's every move as she twirled around the burning fire with the other Lost Boys while the enchanting tunes from the flute pressed loosely against his lips dance in the air.

He could watch Astrid dance all night, but it getting late and he did have to put them all to sleep. Pan stopped playing his instrument as their dancing slowed down and finally stopped as they looked at him. "Bedtime, boys."

"Can Mother read us a bedtime story before bed?" A small boy in gray onesies, auburn hair and hazel eyes, and freckled cheeks asked. He was around six.

"I don't see why not." Pan answered as he sat back down on his log on the other side of the fire.

Astrid sat on a log opposite of him and pulled the six year old boy up onto her lap as the other Lost Boys sat around her. She began to tell adventures of Peter Pan and Captain Hook and then told a story of a smug prince and an orphaned girl falling in love.

Peter happily listened in, adding an extra comment when he found necessary.

"And they lived happily ever after!" Astrid finished as another small boy beamed with delight and then chirped up, "Like you and Pan, right Mother?"

Peter emerged from the other side of the well-lit fire where he had been listening to Astrid intently with a proud smirk on his face. "Yes... exactly like Astrid and I. Alright, go to bed, boys."

Astrid watched the Lost Boys get up and go to their tents while she remained seated on the log she had sat down on, now watching the dancing fire.

She noticed Peter still watching her as she started, "Stop."

"Stop what, love?" Peter smirked.

"Stop looking at me like that, like you love me." Astrid replied as she stood up and faced him, both standing close together.

"But I do. And you love me too." Peter admitted.

"I hate you. I hate you so much-" Astrid lied, mainly to herself.

"No you don't, Astrid. You don't hate me." Pan cut her off with a small sigh as he glanced down at the ground for just a second.

Astrid finally admitted, "You're right, I don't. But I hate you. After everything you've put me through, why don't I hate you, Peter Pan? Why?"

"Because you are deeply, and madly, in love with me." Peter answered while taking a step towards her, "As I am hopelessly, and painfully, in love with you, Astrid Charming."

"No, I- I can't..." Astrid muttered.

"Why?" He inquired.

"Because you're a Huckleberry, because you're Ranger Rick, because you're the demon of Neverland!" Astrid remarked sarcastically.

"Would you stop!?" Peter said as he gave her a serious look.

"Look, if I had feelings for you, don't you think I'd just come out and say it?" Astrid began again in denial, stepping even closer to him, "Well, I don't, so what I do say is ha hurrr-"

She was cut off by Peter grabbing both sides of her face as the two of them just gazed into each other's eyes, Astrid holding her breath.

Peter released her and stepped back barely as Astrid softly asked, "Why did you do that?"

"I don't know. I just wanted you to stop-" Peter started while glancing down at the ground.

"I- I'm just going to- to go to sleep..." Astrid also started, flustered, as she made her way to her own tent.

Astrid knew she did fall in love with Peter Pan, and she knew that he loved her, too. Both was terrified of this revelation. Astrid couldn't love him because she still loved Hiccup and didn't want to lose him.

Astrid knew what she had to do; She was going to leave Neverland and return back to her home on Berk.

Astrid, David, and Gold walked down into Regina's family's mausoleum as Astrid glanced around with a lifted eyebrow curiously, noticing some clothes thrown around the room. "Well, it appears we just missed our dear queen." Gold spoke up first.

"What is this?" David inquired while opening a chest of scarves. Gold answered him as he moved the dress on the floor a little, "These are Cora's belongings."

"Looks like Regina's planning to use one of her spells on my mother." Astrid added as she moved over to the box of ingredients for potions and spells and frowned in realization. "Gold, do you notice anything?"

Gold looked in the box of ingredients as he shone his flashlight over it. "Something's missing... Chimera blood. And viper's eye."

"What kind of curse do you need those for?" David asked.

"It's the curse of the empty-hearted." Gold answered with a sigh with Astrid nodded as a confirmation to his discovery.

***

"What the hell does that do?" Emma questioned.

"In theory, it has the power to make someone love you." Astrid began with a sigh and her arms folded across her chest.

"Doesn't that break magic laws? You can't bring someone back to life. You can't force someone to love you." Emma commented.

"Yeah, but this particular spell can make someone think that they love you." Gold also began to explain, "And if you're as desperate for love as Regina appears to be, you might just believe it."

"She's gonna use it on me, isn't she?" Henry spoke up as he descended down the stairs and immediately moved over to his aunt.

David sighed and commented to him, "Hey, buddy, why don't you go back upstairs?"

"No!" Henry replied, pushing the man away and wrapped his small arms around Astrid's waist while looking over at his mother, "Emma, you said you were gonna be honest with me. Now why is Regina using this curse?"

Astrid wrapped a reassuring arm around her nephew and spoke up, "Because it's the only way she can get everything she wants, that she can get you. Am I right, Gold?"

"You are correct." Gold agreed with a nod.

"But if all she wants is me-" Henry started.

"Your mother is a complicated woman. She wants your love, of course, but she also wants vengeance on Mary Margaret." Gold cut him off as he further explained.

"How does the curse give her both?" David asked while folding his arms across his chest.

"Want me to answer that or you want to?" Astrid remarked towards Gold.

Gold held a slight amused smile towards the teenager as he answered, "Because the last ingredient she needs to ignite the curse is the heart of the person she hates the most."

"You have to stop her." Emma replied as Gold scoffed, "No, I don't have to do anything. On the contrary, I believe warning you fulfills my debt."

"Not even close. This is my wife's life we're talking about-" David started as Emma added, "Not to mention your grandson's."

"Yeah, well, wars have costs." Gold replied as Henry's grip tightened around his aunt and he curled into her side. Emma looked at the man and remarked bitterly, "Nice."

"Well, this is a blood feud, dearie-- one that goes back a very, very long time. And the only way you could end a blood feud is by the spilling of more blood." Gold said, "That is the only way I know to eliminate your Regina problem."

"By what, killing her?" David replied.

"Is there no other option?" Emma added as Gold answered her, "I'm afraid not."

Astrid noticed the fearful look on Henry's face and spoke up, annoyed by what she was hearing from them, "Guys, listen to yourselves. You're talking about bloody killing Henry's mom. This will be the second killing that one of you would have done in less than a bloody week... I thought my parents and sister were heroes- Gold not so much. What happened to you? I left my home for this, to be a part of a bloody family who lose theirselves so easily? No... If you do this, I will never bloody speak to you guys again, Dad."

Astrid then stormed over to the front door and left out of the apartment, the door slamming behind her. Everyone winced, except Henry, who added to what his aunt was saying, "She's right. You guys used to be heroes. What happened to you?" He then ran out of the apartment also after Astrid.

"Henry-" Emma started while moving over to the door and grabbed her jacket. "No matter how this plays out, we need to keep him as far away from it as possible."

David nodded in agreement as she shut the door behind her; Gold added, "She's right. Cora was dangerous because she didn't have a heart. Regina's even more dangerous because she does."

***

"Why did you bring me here? I don't want to talk to you." Henry said as Emma led him into Granny's.

Emma sighed, "You don't have to. Either you talk to Astrid or him." She showed Henry a booth where Neal sat who spoke up, "Hey, buddy! Saved you a seat!"

"I'm gonna go talk to my sister." Emma nodded over at Astrid who was throwing her daggers at the dart board perfectly and loudly.

Neal nodded as Henry sat down in front of him, the two starting to talk. Emma moved over to where the teenager was and lightly started, "Hey, Astro-"

She abruptly stopped as Astrid threw another dagger even harder, making an even louder thud once it hit the center of the board. "Look, I know you're angry, but as your sister- twin at that- I'm here if you want to talk about it."

Astrid scoffed with a roll of her eyes, pocketing her knives again except for one. She didn't even bother to glance over at the woman, throwing the knife at the dartboard again. "Come on, Astro-"'

Astrid stopped and glared at the woman beside her, cutting her off, "My bloody name isn't Astro or Astro Girl or whatever. I'm not this stellar and perfect girl and you don't know a bloody damn thing about me if you think I am. So, stop calling me that!"

"It's just a nickname-" Emma started as Astrid again cut her off and remarked, "Oh, okay, so how would you feel if I called you bitch as your bloody nickname from me? You wouldn't like it, and don't try and act like you would."

"Fair enough." Emma softly said, "But, you know, Astro isn't just because you're stellar. It's actually true kind of. You succeed excellently in whatever life throws at you and everything is just so easy for you."

That made Astrid face her completely and glare even harder at her, saying, "You obviously don't know me then. Nothing in my life has been bloody easy. Everyone I ever get attached to-- they either bloody leave or I had to leave because of this family! I have left behind really good things to bloody find you guys. I even chose this family over my true loves, more than I'd like."

Astrid sighed and pocketed her last knife and continued, "My life has not been easy or stellar or whatever! I have had to make so many choices that ended up bloody and bad. I've done things that I'm not even proud of. I can never wipe that blood off of my hands, but I sure as hell can make for sure this family doesn't get that kind of blood on their hands... Maybe, sometimes, I'm not so proud of who I am."

Emma watched her carefully as Astrid sighed once more before finishing, "I want to not fail. So, that's why I try so hard to be 'perfect'. If I fail, then usually- most of the time- people I care about gets hurt... I failed our mom... That was my fault, not hers." Astrid sniffled somewhat before murmuring, "Now, if you'll bloody excuse me, I have to go home."