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Astrid quickly glanced behind at the burly men chasing her as she ran in the crowd of villagers, taking different turns to try and lose the men.

All she did was steal some food from a booth at the market; She has to eat, also, if she wants to survive.

Astrid pushed her legs even more and sped up down the cobblestone path and didn't stop until she ran straight into the back of a black haired man.

She fell over and landed on her butt on the ground, saying, "Hey, watch it-" Astrid began but stopped when the man turned around and faced her with a grin, "Hook."

The one-handed pirate outstretched his hand towards her as she looked at it and helped herself back on her feet; She folded her arms across her chest as she looked up at him.

The last time Astrid had seen Hook was back in Berk when he and Cora had saved her from being executed.

"What do bloody want?" Astrid inquired, still upset and hurt at him for abandoning her on Neverland.

"Huh. Figured you would've punched-" Hook started but was cut off by Astrid hitting him in the face and shoving him backwards. He grunted some, "Yup. There's the Astrid I know..."

"What are you doing here? You bloody . You don't get to come back in my life," Astrid spat at him.

"I just had to see if you were doing okay-" Hook tried to talk to her.

"I'm okay-- I always am," Astrid replied before turning her back on him, "I'm a survivor. I can handle bloody anything. I always do."

Astrid remarked while reading a blueprint of a baby crib, "I've seen enemy battle plans that were easier to decode than this."

"That makes two of us," David agreed as he looked at the blueprint also. He and his daughters were on the floor, trying to figure out how to build a crib for their baby.

"Let me see," Emma spoke up and looked at the paper while grabbing some pieces, "All right. It says 'take Screws E with washers D through bar C using wrench F, which is... not provided."

Astrid looked at her twin and groaned slightly, "Are you serious?" Emma nodded as Astrid sighed and pulled out a dagger, beginning to use it to screw in a screw in one board.

"Why don't I just call Marco? He's really good at this sort of thing," Snow suggested.

"No!" "No. We're fine." "Don't even. We got this." Emma, David, and Astrid said simultaneously while going back to work on the project.

"Should we even be doing this?" Snow questioned, "Ever since the showdown between Regina and the Wicked Witch, we haven't seen Zelena or Gold at all. Shouldn't we be focusing on her next move?"

"We are. We just can't stop living," Emma replied.

"And this crib is a statement," David added, "We're not gonna lose another baby."

The front door opened and closed as Regina and Peter stepped inside with Regina saying, "And, thanks to us, you won't. Pan and I are finished."

David stood up and moved over to them and asked, "So? Did it work? Were you able to put up a new protection spell?"

"One that can't be undone by blood magic," Peter assured, "Which means Zelena won't be able to put her hands on that baby." He glanced over at Astrid who was still focused on fixing the crib.

Snow let out a small relieved sigh, saying, "Any idea why she would want to?"

"The number of spells involving baby parts would surprise you," Peter remarked with a light smirk as Regina nodded in agreement.

"That greenie is clearly one twisted witch," Regina added, "But as long as we're in here, we're safe."

"That's useless. I think we need to stop playing defense and start taking the fight to her," Emma spoke up.

"Did you not see how I barely outwitted her yesterday?" Regina replied, "She has magic-- powerful magic."

"Astrid has magic- and so do I," Emma began, "You've seen us use it. I just can't always control it. But if we teamed up, if you... taught me..."

"Now, why does this feel so familiar?" Peter smirked as he leaned against the counter beside him.

"I'm ready this time," Emma assured.

Regina chuckled, "Okay. But if we do this, we do this my way. This isn't drinking stale coffee at a stakeout or... whatever you did as a bail bondsperson." She placed her hand over her box of magical items, "This is a way of life. You have to fully commit to it."

"Not a problem," Emma confidently replied as Snow and David gave small looks at her.

"Meet me at my vault in one hour," Regina said and picked up her box and left out of the loft.

Emma let out a small sigh and looked at her parents, saying, "And no complaining. I'm doing this. It's the only way. And yes, I will be careful." She stood up from her spot on the floor and looked at them.

"We know," Snow nodded.

"Don't worry," David replied as Astrid took the piece of wood from his hand and put it to the crib that was now finished, "We'll watch Henry when he gets back from the store."

"Actually..." Emma lightly started, "I'm not sure that's the best idea." Her parents looked at her with furrowed eyebrows with Snow asking, "What? What is it?"

"Well, you guys are tired. You need to rest." Emma began.

"I'm pregnant. I'm not sick with the flu," Snow replied.

"Yeah, I know. It's just, um... Well, it's..." Emma trailed off and glanced over at her sister for help.

Astrid rolled her eyes, speaking up, "Last time you guys had him, you overwhelmed him with baby tips. He's twelve. He doesn't want to talk about pregnancies. It's not fun."

Snow looked offended and replied, "Oh, we're fun."

"Well, we're just saying maybe Henry disagreed," Emma defended herself as Snow replied in shock, "No!"

"He'll get there. You got to remember, he doesn't know who you are." Emma lightly said.

"Well, if we're not fun, who is?" David inquired as Astrid smirked at her father who noticed and pointed out, "Your idea of fun is violence."

Astrid pursed her lips out in interest and shrugged before pointing out, "At least, I finished this crib." She gestured to the newly built crib behind her as she proudly smirked, "All by myself."

"Wha- How?" David and Emma began in shock.

"I'm awesome," Astrid simply remarked, settling in the seat beside her boyfriend at the counter.

"Okay, Astro, will you and Peter please watch Henry for me?" Emma said, giving her sister a puppy dog look.

"No... as much as I'd love to-" Astrid replied, "I can't be around Henry at the moment-- at least, not right now." She looked down at the floor while Peter wrapped a comforting arm around her and pulled her close to him.

"Alright," Emma replied, "I'll just see if Hook can watch him again. Henry liked his time with him anyway, so... okay."

Emma nodded and waved bye and left out of the apartment. Dark Astrid straightened up from leaning up against the wall beside the door and smirked, saying, "Yeah, she definitely doesn't care what your problems are."

Astrid ignored her and laid her head on Peter's shoulder. Snow stood up as did David who commented, "I'm gonna take Snow on a walk at the beach. You two want to come?"

"And leave here so Zelena can get me?" Astrid replied in fake innocence/surprise but her tone changed serious when she glanced over at her dark self behind her parents, "No thanks. I'm good."

"Astrid, you're safe now. No one will be taking you. Not again. We got you." David assured and kissed the top of his daughter's head.

"I know," Astrid murmured and gave them a small smile, "I'm okay. You two go have some fun. I'll be here."

"Okay," David replied and looked over at Peter, "If anything happens to her, I will-"

"I know," Peter cut him off but instead of saying something sarcastic for once, he assured his love's father, "I won't let anything happen to her. She's safe."

David smiled a little and took his wife's hand and both left out of the door after grabbing their coats and an umbrella.

Astrid stood up and snorted, saying, "Wow, you really are such a Huckleberry."

Peter softly chuckled and replied, "You make me that way." Astrid smiled a little and kissed him.

Astrid looked behind her and then at the large ship in front of her as she slid her hood over her head.

She stepped onto the ship and watched the crew prepare to set sail to a new land.

Astrid placed her hands over the railing and looked back at the docks and lifted an eyebrow to see a certain one handed pirate watching.

He looked like he wanted to stop her from leaving and wanted another second chance, but Astrid didn't want to listen to a man who was once like a father to her, a man who she trusted to always have her back.

She wasn't ready to give him a second chance yet. And Hook understood this.

Astrid sighed and turned around and also began to help the crew sail to their next journey.

Peter clicked the television off and looked over at the stairs as he heard a crashing sound. "Love?" He began and immediately ran up the stairs and found broken pictures on the floor that previously hung on the walls.

"Astrid?" Peter tried again while moving a turned over, small table out of the way and continued to walk towards their bedroom.

He pushed the door open a bit more to find Astrid on her knees, her hands pressed on the floor and her breathing uneven. "Love, what happened?" Peter began after kneeling beside her and moving an arm around her shoulders in reassurance.

The green eyed boy glanced around the room to find that everything was destroyed; The dresser was flipped over, the mirror was shattered in pieces, and the curtains was ripped in shreds.

"I-I can't..." Astrid breathlessly whispered in desperation, tears pooling in her blue eyes, "I-I-I..." She had fresh bruises on her jaw, her left eye was bruised, dried blood was under her nose and also had dried blood on the corner of her lip.

"This is getting out of control, A," Peter murmured, pulling her gently into his chest in comfort. "We have to do something."

Astrid looked up at him and started to shake her head, saying, "Don't tell them. They already pity me... I-I can't- I don't want their pity. She's under control... I'm fine."

"Love, you're not fine. You barely eat now. You blackout, and when you wake up, you don't remember what happened," Peter replied, searching her eyes for whatever he was looking for, "You get beaten up by your dark double who you see and hear everywhere now... Let me help. I can't just watch you suffer alone."

Astrid pulled away and sat completely on the floor while pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, saying, "You can't help me with this. I'm sorry."

Peter sighed, moving a hand through his dirty blonde hair before dropping it to his side. "I can try."

Astrid glanced down at the floor in front of her and closed her eyes for a second before she reopened them and looked up.

But she was sucked in a vision- or fear.

Astrid noticed Dark Astrid smirking at her and Peter sitting on the floor in her bedroom.

Dark Astrid withdrew a dagger and quickly moved behind Peter closely, moving the dagger at his neck. "Say goodbye to your precious true love."

"No!" Astrid exclaimed in desperation and stood up on her feet. "Don't!"

Dark Astrid laughed while Peter begged, "Astrid? You don't have to do this, love."

"Oh, but I do," Dark Astrid replied and sliced his neck deeply as blood gushed out of his wound now. Peter fell to the floor with a push by her. "Told you he was going to be the first one to die."

Astrid dropped to her knees and crawled over to the lifeless body of her love while tears fell down her face. She coddled him in her arms in desperation as she kissed him, letting out, "Please come back to me..."

Dark Astrid kept her smirk on her face and dropped the bloody dagger beside her, inquiring in amusement, "Who shall be the next one? Dear old mom and dads? Henry? Emma?"

Astrid slightly looked up at her double, letting out pleadingly, "Please... stop."

Dark Astrid laughed and then clicked her tongue before replying, "You're right. That would be too easy. I need to completely destroy you first."

"What more could you do to me?" Astrid glumly said, "You already took who I am and my love."

"Sweetie, you've got plenty more," Dark Astrid sneered, "To name some, your hope, your will to live, your family and friends."

Astrid shook her head as another tear fell, saying, "That's where you're wrong. I have no hope." Her dark self grinned in satisfaction at that.

"Astrid!" She started to hear as she looked around in confusion, "Astrid, wake up! Come on, love, wake up!"

Astrid blinked some before she looked back down at her hands to find Peter wasn't laying there anymore; She looked up to find Peter watching her in concern. "What?"

"You just dazed off, like you were in a trance," Peter explained, still concerned, "Was it her?"

Astrid inhaled and exhaled sharply and murmured, "Is this real? Are you real?"

"We're real. You're here with me right now," Peter assured and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling the girl into a hug, "This is real. Don't worry, love, I'm gonna find a cure for this."

"There is no cure," Astrid mumbled in his shoulder hopelessly and was helped off the floor, "You can't tell them. Promise me you won't tell them."

Peter looked at her and slowly nodded, taking her hands in his, and reassured, "I promise. But they're gonna find out. They already know about some of it."

"I just don't need them to worry about me when they have other things to worry about," Astrid sighed.

"Come on. Let's head downstairs, A," Peter replied and walked by her side down the stairs and into the living room.

***

Peter had went to Gold's shop to try and find something that could help Astrid. Belle looked over at him from a book that she had been reading and asked, "So, uh, what exactly are you looking for?"

"I don't know, but I'll know it when I find it," Peter sighed, searching through a shelf of stuff, "I'm sure my brother has a lot of magical items in here that can help her."

"Her? Astrid? What's wrong with Astrid?" Belle questioned him in confusion and concern.

Peter straightened up and looked over at her, coming up with a half lie, "Uh, just something to help her sleep. The Wicked Witch messed her up to where she gets these awful nightmares."

"Oh," Belle nodded in understanding, "Here, let me help. I know what Rumple kept in this store."

The front door opened then to reveal Ariel and then Hook as the former mermaid started, "Belle?"

"Ariel? Where- Where have you been?" Belle also began with a smile, "I-I was- I was worried I'd never see you again." She pulled her into a hug then.

"I've been looking for Eric," Ariel admitted, "He's been missing since we all returned."

Peter looked up at them as Hook glanced over at him and spoke up, "We were hoping we could find something of his here."

"Oh, of course- to see if he's in Storybrooke," Belle replied with Ariel asking, "Have you seen anything of his?"

"I, um, I only just started sorting through things, but, uh... don't despair." Belle admitted, "Let's- Let's start looking."

"Okay," Ariel nodded and the two women began searching for something that may belong to Eric.

Hook stepped over to Peter who moved items off the shelves and looked through the vials of potions. "Pan, what are you looking for?"

Peter glanced over at the pirate who his love completely trusts and pulled him slightly aside, saying, "Astrid. It's getting worse. I'm trying to find something- anything- that will help her."

Hook folded his arms across his chest as he asked, "How bad is it? Besides lack of sleep and seeing her dark double?"

Peter shook his head, admitting, "I can't go into all of the details. She made me promise not to tell any of you."

"Why?"

"She's Astrid. She doesn't want to worry her family. She's trying to protect all of you, the only way she knows how." Peter quietly answered.

"I'm gonna go talk to her," Hook replied, "You stay with Ariel and help with her problem."

"What did you do?" Peter curiously asked while nodding over to the former mermaid.

"Not anything good," Hook sighed.

Peter grabbed a vial of a clear, sparkling liquid inside of it and looked at him, saying, "That's why you're gonna stay with the mermaid, own up to what you did."

"That doesn't sound like Pan," Hook lightly replied.

"Astrid does that to me," Peter shrugged, "She brings out the good in me. Without her, I would still be a villain. I'm trying."

"Yeah, she does that- makes you want to be a better person," Hook sighed and nodded, "Go. I'll take care of this and then stop by later and visit Astrid."

Peter nodded and rushed out of the shop, tightly holding onto the potion.

***

Astrid tossed in her sleep and then woke up breathless, feeling the spot next to her on the bed empty.

She sighed and stood up and walked over to her dresser, glancing at the picture on top. It was a photo of her and Hook in front of the Jolly Roger.

She glanced over at the other photo and saw her, David, and Emma in front of their police car outside of the station.

"Pity. You have to lose them all." Dark Astrid remarked in amusement behind her, "Are you crying?"

"No, I'm not, you are," Astrid shot back before wiping her face with her hand quickly and facing her double.

Dark Astrid smirked, saying, "You are so weak."

"I am not weak," Astrid argued.

"Love?" She heard in the hallway as Peter opened the bedroom door and entered inside, heading over to her. He moved one hand and cupped it on the side of her face, "I think I found something that can help."

Astrid looked at him curiously and noticed the vial in his other hand, saying, "What is it?"

"It should help you rest at night and calm your nightmares," Peter explained what the potion was, "I know that it's only temporary, but it'll help you get some sleep."

Astrid kissed him on the lips before pulling back to look at him and softly replied, "Thank you. That really means a lot to me."

He nodded and murmured, "I'd do anything for you, A."

"Me too," Astrid assured him as he kissed her on her lips. "I love you."

"And I love you," Peter murmured, taking her in his arms as the two of them began to sway in small circles. "Always and forever."

Astrid laid her head on his shoulder and held onto him even more while the two continued to slightly sway back and forth, her softly murmuring, "Forever and always."