✖️✖️✖️✖️

Astrid tossed in her sleep as the usual nightmares plagued her mind; Peter woke up at the movement and instantly took her in to his arms tightly, letting out softly, "Love, hey, hey, wake up. It's alright. I'm here."

Astrid woke with a start and breathlessly began, "They're gone... All of them will be dead..." Tears fell down her cheeks coldly as Peter leaned up and rubbed her back soothingly.

Peter made her look at him by cupping one side of her face, saying gently, "It was just a bad dream. You're safe, A. We're safe."

Astrid buried her face in his chest as both laid back down, him still holding her in his arms. She glanced up at him with watery eyes and murmured, "I-I can't lose you."

"And you won't-- just like I won't lose you," Peter assured her and kissed her forehead, "I promise."

Astrid inhaled and slowly nodded, laying back down in his warm embrace. She glanced over at the other side of the room and noticed Dark Astrid with a proud grin on her face.

Dark Astrid smirked and straightened up from leaning against the wall as she spoke up, "It's all fixing to happen— very soon."

Astrid shuddered as Peter's arms tightened around her, comforting her.

"The gem was born of true love but molded into evil's fire. The gem shall be his portal. He comes to claim, he comes to sire. The end of all things mortal..." A voice repeated in her mind suddenly.

Astrid's blue eyes shot back open as she quickly sat up, the same symbols starting to appear on her skin again. "Pe-Peter?"

She warily glanced over at her love to find that his abdomen had been sliced open deeply as blood were everywhere around him now. "No, no!"

Astrid moved onto her knees and looked down at the blood coating her hands and the dagger in her left hand that also had blood on the blade.

Tears pooled in her eyes again as she tossed the dagger on the edge of the bed and now held the now-dead Peter in her arms, desperately kissing him as she let out, "Please come back to me..."

But he didn't.

Astrid cried and hugged his body closer and tighter. "This can't be bloody real... This isn't real..."

Astrid looked up to find that he was still dead and let out a sob and moved off of the bed, standing to her feet.

Dark Astrid appeared in front of her, saying, "You see? You get everyone around you dead... or worse. You should just end your life now before anyone else dies."

Astrid picked up the bloody dagger and held it in both of her hands inches from her stomach, tears continuing to fall onto her cheeks.

*Peter's POV*

Peter felt his love sit back up and move off of the bed as he looked over at her with furrowed eyebrows to find that she was sobbing, but what he didn't like seeing was her holding a dagger inches from her stomach.

"A, love, put the knife down," Peter softly started as he began to move towards her. He noticed her blue eyes were a bit distant and knew that she wasn't in control of what she was doing right now. "Astrid, come on, love, it's me. Peter. Come back to me."

The dagger moved closer to her body until Peter grabbed her hands holding the knife with his hands, trying to pull the knife out of her grip. "Astrid, you need to wake up. Look at me. Please."

Astrid flipped him over, making him land on the floor with a thud, while she went back to holding the knife to her as another tear fell.

"Charming, look at me," Peter tried again but more desperately, "This- This isn't you. Come back to me. I need you. You're my home. I cannot lose you— not again, and-- and I love you more than anything."

Astrid's hands stopped moving as she let out, "Pe-Peter?" The said boy stood up quickly and moved his hands over her arms and replied, "Yes. Yeah. It's me. Come back. You can do this, love. Do what you're best at and fight."

Astrid's blue eyes softened while she lowered the dagger to her side and dropped it, it hitting the floor with a 'clank' sound. "Peter." She breathed out in relief.

"I'm right here, love," Peter softly let out, taking her into his arms while moving one hand on the back of her head in reassurance.

"Is this real?" Astrid mumbled in his embrace.

Peter made her look at him, cupping both sides of her face in his hands, and assured, "This is real. We are real."

Astrid closed her eyes and sighed as he kissed her forehead and held her in his arms again. "Don't tell them. This will hurt them because I'm hurting."

Peter sadly smiled a little, saying, "I don't have to tell them anything. Not if you don't want me to. This will be between us."

"We should go downstairs and be around them," Astrid sighed.

Peter took her hand in his before commenting with a smirk, "Or we can just stay in bed." Astrid grinned and kissed him on the lips before leaving out of the bedroom with Peter following after her, their hands still interlocked.

They descended down the stairs as the two heard Snow say, "-The important thing is to mark the occasion, remind ourselves that after all that we've been through, we're still together... as a family."

"What's up?" Astrid spoke up while moving over to the counter and sitting on a stool while Peter just stood by her side.

"We're having a potluck at Granny's to announce the baby's name," David replied.

"Finally," Astrid remarked, "Now, I don't have to just say 'hey there, kiddo'." Snow and David smiled at her in amusement.

Henry entered the apartment with a newspaper in hand and spoke towards his mother, "Hey, check it out. I think I found us a place."

Emma furrowed her eyebrows and asked in confusion, "You're looking for apartments?"

Henry handed the paper to the said woman and answered with another question, "What do you think?"

"Yeah, Emma, what do you think?" Snow inquired.

Emma turned around and faced Snow and David while wrapping an arm around Henry's shoulders, saying, "I think your grandparents can't decide what to name your uncle, and they are using a fairytale tradition to try to buy themselves some time."

Henry chuckled while David and Snow rolled their eyes some but smiled also; Peter glanced over at his love who looked like she was somewhere else, like a trance. He wrapped an arm around the small of her back and kissed the side of her head, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Astrid glanced over at him with a slight smile and looked over at her parents who were now watching the baby.

Astrid winced some and glanced down at her palm to find the same symbol now appearing again; She clenched her hand into a fist and inhaled sharply.

Astrid leaned into Peter and laid her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. Once she reopened her eyes, she noticed everything and everyone was frozen in place again.

"Not again," Astrid let out and stood up from her seat, walking over to the middle of the room to look at everyone.

Hiccup then appeared in front of her as the same symbol that appears on her skin showed up on his forehead.

Astrid narrowed her eyes at him in confusion while he simply smirked and pointed to the mark on his forehead, speaking up, "You want to know about this, don't you? How many sleepless nights have you spent trying to unravel its secrets?"

Astrid faced him completely as Hiccup continued, "Well, let me put your mind at ease; It's called the Mark of Scath, and it's about to become very popular."

"I thought you were my friend, one of my best friends. Why are you doing this?" Astrid questioned the boy in front of her.

"The Hiccup that you knew a lifetime ago is gone, really dead." He commented, "I'm better than ever. This is my reward for trading my life for yours, darling."

Astrid shook her head, saying, "I didn't ask you to bring me back to life, let alone trade your bloody life for mine."

Hiccup's smirk grew even more and chuckled, "But it was fate. It was meant to happen. I had no choice. It was meant for me to fall in love with you-- even if you were Peter Pan's true love. But this is my destiny. As yours is to be the Ender."

"I will never be that," Astrid muttered, "And I'd suggest you don't bloody call me that again."

"Or what?" He challenged, stepping closer to her, "You can't hurt me because you're weak. Now, your dark side— She's the real muscle."

"No," Astrid's jaw flexed some while she continued to glare at him and remarked, "I'm not weak."

"Then prove it," Hiccup shot back, "Step up to your destiny and fulfill it with every bit of your potential."

"People will die-" Astrid argued.

"Because it's necessary to make the world a better place," Hiccup cut her off.

"Your bloody ideas of a better world are different than mine," Astrid murmured, "I will never destroy them. If anything, I will continue to fight this destiny and- and protect them."

"Ugh, too heroic-sounding," Dark Astrid spoke up as she appeared beside Hiccup who looked over at her with an interested look. "Tell you what. Since you're too much of a wuss to fulfill this prophecy, let me out and I'll do it for you."

"How thoughtful," Astrid sarcastically replied and added, "I'll never let you out."

"You don't have a choice in the matter, sweetie," Dark Astrid remarked and shot her across the room by her dark magic. She stepped over to the semi-conscious Astrid who started to stand back up.

"You see, my dear, you overtired yourself and you've just went soft due to this family and lover boy over there." Dark Astrid continued while kicking Astrid in her side, "They are your weakness and your downfall."

"You're wrong..." Astrid let out until her dark double kicked her hard in the ribs. She grunted in pain and held her ribs with one arm.

"Am I now? We shall see." Dark Astrid's hand glowed black as she pressed it to Astrid's forehead and began to drain her completely.

Astrid screamed out until her eyes turned completely pitch black and her dark self moved inside of her.

Astrid stood back up and smirked, her black eyes going back to blue, as she remarked, "I'm back, bitches."

She stepped over to Hiccup and commented, "Shall we begin?" He smiled and nodded and stepped out of the apartment, stopping at the door and close it behind him.

Dark Astrid moved back over to the stool she previously sat on and laid her head back on Peter's shoulder, using her magic to unfreeze the whole town.

"-You're just so handsome," Snow and David cooed at their newborn. Astrid held back a gag and straightened up in her seat.

That's when someone knocked on the door as Astrid stood up, saying, "I'll get it." She moved over to the front door and opened it to reveal Hiccup standing there as she let out in surprise convincingly, "Hiccup?"

Peter lifted his eyebrows and shared a look with Emma and then David; Astrid slightly stepped back but then hugged Hiccup and added, "Thanks for saving my life... But how are you here, alive?"

Her family and Peter moved over to the two with Snow asking in slight confusion, "How did he save your life?"

Astrid stepped over to Peter and looked over at her mother and admitted, "He's the one who brought me back to life, but his price was trading his life for my own."

"So, how are you alive then?" Peter suspiciously repeated his love's question to the auburn haired boy in front of them, folding his arms across his chest.

"I just am," Hiccup sarcastically said, "I mean, maybe the Wicked Witch brought me back to life or something."

David spoke up with a shrug, "Well, anyone who has saved my daughter more than once is welcome here."

"Actually, I came because Astrid needs to come home. Berk is in danger and they need their fiercest protector," Hiccup replied.

Everyone glanced over at Astrid and back at Hiccup in shock and let out, "What? She's already home."

"All due respect, Astrid, but Berk was your home first. Your father-- he also needs you-" Hiccup started.

"You mean the one who abandoned her and pretended to be dead?" Peter cut him off while slightly moving in front of his girl protectively. He felt something off about this boy in front of them, something terribly bad.

"Yes, but... He didn't have a choice-" Hiccup started, "But, that's the least of the problems. Berk needs you. It's a massive war, and- and we're losing. Come on, Astrid. You always help out your friends and family. We were there for you first and were your home first."

"She's not leaving. I'm sorry-" Snow began but was cut off by Astrid saying, "Okay. I'm going."

"What?" "Astrid, we need you here." Her family said simultaneously, looking over at her in shock.

"I do miss Berk, and maybe getting away for a little while will help me. You know, after being tortured right here in Storybrooke by that witch- and dying," Astrid pointed out.

"If you're going, then I'm going, too," Peter said, "I'm with you. Always."

Astrid smiled a little and sadly replied, "I can't let you do that." She then cringed and made her eyes briefly flicker to pitch black, "Ugh, this charade is gross. So touchy-feely."

"What do you mean?" Snow and David both cautiously asked.

"Hiccup, now," Astrid told him as the said boy pinned her family in place by his magic, "I'm not the Astrid you know and love. You guys are so gullible, and apparently, you don't know her well enough to know the difference between us."

Peter struggled in the magical hold and finally broke free of Hiccup's magic, saying, "Bring her back."

Dark Astrid smirked and stepped over to him and simply replied, "No."

Peter glanced over at Henry, Emma, Snow, and David who was still holding their newborn but now protectively before looking back at his girlfriend and asked, "How'd you escape anyway? She locked you up so far in her mind."

Dark Astrid actually laughed at that and commented, "Yeah, but you guys overtired her- well, with my help. But thanks for that."

Emma's hands glowed white as she blasted her sister with her magic; Dark Astrid seen it coming, though, and blocked it by making a shield around her, saying, "And yes, I know you've been training with Regina and strengthening your magic. Everything Astrid knows, I know."

"Astrid, come back right now please-" Snow spoke up.

"What, I'm right here, Mother," Dark Astrid smirked over at her, "Oh, wait, you mean that heroic do-gooder? Nah, she ain't coming back. Ever."

Peter managed to grab her arms from behind as he moved one arm around her neck, her back against his chest. He started, "Bring my girlfriend back."

"You're not gonna hurt me," Dark Astrid confidently said, "If you do, you hurt your precious love. So, what's it going to bloody be? Tick tock."

Peter hesitated, giving his love's dark self time to head butt his face as he released her and stepped back. Dark Astrid remarked, "Told you so. Your love for her is your weakness."

"What do you even want?" Emma spoke up, struggling with the magical hold on her, "Why- How are you even still here? You were made from that curse that killed her. But she already died from it. So, why are you still here when Astrid's free of the curse?"

"She came back to life forcefully, and that tends to have some side effects. The Curse of Darkness kills you, of course, and once you're dead, it's done," Dark Astrid explained, "But if you're still alive, then that darkness continues to grow stronger and stronger until there's nothing left of you."

"Are- Are you saying that Astrid's really gone now?" Henry spoke up, not wanting to believe his aunt is gone again.

"She will be," Dark Astrid remarked, "After I kill the thing she loves most." She faced Peter again and add, "That's you, Romeo."

"Many have tried, but they have always failed," Peter smirked, "Besides, Astrid won't let you kill me."

"You think so?" Dark Astrid remarked and looked over at Hiccup and told him, "Take care of my mother." She faced Peter and replied, "I can just watch him kill all of you. You still don't believe me, honey?"

Hiccup began to move over to Snow in a threatening way while David, Emma, and Snow struggled to move out of the magical holds on them.

"Stop. Don't do this, A," Peter started as Hiccup stopped and looked over at them as did her parents, nephew, and sister. "I know you're still in there. Don't let her win, love. Fight it. I believe in you."

Dark Astrid looked at him for a few seconds and pretended to act like her good self convincingly, "I-I got her... But I don't think I can hold her much longer..." She released her family from the magical hold on them.

Peter pulled her into a tight, reassuring hug and murmured, "Keep fighting her, love. We'll find a way to free you of this."

That's when Peter felt something stab right below his heart deeply as he slightly pulled away, noticing her holding a knife that was embedded in his chest now. "A-Astrid...?"

He fell to his knees with Dark Astrid still holding onto him, her saying, "I told you she was gone. You should have listened and killed me when you had the chance, my dear love."

A single tear fell onto Peter's cheek as he let out, "It- It's okay... I- I love you."

Dark Astrid grunted some and fell back on her butt on the floor as it felt like something- someone- was clawing her way out in her mind.

Tears fell down Astrid's face as her blue eyes softened and seen her true love barely breathing now and bleeding profusely. "Pe-Peter? What did I do?"

She looked up over at her parents, sister, and nephew, and repeated herself, "What did I do!?" More tears fell onto her face then as she hoped that this wasn't real.

"It- It's not your fault-" She heard Peter utter out as he held the deep wound. Astrid moved over to him and now held him in her arms.

"I-I can heal you... Let me heal you..." Astrid started desperately while trying to heal him with her magic.

"It-It's okay... It doesn't e-even hu-hurt..." Peter let out while coughing up blood.

Astrid moved one hand over his chest where the wound was and gazed into his eyes sadly, saying, "But I can't lose you."

Peter sadly smiled and grunted some, softly stammering out, his breaths slow and ragged, "And I-I can't lose you... Keep fi-fighting... I l-love y-you, Charming..."

Astrid watched his green eyes dim and grow distant as she lowered her head on his chest and held onto his body even tighter, now sobbing.

"A, it wasn't your fault-" Snow began softly while kneeling beside her and placing a hand over her shoulder in reassurance.

"Yes, it was. Wherever she goes, death follows. She's Mortefera and she's also the Ender," Hiccup sneered, amused.