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Astrid followed behind David with Emma and Snow behind her as the four entered inside of their home, Emma starting, "I'm sorry. Regina's doing what!?"

David sighed once Snow closed the door behind them, "She's going undercover."

"With someone who could turn into a dragon? Are you out of your minds? Why didn't you call me?" Emma continued to question their parents.

"There wasn't time," David replied, "She told us the plan, and that was it."

"You should've told us," Emma told them while gesturing to herself and Astrid beside her.

"Why?" Snow spoke up curiously, "You really think you two could've stopped her?"

"I could've helped. I was a bail bonds person. Pretending to be someone else was part of my job." Emma simply commented.

"I know that, but I really think Regina can take care of herself," Snow assured.

"I know she can, but I hope this isn't gonna backfire on us." Astrid spoke up with a light sigh, "When is she supposed to check in?"

David and Snow shared a wary look between one another before glancing back at their daughters who widened their eyes at them.

"Mom? Dad?" Emma started, repeating her sister, "When is she supposed to check in?"

David reluctantly answered, "About an hour ago."

Astrid glared at her parents and lost her cool briefly, saying, "Are you bloody kidding me? You let her go in and face these three witches by herself?"

"Regina will be okay. She always is." Snow assured their teenager who then left back out of the loft and began the search for the former Evil Queen.

"I'm with Astrid on this," Emma agreed and followed after her sister.

***

Both Emma and Astrid was about to enter inside of Granny's until Hook exited the diner and stopped them, Astrid speaking up first, "You find anything?"

"Well, a burnt table, broken bottles, and a very irate Granny," Hook sighed, adding, "Apparently, Regina and the witches drank the place dry. I'd say she won them over."

"Maybe that's what they wanted her to bloody think," Astrid replied anxiously.

Hook placed an assuring, fatherly hand on the girl's shoulder and said, "Look, Kid, I know you're worried, but we don't even know what happened yet."

"Hook, she's nowhere to be found," Emma spoke up in worry as the pirate commented, "You're fearing the worst."

Astrid sighed, saying, "If the undercover thing worked, if she's got everything under control, then why the bloody hell isn't she back yet?"

Hook half hugged his adopted daughter as she let him, her letting out sadly, "I can't lose Regina, too... I promised I'd watch out for her, and I-- I'm failing."

Emma moved a hand and squeezed her sister's hand in hers in reassurance yet anxiously also, gently starting curiously, "What promise?"

Astrid glanced over at her twin and replied, "Cora. I promised her before she died, and I also promised Regina that I'd always be there."

"AJ, it isn't your fault, and Regina will be alright," Hook continued to assure her, "Don't lose your faith now."

Astrid nodded and took a deep breath.

***

Snow, David, Emma, Hook, and Astrid approached the library once night fell and entered inside of the building.

"Hey, we're here," David spoke up in a somewhat quiet tone.

"I said we needed to meet covertly," Regina spoke up in somewhat irritation, "Now I see you brought the entire Charming softball team and their pirate mascot?"

David and Hook shared a slight look while Astrid spoke up, "Hey, I- we were worried about you."

The teenager then quickly hugged the raven haired woman in relief before letting go and punching her right arm hard, adding, "That's for making me worry."

Regina rubbed her arm with her left hand, letting out, "Ow. I'm okay, A, but I can't be seen with all of you."

Emma spoke up, "Regina, listen to me. This is a bad idea. This woman, this dragon, she's dangerous, and you don't know the first thing about going undercover."

"I'm a quick study, and Maleficent already told me why they're here," Regina commented, "Apparently, they're after the Author, too. I simply want him to change my fate."

"What do they want?" Astrid inquired.

"They want to shift the entire balance so that villains win and heroes lose," Regina answered, "They feel the only way to get their happy ending is to destroy yours."

"Do you think they can find the Author?" Emma spoke up again, sharing a curious look with her sister beside her.

"They have a lead, we don't," Regina replied, "And tonight, they want me to help them steal it... whatever it is."

"I'm telling you, these things never end well," Astrid began.

"I understand your concern, but I'm in," Regina told the teenager who glanced over at her parents and back at the woman in front of them.

"Okay, well, then I'm in too." Astrid replied as Regina let out in shock, "What?"

"I'm gonna stick by you." Astrid commented, "In life, no matter what happens, sometimes all you need is someone who will be there for you no matter what... I'm gonna get your back while you do this."

"No. It's too dangerous." Regina argued.

"Why must you be the one to take all the risks?" Astrid stubbornly shot back, "I told you I was part of Operation Mongoose, I am a part of it. You wanted my help, now you're gonna get it... no matter what it means for both of us. Whatever she has planned tonight, I'll be there."

***

Emma straightened up from where she leaned against the side of the truck once Astrid pulled up beside her on her motorcycle. "Anything?"

Astrid removed her helmet off of her head and looked over at the woman, saying, "No. Emma, she dropped that bloody tracking device of yours, and I lost her... They took Pinocchio, and it's my fault."

"No. It's not, A," Emma began.

"Yes, it is. I was the one who let Regina talk me into thinking kidnapping him was a good idea." Astrid cut her off, "If anything happens to that kid, then that's on me."

"Calm down. We can still find them." Emma assured, "Let's go tell our parents and then we can try tracking those witches and Regina."

Astrid warily nodded and was fixing to drive to their home but stopped again, having feeling a powerful spell being enacted.

"August." The teenager found herself murmuring, having felt the bond she had formed with the grown man before he was turned into a boy again. "We have to hurry."

"What is it?" Emma asked her sister in concern and worry, "What did you sense, Astro?"

Astrid slid her helmet back over her head and answered, "Well, Pinocchio is no longer a boy. I sense a familiar kind of magic at foot here."

"Whose?" Emma inquired.

"I'm not sure, it's too... small to tell right at the moment, but I'll keep trying to pinpoint the source of that magic's location." Astrid sighed and revved her engine, "Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

Astrid then sped down the road with Emma now entering back in the truck beside her and pulled onto the highway too, also following behind her twin.

"Hang on, August."

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