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"Emma, you and Astrid couldn't have known that she'd drop that tracking device," Hook began as he, Emma, Snow, and David trekked through a trail in the woods in attempt in finding where the missing boy and Regina could've gone.

"Yeah, but Astrid let her talk her into thinking kidnapping him was a good idea." Emma sighed, "If anything happens to the boy, it's my sister's fault, and she doesn't deserve any more blame she puts on herself."

David knelt down at the fork of the road and moved a hand lightly over some tracks that was washed away. "Yeah, the tracks end here. Looks like the rain washed them away."

"Where is Astrid anyway?" Snow wondered aloud curiously, "I thought she was also supposed to be tracking them with us?"

"She may have found another lead, maybe we should call her?" David suggested.

"Would now be an appropriate time for a locator spell?" Hook also suggested.

Astrid suddenly rode to where they were from Gold's cabin where she had been hiding at, spying on the villains-- Regina had known that she was there, too.

She turned her motorcycle sideways and parked, surprising her family. "That won't be bloody necessary."

"Astrid, what happened? Where were you?" Hook questioned first.

Astrid sighed and revealed what she found out, glancing over at Emma first, "That source of magic I felt led me to Gold's cabin, Gold having used his power to turn Pinocchio back into August."

"August?" Emma let out with slightly wide eyes.

"Yeah," Astrid nodded and added, "It seems Rumplestiltskin has returned, along with those witches, and is also looking for information on the Author... We have to stop him."

"We know one person who can," Emma shrugged, referring to the Dark One's wife.

***

"H-H-He's here?" Belle stammered while stiffening some, "But that's impossible."

Astrid had her arms folded across her chest as she stood beside Hook, saying, "Did you really think he'd stay away?"

"The dagger. You need to hand it over so we can stop this fight before it starts." Emma added.

Bella looked confused and commented, "The dagger? I don't have that dagger. Killian does."

The group glanced over at the said one-handed pirate in slight surprise who started, "Who? Me? Well, I haven't seen that cursed blade since you commanded the Crocodile to leave the first time."

"But y-you took it from me last night to hide it where no one could find it," Belle replied now in confusion yet suspicion.

"After the lifetimes I spent searching for a way to destroy the Dark One, I'm pretty certain I would remember holding that dagger in my hand." Hook remarked.

Astrid nodded in agreement, instantly coming to her father figure's defense, saying, "Aye, it wasn't him."

Belle grew more nervous and worried as she began, "Okay, well, if I didn't give it to you, then who did I give it to-"

Emma shared a knowing look with Astrid as Emma said to Belle while looking over at Hook, "You gave it to Gold... disguised as you. He's back, and so is his power."

"Even when I didn't think he could deceive me anymore... He found a way." Belle sadly murmured.

Astrid sighed, "Banishment was too good for that man. We should have driven that dagger through his heart when we had the chance. I should've."

Emma looked over at her sister, pointing out, "Then your name would be written across it."

Astrid shrugged, saying, "It's a small price to pay to ensure my family's safety from Gold."

"A, I know you're angry, but we defeated him before and we'll do it again." Emma reminded her.

"Yeah, but the question is how? We don't even know what he's planning." Snow spoke up.

"First, we save August. Thats for sure." Astrid recomposed herself by taking a deep breath.

"Yeah. You do that. I'll find out the Dark One's secret." Hook spoke up as David questioned him, "How are you gonna do that?"

"The sea witch-- Ursula. Remember when I said I had a past with her? Now's the time I use it." Hook admitted, which made Astrid look over at him with a shake of her head.

"How?" Emma inquired while noticing her twin show her disliking of his plan.

"By taking a page out of your sister's and your book, Swan," Hook answered, "I'm gonna return her happy ending."

"Can you really do that?" Emma started curiously.

"Aye," Hook said, "Because I'm the one who took it from her in the first place."

"No, you- you're not going alone," Astrid shook her head.

"AJ, I'll be okay. I'm a survivor, after all, remember?" Hook assured his adopted daughter, "You have to go save August."

The said teenager gave him a reluctant look, her hands over the hilts of her swords at her hips. "Fine, but the second that I sense you're in danger or hurt-"

Hook cut the girl off with a warm smile on his face, "You'll find me, Kid, but don't worry, I've got this."

Astrid nodded, "I know you do. I just can't lose you, any of you... not after-- Just be careful."

Hook also nodded in assurance, letting out, "You too." The two then parted ways with Astrid following behind her sister and parents and Hook going a different path.

***

Astrid stepped off of her motorbike and saw Snow, Emma, and David rushing over to her, Snow asking first to her daughters, "Anything from Hook? You think he's managed to turn Ursula yet?"

David then remarked, "If she hasn't turned him."

Astrid glared at her father, saying, "Really? We're thinking that now? He wouldn't."

"Well, you did go to a dark place this morning, which is probably from hanging around him for so long." David sighed.

Astrid glared even harder at her father before defending herself, "Really? Do you blame me? If Gold did to you, like he did to me- and even to Hook- he wouldn't be bloody breathing anymore."

Snow shared a look with her husband while starting, "That's not who you are-"

Astrid sighed, "It's also not Hook. Relax. Neither one of us are turning dark on you guys."

Emma spoke up, "Gold might not hurt a kid, but August? Who knows what he'd do to him?"

Astrid nodded in agreement, adding, "So, let's go rescue him."

***

Astrid kicked the door in at the cabin and noticed Cruella just sitting there with a tied up August in a chair.

The said villain smirked and stood up, facing the eighteen year old, speaking up first, "Well, what do we have here? The little Viking found us, didn't she?"

Astrid simply rolled her eyes and slung Cruella against the wall by her magic, knocking her out. "Too easy."

David, Snow, and Emma rushed inside and looked over at the girl in slight surprise before Emma shrugged and remarked, "I expected that to be taken care of in less than a minute by Astro."

Astrid smirked before she rushed over to a still very tied up August, starting in concern, "August, are you okay? Did they hurt you?" She cut the ropes off of him with one of her daggers.

"I'll survive," August answered.

Astrid smiled as Emma spoke up to him, "It's good to have you back-- even if it isn't the way things were supposed to be. I'm glad it didn't take twenty years to see you as you again."

"Me too," August smiled back.

Astrid nodded and replied, "Come on, let's get out of here." She had also felt Hook get knocked out and thrown into the ocean but saved by a mermaid.

That's when Ursula decided to walk in and looked at all them threateningly, saying, "No one is going anywhere."

Astrid withdrew both of her twin swords and spun each in her hands once while glaring at the Sea Witch, demanding, "What did you bloody do to Hook?"

Ursula smirked a little and replied, "Sorry, Sweetheart, your father is shark bait." Suddenly, one of her tentacles moved around Astrid's throat, now choking her.

Astrid gasped out, dropping her swords to the floor while Ursula stated towards her family, "One move from any of you and she's done." Astrid slowly shook her head at her family to not listen to the witch as she gasped out again.

"Ursula, you don't need to do this," Emma began, her hands lifted somewhat at the woman.

"That's where you're wrong. I can't have him leave with you." Ursula replied, "Not when the Author is the only one who can give me what I want."

"That's not true," Hook spoke up once he also stepped inside of the cabin.

Astrid's hands began to glow as she lifted them towards the large tentacle wrapped around her neck, placing them on top of the tentacle and began to burn it with her magic.

Ursula shrieked out while releasing the teenager who fell to her knees on the floor, coughing as she caught her breath.

The sea witch glared at the girl before turning her attention to the pirate, demanding in annoyance, "How are you still breathing?"

"I'm good at surviving... or you're bad at killing. Either way, you don't need the Author to get what you want." Hook replied while throwing a concerned glance towards his adopted daughter still sitting on her knees, "I know why you couldn't release your voice from the shell. Only the one who enchanted it can do that."

Astrid groaned just as August knelt beside her and laid a concerned hand on her shoulder, the two glancing at each other briefly.

"Wait. You don't mean-" Ursula started as Hook nodded, cutting her off, "Aye." That's when King Poseidon walked inside of the home, making the witch freeze in her place, letting out, "Father."

"Ursula." Poseidon began.

"How are you here? In this land?" Ursula also began in confusion.

"A young mermaid found me and brought me through a portal. I need to say something." Poseidon replied, "I'm sorry, Ursula. I never should have forced you to use your voice as a weapon. It was just... Every time I heard you sing, I heard your mother, and it was too painful. I let that pain fuel my desire for vengeance, but it shouldn't have."

Poseidon stepped towards his daughter while continuing, "It should have reminded me that I still have a piece of her. You. Let me return your voice so I can hear it one last time."

The King grabbed the magic shell and moved his hand across it, making it glow just as Ursula's voice returned back to her.

Ursula began to sing happily while Astrid smiled a little, catching the glance August had given her as he began to help her to her feet in small increments.

Poseidon grinned with elated tears, saying, "Now that you are whole again, I'll leave you in peace."

Ursula stopped her father from leaving, starting, "Wait. My voice is all we have left of Mother. You took it from me once. I don't wanna do the same thing to you."

"What are you saying?" King Poseidon asked as his daughter answered with watery eyes, "I've missed you." The two of them hugged then with Poseidon replying back, "I've missed you so much."

Hook and Astrid shared a happy look between the two as the pirate stepped onto her other side.

Snow looked around the room and spoke up, "Where's Cruella?"

"She must have slipped away, most likely to warn Gold," David replied, "We should clear out before they get back."

Ursula nodded at the one handed pirate in thanks before walking out of the cabin with her father.

Astrid watched Snow and David leave out of the cabin behind them while August followed the couple also.

The eighteen year old looked up at her father figure before punching him in his ribs, making Hook wince and rub the spot that was punched. "What was that for, AJ?"

"That's for scaring me when I felt you get knocked out and tossed into the sea." Astrid simply replied before quickly hugging the man in relief.

"And what's this for?" Hook softly asked her while returning the hug but tighter.

"For coming back and not dying..." Astrid let out before pulling away from the hug. "Thank you."

"I'd never leave you, Kid." Hook assured, a worried look briefly slipping onto his features.

"What's wrong?" Both Astrid and Emma questioned the pirate as Emma added, "You gave Ursula everything she wanted."

"But I almost didn't, love. I was so desperate to figure out what the Crocodile was up to, I almost became the man I used to be." Hook sighed, glancing over at his adopted daughter, "And you know how easy it is to fall back into the darkness."

Astrid nodded, "I do." She then shared a look with her sister before looking back at the man in front of them and took his hook in her hand. "But what matters is that you didn't. And you won't. I believe in you."

Hook nodded, saying, "Aye, but it's a stark reminder of something."

"What?" Both Emma and Astrid began.

"With all this talk of authors and the boom, we've never discussed one fact-- I was a villain." Hook admitted.

Emma shook her head and assured, "But you're not anymore."

"Neither is Regina, but she still lost her happy ending... and even Pan lost his." Hook replied, making Astrid's eyes water slightly at the mention of her love, "If we're to believe the rules of the book, then it's only a matter of time before I lose mine."

"Wait. If you're afraid of losing your happy ending, that means you found it." Emma started, "What is it?"

"Don't you know, Swan? It's you-- and even Astrid." Hook commented as Emma kissed him with him kissing her back.

Astrid stepped out of the cabin to give the two some privacy and headed back to the Blanchard loft, adjusting her swords strapped to her hips.

After a few minutes of walking, the eighteen year old made herself disappear in a cloud of green smoke and appeared inside of the Blanchard loft.

August was laying on the couch with Henry talking to him about the 'Once Upon A Time' storybook and about the picture.

The girl moved over to the two and sat on the edge of the couch beside August, lightly starting, "Here. Let me heal you."

August nodded and laid his head back down against the arm of the couch, closing his eyes, while Astrid took his hand in one of hers, their interlocked hands starting to glow a golden light.

She had missed Emma entering inside of the loft and moving over to the counter to fix herself something to drink.

Astrid's magic began to slow to a stop as she smiled softly at him, saying, "There. Now you just need rest."

"Thank you for saving me today," August murmured with a light smile on his face.

Astrid kept her smile and nodded slightly to the side, letting out, "It's just what I do. You're my friend, and I'm there for my friends and family."

"I know," August nodded.

"Mom!" Henry called over to Emma and Regina at the counter as the two women approached them somewhat quickly.

August warily glanced over at Regina and looked back at Emma and then Astrid, starting suspiciously, "What is she doing here?"

"Oh, it's okay. I promise." Both Emma and Astrid simultaneously assured him as he sighed and closed his eyes.

Regina knelt in between her son and Emma before speaking up, "August... We need to talk about how I'm going to keep up my cover with Gold. The only reason I was able to come here-" She picked up the page of the door and continued, "-is because they they think I'm stealing this page. We didn't find the door at the Sorcerer's mansion."

"That's because it's not there." August remarked as Henry let out, "What?"

"But... you said you didn't know where it was," Regina started in slight confusion, "And your nose didn't grow."

"My nose didn't grow because I wasn't lying. When Gold asked me, I didn't know where the door was because I didn't know where Henry was keeping this page."

August looked at each person around him before he sat up some and smiled a little, adding, "Regina... this isn't just an illustration. This is the door. The Author is trapped inside the book."

"Bloody hell." Astrid let out and then realized something, "That's why my magic led me to this book when I tried tracking this page."

August nodded, adding, "Plus, you're the Creator, so you'll more than likely play a role in Gold's plan in freeing the Author."

"Oh, yay," Astrid sarcastically remarked with a shrug, "Let the fun begin."

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