Once Upon A Time - STARTED!

Ebony-Rose White - 'Snow' - Sheriff Graham's car

It wasn’t long before Sheriff Graham showed up outside the school gates. I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes as he got out of the car and opened the passenger door for me to get in.

“And I thought I was Regina’s lackey …”

“Did you say something, Miss White?” asked the Sheriff.

“No,” I lied before getting into the car. He shut the door behind me and got into the driver’s seat.

“Any idea where your brother might be?” he asked while he put on his seatbelt.

I practically had to bite my tongue to stop myself from screaming at him. “Why does everyone think I know where Henry is all the time?!” It was like the two of us were joint at the hip or something! We weren’t even that close.

“Alright, alright, relax,” Sheriff Graham said, raising both his hands into the air in mock surrender. “I was just asking.”

“Well don’t,” I retorted, crossing my arms in annoyance.

Sheriff Graham shook his head before starting the car. “Believe it or not, I don’t like this anymore than you do, but orders are orders.” He drove straight down the road and turned right at the traffic lights following the sign for City Hall. “Hopefully, we can spot Henry somewhere on the way. Mayor Thorne says he likes to hand out at the park sometimes after school …”

I shrugged in response. “Sometimes.” We passed Granny’s café and I suddenly remembered Regina’s coffee. “Could we make a quick stop at Granny’s? I need to -”

“Already taken care of,” the Sheriff said, opening up his glove compartment to reveal a cup of coffee.

“Oh,” I said, half-confused by the act of kindness. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” A few seconds of awkward silence passed as we carried on driving through the town, before Sherriff Graham spoke up again. “So … you were talking to Mr. Hopper?” he tried to make his question seem casual, but for some reason I noticed a hint of genuine curiosity in his voice.

I gave him a confused look through his rear-view mirror. “Who told you know that?”

“A little bird,” he answered vaguely. “So what were you two talking about?” Again, he tried to make it sound casual, but now I was sure something was up. There was a reason why he was asking all these questions, but what was it?

Archie Hopper-- Jimminy Cricket-- Mr. Gold's Antiques-

I walked into the cluttered store of Mr. Gold. The little bell jingled lightly as the door closed behind me. Guiding the center aisle were counters and shelves full of little trinkets and antiquities. A golden Arabic lamp gathered dust, ancient clocks ticked to different rhythms, and a pair of puppets sat restfully on a high shelf, their dark, gaping eyes sending a squirm to my stomach. I never really liked coming in here.

"Mr. Gold?" I called. He wasn't at the checkout counter which usually meant he was in the back store room. I went to the door where a sign read, Employees only.

Rapping my knuckles on the door, there was a feint movement behind the oak barrier.

Finally the door pulled open and the shorter, smartly dressed Mr. Gold stepped out. "Ah, Mr. Hopper. It must be 3:30 already," he commented and limped past me to the counter.

"You've, ah, come for the watch, am I right?"

"Yeah, and I have the money too--"

"No need Mr. Hopper. I can't sell it."

I froze. "What?"

"I can't sell it, Mr. Hopper. I'm kind of... saving it for someone."

"Saving it? For who?"

"Ah, that's my business. But I am a reasonable man. Let's make a deal. I can't sell you the pocket watch, but I can offer you some rather fine wristwatches." He proceeded to pull out a box that was lined with velvet and contained a dozen wristwatches. I looked at them grimly and shook my head.

"No... that's okay. I really don't need a watch."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help," Mr. Gold shrugged and closed the polished box. Something told me he wasn't too sorry.

I nodded and regripped my umbrella. "I should- um- get going. Papers to grade and all--"

"Papers?" Gold asked curiously. "On the first day of school?"

I bit my tongue from saying anything more and turned to leave. Gold tsked and began fiddling with something else under the counter.

"Lying doesn't really become someone of your conscience, Mr. Hopper." I froze at the door. For a brief second something pricked in my mind...

Shrugging the feeling off I gave Mr. Gold a curt nod and went out of the door, once again the bell ringing behind me. I never liked going in there.

--Hey *coco,
I won't be able to write at all from Sunday 22 through Sunday 29.... A whole week. I have to go to a camp where I won't be able to touch a computer.... Please don't let anything happen to my characters! Just know that I'll be back soon, and I'll try to write. If everything goes *wrong* I'll not be able to write until August... But HOPEFULLY, nothing will.
THanks
KRose (Acting Cindy Rell, Gretta Sweets, and Jake Sweets)

Jasmine "Leigh" Spring| Mulan|The Streets| 7:20pm| Jay

Jay looked at her for a while and Jas stood there, trying to look tough. Her legs were slightly apart, her chest puffed up and it wasn't a very comfortable pose but she had to look tough because honestly, one more night of chasing cats by herself while they were off scaling buildings would be torture. At least he wasn't laughing.

"What do you want to go and do that for? There's no place in gangs for a kid like you, you're better off as you are," Jay said. Leigh gave him a sullen, defiant look.

"I'm not a kid, sixteen just like you!" she declared, though she realised her mistake as Jay did laugh this time. Leigh was a good height for a girl, or not bad at least, but she made a very short sixteen year old boy. "Alright so I'll prove myself! If I do something impossible, then you'll take me to your gang?"

Jay seemed to think about this and then he shrugged. "Get me the arrow," he said. Leigh gave him a puzzled look.

"What arrow?"

"The one that Thelma Godwin has. It is said that one day, long ago, an archer shot his golden arrow and it sailed high and true, right into the side of Godwin's house. So she pulled it out and took it. The arrow is said to have magic properties, that sound impossible enough?" He was laughing at her again, but this time with his eyes.

Jasmine didn't know what to say but she balled her hands into her fists and said, "I'll get your arrow. If it even exists." She turned on her feel and stomped off toward Mrs Godwin's house.

After walking around twice, Leigh decided the best way up was going to be the rose trellis and then she'd have to try and pry the window open. She'd have to go slowly if she didn't want thorns scratching all her hands.

Fin | Rapunzel | Her room

Her mother made her chicken satay with a lot of fluffy rice but Fin wasn't hungry that night.

"What's wrong, darling?" Thelma asked her daughter. "Rachel, you know you have to eat."

"I'm not hungry, mom," Fin said, pushing a hunk of meat around.

"Now, Rachel, you know that if you want to stay in shape the best way to do it is-"

"I know," Fin said. "God, Mom, I know. I'm just not hungry. I'm not anorexic, I'm not overweight, I'm athletic and I'm not hungry."

Her mother stared at her, her eyes protruding like those of a frog. "What's wrong with you?"

To be honest, Fin didn't know. It had been an itch she'd had since coming home. She had crossed the car park to her car and waved goodbye to the other cheerleaders, who were making plans to go out. The football team would go out as well. Nothing major, just a casual trip to Granny's, and maybe a few beers under the Toll Bridge to ring in the new year. But such a trip was not one Fin could go on. She hadn't consulted with her mother, they hadn't picked an outfit, and Rachel Finley didn't do casual. She did, "Fabulous!" as her mother would say, making her spin around and wiping an invisible tear from her eye.

"I'm not hungry." Fin pushed her plate away and stood up.

"Where are you going?" her mother screeched.

"To my room!" Fin shouted. "Where I'll always be, waiting for you to let me have a little fun. She stomped up the stairs, her mother scrambling after her, until they stood in the doorway of Fin's lilac-walled bedroom.

Her mother gave her a simpering look. "All I want is what's best for you, Rachel dear. Surely you understand that."

"I will never understand anything you do," Fin said, raging.

And that was it. Her mother slammed the door. The key turned in the lock, and Fin was left to her prison by herself.

She did some homework, because why not? She put her headphones on, but there was nothing she wanted to listen to. She considered going to bed early, and changed into her purple silk nightdress in preparation, and took her silver-backed hairbrush to brush her hair as she had done every single night. One hundred strokes.

On stroke fifty-seven, she heard a noise outside her open window. Probably just a bird. Fifty-eight. Fifty-nine. The bird was still there. Sixty. Sixty-one.

And then something crashed through her window and Fin had to stop herself from screaming.

Spoiler

Alright, and I'm back! Sorry it took me so long to post on this one!

I'm kind of confused on Thelma Godwin. That's Fin's mom, right?

Jay Archer | Robin Hood | The Streets

The bell finally rang, and I started to leave, glad to be out. The streets were my place - I could do whatever I wanted to or had to.

I didn't see the guy coming, and next thing I knew I'd hit him. I felt my stuff tumble out of my arms and growled in frustration at myself. I should've been able to avoid him!

"Sorry," the guy muttered, crouching down to help me save my stuff from the stampede of relieved teenagers. I recognized him - he was David, on the football team. I didn't know much more than that, but I'd have thought that someone as high-up as a football player wouldn't bother to help some kid who wasn't usually even at school. He looked up, and I guess he actually did recognize me. "Archer, right?"

"Yeah," I said, focusing on my stuff. I wanted to get out of this place.

"Sorry about that," David said, handing me the last of my books.

"Whatever," I answered, moving on, feeling trapped in the crowds. I had to get outside.

Finally, the sun glared at me. I blinked, adjusting my eyes, and as soon as I got to my bike I took off, standing into the pedals to get more speed.

Once I got to a pretty unused building, I stopped, leaning against the wall and thinking. I was supposed to meet my gang today, but I really didn't want to do that. Hopefully they wouldn't decide I'd need some 'lessons' (a very original name for getting beat up), but if they did I'd be more than happy to hit back. That was the thing about my gang; I didn't actually like them. I'd expected to be doing more. And I'd expected the stuff I was doing to be cool stuff. Instead I just tried to hang back while they beat up on kids and acted like general idiots and jerks. Except, I couldn't just back out. Not without really getting it. So I had to put up with them until I could figure out how to get away from the morons.

A familiar form appeared around a corner, shaking me out of my thoughts. "Hey man, what up?" Leigh greeted, striding up. His voice, a little high but still casual, was familiar as well by now. "Will you be meeting up with that gang of yours?" I managed not to grind my teeth at the thought of the band of idiots. "Think they'd let a tough-looking boy like me join up?"

Now that was an awkward question. I didn't want Leigh to get caught up in this - he was fun, and the gang wasn't really all that free. But I didn't want to insult him either - the kid was nice, and I wasn't sure how he'd react.

"What do you want to go and do that for?" I asked her. "There's no place in gangs for a kid like you; you're better off as you are."

"I'm not a kid," Leigh protested, "sixteen, just like you!" I couldn't help but chuckle at his determination. If he was sixteen, it sure didn't show on the outside. "Alright," Leigh declared, "so I'll prove myself! If I do something impossible, then you'll take me to your gang?"

This was going too far. Leigh didn't belong in the gang - I didn't, either, but it was too late for me. I should've told him I was just skipping them tonight, but then he might think I was the wuss. I'd have to make up something actually impossible - at least Leigh might enjoy trying.

"Get me the arrow," I said mysteriously, a story coming to me. I didn't know where it came from, but it was almost like I already knew it. Leigh looked at me, confused.

"What arrow?"

"The one that Thelma Godwin has." I began telling the random story that had popped into my head, even more easily than lies did. Weird. "It is said that one day, long ago, an archer shot his golden arrow and it sailed high and true, right into the side of the Godwin's house. So she pulled it out and took it. The arrow is said to have magical properties." I finished and looked back at Leigh. "That sound impossible enough?" I asked, allowing my amusement at his determination to show through my eyes.

Leigh's hands balled into fists. "I'll get your arrow," he declared. "If it even exists." With that, he ran off.

I was a little surprised he'd decided to go for it. I hoped Leigh didn't get in too much trouble - I felt sort of bad now, having made him go after that. But he was determined. Maybe he'd give up. Then again, from what I'd seen of him, he wouldn't. And if he got caught... he was just a kid. I'd let him try, but I'd try and keep him out of too much trouble. If it all came down to it, I'd make up a lie and try to get us both out.

I went towards the house I'd directed Leigh to, planning to watch unseen - I'd found that I was skilled at that. But as I got closer, the sound of a scream pierced my ears.

Leigh, you idiot! I dashed the rest of the way there, ready to grab Leigh and go before anyone could hurt him or call the cops. I couldn't believe he'd try to sneak into the house over a stupid imaginary arrow!...

Ebony-Rose White - 'Snow' - City Hall

Regina had me working three times as hard because I was late. I knew as soon as I stepped into her expensively furnished office that I'd be in for a tough time and I was right. The look on her face said it all. She was more angry than a bull. But I didn’t protest or get upset, I was used to being treated like her slave, ever since my dad passed away she seemed to see me as nothing more than her personal doormat. I just wondered how much longer I was going to have to put up with it.

By about 5 o’clock that afternoon I had just about finished filing away Regina’s documents and typing up her schedule for tomorrow. Just as I was moving on to my next task of the day - alphabetising Regina’s files - Sydney Glass entered her office. His eyes met mine and an annoying smile appeared on his face, a smile that was a mixture between amusement and satisfaction.

I just stared at him. “Regina is busy speaking with Henry.”

Sydney’s smile seemed to grow. “Is she now? Well, why don’t you be a good little girl and give her a message from me, tell her that her plan is in motion.”

I frowned in confusion. “What pla-”

“Miss White, those files won’t alphabetise themselves,” Sherriff Graham said, walking in at that exact moment. I watched him glare sideways over at Sydney, “I’ll pass your message to the Mayor, Mr. Glass. Good day to you.”

“Well, thank you very much, Sheriff Graham. Good day to you too.” With that, Sydney Glass threw me another one of his smiles, before leaving the premises.

I just stared after him, still confused by what he’d said. What had that sneaky reporter meant by ‘her plan is in motion?’ What was Regina up to?

“Miss White?”

I snapped myself out of my thoughts and realised Sheriff Graham was staring at me. I found myself staring back at him, wondering if his sudden interruption was actually sudden at all or just well-timed. Did he know about Regina’s plans? Was he part of those plans? Was Regina using him to keep it from me?

More importantly what on earth were Regina and Henry talking about?

I let out a helpless sigh and returned back to the disorganised files in front me. I hated not knowing what was going on, especially when I had the feeling that it might have something to do with me.

Henry- Prince Charming #2- Mayor Thorne's office--

"Have a seat, Henry," she said cooly. I already knew I was in trouble, but not sure just how much trouble I was in.

"Mind if I stand, Mother? I've been sitting all day."

She growled softly in frustration and took a seat in the plush chair behind her desk. It felt like I was on trial. It definitely looked like it. A one way trip to Mom's office in the back of Sheriff Graham's police car with Ebony-Rose, and now standing in front of her desk for interrogation, trial, and sentence... ugh.

"Where on Earth were you?" she asked. "I was so worried."

"Mom, you didn't need to be worried. I left school and went straight to the park for a little bit, just so I could think. That's when your hound dog pulled up and drove me here."

"Whose a hound dog?" Sheriff Graham asked as he came in quietly from the outer reception room.

Flushing with embarassment, I shoved my hands in my pocket and muttered, "Nothing."

"What are you doing in here Graham?" Mom asked him impatiently. He went over to her side and whispered in here ear. It must have been something good because she got that satisfied smirk she gets when she knows she's won something.

"Thank you, Sheriff Graham. You're dismissed."

He nodded and half saluted me a goodbye. Standing up, Mom maneuvered around to the front of her desk and leaned casually.

"Anyway, you know I don't like you going to that park. It's old and run down and dangerous. But I am merciful," an odd choice of words, "and you'll only be grounded for three days. School, homework, and home, that's it. Understood?"

"But mom, I was going to have David over!"

"Well, I guess now you won't be able to. You'll just have to explain that you're grounded."

I wanted to argue that it wasn't fair, but that would just blow everything out of the water and I might get grounded for two months. It's happened before.

"Yeah, fine," I muttered. She seemed satisfied and showed me out. "We'll talk later. Right not I want you to catch up with Sheriff Graham and get a ride home."

I walked away gloomily to find my 'warden.' This wasn't fair.

Isabella "Bella" Stonell - 'Belle' - Her apartment

Sundown finally arriving, I make my way back to my house. My father cooks dinner in the kitchen, and I sit at my desk in the living room, thankfull for him giving it to me on my fifteenth birthday.

"Isa," He smiles, bringing me over a cup of warm soup, "Dinner's ready."

"Just a second, father," I bring up a window on my laptop, doing some research, "I have to finish a bit of homework I didn't get to finish at the library."

He nods, setting the cup down beside me on the little pull out tray, "Eat when you're ready."

I nod, sighing as I scan over my screen. Once finished, I eat before hearing a ring at the door. I stand and make my way over. I open the door, a beautiful rose sitting in a vase.

Something inside me clicks and images flash through me. Confused, I pick up the vase and make my way up to my mini library, setting it down on a little table in the middle of it. A petal drops from it and I stare at it for a while, trying to figure out why it seems so special. But what I didn't see, was the tiny note on the bottom of the vase.

David- Prince Charming- Storybrooke Police Dept.

"Grounded?"

"Yeah, it's so unfair," Henry's voice crackled through the phone. "Just because I was hanging out at the park."

"Harsh," I commented lamely, scribbling on some documents Graham was having me finish.

"Tell me about it. I am really getting tired of this. The notes, having Ebony check up on me, having the Sheriff check up on me..."

"Sorry, man. But at least it's only three days. Keep your nose clean and Regina might let you go to the football game."

"Why? Just to cheer your ugly face on?" he joked.

"Who're you calling ugly?" I challenged, just as Graham walked through the door with a person in handcuffs behind him. "Uh... I'll have to talk to you later."

"Alright, see ya man." I quickly hung up the phone. The person behind him came into the dim light and I could see Leroy.

"Again?" I muttered. Leroy glared at me.

"Whatchoo say, punk?" he slurred. Graham put a firm hand on his back and guided the drunk to a jail cell.

"Have a good sleep, Leroy," he said. His comment was met with a few muttered swears before Leroy clumsily dropped onto the cot. Graham locked the cell door and looked at me.

"You know you need to keep the line open for emergencies," he reprimanded me while motioning toward the phone.

"Sorry, I was just calling to confirm a plan."

"Hot date?"

I scoffed. "Yeah right. Henry's grounded."

"I know, I took him home after Regina issued the sentence," he said, leaning on his desk. I nodded toward our most frequent guest.

"How long?"

"The usual, two days. Enough to get him sober and give him a lesson."

I shook my head sadly. "To think, the guy used to be in the miners guild."

"That's what addictions can do to someone. Turn 'em a complete 180 and go down a dark and dangerous road."

There was a shared silence between us, only interupted by the loud snores coming from the cell. Graham shook his head and looked back at me. "So, how was practice?"

*Just a little more introduction to Grumpy. Background characters are fun.*

Jasmine "Leigh" Spring| Mulan| Fin's Home

The rose trellis was harder to climb than it looked and Leigh struggled hand over foot to pull herself up. More than once she slipped and gritted her teeth as the thorns pricked against her skin, but her biggest tumble was at the top. Leigh made a poor grab at the window and fell through its gaping jaws, sprawling into the room.

The room that wasn't empty. She stared up in horror at the familiar face of Rachel Finley who looked about to scream.

"Oh please don't!" Leigh said quickly, using her own voice without even thinking. But instead of screaming, Fin reached for a trophy from her shelf and raised it above her head.

Leigh scrambled back toward the window, only then realising that her hat had fallen off during the fall. She scooped it up and stuffed it back over the bun. "I mean- I'm not here to harm you." There. That was a more manly voice.

Rachel stared at her and Jasmine wondered if she should run, but she hadn't found the arrow yet. She just had to fall into Fin's room, didn't she? Of all the girls it might have been, it had to be Fin the beauty queen with her very heavy, very deadly beauty queen trophies.

Rachel looked less scared than amazed (though she also looked a bit ridiculous brandishing the trophy in her purple silk nightdress) but as Leigh backed toward the window, Fin suddenly said:

"I know who you are!" Her voice was triumphant and Leigh felt her heart speed up even more, thumping heavily in her chest.

"Me? I'm just a street kid, just a kid," Leigh insisted.

"No you're not, you're Jasmine and I'll scream if you don't tell me why you're here." Fin was still holding the trophy and Leigh didn't know what to say. But then Fin started screaming, as if to prove her point and suddenly Jas was on her feet and running across the room. She clamped a hand over Fin's mouth to silence her.

"Are you trying to get me killed?" she hissed. There were sounds from downstairs and then there were sounds from the window as well. Jasmine's head whipped back and forth between the two, then Fin hit her on the arm with the trophy.

"Ow!" Leigh gasped, pulling away as a woman called from downstairs and a boy's hand scrabbled at the window ledge.

"Don't give me away. Please," she begged, dropping into a crouch as she tried to watch the door, the window and Fin.

Jay Archer | Robin Hood | Fin's Window

I sprinted towards the house, grabbed the trellis to the open window, and drew my hand back sharply, drawing a hissing breath through my teeth. A single drop of blood welled up on my palm. Roses - of course they were thorny, painful roses. Leigh had gloves; I had bare hands.

Growling in frustration and a bit of panic, I saw a tree and clambered up it, crawling out onto a branch high enough to barely reach the window.

"Don't give me away, please," I heard Leigh's voice. At the same time, I thought I heard someone calling from through a door, asking what was going on. A little farther - the branch was drooping under my weight, almost enough to dump me off - and I could see him crouched by a bed. Next to him, in a nightdress and wielding a trophy, was - of course - Rachel Finley. Of course. Of course! Finley'll sell her out in an instant! She looked between Leigh and the door, clearly debating something.

"Leigh!" I whispered harshly. His head snapped up to see me. "Get out of there, Leigh! What the heck do you think you're doing? Screw the arrow, just-"

There was a snap, and suddenly I was not looking through the window, but at the ground as it rushed up to meet me. I shouted out in alarm, but my curse was cut off as my head slammed into the dirt. I laid there for a moment, dazed, before I heard the sound of a door slamming open. I lifted my head dazedly to see Thelma Godwin standing there with a baseball bat, glaring wide-eyed at the intruder.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded. Oh, crud... Leigh, you better thank me for this... "You were looking for my daughter, weren't you!" she cried. Suddenly, she was grabbing my arm, hauling me up, but it wasn't to see if I was alright. "Alright, now, I see how it is. You think you can sneak up there and take her from me, don't you? Well, we're going right up there and you're going to explain yourself and tell her that you won't be returning, understood?"

Alarms blazed in my head. Leigh was still up there. I was already doomed - Rachel's mom looked ready to spit fire on me - but if I delayed her, maybe Leigh could get out of this. Assuming he could weasel free of our cheerleader friend.

"Wait, you don't understand!" I cried. "It's... it's just... I, um, I lost my plane. You know, one of those remote control planes? I flew it into the tree, and I was trying to, uh, get it..." Intentionally telling a bad lie was kind of painful, but maybe the woman would argue with me and buy us time...

"You're lying!" accused the half-crazed mother, taking the bait, but then... "Enough of this. We're going to see my daughter." And, still holding me by the arm, she proceeded to drag me up the stairs. Crazy woman! I wrenched free and ran. You better the heck get out of here, Leigh, or I might kill you myself once this is all settled.

Spoiler

Trying to buy you guys some time, as well as get Jay out of the way. Sorry to kind of take over Rachel's mother, Stella... Is this alright, or is it too much?

Spoiler

Just perfect on the Thelma front!

Rachel "Fin" Finley | Rapunzel | Her home

"Don't give me away. Please." Jasmine was begging. Fin hesitated.

"What are you doing up here?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. "Were you spying on me?"

"No! No. There's..." Jasmine paused as if unsure whether to tell the truth or not. "There's an arrow, a gold one. Your mother has it. Do you know where it is?"

Of course Fin knew where it was. "My mother won that in an archery contest."

Jasmine shook her head. "Please- I have to get it- it's important-"

Fin heard noise on the stairs and Jasmine turned her pretty head in its direction. "Down," Fin hissed, pushing Jasmine down and under the bed without thinking. The door swung open and Fin's mother stood there holding onto a barely-controlled Jay Archer.

"Rachel who is this boy?!" she demanded. Fin cringed at the use of her first name in front of two peers.

She managed to retain an air of composure. "Jay Archer." She didn't know what he was doing here, but surely it had to do with Jasmine. And Fin, somehow, wasn't prepared to give the girl away. She expected Jasmine's parents were as strict as her own and if the other girl had found a way to freedom, then Fin wanted in on the secret. But she would have to give a little to get a little. So she made up the cover story on the spot. "I thought I told you, I'm not interested in going to homecoming with you."

Her mother's lip curled. "You're harrassing my daughter?"

Jay at first seemed outraged, but Fin gave him a tiny nod and he caught on. "I'm sorry. I just... I thought it would be romantic."

"It's alright, Mother. Don't worry."

"He was breaking into your room!"

"It happens in movies all the time, right?" Jay said, clearly hoping to help his own case. "Sorry, Fin. Guess I overstepped."

"That's alright. I just have my own plans for homecoming." Or at least my mother does. "Mom, perhaps you'll show him out?"

"He was breaking and entering-"

"He's fine!" Fin insisted. She would have let Jay out herself, but how could she, with Jasmine hidden under the bed? So grudgingly, her mother stomped back down the stairs. Fin tried to smile at Jay without her noticing, but she's not sure he saw.

As soon as they were gone, Fin ducked down to see Jasmine. "You better explain yourself right now."

"I... I... I'm not Jasmine. I'm Leigh," she said hopefully.

"No you're not, you're the girl who sold me the pink chiffon shirt I'm planning on wearing tomorrow."

"Please don't tell anyone that. I want..." Jasmine was clearly embarrassed. "I want freedom. I'm not the person my parents want me to be. But you can't tell anybody!" she said, amber eyes widening.

Fin considered it for a moment. In a way it was pathetic, but in another way she envied Jasmine- or Leigh. She crouched fully to look the other girl in the eye. "Okay. I'll keep your secret. On one condition."

"What's that?"

"You help me escape too."

Ebony-Rose White - 'Snow' - Storybrooke Streets + Regina's House

By the time I was finished at City Hall it was dark outside and, unlike Henry, I wasn’t lucky enough to get a ride back home. Unfortunately for me that meant I had to walk the whole way, all by myself at night. Even though Storybrooke wasn’t known for having murderers, rapists and drug dealers lurking about in its streets, I still couldn’t help being a little scared. Since I could remember, I’d always been afraid of the dark. I’d have regular nightmares about running through dark forests, surrounded by black, leafless trees, with menacing white eyes dotted around the darkness following me until I screamed and fell to the ground. Then I’d wake up, panting, sweating, wondering why the dream seemed so familiar.

I quickly shook those thoughts from my head and carried on walking briskly down the dimly lit streets leading home. All the way I kept focusing my mind on other things like the English paper I needed to finish for Mr. Hopper’s class the next morning and how I needed to take my guitar to Mr. Gold’s pawn shop to get the tuning fixed and the strings changed. I let out a sigh. Those thoughts didn’t exactly make me feel any better. There was no way I’d be able to finish Mr. Hopper’s paper before tomorrow morning and as for Mr. Gold, I hated visiting his shop because the man gave me the creeps. He would always look at me like he knew something I didn’t - like a secret - but then again, after what I heard at City Hall this afternoon I wasn’t so surprised anymore, because it wasn’t just Mr. Gold. Regina, Mr. Glass, maybe Sherriff Graham and even Henry seemed to know something that I didn’t.

But what was it?

Before I realised, I’d arrived home. Letting out a sigh of relief, I dug out the keys from inside my coat pocket and opened the door.

Henry, who was sitting on the stairs, was the first person to greet me. He had an angry look on his face and the way his eyes pierced mine, I knew whatever had happened he was about to blame me.

He always did.

“I want you to stop checking up on me, Ebony,” he growled, making me furrow my brows in confusion. “I mean it.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked, removing my coat.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Henry retorted, his eyes still piercing mine. “I’m sick of it. You, mom, Sherriff Graham … you all treat me like I’m a four year-old.”

That did it for me. I felt something inside me just snap. “Well, maybe if you stopped acting like one-!”

“Ebony-Rose!”

Regina’s voice echoed through the ground floor hall as she charged towards me. If Henry had looked angry before, it was nothing compared to the look on Regina’s face. “How dare you speak to my son that way in my house? ”

I felt myself recoil, the momentary anger and courage I had I could feel slipping away ….

“Mom stop,” Henry said, rolling his eyes, but Regina wasn’t having any of it.

“No dinner for you, you will apologise to Henry and then go to straight your room! Maybe that will make you remember the way things work here!”

I fought the tears back from my swelling eyes and quietly made my way up the staircase towards my bedroom in the Tower. On my way up, I passed Henry who was avoiding looking at me like he was embarrassed. I wanted to scream at him, I wanted to ask him who was being treated like a four year-old now, and why he was so mean to me when I had always been there for him. But, I didn’t. I couldn’t.

“I’m sorry Henry.”

With that, I carried on walking up the stairs, my blood boiling from anger, humiliation and sadness.

Isabella Stonell - 'Belle' - At Her House

By the time I'd finished staring at the rose, my father walks in with a form in his hand. He looks at the rose for a while before sliding the sheet infront of me with a pen.

"Mother Superior emailed me this form a couple minutes ago," He tells me, "She said you're one of the best students in Storybrooke High. She was wondering if you would sign up for a tutoring session, to help the other kids at yoou're school."

I stare at it for a minute before looking at the time, dates..."What about the football game?" I ask, "I promised Snow I would watch her sing."

He sighs, "You could always postpone that tutoring session for over the weekend instead."

I nod slowly before filling everything out. My name and all my academic information. Plus, this would be a great advantage on my college application someday. Once I finished, I gave the paper back to my father.

"I'm heading upstairs to sleep," I kiss his cheek, "I'll see you tommarow, father."

He nods and bids me goodnight before walking into the kitchen. I strode my way upstairs and dressed in my nightgown before brushing my hair and looking in the mirror. Something about myself made me wonder if people were taking advantage of me or not. I've always wondered if they just wanted me for my brains; or looks. Either way, I climbed in bed and closed my eyes, in wait for the next day to come.