It had been six months since she had disappeared. Six long and gruelling months of work, hope and despair. They had tried to call her with the dagger, attempted it many a time but still nothing appeared. Everyday got harder with the knowledge that she was gone and they had know idea where she was. They wanted to know if she was in pain, they wanted to find her and bring her home as a family. It was henry's birthday the night she appeared for them. He was making a wish upon his candles for his mother to come home. Once the candles were blown out a whooshing sound could be heard and in the middle of Grannie's a portal appeared. Emma was thrown out of it in a burst of light. Everyone got out of their seats then, Killian, Snow, David and Henry were rooted in place. The same went for regina, robin and the whole establishment. Emma did not appear to be changed, she looked the same as the night she left. No evidence that she had been influenced by the powers of the dark one. The only thing different was that she was wearing a very Arthurian style dress that looked to fancy to be near clothes of a peasant. She also wore a tiara at the top of her head. The dress was a violet colour with gold embroidery on it. Emma got off the floor then and tried to run back into the portal but got thrown back on her ass. She put her hand on the invisible barrier of the portal and the image of the other side came into view. Merlin was on the other side fighting the swirling darkness of the the dark one that had been ripped from Emma moments before. Emma began bashing her hand on the barrier trying to break it with her magic, but without any results.
" No you can't do this! It will destroy you! Let me in!" she yelled.
"No this is the only way to insure that the world will never know this level of darkness again.
You've done you part Emma now its time that you finally get your happy ending."
Merlin said as he began to fall to the floor while absorbing the darkness.
"Please there has to be another way." screeches with her hand still on the barrier.
" There is not. I will be fine Emma. Thank you for being a good friend, its not easy when you have to hide who you are from people and when you came along i wasn't alone in my secret anymore."
"You my friend too and a great teacher. I would never have gotten this far, never would have been able to fight off the darkness without your guidance. Thank you for returning me to my family."
She said as tears began to roll down her face. Merlin had his hand over Emma's on the barrier and she could feel his very soul being ripped apart in the sacrifice he was making. All to soon he became lifeless and she could sense that the dark one was dead within him as well.
"Merlin!" Emma screams, " wake up you can't leave like this, Merlin!"
She began to sob as the barrier that was holding her back faded. She dashed through and laid his head in her lap and continued wailing like a banshee. Guinevere suddenly ran in through the door behind her followed by Mordrid and took in the scene with horror in her eyes.
"What happened to him!" She yelled frantically.
" He sacrificed himself to save us all." Emma says with such sadness in her voice.
Gwen began to cry and Mordrid was frozen in place besides her.
"Mordrid come here," Emma calls.
He approaches almost as if he were on auto pilot and slumps down next to her. Emma grabs his face so he can face her.
" I know what i am asking what not be an easy task and it will take some time to come to terms with what just happened but i need you to be brave and strong. I need you to take Merlins place and protect Camelot and the rest of Albion. Melin believed that you could be a great sorcerer, he could see the potential for great things within you".
" What if i fail?"
"You will not fail because i have faith in you and i know Merlin does too".
" Ok".
"Gwen i have to go back to my world and my family, please take care of mordrid make sure he succeeds."
" I will, good luck to you in whatever you may face. I only ask that you don't not forget us nor the time you spent with us."
" I will never forget you guys". Emma says, the tears welling up again.
They have a group hug before Emma steps back through the portal and into Grannie's. As she began to close the portal, Gwen and Mordrid were waving goodbye to her before the portal closed completely and they disappear from view. Emma stood there a little lost as to what to do now that she was back home. She had spent so much time in a different land that she had gotten used to the culture and feel of the place. Emma turned around and her eyes sort out Henry. When she finds him she holds his gaze and says " Happy birthday kid, I'm sorry I'm late." At that Henry surges forward and hugs his mom in a tight embrace…..