"Henry, are you sure about this?"
Ella was frowning as their group made its way through the woods to where the portal back to Storybrooke was to open in just under half an hour.
"Of course I'm sure. You've already met my family, Ella, and they loved you and Lucy, remember?" Henry replied with a smile, looking at their daughter, who was skipping ahead of them. "You have nothing to worry about." His family had taken turns in visiting him in the New Enchanted Forest, but it was his mothers, father and stepfather who had been around the most consistently.
"It isn't Lucy or myself that I'm worried about, Henry," Ella explained, looking further behind them to where Anastasia and Drizella were. Drizella looked as nervous as Ella did. "I'm worried about how they'll react to Drizella. I mean, after everything…"
"It'll be okay, I promise. It won't be the first time that my family allowed a former villain into the fold," Henry explained with a wry smile on his face. "You know what my mom and aunt were like before they were welcomed into our family. I'm sure they'll be able to accept Drizella. Especially since we showed Drizella the truth about Gothel and she saved Anastasia. If anyone can accept being messed up in the head by someone that was supposed to love you, it's my mom."
"Yeah but after everything I did to her, everything I wanted to do – " Drizella started.
Henry could only shrug. "My aunt pretended to be my grandma's nurse and then tried to kidnap my uncle right after he was born in order to enact her curse. Not even you went so far as to harm a child. And for a lot of people, Storybrooke has been a second chance. You'll find a place to belong there, I'm sure of it." They didn't call him the Heart of the Truest Believer for nothing, after all, and he truly believed that Drizella could find her second chance in Storybrooke. " Besides, it's Christmas. They're pretty much obligated to play nice on a day like today."
"Daddy, I see the portal!" Lucy called, standing in front of the looming white vortex. "Can I go first?!"
"Absolutely not, Lucy," Ella said. "We go together as a family. All five of us." She looked reassuringly at her stepsisters and smiled as Henry squeezed Lucy's hand.
They stood in a line, arms looped together, and Henry smiled. "Okay then. On three. One, two… three!"
Henry would never get used to the feeling of going through a portal. The stomach-turning, flip-flopping feeling of being pulled between dimensions was indescribable, and not in a good way. But they got through it, and the familiar streets of Storybrooke came into view, decorated with twinkling lights, snowmen, Santa, and all of the beloved symbols from the winter season.
"Man… it's been fifteen years and everything still looks the same," Henry said with a chuckle. "Come on. My grandparents' farm is this way."
"Henry Mills, is that you?" a voice asked.
Henry turned and grinned at the familiar man with the Dalmatian companion. "Archie! Did no one tell you I was coming home for the holidays?" he said with a laugh, pulling the man into a hug. "It's been so long. How are you?"
Archie laughed in return. "I've been great, really great. I'm doing weddings full time now, but I still have my psychology office open for when people are troubled."
"I'm glad that everything's going good for you Archie." Henry leaned down to the dog with a grin. "Hey Pongo! Remember your favorite kid?" He frowned a little when the dog simply sniffed him as if he hadn't seen him before.
The older man cleared his throat awkwardly. "Henry this… this isn't Pongo. Pongo died a few years ago. This is Lucky, Pongo's son. But uh – who do you have with you?"
Henry mentally chastised himself for not realizing that sooner. Dalmatians didn't have the longest life span, and Pongo had already been a fully-grown dog by the time Henry came into the picture. Even with the curse having frozen everyone, Henry had been gone for fifteen years…
"I'm sorry Archie. Pongo was a great dog," he said, standing up. "Oh, right. Archie this is my wife, Ella, my daughter Lucy and my sisters-in-law Anastasia and Drizella. Ladies, this is Archie Hopper. He's a psychologist and minister."
"It's a pleasure to meet you all! Henry, I can't believe you're married with a daughter! They told us you were, but seeing it with my own eyes it's… well it's shocking to admit how grown up you've become!"
Henry laughed. "You do realize I'm in my thirties now, right Archie?"
"Yes yes, I know. But I've kept you long enough. I'm sure you family's wondering where you are. It was good to see you, Henry," Archie said with a smile and a wave, continuing his walk down the street.
He could hear the sheep in the back yard and smiled fondly. It seemed Grandpa Charming's farm was going smoothly.
"Grams? Gramps? We're here!" Henry called, hearing Tramp's eager barking from the side of the house.
"Henry!" his uncle called, running up to him from the barn with a wide smile on his face."
"Wow, look at you, Leo! You've gotten so tall buddy!" Henry said with a grin. "How's school?"
"Not nearly as interesting as your adventures from what Mom and Dad have said! I wish they would have brought me with them last time they visited you!" Leo said, hugging him tight.
Henry could only chuckle and return it. "Well it's better they didn't. It was pretty dicey there for a while. But we've got everything calmed down now. That's why we brought Drizella and Ana with us."
Leo looked over at the women, before frowning. "Henry, if you think I hadn't heard what Drizella did – why did you bring her with you?"
"Because she's changed, Leo. Or – she's changing, really. We managed to get her to see the light before it was too late. Otherwise we'd be cursed right now," Henry said. "You know your parents would do the same. Speaking of… where are they?"
"Hm? They're in the house working on dinner. Your parents are here too. So are Zelena and Jade," Leo said with a smile. "Buuut it looks like the Golds are here. We should get inside before Mom makes us do Christmas outside and I for one am freezing. Come on Lucy, I'll race you to the door!"
Henry laughed, watching as Gideon joined in the race and hearing the door open with a loud bang as the three disappeared inside.
"Henry, I see you brought more than your family with you," his grandfather said, looking at Drizella with a frown. Belle didn't look much more trusting, and while Henry couldn't blame them, it was Christmas after all, and he didn't want anything to go wrong today, lest they all feel the wrath of Snow White.
"I – I knew I shouldn't have come," Drizella said quietly.
"No, don't say that Drizzy. You helped bring me back without hurting Lucy. You stopped yourself from casting the curse. You stopped Gothel. If they can't see it… that's their loss," Anastasia suddenly spoke up, looking at Rumplestiltskin. "She is trying. I've seen it."
Rumple and Belle looked at each other, but nothing more was said as they entered the farmhouse, the aroma of Christmas dinner wafting through the air as Bing Crosby's voice warbled out of the radio. Henry could see Gideon and Leo showing Lucy some sort of video game, the little girl's eyes wide with curiosity and delight, and she called over Anastasia to see what the magical thing was.
His parents looked up in surprise when they saw Drizella and Anastasia, but before any of them could speak, his grandmother appeared with a wide smile on her face.
"Hello everyone! Thank you for bringing the salad, Belle. Drinks are in the dining room on the built-in," Snow said, taking the large bowl out of Belle's hands. "Henry, Ella, it's so nice to see you again. Who else did you – oh. Drizella, right?"
Drizella swallowed tight, nodding as Henry braced himself for round two of trouble.
Instead, Snow smiled. "It's nice to see you again. Merry Christmas. Are you thirsty? I'll get you something to drink."
"M-Merry Christmas, Snow," Drizella managed to say. "U-um, yes, I'd like a drink. Wine, if you have any."
Snow nodded. "Sure, come with me and I'll get you a glass."
Henry smiled and leaned over to Ella. "See? Things are going to be okay. Anastasia and Lucy are with Leo and Gideon and Drizella is being welcomed in with open arms." Or at least, she wasn't being welcomed with fireballs to the chest. That was a start, right?
Ella smiled slightly. "I guess so Henry. It looks like Lucy and Ana are having a good time at least. Come on. Let's go say hi to your parents."
"So Drizella is…" Regina said carefully, looking over as the younger woman helped Snow and Belle with the table.
"She's recovering," Ella said with a small nod. "She's living with us now. She and Ana both. Since their mother isn't around anymore she's gotten a lot better. Trying to repent for what she did. She even got back a lot of Tiana's things that were sold when her kingdom was in trouble."
Emma looked a little suspicious. "How exactly did she get that stuff back?"
"We didn't say it was a perfect start. She is trying but sometimes… she slips," Ella said. "I'm sure you understand how it is, Regina."
Regina inhaled sharply at being called out and nodded slowly. "Yes, I suppose so. Henry, you're sure about this?"
Henry took in his three parents. All people who had been hurt or consumed by the darkness at one point in time. He understood that they were a bit nervous about Drizella, after all, Drizella had hurt him, their son, had tried to curse him, but even so…
"Mom, where would you be right now if Grandma, Grandpa and Ma hadn't given you a chance after your curse?"
Regina clamped her mouth shut at that, and before any of them knew it, Hook and Alice had arrived, and it was time to open gifts.
"Hey bud," his dad said with a smile as he pulled out a small gift bag. "We have something to give you and Ella."
"We?" Henry asked as the kids engaged in a wrapping paper ball fight.
Neal gestured vaguely to the other adults in the room, who were giving each other sneaky glances. "All of us here. Well, minus Hook, but he was in the Enchanted Forest so."
"O-kay…" Henry said, carefully removing the tissue paper and staring at what was at the bottom of the bag.
"Are these – "
"Magic beans. Anton finally got his garden working properly again, so now it won't take blood magic to get to you," Emma said with a smile. "And we can see you more often. And you can come visit us too!"
"Maybe you guys can extend your Storybrooke vacation a little longer?" Grandpa Charming suggested with a warm smile.
Henry looked at Ella, who was looking at his parents with wide eyes. "This… these are incredible! Thank you so much!" she said with a smile. "I can't believe we have the chance to see you more often! Now Lucy and I will be able to learn what this world is like."
"So I can learn how to play the video games Leo and Gideon showed me?" Lucy asked with a wide smile, clutching a wad of wrapping paper in her hands.
"And make friends here, yeah kid," Emma said with a wide smile. "Maybe show Aunt Tiana and Uncle Naveen around?"
Henry grinned and draped an arm around Ella as the chatter continued.
"Henry?" Ella said, resting her head against his shoulder. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you, and since we're all here with your family, now might be the best time."
"Oh? What is it? Hey – everyone? Ella has something to tell us."
The noise died as all eyes turned to Ella, who smiled shyly.
"I'm pregnant."
As if a switch had been flipped, the noise erupted once again, joy filling the air and Henry pulled Ella in for a kiss. "I love you."
And as the snow fell gently outside the farmhouse and the fire crackled, filling the room with warmth as Rumplestiltskin filled champagne glasses for the adults that could drink, and sparkling grape juice for anyone that couldn't.
"I would like to propose a toast to our family. May we be ever closer now than we were before, and may our new year be bright. Merry Christmas everyone."
Henry raised his glass and took a drink, smiling as he looked around the room. It was nice to be back in Storybrooke.
It was nice to be home.
Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays/Happy New Year everyone! Thank you for supporting me this year and I hope I can produce quality fics into 2018!