Hiya friends! Here's the second chapter, finally! I don't know why it took me so long, but now that summer's here I hope to get back into the swing of things. Thanks so much for sticking around with this fic :)

Playlist: Honey Jars by Bryan John Appleby, Wildfire by Seafret, Desire by Ryan Adams, We Sink by Of Monsters And Men, Ditmas by Mumford & Sons, Long Way Down by Tom Odell


After what felt like minutes of falling through nothing, Liam and Leia met the surface of the cold hard forest floor. Head spinning and a bit disoriented from the fall, Liam was the first to notice that they were not in the confines of his little sister's room anymore—fearing they may even be away from the Enchanted Forest.

"Leia! Wake up! Are you okay?" Liam shook her unresponsive body until she stirred.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," wiping her eyes and getting to her feet. "Where the hell are we?"

Liam looked around the forest, eyes adjusting to the dark of the night. Unable to locate anything familiar, he turned to his sister, "Dunno. Some forest, somewhere."

Leia then realized what just happened in the last five minutes. The wand, Rumplestiltskin, time travel, "Somewhere, yes. But…when?"

"What, you think we did it? We actually time traveled?" Liam began to pace in the darkness, running his hands through his hair in attempt to get the twigs and leaves out.

"How else would we be here right now? I don't recognize these parts of the forest," she started walking further into the woods, Liam running after her.

"Where are you going?" Liam hurrying after his persistently curious sister, "Stick together, Leia. Please."

"Fine, common then! No use loitering around in the middle of the woods at night now is there?"

The two siblings walked in silence for what seemed like hours, unable to locate any signs of life other than the hooting of owls and rustling of leaves. And then suddenly, in the distance ahead they heard yelling and footsteps. Unable to make out what they were saying or who exactly they were, Liam and Leia took off towards the noise.

It was Liam who spotted the figures first, and it was him that pulled back his sister behind the bushes that surrounded the clearing. Leia looked at him like he was crazy, why was he stopping them from seeking help? And then she turned towards the clearing, and saw for herself the very sight in front of them. Her mother. The Dark One.


All Emma could think to do now was run away. Run away from those she loved so the uncontrollable darkness could not harm anyone anymore. She had tried so hard to fight against it, only to let it consume her in the end. But with her family's persistence, Henry's faith, and Killian's love, she found the strength to fight against it once more. It was difficult, so very difficult to let the light in. The constant struggle between light and dark was taking a toll on her and she knew she wouldn't be able to take it any longer. It was so easy being dark. She didn't have to fight anything. She was selfish and free. But she knew it wasn't right. Take the hard path, Emma. Her mother's voice echoing somewhere within. You can do this, love! Killian's unwavering faith and love for her ringing in her head.

She stopped running when she tripped on something sharp on the forest floor. Tears threatening to fall faster and faster, Emma stayed on the ground in utter pain. She was trying so hard to keep the darkness away, but it was pulsing through her veins with a fire that burned deeper the more she resisted it.

She felt arms wrap around her. Killian's. Of course he would run after her, of course. He'd been there through everything. Researched for days for the entrance to Camelot. Realized it was King Arthur who had in fact conjured up the Dark One centuries ago. And it was Killian who ultimately convinced Merlin to help destroy the darkness completely. Merlin had deduced that the power of true love was strong enough to rid the darkness from its tether. But it wouldn't be destroyed; it would seek another soul to tether to or else consume everything around it.

When they were reunited finally after the Dark One initially took hold of Emma, Killian kissed her with a passion and love so strong that the darkness and its curse was beginning to lift. True Love's Kiss. But Emma had pushed him away, admitting that however much she loved him an however much she wanted to rid the darkness within her, it would only move on to another soul. And she couldn't do that to them, they had to find Merlin and destroy it altogether. After a lot of convincing, Killian agreed. It was difficult not to be able to kiss her. Knowing that they were true love in those weeks was both a blessing and torture. The love of his life was suffering and he could be the one to rid her of the pain.

But then the darkness consumed her, and the hope of him saving her with his kiss was lost. See, they discovered that for True Love's Kiss to work, the Dark One must show reciprocation for freeing the darkness and breaking the curse. When Emma was completely dark, she no longer wanted to break the curse. She was happy being dark and cursed and selfish and unsavable. And it broke his heart. To know that he could have saved her, and he didn't.

But he was anything but discouraged to break through to her. In the last few days, he'd made more progress with her than he could have imagined. His Swan, savior and light of his life, was peeping through the darkness bit by bit. It was hard for her. He could see it, but his unwavering encouragement and support and belief in her kept her going. Merlin was just finishing up his preparations to contain the darkness. All Killian had to do was kiss the darkness away.

She was laying on the forest floor, crying and writhing in a battle within herself, light against dark. Killian ran to her, scooping her into his arms and holding her close.

"Shh, you're okay," wiping away the tears and desperately hoping she could hang on a bit longer for Merlin to show up. "I love you, I love you, I love you."

"Killian," she whispered, afraid the darkness would take him away from her. She wanted to protect him against it. The Dark One had figured out he was her savior, and it didn't like that at all. It had forced her to hurt him, to say things to him and act against him in ways she knew wounded him deeply. Just moments ago before running away, she was at war with herself over stabbing him with her sword.

"Yes, my love. I'm here, I'm right here," Killian tightened his hold around her. Looking around him frantically, praying to all the gods above and below that Merlin was on his way.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for trying to kill you," Emma choked out through her tears. The darkness pulled at her harder, punishment for protecting him. "I love you, please know that. I love you."

It took all his strength not to kiss her right then and there, to take away all her pain, to let true love win, "I know, Swan. Hold on, love. Please!"

He heard footsteps from the path ahead, it was the Charmings with Merlin behind them. Oh bloody hell thank the gods! was all he could think.

"Is she okay?" Snow screamed, running towards her daughter in the center of the clearing. Charming held her back, unsure of Emma's stability at the moment.

"Barely!" Killian responded to her mother before turning his attention to the wizard. "Merlin, please tell me you've mastered that bloody containment spell!"

"Yes, it is finished. I am ready to receive the darkness. I have yet to understand how to destroy it—"

"But can you contain it?" Killian's temper surfacing, as he demanded to know the most important part.

"Yes, I can contain it. It will not harm another," Merlin responded. Approaching Killian and Emma, who were both on the forest floor distraught and ready to end this once and for all.

Killian turned to Emma, who smiled at him despite her pain. And all he could think was how much he loved this woman, despite everything that happened, he would always love her. "Good, because I'd really like to kiss my girlfriend now."

He knew without a moment's hesitation that their love was strong and capable. He stopped doubting that a while ago. But still, he prayed to all the forces around that this would work, that he could saver her. Taking her face in his hand, he brought his lips to hers and allowed the magic to take over.

There was a pulsing heat radiating from their touch, releasing continuous white rings of light followed by waves of color. Emma could feel the light inside her again as the darkness slipped away. She was strong enough to pull him closer and return his kiss passionately. The parted briefly, catching their breath, looking at each other in awe. Nothing else mattered in this moment. She forgot about the Dark One. She forgot about the people watching, about the pain, about everyone and anything else that was not the man holding her in this very moment.

"You saved me," Emma smiled at him, a few happy tears shedding in the process as she combed through the hair falling on his face.

"I think it's only fair," he said with complete honesty, "after the countless times you've saved me."

She pulled him down for another long and intense kiss, despite the coughs and subtle hints from the spectators around.

"There, I have trapped the darkness in Pandora's Box for now," Merlin held up the small little box in his palm. "Although it will take me sometime to figure out how to rid the evil completely."

"And Emma? That thing won't harm her again?" Charming asked hesitantly, still holding back Snow.

"Not unless it is released from this box before I destroy it," Merlin responded, immediately lost in thought as he fingered the box in his hand.

"Mom?" Emma turned to see her son, along with her parents, Regina, and Robin.

She turned to Killian, quickly kissing him before both of them stood. Henry came running towards her, entrapping his mother in a long overdue hug that was very much welcomed. Snow and Charming joined in, and it seemed that it was all finally over.

Regina cleared her throat, "Well Miss Swan, glad to see that you're finally back to your…self." She was hesitant to continue, "I just wanted to say thank you, for taking on the Dark One. You didn't have to. That could have been me."

Robin adding, "Yes, Emma thank you so much for your sacrifice. Not only for Regina, but for the town, for everyone."

Emma just smiled, "Of course. I just hope this means we're good now."

"I hope so, too," Regina laughed.

She was still holding on to Killian, as though something could still take him away from her. Leaning into him, she asked, "Can we go home now?"

"Aye, I think it's finally time to go back to Storybrooke," Killian answered.

Shaking hands with Merlin, Killian and the Charmings and the Hoods expressed their genuine thanks towards the wizard. By this time, the knights of Camelot along with some local villagers escorted Belle, Roland, Zelena, the dwarves, Granny and Ruby back to the clearing.

With a wave of his hand, Merlin materialized Granny's diner in the clearing. Hesitating, he finally asked Emma and the group, "May I come along? Just for a while, until I can figure out how to destroy this evil? I doubt King Arthur will be too happy with what I will be attempting to do. After all, he is the one who ordered me to create this in the first place."

"Of course you can, you helped save my daughter," Charming responded. "Storybrooke welcomes you, Merlin!"

Hand in hand, Emma and Killian walked through Granny's portal back to Storybrooke, the rest of their friends and family following excitedly.


Liam and Leia watched from the opposite end of the clearing, disguised behind the shrubbery. Their mother was running away from something, until she tripped and fell to the floor. It was a shock, to the say the least, seeing their mother like this. Her skin was pale and sparkly, hair frosty white. But it wasn't her physical appearance that shook them, it was the evident pain she was enduring. She was crying on the forest floor, writhing away by herself. And all Liam and Leia wanted to do was rush towards their mother and help her in any way they could.

Soon enough their father came, and they were thankful she was not alone. It was reassuring to witness their love first hand. To see them both so young and in love, despite the circumstances. They could feel the effects of their True Love's Kiss. Soon after, their grandparents and Henry and Robin and Regina followed. A young man was there too, Merlin was his name apparently, and performed a spell that took the darkness from their mother whilst True Love's Kiss was working to rid the darkness.

"We're in Camelot, I think," Liam spoke, eyes still fixated on the scene in the clearing.

At that moment, when all of their friends and family were embracing each other, Liam and Leia wanted nothing more than to celebrate with them. Liam hugged his sister instead, wiping away the shed tears from her face.

"I miss them," Leia admitted to her brother. "They're right there, steps away from us, but we can't..."

"I know, we'll figure out a way, I promise."

They turned to find the back of a house smack in the middle of the clearing, the sign reading Granny's. The siblings recognized the infamous restaurant from the stories the grew up hearing. Apparently all major life events had taken place in that diner. And now, their parents were walking through it, along with the rest of their family and friends and a few knights and locals from Camelot. It was some sort of portal they figured, one that their loved ones were going through this very moment.

"Let's go through the back, so they don't see us," Leia suggested. There was no way that they were staying here in Camelot while their parents were going back to Storybrooke.

"Follow me," Liam said, leading the way to the back of the diner.

"Liam?" Leia began as she followed her brother around the diner, "Don't you think it's curious that we haven't returned to the Enchanted Forest yet?"

Liam turned towards his sister, puzzled, "What do you mean?"

"The Dark One's curse, it's broken. Why aren't they back home in the Enchanted Forest? This is when no one can remember anything, right?"

"Aye, perhaps we're to find that out ourselves then," holding the back door to Granny's open. "Common, let's get in before the portal closes!"

To say the least, Granny's was a disorienting place. They arrived in the back, at what appeared to be a corridor of rooms. Perhaps they could stay here overnight and figure out their next move.

"Strange," Leia motioned towards the fluorescent lights above them.

Liam shrugged in response, gesturing to the door with the peephole looking into the actual diner. They had a clear view of everyone without actually entering the room. Their parents were sitting in a center booth with Henry and their grandparents. Others hovered around their booth or talked amongst themselves. Everyone were pretty distracted with the reunions and didn't notice Liam and Leia slip in through the back door and take a seat in a corner booth.

Their parents were facing them, while their grandparents' and baby uncle were turned away from them. Emma and Killian didn't talk much, instead listening to Henry and Snow and Charming and their friends around them. They looked like they were in their own world, so happy to just be together.

"They look happy," Liam observed.

"They do," Leia laughed softly. "It's nice to see some things don't change in the future."

"Aye," chuckling at the memories of their parents being completely and utterly smitten with each other. Really, it was embarrassing sometimes.

Looking around at the rest of the diner, Liam noticed there were others dressed in Camelot garb. It seems that perhaps locals and villagers decided to seek refuge in Storybrooke as well.

"Look," Liam gestured towards the villagers, "maybe we can say we're from Camelot too."

"Yeah, at least we have a cover story if anyone notices us," Leia agreed supportively.

They were so lost in thought and observation that they both jumped when they heard Granny address them. "And what can I get you two this evening?"

Liam and Leia looked at each other in a panic, and Granny added, "Better decide quick, I'm closing up early. We just got back and I thought it'd be nice to celebrate."

"We're fine, thanks actually," Leia said nervously.

Granny nodded and turned to walk away before Liam stopped her, "Wait! Perhaps you can help us out with something. Is it possible to get a room here tonight?"

"Ah let me guess, came here with the rest of the Camelot crew huh?" Granny looked over her shoulder at the other newcomers who also seemed a bit out of place.

"Yeah, we're not really sure where to go from here," Liam was thankful they both had some resemblance of fairy tale garb on to back their story.

"No problem, I'll let you guys stay for a few days. Get you on your feet. Then you'll have to start paying me! Other wise, Gold will have my head for these rent payments!" Granny joked, but it just made Liam and Leia all the more uncomfortable.

"Not a problem, we'll be out of your hair in no time!" Liam responded curtly.

"Are you guys together? One bed or two?" Granny asked hesitantly.

"Oh god no!" Leia laughed in genuine disgust, "He's my brother! Two beds please!"

Granny chuckled, "Sorry about that, just had to make sure. I'll be back with your keys soon…."

She was asking for their names, and Liam was not sure if they should use their real names or code names. Leia caught on to his hesitation and answered coolly, "James, his name is James. And I am Genevieve."

"Alrighty then James and Genevieve, be right back!" Granny seemed to buy it. Liam let out a deep breath as soon as she turned away.

"James? Really," Liam teased.

"Oh stop it, I was in a pinch!" Leia admitted. "You could look like a James, sort of."

"And Genevieve, you hate it when people call you by your middle name!"

"Bugger off, I just saved both our arses right now," Leia elbowed him gently.

With the panic over their conversation with Granny, they forgot about their parents, who were now standing and saying their goodbyes to everyone around. It was late at night and their mother looked like she could barely stand on her own. Being the Dark One was exhausting, and it seemed she wanted nothing more than to sleep in her own bed.

"Goodnight everyone," Emma said to the crowd, "and thank you so much for helping. I'm glad I'm home."

Everyone cheered and said their goodbyes to Killian and Emma as they made their way out of Granny's. Liam and Leia wanted nothing more than to be able to go with them. To go home with their parents just like they always did as kids. When they were younger, after a long day sailing or horseback riding in the forest, they would be so exhausted at the dining table that Killian and Emma would carry them both to their rooms and tuck them into bed. Other days, they would read them stories and build forts for all of them to sleep under. Liam would beg for pirate stories and Leia would hide in her father's comfort when she got scared. They loved their parents. Liam and Leia were so thankful for the life they had, for the people who helped raise them. Being here in Storybrooke would be emotionally difficult for them, but it was comforting to know that they would still be surrounded by the same people they loved so much.

Soon after Granny gave Liam and Leia the keys to their room, the rest of the diner cleared out. They walked silently to their room, both caught up in thought. Liam opened the door to their room to let them in. There were two single beds and a shared table in between. The walls were covered in a paisley print of sort and there were pictures of the sea hung on the walls.

"It's funny, really," Leia thought aloud as she stared at one painting of the ocean. "Dad literally lived here in Granny's for months, and Mom did too for a short while when she and Henry came back from New York to fight Zelena."

"And now we are too," Liam half-heartedly smiled. It was bittersweet, to be so close yet so far from the people they loved. He took a seat on the bed closest to the door, just in case anyone came barging in. Always the protector. Leia took a seat on the bed opposite to him.

"Liam…I'm sorry I didn't listen to you," Leia whispered apologetically, hiding her face behind her hands. "It's my fault we're in this mess."

"Hey, it was both of us. Don't go blaming yourself, Leia. We'll figure it out, okay?

"Okay."

"Something is off though, you were right. Because we aren't back in the Enchanted Forest yet. Whatever is going on now, from this point forward, Mom and Dad and everyone else in the future for the matter, don't remember any of this happening," Liam always tried to cheer her up, regardless of how lost he felt himself. He always put her first.

"So whatever we do, can't really affect the future right? Because they don't remember it?" Leia felt hopeful at the possibility of not being able to mess anything else up.

"Well, not necessarily," Liam ran his hands through his hair. "We should still steer clear of anything, and definitely keep using our code names."

"Why?"

"If we happen to meet our parents here, how do you think they're going to respond when I tell Dad my name is Liam?"

"Right, especially since everyone says we look so much like them already," Leia reluctantly agreed. "So what then, what's the plan?"

"Well, I think we should start with finding Rumplestiltskin. He is, after all, the one who gave you the wand," and it was settled. Tomorrow they would go into town in search for Rumplestiltskin. They would be James and Genevieve, and if anyone asked, they wanted out from Camelot and came to Storybrooke for refuge. And they would stay away from their parents and grandparents for the time being.

They got into their beds and turned off the lights, though neither of them would really be sleeping that night anyway.

"Liam?"

"Yeah"

"I'm glad you're here with me."

"Always, little sister. Now try and sleep, we've got a long day ahead of us," Liam would always follow his sister. Even if she made a mistake, even if she was wrong, he would take her side. He would protect her. He made a promise to her and their parents that family would always come first.

Rumplestiltskin watched from afar in the forest grounds of Camelot. He made sure to stay several paces behind the Jones siblings so they would not notice him. Little did they know, he was lurking outside Leia's bedroom, waiting for the portal to open the whole time. There was no way he was going to miss his opportunity to come back to this time. When he saw the light through the cracks of Leia's doors, he jumped in after them right before the portal closed.

He gave little thought toward the events unfolding in the middle of the clearing. Rumplestiltskin set his eyes on his prize: Pandora's Box in the hands of the wizard Merlin. The darkness, entrapped in one convenient place. And how wonderful that Merlin was coming along with them to Storybrooke. It would seem as though his plan was unraveling itself perfectly. Now all he had to do was get ahold of that box and unfreeze his current self from the coma the Apprentice put him under.

Rumplestiltskin waited until Liam and Leia Jones entered through the back before following them, quickly slipping into a spare bedroom in the hallway in Granny's. No one would know he was here. He just needed to get to his shop, where the remnants of his magic remained.


As always, I am so thankful for all the readers, favs, follows, and reviews. Your feedback is greatly appreciated :) Have a wonderful day!