"Okay. It's ready."

James couldn't help but be nervous, not that he didn't trust Regina. He did, wholeheartedly. But James wasn't the biggest fan of magic, there was something about it that was unpredictable and dangerous.

"Everyone hold hands, we don't want to lose anyone on the way back." This was it. James was finally going to be free of this place. He watched Regina rush around them, looking flustered and more dishevelled than he ever expected a queen to be. Her hair was mussed and sticking out in all different directions, her make-up had long since come off, but her beauty didn't seem to be affected by the lack of it, the scar on her lip more prominent now. Her clothes were wrinkled from two nights on the couch. He knew in that moment, he was in love, he didn't care if she didn't. He grabbed her hand and held it tight, she looked up and smiled at him. She quickly leaned up and pecked on the lips, or at least that's what she meant to do, James, had other ideas. He reached up to thread his hand through her hair, making it impossibly more dishevelled. He returned her kiss with more fervour than perhaps appropriate in front of everyone else.

"Ew. Mom please. Stop." The couple broke apart at the sound of Henry's voice. Regina blushed and moved to hold her sons hand on her other side.

"Sorry, sweetheart." James reached his other hand out to his niece who happily took it in her own and quickly linked her other hand around Hook's, David looked slightly uncomfortable grasping Killian's hook, but powered through none the less, once Snow had joined hands with Henry the last link clicked into place and he felt Regina's magic work its way through him. A tug pulled at the bottom of his abdomen, nausea began to set in as the world seemed to start spinning around them. James swallowed thickly in attempt not to throw up, a newly found feeling. Being dead hadn't given much reason to vomit. He could already feel the strength, that only life could bring, flow through him. The spell was working. He was alive. He looked at the woman beside him, her beautiful features not in the slightest bit marred by the frown that had taken root on her face. Her lips moved mummering a quiet spell completing their trip back to the land of the living, which as it turns out is a bumpy landing.

The group was torn apart by unseen powers and landed in piles on the floor of the loft. For a moment James thought the spell had failed. Devastated, tears pooled in his eyes. He felt a hand on his shoulder, he turned to find brown eyes boring into his own. He looked around, the sky was blue, the grass was green. They had done it. They had actually made it back. He laughed, delirious with happiness. He turned back to Regina, who stood apprehensive wondering if James had gone insane during the trip back. James raced towards her and wrapped her in an embrace so full of emotion that he lifted her from the ground and spun around.

"I'm alive."

"Yes, you are dear." James set her down once more and pressed his lips to hers in the most loving way. Regina responded immediately, not having felt like that since Daniel. She pulled back, not wanting to scar her son, with the way the kiss had been going she would need to pay for several therapy sessions with Archie. They turned around to find Snow and David in their own little bubble, Emma and Hook were talking amongst each other, quietly while Hook smirked. Regina could only guess what Emma had just whispered in his ear to make him visibly gulp. Henry, on the other hand, looked about ready to gag.

"Let's go to Granny's!" the boy practically yelled in an effort to quickly get away from all the mushiness surrounding him. Regina laughed, Henry was like her in that way, when she was uncomfortable, she showed it. She reached out a hand to her son, who quickly latched on to her and dragged her down the stairs out into the sidewalk. They waited patiently for the rest of what was quickly becoming a family unit and made their way to Granny's.

After dinner, the group split off and Snow and Charming went home to the loft, arms linked and laughing. Emma and Hook went to their own home, Hook's arm around her waist keeping her close to him, Regina believed there was little chance of her letting him out of her sight anytime soon. James and Regina stood awkwardly next to each other, now very unsure of how to behave, Henry rolled his eyes and moved to stand by the black Mercedes that had been abandoned a few days before.

"I suppose I should check if there are any rooms available at the inn." Regina turned, a frown on her face,

"What? Why would you need a room?" James laughed,

"I need a place to sleep love."

"Oh…"

"Unless…" James started,

"Stay at my house, you can even stay in the guest room, but…" James cut her off by pressing his lips to hers.

"Gladly, but I'm not sure about the guest room." He said as his hand moved from her waist to rest on her ass.

"James!" James laughed and lead her to the car Henry was now leaning against.