A/N: I know I gave barely any warning, but I thought this would go on for longer, and it turns out, it didn't.

So this is the end of our story, with an epilogue (as usual) coming tomorrow.

Thank you so much for reading! It's been a joy to have you all here with me. :)

And yes, Aureaborealis, it really is that obvious #epilogue. =P

Enjoy! xx


Out


"This I'll give freely, dearie," Rumplestiltskin said with an ambiguous grin. "Your presence in this world has set off a chain reaction, and it is one I appreciate incredibly."

"How so?" Ash frowned as she took the band from Rumplestiltskin. Apparently it had the power to prevent a magic user from using any kind of magic. It was going to be Regina's prison. Then she would be sent off with Circe and Undine, to the North, where they would never harm her again.

"When Circe cried out she opened a permanent portal. It's only accessible for magic users, but it will enable me to search for someone I lost a very long time ago," he answered simply, the most human that Ash had ever seen the man.

"Good luck then, Rumplestiltskin," Ash bade him.

"You too, Princess of Talinor."

xxx

"Finally!"

Emma looked dead on her feet when Ash came running back to the stronghold. Snow and Charming were hovering carefully by her side while Killian was mysteriously missing. Ash's eyes widened as she drew her own conclusions. No. He couldn't be…

Emma seemed to sense Ash's distress and quickly quelled it. "He's staying out of the way," she answered, purposefully saying no name. Wow. Twenty-three years old and she still couldn't tell her parents about her lover.

Well, she had been estranged from them for five years.

"Got this," Ash answered holding it up to her, before smiling at the two people beside her. "Hey, I'm Ash."

"David," the King said, holding out his hand.

"And Snow, I'm guessing," Ash continued, turning to the kindly woman. It was hard to believe that Emma would have ever run away from these people.

"Thank you," Snow said earnestly. "You and Emma, you've done so much for all the kingdoms…"

"Please," Ash waved away her thanks. "We're glad of your help. I'm sure Evie would love to chat with you guys. Have you seen her?"

"We couldn't," Snow said quickly, her eyes turning to the ground. Ash frowned. She didn't think she'd ever actually heard if there was history there. There had to be, for there to be that reaction.

"Well, I've gotta get this on Regina," Ash continued, holding up the cuff before climbing behind Emma and settling the metal around the unconscious woman's wrist. "And done. So where's Undine and Circe."

"They're already gone," Emma answered, finally taking a seat with great relief. "Graham said that he had someone lined up to take her. Some guy called Robin?"

"Well, you go and get some sleep," Ash answered her, seeing her drooping eyelids. "Snow, would you mind asking for this Robin fellow?"

"Sure," Snow answered, helping Emma to her feet comfortingly, guiding her down the stairs and into the stronghold. Ash let out a grateful sigh and took a seat beside Regina's unconscious body. It was over. It was all over.

Or was it?

xxx

Pan had just been coming up to check on Ash when he spotted someone coming out of the trees. "Felix!" Pan said with a grin on his face, walking eagerly across the field to where his best friend stood.

But in the next second, a blur went past him. He barely glimpsed the mass of blonde hair before the girl threw herself on Felix, clinging to him like a monkey would cling to a tree. If that monkey were so inclined to make out with said tree…

Pan seemed torn in that second between whether or not to punch his best friend in the face or bring him into a hug. This was who Ash was involved with?! But wouldn't he be so much older…

In the end, Peter did both. He crossed that space the minute Felix lowered Ash the the ground and disentangled their limbs, and he punched Felix in the face.

The minute his fist collided, Pan was pulling his friend into his arms, "I'm glad you're back, but I am not glad you corrupted my daughter."

"Sorry mate, I think she did more corrupting than…" Felix's eyes widened. This could get awkward incredibly fast.

"Don't need to know!" Pan was covering his ears as he walked away.

Ash reached up to thread her hands in his hair, pulling him down for another kiss. It quickly grew heated, their need for each other far surpassing any sense of decency. They were in the middle of the path to the stronghold. Anyone could walk past!

And they were proven right when a cough came from behind them.

"Mom," Ash said, blushing as she pulled away. "Hey."

"Hello," Evie answered smoothly, "And hello, Felix."

"Hi, Evie," Felix replied, almost sounding sheepish.

"We're moving out as soon as possible," Evie gave over the information in partial warning. Apparently there'd be no reunion sex for a while if people were going to be so busy over the next few days. "We want to start work on re-adjusting the people as quickly as we can."

"No worries," Felix smiled, "We'll help in any way we can."

Ash shot him a death stare and Evie merely chuckled as she walked away.

"But I don't want to help," Ash pouted as she returned to Felix, his arms snaking around her waist. "I want you to expend all that energy that you've accumulated while you've slept. I don't want you sleeping for a good long while."

"Tasha," Felix groaned as she pulled herself tighter to him and thrust her hips almost imperceptibly against his. "We can't…"

"Oh, I know," Ash grinned, pulling away. "But it might give you an incentive to work faster."

And Felix was probably the hardest worker of everyone for the next few days.

xxx

Ash and Evie were walking the halls of their castle, magic practically pouring from Ash's hands as she tried to bring some life back to the place. The people had cheered them through the streets, flowers and ribbons parading around them.

And as they entered the room that was going to be Ash's, Evie decided to bring up the whole 'Felix' thing, and give her the talk.

"So, you and Felix?" Evie quirked her eyebrow as Ash dusted off the huge bed on the right wall.

"You really want to do this, mom?" Ash answered, sitting down on the bed. "Now?"

"Well, I'm not going to get a chance when everything's settled –"

"Because, of course, the entire castle is going to be spending a week in bed."

Evie actually blushed at that.

"I know this is strange, Ash."

"Yep," Ash answered, leaning back on her palms. "My mother is only two years older than me."

"So I can only speak from experience," Evie continued, sitting next to her and facing her with her legs crossed.

"Shoot," Ash said, knowing that she would say it anyway.

"Shoot what?" Evie's brow furrowed, the colloquialism lost on her.

"Just…talk."

Evie's mouth opened and closed in realization before she began.

"I was definitely young when I had you, Ash," Evie answered thoughtfully. "It was a huge responsibility. But for a very long time, you were the only thing I was living for and without you, I'm not sure if I would have survived."

"It's nice that in my world we have this lovely little thing called birth control," Ash grinned. "Just some pills to control our cycle and we're good."

"You can never have children?!" Evie looked horrified. Not that she was thinking about grandchildren already, goodness...

"It's only temporary," Ash answered quickly. "I should be able to unless…you know…it doesn't happen."

"Not anytime soon, okay," Evie answered, her voice stern and motherly. "I want you to get settled and…wait…are you staying here?"

"Maybe," Ash thought, she supposed, there wasn't really all that much for her back home. Except the band. "It depends on what Felix wants. But I think he does. And I think…I think I do too."

"You're welcome to stay forever," Evie promised. "After all, you are the heir."

"Well…" Ash let that sink in. She'd known that, but she hadn't really thought about it. "I guess that solves it then."

"You're staying?"

"As long as I get to keep Felix," Ash grinned.

"Sure," Evie said with a smile before it dropped, "In the East Wing."

Ash's face fell as she glared at her mother. This was the West.

"I hate you," she muttered.

"Love you too!" Evie called out as she left.

Needless to say, that when all was said and done, and the castle was put together and whole, there wasn't too much going on. Snow and David had gone home with desires for Emma to return soon to discuss wedding plans even if Killian was yet to propose. But they'd be back quickly anyway, Pan and Evie's already booked in for the first day of Spring.

And a week from the day when all their heartache had ended, Ash found herself lying in bed alone, staring up at the ceiling. A soft creak came from her door before it shut quickly. Glancing over, she saw Felix treading lightly towards her bed. He slipped in beside her, and she reached or him desperately, curling into and around him, planting a kiss upon his lips.

"I'm indebted forever to Circe for this," Ash whispered. "Even though she did so many terrible things, she brought you home to me."

"I love you," Felix muttered, kissing along the skin of her jaw, breathing her in as she leaned into him. "And I never want to leave you again."

"Then don't," Ash answered, sealing her words with a kiss. "I love you too much to ever let you leave."

And Felix never really did. The West Wing becoming his new home for every night that followed thereafter.

Asleep in Ash's arms.