Gideon was sobering. A reminder of the reality that continued on outside of their cozy little nook at the edge of the world and realms. For without nights they were forced to think of their days in "sleeps" and all the while they'd been busy building their home and farming the land she felt as though so many sleeps had past they must have been there for a year, maybe even two. It was certainly two cycles of crops, she'd gotten enough new gray hairs for two years, the work they had done was work that easily should have taken them that time, and the ache that she felt for her son certainly made it feel it had been that long, maybe even longer.

And yet, one day, as they sat on a blanket just outside their home, looking at the view and talking and laughing about all that they'd accomplished so far she heard a noise she'd become all too familiar with since starting this journey. When she looked over her shoulder she felt her smile widen and immediately jumped to her feet. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her into the arms of her son, who had to drop the bag he'd brought with him through the portal just to receive her. They hugged so tight he easily picked her up off the ground.

"Gideon! It's been too long!" she muttered in his ear.

He laughed. "It's only been a couple of weeks, Mother! You can't live that long without me?"

Weeks. Not years, weeks. What they'd accomplished, the building and growing, things that would have taken years, they'd done only in a few weeks time for Gideon. And he wasn't joking with her, for as her husband followed to give him a hug of his own she studied his face, the face that she knew all too well, and saw the truth of it. It was the exact same face she'd said good-bye to. Years ago? Months ago?

They took Gideon into the house, fed him, told him everything that they'd done and how they'd built their own private world here. Then they showed him the curtains in his room that would allow him to sleep in the dark as he was accustomed to. Soon enough she heard the familiar stillness in the house that came with rest. Her son was here, her husband was slumbering by her side, and yet she couldn't bring herself to go to sleep. Gideon, his unchanged youth, was a stark and clear reminder of the sacrifice that she would have to make to ensure that this all worked out the way they wanted for Rumple. She could feel the years she was living with him, sense them as they pass by her, even if the sun didn't set. But when she looked at Gideon, to see him still young and whole she was reminded that years weren't passing for him the way they were passing for the pair of them here on this ledge. Was it fair, to rob him of his mother so early in his life, just as she was robbed of her own mother?

She clearly wasn't the only one to have those thoughts. For when she woke late the next day she could hear the murmurings of her son and husband down in the kitchen. After dressing she stood at the top of the stairs, listening to their hushed voices discussing the very thing that had kept her up at night.

"What is this place exactly?"

"We told you-"

"No," Gideon interrupted. "No, I don't want to know what you told me last night, the version that Mother is feeding me. Nothing is as perfect as she made this place out to seem. Father…what is this place?"

Below she heard Rumple give a slow sigh, then heard the scrape of a chair and the creep as he must have sat down. "It's called the Edge of Realms, and it is exactly that."

"What happens here? Really?"

"Nothing," Rumple answered accurately. "Time plays tricks here, advancing on us quickly, but never changing in the world around us."

"That's why she told me it had been years yesterday."

"It does feel as though years have gone by, yes. But that's how we know we're in the right place, Gideon. It's all in the prophecy."

There was a beat of silence for a moment, and she nearly put her foot on the step and began to descend when Gideon let out the same sigh his father had.

"But the sun…if time around you has stopped that means it'll never set, Father."

She felt her heart race as Gideon had discovered the same problem that she'd stumbled upon what felt like months ago. Would Rumple realize it too? What if he did? He'd never accept it, never allow her to make such a sacrifice that she was prepared to make! He'd take her away from this place. They'd spend the rest of their lives running around searching for an answer they'd already found!

"One day it will," Rumple's answer drifted up the stairs, full of certainty and belief. He hadn't caught on. "On the day it finally happens everything will be perfectly clear."

"But…is it safe here in the meantime? For Mother? With time moving the way it is-"

"When has your mother ever considered herself first in this search?"

"When have you ever considered the search above Mother's safety?"

She felt her eyes widen at her son's accusation because there was no way that it was anything but an accusation. He was accusing his father of not caring for his mother, of putting himself first. Decades ago, even if it was true, anyone who ever suggested something like that would have found themselves staring down the end of their life. Gideon had never made any kind of suggestion like that before. She hadn't a clue what the look on Rumple's face must have been in the silence that followed. There was the sound of a chair being pushed back, of light footsteps that she knew belonged to her husband but they weren't angry. They were soft, as if he wasn't walking anywhere just walking.

"I know what you fear, Gideon. I fear it too. But you said it yourself just now…I've always kept you and your mother safe. I've no intention of stopping now." His voice was steady. Not calm, but trained. No, he hadn't liked the suggestion that he wasn't doing his job but he'd taken a breath, checked his emotions, and calmly explained things to their son. That was good. It gave her hope.

"She'll be fine," Rumple repeated a few moments later when she finally began to descend the stairs. They'd heard her. There was little doubt about that judging by the way that they'd lowered their voices. "I'll look after her, and if need be, I can keep her young with my magic until the time is right."

"Only if she lets you."

"There lies the rub."

"Good morning mother!" Gideon greeted the moment her skirts came into view.

She wished she hadn't heard that part, and yet she wanted to hear more about what he was saying about it. But it was too late she was already halfway down the stairs and had no choice but to put on a smile and greet them merrily.

"What are you two talking about?" she questioned, automatically walking into Rumple's waiting arm and letting him kiss her forehead.

"Ellen," Gideon lied straight away, like some kind of expert. Where he'd learned that she didn't know, certainly not from his parents. "When I return I'll have to…"

She listened to her son talk on and on about Ellen and school so far but her mind wandered. She knew she wasn't supposed to hear any of their conversation, but she had. The bit about Rumple keeping her young with magic…she wasn't as worried about that as she felt she would have been long ago. He knew better than to use magic on her without her permission. And the dagger, which she felt he'd need for something like that, now sat in it's little ornamental box, nearly forgotten. She'd hold out, she'd let nature take its course and then…

She'd leave Gideon without his mother, just as she'd been left without her mother.

But as she found her seat, and watched her son discuss his life over breakfast she was suddenly aware not of the similarities between her life and her son's but rather the differences. Her mother had left her when she was a child, when she was still growing. She'd left her ignorant and confused and miserable and lonely. Gideon would mourn her; she knew that with certainty. But she wasn't her son's entire world as her mother had been hers. Gideon had friends. He had Ellen. He had school and hopes and dreams. He wasn't ignorant, he was well educated and enjoyed the life he led.

And one day she would leave him. Whether it was in a few years his time or decades in another place, one day she would leave him. Looking at her husband, the way he was smiling now as he listened to their son and holding her hand, unconsciously squeezing at moments when he felt pride in Gideon…it was worth it. Growing old with her husband and leaving her son, dying for Rumple to meet her one day where she liked to think they'd live out an eternity in peace with Neal and even someday Gideon would be worth it.

Children weren't meant to be with their parents forever. They were meant to grow old with their own soulmates. She'd been given that opportunity in this place. Gideon would be given the opportunity for it as well, whether he knew it or not. That was how she knew she'd go on when she was gone. She would live on in him.

I knew that diving into this section was going to require answering some very tough questions. There was the one about Belle leaving behind her social life for Rumple, and I gave my theory on that in the last chapter, but then there was this other big topic. How could Belle be okay with dying knowing that she was going to leave Gideon behind? Maybe you've noticed or maybe you haven't, but I've kind of been trying to answer questions like this throughout this fiction. Here's the big answer, which I think answers a lot of questions: Belle sees the bigger picture. Arguably the biggest picture. OUAT doesn't really cover the matter of religion, but we know that they believe in some kind of afterlife; it would be hard not to after they've gone to the Underworld. They know and they believe that there is something beyond this life and I think it's safe to say that they believe it's going to last for an eternity. Therefore this mission they've been on has never really been a "suicide mission", this has been about finding them eternal life, for Belle, for Rumple, and eventually for Gideon. Therefore, why is she so comfortable leaving Gideon? Well, first of all, she doesn't think that she is leaving Gideon, not permanently. She has faith that she will be with her son again just as she will be with her husband. Second of all, I've tried really hard to leave Gideon in a good place that allows her to feel like this is natural, Gideon understands, and her job is done. I'm doing my best to leave her with the knowledge that Gideon is a man, he's got Ellen, he's got his education, hopes, and dreams. Of course, she knows he'll miss her, she's not over the moon about missing him, but I'm trying to leave her a completion and satisfaction so that she has the strength to go through with this and continue to keep her eyes on that big picture.

Big thank yous to Enomisje, Jennifer Baratta, and Grace5231973 for your reviews on the last chapter. I really do appreciate everyone's support throughout this fiction as well as throughout this series. Truly, I've met so many wonderful people, had so many wonderful conversations. As we wrap this series up I find myself reflecting not so much on the writing or the stories, but rather the people; those who have been with me from the very beginning, those who I haven't heard from in years, and those who have only been here for a fiction or two. Each one is a relationship that I have enjoyed. Thank you, truly, truly, that you all for your support, whether it's chapter by chapter or just every now and then! You are wonderful! Thanks for the memories! Peace and Happy Reading!