Chapter 24

I don't remember leaving OZ, all I remember is saying goodbye and everything went black. When I woke I was in a field in Storybrooke and Terrence was kneeling beside me. Sitting up I sighed looking around, everything looked the same as when we had left three days ago. I looked at Terrence, we didn't need to say anything, we knew what leaving was like. I tried to tell myself that at least having him by my side was enough.

"You alright?" Terrence asked helping me up.

"Fine" I said simply, picking up my bag.

"hey" Terrence said quickly, grabbing my arm. I looked at his hand and it slid off my arm. "We're in this together, I left my home too." He said, letting out a sigh I nodded taking his hand.

My heart sunk to the very pit of my stomach when I realized that my ring was no longer it's magnificent bright emerald green. It was now faded and grayed. I could feel all the magic gone from it's stone. Quickly I thought of OZ and Oswin, I spun the ring around and around my small finger but nothing happened, when I opened my eyes I was still in Storybrooke.

"He lied" I cried looking at Terrence. "The ring doesn't work anymore. I can't go back."

"I'm so sorry love" He said softly. "You'll see him, this isn't the end." He said squeezing my hand.

"REGINA" A voice called from the woods just across the street, it was Robin.

"Robin" Regina smiled running towards him, I was happy for her, she had found someone to fill the place of my father and she was happy for the first time in years.

"Are you alright?" He asked looking at her then at all of us.

"We're all fine, better now I have you" Regina said softly, he smiled kissing her softly.

Roland came up behind his father as I walked towards them, he smiled at me and I couldn't help but smile.

"Essie" He beamed coming around his father.

"Hi Roland" I smiled kneeling down to pick him up. "Want to meet my friends?" I asked he nodded happily.

"This is Dorothy and Sawyer, everyone this handsome little guy is Roland." I smiled Dorothy grinned at him.

"Hi" He said softly.

"Do you like Essie?" Dorothy asked, Roland smiled and looked at me.

"Yes" He smiled.

"I like you too bud" I said resting him on my hip.

"Papa look it's a puppy" Roland said seeing Toto at Dorothy's feet.

"This is Toto" Dorothy said picking up the small dog.

Roland reached out wanting to pet him.

"Ask before you touch." Robin said walking up with Regina.

"Can I pet him?" Roland asked Dorothy smiled.

"Of course, he loves attention." She laughed letting Roland pet him.

"Why don't we head to town, that's where Roland and I were headed when we saw the portal open." Robin suggested.

"What's going on in town?" I asked.

" The Cona… Coran… Papa" Roland stammered looking at his father for help who laughed.

"Coronation, for Mary Margaret and David's son."

"They had a boy?" Terrence asked, I glanced at him.

"David will be thrilled, he practically begged for a son when Snow was pregnant with Emma." Regina chuckled.

"I take it everything went well." I said putting Roland down as we walked towards town.

"After Mary Margaret had the baby Zalena took it away to her cabin, it took Neal, David, Emma, Hook, Tink and I to get him back and destroy the pendent," Robin explained "We put her in Jail but she disappeared." Regina, Terrence and I all looked at eachother.

"That's because she came to OZ, almost killed me too." I said, I could see Terrence tense up next to me.

"But you killed her, that's what matters." Robin said, I sighed looking down at the ground.

"And we got married, I'd say it was a pretty good venture." Terence beamed.

"You got married?" Robin asked surprised.

"Yeah, last night actually." Terrence smiled I looked at him laughing at the grin plastered on his face.

We walked towards town and I tried desperately to act happier than I was. Reaching Granny's we all made our way inside, the whole town seemed to be there and some people I didn't even know.

"You're back" Henry said happily throwing his arms around Regina who hugged him tightly.

"Oh I missed you" Regina said, I looked up seeing Mary Margaret, David, Emma and Neal. I smiled softly and walked over taking Dorothy with me.

"Hey, congratulations" I smiled hugging David then Mary Margaret.

"Thank you" Mary Margaret smiled.

"This is my friend Dorothy, this is Mary Margaret and David, and this is Emma and Neal." I introduced them.

"Nice to meet you" Dorothy smiled.

"You too" Mary Margaret smiled.

"So is there a ring on Terry's finger as well?" Neal asked with a smirk. I looked down at my hand almost forgetting.

"Well I hope so" I laughed.

"It was a lovely ceremony and I don't think I know two people more in love." Regina said walking up with a smile.

Looking at Neal I noticed his arm around Emma and smiled softly to myself. I felt Terrence's arm slip around my waist and looked at him.

"So does the little guy have a name?" Terrence asked.

"Yeah I would love to know my baby brothers name" Emma smiled, I laughed leaning into Terrence's side.

"I guess now's the best time to tell everyone." David Said Mary Margaret smiled and nodded. "Alright everyone it's time for what you all came here for, the name of our son. We decided to name him after someone who we wish he had the privilege of knowing and who was a great man." David said looking at Mary Margaret with a soft smile.

"We would like you to meet Prince Leopold" She smiled looking down at the baby.

"But please everyone call him Leo" David chuckled.

Sawyer, Dorothy, Terrence and I all looked at eachother, of course we knew it wasn't after our own Leo but it was a nice reminder. The party continued with lots of congratulations to Terrence and I through the night, I would smile and thank them before excusing myself for a drink or to talk with someone. Emma and Mary Margaret were sitting at a booth with Leo and I walked over smiling at them.

"So what is it like to be married?" Mary Margaret asked, I laughed.

"Weird, it seems like just yesterday he proposed… Though with this crazy year it kinda was." I laughed.

"I see you eyeing him, would you like to hold him?" She asked.

"Are you sure?" I asked a little hesitant, I trusted my powers but not my baby skills.

"Of course" She smiled handing him to me carefully.

He was so small, his fingers clenched in fists holding his blanket tightly. I swayed slowly as I held him not taking my eyes off his heavy one's. To be completely honest I had never even thought about kids until yesterday, something about marrying Terrence made me consider it more than I ever had. I wanted to have a family with him, well not this minute but in the future, with everything we've been through we deserve a happy ending and some time to be an actual married couple. Neal came up sliding into the booth with Emma. Leo started to fuss and I tried to calm him, looking at Mary Margaret she smiled softly taking him from me.

"He's hungry probably." Mary Margaret said sliding out of the booth carefully so she could go feed him.

"So what do you think?" Terrence asked coming up behind me.

"About what?" I asked looking at him.

"Oh come on love I saw you with the baby. Do you want one?" He asked.

"Would it be a problem if I do, just not yet?" I asked biting my lip.

"Not at all" He smiled kissing me softly.

"Good" I laughed watching Regina and Robin, they seemed genuinely happy with each other. Regina caught my eye and smiled sweetly.

"Want to go home?" Terrence asked rubbing my back slowly.

"Little while longer?" I asked turning to face him he smiled.

"Sure, I'm getting another drink want one?" I nodded smiling as he walked to the bar, Neal was sitting with Emma and I sat down across from them.

"Please tell me you two got together already?" Emma laughed and nodded.

"After what happened with Zalena we had a chance to actually breathe and talk." Emma said looking at Neal who smiled.

"Thanks to you I never have to leave her" Neal said looking at Emma.

"I'm glad you could work it out, when I first met Neal all he talked about was you and Henry" I smirked.

"All you talked about was Terrence" He said looking at me as Terrence sat down.

"What about me?"

"Just that I love you" I said taking a sip of the wine he had gotten me.

"So how was the wedding?" Emma asked I laughed and looked at Terrence.

"It was perfect, I don't think either of us could have imagined it any better." I said Terrence smiled.

"Yeah seeing as we put it together in an afternoon it was pretty good" He replied.

"We got married under this old tree just outside the gates, when we were kids we use to climb it all the time. Lucky for us the mayor was able to do the whole thing and it went together really nicely. But I think we both improved the vows" I laughed Terrence nodded looking at Neal.

"Scary moment when you try to sound romantic and sound like a blubbering idiot." Neal chuckled.

"You did not, your vows were amazing hon" I said laying my hand on his thigh.

"Anyway obviously I loved it because I still married him."

I could hear Sawyer chuckle and I looked up seeing him standing there with Dorothy. It felt strange seeing him here and my heart started to pound, I could feel my hands growing colder.

"Uh, I need some fresh air, do you mind?" I asked, Terrence slid out of the booth letting me out.

"You alright?" He asked laying his hand on my arm I nodded and pushed my way to the door hurrying outside.

I fell into a plastic chair pulling my feet up, feeling the sprinkles as it started to rain. The door the the diner opened and I looked up seeing Regina walk out.

"You went running out; I wanted to make sure you were okay." Regina said sitting down next to her.

"Yeah" I said softly.

"I know how much Oswin meant to you and I'm sorry you had to leave him behind." Regina said, I shook my head.

"It's not that, yes I hate that I left him but, I keep looking at Sawyer and I still have no clue how he could even be standing here" I said looking at her praying for some kind of answer.

"You said that he was cursed?"

"Yeah a long time ago, I don't think it was Zalena but I can't remember. Why?"

"Well if he was cursed and what he was doing was for love then the magic could have kicked in."

"He was protecting Dorothy, his true love." I said shaking my head.

"Love is a powerful thing" Regina smiled.

"But why didn't Leo make it, he was cursed too."

"He knew the risk when he went up against Zalena, he wasn't doing it for love, just because he cared." I sighed

"I can't remember anything about that day, it's just… Not there anymore."

"There are some memory potions that you could have taken or you could have blocked them yourself." I looked at her making her chuckle.

"what?" I almost laughed.

"I don't know how many times I got that look from your father" Regina laughed, I smiled.

"God you could have never put up with two of us" I laughed.

"I think I would have managed." Regina replied, the door opened again and Terrence came out smiling at us.

"Hey Terry" I smiled he shook his head.

"You ready to go home?" He asked looking up at the darkening skies.

"Yeah" I got up taking his hand.

"I'll see you tomorrow" Regina said smiling.

"Night, tell everyone I said goodnight" I said walking with Terrence towards the house.

"I thought you might need to get out of there, you ran out and I thought we might have a bit of a freeze." He said with a smirk. A few years ago, or thirty, I would have punched him for saying that.

"I'm glad you worry, but Regina was actually helpful." I said looking at Terrence.

"Yeah?"

"Mhm, I asked her about Sawyer and how he could have survived, she said it was the power of true love." I said still watching him as we walked.

"I could see that, it's what kept me alive all those years in the woods." Terrence said, I moved my arm linking it with his.

"When are you going to tell me what all happened in the woods?" I asked he glanced at me.

"I have told you." He said confused.

"Terry I know there has to be more, you gave me the safe version, one a 'sixteen?' year old wanted to hear." Terrence sighed nodding slowly.

"Maybe someday, and you're right there is a lot I wanted to protect you from but I'm not ready to talk about it tonight. I just want to have a night to ourselves with no interruptions."

I smiled softly, rising up to kiss his cheek as we turned the corner onto our street and could see our small house. We reached the gate and Terrence pulled out his keys as we walked to the front door. I leaned against the railing turning the steady sprinkles into snowflakes as they fell around us.

"Is that necessary?" He asked opening the door before turning to look at me placing his hands on either side of me.

"I thought you liked it?" I asked not breaking eye contact as we both lost our ability to contain our laughter.

Slipping his hands around to press against my back he pulled me away from the railing. Before I knew what was going on I was off the ground and in his arms.

"What are you doing?" I asked with a shriek.

"Carrying my wife over the threshold." He said walking into the house, swinging the door shut with his foot.

"That's romantic and all but could you put me down? Please?" I asked He only looked at me.

"Fine" He said finally giving in, he set me down but I stayed close to him our bodies still touching.

"I love you" I said, he smiled kissing my forehead softly.

"Come on it's late" He said leading me upstairs.

"That's new" I said as I walked into the bedroom seeing an old full length Mirror in the corner.

"There's a note" Terrence said pulling the paper off the reflective surface handing it to me.

May you always know that I am right here with you and may you think of me! You were the best thing to happen to me, and whatever happens know that you were so loved.

-Aly

"It's from Aly" I said sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"How did it get here?" Terrence asked looking up and down the mirror.

"Oswin" I whispered.

"You think he sent it?"

"It use to be in their bedroom, after Aly died he put it away and I never saw it again." I said looking down at the note.

"There's something on the back of the note." Terrence said, flipping it over I saw another note from Oswin.

Aly wrote this before Anna was born, she was worried something may happen to her and she didn't want to leave you behind without knowing how she felt. Aly and I loved you, after you left I found this mirror and the note. I hope you use it and that we can see eachother again soon.

-Oswin

I smiled folding the note carefully as I walked to the dresser and opened my small jewelry box. I placed the note inside and slipped Aly's ring off my finger, looking at it one last time before placing it into the box.