Chapter 54

Victor watched as Cora disappeared and Emma's hastily thrown sword hit the ground. Ruby's hand on his shoulder made him jump. "Sorry." She whispered as he turned around.

"You shouldn't be up." He carefully led her back to the bed Rumple had been laying on. "It's over we are safe, and you need to rest. We are all lucky Regina or Cora didn't kill us on sight. God only knows after today they just may."

"Cora isn't going to feel up to much of anything for a few days thanks to Aurora's quick thinking," Rumple announced entering the back room of the shop followed by an excited Aurora and a very reluctant looking Jefferson.

"Where are Emma and Snow?" Ruby asked.

"They went to check on Henry." Aurora let her know before waving her hand and cleaning up the mess that Jefferson had made with the potion when Cora and Regina had broken in.

Rumple walked over placing his hand on Victor's shoulder. "Once again Doctor you and your Science have amazed me. Let me know your required payment."

"I am glad I could do my part to help. I am sure I will require some assistance in the future which I can call upon you to fulfill."

Rumple nodded in agreement and he wrapped his arm tight around Victor's shoulders pulling him close to whisper. "After today I am sure you will not disappoint with my Belle."

Victor felt himself go stiff he wasn't sure if Rumple was trying to build his confidence or was simply threatening him. He couldn't find his voice so he shook his head in agreement, relieved when Rumple let him go. He moved quickly back over to Ruby. "I should really be getting Ruby back to the hospital."

"Yes, don't let us stop you." Rumple turned and walked into the main showroom of the shop.

"Do you think you can walk?"

"I think so." Ruby was still rubbing her head from her fall.

"I can use my magic to get you both there." Aurora beamed.

"That may be for the best. My head is still ringing from Regina's spell."

"I will send you to the same room you were in before. When you are ready." She waited.

"Alright see you soon." She gave Victor a kiss on the cheek. Aurora watched Victor blush at it.

She waved her hand and Ruby disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke. "I will leave you and Ruby a special surprise in your office for after she feels up to it."

"You don't need to do that."

"Victor get her in your office. You are both going to enjoy my surprise. You deserve it, take it as my payment to you. My plan wouldn't have worked if you hadn't been able to cure Rumple." She gave his hands a squeeze and he disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.

She turned seeing Jefferson still standing in the doorway. "I thought you would have left by now."

"Your reckless plan gained us a few days but as long as Cora or Regina are alive, we are all still in danger. Nothing has changed tonight."

"You are wrong, everything has changed tonight. Cora knows we are stronger than her. She and her daughter can't defeat all of us working together."

"You would have killed her."

"Why is that a problem? Too little talking, too much talking, you need to make up your mind. She will kill us all if she has the chance!"

"It still doesn't make it right."

"Do you have a death wish? Is that what this all is about? Do you just want everything to be over?"

"No!" Jefferson demanded. "I know what I want, and I know what it could cost me. I am not sure I can afford it anymore."

"If all you want to do is run away then the answer is you can't." She turned away from him so angry with Regina for what she had done to him all those years of the curse, to make him lose his confident part of himself. She clutched and unclutched her hands a few times before telling him. "Well run away home I need to redo the spell on this place."

"Rumple has his powers back you don't…"

"I am not running away from this." She hissed without turning around. "I am finishing what I came here to do before I leave."

"Yes, forever be his good little student."

She started the spell biting her lip to keep herself from crying as Jefferson left the room.

He walked back into the main part of the shop and froze seeing Rumple blocking the door. He walked closer stopping a few feet from him. "I stayed and helped you. You have your son back. What can you possibly want from me now?"

"Jefferson my dear boy. I meant everything I told you earlier. Don't let the fear and doubt Reinga or Cora has put in your head all these years mess up your future. Don't listen to those voices anymore, stop fighting with Aurora. Stop running and take her home tonight."

"Aurora can poof herself back to Victor's anytime…"

"I said take her home. Victor's house isn't her home. Her home is with you. You can't afford to lose her. She gives you light. She always has. I was wrong to think it was a weakness that I need to protect you from. She brings out the best in you the way Belle did with me. Stop being afraid of what may happen. It is time Jefferson." He put his hand out in front of him and Jefferson watched as his mother's wedding ring appeared in a puff of purple smoke. Rumple moved closer handing the ring to him before filling the space between them pulling him into an awkward hug to whisper. "Take her home and do a better job of loving her than I have done with Belle."

He pulled back as they felt Aurora's spell fall over the building. "Amazing job, my dear Aurora!" He called moving closer to the back room as Aurora entered.

"Jefferson, you are still here?"

"I told him to wait for you dearie." Rumple gave a happy chuckle coming over and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "It is late Grace will be asleep for sure by now. And no one wants to wake a sleeping child. I thought you would easy my mind and take Jefferson home, cast your powerful protection spell there too. To reinforce his spell and charms he already has in place."

Aurora wanted to tell Rumple no, but she saw Jefferson's worried face and she thought he was still worried about Regina and Cora coming back for him. "If you wish, I will see him home for you."

"How could you let that brat of girl light that candle?" Cora hissed at her as they appeared in Regina's vault in her family's tomb. "Did you not learn anything from your lessons with Rumple? Do you not want to get Henry back forever?"

"I didn't realize what she had. I am sorry mother." Regina pleaded. "I swear I will make them all pay for what they did to you and Henry will never remember them once we are through."

"I don't want to hear your pathetic whines. I want actions. Rumple has a whole team of magical, nonmagical, and that damn Doctor to help him. Who can we get on our side so we can destroy the lot of them once and for all?"

Regina waved a hand and Hook appeared all tied up like Neal had left him in New York.

"Hook doesn't count. He couldn't even kill Rumple correctly."

"Rumple's alive? How?" Hook hissed.

Cora answered by throwing her hands up waving Hook away in a cloud of red smoke.

Regina thought for a moment. "I know of two other people who would love the chance to destroy Rumple, Jefferson, and Aurora, but one of them has a past with you.

"George." She spat his name out.

"Yes, and then there is a magical one…" She trailed off.

"A magical one what?"

"Well, that is the question. I don't know what she would be anymore. The spell I placed on her, and what Emma did to her when the curse broke. She may be a threat to us as well as this whole town, but if we can win her over to our side, I know she will destroy Aurora for us."

Jefferson felt the spell wash over the living room where he was sitting sipping his drink of scotch with one hand while playing with his mother's ring in his other hand, trying to figure out what he wanted to say. He had called and told his neighbors who were watching over Grace that she could come home in the morning. He had to talk to Aurora tonight while they were alone in his house. But his brain wasn't finding the words he knew he needed. Aurora appeared in the doorway and he palmed the ring so she wouldn't see it.

"I am all finished, not that you really needed the spell, your charms would most likely have held, just as well as it will."

"I would say there is never a thing as too much protection, but we both know that is the reason we ran away from Rumple's, and why he lost his son too." Jefferson placed the drink down on the table before standing up placing the ring in his pocket.

"Aurora…"

"It's late. We have both had a long last couple of days. We made it through, and we are currently safe. I don't want another fight. I will see myself out."

"Aurora please wait!" He rushed after her stopping her in the foyer. "I don't want to fight either. I just need to tell you something and then you can do whatever you want. Agreed?"

Aurora looked him over suddenly and an uneasy feeling settled into the pit of her stomach. "Agreed." She whispered not sure she really wanted to hear what he had to say to her.

He took a deep breath hoping he could find the right words to express everything he needed to get off his chest.

"That day in the garden when you choose to leave with me instead of staying with Rumple, I thought I was the luckiest man in any of the worlds. You helped save my life that night and you followed me to all those different worlds including Neverland. Nothing seemed to shake your love and trust in me. Not me being a pirate's son, not even when you learned Hook was my father, or me being two hundred and fifty years older than you."

"It is two hundred and fifty-two years old than me, but I think we both know who in this relationship acts older."

He laughed. "Yes…Yes, we do." He moved in closer taking a piece of her hair and moving it behind her ear. His fingers trailed down her long blonde hair to play nervously with one of her curls he loved so much.

"You deserve more than I can ever give you and that is why it is time I stop running and stand beside you, until the end of our story. It is my turn to return that unconditional love and to follow you wherever you go even if it is back to the Enchanted Forest to become Queen."

"Jefferson…" Aurora whispered looking up at him not daring to believe what he was really saying.

"Being locked up in that cell again, made me realize something I told Emma when I was trying to get Grace back before the curse broke. What good is this house?" He waved his hands around. "All these things, if Grace and I can't share them with you? Aurora, you should be here in this house falling asleep beside me tonight and tomorrow night and all the nights the rest of my life."

"What are you saying?" She whispered wondering if she could possibly be hearing him correct, and not just hallucinating due to lack of sleep and stress.

"I want to wake up beside you each morning for the rest of time, in our bed, in our house. I want to give you my mother ring again and have you wear it on your finger for everyone to see. I want to hold your hand," He dropped her curl taking her hand in his. "and walk beside you wherever you go. I want to be able to kiss you on the hand," he brought her hand up to his lips giving it a soft kiss. "or cheek," He leaned in kissing her on her cheek. "or lips." He kissed her gently on the lips pulling back slightly to add in a whisper. "or anywhere else I damn well please." He let her go stepping backward. "and to hell with anyone who has a problem with it."

"Are you saying what I think you are saying?"

"I am sorry for trying to make you a commoner like me. Can you please forgive me for that?"

"You have always treated me like an equal."

"But you are not my equal. You were a Princess and now a Queen stands in front of me."

"Jefferson…" She whispered not sure where he was going with his little speech. Her head swimming with good and bad ideas.

"I want to stand beside you forever. I may not have been born to play the role, but I want to stand with you, my Queen. I want to help you in every way possible."

"Then easy will be officially over for you."

"Easy is boring, which is why I haven't done it in centuries." He flashed her that cocky smile she loved, but her tone turned even more serious.

"The crown gets heavy."

"Good thing I have such a big head to carry it."

Aurora laughs and Jefferson joins her a moment before adding.

"Yes, it is like the fog has lifted. Your comments are true. I know what I need to do, and I am going to stop making the same mistake I have always made. I am going to stop running. I choose to stand beside you wherever it may be. Here in Storybrooke or the Enchanted Forest. I know I have more scars than just the one around my neck, but I know I want you. I know Rumple has planted this seed in the back of our minds if a happy ending is possible or not. But life without you would be a horrible cost to pay, at least this way there is a chance we can have our happy ending. I realize now I have to take this chance. So, Aurora you are going to have to be the one who walks away this time. And this time it will be forever."

Aurora stood there trying to catch her breath and keep the tears back. She nodded and walked past him to the door.

"Ruby would you be so kind as to join me in my office before you go home?" Victor asked as he finished checking her over. Her head had finally stopped hurting and he had cleared her to leave if she so wished.

She smiled, "Why?"

"Aurora promised me a magical surprise for you and me. She practically threatened me if I didn't make sure you stopped by before leaving."

Her smile widened. "What kind of surprise?"

"I really have no idea."

"Well, now I can't just go home. I am dying to see what she set up." She slid up to him taking his arm. Victor told the nurse on duty he was finished for the night and not to be bothered.

She put her head on his shoulder as they walked down the hallway feeling more than a little nervous Victor opened the door to his office. There were candles everywhere all glowing brightly and magically there was a table set up for two for dinner, complete with wine glasses and what looked like a dessert cart. The old radio in his office was playing classical music. He walked over picking up one of the sliver lids to reveal a still hot steak and potatoes.

"Well as far as surprises go this one is beyond amazing." Ruby slid into her seat taking her lid off to see her meal. "Do you care if I dig in? I can't remember when I last ate something?"

Victor smiled. "Of course. Wine?" he asked popping the cork.

"Yes please!" She answered as she cut into her steak taking a bite. "I know your Science topped Magic tonight. But this magic tastes delicious."

Jefferson stood there staring at the spot she had been. He stood there with his back to the door waiting to hear it open and close and for Aurora to walk out of his life forever. But instead, he heard the lock turn.

He turned around and saw Aurora standing there. "Did you think I was leaving?" She gave him a playful smile. "I just wanted to make sure no one comes in and interrupts us this time."

He felt his smile grow as he quickly walked overtaking her by the neck pulling her in for a kiss. Aurora met his eagerness as he pushed her back up against the wall. Her fingers unbuttoned his vest getting it off of him as quickly as his fingers undid her corset both items quickly discarded on the floor.

Jefferson picked her up and Aurora wrapped her legs around his waist. He kissed his way up her neck to whisper in her ear. "Our Neverland Bedroom or the Tower Room?"

Aurora smiled "For our first time, it has to be the Neverland Bedroom." She whispered back giving his ear a playful bite.

"Perfect choice, since it would have been where this would have happened the first time if we had gotten our wedding night." He carried her back into the living room placing her down on the piano bench to move the fake trees out of the way and opened the doors to the hallway which lead to the bedroom which looked just like their Neverland home. "There is one thing we need to do before I take you back to our bedroom."

"What is that?" she questioned him.

"My lovely Aurora," He knelt in front of her pulling out his mother's wedding ring. "will you share reality with me for…"

"Yes!" She exclaimed cutting him off before he could finish the question. She jumped up hugging him. "But it won't be easy."

"Nothing easy is worth fighting for."

"Things won't be easy, but they can still be good."

Jefferson gave her another kiss before pulling back and taking her hand he put the engagement ring on her finger for the second time.

He moved to pick her up, but she pulled back. "Wait!"

"What for?" Jefferson asked.

"If we are going to do this we are going to this right." She pulled back from him doing a little spin and as she spun a little cloud of purple smoke changed her outfit into one of the simple dresses she used to wear back at Rumple's castle.

"Is that the same dress you wore on your seventeenth birthday?" He felt his smile turn a little naughty as old thoughts of what he wanted to do to her filled his head.

"Yes, your favorite one. Now it is your turn." She waved her hand and Jefferson's clothes changed to his normal Enchanted Forest attire; leather pants, fancy shirt, vest, scarf, and even his coat.

"Oh, I have missed this." His fingers ran down over his vest down to his pants a moment before he laughed his fingers going to the collar of his leather coat. "Even the coat?" he asked raising an eyebrow at her.

"Oh, hell yes, even the coat." She smiled. "If we are finally going to do this, we are going to do this right." She stepped up wrapping her arms around his neck. "Just the way I have fantasized about it, even if it does add layers that will just wind up on the floor." Her hand slipped down so she could grab the coat's collar pulling him down for a kiss.

After a long moment, Jefferson finally pulled back from the kiss and with a wicked grin, he picked her up in his arms and carried her down the hallway.

Regina was locking the library's doors when Robin's voice asked. "Why are you out so late?"

"Why are you in town and not asleep in the forest?" Regina asked starting down the street before she got an answer.

"Emma had asked me to do some walkthroughs of the town at night to make sure all is well." Robing replied following her. He walked after her a few more steps before adding. "I answered your question so when are you going to answer mine?"

"You answered my questions because you are a common thief. I am not answering yours because I am a Queen."

"There are no Queens here as much as your mother or Phillip may wish there to be. You are not even mayor, let alone mother to Henry, any more thanks to her. How much more are you willing to lose by blindly following her?"

"I will always be Henry's mother!" Regina hissed turning on him. "Those idiots may think they are winning but I will get what I want in the end. I did with the curse and I will again." She started down the street again. "So hurry back to Emma and tell her to enjoy her time playing mother, because it will all be over….Son of a bitch" Regina came to stop staring at the hole in the road. She turned around in a circle before screaming. "Who keeps causing huge holes in the road?"

"This isn't the first one?" Robin asked.

"Well, there were a few from the storm the night of the wraith. But this looks like the one I found in Granny's the next morning." She waved her hand and fixed the road. "I swear I am going to kill whoever is messing up my town." Before continuing down the street.

"Is death the only answer you have to every problem?"

"Death is a good solution if you don't want to deal with the same problems over and over again. I never should have cursed everyone here. I should have just killed them and been done with it. Just look at Emma stealing away my son the first chance she got and to think she wanted me to trust her."

"Trusting someone is harder than loving them." Robin's words stopped Regina in her spot. "You love your mother Regina, but do you trust her? Does she really have your best interest at heart? Can she when she doesn't have a heart? Does she really care if you get your happy ending, as long as she gets hers?"

Regina looked at him unable to find the words to argue back against anything he had said. "Why do you seem to care so much about me?"

Now it was Robin's turn to be uncomfortable. "I…I do not know the answer to that question, my lady. I just know a part of me wishes to see you happy."

In a fit of frustration at his comment, she waved her hand and Robin disappeared back to his camp in the woods leaving Regina alone on a dark cold street corner. She sat down on the curb and started to cry.

Jefferson felt Aurora shake slightly underneath him as he started to pull her underwear down. "Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes"

"You are shaking we can stop; we can wait until after the wedding if you want too." He started to move his hand away from her.

"NO, Jefferson, don't." She moved his hands back to where they had been a moment before helping him remove her underwear. "I am just nervous… I want you, I have always wanted you and waiting until after the wedding won't change how nervous I am about this." She licked her lips looking up at him. "Will it hurt?"

"It's your first time, it may… a little, but at any time you want me to stop just say the word, and I will. The last thing I want to do is hurt you."

She nodded before leaning up and kissing him. Jefferson carefully positioned himself over top of her. He kissed his way down her neck as he pushed himself inside her as gently as he could. He heard her gasp and felt her arch her back, and for a few seconds he felt her power roll across his skin, he paused overwhelm a moment, and then it faded. He slowly started to move. Aurora bit at her lip as her own hips moved to match his movements. Her nails digging into his shoulders.

Victor and Ruby had finished the meal, the classical music was still playing, and were halfway through the second bottle of wine when Ruby playful demanded a dance. Victor tried his best to maneuver around the table, his desk and bed which were crowding his tiny office. He caught the corner of the desk falling back on it, pulling Ruby down on top of him sending papers and file folders everywhere.

Jefferson gasped in pleasure feeling another blast of magical energy Aurora left off. He stopped his movements a moment whispering in her ear. "You may want to try to hold some of your magic back."

"I am sorry." She apologized. "I didn't mean…"

"Rory relax, it felt great, just almost too great if you get my drift. Much more of that and this will be over much sooner than either of us wishes it to be."

"I am sorry."

"Stop saying that." He wrapped his arms around her and rolled them over, so she came to be sitting on top of him, her blonde curls fell covering her breast. "Everything feels amazing. I hope you agree."

"Yes." She blushed as his hands reached up moving her hair behind her shoulders so he could admire all of her.

"You are beautiful. It is just I haven't done anything like this in a long time and I have only thought about it at least a million times."

"Really only a million times in thirty-eight years?"

"Okay I am sure it was more like a billion and that is just counting the time we actually lived at Rumple's together." He laughed rocking his hips upwards slightly causing her to react and start to move on top of him letting his hands on her hips help guide her movements.

After a few moments, she told him. "I am not really comfortable on top here just yet. Do you want to be on top again?"

"Don't worry." He said pulling her down close. "The way you learn I am sure you will master it quickly." He rolled her over. "Oh yes, I can see you becoming quite dominant in the bedroom."

"You don't sound disappointed in that."

"Why would I be? I have always been your fateful teacher's assistant. It has always been my job to teach you new things and trust me I am quite up to this challenge."

He pulled her thighs up higher allowing him to move even farther inside her. Aurora felt her breath deepen as her legs tighten around his body. She closed her eyes letting out a gasp as she came. The lights flicker for a few seconds before Jefferson felt her all lose control of her magic and a warm rush of power flowed through him. It made him gasp and as the lights pop filling the room with darkness he felt his own release.

The only other sexual experience that he had had which came anywhere close was when he first had bedded Regina and she had lost control of her magic at her release point, but, this was even better, he knew nothing as he suspected all those years ago on her seventeenth birthday, would ever be better than making love to Aurora.

"Are you all right?" Ruby giggled. Not moving back from him.

"Fine but I think we should give up dancing for at least tonight."

"I am alright with that. I can think of something else which we can do to pass the time." She leaned in kissing him and at that moment the lights flicker and popped.

She pulled back slightly as the emergency lights flicked on. "Did we do that?"

"No, though I do wonder if…" Ruby cut him off with another kiss pushing him back on the desk and climbing completely on top of him starting to unbutton his shirt. He pulled back from her kiss. "Not that I don't want too, but do you think this is the best time or place?"

"We both could have died at any time tonight, I am tired of waiting. How many times have you thought of sleeping with me here in your office, right here on your desk?"

"I am not that man…"

"It is like David said we are both. And Ruby doesn't mind climbing on top or letting you bend her over the desk, while Red simply wants to finally make love. If you can tell me your duel personalities don't want me right now I will stop and leave." She pulled back giving him space to make up his mind.

"I don't think I have ever wanted you more than I want you right now." Came his answer.

"Oh, I think I can do a few things which will make you want me even more." She purred starting on the rest of his buttons on his shirt.

"You do know I have a bed in the corner," Victor commented nervously waiting to see what she had meant by her comment.

"I know." She pushed his shirt back off his shoulders. "We may wind up there but for now, I want you right here on this desk."

Rumple was fixing himself a cup of tea when the lights flickered and popped out. He stood there a moment in the darkened kitchen looking out the window over the darkened town. Then with a knowing smile, he waved his hand and fixed all the light bulbs in his house and in their dull light he continued to make this tea.

Regina had finally gotten herself together and was starting down the street when she felt the wave of magic and turning towards the direction of Jefferson's house, she saw the street lights flicker and go out. They quickly popped off all around her leaving the town in darkness.

"You have got to be kidding me." She cried to the darkness. "She… he…" She stopped herself from screaming remembering how the candles had flickered and flared the first few times Jefferson and her had made love until she could get her powers under control.

"Robin is wrong." She muttered. "My mother is the only one I can trust." She disappeared reappearing in her vault.

"Mother?" she called out but her mother was nowhere to be seen.

They both laid there trying to catch their breath a moment before Aurora let go of his shoulder to bring her hand on up to run it through his hair.

Jefferson opened his eyes and moved to kiss her one more time before he very carefully pulled out and moved off to the right side of her.

Aurora still had her eyes closed, her breathing was still heavy. He watched as she brought her right hand up to her belly. Jefferson slid his hand over to hers on her belly. "I didn't hurt you did I." He asked sliding closer filling any space that was between them.

"No" she smiled opening her eyes and turning on her side. "not really, in fact at the end it felt really good." Her fingers traced there away around his chest.

"Really you enjoyed yourself there at the end? I couldn't tell." He teased taking her hand and gave it a kiss.

She blushed. "I..I am sorry about the magic."

He kissed her. "Don't apologize, Rory, every part of that was amazing. The magic just added to the moment. But like any other part of your magical training, you will learn to hold that back if you so wish it. I know I am willing to let you practice as much as you want too." He flashed that cocky smile of his that she loved.

She bit her lip giving her head a shake before she threw her arm around him burying her head his neck as she grabbed him tight. He hugged her back just holding her a moment. He felt her shaking in his arms knowing she was moments from crying. "I love you Aurora." He whispered before he started to nibble at her ear causing her to giggle.

She pulled back willing her tears of joy to stay back, she smiled up at him and whispered. "We are finally going to get our happy ending."

He smiled back nodding his head. "Yes. Yes, we are." He leaned in kissing her and moving her back on to the pillow before pulling back to look at and let his fingers trace over her skin.

"I wish I could draw as well as Victor. I would draw you right now, you are so beautiful."

"I enjoy your drawing as much as Victor's. Two different styles but you both capture the beauty the world has to offer in your own unique way."

"I never would have done that before the curse," Victor commented as he looked away from where Ruby and he laid on his bed, towards the mess of his desk and his files all over the floor.

"I know right?" Ruby smiled as she finished buttoning her shirt. "But it was so much fun. I hope you agree."

"I agree, and I hope you want to do that again sometime, maybe in a real bedroom."

"Yes, no one should rollover on a stapler more than once in their lifetime." They both laughed as she settled back down beside him on the bed.