A few days passed after the so-called Final Battle, although the name didn't seem as intense seeing as it actually hadn't been Emma's final battle, and all the members of Operation Dots were on the lookout for the possible newcomers in town which could spark yet another battle. They were, if truth be told, waiting for the other shoe to drop. The jitters were something they could do without, but they would take that over another prophecy.

Merlin had been certain that Emma had let out two captives but despite the numerous patrols that she, Charming and Ruby, who had recently become a permanent member of staff at the Sheriff's station, much to her grandmother's dismay, did, they didn't come across anything out of the ordinary. Even Ursula and Elsa had joined in on touring the town when they could to help out but they, too, had come up empty.

Three days after the battle, the town held a funeral for Snow White and Emma chose to go which had caused some controversy in her family. However, when she had explained to them that that despite their differences at the end, Mary Margaret was the reason Emma could stay in Storybrooke and at the beginning, Snow hadn't been that bad to her, Charming and Regina understood. Emma wished to say goodbye to that version of her. Plus, Henry wanted to go for the similar reasons. Mary Margaret had given him the book that had started it all. He owed her for that. In a way, she was the reason he had a family. In fact, she was the reason they were all together now.

Reluctantly, Regina joined them because she wanted to be there for her partner and son. She had never liked Snow, even when she had tried to for Henry's sake. She had wanted the woman dead for many years for a reason, but her family came first.

Charming also attended so that he could say goodbye to his past life and so Neal could say goodbye to his mother despite the baby not understanding what was going on. He would know when he was old enough and ready.

Despite what she had said about being done with Snow, Ruby had also attended to mourn the woman who had been her best friend for years and who had been there for her when no one else had. Emma had sworn that she'd seen some tears fall from Ruby's emerald eyes but when she'd looked back a few moments later, there were no sign of them.

The turnout for the funeral was actually rather impressive as nearly the entire town had attended. Those who didn't know what had happened or didn't believe the eyewitnesses to the battle spoke of how amazing Snow had been and wanted to honour her. Then those who had been there at the end and had noticed the change mourned the woman she had been, whether that was Mary Margaret or the young Snow who had never shown her true colours.

Once Snow White had been laid to rest and the fact that Lily was now gone, Emma started to relax. There was no sight or whisper of any other people in town to panic her and she wanted to get back to normal. Or at least back to what passed for normal in Storybrooke. The only difference she really felt from before the final battle was the sheer amount of magic that was pumping through her body. At first, it had felt like a huge difference, but now she was working with it.

Henry only had two days left at school until the summer vacation began and the school fete was to happen as planned on the Friday. It was an event taking place for the entire town and Regina and Zelena were busy planning it with the Fairies, (all of whom had had replacement wands created and the convent had been fixed), and Elsa and the school. They were all immensely busy organising stalls, activities and prizes.

So, the Thursday before, Emma decided to take the day off and hang out with her mother and little brother. They spent the morning in the house just relaxing and Emma introduced her mother to the film version of Maleficent to explain what Henry had been talking about.

"That woman doesn't look anything like me," Mal commented as she looked at Angelina Jolie's version of her. "I have never been brunette and my cheeks are not that pointed. I also don't have wings and Stephan didn't chop them off!"

Emma chuckled. "It's an interpretation, Mom."

The use of 'mom' was also now second nature to Emma. It slipped out easily and she loved seeing Mal beam whenever she heard it. Emma was also sure that Neal would eventually start calling Mal 'mom' too as he wouldn't know any different. She hadn't discussed this with her parents yet as Snow's death was too soon, but she knew it was a pending conversation. She honestly didn't mind sharing her parents with her half-brother; besides, she had a feeling that Mal would be a much better mother than Snow could ever have been. Neal would be just fine.

Mal sniffed at the screen but continued to watch, chirping in with commentary whenever she didn't agree with anything.

"They need to check their facts. Diaval was my brother who died when he was young, not my pet," she scoffed when the film showed the raven being transformed. "They don't mention my sister or my parents either. They make me out to be a lonely orphan!" The tone of the comments made it obvious that Mal didn't want to discuss what happened to her brother or her family either. Not right then, anyway.

The film continued and surprisingly, Mal nodded when it depicted her saving Aurora's life when she almost fell of the cliff and bumping into her in the forest. However, it soon changed when they showed the final battle between Maleficent and Stephan.

"I'm fine with iron," she said. "I'm not a bloody fairy for goodness' sake!"

Emma stayed quiet, not because she had nothing to say, but she had been biting her lip so that she didn't let out the laughter she was trying to keep in.

Once the film finished, Emma turned off the TV. "I assume you don't want to watch the sequel?" She asked, tempted to put it on just to see Maleficent's reaction. If she been that vocal about the issues in the first film, she could imagine the complete outrage at the sequel which sounded completely wrong by how the film didn't mention the Yaoguai and also the fact that Mal wasn't a fairy so uniting with a crowd of them was definitely out of the cards.

Mal's eyes widened before narrowing with disgust. "Definitely not. Why don't we go for a walk instead? It's time almost time for Neal's nap anyway and it would be nice to get some fresh air."

"Sure," Emma agreed knowing that Mal, like herself, enjoyed walking away from bad thoughts, and within ten minutes, the two had their shoes on, Neal was in his stroller and they were walking out of the Mayoral Mansion. Emma had a feeling though, that if Henry had his way, Mal would soon be subjected to Disney's Sleeping Beauty, she could never say no to her grandson.

They walked slowly and in silence until Neal fell asleep at the lull of the movement of the stroller. He never took longer than five minutes to switch off at the movement and the warm breeze surrounding him was comfortable. The weather had returned to the bright sunshine with no sign of the storm that had passed on the night of the battle.

The rain had all but dried up within the hour of Emma passing out. Regina had explained that it was the kinetic energy of the prophecy coming that brought on the sudden change. The thunder and lightning had attached itself to Lily as she was an empty host after the magic could no longer be channelled through her. It was old magic that hadn't been seen for many years, but it had happened on very rare occasions in the past.

"So, how are you feeling about everything?" Mal asked as they started walking up to the docks.

Emma raised her eyebrow at her mother. "Really?"

Mal nodded. "Really. I want to make sure you're alright. You went through a lot and you've barely spoken about it."

"There's not really much to say," Emma replied. "Honestly," she added when Mal went to contradict her. "I've spoken to Regina about it but mostly, I'm just glad it's all over and things are starting to return to normal. The library and the convent have both been fixed and I don't have to worry about someone stealing my magic. In honesty, I'd rather someone took it, well some of it, I can feel it constantly."

She wriggled her fingers, the tips shooting out a small, white, harmless flicker of light, as if to prove her point.

"It's like trying to learn how to control it all over again," Emma said with a sigh. "Don't get me wrong, it's nice being able to conjure things quicker, but there was nothing wrong with how it used to be."

"You'll get used to it soon," Mal assured her.

Emma sighed. "I don't want to though. I wish I could share it out to you or Gina or even to Ursula or Zee. I know Zee would love her magic back."

"Ursula would too," Mal admitted quietly. "She hates doing things the mundane way. I wish I could give her some of mine for what she's done for me over the years, but I don't know how."

At that, Emma's eyes widened with excitement. "Then we should find out if it's possible! I know you can give up all your magic, but I don't see why you can't give up some."

"Emma!" Mal cried. "Think about it. You've been bestowed this magic for a reason. You can't just give it out willy-nilly!"

However, Emma wasn't listening in her excitement. "Let's go find Belle! She'll be able to find out if it's possible. That is if she doesn't know already!"

And without any further ado, Emma completely changed direction and headed back towards the town centre and the library with Mal rushing behind her to catch up. Unable to yell for Emma to slow down because she didn't want to wake the sleeping baby, all Maleficent could do was run behind her daughter who was already several metres ahead.

By the time she reached the library, Mal was exhausted but she pushed through and walked through the front door.

"So, it might be possible?" Emma was asking, clearly already having explained her thoughts to the brunette librarian.

Belle nodded. "I think so. I mean, I don't see why it wouldn't be. I've heard of stories where someone had given up all their magic. Besides, I know Zee would love to get hers back. I see her sometimes trying to do a spell when she thinks I'm not looking." She smiled softly. "Leave it with me and I'll have a look. It might be worth having a look in Regina's vault too, she might have something. I wouldn't put it past Cora to have wanted to know something like this and I'll ask Mulan to check out the shop as well."

Emma grinned. "You're a star, Belle."

"Just a bookworm," Belle said modestly as a small blush appeared on her cheeks. "I'll start looking now."

With that said, Belle slipped from behind the desk and made her way over to the magical section of the library that only she and Henry every seemed to go to. The latter only with supervision from Belle herself so that he didn't see anything too frightening.

Emma then turned to her mother with a beaming grin.

"Let's get some lunch," she suggested before Mal could comment on what had just happened and put her opinion that it was a bad idea forward again. "I'm starving."

Mal rolled her eyes because obviously her daughter was hungry, when was she not?

oOoOo

"You've done what?" Regina asked when Emma told her about her idea when they were in the kitchen prepping dinner that evening.

Emma had treated Mal to lunch at Granny's after leaving the library but Mal had never had a chance to continue her conversation with her daughter as they had been joined immediately by Ruby and Elsa who had changed the subject to Granny's fury that Ruby wasn't working at the diner anymore as she was struggling to find a replacement waitress that was as good as she was.

Instead, the four watched as Granny was trying to train two new recruits. They were two sisters that had been brought over in the second curse and the older sister was barely nineteen and the younger sixteen at the oldest. Emma vaguely thought their names were Dana and Dori in this world but had been Sis and Tagalong back in the Enchanted Forest. They had been the daughters of a friend of Maid Marion. Emma was just glad they weren't still bunnies as depicted in the cartoon film of Robin Hood, but they were rather clumsy. Dana dropped three trays in ten minutes and Dori burst into tears when Granny yelled at her for mixing up the salt and sugar. The entertainment meant it was difficult for Mal to berate her daughter's idea, but now it was Regina's turn.

"I want to give some of my magic to Zee and Ursula," Emma repeated as she set about magically controlling three knives to simultaneously chop carrots, garlic and onion ready for the casserole Regina was in the middle of making.

"But why?" Regina asked as she turned away from manually slicing up the sausages. Unlike Emma, she still preferred to cook with her own hands as she had during the curse and not rely on her magic.

"Because I have too much and they don't have any," Emma replied. "I mean, I'm not going to go around just giving it to random people who've never had magic, that would be ridiculously irresponsible, but Ursula's was snatched from her and so was Zelena's really. She's nothing like she was and deserves it."

Regina sighed as she scraped the sausages into the pan and stirred it. "I just think that you were given the magic for a reason."

"That's what my mom said," Emma revealed.

"Yes, and Mal is an old hand at magic," Regina said. "She knows what she's talking about. As do I."

"So, you won't look in your books for any ideas?" Emma asked. "I want this, Regina. I want to help others and feel less, I dunno, powerful. You know me, I don't want this much responsibility. I have more than enough as the Saviour and supposedly that already made me the most powerful ever, I don't need anymore!"

At Emma's wide eyes of hope, Regina lost the ability to say no to her girlfriend. She didn't want to be the reason she was upset.

"We can have a look after dinner," Regina said, "but I don't want you trying anything unless we know it's safe."

"I promise!" Emma agreed and she quickly kissed Regina's cheek before emptying her own chopping boards into the pan and getting on with the next step she'd been assigned.

After the meal, true to her word and much to Maleficent's dismay, Emma and Regina went to the latter's vault to start looking through Cora's spell books. They scanned several but each time, they came up empty.

"Sorry, Em," Regina murmured after a couple of hours as she put down her fifth book. "I just can't find anything about splitting up magic. Have you?"

Emma sighed as she shook her head. "No."

"Come on," Regina said. "Let's go home. Cocoa?"

"Sure," Emma said and the two flicked their wrists and appeared in the foyer of the Mansion.

Regina went into the kitchen to make their drinks before they settled in the living room that they fortunately had to themselves. It seemed everyone else had already retired to bed. As Emma looked at the clock, she saw that it was barely half past ten but Charming was taking the early shift again as Emma was being dragged to the school to help set up the fete.

oOoOo

"Emma, can you start labelling up the items for the tombola?" Regina asked as she checked her flip pad that had all the information she needed for the school fete.

It was after lunch time and Emma had been setting up stands all morning and her tummy was grumbling for food. Granny was due to arrive within the next half an hour and set up her van for hot food. She was doing a selected menu and Emma just hoped she could get a grilled cheese while Regina was preoccupied.

However, until the town's matriarch arrived, Emma got on with Regina's request of labelling, starting with the alcohol, but not with manual labour. Instead, she waved her hand over the boxes of bottles, tickets and Sellotape. Individually, a bottle would rise out of the box as the Sellotape ripped off a small piece, flying towards the bottle and attaching itself to the ticket just before it landed on the bottle. It took her less than two minutes to be finished with it.

Standing back, Emma admired her handywork as the bottles of wine, beers and other alcoholic drinks were standing in huddles with their numbers glinting in the sun. She then turned and repeated the task with each other the tombola stands, the soft drinks, cakes and teddies. Barely ten minutes later, she was completely done.

"Nice," Regina muttered as she saw the outcome. She walked over and slipped her arm around Emma's back as the blonde pressed a kiss on her temple.

"I got this magic business," Emma said happily.

"So, you're happy about having it all now?" Regin asked.

Emma shrugged. "I don't know. We'll see. What's next on the list?" She changed the subject at the curious look on Regina's face. She wasn't in the mood for the conversation at the moment, still secretly hoping that Belle would find the answer.

Regina looked like she wanted to continue her point but knew there was no point. She glanced down at her list. "We're just waiting for Granny to arrive now. Everything else is pretty much done."

They scanned the area and saw the others who were setting up different stalls. Elsa was in the corner, her arms flying as she conjured up the ice cream section with different snow cones and ice cream flavours. Kathryn and Ruby were in charge of face painting for the younger kids who would be in attendance. Mulan was setting up the book stand for Belle who was yet to arrive. Secretly, Emma hoped the librarian was delayed due to her research but when she arrived five minutes later, she said she slept in and it had shifted her day completely, much to Emma's dismay.

There were also a few games set up. Freddie was manning the beat the goalie section, pumping up the balls and making sure the goal posts were firmly dug into the ground and Archie had offered to man the hook a duck section. He was hanging up the prizes, which were mostly toys, and adding the ducks to the water. The final game was ring toss which was being manned by Eric who was positioning the prizes at an easy range for the kids.

"Just Granny to arrive now," Regina said. "Speak of the devil."

Granny was just arriving with Marco driving the portable van she had purchased for events like this. She was bustling about in the back within seconds and getting the fryer going.

"I'm going to get some food," Emma murmured.

"No grilled cheese!" Regina instructed as Emma walked away.

Emma rolled her eyes as she got to the window of Granny's van. "What have you got on offer?"

"Burgers, hotdogs, fries and onion rings," Granny said as she pointed to what she had behind her. "I could probably rustle up a grilled cheese for you, seeing as it's you."

"No can do," Emma groaned. "Boss' orders. I'll take a hotdog with onions."

Granny chuckled at Emma's dismay but set up making Emma's hotdog. The blonde grinned when she saw that Granny had lined the bread with a layer of cheese and winked as she passed it over.

"She'll never know," Granny murmured.

Emma beamed after she took a bite. "Thanks." She passed over the two dollars it cost before walking back towards Regina who was now talking to Mulan in the corner.

"Emma!"

The blonde turned to see that it was Belle who had called her name. Belle, who was standing beside Zelena who was just looking at her partner rather confused, waved Emma over excitedly. The two were standing by the book stand that Mulan had vacated now Belle had arrived.

"I think I've found it," Belle said excitedly. "I was looking for a book in the shop last night but couldn't find it. That's why I ended up sleeping in late as I was up into the night. But somehow, it's made its way onto the stall. I've no idea how it did. Anyway." She then opened up the book to a page, but it was in a foreign language that Emma didn't understand. "It looks like a pretty easy spell actually and the method is simple. Just hold the other's hand who you want to supply the magic with and say 'impartio'. You'll be able to stop whenever you want if you only want to give a part away or when the person has received enough. Just separate the bond."

"It's really that simple?" Emma asked.

"What's that simple?"

Turning, the three saw Regina making her way over. She greeted her sister and Belle with a smile before turning serious.

"Sharing my magic," Emma answered Regina's question with a shrug.

"Look this is it," Belle said. She flicked through the pages before looking back up. "It doesn't describe any issues but suggest the magic needs to go to another magic wielder for a smoother transition. It's completely safe."

Regina still didn't look entirely convinced but she couldn't argue anymore. She could see that Emma really wanted to do it.

"I'm confused," Zelena said suddenly as she looked at Emma. "You want to get rid of your magic?"

Emma shook her head. "Not entirely. I have too much now and there are others I care about who don't have theirs for reasons beyond their control. Zee, I want to give you your magic back."

Zelena's eyes widened in shock as what Belle had been saying clicked. She had mentioned to her partner that she wished nothing more than to have it back, but she had deemed it impossible.

"Emma, you don't have to," Zee said, her voice thick with thanks at her friend, who she saw as a sister just as much as Regina was to her. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," Emma said. "Just hold out your hand."

The former wicked witch swallowed before she held out a slightly shaky hand and took hold of Emma's. Emma gripped hers firmly and with a grin, she murmured, "impartio".

All at once, white swirls emitted from Emma's palm and surrounded their hands but as they touched Zelena's, they turned to emerald. The swirls then started to rise up their arms, each representing their own shade of magic until Zelena gasped. Her eyes flashed emerald and the two let go of each other.

There was silence as both Emma and Zelena flexed their hands after the spell.

"How do you both feel?" Regina asked, glancing between her sister and partner.

"I feel fine," Emma replied. In truth, she didn't feel any different. As she wriggled her fingers, she could still feel pretty much the same amount of magic pumping around her blood. She was half worried that the spell hadn't actually worked but then she looked up and saw the Zelena was grinning.

"I feel amazing," she confessed and she flicked her wrist and a fireball appeared. "It's back!"

Extinguishing the fireball, Zelena reached out and pulled Emma into a tight hug, squeezing her tightly.

"I cannot thank you enough," she said when she pulled back.

"I told you, you don't have to thank me," Emma said with a smile. "You've done so much for us since you came back. You're practically my sister, Zee, I'd do anything for you."

Zelena grinned and hugged Emma again before turning to Belle.

"Shall I?" She asked.

Emma and Regina looked on confused as Belle nodded nervously. With a small flick of her wrist, Zelena conjured a chipped teacup.

"Is that–"

"Mine and Rumple's teacup?" Belle finished Regina's question. "Yep. Zee and I thought it would be a small way to start our lives together if we fixed it. She didn't want to do it without her magic though."

"I think it's adorable," Emma said honestly.

Zelena grinned before taking a steady breath. She reached out and waved her hand over the cracked porcelain, watching how the chip fill up until it was as good as new.

"There we go," Zelena said.

It was such a small difference but Belle and Zelena looked at it as if it was a magnificent change. Zelena flicked her wrist and the teacup disappeared once more.

"Now, shall we join start the party?" Zelena asked as she took hold of Belle's hand and looked to her sister. "It's time."

Regina looked around and saw that the crowd had been growing while they had been preoccupied with Emma's spell. Kids from the school were now walking towards the centre of town with friends or family and Henry was even walking towards them in between his grandparents, pushing Neal's stroller.

With a nod, Regina walked forward and was joined in the centre by Blue and Elsa.

"We'd like to welcome you all to the Storybrooke High Fete this year," Regina called. "Enjoy yourselves!"

The crowd cheered and dispersed to their chosen stalls, leaving Henry to walk over to his mothers to decide where to go first.

After a few hours, dusk was growing near and there had been a few cases of kids getting too sick from too much sugar, one had been kicked in the head by a soccer ball and one older boy had tried his luck at the alcohol tombola before his mother caught him and sent him home. Aside from that, the fete was going well and everyone was buzzing with excitement that the school year was over that they didn't notice the strangeness that was going on at the town line.

The border glinted a bright red before an old inhabitant crossed over with no scroll in hand. With determination and a blade in hand, he made his way into the centre of the town where the noise could be heard. As he walked, he had one person in mind and he found her laughing at a book stall with the witch he hoped was dead.

As soon as he walked, well, more specifically limped into the centre of the fete, all eyes turned on him and the music stopped.

Belle's eyes fell on him and gasped in shock.

"Rumple?"