CHAPTER 29

K A L L I E ' S P O V

The Jolly Roger shot out of the portal and hit the water hard, jolting us forward. My eyes flickered up. A huge smile appeared on my face, seeing our hometown of Storybrooke off in the distance. I let out a deep breath, revealed to be home again finally.

"Glad to see Storybrooke?" Henry asked, walking up beside me as the Jolly Roger swiftly sailed towards the docks. I nodded with a huge grin. "Yeah, I'm glad to see it too." He whispered, staring at the town with his face lit up with joy. I knew Henry missed home a lot and hoped he would stay.

"Hey, Henry." Our mom called. We looked over our shoulders, seeing our mom walking up behind us. "Can I talk to your sister for a minute?" She asked. Henry grinned, then glanced at me before walking away. Our mom took his spot beside me, crossing her arms and leaning them on the ship's edge. She started toward Storybooke for a few long seconds as we slowly got closer to the decks. She sighed, then flickered her eyes over to me.

"Kallie, I'm so proud of you." She spoke in a whisper. My head turned. My eyes shifted to her as she continued. "For a second, I didn't think we would make it out of there. But we did because of you." She paused briefly. "Your unique magic saved us." She finished. A small chuckle escaped my lips before they pierced into a grin.

"Yeah. My magic that scared the hell out of you." I replied, remembering what my mom's deep secret was from the Echo Caves. Her smile faded. She shifted her body to face me as she leaned against the ship's side.

"Kal, I'm sorry for saying that." She apologized. My eyes shifted over to her, listening. "It's just I know what having magic means." She took a deep breath before continuing. "I don't know if you're a Savior like I am or not, but having any type of magic, changes your life."

"I know that," I whispered. A sigh escaped my lips as I turned my body to face mom. "But my magic is part of me now, and I want to learn how to control them. How to use them properly." My mom's head shifted away for a second, unsure. "Mom, let me try. Regina can teach me." Her eyes darted back at the mention of Regina, knowing she used to be the evil queen. "And I can learn a few things from you, too," I added. "You can both teach me." My mom stared at me for a moment, then cracked a smile.

"I think I'd be okay with that." She said, nodding her head. My face lit up with joy. "Be careful getting a lesson from Regina. She has some interesting ways of teaching magic."

"I will," I replied. "Thank you, Mom!" I ran into her arms, giving her a huge hug. We turned back, looking towards Storybrooke, and saw the town's people begin gathering by the docks, just like they had done when Henry was recused from Neverland. Within a few minutes, the Jolly Roger arrived at the docks, and Henry laid the plank down so we could get off. Cheers filled the air as we stepped off my dad's ship and walked down to everyone. We all got engulfed in the crowd, hugged, and patted on the back.

"Kallie!" Snow's voice called out. I spotted her and my grandfather- David, pushing through the crowd. "Oh my god.." Snow breathed, breaking free from the group. She ran over, grabbing me into a hug. "Thank goodness. You're okay." She whispered beside my ear. David came up behind his wife, staring at me with worried eyes.

"We were so worried."

"I'm okay," I answered them, then looked over my shoulder. Henry was surrounded by Granny and the dwarfs, hugging all of them like he hadn't seen them in years. My lips peered into a smile. I knew in my heart Henry was staying in Storybrooke. With or without Ella? That was a question only he could answer. I looked back at my grandparents and added. "We're both okay." Their eyebrows raised, confused, then flickered their eyes to the crowd.

"Henry!" Snow gasped, grabbing into her husband's arm. Her eyes met my brother's, making him grin. He quickly made his way through the crowd. Snow held onto him as soon as possible and pulled him into a hug, squeezing him too tight. "I don't understand." She questioned, letting him go. "How did you- were you in."

"Neverland?" Henry finished for Snow, then nodded." Yeah." I looked up at Henry, knowing I was why he ended up back there. There was a massive wave of worry written all over our grandparents' faces. They helped recuse Henry last time, and they knew what Peter Pan was capable of.

"What happened?" David asked, taking a step forward. Henry and I glanced at each other, unsure if we should tell them everything. I mean, we both almost died... Multiple times, I might add.

"It's a long story," I said, turning my head to my grandfather. "All you need to know is that Peter Pan will never bother our family again." David slammed his lips together and peered them into a smile as if a massive wave of relief lifted off his shoulders. Henry smiled down at me. His arm wrapped around my shoulders as he pulled me closer. After everything in Neverland, I didn't want Henry to leave. I missed him so much. We all did.

My parents emerged through the crowd behind us, along with Regina. My mom hugged me from behind as Regina leaned against Henry. She looked up and locked eyes with her parents- my grandparents.

"Mom!" She exclaimed, rushing around me. "Dad!" They hugged her like they hadn't seen her in years. David placed his hand behind her hand as he had always done since she was a baby. She pulled away from her parents after a few seconds, standing beside them. Her eyes flickered over to my brother, and she saw the smile plastered on his face.

"Kid," My mom said, calling her son by her favorite nickname. Henry looked over as she asked. "What comes next for you? Going back to the New Enchanted Forest?" All eyes fell on Henry, waiting for his response. He thought for a moment, then sighed with a smile.

"Yeah." He nodded. Everyone looked at him in shock, not thinking he would yes to leaving Storybrooke. "I'm gonna find Ella, and we're gonna go back to Storybrooke." He explained.

"Henry, do you think she'll wanna come here?" Regina asked, looking at her son with concern. She knew how much Henry loved Ella, but was she willing to travel through a portal to be with him?

"When I was ten, I brought Emma here to bring back the happy endings. Since then, Storybrooke has turned into a place for second chances. Ella deserves both of those things." Henry turned his head, looking at the town beside us. "Plus, it's a perfect place to raise our kid." He looked back and saw everyone staring at him in shock. "Someday." He added with a smile. We all sighed in relief. I couldn't imagine Ella allowing Henry to go to Neverland with a child on the way. He looked at Regina. "I promise I'll be back." He whispered.

"You better." She replied. Henry nodded. Regina dropped her arms off her son. "Let's get you back to Ella." She shook her head and looked at me. "Kallie, you think you can open another portal?" I stood there for a minute, thinking. Could I do it again?

It was an extraordinary power, but should I be showing everyone that I came back from Neverland with magic?

In this town, there were no secrets. At least nothing stayed secret for long. They were going to find out sooner or later.

"I think so." I nodded, smiling. "But-" My head turned to my brother. "I'm gonna need your help, Henry." He grinned and nodded. My eyes flickered to my mom before I walked through the crowd with Henry.

"Kal, are you sure you want to do this here?" My mom asked, quickly stepping in front of me.

"People are gonna find out about my magic sooner or later," I replied, then grabbed Henry's hand and walked past her. A heavy sigh escaped her lips, and I mentally rolled my eyes. They were going to know when she and Regina began my magic lessons. Why not just show them now?

All eyes fell on us as we stepped onto the edge of the dock. The waves of the ocean crashed against the cement wall underneath us.

Honestly, I wasn't sure this was going to work. My thoughts of Storybrooke brought us home. I hoped I could somehow channel Henry's thoughts of Ella to send him back. My head turned to Henry and whispered.

"I don't know if this is going to work, but I need you to think of the New Enchanted Forest or at least of Ella." Henry nodded understanding. I gave him a few minutes to collect his thoughts.

Once he was ready, I began as I did in Neverland and took a deep breath. I placed one hand above the ocean and the other holding onto Henry's hand. Toning out all the noise, I focused on that feeling of love I found back in Neverland.

Once my palms let that same warm, familiar feeling, I let Henry's thoughts take over my body. His strong love for Ella was enough to make my free hand begin to glow with a bright yellow light. It was the same bright yellow light that shot out of my palm in Skull Rock. Combing both portal experiences, I was able to create a unique way to open portals. I opened my eyes, and as soon as the light shot out of my palm on the ocean water below, I rotated my hand clockwise, making a circle.

I did it three times until that yellow light faded from my palm as the warm feeling went away. The water was swirling around in the opening of the bright yellow circle. A grin appeared on my face, and I glanced over at Henry as he met my eye.

"Find your way back to us."

"I will always find my way back home." He smiled, then jumped into the portal just before it disppeared...