One year later...
Gideon was celebrating his first year …
Most of the people in Storybrooke were in attendance for his birthday at Granny's and had all had their happy ending or beginning.
There was Cinderella, with her Prince Thomas and their daughter Alexandra, the former giant Anton who had managed to collect magic beans with the dwarves, Archie, who unfortunately didn't have many customers anymore but was now becoming head of state for weddings, the fairy Nova and Grumpy who were ready to leave Storybrooke with their boat they had just built, Hansel and Gretel, living happily with their father, Maleficent and her daughter Lily who aimed to search for the latter's father.
Doctor Frankenstein who had been recognized throughout the state of Maine and had been lavished on helping great researchers, the Mad Hatter and his daughter Grace, Granny who had improved even more in the kitchen and had home deliveries, the Princess Abigail, Frederick and their son Orpheus, Clochette who helped all the inhabitants to find their soul mate, Snow White and David with their son Neal, Emma and Hook then August, Regina, Geppetto, Luxe and Henry and of course Rumple, Belle and Gideon.
Emma raised her glass wanting to say something:
"Killian and I have a big announcement for you: we're having a baby"
Everyone couldn't believe it and applauded. Regina was a little sad not to offer this to August, Emma cried with emotion
"I can't believe it's really possible that we are all happy at the same time"
"Let's drink what you said", Belle laughed
Luxe gave her father a big smile to tell him to take the plunge. He took his eyes off her and stood in the middle, looking at everyone.
"I too have an announcement to make. We're here to celebrate a child's birthday with parents who have not had an easy story, the fabulous story of a magnificent heiress who crossed paths of a beast. He made her his prisoner but when he released her she was starting to fall in love with him, and she came back to him, despite all the horrors and betrayals he had committed. She made so much effort for him and it paid the price and the fulfillment is finally there for them, which means that what they have lived is possible and is even a great model of it. "
He looked at Regina staring at her glass of champagne and smiled at her.
"Our story isn't that different Regina. You also took me prisoner but to protect me and during these few weeks we understood that we had to overcome our guilt. In our past, as in that of all those who are here, there have been losses, sorrows but that's part of life. When you transformed me back into who I was, even though you did it for you at the time, my life changed. started again, but I had a strange feeling it was like a roller coaster rolling its last meter before arriving, before it ash you, you have the impression that you have a loose stomach, your knees who are shaking but that's it, we breathe again, and that's what happened to me because you were the first face I saw. When I understood that you would give your life to protect all the people you hurt, I knew now that I couldn't live without you, that my life had a lot less meaning without you, by my side. Our relationship is based on trust, loyalty and love, things that were totally foreign to us a few years ago."
He moved closer to her and started to kneel
« We can't know in advance what the future holds but I'm sure of one thing whatever happens in our life, I will always be there for you, I know your anxieties, your doubts and your tumultuous past, you know my weaknesses and all the trials that I went through. It's not just love that unites us, it's our dark and unknown side. I no longer need to know what fate has in store for us because I promised you that I would make you happy and that your life will never change no matter where life takes us, so Regina, Roni, Lana Mills, would you marry me? "
Everyone smiled, moved. Regina didn't know what to say. She knelt in front of him and put her hand on his shoulder to make their faces face to face and put her arms and head around his neck. He felt her tears on his shirt.
"Did you ever doubt it ?!"
August put his hands on her back and squeezed her with all his might as if he had just found her. While all the cafe applauds. he helped her up, put the ring on her finger and she kissed him until she was out of breath.
August and Regina married two months later for Luxe's birthday.
On Regina's advice, August resumed writing. He wrote his story and his travels in series which he entitled: "My promise ", which sold across the country.
Regina and he went on honeymoon for three weeks to travel all over Italy. She had finally left the continent and was finally seeing the world with the man she loved. They had promised to go further when their children were at university.
Two years later, Henry and Luxe graduated, but Luxe was concerned. She had sent her file to the biggest fashion school in New York and she had been received with the congratulations of the Jury. She didn't want to leave her family and her first love affair.
Her father and grandfather were however very proud of her.
"Everything goes so fast, with magic we couldn't make time stop or at least slow down a bit.", She worried.
"Young girl, this is your future, you have to seize it, it's the chance of your life, the question does not even arise", Marco remarked
She looked over at her father
"We promised to make Europe together, you remember"
He took her face with a big smile
"We have our whole life to go sweetie, I need you to be happy and to be successful"
She stepped back to land on the bed
"Maybe I can stay here for a while longer I feel good with my family, I could go to college in Boston"
August and Marco looked at each other, a little devastated
"Are you kidding ? It's obvious you don't have a clear idea because when you think about that you think of Henry. It's your first love story, but believe me there will be more, you're young, Lux, try your luck and then he too has dreams, you two have no reason to rot here anymore. Life doesn't really give us a choice, there's nothing we can do about it. make."
The writer stood next to her
"But above all, without you, I never managed to feel safe, I wouldn't know how to get out of it, after everything that happened to me, before all that"
"You move forward, you face your fears, that's how it works. We will stay in touch, you don't have to worry"
Regina had told Henry that Luxe would be leaving in a few days. He was making a face, he was disappointed that she hadn't told him about it.
The day before she left, they found themselves having a picnic outside Gold's cabin.
"Everything has always been complicated in my life, I'm tired of rushing all the time, everything has gone so fast since I've been here," the young girl lamented.
Henry was still very proud for her and he didn't want to show his disappointment
"Your father and my mother are so proud of you, Luxe and me too"
"New York isn't that close to here, you know"
"I know", he said worriedly "but it's a chance, there's nothing to hesitate, you know it will always accelerate, not slow down"
"I don't know who to listen to between my heart and my sanity."
Henry wanted them to stop talking about it and enjoy their last night for a bit.
A few hours later, he walked her back to her grandfather's. They were standing across from each other. Luxe had a sad face and was dyed on the door wall. Henry approached her. She stroked his hair, worried. The young boy took her hand and kissed her palm.
"Are we saying goodbye?"
She took him in her arms and placed a kiss on his cheek
"It's not a farewell Henry, I promise"
She took the door to her house, trying not to look at him.
The next day, August drove his daughter to her studio in New York. He was beginning to have tears in his eyes. She hugged him.
"I'm much better at saying goodbye than you"
She could hear a small laugh from him
"I'll come see you often I promise, I am so proud of you, my little girl."
Two weeks later, Anton had managed to find a bean and gave it to Henry. The latter wanted to visit all the magical realms to clear his head and change his life. August, with what he had earned for his novel, gave him a magnificent motorbike, the model above his own as a farewell gift. He gave him a few lessons. He wanted to take advantage of him a bit now that Luxe was gone.
A few days later, Regina and August accompanied Henry to his new motorcycle. Regina was very worried about leaving her son.
"I still hoped that after high school you would go to college, Henry"
"I want to find out where my own story takes me. In the wizard's mansion I found hundreds of books like mine with stories that I thought I knew but to tell otherwise, you knew there was another SnowWhite, another Cinderella. There are thousands of possibilities but I don't appear in any of its stories, I want to be part of a story. I want to know where I belong. I love you both, take care of you . "
Regina left her husband's arm and approached her son
"I love you too Henry "
She stepped back to take her husband's arm over her shoulder and saw her son passed through a portal with his motorbike.
"He's going to be okay, I'm sure he's an unic boy" August smiled.
"Yes I know but I have the strange feeling that this is the end of an era!"