Time jump of 3 years. Lena is 15 years old now and Aero has grown up quite a bit. Although he likes living in the woods of Storybrooke it is far from ideal for a dragon. Lena has to make a difficult decision.
"Are your sure this is the right decision?" Aero asked.
"Yes" Lena said decisive.
Aero bowed his head in acceptance. When he looked up again he asked: "When will you tell your mothers?"
Lena's face contorted into something painful and worried. She knew it wouldn't be an easy task and her moms would definitively object but to her this was the best option. It was the only way she could be sure Aero would be safe…and she could finally fulfill her destiny. In the distance Lena heard the bells of the clock tower ring five times.
"Damn it" she said and picked up her bag pack: "I was supposed to be at Granny's at five o'clock. I will see you tomorrow. Bye Aero." Lena was already running back towards the town.
"You really need a watch, you know" she heard Aero say in her head. Lena smirked but kept running. She really did need a watch.
Regina looked at her watch. "Late…again" she mumbled.
"She'll be here soon" Emma said, placing a soft kiss on Regina's cheek.
"Are you sure she's not my sister by birth because she seems to have inherit the 'being late' gene from you mom" Henry said to Emma.
"I was thinking the same thing" Regina smirked.
"Hey" Emma said offended and softly elbowed her wife and tried to kick Henry under the table but he was too quick to pull his legs out of reach. They laughed. At that moment a panting young girl stepped into the diner. She walked straight to the booth where her family was sitting and took place next to her brother.
"Sorry" she said with very apologetic eyes.
"We really need to get you a watch" Regina said with a lightly stern voice.
"Have you told them yet?"
"No."
"Don't you think it's time."
"Yes."
"Then what are you waiting for?"
"I don't know…" Lena let her head fall into her hands. She sat with her back against a tree and her knees pulled up. Aero was lying next to her. "I'm scared" Lena finally continued.
"Of what?"
"They're gonna be really mad, I'm sure of it."
"I guess it won't be easy to accept your decision but I do think they'll understand. They're really smart women, you know."
"Of course I know. It's just…"
"Just what?" A twig broke to their left. When Lena turned her head she saw Ruby a couple feet away.
"Lena?" she asked: "Everything okay?"
"Yeah. Everything is fine" Lena answered not very convincing.
"Okay…Do you wanna try that again with telling me the truth?"
Lena sighed: "I guess."
Ruby placed herself next to Lena, all her attention focused on the girl beside her. Ruby had a feeling something big was going on with her young friend.
"They deserve to know."
"I know."
Lena and Ruby stood alongside each other in front of the front door of the Mills-Swan house. After the young dragon trainer had explained what was going on, Ruby tried to convince her friend to tell her parents too. It took a while but in the end Lena agreed.
Ruby placed a hand on her friends shoulder, slightly squeezing it in support. Lena took a deep breath before she opened the front door. It seemed like she had done that a lot the past couple of years.
"Moms?" Lena called out when she entered the hallway.
"In here" Emma called back from the kitchen. When Lena and Ruby entered Emma and Regina both turned their heads up to look at their daughter.
"Oh hey Ruby" Emma greeted surprised, which Regina shared. The quick look shared between Lena and Ruby didn't go unnoticed by the mothers.
"Something going on?" Regina asked curious.
Another quick look, a sigh and then Lena spoke: "I'm going back to the enchanted forest with Aero."
It seemed like someone pushed a mute button. Emma and Regina were frozen in shock. Both staring at their daughter. Lena didn't know what to do. Look at her parents or just run for her life. Neither seemed a good option at the moment so she too stood still in place and looked at the ground.
Ruby on the other hand thought the silence was very impressive since the other two women weren't particularly people who'd be found tongue-tied easily. Finally she was the one who broke the silence: "Talking about ripping of the bandage, huh."
"Why?" was all Regina could bring out at the moment.
Lena found the courage to look back up. For the umpteenth time that day she took a deep breath: "Aero is getting to big to stay in Storybrooke. He needs to be able to fly freely and live amongst other dragons. He needs to live in the enchanted forest."
"Okay…" Emma nodded and walked around the corner to go stand next to her wife and put an arm around her: "But why do you have to go to the enchanted forest too?"
"Aero has never been on his own. He won't know how to survive and…"
"And what?" Regina asked, seeing her daughter struggle to bring out the next words.
"And I need to fulfill my destiny."
"Your destiny…as a dragon protector?" Emma asked.
Lena nodded: "I can't be a dragon protector here, in Storybrooke."
"Aren't you protecting Aero?" Regina asked.
"I don't think that's what Elliot meant as my destiny" Lena replied with a soft smile.
Regina seemed to realize her daughter was right. Her tension floated away and was replaced by a proud but sad feeling. She stepped forward and took one of Lena's hands. "I'm not ready for you to go." Tears were filling Regina's eyes.
Lena pulled her mom into a tight hug. "I know" she whispered: "But I believe this is something I need to do." They pulled out of the hug. Lena turned to her other mother. Tears were rolling over the blonde woman's cheeks. "Mom…are you oaky?" Lena asked carefully.
"Yeah…oh I'm sorry I don't wanna cry. It's just…I'm proud of you" Emma said sobbing. Now it was time for Emma to receive a hug. Both Lena and Regina put their arms around the blonde, who chuckled through her sobbing.
Behind them other sobbing was heard. The Mills-Swan family turned their heads and saw Ruby softly smiling through her tears: "This is so sweet." They all had to laugh.
After the laughter died down Regina turned back to look at her daughter: "When are you leaving?"
"I was thinking after Henry's birthday" Lena answered.
"But that's in a week" Regina stated.
"It won't get any easier if I'll postpone it."
Regina sighed: "I know."
Lena smiled reassuringly at both her mothers. Suddenly that smiled faded and Lena's face contorted in pain. She kludged her hands against her head and squeezed her eyes closed. "Aaaaaah…hungge" Lena groaned. Her legs felt like jelly. She thought she would fall to the ground any second but before she could three women surrounded her to slowly lower her down.
"Honey, what's wrong?" Regina's voice sounded very worried.
"Aero" was all Lena could bring out through the pain.
"What about Aero?" Emma asked.
Lena tried to concentrated and explain what she was feeling, what she was hearing. No words left her mouth, only a terrifying scream.
Next chapter coming soon.