A short last chapter (and an epilogue to be posted with it!). There's not much else to say! See you on the other side ;)

For a few moments, all Emma could sense was the rippling of magic around her, whirling through her hair and her clothes, forcing her eyes shut against the stinging and the confusion. She thought of Storybrooke, willing herself there, though her mind was clouded over with thoughts of Henry, his last words still ringing in her ears.

I don't believe you.

Henry, her truest believer.

The words of Captain Jones pierced through her as wel–

The thud that dropped them on the main street of Storybrooke was disorienting and broke off Emma's thoughts. She blinked against the harsh glare of the street lamps overhead as she opened her eyes, her arm coming up to shield her face. As the clouds of garish, swirling green dissipated around them, a glimpse of a dark form also disappeared from view with a swift flash of olive green and gold. Emma had never seen that happen in a portal before, but it was night time in Storybrooke, and so dark without a single star that she was sure her eyes must be tricking her.

Beside her, Robin was looking around in awe, his hand instinctively reaching for his bow, the world completely new to him.

Regina was looking at Robin in disbelief.

"It worked," she whispered.

The familiar jingle of Granny's front door opening caught their attention.

"Emma! Regina!"

David and Killian – her Killian, her glorious, young, loving Killian – were running down the diner steps and into the road towards them. Emma ran forward too, wrapping her arms around Killian, pulling him in fiercely towards her as they folded in together. It was a warm collision, safety after her hours of confusion and unrest. She knew she was shaking, but she couldn't stop herself.

"You're home, my love," Killian said. "It's alright."

"I'm so sorry," Emma murmured with tears in her voice, echoing her words from only minutes before, but a lifetime away. "I'm so, so sorry."

"For what?" Killian asked.

"Robin?"

David was staring openly in shock; their old friend had returned, as alive as he ever had been. He came forward, a smile emerging, though he had no words to say.

"King Charming!" Robin said, bowing a little, though seemingly sensing how odd it was in this foreign place where the king had no crown.

"No need to bow, Robin," David said, beckoning him and the others forwards. "We should probably get inside. A lot has happened since you both left, it's not safe to stay out here."

Emma untwined herself from Killian to look around worriedly.

"What's going on? What's happened?"

"Get inside, love," Killian said, his hand around her waist to guide her towards Granny's, "we'll talk in there."

"Killian, wait," Emma said, holding the lapels of his jacket as the others left them.

"What's the matter?" Killian asked. His hands rested against her waist, tethering her to him, as though he felt her old skittishness returning. "You're home. What's happened? You're shaking."

"It's hard to explain," Emma said. "I don't know where to start."

"Skip all the backstory, just tell me what it is bothering you."

"I met you," Emma said. "Well, not you, a different you. You were much older, you were a pirate captain, you… well, in truth, you ended up despising me."

"Codswallop, I could never despise you."

"I heard it for your own – his own – lips, Killian. Just before we took the portal back here, I had healed him, and I heard him. He… he said-"

"It doesn't matter, love, I'm obviously an idiot."

"You don't understand, I-"

"I don't care that I don't understand, I don't need to know his reasons for taking a disliking to you right now. You're here with me, not him, and he's evidently a blaggard and a fool, if that's any surprise."

"That's just the thing," Emma said, resting her forehead against his chest. "I could understand him hating me – I did an awful, awful thing to get back here. But he said he thought he must have been a fool to love me in any realm. I heard him, he said-"

"Shhhhhh, my love, that's enough," Killian said, wrapping his arms around Emma, trying to soothe her. "As I said, I don't care what I said in any realm, I don't care what you did to some other me or whatever he was. You're here with me, and I love you, and surely that's all that matters."

"I love you, too. So much. I'd honestly do anything to get back to you."

"And I you. Now let's get inside, lass," he said, guiding Emma towards the diner. "Your father wasn't joking when he said it's unsafe out here."

"Why, what's happened?"

"Let's just say we've got more than an Evil Queen to worry about in Storybrooke now."

They're back! They're home! Hallelujah!

I'm about to post the Epilogue, so I'll write a proper finishing note there.

Emily x