"Regina please, just…just think about what you're doing here…" Emma pleaded as she cut off the brunette's pathway towards the Outlaw waiting for her join them on their journey, "what if Tink was wrong?"

She furrowed her brow as she looked at the woman before her, why did she care? "Emma, fairy dust is never wrong," she moved to walk but was once again cut off.

"No but…what if it's wrong now?"

"Miss Swan, you are not making any sense, now move, I need to go"

"No!" she gripped Regina's forearms now, desperation clear in her tone, "no listen to me!" she could see the anger in deep brown eyes but didn't lessen the pressure of her hold, "the fairy dust may have been right back then, back when all you were was a possession to the King, a glorified baby sitter from Snow…a heart-broken, angry young woman desperate for freedom…" tears were filling both eyes now in sorrow for the woman's past, Regina closing her eyes to ward off the memories and such a time and Emma bringing her slightly closer in order to comfort before carrying on, "but you're so much different now, so much more than that!"

"Emma…I don't-"

"You are Regina freaking Mills!" she exclaimed with small relief when the brunette smiled slightly at the awe now clear in Emma's voice, her grip loosened so that she wasn't keeping Regina in place but merely holding her like she had wanted to do for so long, and Regina was letting her, "you are one of the most powerful magical beings in existence and have used that power for so many things," this would have been the time for Regina to wallow in her past misdoings but the blonde wouldn't allow that, "you just kicked Peter Pan's ass like it was nothing, you used your magic to get our son back, to get all of us home, you are a hero." The brunette scoffed but didn't move to speak.

"You created a small town in Maine for a bunch of fairy tale characters that, although they would never admit it to you, are so much better off here than being oppressed in their own world…you thought you were taking away their happy endings? Well, looking around at some of the people, I think you gave it to them!"

"You are a mother, and a damn good one at that!" Tears escaped both eyes now but Emma carried on regardless, her tone softening, "you gave the baby I gave birth to the life I always wanted for him, the love I could never have given him then and the home he needed in order to grow up becoming the kind, funny, beautiful little boy that he has and that is all down to you, the other mother of our son."

"He says he's okay with you leaving for the Enchanted Forest with Robin because he thinks that is what will make you happy but he is not okay with it, he is not okay with losing the woman who has given him nothing but love for the past eleven years of his life and…and I am not okay with that…" she was getting to the point of her rant now and the unbidden emotions were forming like a lump in her throat.

"Because…what I am trying to say is…" she was faltering at the hope she could read so clearly in Regina's eyes, the woman knew what she was saying and was practically holding her breath in preparation for it, "I know you…I know you think you might be happy with him because of what some shitty little trail of dust might have led you to believe so long ago but…things change…feelings change…people change" she breathed through her words, her head was spinning but she needed to get it out, "you've changed and I think…well, I hope…no, I know…that true loves can change…" Regina gasped lightly as Emma stood a little straighter now, she felt like fire and ice was coursing through her veins, she could feel every single cell buzzing within her body as she inhaled the scent of the woman she shouldn't love but did with every inch of her being.

"I am asking you now Regina Mills, you look me in the eye and you tell me that you are absolutely certain that the man, the practical stranger, standing behind you is your true love…that he will be able to make you feel the love that you should…that he is going to wake up earlier every morning just so that he can be the first thing you see when you open your eyes, that he is going to spend every possible second of the day thanking whatever God or higher power there is that allowed him to be close to you, a part of you…you tell me that he is going to worship you for the absolute wonder that you are and appreciate every little ounce of you that fights against the darkness inside of you because he tells you that you are stronger than that, that you are worth so much more and are worth saving every single time…you tell me that Regina and I will let you go…I will walk away and let you leave with him knowing that he is going to do everything for you that…that…"

"Please say it Emma…" she shocked even herself when she breathed out her response, tears streaming down her own face as she brought her own arms up to take a hold of the woman before her, "please…"

"Oh for god's sake!" she pulled the brunette in to her crashing their lips together for the first time, those around gasped in surprise as they watched though neither woman heard for they were too lost within each other. They didn't feel the magic crackling around them as soft full lips parted to allow Emma's tongue to meet with her own, they didn't hear the cracking of the ground beneath them as the last remnants of the curse, the part keeping them all here, started to break down as trees of enchantment grew from broken pavement, they didn't see the tendrils of magic that flowed between them as hands tangled in hair and the kiss slowed to a soft caress.

Instantly their foreheads connected as they parted finally for air, still completely unaware of the changing world around them.

"I fucking love you Regina Mills…" her grin was mirrored by the woman before her.

"I fucking love you too Emma Swan" their lips met once more in declaration of the love they both finally voiced yet had accepted so long ago.

Neither saw the small boy smiling so widely it looked painful as he watched his mother's finally act on what everyone had known for so long now. He watched for a moment longer before things became too gross for him, turning slowly he scanned the rejoicing crowd for one person he knew would be hiding out about now. With a smirk he walked towards the leggy brunette, tapping her on the shoulder and waiting with his hand out palm facing up. "Told you"

The leggy brunette huffed as she reached into her short shorts and pulled out a twenty before slapping it into a tiny hand, "yeah, whatever kid." She scowled but couldn't help smiling when she looked up to the two still held tightly in an embrace, "care for another?" she winked down at the boy as he considered her offer.

"Depends on what it is Rubes…"

She crouched down low in order to ensure he could hear over the shouts of joy from those who found they could finally return home should they want as the line from both worlds was declared strong by Rumpelstilskin, though Ruby suspected many would remain within the fictional town in which most had been given a second chance at a happy ending. Emma was right, Regina had allowed them this chance and Ruby for one was not going to waste it away in the land in which she was an outcast, a danger to those around her, a place that held so many dark memories for her…no, this was her home now and here she would remain.

"I bet they're married within the year"

"You're on"