A/N: Hey readers. I'm so sorry it has been so long! After the last chapter I got a huge case of writer's block and then I started writing other stories. I never ever forgot about this one, but it was just too difficult for me to deal with the end of my senior year while writing like six stories all at once. I hope you're all still there. Lol Anyway, here's chapter 43 and I hope you enjoy it! It is almost the last one!
"Regina?" David's concerned voice shouted at the woman he kneeled beside on the floor in Granny's Diner.
"Ugh!" She groaned as she slowly sat up, feeling David grab her elbow to help her up. Her hand reached up to grab her head just as it did when Jasmine helped her up in the dream.
"Don't get up too fast." He said gently.
"Gave us quite the scare there, sister." Widow Lucas added, standing over them and holding Olivia. David had handed her to the old woman as soon as Regina went down.
"How long was I out?" The mayor asked, her voice a bit hoarse and shaky.
"Just a minute or so." The owner of the diner answered, bouncing Olivia in her arms.
"Are you okay?" David asked, slowly helping her stand.
"Ugh! I think so." She held onto his arm once she stood just to keep her balance a second longer before finally feeling capable of letting go.
"I haven't seen anyone go down like that since the day I slugged that bloody crocodile." A dark voice came from a booth nearby and Regina walked passed David to see better.
"Hook?" She still had her hand on her head as she approached his table.
"Aye." She glared at him. "Wasn't too long ago you were sticking your tongue down my throat. Seems you might've lost your memory. Quite the nasty fall there." He looked passed her to David. "Davey, is it? Perhaps you should take her to a doctor, ay mate?"
"No. I don't need a doctor, Guyliner. My memories are just fine. It's an explanation that I need."
"Sure. Ask me any question." He raised one eyebrow flirtatiously just before taking a swig of hot chocolate, which he had, of course, spiked with a dab of rum.
Ignoring his expression, Regina just came out and asked him for the truth. "What are you doing here, Killian? And I don't mean in this diner. I mean, in this town. Why are you here with your little band of filthy henchmen?"
"Well, clearly we came to enjoy a change of venue." He smirked, gesturing towards the obviously new type of 'tavern.'
"Enough bull shit, Pirate! What are you doing here?"
His smile faded and he seemed a bit ashamed to have to admit this, but he did anyways, remembering the Evil Queen's temper. "We came to escape Pan."
"Really? The young boy who floated over the clouds with a bunch of children to find a land where you don't grow old?"
"It's not what you think. Alright? Pan IS dangerous and Neverland does exist."
"Oh, really?"
"It's true." Aladdin came forward. "And he's right. Peter Pan cannot be trusted. I was a Lost Boy and it was hard for me to escape his life of rebelliousness."
"Same with me." Emma turned to look at Neal. It wasn't until now that Regina had noticed their presence. They had entered the diner just as she had collapsed, along with Victor and Snow White. "Trust us. It's better for all of us to be here then on an island with that psychopath." Neal decided to add.
"I hope our being here's not a problem for you." Killian looked to Regina, waiting for a snap or an exile.
She paused, remembering that she was changing and trying to get better for Henry and Olivia's sake. "No...not at all. But there is one thing. How can you be sure that Pan won't follow you here?"
"He can't." Wendy responded. "He's too weak. And with no other forms of transportation or no more pixie dust, there's nothing he can do."
"No more pixie dust?" Snow wondered. "What happened to it?"
"Pixies hardly exist anymore. And most of the fairies got caught up in the Dark Curse, transported here. So, in Neverland...there was no one to help Pan." Neal answered.
"We're safe." Mr. Smee added, looking up to Regina, frightfully.
"So...you're here to stay?" Snow asked. "For good?"
There was a moment of silence as everyone looked around at each other. "It's up to the queen here." Killian said, pointing to Regina before taking another sip of his cocoa.
She hesitated before turning around and looking at Olivia in Granny's arms, then to David, then back to Killian. "Alright, Leather. On one condition…"
"Anything for you, milady." He crossed his legs under the table on the bench across from him, putting up that seductive brow again.
"No piracy. Alright? You're all going to get jobs and work for the things you EARN." Her eyes widened as if she knew a protest were coming.
"But, Your Majesty…" Smee began. "...most of us don't know how to do anything. Sailing is all we know."
"Then you can work at the docks as fisherman and boat repairmen. Alright? I will have NO thievery in my town, you understand?" She waited for the answer as if she were queen again, waiting for the peasants to bow to her.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Most of the pirates said in unison.
"Oh, and…" She paused. "...call me Regina." She couldn't help but turn and smile at David. "I'm no longer the queen here." He walked over to her and gave her the lightest, but most loving kiss and she squeezed his hand.
The squeeze, he knew, was her saying that she wasn't going anywhere and they would be alright. He squeezed back as if telling her that he knew they'd be okay and they smiled at each other, before their loving looks were interrupted. "Okay, Lovebirds!" Granny practically pushed them apart to get between them. "Time for me to get back to work. Can't do it with a baby in my arms." David giggled, taking Olivia from her and playfully shaking his head at Regina as she chuckled at the older woman.
"Shall we get home to Henry?" Regina asked him as she kissed Olivia's hand.
"I think that sounds like a great idea."