I do not own Once Upon a Time.

Fun chapter, a nice break from all the craziness that is usually in Storybrooke.

Amelia and Neal walked into the White Rabbit and instantly saw their friends. Jordan, Aiden, Nathan, Marian, Ruby and Ashely had occupied a large table in the middle of the room. They were celebrating Marian's first week of her shop. While Marian had declined the invitation, saying she had work to do, Jordan and Amelia had talked her into coming out.

"You need this, we need this." Jordan had reasoned. They had all been through the wringer in the past twenty-eight years and now there was finally a time to just sit back and chill.

Neal helped Amelia with her coat before they sat down.

"I took the liberty of ordering drinks. The girls get the girly drinks and the harder drinks are for the men and Amelia." Nathan joked as he handed out the tall glasses. "Here is to best friends who stand by each other through everything and anything." They raised her glasses and toasted.

"Amelia, you're glowing." Jordan squealed. Amelia looked down at her outfit choice: white sleeveless peplum top, tight purple jeans and a pair of very high silver heels. She was quite proud of her out and knew Neal really liked it also. "Is there a reason you're glowing?" Jordan continued.

Amelia had to laugh. "No, I am not pregnant. When I am, you will be the first one to know."

"You mean unlike last time, where the first to know was your ex." Jordan said mournfully.

"For the record, Helen knew first. I didn't even have to tell her, she just knew and told me to jump ship."

"But seriously, you two need to get married soon. Mom needs to get off our backs about having kids. She really wants grandchildren." Jordan squeezed Aiden's hand.

"We are waiting for things to calm down." Neal told them all. It was the truth.

"Well, things are calm now." Nathan said. He just wanted to see his sister happy.

Neal and Amelia looked at each other. Things were not calm. Neal was dealing with his father's most recent fall from grace. Amelia was dealing with her nightmares that seemed to get worse each night.

"Changing the topic, did you know the couple here got engaged here?" Aiden broke in. Amelia was grateful he moved the conversation along.

"You did?" Ashely and Ruby asked at the same time, Marian had wide eyes. There was still much about her friend that she did not know.

"Yep, she sang to him. Something about accepting her dark side." Jordan smiled.

"That's not the whole story. Neal proposed at the library while I was working. I didn't give him an answer because I was freaking out. Helen was the one who talked me through it. Then he met me here and I sang. At the end, he slipped the ring on for real. It was magical in its own way." Amelia smiled.

She looked around the table, all her friends were dressed to nines, so basically overdressed for the White Rabbit, but who cared. Jordan had on a lacy black dress, Amelia guessed Aiden had a hand in picking it out. Ruby wore red, as usual and her makeup was as flawless as ever. Even Marian had fully embraced Storybrooke fashion. But she kept a piece of her fairy tale self. She wore a long flowered skirt paired with a sequin off the shoulder top.

Marian noticed that Amelia was looking at her outfit with a curious eye. "Jordan's closet is more my style. I don't have the confidence for your clothes."

"Not yet, we will get you there. I am getting you in a pair of heels." Amelia raised her glass to her friend.

"And watch me break my neck?" Marian joked.

"You are in good hands with Amelia, she would never let you fall." Neal told Marian. His arm went around Amelia's shoulder and he pressed a kiss to the side of her head.

The night continued with food and lots of drinks. Marian was a good sport about trying everything once. Even the tiny pepper that she ate against Amelia and Jordan's yelling at her not to. Nathan was going to pay for that later.

Then the music started and Amelia was the first one to move to the tune.

"Wow, you had enough to drink?" Ruby giggled.

"Maybe…" Amelia giggled back. Then she got to her feet, slightly unsteadily, and grabbed Marian's hand. "Come on, let me show you how we have fun in this realm."

"But I don't have a dance partner." Marian told her. She was used to the proper way of dancing from back in the Enchanted Forest.

"Partners are not needed here. Just feel the music, get into the rhythm and let go." Amelia did not let go of her hands.

It took Marian a few minutes to let loose, it started with off beats and laughing but soon enough she was having fun. Then Jordan, Ashely and Ruby joined them on the dance floor. Just five young women, ones who had faced hardships and almost couldn't believe how far they had come as people. They had friends, real friends and also a bright future.

Suddenly Amelia was off in her own world. The noise of the big city filled her ears and she let it consume her.

But it was Neal's hand on her arm that brought her back to reality. She looked up at him and suddenly the music slowed. They locked eyes and he drew her close. Their foreheads just touched, Amelia couldn't get over the feeling of complete and pure love that Neal was washing over her. Pure love and trust and acceptance: that was all she ever wanted in life.

For those few moments, between the two of them, everything was right with the world. No curses, or monsters, or witches. Just calm and peaceful and perfect.

Amelia is still having terrible dreams, any idea what they could be about?

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