Three years ago today, I sat down and wrote my first ever fanfiction, and I posted it that same day. And now, three years and about 400,000 words later, I am posting the final chapter and the conclusion to this story. Fanfiction has been a huge part of my life the past three years, and I wouldn't be who I am today without it. This story has been there throughout graduating from high school and moving away from home to go to college. Writing is a passion of mine, and I am so grateful that I have been able to share my story with you all for the past three years.

When I first posted, I wasn't sure if anyone would even like what I had written. The response i have received has been so overwhelming. Every review, follow, and favorite has meant the world to me. Knowing that there are readers out there that are invested in and and have enjoyed my story is the best feeling in the world. I wouldn't be a writer without you amazing readers, so thank you thank you thank you for giving my work a chance. You all are the best readers I ever could have asked for.

I want to thank my beta, ladywolf101, for being absolutely amazing. This story would not be here without her. Thanks Joy for listening to me, discussing late into the night with me, editing my story, not being afraid to tell me when I am being an idiot, and just being there for me whenever I need. This girl has helped me build this story into something I am proud of, and I will always be grateful for that. Not only were you and outstanding beta, but you are such an incredible friend. Thanks, Joy, for everything.

I want to thank Once Upon a Time. I found this show during a really hard time, and it quickly became something that I love. It gave me hope. I still look forward to every episode and I still obsess over it, and I am so glad that this show has become a part of my life.

I am so glad that I have been able to write these characters and this story for you all. This had been an amazing, wonderful, and rewarding opportunity.

So, after three long years of fluff, angst, plot twists, cliff hangers, romance, death, family, hope, and love, here is the final chapter.

Before the smoke had consumed them, Snow had been tightly holding her baby girl with her husband at her side and her son in law across from her. The last thing she had seen was the three of them gripping on to Emma as if she could slip away at any moment, and as she had closed her eyes against the smoke, she had been very aware of the heavy weight in her arms and her heart.

There was something different about this smoke. When the curse had initially hit, it had been cold and harsh and it was painful as it consumed her. This time it was warm and soft and billowy, wrapping around her almost like a blanket.

The only constant was that she had been holding the dead body of a loved one in her arms.

Her senses and perception had been muddled momentarily, and when the smoke cleared, she became fully aware of herself once more. Except, everything was different. She wasn't in the clock tower with her family huddled over Emma's lifeless body, she knew that without even opening her eyes. Everything about her was different, but familiar in a strange way, as if she was a version of herself that she had been before. But the thing that she was aware of more than anything was the fact that her arms were empty, and that terrified her.

As Snow opened her eyes, it was as if time was frozen in the moment she was in. And she knew exactly what was so unsettling. Not only was her daughter gone, she wasn't even in Storybrooke any more. In fact, she wasn't even in the present. She was in a moment that she had already lived before.

Charming's and her second wedding.

It didn't make sense at all. She had been married to him for years and they had a home and children and a life together. This royal wedding certainly hadn't been the start of their marriage, that had begun when she married him in front of his mother by a dried up lake, and it made no sense why she was back here. Was she dreaming? Was this some sort of illusion?

Even though everything was frozen around her, she managed to make eye contact with Charming across from her. He was wearing the same smile he had had on their actual wedding day, but his eyes screamed that he was panicking just as much as she was. And if he was worried, that meant that this was real after all, which just made everything even more confusing.

Suddenly she felt a force slam against her, and it felt as if she was being grounded in her own body. It was an odd sensation, but she had a similar feeling when she had regained her real memories in Storybrooke. It was as if her consciousness aligned with her body, and suddenly, everything was moving and was completely real.

"And do you, Snow White, promise to take this man to be your husband, and love him for all eternity?"

She had made these vows before and everything in her head screamed at her to grab Charming and run because they weren't supposed to be here, they were supposed to be with Emma. And their other children, where were they? They weren't here and she couldn't lose them like she had lost Emma. She just wanted to cry and scream at the same time because it felt so suffocating to be here when nothing made sense. Still, despite everything running through her head, she felt herself smiling at Charming and looking at him with love like she had in this moment the first time, yet she could see in his eyes that he knew she was panicking, even if it didn't show.

She felt the tiniest of squeezes from his hand, and she could tell how much effort he had used just to break through this trance-like state that they were locked in so that he could comfort her. And she loved him for that.

"I do," she said automatically, like she had before, and she could feel the love and adoration in her voice. She wanted to scream at everyone to stop so that she could go find her children, but she couldn't break free. She locked eyes with Charming again, and with one look, he told her to calm down until they could break away from this feeling of being stuck in this moment.

That was enough to ground her, even if it wasn't much.

"I now pronounce you husband, and wife." There was clapping and cheering around them and she felt the joy and love that she had experienced on her actual wedding day, and while Charming and she felt out of place and confused, she smiled at him and he at her just like they had when they were married.

They leaned in to kiss, and Snow knew that any second Regina would burst through the door and threaten them. And yet, it didn't happen. Instead, she kissed Charming and they held hands and smiled and exited the ballroom surrounded by congratulations. The first time her stepmother had vowed to destroy their happiness and had cast a dark shadow on one of the happiest days of her life, but this time, there was only joy.

As they entered their conference room and headed towards the large oak table in the middle, they were holding hands and smiling, a noticeable difference from the moment they had actually lived through after their wedding. The doors shut behind them, and once they were alone, Snow felt a shudder run through her. The feeling of being in a trance was lifted, and she was completely herself again. And with one look at Charming, it was obvious that he felt the same.

"What is going on?" she asked, her voice sounding broken instead of light and airy like it had been moments before.

Charming kept looking back and forth from her dress to his wedding clothes with a shake of his head. "I don't know. At first I thought that I was imagining it, but with one look at you, I could tell that it was real. Why here and why now? Why did we just live that moment again?"

"Regina never stormed in, so it's different but it feels normal at the same time. I'm so confused. One minute we were in Storybrooke and now..." she trailed off, looking at her empty hands. "I was just holding Emma and we swore that we wouldn't lose her and now she's gone and to make it worse I don't know where any of our babies are, Charming."

He closed the space between them and pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm just as scared as you are. But we will figure this out together." He kissed the top of her head as she clung to the fabric of his shirt.

Snow looked up at him, her eyes full of tears. "I'm just so confused about everything, but more than that, I just want our children."

"No matter what is going on, we will find them, Snow. We will always find them," he told her as he cupped her face in his hands.

Their moment was interrupted by a cloud of smoke, only to reveal Rumplestiltskin standing before them. Except it wasn't the businessman they had grown used to working with in Storybrooke, or socializing with once they became good friends with his wife. This was the Dark One that they knew here, the one that they each had made numerous deals with throughout their years of trying to be together. She didn't know which version she was more wary of or trusted more. "Snow White and Prince Charming, right on schedule, dearies."

Charming stepped forward, his hand instinctively resting on the handle of his sword. "What's going on? Do you know what's happening?"

"What happened to Emma? And where are our children?" she inserted as she laced her fingers with her husband's.

"Now, now, I have quite the tale for you two, so why don't we sit?" Rumple gestured towards the table, and Charming and she each slowly took their seats, chairs that they had filled countless times before. He pulled out a scroll and placed it before them. "Take a look."

"I see nothing," she stated as she stared at the empty parchment. Her hand reached for her husband's under the table, and he instantly grasped her fingers with his own. "Don't waste our time...our children need us."

Rumple gave her a pointed look before tapping a finger on the scroll. "This is the scroll that used to contain the Dark Curse. I designed it to take me to the place my son had been lost to. Even though I created it, it was impossible to understand because it was so complex, made even more so when I placed a drop of a potion made from your love onto it."

"I don't understand, why is nothing written on it?" Charming inquired, and Snow could feel how tense he was.

"Because it's been completely erased from existence, dearies." They each audibly gasped, earning an eye roll from the Dark One. "Well don't be so surprised. Why do you think you've been brought here?" Snow glanced at her husband, and they each gave a shake of their heads. "You've been brought back to the moment where you first learned of the curse. Where it changed your lives forever. But now that it no longer exists, this moment for you two wasn't altered from what it should have been. Our dear friend Regina didn't storm into your wedding because she had nothing to threaten you with. So now you're here and you can live happily ever after."

Snow slammed her fist on the table, her eyes narrowed. "Well, we can't live happily ever after because we don't want to be here! We want to be home with our children safe and sound because that is the life we built. Take us back."

Rumple scoffed. "I can't take you back to a life that no longer exists. This is your life now, because a curse is never going to rip you to that world and you won't build that life anymore."

Charming unsheathed his sword and rose, pointing it at the imp's chest. "Then bring our children back."

He swatted the sword away like a fly. "I can't. They don't exist anymore either."

A strangled cry escaped her before Snow could cover her mouth with her hand. Charming immediately turned to her, a heartbroken look etched across his face. He knelt next to her and held her free hand as tightly as he could. "How dare you tell me that my babies are gone. They just can't be," she forced out, her own devastation laced in her words.

Rumplestiltskin tapped his fingers on the table before slowly starting to pace the room. "If you'll let me, I'm going to try to answer every question that you have." He waited a moment, and when they said nothing, he continued. "About two weeks ago in the other life, your daughter Emma came to me and told me that she knew how the curse worked. Somehow she had gained the knowledge of how to unravel it completely, and she had discovered that this meant making the Ultimate Sacrifice. By sacrificing the purest thing that exists, she could wipe away the Dark Curse from its very existence. At the time, neither of us were sure what would happen once she died, but she had accepted that she had to."

Snow felt fresh tears form in her eyes as she tried to comprehend what she was hearing. Not only did Emma know that she had to die, she had been willing to. No wonder she had seemed so hurts those last few times she had seen her. Emma had been trying to say goodbye all along without them knowing it.

"You gave her a death sentence," Charming growled, and Snow noticed that his fingers were balled into a tight fist. "I'll kill you for that."

The Dark One held his hands up. "I understand your anger, but if you just let me finish explaining everything, you will never have to see me again."

She placed a hand on her husband's arm in an attempt to calm him, even just a tiny bit. "David, we need to hear what he has to say. He's the only one that knows what's going on." He looked at her and gave a slow nod before returning his glare to their visitor.

"When your daughter was in her coma, she journeyed to the land of the dead, where she encountered a group of loved ones. Each of your parents and your lost children were with her, as well as Mr. Booth's departed children." Snow shared a look with her husband. She was unsure of how to take this news, as it was a lot to handle all at once. She couldn't wait to find out, however, as Rumple continued on. "They delivered the news to her then, and she kept it from you this entire time. She expressed to me when we spoke that she didn't want to hurt you, which I think you both can recognize as valiant."

Snow wasn't surprised one bit. Their daughter always tried to protect the people she loved, even when it was extremely difficult. "So she's...she's dead? No question about it?" Charming put an arm around her shoulders as she spoke, and they both waited for an answer they were afraid of.

"In that world, yes. She died."

"But what about this world?" Charming questioned, his voice shaking.

Rumple gestured to them. "Well, dearies, speaking that you were just married, I think it's safe to say that she hasn't been born yet. None of your children have in this timeline. So, its very probable that she will be born again.

"David," she whispered, looking at her husband. "We could get her back." She could hear the hope in her voice as she rested her forehead against his. "We have to."

Rumplestiltskin cleared his throat, bringing their attention back to him. "Would you like to keep your memories of your old life, or do you want to forget them and start anew?"

"Keep them, without a doubt," Charming professed without any hesitation. "I understand that we are starting our life over without the curse, but I can't forget everything that happened. I know Snow can't either." He glanced at her, and she nodded along.

"Does everyone else have their memories?" she inquired.

He shook his head. "Only Regina and I would have kept them, as I created the curse and she cast it. But, because of the love between the two of you created the Savior, you remember. That's what I have always guessed. I have been waiting for this moment to arrive for longer than you can know, just to see if you recognize the reversal of the curse."

Snow shifted in her seat. "So, from this moment on, we are living our lives in a world where the curse doesn't exist, but we can remember a world where it did?" This was nearly impossible to follow, as she had been hit with far too much information in such a short amount of time. She still kept feeling like she should pinch herself, because while she knew this was really happening, she still couldn't believe that the life she built with Charming had been erased, and they were starting over.

"That's it. Consider it your second chance at your lives. I know that's what I've done," Rumple told them. He picked up the scroll and placed it back in his pocket before clapping his hands together. "Well, dearies, my work here is done. I told you everything that you need to know." He pulled a small vial out of his pocket and placed it on the table. "As a parting gift, her is a memory potion. There is enough in there for each of you. If you ever do decide that you want to forget the other life, drink that."

They each nodded, and without another word, Rumplestiltskin disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Snow took a deep breath before turning to her husband. "So, what do we do now?"

He kissed her cheek before taking both of her hands in his. "Well, we live our lives. And since we weren't threatened by Regina this time, I think that we should go on our honeymoon. While we are away we can take some time to wrap our heads around everything."

"The only thing I know for sure right now is that I love you, my Charming."

He pulled her into a tight embrace. "I love you too, Snow."

After losing his daughter, waking up at his wedding, and having a taxing conversation with the Dark One, who he hated but had more important things on his mind, David was exhausted. But, speaking as they had been placed back at their wedding day, he had suggested leaving on their honeymoon, and now Snow and he were each changing for the journey.

He had just pulled on his trousers when he noticed her standing in front of the mirror out of the corner of his eye. Her wedding dress had been discarded on the floor, and she held her new dress in her hands as she stared at herself, an incredibly sad look on her face.

He crossed the room and stood behind her. "What's the matter?"

She let her fingers run across her stomach as tears clouded her eyes. "There aren't any signs of them. Any of them. It's like I wasn't even their mother at all."

His eyes followed where she was staring, and he could see why she was so sad. Even though he thought she was so beautiful no matter what, gone were the small stretch marks and other various markings that she had collected every time she had carried one of their children. He kissed her shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her. "If what Rumple told us is true, we are getting a second chance at our lives. And that means that we will get them back. You're still their mother now, but I promise, you will get to hold them in your arms again. We need to just have faith and hope that we will get our family back."

She nodded. "You're right. I need to have faith. It's just that sometimes that's really hard."

He gave her a tight squeeze before turning her to face him. "Then let me have faith for the both of us." He placed a soft kiss on her lips before wiping away her tears. "Now, let's try to enjoy our honeymoon, alright?"

Snow gave him a smile as she resumed getting dressed. He finished dressing himself before heading downstairs to check that their carriage was in order as Snow completed packing.

David was in the throne room and signing a few papers when a guard entered. "Prince James, you have a visitor."

He almost didn't respond, but he quickly had to remind himself that no one knew him as David here. He made a mental note to discuss with his wife when they should announce his true identity before nodding at the guard. "Let them in."

He didn't know what he was expecting, but a little red headed boy was not that at all. Once the door closed behind the guard, he took a few steps towards Pinocchio, his eyes wide with disbelief. This little boy had been his son in law what felt like minutes ago, and he hadn't even thought that August would have reverted bay to his child self.

"I told my papa that I had to see you," he started, and he sounded nervous. He opened his mouth to speak, but David held up his hand to stop him.

"August, is that you?"

Pinocchio's face relaxed. "David? You remember?"

He nodded, and the boy, or his son in law, he wasn't really sure at the moment, threw his arms around him. "Snow and I do. We didn't know that you did too." However, if he thought about it, it did make sense. August and Emma had true love between them, a love just as pure as the one he shared with Snow. Of course he would keep his memories, because Emma sacrificed the love for him within her just as much as she sacrificed the very love she was made of.

He pulled away and shrugged. "One minute I was with Emma and then I was at your wedding and I tried to ask people what was happening, but I just couldn't. Finally I was able to speak for myself, but my papa was confused so I knew that I had to talk to you. What's going on?"

"Emma sacrificed herself to break the curse," David said in a low voice. Pinocchio's face fell, and he reached his hand out and grasped the boy's shoulder. "Her death removed the curse from existence, so we were all transported back here."

"So...what's going to happen? Is she gone?"

"Well, we spoke to Rumple, and he said that this is our second chance at our loves without the curse. He told us that we have to live from this moment on, and that Emma will probably be born again. We just have to have faith that everything will fall into place." He crouched down, and he could see a very concerned look across the boy's face. It was a little unsettling, seeing a kid that was so young possess the soul of a grown man.

"What about Henry and my kids? They were only born because of the curse," he quietly said, his voice broken. "What if we don't ever get them back?"

David ran his fingers through his hair as his stomach dropped. He had been so consumed with losing his own children that those other three kids had completely slipped his mind. He should have been more worried about them, because they were a vital part of their family. "I don't know. I just don't. I barely have been able to understand what is even going on, and I am not sure how it will be possible now for those three to be born." His son in law's eyes clouded with tears, and it broke his heart. "But listen, we have to have faith. We don't know what the future holds, and maybe, just maybe, fate will be kind to us. Those three kids belong with our family, and I truly believe that they will find their way here somehow. We just can't give up on that hope, because that's all that we have."

He nodded as if he agreed with what had been said, and David desperately hoped that he had comforted him, even a little bit. After a moment Pinocchio tilted his head to the side as he started to wring his hands together. "I'm so confused. I remember everything from that other life and I remember loving her so much, but the kid in me is fighting against everything. I want to be a kid again and have a carefree childhood with my papa, but my other life is still in my head. I can't be a kid when all I can think about is how much I love Emma and how scared I was to lose her. I don't know if I can live with this." He sounded so tired, and David couldn't imagine how hard he had been fighting with the two versions of himself, the old and the new.

It was then that he had am idea. In one swift motion, he removed the memory potion from his pocket and held it out. "Here, take this. It will make you forget the other life and you can live this new one in peace."

His fingers reached forward and brushed against the vial as he lightly shook his head. "I want to just be one version of myself...but I don't know if I can't forget Emma. I don't know if I can let go of her."

"Listen to me," David instructed. "You and Emma share a true love that is wonderful and powerful, and nothing can ever come between that. Even if you forget loving her in that other life, your heart will never let that go. You will always love her even if you don't understand it at first, and that is okay. And one day, you two will be reunited again and when that day comes, you will remember your life with her and you will be ready to understand it. So, take this potion and make this life easier for you, and just enjoy your childhood while you can. After all, the curse took it from you."

"I don't know, David," he mumbled as he took the vial from his hand. "Do you really think that I will remember her one day?"

"I'm certain of it."

He gave a quick nod. "I don't want to forget, but I can't live a life with a man and a child in the same head. It will drive me mad." He looked up and gave a sad smile. "Thank you. You were always a great father in law. I can't wait until I see you again."

Snow walked in at that moment, inquiring about the trip preparations. Upon seeing the scene in front of her, David was quick to fill her in about August's situation and how he had chosen to completely become Pinocchio until he was ready to be a man again. After say a quick goodbye to their son in law, they each stood and held hands as he brought the vial to his lips.

He was still for a moment, but then he looked up at them with bright eyes and told them that he liked their wedding very much. After a moment he proclaimed that he was going to find his father, and a childlike skip in his step existed when it hadn't before.

"I'm going to miss him until he's back," Snow stated as she laid her cheek against David's shoulder. "He has a lot more faith that I do. He just trusts that his kids will come back to him without a doubt, and I truly admire that about him."

He nodded in agreement before suggesting that they leave for the summer palace. Snow quickly agreed, as each of them were looking forward to that time alone with each other to process their thoughts. After speaking briefly to a few of their friends and receiving countless congratulations, they finally made their way to the carriage and got settled inside it. As the horses started to pull it away from the castle, Snow nestled into his side and he wrapped his arms around her.

David closed his eyes and nuzzled his nose against her cheek. She still smelled the same as she did in the other world, and he loved that about her. One of his fingers reached up twirled around one of her long, soft, black curls. "I've missed your hair," he murmured. "Not that you didn't look beautiful with it short, you did, but I love it like this."

She smiled and ran a few strands between her fingers. "Sometimes I missed it...but it was nice how short it was. Emma always complained that the kids loved to pull her long hair."

He laughed along with her, as he had countless memories of their daughter getting sticky fingers stuck in her hair or a sibling would yank so hard she would yelp. His smile soon faded, and he sighed. "I miss them."

"I do too. I miss them so much it hurts." She leaned her head back against his chest, and he rested his chin on the top of her head. "But...I've been thinking about it a lot. They aren't really gone. They're in our hearts now, and one day we will get them back. I have to hold on to that belief."

"Look at you, preaching about faith," he quietly stated in her ear. "That's my job, you know." He kissed her cheek a few times before they both grew quiet. It was a comfortable silence, one that he knew was filled with thoughts of the children that they loved and missed so dearly.

The ride to the summer palace wasn't long, but they arrived there late into the night. David was exhausted after the day he had, and he could see the tiredness in Snow's eyes as well. They retired to their bedchamber and quickly curled up with each other under the covers. As heavy as his eyelids were, he found it impossible to sleep for a number of reasons.

He couldn't get the image of his dead daughter out of his head. He had vowed to protect her from anything, and he had failed. Seeing her lying there so still haunted him, as it had truly broken his heart. Even though their conversation with the Dark One had left him with hope that he would see her again, he was still worried that she was lost to them forever. He couldn't bear it if she was. He was her father and he loved her so much, and he wished that she didn't have to make that sacrifice. He had failed her by not being able to protect her from a pain like that.

Not only was he unable to turn his thoughts off, the room was just too quiet. No sleeping baby lay in a crib a few feet away, and there were no monitors by his bed that echoed the sounds of his sleeping children. And besides, the bed was too big. It wasn't uncommon that his wife and he had visitors throughout the night, and he had grown used to having a toddler's leg poking him in the back or a tiny arm thrown across his face in the morning. As uncomfortable as it sounded, it was something he greatly missed.

With one glance at Snow, he could tell that she missed it too. He quietly exited the bed and gathered a few of the decorative pillows off the floor. His wife gave him a puzzled look, but as he laid a few around them, a smile graced her features. "That's so much better. Thank you," she said, her eyes fluttering closed.

With that, he let sleep claim him.

The decision to go see Regina hadn't been an easy one, but after discussing it with her husband over breakfast, Snow felt that they needed to visit with her. She hadn't threatened them at their wedding, and she figured that her stepmother had to be up to something. After all, last time they had lived this life she had been poisoned, and they wanted to avoid anything like that if possible.

Seeing her old home made a lump form in her throat, but a comforting look from Charming was all she needed to urge her horse through the gates. Strangely enough, no guards were around, and she immediately was wary. Even though she had mourned Regina as her stepmother in the other life, she had no idea what the woman was like now. Rumplestiltskin had said that she remembered, and Snow had no idea how that would shape Regina.

After a bit of searching, they found her in her chambers, sitting on her bed and staring out the window. Snow had her sword drawn, as did Charming, and she lightly cleared her throat to get her stepmother's attention.

Regina turned toward them, her brow furrowed. "What are you two doing here?" she asked, her voice curious and soft, not at all what Snow had been expecting. "I haven't done anything to you, so please just leave me alone."

"You didn't come threaten us at our wedding, and we wanted to come see what you were up to. Speaking as you're alive again," Charming answered as he slightly lowered his sword.

Her eyes grew wide. "You both remember?" She stood and crossed the room towards them, her face a mask of shock. "I thought it was just Rumple and me. It's been miserable. How...how do you remember?"

"Emma is made from our love. That's the only explanation that the Dark One gave us," Snow stated as she sheathed her sword. She didn't feel in harm at all from the Queen, a feeling that she hadn't had in a long time. "It's been miserable for us too, being able to remember. But we don't want to forget."

"I do. I wish I could forget everything. I lost Henry there and now he doesn't even exist here, and then I died but I found Daniel and we were together and happy and I was ripped from him again to come back to this painful existence. I want to forget everything or I want to be dead. Anything but this." Regina locked her jaw and stared at the ground as if she was fighting against getting emotional.

"Regina?" Snow started, her voice small. Her stepmother looked up, a sad expression morphing her face. "When you died in that other life, I mourned you as the stepmother I loved. I regretted ever fighting with you because I remembered all the good times we had together."

She nodded. "I know."

Snow gave a small smile. "Because of that, I want to make things right with you since we are here now. Believe me, this morning when I woke up I hoped that this was all just a dream and that we'd be back home, but it isn't. This is our life now, and I don't want to waste this new one by fighting with you the entire time."

Regina sighed and gave a small half smile. "You know, your daughter made things right with me after I had passed. We talked and came to a mutual understanding. I'm just so tired of all of this, and I have no interest in fighting anymore. It has only brought me pain and suffering. I don't know if she will ever recall that conversation, but I won't ever forget it. I just want to be happy now."

"We just want to be happy too," she replied. "I don't know what that means for the three of us, but at the very least, no more of this toxic war. It just has made us all suffer."

She nodded. "Don't worry about me ruining your lives anymore. That's not something I want or desire to do. Just...leave me alone. I don't want to be around anyone right now."

Charming grasped Snow's hand before turning to the Queen. "We can hone that request. But, speaking as you are family despite everything, if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." She looked up at her husband, love for him flowing through her veins as she marveled at how far he had come. He used to hate her stepmother, but now he was offering her familial support. He was amazing.

"Goodbye, Regina," she told her stepmother. "I hope you find a way to be happy again. You deserve it." She smiled at Regina, and she was shocked when she saw the smallest upturn of the corner of the Queen's mouth.

Snow turned and began to walk away with her husband, but she was stopped by her stepmother's voice calling to them.

"Good luck with your children. All of them. Your two sons and your daughter can't wait to meet you."

She stopped in her tracks as she looked up at Charming. They had been so focused on losing Emma, Ruth, Neal, and Oliver that it had never crossed their minds that this second life would give them more. Regina was never going to poison her, so she would never lose a child. The three that had been taken from them would never be in danger, and they were going to get to meet them. They were going to get t be parents to them.

Snow's eyes shined with tears, and Charming had a similar look in his eyes.

She realized, for the first time, what getting this second chance truly meant. And she felt complete and utter joy about it.

David laid on his side as he ran his fingers up and down Snow's back, her eyes closed and a smile on her face. No matter what world they were in, he always thought that she was the most beautiful woman in the world. And he always considered himself lucky that he got to be married to her. Sharing a life with Snow, his wonderful and amazing Snow, was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Knowing that she was by his side no matter what happened and that just holding her hand made him feel better gave him all the strength he needed to make it through whatever trial was thrown at him. She was the other half of his heart and the mother of his children, and he didn't know if it was even possible to love her more.

He leaned over and peppered her face with kisses, earning a small laugh from her. She opened her eyes and ran her thumb across the scar on his chin. "To think that last time we honeymooned I had us chasing Medusa. What was I thinking?" she commented, earning another round of kisses from him. He scooted closer and pulled her into his arms, the covers around them like some sort of cocoon.

"I love you," he told her as he rested his forehead against hers.

Her hand slithered up his chest until it rested on the skin above his heart. "I love you too, my Charming." She trailed lazy kisses up his neck and over his chin until she ended with one on his lips. "As hard as this is, I'm glad that we get to have yet another life together. I wouldn't have given up what we had in Storybrooke for anything, but having you here with me makes it alright. While I want our family back right this second, I have to trust that everything will fall into place just as it should."

"I understand. That trust is what will keep us going. We have to just do our best to live our lives and focus on the present, because that is what will get everything we love back."

She nodded as she looked into his eyes. "That's what we have to do, from this moment on. The past was wonderful and I don't want to let it go, but now, let's just live this new life we've been given."

"Starting now," he murmured against her skin, and he couldn't think of any other way that he would rather begin this new life.

When Snow first informed him of her pregnancy, he couldn't help but be worried. After all, on their last life, it had ended in sorrow and he knew that neither of them could go through that again. But, as the days turned to weeks and weeks to months, he grew more and more excited and less concerned. And a few days after the one year anniversary of their marriage and their transfer back in time, their happiness was solidified. Sure, they had grown better as time went on, but they were often weighed down by memories of the past. However, the moment their first child was born, David knew that everything would be okay.

"He's amazing," he told his wife as he sat next to her in their bed, his finger held in the hand of his son. "It's so strange getting to finally meet him, just as we should have."

Snow wiped a stray tear from her face as she nodded. "Everything is falling into place." She leaned forward and kissed the baby on his forehead. "We were so concerned that we would lose everything, but now, I realize that this life is giving us complete happiness."

"Yes it is, isn't it Leo?" he whispered to his son. He kissed Snow on her forehead before smiling at her. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything."

Having boys only a year apart was exhausting enough, Snow knew, but her greatest trial came with the discovery that Michael was blind when he was only a few months old. As his mother, she had always known that something wasn't right, but hearing from experts that her young son couldn't see was so hard to hear. But, after speaking with Charming, they both had known that they couldn't let this stop them from being the best parents that they could be.

Teaching Michael to walk wasn't easy, but she would sit on the floor in his nursery with him for hours because that's what he needed. Their little boy relied on them so much, and she wouldn't let him down. She had bought every book to do with blindness months ago, and Charming and she had spent many late nights reading them cover to cover. And now, she felt like she would feel more successful as a mother if she could just help her son take his first step.

"He's not going to walk if you put too much pressure on him, Snow," David told her as he looked up from the book he was reading with Leo.

Michael wobbled on his feet a bit, and she steadied him with her hands. "Come on, my love, follow my voice," she said.

Her son got a concentrated look on his face, and just like that, he took a small step towards her. She pulled him into her arms, and with tears in her eyes, she looked over at her husband. "Well, what an amazing son we have," he stated, his own eyes filled with a look of wonder.

She kissed Michael's cheek as Leo ran over and threw his arms around her, followed by his father doing the same. As hard as it had been the past few months, she loved this little family that they had.

When their third child was born five years after they had started their new life, Snow had been nervous beyond belief, and she knew that Charming felt the same. It was Emma's turn to come into the world, and they had both been looking forward to this day. The last time they had seen her, she had been dead in their arms, and they had been waiting to get her back since the moment they had appeared at their wedding.

As Snow heard cries as her baby came into the world, she knew without a doubt, that Emma had come back to them.

Charming stood next to her with tears in his eyes, and gave his hand a right squeeze as their baby was wrapped in her blanket. "It's her. It's really her," he commented, his voice filled with wonder and love.

She was handed the small bundle, and her own tears spilled down her cheeks as she stared at her beautiful daughter. "Hello, Emma. I've missed you so, so much."

"Not a day has gone by that we haven't thought about you. Thank you for coming back to us again. And I swear to you, you never will have to say goodbye ever again. You're home, Emma," he said as he pressed a kiss to her small head.

And for the first time, Snow held her daughter without any worry that she would ever have to let her go.

Meeting Eva had been absolutely extraordinary, and David had instantly grown attached. Now he had a two year old Emma and a brand new baby wrapped around his fingers, and he didn't care one bit. Sure, he loved rough housing with his two boys, Michael being incredibly skilled when it came to hitting others with his walking stick and Leo never wanting to give up, but David enjoyed sitting in a rocking chair with his two daughters and telling them stories to put them to sleep.

"...and then with True Love's kiss, Mommy woke up from her curse and remembered who Daddy was," he said, noticing that both of his daughter's eyes were closed and their breathing even.

"And they lived happily ever after," Snow finished as she stood in the doorway. He smiled at his wife as she crossed the room and picked the toddler up from his arms. She laid Emma down in her bed as he placed Eva in her crib, and once the girls were settled, he wrapped and arm around Snow's shoulders as they just stared at them.

He was certain that this was the definition of happiness.

Their nine year old, eight year old, five year old, and three year old ran around their gardens as David bounced baby Ruth on his knee. Getting her back was one of the best days of his life, as we're all of the births of his children, and he wouldn't change a thing.

Snow finished cleaning up the remains of their lunch before sitting next to him and dangling a toy in front of their daughter. "Five children is exhausting," she stated, earning a laugh from him.

"Well, we always said that we wanted a big family. And besides, I would change this for the world."

She gave him a small smile as she tucked a few loose strands of hair out of her eyes. She had still kept it long the past ten years, even though she proclaimed that she was cutting it every single day. "I would suggest that we stop now, but we still have two boys that are waiting to come home to us."

"You're amazing, you know. Bringing our children into the world can't be easy." Ruth gurgled, and he lightly tossed her in the air to make her laugh.

Snow laughed along as her finger brushed down the baby's cheek. "It's never easy, but it's always worth it. And it always will be. Being Queen is nothing compared to being their mother."

He kissed his wife before gazing at his kids. Being their father made him the luckiest man alive.

Snow knew that there were plenty of nobles that thought they should get nannies for their children, and while they did have some on hand in case of an emergency, Charming and she had always wanted to be parents before rulers. And sometimes that meant calming a crying Neal in the middle of a council meeting.

In this world, she was a seasoned veteran when it came to children, but at the same time, she still felt like she didn't know what she was doing.

He wouldn't stop screaming, and she paced the hallways rocking him back and forth in a desperate attempt to comfort him. He already had spit up all over the front of her new dress, and to make matters worse, he hated this world's pacifiers. She was about to burst into tears when Charming walked out and instantly made his way over to her.

"Please don't tell me that you left the meeting for this."

He shook his head. "I simply suggested a small break. I want you to take it from here, and I'll stay out here with our little boy."

"I'm his mother, and I should be able to comfort him," she stated as she tried bouncing him.

"You're a wonderful mother, Snow, but you never ask for a break. Please take one, I promise that you will feel better if you do." Charming reached forward and took their son from her and gestured towards the throne room. "Go. We'll be fine out here."

She smiled at her husband, knowing that she would never be able to this without him. They were a team, and there was no one else that she would rather have as the father of her children.

If Snow had been asked what her life was going to be like fifteen years after the curse was unraveled, she didn't know what she would have said. But now that she knew what it was like, she would trade it for the world. The life she had built this second time with Charming was absolutely amazing, and more than anything, it was happy.

They had come to a clearing for a family picnic, as they often did. Snow took a moment to look at her family, the love in her heart feeling like it was about to burst.

Charming was giving Leo a sword fighting lesson with wooden swords, and her son looked completely mesmerized by it. He was such an honest, kind, and brave young man at just fourteen, and she knew that one day he would become such an incredible king. Her eldest was so caring when it came to his siblings, and he was committed and determined to his studies. She was so proud of him every single day, and nothing could change that.

Michael laid in the grass next to the picnic table, a book lying next to him and his fingers flying across the pages as he read. Her husband and she had always put extra effort to make him feel normal and loved, and at thirteen, he didn't let his disability hold him back. He was incredibly intelligent, and she was certain that he would be his brother's most trusted advisor one day. Her son was quick witted and funny, and she knew that he easily could have been depressed about his condition. But, instead, he was amazing, and she loved him so much.

Emma was leading her sisters in some game they had made up together, and Snow's breath caught in her throat. She still remembered the grown woman that she had been reunited all those years ago, and she missed her. But, she had adored raising her daughter. They had showered her with the love she had been denied in the other life, and she still was growing to become the stubborn, feisty, beautiful, and talented daughter that she had gotten to know before. Sometimes she thought about seeing her child dead in her arms, but with one look at the ten year old, she was at peace. This life had given them everything back, and watching Emma grow up had been wonderful.

Eva kept skipping around with a smile on her face, and Snow felt her heart soar. Her eight year old was one of the happiest girls she had ever met, and so gentle and kind. She watched as a small bird landed on Eva's shoulder, and a smile crossed her face. Her daughter was the only one who had inherited her ability with animals, and they had bonded through that so much. She loved taking walks in the woods and teaching Eva about animals, and her adoration for her darter grew with every moment they spent together.

Ruth, while only five, kept up with her sisters as if her life depended on it. She looked up to her older siblings so much, and she was especially close to Emma. Snow remembered the bond those two had shared before, and it made her happy that it had crossed over into this life as well. At the same age as she was before, Snow had felt like she was picking up where they had left off. She still taught her how to sew and the little girl loved to tell stories and had even started singing constantly, and Snow soaked up every second of it.

Neal was watching his oldest brother and his father practice with their swords, and his own toy swords laid in his lap. Even though he was just three years old, he had convinced himself that he wanted to be a knight and slay dragons, and Snow knew that he would be a great one. He was a quiet boy, but he was sweet and thoughtful and playful, just like he was in the last life. She had missed him so, and she was glad that she could raise him again.

She looked down at Oliver, who was asleep in her arms after finishing his own lunch. Her baby boy was just as calm and well tempered as he had been before, and she couldn't believe that she had waited fifteen years to hold him in her arms again. Though it hadn't bee easy, it was worth it. Ever time she looked at him, she was overcome with love for her son, and there was nothing she would change about that.

Charming had finished his duel with Leo, and he made his way over to the picnic blanket and took a seat next to her. She still couldn't believe that she had been lucky enough to find him, her True Love, and she was amazed that they had built two wonderful lives together. He was an incredible King and ruler, but more importantly, he was a loving father and an amazing husband. There was no one else that she wanted to wake up next to every morning and no one else that she would have wanted to have children with. He was her soul mate and her other half, and she loved him more than words could even describe.

"What are you looking at?" he asked, breaking her from her thoughts.

She smiled. "You. Our kids. This family."

"And what are you thinking?"

Snow glanced at her children once again before returning her gaze to her husband. "That this is what happiness feels like."

Emma Charming had been having a wonderful evening. It was her twenty eighth birthday, and her parents had thrown a ball in her honor at their castle, her childhood home. There had been a feast and music and dancing, and it had been one of the best birthdays she had ever remembered. Her family had all been together, which was all she could have ever wanted. Leo and his wife Alexandra had brought their children, who had run up to her and given her homemade presents. Michael had flirted with every single duchess by commenting on how beautiful they were, much to the amusement of everyone. Eva had shown everyone the designs for her wedding dress, while her fiancé Flynn had danced with all of Emma's nieces. Ruth and her best friend Melody had sang while Red's son Peter placed piano, one of the most beautiful musical numbers she had ever heard. Neal and Oliver had eaten nonstop while making her nearly cry with laughter as they told joke after joke. Her mother had stayed by her side all night, constantly telling her how amazed she was that she was all grown up. Her father had asked her to dance more times than she could count, not to her surprise. Her husband of nine years, Pinocchio, who was quite older than her but her parents had actively pushed her towards him, had given her a new dress for the occasion and had showered her with kisses and hugs all night. And her children, eight year old Riley, five year old Tyler, and two year old Henry had given her countless drawings that she would treasure forever.

All in all, it had been an incredible birthday.

Once the nobles and other royals had left, the family had gone into the kitchen in order to give her a cake. And when she blew out the candles, the strangest thing happened.

She remembered. Everything.

Her old life where she had been abandoned and had given up Henry and then reunited with her parents and then married to August and Sheriff of Storybrooke and everything. She had lived a full life that had started out lonely but had ended with so much love. And she had given all of that up to break the curse, because she had been the Savior. She had died, but she was here now and had lived a completely different life.

She barely held it together as her family wished her Happy Birthday, and as soon as she could, she asked her parents if she could have a word alone with them. Because if anyone knew what was going on, it was them.

As soon as the ballroom door was shut behind them, she wasted no more time. "I remember the other life. It doesn't make sense but I remember everything and for some reason I think that you two do too."

Her mother crossed over to her and wrapped her in a tight hug. "We have been waiting for you for years."

Her father joined the hug, holding the back of her head in the way that she loved so much. They were the same people she had been raised with, but it was as if she was being reunited with them once more. "We've missed you, Emma."

Snow pulled back and held her hands in her own. "When you sacrificed yourself it removed the curse from existence. We were returned to our wedding day, and we have been living our lives like normal since then."

"But, Riley and Tyler weren't my kids before. And August wasn't Henry's father. How is that possible that we are all together as a family?"

"We believe that fate has been kind and kept you all together. You have such a wonderful and loving family, and doesn't it feel right? Just because it wasn't this before doesn't mean that it isn't real now," David told her, a smile on his face.

She nodded. "It's crazy and hard to wrap my head around but for some reason it makes complete sense." Emma paused. "Does August, well, Pinocchio, remember?"

"We have him a memory potion as a child because he was having a hard time being an adult and a child at the same time once we were brought here," David told her. Her face fell, and he put his hand on her shoulder. "He told us that he remembered everything the moment you two were married. Something about True Love's kiss."

Emma felt a smile cross her face. "This...is insane. When I broke the curse I had now idea that this is where that would take everyone. I was just trying to protect everyone, and I thought that was it for me. But we all have been given this second life and this second chance at love and it is absolutely amazing to think about."

Snow grabbed David's hand before reaching for Emma's. "This is what happiness feels like."

"Well, it's worth it," she said. And she meant it.

Once upon a time, she had been lost. And now, she was found. She had her parents, her husband, her children, and her siblings. Emma was home with her family, and it was everything that she had ever wanted.

And they all lived Happily Ever After.

THE END

For the last time...thanks for reading. Thank you so much, for everything.

Hannah