By the end of the day, the pack had gotten most of their territory in order. The tunnels still needed work, but a new home had been built for them around the remnants of Zelena's old farmhouse that was just far enough from town to give the wolves peace, but was close enough to keep them supplied for the rest of the winter without them needing to hunt. The farmhouse was expanded and given two more floors to accommodate all of the pack and its members. Most of the afternoon was spent moving in and getting settled, but they did leave a little time for fun a few days later.

Lily came to Emma's house one afternoon in wolf form to retrieve the madame mayor. She was accompanied by Merida, riding a massive shire horse. "You sure about this?" She asked, looking over at the large wolf next to her.

Lily shrugged. "Not really." She admitted. "It's for Emma though, so I'll make an exception. I need her to know that I'm willing to do whatever I have to to make us work. As much as I hate her parents, I have to tolerate them. I'm not going to let my feelings for them ruin us."

"Good on you." Merida smirked, petting her horse. "With her parents, you'll need that resolve."

"Yeah, yeah, when can I expect my godchildren from you and Tink?"

"You think you'll be the godmother?" Merida laughed. "You'll have to fight Mal for it."

"Mom can't be everyone's godmother. It's not fair."

Her comment only drew another laugh from the redhead. "Talk to her about it."

"Oh I will. You didn't answer my question."

"And I won't."

Lily let out a long howl to alert the mayor to their presence. Emma stepped out onto the porch and smiled at the bouncing wolf currently disturbing the once pristine snow in her yard. "Lily, what are you doing?"

"Come on! I have a surprise for you. It's about the kids." Lily said. "Are your parents inside?"

"No-"

"Call them and ask them if they want to come. Ask Henry too."

"Why?" Emma asked. "You know you don't have to try and-"

"I do. They're your family." Lily said, walking up to the porch. "As much as I dislike them, if it weren't for them there wouldn't be a you. I love you. I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy and keep you that way."

"No." Emma said. Lily pricked her ears. "I've thought about this and I realized that this is not something we can compromise on. What my parents did was unforgivable and I shouldn't be trying to force you to get along with them. You nor Mal should ever have to do that with people that hurt you the way they did. I'll let it go." She'd realized a long time ago that harmony with the pack and her family was just something that would not work. There was far too much bad blood between them and considering that the pack formed to get away from the town and her family, it was a foolish dream to believe that she could change that. Just because Lily loved her didn't mean that she should compromise her values for her. Lily belonged with the pack, as did Kiona and Emyr. She accepted that, even if she never would. She had to admit that a part of her wanted to be, but she suspected that her ties to Storybrooke were why the pack was always at odds with her. In joining, all of them had cut ties completely with the town, only returning when they had to or when they wanted to visit Granny. They gave up everything to build something better. She understood why too. A piece of her wished to run off into the forest with Lily, but she had too many responsibilities.

"You okay?" Lily asked, flattening her ears against her head.

"Yeah." She shrugged, looking down. Lily's wet nose swiped across her forehead and she jumped backwards, pushing Lily away. "No, stop it. Your nose is freezing cold."

"I'm willing to try, Em. I had a whole day planned and I got the pack to help. I'll do whatever it takes to-"

"I just need you, Lily." Emma said, scratching Lily behind the ears. "Anything else we can talk about, but as long as I have you, I know that things will work out. You don't have to try to make room for my parents. I'll do that and I'll keep them in line. All you need to do is keep our babies happy and well fed, okay?"

"You don't have to do that."

"No, but I think it's the most beneficial way to placate them and keep the children in a good place. Carting them back and forth wouldn't be good for their development. Regina said the same thing to me and taught me that with Henry and I hate to think that maybe that had something to do with why he was acting so crazy. In any case, we can take it one step at a time. I'm okay with that."

"Oh." Lily said. "Well, I had a whole fucking day planned with the kids so someone is going to enjoy it. Go get your coat." She gave Emma a little nuzzle on the head and leaped off the porch into the snow.

Emma went back inside to grab her jacket and a scarf. She flew up the stairs to her son's room. "Lily's got a surprise with the kids. Want to come?"

"Um, sure." He grabbed his own coat as they walked outside and Emma put hats on both of their heads. Lily was still throwing the snow around like an excited pup. "Where are we going?"

"To the new house. It used to be Zelena's farmhouse, so it's not that far." Lily answered.

"If you could make a new house in a day, why not just repair the mountain?" Emma asked.

"Our magic users are worn out. This was all Regina could do for the day. We also want the extra territory that comes with her spell. In the meantime, this'll do. As long as Regina is not in town, she's happy. We like our alphas to be happy."

"What spell?" Henry asked.

"Don't worry about it." Lily said. "Come on." She bent down, inviting Emma to climb on. Merida held out a hand to Henry and pulled him up behind her. With that, the redhead started off, easily traipsing through the thick snow, making a pathway for Lily to follow more easily. The air was frigid and Emma was shivering by the time they made it to the farmhouse that had indeed been expanded considerably. It was still made of a dark wood, with very little extra color added in. Lily trotted up to the door and wiped her paws. The door swung open with a simple touch and Emma and Henry followed her inside while Merida rode around the house. The home was filled with rustic decor, but it lacked the coziness and personal touches of the mountain.

Lily shifted back into human form and led them into the kitchen. "You guys have a seat, I'll get you something warm to drink while we wait."

"Where is everyone?" Emma asked.

"Dorothy and Aurora are doing some last minute touches on the yard for the surprise. Everyone else should be coming back in from the search."

"Search?"

"Yeah, Clarion's AWOL." Lily answered, placing two mugs in front of them. With a snap of her fingers, the mugs filled with hot chocolate with cinnamon.

"Anything to be concerned about?" Emma asked.

"Nope, we've got it handled."

"Is she a threat?" Henry asked.

"Henry." Emma said. Lily raised a hand at her so she silently sipped her cocoa.

"If she was a threat, we would tell you."

"But she was the dark-"

"What she is, Henry, is someone who has been betrayed and has been paying the price of that betrayal for years. Whatever she was before doesn't matter because she will never be that again. She's not a hero or a villain. More than anything, she's a victim who had everything taken from her. She doesn't deserve to be treated like a ticking time bomb. Understand?"

Henry slowly nodded. "Sorry. I just meant she could be a danger, not to just to everyone else but to herself too."

"We'll take care of her." Lily said. "That is, if she agrees."

They suddenly heard screaming and Mulan came pelting through the kitchen with Maleficent on her trail. Lily stepped back as they ran around the kitchen island and back into the living room. Lily only rolled her eyes at the intrusion.

A few minutes later, Regina peeked into the kitchen. "Mulan is probably dead but come outside! The surprise is waiting." She ran out the door and Lily motioned for Emma and Henry to follow. The pack was outside in their wolf forms, each one sitting in the snow near the porch steps. The walkway had been cleared off so that a thin layer of snow remained. Emma and Henry sat down on one side of the porch steps while Lily shifted forms and sat behind them, offering her warmth.

"What's happening?" Henry whispered.

"I'm not sure."

The front door opened and Ruby's dark muzzle nosed its way through. She propped the door open and let out a soft howl. Amaroq and Fenris came barrelling out, tripping over each other to reach their mother first. They froze when they reached the doorway and took a look at the strange new world that awaited them. Two other wolf pups Emma didn't recognize came to their side and peeked out as well.

"Is that Emyr and Kiona?" Emma asked.

Lily nodded. "I didn't want them to potentially hurt their wings since they're really fragile right now. It took like an hour to get them to shift."

Emyr was pure white in his wolf form, like Emma, and Kiona was light gray. All four pups stood at the entrance to the door, looking out and sniffing the cold air. Regina gave a little whimper, bouncing around to let them know it was okay. That was all the boys needed. Fenris was the first to run to his mother. He paused at the edge of the steps and Regina said a word of magic, changing them into a ramp.

"Come on, my prince. Come on." She encouraged. Fenris inched to the edge of the ramp and was slammed by Emyr and Amaroq as they ran to Regina. All three slipped down the ramp and landed in the snow to the amusement of the pack.

"They're so cute." Ruby said.

Regina crouched in front of Fenris and using a paw, dabbed some snow on his nose. He flinched and she wiped some on her own nose to show it was okay. "See?" She touched his nose with hers and he seemed to just purr at the nuzzles and attention he received. Regina nuzzled him into the snow and when she stopped, he was covered in the fine crystals. Amaroq and Emyr ran by, throwing up little clouds of snow as they chased each other around the other wolves, slipping and sliding and not caring in the least.

Emma looked back at Kiona, sitting patiently at the door. "You don't want to play, Kiona?"

"You know who she's waiting for." Lily said.

Little Rani came trotting up to the door, now sporting some kind of collar around her neck that rippled with magic. She guessed that it was meant to keep her from getting any sicker but also allowed her to join in the snow day. It was only then that Kiona stepped out to greet her mothers. Emma pulled her hand out of her pocket to stroke the top of her head. Both of them noticed their siblings playing in the yard and ran to join them. They were a sight. Emma found herself grinning as she watched her babies frolic with the pack. Happy and free. She almost snorted when they jumped on Mal and the big she-wolf dramatically fell over into the snow. Aaron and Benjamin conjured small sleds and raced around the yard, pulling Amaroq and Rani. Fenris was furiously digging a hole in the snow with Regina. He completely disappeared into it before he whimpered and Regina had to pick him up by his scruff to get him out.

"Can't wait for their first Run." Lily said.

"Me too." Ruby added, changing into human form so she could use a camera to record the happy moments.

Emma looked around the happy pack, noticing that one was absent. "Where's Jack?"

"I don't know." Ruby shrugged.

/

Across the divide, a trail snaked through the thick, powdery snow. At the end of it, was Jack, the only creature out and about in the desolate forest. An entire morning had been spent trying to find a certain cave. He was tired and wished he was home in bed, but he had a mission to complete before he could think about rest.

"Are you looking for me?" A golden wolf appeared nearby, sitting prettily on top of the snow with her tail curled around her paws in a catlike manner. Jack flopped down to catch his breath. "It's not good to be sweating in the cold."

"I'm fine." He said, sitting back up and shaking himself off. "I came to tell you that the kids are out today. Even Rani. It's their first snow. I thought you'd like to see it."

"I could watch it from here."

"It causes you pain to use your magic." Jack said. "Did you know the pack was looking for you this morning?"

"It's hard not to with several giant wolves traipsing through the snow like bulls. Can I ask why you're still looking?"

"Just to make sure you were okay. Mom said you were in the hospital before you disappeared. She was worried out of her mind."

Clarion rolled her eyes. "I'm fine."

"Why don't you want to stay with the pack, Clarion? We can take care of you."

"I don't need to be taken care of." The fairy with a sudden fierceness that made Jack take a step back. There was instant regret on Clarion's face. "Forgive me. It's just...I'm not a child. I don't need to be monitored."

"No one thinks you are. We just want to help you find your place again. We can teach you how to adjust to this world. If you already know, then fine. The pack can be a safe place for you. I don't understand why you won't at least try it."

"I'm not like the rest of you, Jack." Clarion said. "Besides, all of this is more complicated than you know."

"Then tell me why." Jack said gently. "I think I'm mature enough to handle anything after the Dark Wolf."

"I believe that you are, but it is not for me to explain."

Jack thought for a moment, Clearly there was something going on that he wasn't being told about. Whatever it was, it must've been big for his moms to send out the entire pack to try and find Clarion. Clarion seemed to know enough to stay hidden during the search. Even if there were problems between them, this was no place for anyone to stay right now. "Don't explain then." He said. "Just come with me to see the children play in the snow. I know you care about them and they haven't really met you yet. Just for today?"

"I don't think that would be a good idea. Why do you care so much about this?" The former fairy looked genuinely confused.

"Because I know you're going through a lot. I want to see you happy. I want to know that everything we did to help you didn't just hurt you even worse." Jack looked down, flattening his ears against his head. "I know you don't feel like one of us, but wanting a place to belong without fear or expectations is why the pack was created in the first place. If you look at everyone in it, no one is alike. That's the great thing about it." He waited while Clarion seemed to think about it.

"Alright. We'll see what your mothers say, but this is only for today."

Jack looked up and showed off a toothy grin. "Yes, ma'am. Let's go."

"You aren't going to teleport?"

"Um, I can't. After my last lesson I teleported into the lake and fell through the ice." He said, giving his fur an embarrassed shake while Clarion's eyes glittered in amusement. "Anyways, I'm not trying that again. I have an idea though." He conjured a sled and urged Clarion to get on it.

"I don't think so."

He grinned again and patted the sled. "Come on, Fairy Queen." Clarion glared at him and gingerly climbed onto the sled, digging her claws into the wood as he gave it a push and hopped onto it behind her. With a bit of magic to give them a quick boost, they were off. Clarion's scream was cut off as they raced through the trees. Jack wagged his tail while Clarion clung to the wood beneath her paws for dear life. It was an exhilarating ride, something he would have to remember to introduce the others to. When they reached the edge of Storybrooke, Jack took them straight through town, using the snow on the sidewalks to ride on. "Hey, Granny!" He called as they whipped past the diner where his great-grandma was sweeping snow off the steps.

"Careful, pup!" She yelled.

"Always." He directed the sled around a honking car and down the quiet street to Emma's house. "Okay, there's a snow drift not far from here. We'll jump from there."

"What?!"

"You get to fly again, Fairy Queen."

"I've learned that I like the ground- Rock!"

Jack jerked the sled and the tail end spun out of control. The rock split the sled down the middle and both of them flew off the snow drift on separate pieces. The pack paused in their play to look up at the two flying pieces of wood shooting by overhead. Jack landed in a clump of snow on one side of the yard and Clarion was thrown to the other side, landing with a soft thud in a patch of thick snow.

Jack popped his head out of the snow, coming nose to nose with Ruby. "Hey, Mom."

"What the hell are you doing? You could've gotten hurt." She grabbed him by his scruff and lifted him out of the hole he'd all but been buried in.

"I'm fine, Mom. I fell off a cliff not too long ago." He said, racing off to find Clarion. Regina was already digging into a wolf-shaped hole in the ground. Clarion's head popped out.

"That was amazing!" Her head disappeared back into the hole and Jack could hear her struggling around in the little cave for a minute before she went still and let out a sigh. "I'm stuck."

Regina reached into the hole with both paws and started scooping out snow with ease. Clarion pulled herself out of the hole and shook herself off. "What the hell are you two doing?" She glared at Clarion. "We've been looking for you all day."

"I thought she could join us for the kids' first outing." Jack said.

"When she couldn't even bother to see us this morning?" Regina growled, never taking her eyes off Clarion.

"Regina." Ruby came to her side and gave her ear a soft nuzzle with her cold nose. "Not right now. There's a better place and time."

"Doesn't mean she'll be there." Regina replied.

Clarion rolled her eyes. "You put me to sleep. I had no control over what happened afterwards at the hospital. Vidia informed me what happened and I'm sorry if anyone was hurt."

"You should've come back then." Regina said.

"Perhaps, but I needed a little time to process everything. Satisfied?"

"No, but we'll discuss this later."

Clarion looked ready to argue and Regina was perfectly ready to fire back when a little dark shape walked up to Clarion. Both women looked down at Fenris, who tilted his head back to look up at Clarion. The fairy flattened her ears and lowered her head. "Hello." She said softly, hoping not to scare the curious pup. Fenris tilted his head, his ears pricked. Clarion smirked and carefully stood up, so as not to startle him and turned away, moving a few feet away to do as she said she would. Watch, not participate. Fenris made a move to follow her but Regina picked him up and carried him back to the others.

"We can talk later." Ruby said. Clarion flicked an ear in response and the alpha headed back over to her mate, cheering her up with a wrestling session.

Jack was about to talk to Clarion when Marie tackled him into the snow, pinning him on his back. "No fair. You surprised me."

"It's completely fair. The score is 10 to 4." She hopped off him and took off running and he gave chase, both of them sprinting through the powdery snow until a snowball hit Marie in the back of the head and made her trip. Another hit Jack in the face and he slammed into Marie, both of them hitting the ground hard. They sat up and looked around for the culprit. Dozens of snowballs materialized around them. "Oh no." Both of them yelped and ducked as they were pelted from all sides.

Near the porch, Spencer was laughing his head off while Benji directed the snowballs flying at their packmates. "Good one, Benji."

"Just wait for the piece de resistance." He rose onto his hind paws, raising his front paws into the air and summoning a tidal wave of snow to hit Jack and Marie. At the last moment, the wave suddenly turned and flew at those on the porch. Emma and Henry went one way and Spencer and Benji tried to dodge the other way. The wave followed the boys and they screamed and ran around the house.

"Thank, Aunt Z." Jack called. Zelena gave him a toothy grin in response. "Snowball fight!"

Emma instantly ducked behind the stairs and pulled Henry with her. Lily made a wall of snow rise around them as a fort as everyone started throwing snowballs. She changed back into a human and began calling out commands like a sergeant, like they were really going into a battle. It was fun, but it didn't just stay a snowball fight for long. Soon, it had turned into a game of dodgeball with the snowballs and to everyone's surprise, Clarion turned out to be the one they couldn't beat.

"No way! She can fly!" Jack said, watching the golden she-wolf leap high into the air to avoid the snowballs being thrown. She flew and landed on the roof and sat down. That only spurred the kids to try and chase her down, pleading to be taught as well.

It ended up being a fun day out, even with their added guests, who the pack was even pretty nice to. Emma felt that it was probably because of Lily that they were, but she didn't care. It was fun and Henry seemed to have a good time too when he showed his younger siblings how to make a snowman. They went sledding and made snow angels and built ice sculptures and when they returned to the farmhouse, they were welcomed with hot cocoa and a hot meal. That evening saw them return to Emma's house with three tuckered out children. After tucking them in, Emma joined Lily in the living room.

"Thank you for today. They really enjoyed it."

"It was fun." Lily smirked. "Especially when Regina chased you over that snowbank."

"I swear it didn't look that deep." Emma chuckled, sitting on the couch. Lily sat with her and before long they were cuddling together while a movie played in the background. Lily's purring drowned it out and Emma was far too sleepy to care about it. She wasn't sure if she was awake or asleep as she felt herself lay down on something soft. Her eyes snapped open to take in the sight of Lily getting undressed and slipping into an oversized t-shirt. She started to sit up, but Lily stopped her.

"We're not having sex, Em." The dragon laughed and snapped her fingers, undressing Emma with magic and conjuring similar clothing on her before leaving the room. She returned with their little dragonlings and climbed into bed. "Go back to sleep." She whispered, laying their little ones on the bed between them. Emyr let out a soft squeak and crawled up to Emma, curling into a tight ball against her neck. Emma smiled sleepily and was back to sleep a few moments later, completely at ease knowing her children were safe and well with her mate watching over them.

/

Storybrooke was quiet and only a few people walked the streets in the falling light. Everything had returned to such a normalcy that the town was even decorated for the Christmas season. Under the curse, Ruby had always loved Christmas. Maybe it was just all the red and the free stuff, but it was one aspect of the new world that she would never tire of and it was one of the holidays that the pack continued to celebrate. Under the curse Storybrooke looked like a Christmas wonderland, but since it had been broken the place looked like a little lackluster, which probably stemmed from the fact that the dwarves were entrusted with the Enchanted Forest celebrated by season rather than month and some civilizations had their own specific holidays. It was a bit early for Christmas, but winter did not seem to care as the town was blanketed in snow. Her companion was not as pleased as she was by the red and green glitz and glamor of winter.

"Where are we going?" Clarion asked, digging her hands into the thick jacket that Ruby had loaned her. The blonde fairy was almost buried in it and shivering slightly now that she wasn't in her wolf form.

"Just to the town hall." Ruby said. "I felt like you and I needed to have a quick talk. Plus I have a surprise for you."

Clarion stopped instantly. "I don't really think we do."

"Yeah we do." Ruby said. "Please, just hear me out. I wanted to apologize."

"What?"

"For trying to make you join the pack. For pushing and pushing when you clearly needed time to yourself. Maybe being alone is how you like to be. I'd been alone for a while before the pack and I just assumed that you would want the same thing I wanted. I never stopped to think about what you thought. I'm sorry for that." Ruby folded her hands in front of her, absentmindedly picking at her nails. "The last thing I want to do is force someone to be where they don't want to be. However, I would still like to help you. I know you and Regina still need to talk and I know the last person you want to discuss any of that with is me, but I'm here if you need me. If you want a house or a den of your own, we can help you build or buy one, but I would ask that you at least let Regina know the location so she can know where to see the kids when they're born."

Clarion sighed and glanced around the streets of Storybrooke, clearly uncomfortable. "I understand your concerns, but you and Regina are so keen on keeping tabs on me, where the hell am I going to go?"

"You were the queen of a magical race. If you truly wanted to leave, then you could. There would be nothing we could do to stop you." Ruby replied.

"Why would I do that?" Clarion asked. "What would I have to gain from leaving this place?"

"Peace." Came the soft answer. Ruby gestured to the town around them. "They look at you like they look at me. Like they looked at me for half of my life. The many years you spent helping people and teaching fairies and bringing joy to the world, it's like they don't remember it. Considering how long you were tied to the darkness, maybe they don't, but if it weren't for you many of them might not even be here today. It's like they don't even care about all the work you put in to making life better for them, their families, their ancestors." Clarion swallowed harshly, avoiding her gaze. "It's like me. I fought for these same people in a war I hardly cared about. Side by side with them, protecting their backs. They were ready to condemn me at the first sign of danger, called me a monster, prepared to hunt me down. You don't have to deal with all of this nonsense."

"I have no interest in joining your pack, Ruby. I am not a wolf."

"I think you are, but the decision is up to you. As I said before, just keep in mind that you're pregnant with Regina's pups and she wants to be in their lives. She will never say no to children."

Clarion sighed. "I know that. What I didn't know was that I was pregnant in the first place. You act like I meant to keep it a secret. Right now, I wish it still was."

"Clarion-"

"No. I'm done with this. Please do not contact me again. You or Regina." The fairy suddenly teleported away and Ruby growled. She was going to put a pin in her plans for now and then find the fairy's den. She was completely unaware that it had already been discovered. When Clarion appeared on the doorstep of her apartment, she was greeted with the pack children huddling in the snow. "What are you all doing here?" She demanded.

"We came to see you." Jack said, giving his fur a shake and showering his cousins with snow.

Clarion clicked her tongue and unlocked the door. "Get inside. No fur and wipe your feet." The apartment was small and simple, but it was warm and that was all she cared about at the moment. She pulled off her coat and hung it up and walked into the living room, followed by the children, who all shifted into human form to comply with her wishes. "Now, may I help you with something?"

"We wanted to help you." Spencer said.

"If this is another attempt to get me to join the pack…"

"We have a proposition." Benji added.

The fairy crossed her arms. "Oh?"

"One week." Jack said. "You semi-join the pack for one week and we can show you what it's like to be a part of it, not as Ruby or the Dark Wolf, but as Clarion."

"On top of that," Shang added. "Mom can figure out how to fix that black spot on your back. Then you can use your magic without it hurting you."

"And we can show you hunting, Running and fishing."

"And go shopping." Marie grinned, bouncing up and down.

"Children, slow down." Clarion said, although she couldn't help but smile. They seemed so ecstatic about trying to include her. They didn't really need to show her anything, but she supposed she might as well let them have their fun. Jack gave her an encouraging smile and that was all she could stand. "Alright, but-"

"Yes!"

"Since we're going shopping we should get some snowboards and get Aunt Z to turn them into hoverboards." Benji suggested.

Aaron let out a dramatic sigh. "Why haven't we thought of hoverboards yet?" He looked at Clarion. "Want a hoverboard?"

"I wouldn't know how to use one."

"We can learn together!"

"We have to make a list." Spencer said.

"Children." Clarion interrupted. "It is rather late and I am tired."

"Of course." Jack bowed and the other children copied the motion. "We'll let you get some rest and see you tomorrow. Come on guys, get out." He ushered the other children out and turned around. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to. I know we might have pushed you into it."

"It's okay." She smiled.

"No, if you don't want this, Clarion, you can say so and we'll leave you alone. You just seem unhappy and I want to do something about it. The others want to help too. And we can-"

"Jack." Clarion crouched down in front of the boy that she'd known his whole life. She knew he meant well and was raised well and was a good boy. One day, he would make a fine alpha and already proved himself to be a strong leader. "I will see you tomorrow. Okay?"

He smiled. "Okay. Sorry for barging in on you."

"It's fine. Just get home safely." She saw him to the door and closed it behind him, wondering what tomorrow would bring.

She got her answer at around one o'clock the next day. A knock at her door signalled the arrival of Regina, Mal and Zelena, along with a bag of equipment. "What is this?" She asked.

"The children told us you consented to letting us examine your back." Mal answered. "We just want to look and see if there is something we missed or didn't see before. If that's alright." All three looked up when they noticed the lights in the house flickering wildly. "If Regina's presence bothers you she doesn't have to be here." Regina slightly narrowed her eyes at the dragon's back.

Clarion shrugged. "It doesn't really matter." She stepped aside to let them in. It would be an understatement to say she was not entirely comfortable with her guests, but she wanted to know about the after effects of being bound to the darkness even more than they did. For the moment, she needed help and Zelena and Mal were the best minds to use for something like this. Zelena suggested they use the bedroom and Clarion was instructed to lay on the bed on her stomach while Mal cut away her shirt and bra, revealing the black mark on her back. She couldn't see what they were doing and every touch made her flinch or gasp.

"Relax." Regina crouched in front of her. "They know what they're doing." Clarion didn't say anything and simply looked away, choosing to stare at a spot on the wall rather than the woman in front of her. "Ruby told me about you not knowing." She said softly, although attempting to hide their conversation was ridiculous with a dragon and a werewolf in the room. "I'm sorry I got so upset about it."

"Yes, especially when you could've just asked." Clarion growled, turning to glare at Regina.

"I'm sorry."

Clarion simply turned her head away. So many emotions threatened to overwhelm her and she struggled to rein them in lest her magic react as well. Everything she felt was wrong. Fairies did not express anger, they did not partake in violence, they did not seek revenge. It went against her entire being to attack Blue and yet she had. Fairy magic was light and pure, meant to bring happiness and peace to the world and all she could feel from her magic was pain. She felt wrong. Now, the emotion that rose above the rest was hurt. Regina truly believed that she would take their children? Just disappear? They had done so much to save her but continued to think so little of her. She hadn't even known she was pregnant. Fairies weren't born through normal conception and birth. It was a mysterious process, even to her, and involved a great deal with magic.

"We can discuss your pregnancy later." Mal interrupted her thoughts. "Right now, I have questions. Has your magic always reacted to your emotions?"

"Yes."

"I'm assuming it's never been this volatile before."

"No."

"This mark on your back is an effect of you being shot with black magic. I also believe that it might've come from your own magic trying to protect you." She turned her head to see Maleficent pull a pin out of her bag and stabbed her in the back with it. She didn't feel the pin at all, but a wave of pain rolled through as her magic reacted explosively, sending the dragon flying across the room.

"Mal!" Regina raced to her friend's side, but the blonde was unharmed. "Is there a way to stop that?"

Clarion sat up, holding her shirt against her chest. "I don't want to hurt anyone because they make a mistake and hit me. Where's the cuff? The one you used on Cora-"

"No." Zelena instantly put an end to such a notion. "Magic is a part of you and it would be wrong to shut it away. Besides, we've already put some thought into this so there are things we can try. Will you trust us? We only have another hour before the kids arrive to take you shopping."

"What will you do?"

"We are going to attempt to correct the balance of your magic that was offset by the black magic within you. Without it, your magic is out of control and teaching you will not work because your magic has technically always been this way. The only reason I can gather that it hasn't been so violent is because fairies are happy, light creatures that rarely get angry."

"And that's not me anymore." Clarion finished for her.

"Adjusting to everything will not take place overnight." Zelena said with a comforting smile. "But we can help you."

"You just want to study me."

"That is also true."

"Fine. Do what you must."

Regina moved to the side of the room while Mal and Zelena worked their magic on Clarion. These spells were beyond her understanding. She didn't even know why her sister knew about such a thing, but if it would help, she was glad of Zelena's curiosity. Mal and Zelena began a healing spell using their own magic. Regina felt hers tingle just being in close proximity with them. They did their magic to remove the black spot on Clarion's back and any traces of black magic or dark magic they found, however, a large dark mark remained. Then they made a small incision in her back with a scalpel at the very center of what was left of the black mark. Zelena pulled a jar of glowing green magic out of her bag.

"What is that?" Regina asked.

"Pixie dust. Courtesy of Tink." Zelena replied. She poured the dust over Clarion's back and Clarion's skin started to glow, filling the room with golden light. Regina turned her head, raising her hand to cover her eyes. Minutes passed before the light faded. Zelena packed up their things and Mal was busy writing on a notepad when Regina turned around.

"Did it work?"

"Have no idea." Her sister said.

"What are you writing?"

Mal glanced at Clarion's sleeping form. "She should be up within the hour and in the meantime, we will need to have a conversation about her nutrition. She will need to make some changes if the children are to be born healthy."

Regina moved towards the bed. "How did you know about that?"

"I'm a dragon." Mal scoffed. Regina only glared at her and the dragon rolled her eyes. "I can smell it. We don't know Clarion in her natural state. When I say this, I mean when she is in full health, not pregnant and not cursed by darkness. Usually, I can tell when a person's scent changes from its normal smell. Pregnancy comes with a lighter, sweeter scent and she is oozing it. Who else would be the other mother if not you?"

"Do you think the children will be born healthy?"

"Based on everything the woman carrying them has been through? I have no idea."

Regina took a seat in the chair nearby and crossed her legs. "What do we do now?"

"We wait until she wakes up."

By that afternoon Clarion was awake and seemed to suffer no side effects from Mal and Zelena's spell. Still, Regina joined her and the kids on their shopping spree today. Mal did as well since she was the designated benefactor for the day and to her surprise, even Emma and Lily tagged along. Storybrooke's mall wasn't very big but due to Mal and Regina's personal tastes when it came to clothing, it had been augmented over the years with a special section that was normally reserved for the pack. One of the main workers used to work for Mal in the Enchanted Forest and she kept the place well stocked in the finest articles of clothing from the Land Without Magic and any other world she had access to. It was the first place Marie took them when they walked into the mall. The boys ran off to look at snowboards. Regina didn't need to follow them, but she did call after them to be careful. After barely a few minutes of looking around, Mal grew annoyed with the selection provided by the store and invited them all to a favorite store of her own. Regina already knew where this was headed so she texted Jack their location as she followed the others across the mall to a large golden door. Marie touched it and it flashed. She opened it to reveal that it was actually a portal and confidently led the way through.

On the other side of the portal was a vast golden room. The walls, floors, carpets and chandeliers were all glorious and gold. There were mannequins draped in gorgeous dresses and racks filled with more. One wall was dedicated to shelves of fine silks and other expensive crafting materials and another was filled floor to ceiling with beautiful shoes, heels, flats and boots that were probably worth more than Regina's mansion had been. There were weapon cases and armor stands and other magical artifacts for sale. Regina arched an eyebrow as she passed a glass jewelry case with dozens of gold and silver watches, rings, necklaces and bracelets that were embedded with gems.

"This is where you guys buy your clothes?" Emma asked, looking around as if she were in Wonderland.

"This is where Maleficent buys her clothes." Regina replied. "This is a waypoint between worlds. Mal is friends with the owner. She comes here when she wants something new or to buy something for her favorite people. Today should be a treat."

"Darling!" Mal called across the room. An answering call came from across the store and they followed Mal to a set of shallow stairs that lead up to a lounge area with a large red curtain behind it. The curtain slid open to reveal the store owner. It was a voluptuous beauty with long, white hair and gray eyes who was much older than she looked. A gorgeous black mermaid evening gown was draped across her form. All of her jewelry was gold and embedded with diamonds and tall stilettos only boosted her impressive height.

"Mal, dahling. My favorite customer!" She waved her hands, conjuring two male valets to help her down the stairs and she almost fell into Mal's arms. "My love, you look gorgeous."

"Thank you." Mal grinned. "Clarion, Emma, this is Fianna. The only dragon that could possibly match me in looks."

"Oh stop, dahling." Fianna giggled. She bent down to greet Marie and Gretel before turning back to Mal. "What are we doing today? I have some beautiful pieces to show you. I made them myself."

"Today isn't about me, although let's be honest I will be taking something for me and Mulan. No, today is about Clarion. We want elegant, casual and everything in between. It's been a long time since she was able to be herself and we want to find out what that is. Remember the Dark Wolf thing I told you about?"

"Yes."

"That's what she used to be. A blue bitch turned her into that monster and now that we have her back, we want to help her readjust to the world."

"And you brought her to a magical shop owned by a dragon?" Fianna smirked. "I'm not complaining. More money for me." She waved a hand and everyone took a step back except for Clarion. Fianna sauntered around her, looking her up and down. "Yes, I know exactly what you need, dahling. Leave it all to me. What about-" Mal was quick to cut off her question with a quick word in a draconic language. Fianna arched an eyebrow, but ultimately shrugged. She then spun to face Emma. "And this one? Do I get to play with her too?"

"Why not?" Mal smirked.

"Wait, what?" Emma said. Fianna held out her hand and the blonde hesitated a little before taking it. Fianna gave Emma a little spin, looking her up and down as well. "What is happening?" She whispered to Lily.

"Yes, I have just the thing for you." Fianna turned to Gretel and Marie. "Will you two be my assistants for today?" Both girls nodded furiously. "Well, then follow me." She said, nodding to Emma and Clarion. All four followed her up the stairs and behind the large curtain. As to what lay behind it, Regina was unsure. She knew little of Fianna truthfully. She was an odd character that Mal liked to visit over the years, mostly because she was one of the few people in Storybrooke who could afford to buy anything from the eccentric merchant. It wasn't even that Fianna asked for money or gold or jewels, she sometimes asked for odd things like perfume or a certain type of cloth or a statue. You could never tell what she would ask for in payment.

"Did Ruby enjoy the lingerie we picked up from here last time?" Mal asked as they walked the aisles while waiting for the others.

"She did."

"You should get her something else." The dragon grinned devilishly.

"You want me to spend diamonds on something she's just going to rip off?" Regina replied, pausing to look at a purple dress on the rack. "Why can't you use a normal store like normal people?"

"Because the stores in Storybrooke are boring and this has a wider and more impressive selection."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Dragons."

Mal only smirked as she opened a glass case and pulled out a lovely silver necklace with a diamond pendant. "Lilith, come here." Lily came over and turned around at command so her mother could place the necklace on her neck. "It looks beautiful on you. I'm buying it."

"Mom."

"What? We come to a store and you don't expect me to buy something?"

"You don't have to buy me anything."

"You keep saying that and I don't understand why. We both know it will have no effect." Mal smirked and moved on, a silver shield emblazoned with a griffin catching her interest.

"What do you need with that?" Regina asked, watching as she pulled it down.

"There's a space on the wall in my vault that I'm looking to fill."

"So you have floors made of gold, walls covered in silver and a ceiling of diamonds?"

"Diamond ceiling, I hadn't thought of that but I'm stealing it now." Mal grinned, moving on to the next rack.

Regina would follow the dragons around the store for the next twenty minutes or so. By the end of it, they'd collected everything from jewelry to jeans and from shields to rare alchemical plants. Once done, they magically sent everything to Fianna's counter and took a seat in the lounge area to await the others. "Are you sure this is the best way to help Clarion?"

"A makeover is only part of getting a fresh start. It is merely a first step and one necessary for her to begin again." Mal shrugged, pouring herself a glass of honeyed champagne. "How are you and Ruby doing with the whole thing?"

"She's taking it well. Better than I imagined. I shouldn't be surprised by the kindness of her heart, and yet I always am." Regina said, refusing a glass of champagne from Mal. It wouldn't surprise her if the blonde didn't know or had forgotten that humans couldn't drink while pregnant or nursing. Dragons could. They seemed to have many biological luxuries that humans did not. "Of course she wants Clarion to join the pack, but she is resistant to the idea. Even if it is the best place for her and the children."

"The pack was the best thing for you. That doesn't mean it'll be the best thing for her." Mal replied. "Remember, Regina, we are only helping her. We can't force her into doing anything she doesn't want to do."

"I know, but how would you feel if this was your children we were talking about?"

"Well, they're hers too and she was not even aware that she was pregnant. What I would do is what is necessary for the mother. She must be well taken care of and your feelings are less important than those of your future children." The dragon continued. "If she doesn't want to stay with us, buy her a house. Furnish it, fill up her refrigerator, pay for her clothes and her bills, medicine, ensure she has the basic necessities and all that she requires to live comfortably. Take her to the doctor for a check up or visit the fairies and make sure you understand what will come next."

"As if she will accept it." Regina scoffed. "She doesn't want to be taken care of."

"Well, you two have either avoided each other or been at each other's throats since we got the darkness out of her. Give her time and space, Regina. Let her heal at her own pace. There is no reason to be so firm yet. She should focus on her getting her magic under control at the moment."

Lily looked up from her phone, frowning slightly. "Wait a minute, Clarion's pregnant with your baby?"

"Yes." Regina answered.

"When were you going to tell us?"

"I don't know. We just found out not long ago and Clarion won't even talk to me about it. Last night, she told Ruby and me not to contact her. She only agreed to any of this because of the kids."

"Perhaps you should let them take the reins on helping her. I think it's your presence that truly bothers her." Mal said.

Regina rolled her eyes, but she understood Mal's point of view. It didn't surprise her. Even if Mal hated the other mother of her child, she still would've done everything in her power to take care of her and their baby. How was she supposed to help if Clarion didn't want her to?

"Have you spoken to her about her feelings for you?"

"No, she refused to, but she did sort of admit that what we suspected was true."

Mal hummed softly. "Her attempts to ignore you are most likely because of that. It must hurt to see someone you love every day and not be able to have them. Well, I hope everything works out for you." She patted Regina on the head and poured herself some more champagne.

"Mom?" Jack's call echoed throughout the massive store. She smirked when she heard him clicking.

"Here." A moment later she saw him and the rest of the boys coming down the aisle to the lounge area, each one with some kind of wrapped object strapped to their backs. "I see you got everything you wanted."

"Nope. Benji's going to make something of his own." Jack said. "Is Clarion out yet?"

"Do you see her?" Shang asked.

Mal smirked. "Have a seat and wait with us." The boys sat down on the carpet and shared the free chocolate treats Fianna kept in her lounge. Another ten minutes passed before the lady of the store stepped out from behind the curtain.

"Ladies and gentlemen, meet the new Clarion and Emma Swan." Marie and Gretel stepped out and pulled the curtains open. Fianna had worked her magic on both of the women. Emma was now dressed in a short white dress and draped in silver jewelry with matching diamond studded heels. It was simple but extravagant in a way that she would never have chosen for herself. Lily's eyes went wide when she spotted the mother of her children.

Clarion looked like a new person entirely. Fianna had dressed her in a fitted backless rose gold gown that accentuated all of her curves and assets. Her hair was newly curled and had been dyed a darker shade of gold and Fianna had kept her makeup natural and light. Clarion turned to look at herself and Regina arched an eyebrow upon seeing the black mark on her back had been changed to look like a tattoo in the form of the magical symbol for fairy. Around it was another tattoo and this one depicted sparkling gold fairy wings.

"You look amazing, guys." Jack said to a chorus of similar approval from the other children.

"Neat tattoo, Clarion." Benji added.

"That's not all." Fianna snapped her fingers and Clarion's dress changed into jeans, a silk blouse and block heels. "I assume this is considered casual." She snapped her fingers again and Clarion's clothes transformed again to a suit of golden armor with large razor fairy wings on the back. The boys hopped up and started talking rapidly at how cool Clarion looked. Fianna changed Clarion's clothes back into her dress. "Miss Swan wouldn't let me make her some armor." The dragoness pouted. Emma seemed about to speak but Lily teleported her away and followed suit.

"Thank you, Finna, I might get more grandchildren thanks to you." Mal said.

"Always glad to help, dahling."

"Alright, everyone can pick out one thing before we go." Mal called. The children dashed off instantly to grab something that was probably too dangerous for them at this age. "You and I can talk about the price." She said, walking off arm in arm with Fianna.

Regina stood up and approached Clarion. "You really do look beautiful, Clarion."

Clarion glanced at her through the mirror. "Thank you." The fairy returned to her reflection, seemingly a bit confused.

"What's wrong?"

"Everything." The blonde chuckled bitterly. It fell away when she turned around. "Fairies are taught to reject vanity. Our looks are far less important in the grand scheme of things."

"I give it three days with Mal and all of that conditioning will go out the window." Regina scoffed.

Clarion laughed softly. "She only thinks herself magnificent because she is. Most creatures are but I will admit, dragons are unique in their magnificence."

"Most?"

"There are a lot of creatures in the worlds that you have not encountered nor read about in your books."

Regina arched an eyebrow and looked at the fairy queen again, really looked at her this time and found herself at a loss for words. "I don't know anything about you, do I?" Clarion didn't answer and she didn't need to. "Listen, I may have jumped to a lot of conclusions about everything and I must apologize again. If you will accept, I would like to work together on this. I know you don't want to be taken care of, but I want to make sure you are in the best place possible for you and our child. I'll do whatever is needed to make that happen."

"Really?"

Regina nodded. "Yes, but more than that, I would like to know more about you. All I know is that you were the fairy queen and you were betrayed and forced into being some monster. That's about it and I know that doesn't cover up a fraction of you. If you give me the opportunity, I will make the most of it, I promise." A long pause followed her request and she was fairly sure that Clarion would refuse. Her eyes seemed to relay a number of emotions she couldn't quite name.

"In time, perhaps. There are some things I must look into first. I must return to the realm of fairies and-"

"So you can leave anytime you wish to."

Clarion rolled her eyes. "Yes, if I wish to. Leaving Storybrooke never crossed my mind. That was your assumption. In the meantime, I would ask that-"

"I not contact you?" Regina frowned, voicing her displeasure in her tone. "If that's what you want, I suppose I must agree..for now."

"Thank you." Came the icy reply.

Regina stepped back and allowed Clarion to lead the way back to the counter where the dragons were boxing up their newly acquired goods. They weren't done yet. Not by a long shot.

"Look what I got, Mom." Jack held up a dark breastplate emblazoned with a wolf.

"What are you going to do with that?"

"It looks cool." Jack replied. "And it's free since Mal is paying for it. Plus it molds to my body." He put it on and the breastplate glowed before shrinking until it fit him perfectly. "See?"

"You look like a true warrior." Clarion smiled.

"You can have all of this for a couple coffers of Velbardian gold coins." Fianna said to Mal, who instantly narrowed her eyes. "I'm working on a project. Velbardian gold coins are made with an added special alloy. I can melt them and make something."

"What's Velbardian?" Jack asked.

"Velbardia is a country that existed some time ago." Clarion answered matter of factly. "Over a few thousand years if I remember correctly. They were famous for their metal work and making weapons out of diamonds. Their coins were made of gold and other types of metals, giving them a unique composition." Regina's eyebrows rose in surprise and everyone else seemed just as shocked by the release of information. "What?"

"What happened to the Velbardians?" Marie asked, then narrowed her eyes at her mother. "You destroyed them, didn't you?"

"She didn't." Clarion said. "I don't think your mother was even alive when the Velbardians existed. They were mostly craftsmen and artisans so they were eventually conquered by a warrior faction. Their work is extremely rare and very expensive."

"You're older than mom?" Came the gasp.

Clarion frowned slightly. "How old do you think your mother is?"

Fianna leaned across the counter with new interest. "Do you know the language?"

"Of course. I speak hundreds of languages."

"Really?" The silver haired dragon burst into a grin as the children crowded around Clarion, asking what languages she knew and places she'd seen. "Clarion, dahling, could you make a record of the language, in case one would want to learn it?"

Clarion nodded. "I could try. Why?"

"As you stated, Velbardian treasure is rare and valuable. A way to learn their extinct language would be priceless to the right person. You know, we could make quite a profit together, right, Mal?"

Clarion shook her head. "Oh you can have it. Money is not something that interests me."

Fianna and Mal both exchanged annoyed looks. "Fairies." They said in unison.

"Well, her records on Velbardia should pay for all of your things sufficiently, Maleficent." Fianna motioned to the mountain of packages nearby. She looked at Clarion. "I included some extra things in there for you, dahling. Enjoy them."

"Thank you, Fianna." The children chorused.

"Come back anytime, dahlings."

Regina rolled her eyes and followed Mal out the door, their recent purchases hovering on a levitating dolley behind them. The door expanded to accommodate them when they walked through. Once it was closed Regina could feel the dispersing magic as the door became a regular door. If anyone tried to go through it, they would only find a broom closet. She didn't even know the spell to find Fianna's store, but this ensured that not everyone could find a way there. It was a surprisingly quick trip but it wasn't a surprise to see the children and Clarion on their hoverboards racing high over the streets of Storybrooke only a few minutes later. Zelena followed on her broomstick, ensuring no one was hurt and that her levitation spell was working correctly.

"They seem to really like her." Regina commented as she and Mal walked up the driveway to the farmhouse.

"Well, children were her priority as queen of the fairies." Mal replied. "Of course she would make them feel comfortable around her. Listen," Mal stopped and touched her shoulder. "Clarion said she wasn't going to leave forever, only temporarily and there is little you can do otherwise. Perhaps you should turn your thoughts to our pack, to Ruby and her future pups. This will be her first litter and I am sure she will want some guidance, as well as your attention. Turn your focus there."

Regina nodded. "I understand."

"Good. Now, help me pass out all my gifts I got for everyone."

/

As much as it annoyed her, Regina respected Clarion's wishes and kept her distance. She didn't call her, visit her or attempt to speak to her beyond a simple greeting. Her pups kept her attention most of the time anyway. Over the next few days, Clarion would actually spend more time with the pack than ever. Regina wasn't very involved of course, but by the pack's accounts of their activities she was able to figure out Clarion's plans. The former fairy wanted to get her magic under control and to do that she had to train. From Zelena's assessment, Regina gained some sort of understanding of what Clarion's magic actually was and it seemed to consist of light. The golden glow that always accompanied her use of magic was a unique form of light magic. She was a powerful healer and most of the spells she used did no harm. That is, until the kids taught her some new ones and practically had her become a superhero. All fairies could fly, some even without wings. Jack and Benji taught Clarion Zelena's levitation spell and when mixed with fairy flight, the woman could take off like a rocket if she so wished.

With Regina working on her spell and tending to the youngest pups, Ruby put the others back onto a sort of schedule. Whether it be cooking, cleaning, housework, shoveling snow, shopping, hunting or teaching, everyone had a job to maintain their new homestead. The children resumed their magic and combat lessons but most of their time was spent playing around and having fun. However, it wasn't all peaceful. Now that the pack was in close proximity to the town, Storybrooke and the Lucas-Mills pack began to butt heads again. It was inevitable but with everything everyone had been through Ruby was taking no chances. She didn't want the children to be hurt whether intentionally or accidentally by the idiots of the town.

/

For once, the house was quiet. Everyone was enjoying the sensation of not having an enemy to fight and nothing to fear. Regina lay on a pillow near the fireplace and watched her family through half lidded eyes, pleased beyond measure at the sight of her pack relaxing after the long battle with the Dark Wolf. Mal and Mulan were cuddling on one end of the couch and Marie played a handheld video game on the other. Spencer and Benji were playing a game on the tv while Aaron sharpened the new sword Mal got him. She could hear Kathrynn and Belle helping Shang study in the kitchen. As far as she knew, Dorothy and Merida were in the stables, Lily and the dragonlings were with Emma, Zelena was down in her vault and Tink was currently sitting next to her. Her three littlest ones were playing on the floor with Tink and her eldest was currently arguing with Ruby while getting a haircut.

"Look, you said you wanted a cut. I'm giving you a cut." Ruby said.

"It's not supposed to be that short." Jack replied.

"Will you let me finish? You'll love it. I promise."

Regina closed her eyes and almost purred at their bickering. She felt something heavy grab her ear and peeked out one eye to find Fenris yanking on it. He was so tiny and cute. She shook him off and used her nose to roll him over. She chuckled as he righted himself and came at her again, jumping on her nose. She nuzzled him and looked around for her other pups. Rani was sitting in Tink's lap, watching Amaroq play peekaboo with the blonde fairy. Peace. It was a strange feeling after warring for so long. She would take it though. Just to know that her children were no longer in danger, it allowed her to breathe easier.

"Regina." Ruby called. Regina looked up as her mate spun Jack's chair to face her. "What do you think?" She'd given Jack's hair a trim and a little bit of a cut, which was surprising considering he never liked to cut it before. His hair was naturally wavy, as was hers, and grew rapidly. Ruby had left a nice length to it and slicked back his hair on the top of his head.

"It looks good on you, Jack."

"Thanks, Mom."

"See?" Ruby said. "I told you I know what I'm doing. Who do you think trims Regina's hair?"

Jack smirked as he examined his reflection in a mirror. "I apologize for doubting your skills."

"Apology accepted." Ruby grinned, running her fingers through his hair.

"Thanks, Mom."

"Anytime, Jackie." Ruby kissed his forehead and put away the scissors and hair products she'd used. With that done, she made her way over to Regina and sat next to her. "You okay? Need anything? Hungry?"

"I'm fine." Regina said.

"Okay, let me know if you need anything."

"I should be asking you that."

Ruby scoffed. "I'm not that pregnant yet." She snuggled up next to Regina. "Today was a good day."

"It was."

"Hopefully, there will be many more."

"You better not have jinxed us." Regina stood up and picked up Fenris to drop into Ruby's arms. "I'll be right back." She left the room as a wolf and returned in human form with her book she was using to prepare for the next curse. She returned to her place next to Ruby and started to do some work on the curse. She was excited to show the others just what a paradise she could create when she really put her mind and heart into it. It had to be wonderful. It wasn't just for her family and her pack, this would be the home she would build for her children. By the time night had fully descended, most of the pack had retired and the children were asleep. The pups were curled up with Ruby, surrounded by warmth and nursing full bellies. Regina slipped outside, finding Clarion sitting on the porch steps.

"I didn't think you would be back so soon." She said, choosing to sit next to her.

"Neither did I." Clarion replied. "I didn't plan to, but I found little in the fairy realm that would help me."

"Help you do what?" Regina asked.

"Come to terms with the fact that I'm having a baby." Clarion gave a tentative smile. "I needed to understand what needed to be done and I believe I do now. I've talked with Maleficent and Zelena and I now know that I will have to use my magic regularly to gain a better control of it."

"You'll have to eat more too." Regina added. "And better."

Clarion nodded. "I know. It would seem that I will give birth as humans do."

"How are fairies born normally?"

"Born isn't quite the right word. Fairies are created through many ways. A drop of water from a waterfall, a petal from a flower, the laugh of a child. Fairies can spring from all of these things. I know it sounds strange but it makes sense in the fairy realm."

"So natural elements and magic?"

Clarion nodded again. "Usually. In the fairy realm, everything is magic and the creation of fairies isn't something that can be controlled. I was mostly in charge of teaching them and training them to interact with your world. I recently found out that Blue made an attempt to control what fairies were created."

"She wanted more like her?"

"And less like me. Light fairies are rare and none have ever matched my power. I guess she didn't want to take the chance that someone could."

Regina arched an eyebrow. "They want you to return, don't they?"

"They did, but I gave them a better option. Reopen the fairy realm. Vidia will soon take her place as queen and the fairies will do what they were meant to do. They can help people, children, animals, the world, offer wisdom and use their magic for good instead of sitting in their selfish isolation doing nothing. I will need to be there for that, but once Vidia steps up, I will stay here. I like Storybrooke. And I want to see these new lands you create. Plus, I couldn't leave the children behind when they've done so much to help me."

Regina flicked an eyebrow again. She wasn't sure how she felt about the children fawning over the fairy. It was true that Clarion was good with them and they each benefitted from the interaction, but she had a feeling it was more than that. Perhaps Clarion even saw Jack as her own son and that's why she agreed so easily to his demands. If that were true she didn't particularly like the thought of someone else having a claim to her child.

For a moment, all was quiet and a silence fell over them. Regina still had questions. She had a thousand questions she wanted to ask, but she wasn't sure where to begin.

"You should head back inside." Clarion said, rising to her feet. "The pups will be missing you. We can talk more when it's not freezing." She held out her hand and Regina took it.

"Um, you should join us tomorrow for breakfast. The children would like it." She suggested.

Clarion gave her a smile as she stepped off the porch. "I will consider it, your majesty." She walked down the driveway a good distance away and Regina tilted her head, just now noticing the sparkling peach colored dress she wore, no doubt a gift from Fianna. It fitted her nicely and had two long slits in the sides that allowed her to show off her legs. She wasn't wearing a coat or anything either. Streaks of golden lightning bunched up around her legs as she crouched and suddenly shot into the air. Regina watched her disappear over the trees before returning to her bed in the nursery. The family had decided to sleep as wolves tonight. Jack was stretched out flat on his belly while Amaroq slept in the same position on his back and Fenris was flopped atop his head. Rani was curled up in a tiny ball between Ruby's front paws. Regina took her place next to Ruby.

"Everything okay?" She heard her mate whisper.

"Yes." Ruby lifted her head and Regina moved hers under it. She was asleep only minutes later. The next morning the pack slept in, as expected. Regina was surprised to find Ruby gone from their bed when she awoke. It was unlike her to get up first. She stretched and carefully moved around the children to exit the room. The aroma of cooking food made her stomach growl. She shifted forms and went into the kitchen and found Ruby wide awake and dressed in jeans and a red t-shirt. Clarion was with her, now dressed in a dark blue dress similar to the one she wore last night with her hair up in a ponytail. She and Ruby were hard at work and the kitchen table was overflowing with a beautiful breakfast. The crown jewel consisted of a tray in the center that was piled high with steaming waffles.

"What's this?"

Ruby spun around and grinned. "Good morning. Well, afternoon at this point. Clarion stopped by and since I was the only one up, I asked her to help me with breakfast."

"What?"

Ruby smirked and handed her a cup of coffee. "Yes, I was up before everyone else. I know it's unheard of." She nodded to Clarion. "You invited her to eat without giving her a time."

"Were you waiting?" Regina asked, sipping the hot coffee.

Clarion shook her head. "Truthfully, I only awoke not long ago to get in some early morning practice."

"Yeah, we redid her wolf form before we started." Ruby added. "Now she won't be mistaken for a fox or something."

Regina arched an eyebrow and drank some more of the coffee, silently watching Ruby and Clarion move about the kitchen as if this was normal. She soon departed to awaken the rest of the pack. When she returned, the children were already to the table, waiting for the signal to begin eating. It was only when Regina took her seat that they began. Ruby sat next to her, keeping an eye on their still sleeping pups in the small crib nearby. The pack dug into the mountain of food wholeheartedly. She smirked when Jack picked up the tray of waffles and offered it to his mothers first before carrying it around the table to Clarion. Benji scowled and snapped his fingers and two waffles hopped off the tray on their own accord and jumped onto his plate. Jack put the tray back and retook his seat, clapping his hands when Ruby handed him the syrup. For a time, it seemed like everything was back to normal and as expected, most of the conversation was aimed at their new guest.

"We should go for a Run today, Clarion. Then we can teach you how to hunt." Aaron suggested. He reached for the syrup but Benji snatched it first and he glared at his brother. Benji smirked and proceeded to slowly fill up every square of his belgian waffle with syrup before he put it back on the table. "Really?"

"Really, Brother."

Clarion smiled. "That sounds like a fun evening."

"How is the fairy realm, Clarion?" Merida asked. "They must be missing you."

"They are and after the travesty of Blue's rule, it is in shambles. I promised I would do my best to help the transition of power."

"Vidia is going to be queen?" Tink asked.

Clarion nodded. "No one deserves it more. Except you." Redness flushed the blonde's fairy's face and she looked away from the former queen to eat some more of her food. "Although, I know you would not enjoy such a position."

"So you're staying then?" Marie inquired.

"I am."

"Why?" It was Dorothy who spoke. "Surely they would welcome you back and you would be more comfortable there."

"No, I wouldn't. I am not the queen they remember and that is not the home I want to return to."

"Alright then," Dorothy said, sipping her orange juice. "Are you still in love with Regina?"

Ruby sighed. "Do."

"It's a simple question."

"It's also none of your business." Tink growled. Merida touched her hand before the blonde fairy could get riled up.

"I think it should be considering the Dark wolf attacked us numerous times because of that love. I just want to know that I won't be attacked again. You're very willing to gloss over this and pretend that-"

"Why would someone attack you?" Tink frowned.

"Pass the salt." Mal said, ignoring the conversation entirely. Marie handed it to her and turned right back to the action.

"I know she's a nice person." Dorothy continued. "But ignoring everything that's happened isn't going to help anyone. I just asked some questions. Why are you getting so upset?"

"Because the answers to those questions don't concern you."

"They concern the pack."

"How does Clarion's feelings for Regina have anything to do with you?"

"Enough, you two." Regina cut in sharply, silencing the argument at once.

"It's alright." Clarion said. "I know I haven't earned your-"

"You don't have to earn anything." Jack cut in just as sharply as Regina had. "No one else had to, why should you?" Silence fell over the table instantly. "You are welcome here, Clarion. You have been nothing but kind and courteous since the darkness was removed from you. I am sorry that not everyone has treated you in the same regard." He looked around the table, letting his gaze linger on Dorothy a little longer than the others. "I do not mean to be rude or disrespectful or reprimanding and I will take any punishment the pack sees fit for my words, but I also do not want what Clarion was to refract from who she is. She is not the Dark One, the Dark Wolf, or anything of that nature. Not anymore."

Clarion touched his arm. "Thank you, Jack, but Dorothy is right to worry. Anyone would after everything you've all been through."

"Maybe, but I will not let you be interrogated in front of me. I'm sure you adults have a lot to discuss still, but it will not be discussed at the breakfast table. Now, Benji, how are your studies?"

"Excellent. Mal showed me how to teleport boulders."

Zelena's head whipped to face the dragon. "He's not supposed to be moving anything bigger than himself, Mal. He is not ready for-"

"You are too nervous with him." Mal argued. "He moved the entire house yesterday and you didn't notice."

"What?!"

"Boulders?" Aaron said. "You moved one."

"It was one more than you moved."

Another argument began, but this was more lighthearted in nature. The tension in the room was broken as the children started talking over one another and Zelena and Mal argued back and forth over the boys' magical training.

Regina exchanged a proud smirk with Ruby. Her son was truly something else. He was right of course and she was thankful for it. Ruby would probably send Dorothy and Tink on a hunt later to try and get them to work together. They'd never been so at odds before. Clarion was the heart of it. She was well aware of Tink's idolization of the former fairy queen that could potentially cloud her judgement and she didn't mind it, but Dorothy's wariness of Clarion was completely valid and would continue to cause problems if her fears were not put at ease. The problem lay in that they couldn't really say anything to do that and Clarion couldn't do much to prove it.

After breakfast, Regina fed the pups and left them in the nursery with the children while the adults gathered in the living room. She decided to take the floor before anyone else could. "Clarion is a friend of the pack." She said. "She will be treated as such. Jack was right, but you're also right, Dorothy. Moving past everything without discussing any of it is not good and doesn't help anyone. Just because it is easy for some of us to move forward, doesn't mean it is the same for everyone and we shouldn't get angry with those of us who need that extra time." She cast her gaze around her family and settled on Dorothy. "Clarion is not a threat."

"As far as you know."

"How do you expect her to assuage your fears then?"

Clarion stood up then. "To answer your question, Miss Gale, I am not in love with Regina, but…I do love her." She let out a sigh and looked at Regina. "When I first saw you, you were like me. Caged, broken, scared, hated. There was nothing I could do, but due to your proximity to the current Dark One and eventually the Dark Wolf, I was able to see your rise from the ashes, which you did several times. You are truly the most resilient creature I have ever encountered. I love you for more than you, for that resilience, for the inspiration you provide. I love when you are happy and safe and that, more than anything, is all I want...right now. That may change." She looked at Dorothy. "I have no intention of hurting anyone and I have no intention of leaving either." She gestured to Regina. "She won't let me leave anyway. I'm carrying her children."

"What?" All eyes turned to Regina, who nodded. "How do we know they're Regina's?"

Regina held up her hand, summoning her magic as she had done in the hospital and Clarion's stomach glowed as before. Ruby's did as well, which only brought forth more questions from the women who hadn't known.

"What?!" Lily appeared nearby in a cloud of red smoke with Emma. Emyr was sitting on her head while she held Kiona in her arms. "Ruby's pregnant too? What the hell, Regina?"

"Look, it wasn't intentional, I assure you." Regina said, smiling at the sudden rush of congratulations. The children, who'd apparently been listening through a vent, came running out to congratulate them as well. "You left the babies alone, Jack?" Jack quickly ran to retrieve his brothers and sister and brought them into the happy mix.

"So are you going to join the pack then, Clarion?" Aaron asked.

The fairy shook her head. "I haven't made any decisions yet."

"Alright then. Minds can be changed."

"Let's go for a Run!" Ruby called, racing outside. The pack followed, shifting forms as they stepped onto the porch. With a word of magic, Regina conjured a saddle-like backpack that would fit her wolf form so the pups could accompany them and still be warm. Fenris would ride with her, Rani would ride with Ruby and Amaroq rode with Belle as all three were still too small to keep up on their own. Lily changed Emma into a wolf and conjured a similar way to carry their dragonlings on their backs. Regina looked around for Clarion and finally spotted the golden she-wolf at the edge of their group. She was a very pretty wolf and sported fur the same honey brown as her hair. The boys were quick to spot her as well and made their way over, pushing her up to the front with the alphas. "This Run is for you too, Clarion." Ruby said. "You're going to be a mother too and that should be celebrated."

"You've taken this rather well."

"How else would I take it? The pups are more important than my feelings and they're going to get here whether I like it or not. Besides, more of Regina's pups can only make the world a better place."

Mal laughed as she walked past. "You say that now, but wait…"

"What's that supposed to mean, Dragon?" Regina asked.

"It means let's Run already!" Zelena yelled. She took off across the snow and everyone fell in behind her. Like one unit, one wolf, the pack swept through their forest, happiness and joy for the future radiating in every pawstep. Regardless of the past and any bad blood, despite the Dark Wolf and everything that came with it, the pack continued to flourish. There were pups on the way. By the time spring rolled around, they would be moving into their new lands and after that, new life would join them. Maybe by then someone else would be pregnant and there would be even more pups! Either way, Regina had much to do and much to prepare for. Ruby looked over her shoulder at and Regina put on a burst of speed, delighting in the rush of Running with her mate once again. The snow crunched under her paws and the icy wind cut into her fur. She felt none of it. Just the freedom that her mate had shown her. By the spring that freedom would grow exponentially. Her curse was coming along nicely and soon she could give the pack the home they deserved. She could already imagine its beauty and she wanted to give it to them more than anything. Plenty of open space for Mal and Lily to fly, lots of places for the kids to explore, endless room to Run and play, more prey to feast on. It would be a paradise. Her gaze fell on Clarion, running between Jack and Aaron. Not even she knew why the children worked so hard to include her in everything they did, but they were determined to help her move past everything that had happened to her. She made a silent promise to do the same. She was carrying Regina's children after all. They still had some issues to work out and just like everything else, that would take time, but for today none of that mattered.

When they returned home that afternoon, Zelena made a new announcement that only added to the excitement in the air. After everyone was settled in the living room again, She stood up and faced the room. "Well, today has been a great day already, but get ready for something new. As you all know, the children have been doing well in their magical studies and Mal and I have decided to up the ante a bit. In one week, we're going to play capture the flag and we're going to do it on a grander scale. I'll explain it when the time comes, but in the meantime, I want the children to create something new to use during the game."

"A new spell?" Jack asked.

"It can be a new spell, a new weapon, a potion, an old spell that you've made your own, whatever your heart desires. You can work together or separately and our expertise is at your disposal. You can use any and everything in our vaults but do not touch anything without a label, especially potions. I want to see your creativity. So how about it?" The children were on their feet instantly, racing to the vaults. Regina and Mal each handed her a portal stone. She took them into the basement and crushed them, opening portals to their vaults for the children to use. When she returned, she called out to Emma and Clarion. "You two are also encouraged to participate in the magical challenge. The rest of you should prepare in your own ways. It should be fun." Most of the other women were on their feet as well, going to figure out their plans and weapons for the coming battle.

"You guys want me to fight?" Emma asked.

"It would be good for you to get some semblance of practice with your magic." Regina answered. "Although you need not participate if you do not wish to."

"No, sure. I'll do it but I'm sure even Jack could kick my ass with magic."

"He could." Lily smirked. "That's why I'll help you. I've got just the thing."

"While you two do that, allow me to watch over my grandchildren." Mal held out her hands and wiggled her fingers, grinning when she was given the two dragonlings, who started chirping and purring as soon as they were placed in her arms. The pair then made their way to the vault as well. "Are you going to join them, Clarion?"

The golden fairy tilted her head. "I understand the purpose of this, but I don't believe I will be able to do much. My magic hurts me more than anyone else and fairy magic isn't supposed to cause harm."

"Then don't." Regina said. "You don't have to cause harm with your magic. You could mislead or disorient instead of hurt." Clarion gave her a thoughtful look before teleporting away without warning. "I should go put the pups down for their nap." Regina stood up. "Then I'll go check on Jack and see if he needs help."

Ruby simply nodded as her mate left with her pups, leaving her, Merida, Mal and the dragonlings in the living room.

"You mean what you said earlier?" Merida asked. "About Clarion and the kids?"

"Of course." Ruby said, stretching out on the couch. Mal gave her a skeptical look. "Do I like the idea of Regina getting someone else pregnant? No. Do I have a choice? No. It's not about me. It's about the kids. They will always come first. Besides, Clarion's pretty cool. I suppose it would be different if she was a bitch." The former fairy queen was always kind and courteous when she spoke, almost irritatingly so. The only time she seemed anything other than polite and composed was when she went nuts on Blue, which Ruby might not even have believed if she hadn't seen it.

Mal chuckled softly. "You have a good heart, Miss Lucas."

"Thank you, Dragon. I try my best. What do you think the kids will decide to do?"

"Oh it could be anything. I can't wait to see what they come up with."

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