OK final chapter, no more after this. Well maybe I'll write a follow up, but there are no promises on that one.

Travelling this portal wasn't easy, he would never say it was easy, but it was strangely familiar to his tortured mind. During the entire passage, the magic threatened and tried to rip the party apart, but he clung to the women's hands like he had hung onto the threads of his sanity during his time in Storybrooke. Two magics, two realities, two women, each different and yet similar, he held them all, and he fought to move them forward - they were halfway there. Jefferson decided to bypass the hall of doors, fearing that if he stopped he wouldn't have the strength to do this again.

Jefferson sensed the end of the portal close ahead at the same time he felt the two magics begin to fray apart. The pressure that had been building was now so intense that they all felt it bearing down on them, he shouted "We have to run now! Come on!" Pulling Emma and Snow into action, his coat flapped behind him as the three sprinted for the end of the portal. The magic was separating quicker now, their only chance was to make it out before the last thread snapped, if that happened nothing he could do would hold them together. There was the door now, he dragged a touch more speed out of his body and shoved Snow through the portal before tumbling through, pulling Emma with him.

They lay sprawled on the tiles, hands still connected – panting. Jefferson raised his head – yes, this was his house - and let it fall back against to floor. They were still laying there when a polite cough sounded. "Your highness - are you alright?" Snow opened her eyes, peering down at her was a dwarf. "Doc! Emma, we're home!" Snow stood up, pulling her hand free and hugged Doc. Emma sat up, looking across to where the Hatter was still lying with his eyes closed. "Jefferson, are you ok? What happened in there?" He opened his eyes and smiled, tugging her closer, "I'll be fine, that was harder than I expected, that's all. The magic didn't blend together as well as I thought it had. It pulled apart while we were in the portal, we got out just in time." He moved swiftly, wrapping Emma in a hug, "you're safe, we're home now, that's all that matters. Emma smiled returning the hug. "If you two are finished I think its time we found our families." Snow's voice broke in, "According to Doc, Charming couldn't stand guard waiting for us so the dwarves have been doing it in shifts. Apparently he has appointed himself as acting sheriff in your absence Emma. Henry and Grace should be at school, so I think we should find them in town." Emma stood and helped Jefferson up by their still joined hands. Once standing Jefferson had a question. "What are the children doing at school? Its Saturday isn't it? I left Friday morning." Doc stood to attention "You did leave on Friday, but its Tuesday, you've been gone four days" Jefferson looked surprised, "apparently that journey was even harder than I thought, I've never missed a landing by three days before."

Snow urged them all to get out of the house, obviously eager to be reunited with her husband. They all piled into Doc's car and he drove into the heart of Storybrooke. Emma and Snow kept a constant look out of the windows, both to see what changes had been brought about by the return of magic and keeping an eye out for the prince. They had just pulled up at the intersection near Granny's when Emma called out, "Doc, stop the car! Mary Margret look!" They all turned to where Emma was pointing. With his back to them, prince James was leaning across one of Granny's outdoor tables deep in discussion with Ruby and Archie. Before Doc had even finished parking, Snow was out of the car running towards her love.

James heard a disturbance and turned just in time for Snow to throw herself into his arms. The impact rocked him back against the table. "Snow?" His arms encircled her and he looked across the road to see where she had come from. Jefferson and Emma were crossing the road towards them. "Snow, he found you, he brought you back to me," tears were in his eyes as he kissed his wife. Emma slowed her pace, giving her parents some space for their reunion, Jefferson noticed the change. "What's wrong? Disturbed at seeing Mommy and Daddy making out?" Emma wrinkled her nose at him, "thanks for that and no, I'm just letting them have a moment" The hatter snorted in disbelief, then realising that her reluctance came from not being used to having a family, he said gently, "I promise you as another father, he is just as happy to see you as he is your mother." He took her hand and quickened their step to join the party in Granny's courtyard. Snow and Charming reached out to Emma and pulled her into their embrace, a whole family once more. Then Charming released his women and reached out a hand to Jefferson, "thank you for bringing back my family Jefferson, this is truly something I will never forget. There is nothing I can give you which would repay your actions and the chances you took, but if we go to the school I can at least reunite your own family. I know two ten-year-olds who will be very pleased to see you" James turned to Snow and Emma, smiled and added "-all of you."

Borrowing Doc's car they made their way to the elementary school. It was the lunch break and children ran around yelling and laughing. James parked in the teacher's car park, the small group moved through the schoolyard. From behind them came, "Mom!" followed closely by "Papa!" Both parents pushed past Snow and Charming to pick up their children, Henry to Emma and Grace to Jefferson. Emma sank to the ground, arms wrapped tightly around her son, tears rolling down her face. When she finally let him go, Henry ran to Jefferson to hug him too, whispering his thanks.

Not ready to be separated yet, they took the children out of school for the afternoon and returned to Jefferson's house sharing the adventures that had happened since they had been separated by the wraith. Although enthralled by the stories of ogres, magic and Lancelot, the two children found James' recounting of Storybrooke happenings far less interesting and left their parents to their discussions. Emma was happy to sit back and let her parents do all the talking, relaxing and resting her head against the couch.

It was only noticed that Emma had fallen asleep when Snow asked her a question. When she didn't answer everyone looked to see her peacefully sleeping. Snow sat forward starting to get up, "it looks like we should go home, if Emma is so tired -" Jefferson waved her away, "let her sleep, I'll take her upstairs so we won't disturb her." He gently picked her up and carried her out of the room. He picked a random room and it was only when he was by the bed that he realised he'd taken Emma to his own bedroom. Leaning over he pulled the covers down before placing Emma on the bed and tucking the blankets around her. Emma roused as he pushed her hair of her face, "...Jefferson?" He quietened her with a kiss on the brow, "hush love, go back to sleep, you can catch up on everything later." He watched until she settled, then left the room leaving the door slightly ajar.

Entering the sitting room, Jefferson invited everyone to stay for dinner explaining, "that will give Emma a chance to sleep, if she wakes up you can take her home after dinner, if not, she is very welcome to stay and if its ok with you Henry can stay with her. Grace is enjoying having a friend here." He tidied away the tea set giving them a chance to talk it over. Jefferson was fairly certain, what their answer would be - what reunited couple wouldn't want an evening alone? When he re-entered the room, James had the answer for him, "we would love to stay for dinner, and I'm sure Henry would agree to a sleep-over, as long as its not too much trouble, we wouldn't want to impose." The hatter brushed this aside. "If you haven't noticed this place is massive, for too long it was simply a house, having people here makes it seem a bit more like a home."

Both Snow and James insisted on helping with dinner. Before it was ready, Snow asked to check on Emma, Jefferson offered to take her mentioning he was going up to take a shower anyway. The thought made him make an additional offer to her, "...if you wanted to do the same, there is a bathroom, I'm not sure if my clothes would fit you but..." Snow shook her head, "as much as I'm longing for all the modern conveniences, I'll wait until I can change into my own clothes, thank you." Jefferson softly tapped on the door, not wanting to wake Emma and they entered. Snow went to the bed, while Jefferson moved to the wardrobe to collect spare clothes for himself. He turned to find Snow looking at him, "you keep clothes in here?" She asked softly, he flushed and replied, "I put her in the first bedroom I came to, it happened to be mine." He shrugged, "it won't hurt me to sleep elsewhere tonight." Snow smiled hesitantly, and Jefferson moved to the adjoining bathroom locking the door behind him.

The conversation that Jefferson had been hoping to avoid was waiting for him in the kitchen. James stood up from his seat at the table, Snow White closely behind him and in a casual voice that held a hint of danger he asked, "just what is happening between you and our daughter?" Jefferson sighed and poured himself a drink, "I don't really know what you'd call it at the moment, I doubt she does either. After the curse was broken we talked and agreed to be friends. Eventually I would like there to be more and I think she does too, but we have a bit of history to get over before that can happen. However even if if that's not on the cards, I still wish to be her friend." Snow nudged her husband, "ahh yes your 'history' that puts me in a difficult position, on one hand you've saved my family, but Snow has now explained to me your 'history' and I can't say I like it. That's not the sort of man I want around my family." Jefferson lowered his head, he couldn't blame the prince, he wouldn't trust someone who had done that to Grace. He stared into his drink and missed when James started talking again, "- you're not that man anymore. You've been nothing but a caring father, not only to Grace, but to Henry. You risked you life when you didn't have to, going through the hat. I won't forget this but I am willing to give you a chance." He held out a hand, which Jefferson shook. "Thank you your highness, I wasn't expecting, nor do I deserve this understanding. In fact I was expecting a back eye at the very least." James grinned, "and normally you'd be right, but it seems a little rude to punch a man while a guest in his house."

When Emma woke she was slightly disoriented but the extravagence of the room made her assume that she was still at Jefferson's house. She got out of bed and wandering into the wardrobe she was presented by a large collection of patterned shirts and vests, confirming her suspicions. Fingering a deep burgundy shirt that caught her eye, Emma realised that she was still fully dressed - in clothes that she had been wearing for a week. Slipping the shirt off the hanger, Emma re-entered the bedroom and dropping the shirt on the bed she headed towards the next door and found a bathroom on the other side. Turning on the shower, she discarded her worn clothes amd stepped under the spray and washed the past week away.

Dressed in the shirt and a pair of boxer shorts she had found, Emma ventured out of the bedroom. In the hallway she could hear music coming from downstairs, she followed it into the sitting room. Jefferson was sitting at the piano playing a tune Emma didn't know. "So you can actually play that thing." The tune halted briefly but he didn't turn around "it has kept me company over the years." The playing started again, Emma perched backwards on the piano stool, "so where is everyone?" "Your parents left about an hour ago, Henry and Grace are upstairs in bed and there is some dinner left if you are hungry." The tune came to a close and Jefferson shifted on the stool so he could see her and his breath caught as he saw her outfit. Emma glanced down, "I hope its ok that I borrowed your clothes, I had a shower when I woke up and I couldn't bear to put those things on again." He stood quickly to clear his head, "no that's fine, of course you can help yourself to anything." Emma reached her hand out to stop him moving away, "Jefferson is something wrong?" He exhaled and sat down again, "No, nothing's wrong, this situation just feels a bit surreal, and believe me if you've been to Wonderland, that concept is hard to reach in everyday life." Emma rubbed his back, encouraging him to talk. "Its just you.. and your -our families, I've been alone for so long and now I've got Grace back and you're here next to me, I know you've just gotten out of my bed, and our children are upstairs asleep after dinner with your parents. It feels like the portal led me back to a parallel world, one filled with family life and domesticity." "Jefferson if its too much, Henry and I can go-" He leaned down, resting his forehead on hers, whispering "No, please don't, its just something I have wanted so much, but I know its not real, tomorrow you'll go home and our time will be over." She pulled him against her in a hug, "you don't get rid of me that easily Jefferson, and I know from experience that Henry doesn't give up when he wants to know someone either. Within a month you'll be so sick of us, that you will be glad we don't live here, just so you can have some peace." Jefferson pulled back smiling, "Never!" he said vehemently, "Emma Swan I will never have too much of you" Emma smiled back and then they both laughed at the ridiculousness of it all, Emma leaned in and kissed him on the side of the mouth, "come on, you said there was dinner? I'm starved."

They laughed and joked while Emma ate, trying to keep a light atmosphere and when she had finished, Emma asked if Jefferson would play the piano again for her - something which he agreed to. They sat on the piano stool together, Emma resting her head on his shoulder watching his fingers move across the keys. He played until Emma yawned, still tired despite her earlier sleep. "OK, back to bed for you, its late." He lead her up the stairs to his bedroom and opened the door for her to enter. Emma turned when she realised that he hadn't followed her in. "What, you're not staying with me?" Jefferson smirked, "Miss Swan are you trying to tempt me?" She moved closer to him, "not exactly, I just thought since this is your room and its not as if we're shy around each other..." Her tone changed and in a low voice she asked "but what if I was?" His face changed in an instant, "Emma, I can't... we shouldn't... we're not ready..." Emma backed off immediately, "hey, I was just kidding - you started it, remember." He attempted a smile, "kidding, right. It's just feeling a bit domesticated again, that's all and I'm not sure I want it if its not real. Look I'm going to find another room." Emma grabbed his hand and dragged him across to the bed, before going to the other side and getting into the already rumpled blankets, "stay here with me Jefferson, I am not kicking you out of your own bed."

He hesitated, still unsure. "Emma is not that I don't want to share a bed with you, I just don't want people to get the wrong idea, Henry or Grace could come in here in the morning, they'd ask questions... well more questions. Your parents could get the wrong idea. I want to do this - us - properly, I want the domesticity, but we have to do it right way." Emma caught looked straight into his eyes. "I don't care what anyone thinks except you. Jefferson, please stay. I'm even less used to having a family than you, but I've wanted the dream too. Tomorrow we can work towards having the real thing, but can we please have a glimpse of what our happy ending could be?"

Convinced she meant it, Jefferson sat on the edge of the bed and toed his shoes off as he unbuttoned his waistcoat, that and his cravat ended up on an armchair near the bed. He wandered back to the bed, about to slip under the covers Emma said, "that's all you're taking off?" He smiled at her, "well I remember that you get very hands-on when I'm asleep, I figure I need the protection." "Ha ha, you're hilarious" she dead-panned. Jefferson settled himself on his back and reached for her, Emma came willingly. She was nestled against his side arm, across him, his face buried in her hair as he played with the strands that fanned out across her back. "This isn't a happy ending" he murmured half-asleep. Emma roused herself, surprised at his words, "what?" Jefferson realised what his words had sounded like and explained himself, "this doesn't feel like an ending to me, it feels like a beginning." Emma smiled and kissed his chest before snuggling down again slowly succumbing to sleep, the two of them breathing as one.

THE END

Author's Note - This chapter is dedicated to the Whitlam's songs 'Breathing You In" and 'Ease of the Midnight Visit', I was having a difficult time finishing this story until I set them on repeat because they set the mood perfectly. I'd also like to say that Jefferson's line about 'feels like a beginning' isn't really mine. I paraphrased it from a line in the Australian TV show Seachange. And thanks to everyone who has followed, reviewed or favourited this story and my other mad swan one. You're the best!