We have come to the end of the road. Enjoy.

Chapter 25

Rose had felt the rush of magic through her veins as she focused on conjuring a spell that was strong enough to send her home. She had always known she had light magic because she was after all the product of true love and she knew that was the most powerful magic of all. Rose had felt her mother squeezing her hands and she although she didn't want to let go, she eventually accepted that she had to.

The more her mother's grip tightened the faster she felt magic building up and all of a sudden she didn't feel the weight of another pair of hands in her own.

A small fear that nothing had changed hit her as she slowly opened her eyes. She was still sitting on the bed. Except the bed was not a large queen sized bed with a fluffy duvet like the one in the guest-room. She was in her brother's apartment where it all began.

Rose swallowed thickly. Had her magic brought her back to her time or had she landed elsewhere? She didn't even spend a second bothering to look around the room. Instead she rushed down the stairs in hopes of seeing someone she knew, someone to ask.

She sighed out of relief when she saw her brother. He was doing the dishes, something she knew he truly disliked. He was standing there in the clothes Rose was used to seeing him in, nodding his head to a rhythm as if he was listening to a song in his head.

"H-H-Henry?" She stuttered nervously.

He turned around to look at her and she smiled. He was the same old Henry as she remembered him as. Tall, a slight stub across his cheeks and the hair ruffled, as he was sometimes too lazy to fix it. Rose smiled. She was home.

"Sis? What are you doing here?"

Rose didn't answer. She flung her arms around her brother and hugged him so tight neither of them could breathe. Tears started to stream down her face as he hugged her back. She didn't know if it was tears of happiness or just the relief of seeing him again.

"It's okay, sis, I've got you," Henry hushed.

Rose's entire body froze. Was he soothing her cries for a reason? Her mind instantly started playing that horrible scene she had made up in her head, the once that had hunted her dreams many times and caused her many sleepless nights during the last week. "Mom," she cried, "is she still-"

She didn't want to say the words out loud and she could barely look at her brother, knowing she could tell from his face what the answer would be. He looked sad and confused. She watched him reach for a box of tissues and met his eyes.

"No," she gasped. "No, no, no."

Without as much as a thought, she started running. She ran for her life, out the door, down the stairs, down the street. The cold didn't bother her as she rushed through the town. She passed by the clock tower. Her mind was replaying all the memories she had involving this certain place and her tears fell even heavier. This wasn't supposed to happen. Her mother was supposed to be alive.

She spotted the white mansion at the end of the street and rushed towards the iron gates at 108 Mifflin, the top of the ironwork shaped as a swan, something that, according to her blonde mother was destined to be. The same gate she hit her head against when she was just a little girl – a fall that had gotten her a scar over the bridge of her nose. To her great fear she discovered the front door was locked and she desperately felt her pockets in hopes for a pair of keys, cursing in frustration when she didn't find any.

"Mom?" She banged on the door, crying as she did. "Mom!"

The door flung open and she stared at her blonde mother with sad eyes. Emma still looked the same as she had done in her younger years. There were only a few light wrinkles around her eyes, naturally appearing because of age. But Rose couldn't smile because she knew Regina always opened the door in the household and with Emma opening she instantly knew that her worst fear was coming true. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs. This could not be. She was supposed to save her mother.

Her heart broke right there on the front porch. She felt Emma's arms catch her as she fell but Rose didn't car. She just let herself fall, sobbing in strong soothing arms wrapped around her body.

"Rosie," Emma said, hushing softly. "You're shaking, Rosie."

"I couldn't," Rose sobbed against her mother's chest. "I couldn't save her."

"Rosie, please," the blonde tried. "Let's go inside."

Somehow she managed to get up but her knees were shaking and she leaned against her mother for support. The uncontrollable amount of tears rushing down her cheeks had left stains on the blonde's grey plaited shirt. Her mother set her down gently on the first steps up the grand entrance and Rose leaned her head against Emma's chest, not even making an attempt to still her cries. She closed her eyes, finally accepting the fact that she had failed her mission. It was like losing Regina all over again.

Yet being held by her blonde mother didn't feel the same. Something wasn't right. Rose expected Emma to react differently, to cry her heart out in absolute heartbreak like she did the time of the accident. "Ma?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"I'm sorry, for everything."

"It's okay, Rose. Just let it out."

"I let you down."

"Hey, look at me," Emma said with a soft voice. "We grounded you for a reason, there'll be other parties to go to. Alright?"

"What?" Rose couldn't quite understand what her mother was saying. "Grounded?"

"Yes, kiddo, that's why you're crying right? A bit overdramatic maybe because it's just a party."

"I don't understand," Rose frowned. "Henry said… He looked so… What's happening?"

"Did you see Henry just now or? You're confusing me kid."

Rose shook her head. She honestly didn't know what to believe. For a moment she just stared at her blonde mother who looked equally confused. Rose sniffled and wiped her tears, trying to figure out something to say, something that would make sense.

The front door opened and Rose turned her head towards its direction. She couldn't believe her eyes. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be. In one swift movement she sprung to her feet and crashed into her mother with such force that they almost fell to the ground. Tears started to fall again. Out of relief, out of happiness.

"Mom!" She managed to say between heavy sobs as she clung to Regina's body. She felt the brunette woman wrap her arms around her and tears just kept falling.

"Oh, sweetheart," Regina hushed. "What's wrong?"

Rose could hardly breathe and had to force herself to calm down. Her mother was alive. She was really here, in flesh and blood and a power-suit. "You were dead."

"Dead? Sweetie, are you running a fever?" Regina said worryingly and caressed Rose's face, checking with the palm of her hand on her daughter's forehead. "Your temperature seems to be normal. Come, let's sit down in the living room."

Sitting down on the couch, Rose managed to calm down. She was handed a glass of water by Emma and drank the entire glass without a word, still trying to get over the shock that she had actually managed to save her mother. She put the glass down and glanced to the right, staring at Regina. She couldn't believe it. "I did it," she whispered.

"Pardon?" Regina asked. "Sweetheart, are you ready to talk about it? What happened?"

"I don't know. One minute I was there and now I'm here."

"Shit, Rosie, is it your magic spooking again? Regina, do you think she needs lessons again? I thought she could control it by now?"

"No, no, it's not that." Rose shook her head.

"Then what is it?"

Rose looked at both her mothers. She had several choices. Either she would tell them the truth, they would think she was mental or or she could withhold the truth and get away with the entire situation. She quickly decided on the latter. "I had a bad dream. It was so real."

"Didn't you just come home from school, kid?"

"I was at the library studying and I fell asleep."

Emma narrowed her eyes. "Mhm, and then what happened?"

"I dreamt you were dead," she turned to Regina. "I woke up not knowing if it was a dream or not. It was so real so I just ran home. And when Ma opened the door, I thought it was true, that you were really dead and I-" She choked on her words. "You were dead. It was all my fault."

"I'm not dead, Rose. I'm right here." Regina reassured and hugged her daughter. "Can you feel me squeezing you tight? It's all real, honey."

"I'm so happy you're alive."

"You won't get rid of me for a long time," Regina said with a wink. "I promise."

"Lucky it was just a dream. You scared me, Rose. You looked absolutely heartbroken. Must've been one hell of a realistic nightmare huh?"

Rose nodded. "You have no idea."

"Although I have to admit," Emma let out a laugh, "at first I thought this was some sort of desperate attempt to try to go to the party tonight. But then I saw your face and it felt too real to be just plain acting."

"I don't even want to go to that stupid party anymore. Can we have a family night?"

Emma looked shocked and widened her eyes. "Are you sure you don't have a fever?"

"Stop it, Ma," Rose pouted. "I'm serious. Let's invite Henry over and play monopoly like we used to do."

"Think about what you're saying, dear," Regina warned. "Last time we played that game, someone," she narrowed her eyes towards the blonde, "was such a sore loser she threw her token into the fireplace. Poor Scottie dog."

"Maybe because someone kept building hotels along Park Place and Boardwalk. I swear you bewitched the dice, Regina. Every time!"

"It's all about strategy, dear. I'm not a cheater."

"You've never been to jail!"

"Technically I have."

"What?" Emma outburst. "And may I ask when that was?"

"Right after the curse broke, dear. Don't you remember? What did you say again? 'She's not dying'." Regina smirked contently.

"Ha-ha, very funny."

Rose was on the verge of tears again. "I've missed you both so much."

"That's sweet, kid. But I'm kicking your ass in monopoly tonight. And yours, Regina."

"How exactly are you going to manage that, dear? Your lucky token melted in the fire."

"I'm just going to use the Top hat."

"No," Regina frowned. "That is my token."

"You win every time, Regina. Let me at least have your token."

"If that makes you sleep at night, then fine. We both know it's not about the token anyways. It's about skills."

"I like your skills," Emma got up from the couch and leaned down to give Regina a light peck on the lips. "Just not in monopoly."

The brunette woman raised a brow. "The battleship and I will take you down, Miss Swan."

"Bring it, Madame Mayor." Emma winked playfully and went off to call Henry to tell him about family night.

"Are you sure you're okay, sweetie?" Regina asked anxiously and gently stroked her daughters hair.

"I am now." Rose smiled as she unconsciously toyed with the golden pendant around her neck.

"I didn't know you were wearing that," Regina said implying on the necklace. "It suits you very well."

"I'm going to wear it everyday from now on."

"I see it as a symbol, not only of the apple tree but it's our family." Regina took the pendant in her hand. "It holds a history. The roots are the foundation, that's your mother and me. The branches spreading out are you and Henry, and then maybe someday in the future, my grandchildren. The circle makes it complete, holds our family together. If someone should ever try to tear down the tree, the circle will hold it together. It cannot break because we'll always have each other."

"No one ever abandons family," Rose smiled teary-eyed.

"Never," Regina placed a light kiss a top of her daughter's head.

Emma peeked inside the living room. "Henry is in as long as he can be the racecar. I told him that was okay as long as he brings snacks. Oh and Rose," she looked at the teen girl. "Henry mentioned you were at his place earlier? Apparently you ran down the stairs and freaked out when you saw him. Care to explain?"

"Uhm," Rose's eyes started to wander back and forth between her mothers. "Nope."

"Rose Dolly Swan-Mills," Emma started threateningly.

Rose creased her eyebrows together in confusion. "Did you just say Dolly?"

"Yeah it's your full name isn't it?"

"I don't have a middle name because you couldn't agree on one."

"We agreed on Dolly right after we agreed on Rose."

"No?"

"Yes," Emma said stubbornly. "Your middle name's been Dolly for years, kid, sixteen to be exact."

Rose nodded even though she couldn't quite understand. Did she actually change the future while she was gone? Her mothers didn't seem to remember anything about her time traveling so it seemed she didn't need Rumple's potion after all. Her magic had been strong enough itself. "I was just kidding," she let out a nervous laugh.

"Doesn't explain why you were at your brother's when you said you went to the library. I want the truth, Rose."

"Fine, you want the truth? Sit down, it's a long one."

So Rose started to tell the truth. She started with Regina's accident, on how it changed their lives, tore apart the remains of her family. She managed to keep her tears from falling as she told them about the aftermath of Regina's death, that she had felt so lonely and heartbroken she had used magic to go back in time to change the outcome.

She told them about how she ended up in Storybrooke before she was even born and how hard it was to see her mothers so angry at each other, to see them being so unaware of what was truly meant to be. She also told them about them working together and getting along. Momentarily she contemplated about leaving certain details out but decided not to. She mentioned her accident, the battle against Greg and Temara and saw her blonde mother's fists tightened when she mentioned what Hook had done.

But most of all she told them about how she had witnessed her mothers fall in love. She had always thought it was a beautiful tale and seeing it happen was like playing scenes from a storybook. She enjoyed being a part of it even though she missed her real family for the past one wasn't really the people she was accustomed to.

She smiled seeing her mothers' smile at each other as their confusion lessened and she knew they actually was believing every word coming out of her mouth. They started to ask questions to validate her story and in the end they all laughed at the entire tale. Some things Rose described took her parents aback since it wasn't something she was supposed to know.

It turned out Rose couldn't go back in time without changing the future since she did not truly belong there in the first place. The name Dolly had somehow lingered in her mothers' minds that made them chose the name nine months later. It was special and it had felt right to name their daughter that. Her magic was so strong that she must've, somewhere deep inside, wanted to erase her mothers' memories. Every event that had occurred with her had been replaced by explanations that were so logical that they became true and since neither Regina or Emma knew or remembered the real events that became their reality. Being the daughter of a savior and a not so evil queen had its pros.

Rose was happy with telling the truth. But most of all she was happy about being back with her family. When Henry later came over for family night they all laughed happily together and she smiled contently as she enjoyed being amongst fun, slightly dysfunctional, family members.

Somehow it had all worked out and she promised herself she was never going to let doubt cloud her mind ever again. She laughed as her blonde mother once again pouted and faked a tantrum, accusing her wife for cheating. She had missed this so much and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

She was too lost in her thoughts to notice that the game was over. "Who won?" She simply asked although she knew the answer.

"Your mother, aka my wife, the cheater."

"You're lucky," Regina said and scooted closer to the blonde on the couch. "That I love you even though you're a sore loser."

"Well, Gina, you're lucky I love you even though you cheat at boardgames."

"I did not cheat. And don't call me Gina, please."

Emma put her arms around her wife. "Sorry, babe."

"That's quite alright."

Rose smiled as she watched her mothers cuddle up against each other. "Thank you," she said almost silently and got up her seat. She didn't want to ruin the tender moment.

"For what, kid?"

"For proofing that true love is the most powerful magic of all."

"We did good, didn't we?" Emma smiled brightly and squeezed the brunette's shoulder.

"We most certainly did."

"Night moms, I love you."

"Love you too," they both answered in unison, something that made Rose smile. She left the room but couldn't help to overhear the continuation of the conversation.

"I guess I should thank you too," Regina smiled and leaned her head against the blonde's shoulder. "Hearing Rose's story made me realize how much we struggled but we got through it. Together. I'm so grateful to have you in my life, Emma. Thank you for staying."

"I told you I wouldn't leave and look at us now." Emma intertwined her fingers with Regina's, connecting their hands and placing a kiss a top of the brunette's hand.

"You really are a savior."

"That's not my favorite title," Emma smiled and looked deep into brown eyes.

"Really? Enlighten me on what is then?"

"Mrs. Swan-Mills is my favorite title. Being your wife is my favorite title. But being yours and yours only is my favorite thing."

"You're such a dork," Regina laughed as their lips met in a kiss. "The dork that taught me to love again. My dork."

"You know what?" Emma placed another kiss on her wife's lips. "I think our daughter was right."

Their eyes met and their gaze lingered, emerald green eyes meeting chocolate brown as they had been doing many times. The savior embraced her queen once again and smiled, not once breaking the eye contact. "True love really is the most powerful magic of all."

Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed and reviewed this fic. It's been one hell of a journey and I'm happy, and sad at the same time, to have finished it. I do have an epilogue planned, depending on how many people want it. Reviews are always welcomed.

Don't be sad because it's over, smile because it happened.

xoxo
EvilDuckling