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────── ★★★ ──────

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟑𝟗
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐘 𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆

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After helping Regina cast one last Curse to bring all the realms together a week ago, everyone was able to go back to their everyday lives. Austin not only went back to working at Granny's diner, but now he co-owned it. And Lucas had been working there to get closer to the Nova man, who officially adopted the young wolf when they arrived back in Storybrooke. Sam went back to working with Emma and Killian at the sheriff's station while Katherine reopened her animal shelter. Marci had been volunteering with her mom after school to help with all the animals, something that she always loved doing. On the other hand, Will had been spending every free moment he had with Jasper, who was finally able to find a place where he truly belonged.

A large smile was plastered onto Everly's lips as she and Felix cooked breakfast in their loft. She heard the faint voices of Cassie and Lucas while they talked on the couch and discussed what they wanted to do with their Saturday. Upstairs, Fletcher and Dawn played pirates with Roland and Neal, who came over to spend time with them instead of helping their parents on the farm. The Thorne woman would be the first to say how shocked she was by how much her brother had grown in her absence. She knew they were gone for a long time, but she still didn't expect to come home to a twelve-year-old boy. Only Felix knew about the guilt she felt for leaving Neal to adventure in the New Enchanted Forest. But that made her even more determined to spend as much time with him as possible.

It wasn't long after that when Everly and Felix began serving breakfast for those in the loft with them. The sound of plates being placed on the table was enough to capture the kids' attention and bring them to the dining table. Laughter soon filled the entire loft as everyone ate their breakfast and conversed with each other. The Thorne woman never thought there would be a way when they could spend time together like this. She always thought there would be a monster watching them from a distance, making them constantly look over their shoulders. But now they were finally given normal lives, something that a lot of them took for granted before.

After finishing breakfast and helping with the dishes, Cassie and Lucas left to meet up with Marci, Will, and Jasper. While they did that, Roland took Dawn, Fletcher, and Neal to meet up with Lucy and get ice cream. Everly was now sitting down on the couch with her head on her husband's shoulder. Felix had his arm wrapped around his wife and kept her as close to him as he could. Both of them knew that they would be meeting up with Sam, Katherine, and Austin soon so they wanted to take a moment to sit in the silence of the loft and enjoy each other's company. But they lived in Storybrooke, and moments like that didn't last very long.

Their time together was soon interrupted by a knock at the door, causing Everly to share a confused look with Felix. A small sigh passed over the Thorne woman's lips as she got up and walked toward the door with her husband right behind her. Shock instantly washed over the couple after seeing who was standing on the other side of the door. Staring back at them from the hallway were Marcus and Evan, the duo that were leading the Lost Boys on the now magicless Neverland. Everly just stared at them with uncertainty in her eyes as she studied them for a moment. She was expecting two angry boys wanting revenge, just like how they were when they left them on Neverland. But instead, Marcus and Even were staring back at Everly and Felix with a look in their eyes that the couple knew all too well. They looked lost.

"We heard Pan was back," Marcus said, breaking the silence surrounding them as he swayed on his feet.

"Is that why you're here? To ask the new Pan to be your leader?" Felix questioned without even attempting to hide the annoyance in his voice. The Thorne man just studied them for another moment before he continued speaking. "Let me save you some time. This new Pan is very different from the one we knew. He's not gonna lead you."

"That's not why we're here," Evan declared while his eyes continued to move between the couple standing in front of him. He took a moment to gather his emotions, which only flustered Everly and Felix even more. That lasted for another moment for the boy to gather enough courage to speak. "We want you to lead us."

"I'm sorry. What?" Everly responded, not bothering to hide the confusion in her voice, "why on earth would you want us to lead you?"

"Neverland isn't the same. The magic's gone and the boys are starting to grow up. We need leaders with experience to help us survive," Marcus explained. Everly and Felix hung on to every one of his words, taking them in and processing them as if they were the most important things in the world. But before either of them had a chance to respond, Marcus continued speaking. "And...and we don't want to be lost anymore. We want to be saved."

The Thorne woman just stared at the boys in front of her for another moment before looking up at Felix. She wasn't surprised when she found him staring back at her with a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. But that only lasted for a moment when a small smile appeared on his face. Both of them already knew their answer and they knew they were thinking the exact same thing. It wasn't long after that when Everly turned her attention back to Marcus and Evan with a smile plastered on her lips.

"Looks like it's time to reform the Saved Ones."

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𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐒 𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑

The sound of birds chirping cut through the air as a beam of sunshine snuck through the curtain and hit Everly's face. A small groan passed over her lips as she forced herself out of bed to get ready for the day. She was just about to head to the kitchen for breakfast when she heard shouting coming from somewhere outside. An annoyed sigh escaped her as she slipped on her shoes and walked out the front door.

Everly was instantly greeted by lush green trees that surrounded the clearing they now called home. A dozen treehouses hung in the trees and were connected by rope bridges and were only accessible by ladders. Her eyes instantly landed on a group of young kids as they ran around the clearing with wooden swords. It wasn't long after that when her attention fell on more Lost Boys gathered around a bonfire and telling stories. They had already made so much progress since making Neverland their new home. And that was only the beginning.

The Thorne woman's attention was soon drawn toward a large wolf chasing Dawn and Fletcher around the field. Her smile did nothing but grow before Everly called out to them. The twins instantly stopped before Roland, Cassie, Marci, Will, and Jasper came out of nowhere and appeared by their sides. The Purest Heart couldn't help but laugh at the innocent smiles on her children's faces as they stared up at her.

"You guys need to get ready for the coronation," Everly told them before watching the wolf transform back into the Nova boy, who was now following her children's actions and smiling up at her.

It wasn't long after that when Felix appeared behind her and wrapped his arms around his wife's shoulders. "We don't wanna be late. Let's get going."

That was all it took for Roland, Cassie, Dawn, Fletcher, and Jasper to climb up the ladder and run inside their treehouse to get ready. The smile on Everly's face did nothing but grow as Marci and Will climbed up the ladder next to theirs and sprinted past their parents to get inside. Lucas did the same on the other side of them, causing Austin to simply shake his head at the boy.

"Hey," Sam called out, drawing everyone's attention toward him before he continued speaking, "we should head over now. We promised Snow and David we'd help them set everything up."

The smile on Everly's face did nothing but grow as she waved her hand through the air. Gold smoke instantly surrounded them and took them to their ballroom in her parents' castle, where an extraordinary event was about to take place.

Hours had passed and now the room was filled to the brim with people from all over the realms. Everly stood beside Felix in the large ballroom with their children standing in front of them. Tons of conversations were happening around them as they waited for the guest of honor to arrive. A large smile was plastered onto her face as she watched Cassie spin around in front of Lucas to show him her dress. Next to them, Fletcher and Dawn were busy talking to Lucy about their next adventure in Neverland's forests. While they did that, Will and Jasper were looking around the ballroom with wide eyes, both taken aback by how grand the castle was.

Her attention was soon drawn to Roland as he made his way toward them, only for him to slam into a girl who accidentally got in his path. Shock coursed through Everly's veins as she watched the girl begin to fall. However, before she hit the ground, the Hood boy caught her with ease. The two of them just stared at each other until Roland cleared his throat and helped steady her on her feet. "Sorry. I wasn't paying attention."

"That's alright," the girl responded with a large smile on her face before holding her hand out toward him, "I'm Anita."

Roland hesitated for a moment before taking her hand and gently shaking it. "Roland. It's nice to meet you, Anita."

"Likewise," Anita said as the smile on her face grew, "I hope to see you around, Roland."

A laugh passed over Everly's lips at the bewildered look on the Hood boy's face as he watched Anita walk away. It wasn't long after that when she looked over at Marci, only for her smile to falter when she saw her talking and laughing with Pan. But what shocked her the most was the look that both of them had in their eyes. It was the same look Everly and Felix shared when they first accepted their feelings for each other all those years ago.

The Thorne woman just watched them for another moment before elbowing Sam in the side. Her brother sent her a playful glare, only for it to fade when he saw the look on Everly's face. It wasn't long after that when the Jones man followed before following her gaze. When his eyes landed on who his daughter was talking to, his mouth went dry. Silence surrounded the siblings for another moment before Sam found the courage to speak. "Should I be worried about that?"

"Well, this is a different Pan than the one we knew. He's a lot nicer. Kinda like the movie version," Everly responded while trying her best to be positive about the entire situation.

"That doesn't mean I want him dating my daughter," Sam retaliated without even attempting to hide the annoyance in his voice.

"This doesn't mean they're gonna start dating," the Thorne woman told her brother, who simply rolled his eyes at her in response.

Everly couldn't help but laugh as she turned back around, only for her eyes to land on a very familiar face walking toward her. The smile on her face did nothing but grow as she made her way over to the man she hadn't seen in years. As soon as they were close enough to each other, they shared a very tight and long-overdue hug. Their embrace lasted for a moment longer before they pulled away from each other to share another smile. "It's nice to see you again, Scarlet."

The grin on Will's face doubled as he stared down at Everly. "You too, Jones."

"Actually, it's Thorne now," the blonde woman announced right as her smiling husband walked over and wrapped an arm around her wife's shoulders, "this is Felix. Felix, this is Will."

"Ah, so you're Felix. I've heard a lot about you," the Scarlet man said while reaching forward and shaking Felix's hand. It wasn't long after that when Will gestured for a small group to join them. As soon as they were close enough, he wrapped his arm around a blonde woman and his hand on a young girl's shoulder. "This is Anastasia and our daughter, Penny. And this is my brother, Kaden, and his wife, Indigo, and daughter, Tarra. Everyone, this is Everly."

"So this is the girl you always compare me to," Indigo announced with a large smile on her face.

Only a second passed before a wave of realization washed over Everly. "You're the one who Jefferson called his 'little bird.'"

"That's me."

"Is this the person you got my middle name from?" Penny asked while looking up at her father, who had a sheepish smile on his face.

"Looks like we were thinking the same thing. Our son's middle name is after you." A laugh instantly passed over her lips at the sight of Will's shocked face before her own children came to join her. Roland instantly greeted Will with a hug, the latter shocked by how much Robin Hood's son had grown. It wasn't long after that when Everly introduced her family to her old friend and the new ones she made. And that was all it took for a neverending alliance between Neverland and Wonderland to form.

Before their conversation could continue, the sound of doors opening cut through the air. Everyone instantly turned their attention toward the source of the sound to find both Henrys escorting Regina into the room. The crowd began to applaud the Mills woman as she walked further into the ballroom, utterly confused about what was happening. Regina continued to look around at everyone in the room before her attention landed on Snow and David, who were standing in the center of it all.

It wasn't long before Regina finally reached the small set of stairs that led to the platform where the royals stood. Henry and Henry soon left their mother's side to join the crowd. The Mills woman just stared at the couple in front of her for another moment before opening her mouth to speak. "What is this?"

"This is for you," Snow responded with a large smile on her face, one that didn't seem to be leaving any time soon, "all the realms have been united. And now, we need someone to lead us."

"The leaders of each territory have decided," David continued for his wife. That was enough to make Regina glance over at Everly, who sent the brunette woman a reassuring smile. It wasn't long after that when their attention was drawn back to the Nolan man. "Your Majesty."

A bewildered look soon appeared on Regina's face as she watched David open the box next to him and pull out a large silver crown. The Mills woman soon ascended the steps to join the royal couple until she was standing directly in front of them. It wasn't long after that when everyone's attention was drawn to Snow when she began speaking. "They want it to be you, Regina."

Regina stared at Snow in shock for what felt like an eternity before the former turned around to face the crowd surrounding her. Her eyes scanned over everyone as the smile on her face did nothing but grow. Everyone had encouraging smiles on their faces as they looked up at the Mills woman, urging her to accept the position.

"Are you ready?" David asked, drawing Regina's attention back to him.

The Mills woman hesitated for a moment before having an inaudible conversation with Snow, one that Everly wished she was part of. It wasn't long after that when Regina sent the Nolan woman a small nod, causing the latter to take the tiara into her hands. The smile on Snow's face did nothing but grow as she turned to face Regina and began the ceremony. "Do you, Regina Mills, accept the role of the first elected ruler of the newly United Realms?"

"I do."

"Excellent. So, if you please," David said while gesturing to the crown, causing the Mills woman to kneel.

Snow soon raised the crown into the air and let it hover over Regina's head. "I now crown you-"

The Nolan woman's words were soon interrupted by the doors swinging open. Everyone instantly turned toward the sound to find Emma and Killian walking into the room. The Swan woman looked around at everyone surrounding her before opening her mouth to speak. "Sorry. We're late."

Regina's smile doubled as she let out a small sigh. "Emma."

"You didn't think I was gonna miss this, did you?" the Savior said as she and Killian walked further into the room.

Everly couldn't help but laugh as the two of them joined her at the front of the crowd. She let them get settled for a moment before the Thorne woman looked up at Killian. "Way to make an entrance."

"It's not my fault. Hope's been fussy all morning," the Jones man retaliated while trying his best to calm down the baby in his arms.

The Purest Heart simply rolled her eyes at the pirate captain before taking Hope into her arms. Not even a second after that passed when the baby girl went silent. A cocky smile appeared on Everly's lips as she looked up at Killian, who simply rolled his eyes in response.

"If we're all here, can I please continue?" Snow asked, earning nods in response from her family before her attention returned to Regina, "okay, then. Regina Mills...I now crown you...The Good Queen. Long may she reign!"

Cheers instantly erupted from the crowd after they witnessed Snow place the crown on Regina's head. The Mills woman hesitated as she watched Snow and David bow toward her. A laugh soon passed over her lips as she turned and walked down the steps to hug her friends and family waiting for her. It wasn't long before she stopped in front of Emma, who was smiling from ear to ear.

"This is it," the Savior announced as her eyes studied the woman standing in front of her, "it's your happy ending."

"Um, no, Miss Swan, not even close," Regina responded, earning a confused look from those around her before she continued speaking, "this isn't an ending. I hate endings. Because then your story is done. And everyone here...well...their stories are far from over."

"Well, a happy beginning then," Emma said while taking Killian's hand into her own.

"I like to call it, a second chance," Regina told the blonde woman, who couldn't help but laugh. It wasn't long after that when the Mills woman made her way back onto the platform with Snow and David. Her eyes scanned the crowd once more before she began addressing her supporters.

"I thought my story came to an end a long time ago, and then new people came into my life. People who gave me a second chance. I can't wait to see what's in store for me next. Or for everyone. I refuse to believe there won't be more adventures...more love...more family. And yes, there will be more loss...because that's just a part of life. And in the end, we can get past it all...with hope."

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