Roni

Epilogue

One Year Later...

It's overwhelmingly bright, brighter than her wildest dreams have ever painted for her mind. She's still unsure to take a step forward, terrified if she is strong enough, but that soothing voice echoes in her mind and her feet shuffle forward on pure instinct.

Vibrant blades of wild grass are far more colorful here, as if someone took a paintbrush of thick bright green paint and stroked out this field for her. The sun is beating down on her and it's almost too difficult to peer up, but she has to see the giant mushroom hanging from above like a massive umbrella.

"Who...are...a...you?" The smoky rings expand as they leave the strange creature, the grey ash vanishing into the sky above.

"Nope, I'm out!"

Gold smoke engulfs her entire body and transports her back to the cold and damp vault.

"Ella? What happened? You were gone no more than three minutes," Regina informs her as the thick smoke slowly dissipates.

"That place was creepy, I am not going back there without you," she frantically shakes her persuading a small chuckle to fall from Regina's lips.

"It's the safest place for you to practice jumping realms," Regina softly explains, shaking her head at Ella's almost identical personality to her mother.

The mayor neatly places her mother's spell book onto the shelf and proceeds to clean up her vault.

"Why can't you just come with me? Then we can jump to any realm and you don't have to be worried about me in a strange land."

"Honey, you know exactly why," Regina mindlessly answers as Ella helps her replace some of the potions they studied earlier.

"Okay, that was like one time," Ella scoffs, rolling her eyes just like her mother. "We've been practicing and I think I'm stronger now."

"Absolutely not. I'm still uncertain how you managed to leave me somewhere lost in time between Storybrooke and the Enchanted Forest, but never again, dear." Ella breathes out an over exaggerated exhale to express her annoyance, but Regina just smirks. "When I feel that you are strong enough to jump realms with another human by your side and only then will I come with you."

"But-"

"Ella it took you awhile to figured out on your own how to get me back and I didn't appreciate being the one who had to lie to your mother as to why we were late that night."

"I know and I'm sorry," Ella profusely apologizes with her big sorrowful eyes. "It's just...you know Mom and she's gonna freak if she knows I'm jumping realms."

"We have to eventually tell her," Regina hums, placing the last of her items away before they leave for the evening.

"I know, but I like having a secret between us."

"Nice try," she teasingly replies, strutting toward the stone staircase. "Come along, we don't want to be late for Robin's graduation dinner."

"Alright, but can we at least wait until I can get a handle on realm jumping with you before we tell mom?" The teenager meekly recommends as she trudges toward her mentor.

"I suppose," Regina pauses before she climbs the stairs and cups Ella's pointed chin that has been passed down from generation to generation. "I am very glad that you did come to me when it first happened. I'm honored that you trust me enough to turn to me when magical mishaps occur."

Ella smiles shyly, her cheeks tinging a pink hue as her eyes quickly drop down to avoid an intimate moment. She's still painfully shy at times, especially when there are too many emotions floating around.