MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE. Thanks to followers, favourites and reviewers. Reviewers especially you give me the confidence to keep writing, I'm not sure I'd still be doing it if it weren't for you and I am eternally grateful. I only play with the characters their not mine. Mistakes however are.
Christmas had never been important to Emma Swan. As a child it had been something that happened to other people. Christmas was for families that cared for and loved each other not for orphans that had been abandoned as a new born by a motorway diner. Santa Claus had her name perpetually on the naughty list. She was a bad girl and bad girls don't get presents from Santa. So what's the point when you don't have a family or anyone to share in the festive joy? So the older she had gotten the more Scrooge like she had become.
Emma never even bothered to decorate her apartment when the holiday season started. She did not do Christmas shopping looking for gifts. There was no one to receive them. Dinner had consisted of many take outs over the years. Never had she eaten proper food on Christmas.
So for Emma Swan when her first Christmas came round with her family, culture shock set in. The mansion had been transformed there was not a single room in the building that did not have something Christmas related in it. The lights on the face of the house and in the garden shone brightly the moment dusk set in. The tree that sat in the main lounge was decorated to perfection adorned with lights, tinsel, baubles and an intricately designed silver star on the peak of the tree.
Cards filled with season's greetings lined up along surfaces and hung on the walls. Ruining the usually elegant style and calm feeling of the room. There was too much clutter in the mansion that Emma was not used to; how Regina handled it she didn't understand. Hundreds of cards littered the room and the Queen allowed it, completely unbothered about the disorganised lack of co-ordination that usually sent her on a war path against the one responsible.
The smell of cinnamon and apples permeated the house, a mouth-watering smell that left Emma feeling hungry all the time. Regina and Emma had sneaked around all December buying Christmas presents and wrapping them when Henry was at school or fast asleep in bed. That was fine because Emma had Regina there to show her the way. On the flip side trying to buy for Regina on her own left Emma at a loss.
Without any guidance on what she was supposed to do Emma had lost all semblance of a Christmas veteran. Leaving her painfully out of her comfort zone, unused to it as she was. She had wandered aimlessly through the streets of Storybrooke ducking in and out of shops looking for anything that would make a good gift for her lover and each time she came home empty handed and heavy hearted.
A week before Christmas she caved and asked Henry what she should get for his mum. She had been surprised at the boys suggestion; it had seemed surreal that of all the things he could have said he said that. So with the Henry's help she had set out the next day to procure the present Henry suggested operation Merry Christmas Evil Queen was a go. The name wasn't subtle but Regina was never going to hear it so Emma didn't care.
She had been unable to hide her satisfaction at the success of her mission when she had returned home that evening. When Regina questioned her about her good mood she had just shrugged and pulled the older woman into a kiss. Every time Regina asked she would get the same response with Emma whispering into her lovers ear that she was just finally getting into the spirit of things.
On Christmas Eve they had sat together watching Christmas movies. The Muppets Christmas Carol was the last movie that Henry saw all the way through, falling asleep in the middle of White Christmas. Emma had gathered the boy in her arms and carried him to his room. With Henry settled in bed the couple relaxed, cuddled together on the couch they watched the movie to its end.
Gathering the presents they had accumulated over the month they placed them under the tree. Regina arranging them just so. They retired to their room earlier than they would have on any other night but Regina was insistent that it was necessary when their son would likely be up before the sun. Emma had laughed until she saw the seriousness on Regina's face. After a series of goodnight kisses that were anything but sleep inducing they held one another as they feel asleep.
Just as Regina had predicted Henry had charged into their room and bounced on the bed at ten past five talking at a speed that was incoherent to Emma's sleep addled brain. Regina had tugged the boy down to lie between his mothers and convinced him to sleep a little longer. So an hour later Henry and Regina got up practically dragging a comatose blonde with them.
When they got downstairs and into the lounge Emma was dumped onto the sofa, where she slumped backwards unable to support herself in her barely wakened state. It didn't last long; Henry ensured that by jumping on his blonde mothers lap and making a series of loud irritating noises that successfully woke her up.
Looking to Regina for permission to start opening his presents Henry was unable to sit still in anticipation. A slight nod from Regina, as she sat next to Emma and curled up next into the blondes side, sent Henry on a war path against all the wrapping paper on the gifts in his present sack and stocking. Leaning her head on Regina's Emma smile grew with each joyful exclamation and "Wow, look at this," that the boy uttered excitedly.
When the boy was surrounded by destroyed wrapping paper and a small mountain of gifts the two women moved of the sofa too fetch their gifts to each other. It was a novel experience for Emma to be given a gift. She took her time to open it, delicately peeling the tape off the wrapping paper and unfolding it from around her present. Her surprise at the gift must have been obvious as Regina and Henry had both started laughing. Making the blonde shift her eyes to the two most important people in her world.
Recovering from her amusement Regina laid a hand on her lovers knee. "Do you like it dear?"
Nodding her head vigorously Emma unzipped the black leather biker jacket, shoving her left arm into the sleeve and swinging it round onto her right she put it on. "I love it Regina. Thank you."
Reaching behind her for Regina's gift Emma handed it over. "Merry Christmas." She noted that Henry was once again paying his them both his complete and utter attention.
Regina smiled her brown eyes twinkling in delight. Taking much the same care as Emma had when she had opened her present was nerve wracking to Emma. The blonde held her breath when Regina opened the little box. Regina gasped her unoccupied hand tracing over the ring that lay inside.
Taking the box from Regina's grasp Emma moved off the couch and onto one knee before her Queen, holding the box out to her. "Regina, my Queen, my love. You are my one and only and more than anything I want you to be my wife. Will you marry me?"
The tears that gathered in Regina's eyes with each word was a little worrying for Emma but when the former Evil Queen launched herself of the sofa and into her arms Emma felt her doubts dwindle away. "Is that a yes?"
Straddling her blonde lover on the floor of their lounge on top of ripped and crumpled wrapping paper Regina kissed the blonde soundly, ignoring the noises of disgust their son was making. Drawing back with Emma's bottom lip held securely between her own for a second before releasing it Regina coyly smiled at the woman beneath her.
"Yes Emma. I will marry you dear." The blonde sat up keeping Regina in her lap. "Now give me my ring back dear."
Grinning Emma took the white gold engagement ring out of its box and slipped it onto Regina's ring finger. Admiring the way the rubies and diamonds caught the light Emma held Regina closer as she held her left hand out and studied the ring.
Placing kisses on Regina's neck Emma whispered into her ear. "I love you."
"I love you too dear." Regina reclaimed Emma's lips.
"Guys seriously cut it out I'll be in therapy forever if you keep doing that." Henry physically pried his mothers apart.
"You should have known this would happen when you suggested it kid." Emma smirked.
Regina studied her son. "You suggested this Henry?"
"I wanted you both to be happy on our first Christmas together and Emma asked what I thought you'd like. I know that you've both thought about it so I just gave Emma a push in the right direction." Henry shrugged.
"I told you that this was all new to me. The Christmas spirit is elusive to me I needed inspiration so when Henry suggested something that I'd thought of not necessarily as a Christmas Present, I took it as his blessing and did it." Emma picked at the paper beneath them.
"Your Christmas spirit is just fine dear. It's not about the presents; it's about spending time with those that mean the most to you." Regina ran her right hand through blonde tresses and held her left between them. "This gift is a perfect example. It was a gift born out of love."
Emma looked at the woman in her lap. "You're going soft."
"So be it." Regina flicked her hair. "You did wonderfully Emma. Christmas didn't come naturally to me either. I had to get used to the idea as well. You are a natural at it Emma. Merry Christmas."
"Thank you. Now what do we do?"
"We spend the rest of the day playing with presents, watching TV, stuffing our faces and spending time together." Henry jumped up from the floor to go the kitchen. "I'm hungry." He called back to his parents.
"Sounds like we've a busy day ahead of us." Emma stretched her arms above her head and yawned.
"Indeed dear." Regina gracefully stood offering her hand to help her lover up. "Then later on tonight I will give you your final Christmas present. I know that you'll love it." The older woman went to follow their son.
Dragging Regina back against her front Emma kissed along the bare skin of Regina's shoulder. "I hope it corresponds to the last Christmas present I was going to give you later."
Regina moaned softly at the implication. "I'm sure they'll meld together nicely."
"Hmm, no doubt. Now what do we have for a Christmas breakfast?" Emma asked releasing her hold on her fiancée.
"Whatever we want dear." Regina entwined their hands.
So on Emma's first Christmas with her family she discovered what all the fuss was about. For the first time she felt infused with Christmas Spirit. The joys of the season made sense to her after twenty eight years of not caring. Regina and Henry did everything in their power to make sure that Emma's first true Christmas was perfect and they succeeded and then some.