Merry Christmas to those who celebrate and happy holidays who those who don't!
Thank you, Chris, for being my beta!
"Miss Swan!" she heard Regina yell. But she ignored the brunette because Regina knew how much Emma hated being called by that name.
After being rid of the darkness within Emma, they've grown closer. Since then, a lot had happened- Robin left with Zelena to Oz, and Hook had decided to leave Storybrooke and sail the Earth's seas. After all that happened, it was no surprise that Regina and Emma had grown closer. They were joined at the hip, to the point where it was no longer a strange occurrence to find Emma at the Mills' mansion.
It was not until the other woman said "Emma!" in an annoyed voice that Emma stopped walking and turned around
"Hey, Regina," Emma smiled at the other woman, "What's up?"
"Henry wanted to put some Christmas lights outside. I offered my assistance, but he said, 'No magic.' So I was hoping maybe you'd want to come by and give him a hand?"
"I'll be there," answered Emma, her face showing the biggest smile Regina had ever seen. The brunette couldn't help but to smile back. "I'll come by when my shift is done. The mayor is a real pain in the ass. She didn't even let me take days off for Christmas," she added, winking at Regina, who rolled her eyes, and walked away.
They had agreed to spend holidays together for 'Henry's sake,' or, at least, that was their excuse since Thanksgiving. And, when the Charmings announced their plans for the holidays, the Mayor wouldn't allow the Sheriff to take a few days off and go with her parents and brother to Miami. And, when Emma found out she couldn't go, she didn't mind because she didn't want to celebrate Christmas with anyone but Henry and Regina.
The sheriff's station had been awfully quiet ever since David had gone to Miami and Emma hated it. She installed a small basket in the office to play basketball, but even that got boring after a while.
She looked at the wall clock and sighed. It read two o'clock. Her shift wasn't going to be over until half past five. She knew she was kidding herself if she believed she could wait that long. Not when she was going to see Regina and Henry and help them decorating the house.
At thirty minutes after two, Emma gave up her futile attempt of waiting around and found herself knocking on Regina's door.
"I thought the Mayor was strict about the sheriff and her shifts," Regina pointed out with a raised eyebrow and a smirk on her face when she opened the door.
"I'm still on call, see?" she said, pointing the walkie-talkie attached to her hip, "Besides, it's not fair that I'm the only employee from the public sector who's working these days."
"The Mayor must really dislike you very much" the brunette commented, letting Emma into the house.
"That's what she says, but I can see through her facade."
Regina stopped so abruptly and swiftly turned around. The movement was so quick and unexpected that Emma almost crashed into her. "And, what do you see, Em-ma?" the brunette asked, their faces only inches apart.
Emma inhaled Regina's perfume before answering, "I think she likes me. Very much."
"Does she, now?" Regina's eyes travelled from Emma's eyes to her lips to her eyes again.
Emma nodded, as she was encouraged by Regina's latest actions. "Which is good. Great actually. Because, well. I like her. A lot," she confessed. She could feel her heart beating fast against her chest.
She saw Regina leaning in, slowly closing the remaining distance between their bodies. Emma closed her eyes and waited for their lips to touch, for the fireworks to light her mind, when...
"Ma! You came!" the scream came from upstairs. They jumped away from each other as Henry ran down the stairs. "Come on! Come on! Let's put the lights on!" he said, grabbing Emma by her hand and pulling her towards the door.
The blonde looked back to see Regina covering her mouth, trying to hide a smile that Emma could see in her eyes.
If Henry had seen them almost kiss, he didn't comment on it as he chatted animatedly while he helped Emma with the lights. He spoke about all the things he and Regina would do when he was younger, like making gingerbread houses, decorating the tree, and snow fights.
When Emma asked who helped with the lights, the kid looked to the ground and mentioned Graham's name. His depressed mood was short lasting, and soon, he confessed he was glad Emma was doing it this year. The boy looked so excited to have both of his moms under the same roof for the holidays.
Henry brought the ladder out for Emma to put the roof's lights because Emma earlier said to him, "There's no chance in hell you'll be the one to put those lights on the roof,
Henry!" Even though Henry protested with puppy eyes and said, "Mom, come on! I'm not a kid anymore!" which, of course, Emma ignored and climbed the steps.
She was almost done when she realized she was losing her balance, and before, she could ask Henry for help, the world, literally, started spinning around. She fell down to the ground, blanketed with several inches of snow. Henry's yelling must have alerted Regina, who rushed outside to see what happened.
The brunette kneeled next to the fallen woman and gently shook Emma's shoulder to see if the blonde was conscious.
"I'm fine," Emma let her know with her eyes still closed, "Only my pride got wounded."
"Henry, go inside and make a hot chocolate for Emma."
Emma heard Henry walk around them, then enter the mansion's house. All of this had occurred without talking back to Regina without an attitude. How did the brunette manage to do that would always surprise Emma. It was as if Henry had two different personalities with each of them.
"Emma."
Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw Regina looking down at her. Her hair was so long that it almost touched Emma's face, or maybe, their faces were too close. Either way, it took a lot of will power for Emma not to reach out and play with it.
"Hi," Emma managed to say without making a fool out of herself.
"Are you sure you're all right?" the brunette asked in a worried tone.
"Yes. The snow broke the fall," she replied and started to sit up. It was then when she realized that Regina was only wearing socks "Regina! You came out without shoes?! Are you crazy?"
"Well, I apologize for worrying if you had broken your neck!"
"Yes, because it wouldn't be enough for Henry to lose one mother to stupidity," Emma shook her head and stood up. After helping Regina stand up, she took the brunette into her arms, bridal style.
"What are you doing?" Regina protested, because it was the only way she could keep her mind of Emma's strong biceps, "You just fell! You shouldn't be carrying me!"
Emma ignored the brunette's rant and walked into the house, managing to take her boots off without falling. "Henry, bring a hot chocolate for your mom as well!" she yelled at the boy and walked into Regina's living room.
Gently, Emma placed Regina on the sofa near the fireplace and used magic to light it up. Meanwhile, Regina magicked new socks and changed them with the wet ones she was wearing.
"We should warm up in no time," Emma said, taking her jacket off and rubbing her hands against her arms. She hoped she wouldn't start shivering because she wouldn't hear the end of it.
Regina studied her for a second with her lips pursed before saying, "I was going to wait until tomorrow to give you this, but I guess you could use it now," She magicked a perfectly wrapped present and handled it to Emma.
Emma looked at Regina, confused, but remained quiet as she sat next to the brunette and opened the present.
Inside, Emma found a stunningly, hand-knitted sweater. It had swan patterns on the lower edges of the sleeves and around the hems. She trailed her fingers over the pattern and looked up to see Regina watching her carefully. Emma wondered if Regina was waiting for her to make a mean remark about the sweater.
"It's beautiful," Emma murmured.
"Henry asked me to make one for you. We both have ours. He said that he thought you would feel left out," Regina explained.
"You... You made this for me?" the blonde asked, feeling tears building up in her eyes.
"Yes, well. Henry insisted - "
Regina's explanation was cut short because Emma jumped forwards and wrapped her arms around the brunette. After getting over the initial shock, Regina returned the hug.
"No one has ever made anything for me," she heard the blonde whispering into her ear before she felt Emma's lips press a kiss against her cheek, "Thank you."
Regina cleared her throat and cursed her body for reacting to the kiss by blushing, "You're welcome."
Emma hurriedly put the sweater on. It had fit perfectly and it was soft and warm. She already loved it.
"How about we watch The Grinch?" Henry asked, entering the room carrying three cups of hot chocolate on a tray. "It's mom's favorite," he added when he saw Emma's face.
"Really? The Grinch?" Emma laughed and looked at Regina. "I bet you were just like that before Henry came along."
"Shut up and watch the movie, Miss Swan," Regina replied in a snarky tone and threw a pillow at Emma.
"Yes, Madam Mayor," Emma complied with a half salute and a big grin, while snaking a not-so-discrete arm around Regina. The brunette didn't say anything. She just leaned closer to Emma and sipped her chocolate as the movie started.