Author's note: I'm sure it comes as no surprise to those who read my work, but there's nothing I love *more* than writing domestic fluff for this pairing. Regina suffers so much in canon that it gives me joy to see her happy for once. And in this, I can finally introduce Regina and Aiden's pride and joy: their daughter Cassandra. I've had her running around in my head for a while, and the idea of her going on an Easter Egg hunt with her mom and dad in tow just wouldn't leave me alone, so this was born. I hope my fellow Golden Queen shipmates enjoy!
Capturing Memories
"Dad!" Small fingers poked at Aiden Gold's side and he grimaced in his sleep, curling closer to his wife, Regina, on instinct.
The prodding continued unabated, "Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad!"
Aiden's response was to grumble and bury his face in Regina's shoulder.
He felt her chuckle and then murmur: "Your daughter's awake."
"If it's before sunrise she's yours," Aiden replied, determine d to ignore their child's insistence until he was fully awake.
"Mommmmmmm!" Cassandra changed tactics and moved around to Regina's side of the bed. "Get up! The Easter Bunny came!"
And, satisfied she'd gotten her message across, their daughter ran off excitedly, wanting to get an early start on her egg hunt.
It was blissfully quiet for a moment before Aiden ventured: "What our darling girl doesn't know, of course, is that the Easter Bunny and his wife are still exhausted from painting and hiding those eggs till dawn."
"And you're not going to utter a word about that," Regina stated, extracting herself from her husband's arms and moving to the bathroom so she could wash her face.
"I have no intention to," he insisted, throwing back the covers so he could get up as well. "But was it really necessary to hide so many?" He paused as he draped a silk bathrobe over his shoulders. "Hell, do we even remember where we hid them?"
Judging by the awkward silence that followed, Aiden had his answer.
Shaking his head, he moved to go downstairs. "In that case I'd better make us some coffee and make sure she finds them all we don't end up with a house that stinks of rotten eggs."
Aiden wasn't certain how a four year old managed to find so many small, colorful objects within an hour, but he suspected that there might have been some magic involved.
By the time Regina made it downstairs with a camera, Cassandra had discovered almost all of the eggs, but she still managed to capture some incredibly precious shots of the four-year-old pawing gleefully through the grass while her father looked on with a mixture of amusement and pride on his handsome features.
Regina's favorite moment occurred when Cassie saw an egg sitting up on one of the branches of the prized apple tree, and Aiden wasted no time in lifting their daughter onto his shoulders so that she could reach it.
Smiling, she snapped a photo of the moment to add to the memory book she'd started putting together after Cassandra had been born.
Her husband looked in her direction right after the photo had been taken, and the beaming smile he aimed her way made Regina's heart skip a beat and reminded her of why she had fallen in love with him to begin with.
After setting Cassandra safely on the ground, Aiden wandered over to his wife's side, gesturing at the camera. "Don't waste all the film. We haven't even forced Cassie into her dress for the day yet."
Regina sighed happily when he circled his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him. "Oh I'm not going to miss one moment of today. I intend to capture as many memories as possible."
"Is that what you're doing?" he smirked, nuzzling at her hair briefly before dropping a light kiss to her neck. "Capturing our memories?"
"Yes," Regina twisted into his arms and looked deeply into his eyes. "Because I want to cherish each one that we have, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem."
He smiled sweetly and ran his fingers through her shoulder-length hair. "There's no such thing as an insignificant memory with you, my love."
Her heart fluttered at his words and she tugged him forward by the collar of his robe, and in the next instant their lips met in a tender, romantic kiss.
They embraced lovingly under the shade of the apple tree, caught up in the emotions they instilled in each other, until they had to part for air.
He nudged his nose to hers, smiled warmly, and then entwined their fingers together before leading her off.
Hand-in-hand, the pair went in search for their daughter; and Regina was assured, more than ever, that the memories she and Aiden were making would be cherished forever.
The End