Regina Mills woke up with a start. She was unsure what woke her, but as her eyes got used to being open again, she deduced it must have been the slight sliver of brightness that entered from the sliver between the curtains. It was getting brighter and brighter everyday as they were going towards the spring, but every morning as she got up for work, it was still dark. She rather enjoyed the darkness but this year the winter had been going on for far too long. It was time for summer. They all missed the sunshine.
What was also very rare was the fact that she had an opportunity to sleep in. Being the Mayor called for an early start which is why the weekends were the time to relax a little. Before getting Henry, Regina had spend a lot of her free time sleeping - well trying to sleep - to battle the loneliness that waited for her at home. After his arrival she had been excited to get a fresh, early start on her day just in order to be with him. Being his mother was still the best thing that had ever happened to her.
Later on, when Emma joined their little family, weekends had become even more of a family time. It meant sleeping late and having breakfast together, maybe watching some cartoons or if they felt lazy, going to Granny's so they didn't have to cook.
Which is why she was quite sure it was already late in the morning if the brightness behind the curtains was anything to go by. She gave her back a slight stretch before reaching out for the opposite side of the bed. Her and Emma always went to bed cuddling, but during the night they often got separated as Emma was quite big on tossing and turning to find a comfortable position. So more often than not, they ended up waking up from opposite sides of the bed.
That only resulted in sleepy morning cuddles which were some of Regina's personal favorites. Emma was so adorable when her blonde hair was sticking to million different ends and how she so deeply buried her face into her neck to get few extra minutes of sleep.
This morning though the place Emma usually laid, was empty and cold. Regina made a swift turn to confirm what she already knew - Emma was definitely not in the bed. Raising her head enough she noticed that the lights in the bathroom were also out which meant Emma wasn't there either.
There was a slight concern bubbling out, just like there always was. Not that Emma would have left her, because that was a topic they had gone through enough times for Regina to believe that she never would, but more for the fact that maybe something might have happened. Either to the blonde herself or Henry or to someone in their family.
The scramble she made out of the bed was very un-queen like but there was no one to see that so she let it slide. While she was pushing the duvet off of her, her hand hit something. That made the brunette stop and gently lift the duvet, to reveal an envelope. It was a simple white one and curiously she picked it up and turned it around, to find who it was addressed to. Her name was written in black ink, with a handwriting she would know absolutely anywhere. She had been Emma's boss for quite a number of years now and there had been many reports send between the Sheriff's station and the Town Hall.
Regina was really curious to see what was inside so without wasting any time she gently opened the envelope to find a letter.
happy birthday my queen,
i hope you had a good nights sleep. it definitely seemed like you did if your little snores were anything to go by... ;) you are definitely the most adorable sleeper ever.
anyway, i know you are not all that into celebrating birthdays, but i, we, wanted to do something nice for you. so please follow the instructions below and you'll find us.
i love you,
- emma
/go into the study, but please don't go poking around in other rooms, it'll ruin the surprise!
Emma was right, Regina was not a big fan of her own birthday. Maybe it was because in those early years it never meant for anything good, even less for anything fun. With her mother it was often about her parading her daughter around for possible suitors and with Snow and the king... well, it wasn't like they even knew when her birthday was. No one ever bothered to ask at least. And when she got Henry, it was more about his birthday which she was overjoyed about.
None the less, she had to admit she was really touched by the sweet gesture and she was more than little curious to see what her girlfriend and son had come up with for this little treasure hunt. She kicked the rest of the covers off her body and made her way quickly to their door.
To her confusion there was another envelope taped to hang from the door handle. She opened it to find a smaller note.
you always tell me you don't toss and turn in your sleep, but you totally do. which is why this note is to make sure you found the envelope i left in our bed.
if you don't know what i'm talking about, go and check the duvets. if you already found the letter, carry on. see you soon!
Regina rolled her eyes, but her heart felt warm. Emma knew her so well, unlike anyone ever had. Even when they had a bit of a rough start, the blonde had quickly became her trusted one and her best friend. Emma knew things about her that she was sure no one else did and she was sure she knew just as much about Emma.
She held onto both of the letters as she made her way downstairs and into her study. She was extra careful not to look around too much because she wanted to make sure to follow the instructions Emma gave her.
Arriving into the study she took a quick look around and at first glance nothing seemed to be out of place. What caught her attention though was a box on her desk.
Trying to tone down her excitement, she walked steadily towards it. Lifting the lid of the box she found another envelope and several little baggies with things written on them. Regina was very confused but upon opening the letter her eyes misted over.
i wanted to bring you flowers, but the ones you get from the flower shop end up dying so fast. i wanted to give you something that would last a little longer, something you can plant. well, hopefully we could all plant together. i know how much you love your garden, and i know that me and Henry having that outrageously cool water fight there last summer didn't really do it much good. but now there could be new flowers growing when the summer comes. i picked some of your favorites and some of them just had really cool names.
/livingroom, by the tv
Emma's thoughtfulness nearly made the former queen cry. She absolutely loved the idea of them planting things together, and upon having a closer look at the baggies, she realised Emma had really picked her favorites. There were names and planting instructions written in each little baggy and Emma had even included the color of the flower.
Taking the box with her, Regina made her way to the livingroom that she had just passed on her way to the study. The brunette was happy her girlfriend had mentioned the specific place of the next clue because otherwise she would have spend a lot of time trying to find it. There was another simple envelope leaning on the tv.
this one was actually henry's idea so all credit goes to him. we ordered every kind of movie / tv show watching site imaginable so you could watch all your favorite things. this is also a written promise that i will finally sit down with you and we will binge your favorite tv show. you know which one. and this is for real.
/kitchen
Unlike many people thought, Regina really enjoyed watching tv and movies. Granted it had taken her some time to warm up to it and when Henry was little, they mainly watched cartoons and animations. But later on when he grew, all the superhero movies started to come out and they both were equally excited to watch them together. During the time when the curse broke and Regina was alone, she had tried to find comfort in movies. She often had them on even to just create an illusion of there being someone else in the house. After things calmed down, her and Henry caught up on all the movies they had missed while being apart and Emma soon joined in, introducing her to classics and later on to some of her favorite tv shows.
The ending of the letter made Regina laugh. Emma had promised her several times to start watching with her and they had made it through the first season and the blonde had seemed to have really enjoyed it, but since then it had been rather difficult to fit it in their schedules. Regina knew they would eventually continue watching, although she was in no rush. They had all the time in the world.
She was lost in thought about her favorite tv show when she walked into the kitchen. What greeted her kinda broke her heart but also made it sing. There on the counter laid a single cupcake with a small blue star candle on it. It was lit, just waiting for someone to blow it. Next to it was another envelope.
Regina walked carefully towards it and placed her things on the island. She was quite certain that whatever she was gonna read next was gonna break her heart, but bravely she opened the envelope to reveal a longer letter, the longest one yet.
regina, as i said before i know you don't much care for celebrating your own birthday. but i also know you always want to make sure everyone else feels special on theirs and you put so much effort into each of those special days. so i wanted to make sure you felt special on yours. i know i told you all those years ago how i had a single cupcake for my birthday on the year henry came and found me. it wasn't the only year i have done it, there were many others and i was always alone. each year i wished i wouldn't have to be though. and then that year, by some miracle, henry appeared behind my door. and he brought me home. i don't know was it really written somewhere that this was the day i was supposed to arrive in storybrooke. maybe it was. although i like to think it was fate. fate that brought me to henry and to you. i came home. henry called storybrooke home on the first night i saw him and oh how right he was. i know you already have a home and you now have a family as well. i just wanted to give you a chance to make a wish, and there is nothing more powerful than a wish from a candle, or so i was told. so make a wish, regina.
/dining room
There were tears running down Regina's face. Some were from sadness of knowing how alone Emma was all those years. Some were of anger that she was ultimately the reason for her loneliness. Some were of gratitude that they both now had a family and that they were together. And the rest were of love. She loved Emma so much and she was so grateful that Henry had brought the blonde into their lives. Regina had no idea what was the real reason for Emma showing up. A lot of people believed in the prophesy, that Emma was destined to break the Dark Curse, that she was the Savior.
While Emma had definitely broken the curse Regina had cast over the people of the Enchanted Forest, Regina was quite sure Emma had also broken the one the brunette had developed over herself. Everything had changed since she met Emma even when their first encounters had been less than pleasant. Emma had been crucial part of her redemption from the beginning and Regina knew she couldn't have done it without Emma's faith in her.
Turning towards the cupcake again, she closed her eyes and blew out the candle. She did as Emma told her to do, she made a wish. Taking another look at the cupcake she picked it up, intending to share it with her girlfriend and son who were no doubt waiting at the end of this treasure hunt.
Her legs took her to the door that separated the kitchen from the dining room where they had their more formal meals. Regina could hear whispering and hushed giggles coming from the other side of the door. She pushed the door open slowly, becoming quite speechless when she saw what waited her on the other side. The whole dining room table was set up for breakfast and there were everything from pancakes and waffles to toast and eggs. It also looked - and smelled - like Emma had some carrot cake. It was one of the many secrets of Emma Swan; she could not cook but baking the girl could do exceptionally well.
But what was better than anything were two of her favorite people, standing next to the table in their pajamas with bows on their heads. That made Regina both roll her eyes and laugh joyfully. Because it was the truth, Henry and Emma were the biggest gift she had ever received in her life and there were no doubts about that.
Emma and Henry simultaneously cleared their throats and broke into a song. Instead of doing the normal fast pace version of the 'happy birthday song' they went with the more melodic and calm version. Emma sang beautifully and it was certain that those genes had been passed down onto Henry since his voice fit beautifully with hers. Regina felt like this might be the true magic of life.
As they finished, Regina's eyes were swimming with tears again. She put her birthday gifts down before walking over to her family. They both wrapped her in a hug, holding her securely in between them. Regina might not have been big on birthdays, but if it was gonna be like this every year, she could definitely get used to it.
"Thank you, my loves." she whispered and she could hear Emma and Henry high five each other. That made her smile fondly.
"We just wanted to make you feel special, mom." Henry smiled at his mother who pressed a kiss to his forehead. Regina had to get on her tippytoes to do that. Henry was growing up so fast and it was bittersweet to see.
"And you did that Henry." she whispered hugging him close once more. She let him go when he made a slight indication towards his other mother who was looking at them with a gentle smile on her face.
Regina stepped closer to Emma and the blonde pulled her closer into a tight hug. Regina hid her face into Emma's neck, breathing in the scent that was so uniquely Emma. She felt so safe and so loved that it was nearly overwhelming. It had been the best birthday she had ever had and it was only the morning.
"Did you like it?" a slightly hesitant question was whispered against the silken brown hair. Regina realised that Emma was actually nervous of her reaction and she wanted to make sure the blonde knew just how much this all meant to her.
"Oh, Emma, of course I did." Regina whispered as she pulled back enough to lock eyes with Emma. "No one has ever done anything like this for me and all of this really made me feel special. I love you."
She gently pulled the blonde towards herself into a sweet kiss. Emma wrapped her arms tightly around the pajama clad waist, content in having the love of her life in her arms. She had been worried was all of this pushing it a little bit too much. Regina had told her how it had been with her birthdays before and Emma had wanted to give her something good to think about when it came to birthdays. Having Regina reassure her really helped and she was happy she had somehow managed to hit the mark with this one.
"I love you too." Emma whispered when they finally parted. Both hummed contently before Regina's eyes made it to the bow that was still on top of Emma's head. There was a smirk on the plumb lips, one could almost call it evil.
"Does this mean, I can... unwrap you later?" Regina whispered close to Emma's ear, fully aware they weren't alone. Emma's eyes grew wide before she was smirking back.
"Anything for the birthday girl." Emma whispered just as quietly before capturing Regina's lips into another kiss. This was getting more heated which wasn't lost on Henry. It was sweet how his mothers loved each other and all but sometimes it seemed like they forgot where the limit goes with public shows of affection.
"Uhhmm, moms?" Henry asked loud enough, staring at the wall on his right. He could hear then giggle a little before he shot a frown their way.
"Are you ready to have breakfast? Because you really should gather your strength, there is a full day planned for you." Henry asked, looking pleased at the breakfast him and his ma had been able to provide.
"A full day?" Regina asked as she sat down on the chair Emma pulled out for her.
"Oh yes, you have a lot of family now and they are all excited about your birthday." Emma said, pecking Regina's cheek sweetly before sitting down next to her.
"Everyone wanted to come by but we figured that instead of having them all visit one by one, we'd host a small celebration at Granny's later today. Everyone else agreed, except your sister who we should be expecting around noon." Emma said, looking at the clock that was hanging in the dining room. They had a good hour and a half to go.
"Which in her case means around one." Henry noted wickedly. Emma shot him a dirty look but Regina laughed. Henry adored his aunt but there was no stopping the roasting they both happily and affectionally did of each other.
"He is not wrong, you know." Regina said as she reached for the waffles.
"Actually Regina, there is one more surprise we'd like to give you." Emma said as she saw Regina was ready to start eating the breakfast they had prepared.
"What more could there be?" Regina was confused but just as curious as she was with the letters this morning.
Emma got up from the table and walked out into the hallway. She soon returned with a very small, very black but freakishly adorable little puppy, securely in her arms. The tips of the ears were slightly floppy which somehow made the puppy even cuter.
Regina gasped. They had had some small random conversations about possibly adding a dog into the family, but nothing was ever properly promised or planned. Regina knew how much Emma and Henry wanted a dog, the latter having been asking for one for the better part of his life. It had been a busy year though and it had never seemed like the right time, but right now... it was the perfect time. And Regina was excited.
Emma placed the small puppy into her arms and the dog sniffed at the former queen carefully before licking her face joyfully. Regina's heart soared with the affection and Henry came to rub the puppy's head as well.
"I hope you don't mind but we kinda named her already." Emma said sheepishly.
"I don't mind at all, I'm sure you two came up with a perfect name. What are we calling this little princess?" Regina was using her gentle voice when talking to the puppy, it was the one she used to use when Henry was small.
"Abby." Henry said proudly.
"Abby?" Regina asked, waiting for a story behind the name because she knew her family wouldn't pick one at random.
"Well we were talking, and since we already knew the dog we wanted to adopt, we wanted the name to be something simple but something that also had a feeling and a meaning behind it. She is the color of the darkness, but after every dark night there is a sun. Even after hard times, there is a new day when we can all try again. And even when Abby doesn't mean the sun, it made us both think about the sun. There is something so... " Emma explained.
"Happy about it. And this girl is definitely happy." Henry finished for his ma.
Regina was opening and closing her mouth in a slight state of shock. Both Emma and Henry noticed that and they were concerned they had pushed Regina too far with the puppy. Several worried glances were exchanged over their heads before Henry asked. "Mom, are you okay?"
"It's just that... The wish." Regina whispered.
"The wish?" Emma asked.
"The wish on the candle." Regina swallowed before explaining. "You told me to make a wish on the candle. I have everything I want in life, Emma. I have a home where I'm safe and I have a family who loves me. I could not ask anything more. But you had a candle out for me so I wanted to make that wish. But what I wished for..." Regina looked down at the puppy softly sleeping in her arms. "... was sunlight."
As that registered in the ears of her family, Emma and Henry wrapped her in another hug. They all petted the small life laying safe in Regina's arms.
"Welcome to the family, sunlight."
/happy birthday my darling! i love you the mostest!