Henry was up early and knocking on his mom's bedroom door. Henry didn't usually come to her bedroom door, it was a boundary they had always had, except when he was little with nightmares. Regina finished buttoning her dark grey blouse and was tucking it into her cream colored pants when she opened the door. She looked at her son who was now nearly her height and wondered when that happened.
"Good morning, dear, what can I do for you?"
"Morning mom. I just wanted to make sure everything was set for tonight."
"It is. Your grandparents are coming over at 6 to set up, you're going to be here with them. I'm going to pick up your mom from work at 5 and take her to dinner. Then we're going to come home at precisely 7, and you'll have half the town here to surprise her."
"Yeah, well it's her birthday! She's never had a party before!"
"That's fine, dear, I want to make her happy, too." The two had been dating for sometime, and after Neverland, everyone had been much more cordial toward Regina, including Emma's parents.
"What are you going to say at dinner?"
"That you are too old to hang out with your moms and that you'll be home in time to have some cake and ice cream with us before she leaves to celebrate with her parents."
"What did you get her?"
"Nothing, Henry. I have no idea what to get her, I've been wracking my brain and I can't figure it out, I think I'm going to go to Boston to shop."
"Ok, mom, but don't forget to be on time."
"Get to school, Henry."
"Ok, ok. Oh and mom?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"You'll pick out something amazing, I just know you will. Love you!" he yelled the last two words as he was running down the stairs and out the door for school. Regina just shook her head, amazed at how things had changed since they got back from Neverland. She had her son back, she was in love with a completely silly blonde that she never would have given a chance to had the woman not been so persistent, but she wouldn't regret it a moment in her life. She loved Emma with everything in her and she knew she had to find her the perfect gift.
She headed out to Granny's, grabbed three coffees and a half a dozen doughnuts, making sure to get a couple of bear claws in there. She headed into the Sheriff's station and found Emma with her father playing darts.
"Our tax dollars always at work, I see," Regina teased, She offered the drink tray to Emma, who took it and set it on David's desk. "Happy Birthday, dear."
"Thank you, sweetie, you're the best." Emma pulled Regina into a hug and kissed her on the cheek, her lips lingering longer than necessary.
"I brought coffee and doughnuts for the two of you. I won't be around today for lunch, dear, so I'll see you when I pick you up this evening?" she asked, as she set the bag of doughnuts on the desk next to the coffee. She pulled her own coffee from the drink tray and kissed Emma on the nose. "I love you. Be good."
"Mmhmm, yes ma'am. Where are you going?"
"None of your concern, dear."
"It's my birthday! Of course it's my concern."
"I'm going to Boston."
"Ooh are you getting me a gift?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?"
"Be careful, please?"
"I can handle myself, dear."
"Of course. Have fun. I'll just be here all day, stuck in Storybrooke, on my birthday," Emma pretended to whine.
"Not going to work, my love. I'll be here to pick you up before you know it. Have a good day." The two women wrapped their arms around each other and kissed deeply, but quickly. When the broke apart, Regina looked at David, "David, do keep her entertained today."
He chuckled. "I'll do my best."
Regina drove into Boston and first went to an art gallery. She knew nothing there would be the primary gift she'd be giving Emma, but she wanted something to hang in her house that reminded her of the blonde, and would be more like the blonde's taste, making the decorating more welcoming for when she invited the blonde to live with her and Henry. She stopped when she saw a colorful painting that she felt was perfect. It was called August Mill and it had a millhouse on it, sitting on a beautiful creek that was filled with swans. Regina smiled, her last name and Emma's last time combined through their symbols in one painting, she had to buy it. She did and stashed it into her car. Next she went into a jewelry store. She wanted to find a necklace chain, a long one that would allow its pendant to rest far on Emma's chest. She found one that matched the old-fashioned key to her house that she was giving to Emma. She had had the key styled months before when she first thought of inviting Emma to live with them, she knew that it would fit perfectly on her lover's chest.
She then started walking around a shopping center in search of something perfect. Her watch showed that it was nearly two, which meant that she needed to get a move on. She picked up several things that she thought the blonde might like, from her and from Henry, but she couldn't find the one perfect gift she was looking for. Finally, at a small shop at the near end of the shopping center, she found it, the perfect gift for the beautiful blonde.
She headed back and had just enough time to unload her epic shopping trip and get herself ready for Emma's birthday dinner. She pulled on a deep blue, sleeveless dress that fell to the middle of her perfectly toned thighs and hugged her curves in a way she knew would tease Emma. She then pulled on dark gray pumps, curled her hair and applied a layer of red lipstick. She left with two gifts in hand, one for the dinner and one for after, the rest she could have later.
Her phone rang, blinking Emma across the screen.
"Hello, sweetheart, I do hope you're not telling me to be late?"
"No, I just want you to come to the apartment to get me, I wanted to be able to go home and change, so I'm here waiting, instead of work. David let me out early."
"Ok, sounds good, dear. I'll see you soon." She hung up the phone and turned the corner towards the Charming's apartment. She got out and walked up to the door that led to their apartment. Knocking on the door, she touched her hair to make sure it was perfect and when Emma opened the door, her jaw dropped. Regina had never seen Emma in a dress like this before. She was wearing a tight, strapless red dress. It was so tight it looked painted on. Her long, fair legs ended in black stilettos. Her hair was hanging in curls around her shoulders.
"Emma, you look, stunning," Regina breathed, shaking the fuzziness out of her head.
"You do, too, Regina." Emma smiled; it reached her eyes in a way that she so rarely gave.
"Not nearly as much as you," Regina countered, stepping closer.
"Whatever." Regina raised her eyebrows, questioningly. "You are going to make everyone at the restaurant want you with one look, you definitely look better."
"Then why am I having trouble breathing, and you can breathe just find?" Regina whispered, her mouth by Emma's ear, one hand touching the blonde's neck and the other on the small of Emma's back holding her tightly to her own body.
"Because you look this amazing no matter what you wear." Regina shook her head against Emma's words and placed her mouth on the other woman's cheek.
"I have a gift for you, dear," Regina said, pulling away from the blonde. "Well, actually, I got you many gifts, but I just brought one in first."
"Ok?" Emma said, pulling Regina to sit at the table with her. Regina pulled out the black velvet box with an emerald bow and set it in front of Emma on the table. Emma pulled the bow off, slowly and opened the box and pulled the chain with the key out of the box gingerly.
"Is this—"
"A key to my house, our house, if you'd like."
"Oh, babe, I'd love to move in with you guys." Emma smiled again, and kissed Regina gently, pulling away before she'd have liked when her stomach growled. "I'm really hungry, and I believe this birthday comes with dinner?"
"Indeed." The women stood up and headed toward the door.
"Is Henry in the car?"
"No, dear. As he puts it, he's too cool to hang out with his moms. He'll meet us back home for cake and ice cream. I think he just wanted to give us alone time. I made chocolate cake for you."
"You're the best, Regina." When the women got to the door, Emma called out to the apartment. "Bye, mom! I'll see you at the party at Regina's! Don't worry, I'll act surprised for Henry!"
Regina chuckled as Emma pulled the door shut behind them.
"You knew?"
"Of course I knew, babe, you may be good at lying about some things, but you're terrible at lying to me."
"That's because I never want to lie to you, dear."
The women talked through dinner and Regina prepared Emma for the party, telling her that basically everyone wanted to be there. Emma knew that was big for Regina, even though the town had accepted that she was no longer evil and had reinstated her as Mayor, she still wasn't friendly with most of the people. Mostly everyone was happy she had found love with Emma, but they also didn't necessarily want to be bffs with Madame Mayor, so for Regina to let them all into her home was really special to Emma.
"Time to go, my dear, wouldn't want to be late for your surprise party." Regina stood and the women pulled on their jackets. "I have another gift for you in the car."
"I didn't need anything, Regina. This night is already so perfect." Regina pulled the box from the car and handed it to Emma. The blonde shook it and could tell it was some type of clothing. She pulled the top off the box and pulled off tissue wrapping, revealing a bottle-green leather jacket. Emma pulled it out, speechless.
"I thought it would go well with your eyes."
"It's beautiful. I thought you hated my leather jackets."
"Haven't you gotten by now that I don't hate anything about you, as hard as I may have tried in the past."
Emma pulled off her gray pea coat and pulled on the new green jacket.
"How does it look?"
"I was absolutely correct. Your eyes look stunning."
"You're setting a really high bar."
"For what?"
"For your birthday."
Regina shook her head, opened Emma's door for her and then got in the car, herself, driving them home. All the lights were off in the house and Emma watched Regina put a finger over her lips, reminding Emma to act surprised. Emma nodded and they walked inside, Regina dropping her purse on the table in the front before rounding the corner and turning the light on. Half the town jumped out from the surrounding rooms, many people were standing on the staircase and all yelled 'surprise' to the blonde.
Emma smiled and overacted her surprise. Henry ran into her arms and locked his around her.
"Were you surprised Ma?"
"Of course, kid, I thought it was just you, mom and me for cake and ice cream!" she replied, smiling. She didn't have to fake her happiness. Her love for Henry and Regina was something she never thought she would have in life.
The party was too long and Emma just really wanted to be alone with Regina and Henry, but her parents especially lingered. Finally, just before ten, Regina came up with an idea to get rid of them.
"You know, I'd really like to see Emma's birthday suit sometime tonight, so you guys can keep sticking around for that, or you can go, no offense," Regina said, smiling. Emma blushed and put her head down on the dining room table.
"Oh, um, we'll, I guess we'll be going," Snow stuttered, blushing the same pink that was on Emma's face. David just covered his eyes with his hands, as though trying to burn an image out of his mind.
"What's a birthday suit?" Henry asked.
"Nothing, Henry, your mom is just kidding," Emma responded quickly.
"Then why are grandma and grandpa acting so funny now? Does it have to do with sex?"
"No!" was the response that all four adults yelled out.
"I thought so," Henry replied. "You two are so gross."
Regina and Emma smiled at each other, Emma's smile was dopey and tired, and Regina's was full and sincere. They walked Emma's parents out and the three went into the study for the rest of Emma's presents to be opened. Emma uncovered the painting and tears sprang to her eyes.
"It's beautiful. Mills and Swans must belong together. Thank you guys."
"Oh, that's not all." Emma proceeded to unwrap a new pair of riding boots, a scrapbook in which Henry drew and wrote the story of Regina and Emma, with pictures of the family, and the last thing Emma opened was a weekend couples spa package.
"Oh I like this one, that'll be fun."
"Mom, that's not even that special," Henry whined. "Where's the perfect gift you said you found?"
"Henry, that one is reserved for your mom and me, ok?" Regina replied. "Now, off to bed, we'll be up to tuck you in in a moment."
"What is this gift reserved for us?"
"You'll see. Have patience, dear." Regina pulled Emma upstairs to tuck in their son. After they both kissed him goodnight, Emma and Regina went into the master bedroom and Regina left Emma to the bedroom, while she went into the bathroom. Emma looked around the room as she kicked off her heels that had been killing her feet all night. She sat on the end of the bed, waiting for Regina to come out.
When the bathroom door opened, Regina stepped out in a red and black, satin and lace corset. Strapless, it clung to her pushed up breasts and ended just below her navel, leaving several inches bare above her lace bottoms. There were straps from the corset clinging to the tops of her tights on her thighs. She had reapplied her deep red lipstick and smiled at Emma, whose mouth was hanging open in surprise.
"Do you see something you like, dear?"
"I…I see almost everything I like. This is certainly the best birthday present I've ever been given."
Regina smiled, walking forward in the stilettos she hadn't taken off. Emma grabbed at the bare skin at Regina's hips. Regina pushed Emma's shoulders so the blonde lay back on the bed. Then the brunette straddled the red dress-clad hips. She dropped her own body against Emma's. She kissed the blonde passionately, deeply, pushing her tongue against her lovers, and after several moments, she pulled away.
"No, don't take my birthday present away from me," Emma whispered, trying to pull Regina back. Regina pushed herself up on one and reached into the dresser of her nightstand.
"I still have one gift for you, it's the perfect gift, the one Henry asked about."
"Ok?"
Regina pulled out a velvet black box and laid it on Emma's ribs. The blonde picked it up and looked at it, eyes wide.
"Open it, dear." She did. Inside was a white gold ring with an infinity symbol. "I didn't figure you were much for diamonds."
"Is this…is it…"
"Would you like to marry me, Emma?"
Emma pulled the ring out of the box and put it on her left ring finger. She tossed the box onto the nightstand and flipped Regina onto her back.
"I would love to. Now let's see how this outfit comes off."