A/N: Ok so during the holidays one of my cousins said she had a dream where I just arrived and said to the whole family I was gay and in one night of procrastination this story took form. I hope you like it.

For the first time after five years of being abroad Emma Swan had the guts to return home. Home to a tiny town in the middle of Maine, a town where you move a centimetre and you run into a thousand people you or your family knows. A town where privacy is practically non existent… and that's exactly the reason Emma went away.

All Emma had ever dreamed of was for a love liker parents had, head over heels even in their fifties and she had hope she would find it but for that to happen she needed to run. Since high school Emma has known she was gay, but living is such a small place as Storybrooke she also knew that the mentality about it wasn't that open and welcoming so she had kept it to herself, keeping her feelings under wraps for years making her feel trapped. This made her flee, she crossed the ocean right after college and immerse herself in one of her passions, cooking. France had been her refugee for the last five years as it welcomed her with open arms and mind. She dated and had her fun however culinary school brought to her another salvation and her name was Regina Mills.

Now, a day before Christmas, she stood in the porch of her former house contemplating when to ring the bell. Emma sighed and rubbed her hands "I'm ready" she whispered to herself as her finger grazed the golden button. Not five seconds later a brunette pixie haired woman opens the door and a gasp fills the air.

"Oh my god"

"Hi… Mom" the blonde says shyly

"My baby!" the pixie haired woman gasps as she embraces Emma "You're back"

Mary Margaret Swan is speechless, her daughter has come back, the monthly calls and Skype dates hasn't been enough and of course they have visited but having here in her arms again was nothing compared.

"David, David come here"

Emma can't hold and a single tear rolls down her cheek, she lets go of her mother as stomps are heard behind her mother, the knowing form of her father can be seen, a tall broad blonde man, and she feels her heart stop as he embraces both women.

"Oh Em" he sighs and releases them and following them inside.

"I'm just about to finish lunch, honey"

"Great, I'm starving"

Emma helps her father, David, to place the table as her mother makes the final touches on the salad as she finishes she takes a seat and the family of three start to eat as Emma caught them up to the last years of her life, how where her courses, her travels, her work and all sort of stuff praying her mother wouldn't bring the "boyfriend" topic to the table but Mary Margaret had exactly those plans and her abrupt question made her daughter clam up. However David knew how to rescue their conversation and asked if she would be staying in the house and Emma explained to them that a friend had come with her so she would be staying in the bed and breakfast with her, the rest of the lunch was uneventful and after a while of non-sense talk she bid her parents goodbye and said she would see them for Christmas Eve dinner.

The rest of the day was quiet, Emma and Regina walked around town as the blonde woman showed her girlfriend some landmarks and regarding her with silly stories from her childhood. Regina laughed as in every mile someone greeted Emma with a smile and a wave because being raised in cities such as New York and Madrid that was really something new. They returned to the B&B and by 8 o'clock they where on their way to the Swan household.

Emma opened the door to her former house and chucked her coat off and helped Regina with hers and hang them in the rack by the door. The smells wafting from the kitchen where mouthwatering and the noise from the living room very hard to ignore. The Swans here a boisterous family and as she peeked into the living room she found a sight she missed the most, all her family huddled up and playing something. A big smile grew on her face as she grabbed Regina's hand and squeezed it, they walked in and were practically tackled by Emma's younger brother, Neal, who for his short age of 9 was quite tall.

"Em! Emmy! It's true, you're here!" the young boy said as he hugged his sister

"Hey bug" she said as she hugged back tightly "Look buddy, this is Regina, Regina this my little bro Neal"

"Hey Neal, I'm glad to finally meet you"

"Hey I'm not little!" the boy said at the same time and blushed as everyone laughed "Nice too meet you too Regina"

"Now that you all laughed at this bug, guys this is Regina" Emma said as her family chorused a Hi to her girlfriend

"Ba… Gina, this my uncle James and his wife Jack; their children Alexa (16) and Johny (19), this beautiful lady is my aunt Kat and her husband Frederick; their children James (19) and Abigail (17). Last but not least, my parents Mary Margaret and David."

Emma said as they took place beside her cousin Kara, she squeezed Regina's hand that rested beside her thigh as her girlfriend smiled to her family.

"Hello everyone, it is a pleasure to meet you all" the brunette said shyly as she became the focus of everyone around her.

Emma could see her two male cousins whispering in the side of the living room and Alexa and Abigail telling a story about how a guy was epically rejected by one of their mutual friends. It was a really cozy time, wine rolling around and snack in the centre of the room but the only thing Emma was concentrated in was into not appearing to close to Regina, she was going to deliver her news after dinner and by deliver the news she meant she was coming out to her family.

After a while of chatting and laughing, family pictures took place, a photograph of every family, the cousins, the adults as well as one of the whole family together and when that picture came Emma wanted Regina to be in it, but she didn't know how that would be perceived, Abigail seeing Emma's distress asked Regina to put the camera on timer and joined them in the picture, the blonde woman send a small smile to her blonde cousin as well as a mouthed thank you.

A few minutes passed and an enthusiastic Mary Margaret ushered her family to the dining table, as expected everything was delicious and Emma being Emma made a dig that she and Regina could have done it better.

"You know, you could have proven it earlier blondie" Johny smirked at his cousin

"Don't worry butthead, we'll prove it next year" she said and stuck her tongue out to him

"Don't call him that Emma!" Mary Margaret exclaimed even though her voice was drowned by laughter and questions on how truthful was she being.

"I'm one hundred percent sure we will prove it next year" the blonde said as she took Regina's hand in hers.

Only Alexa and Neal saw Emma and Regina hold hands and that was because they were sitting side by side to Emma's right, they smirked to each other and hoped Emma would tell them soon.

"What do you mean 'we will'?" MM asked

Emma blushed but at the same time she knew it was time, with Regina's hand still in hers she stood up and faced her parents.

"Well mom, Regina and I are getting married in May" her stand was proud, with her chest puffed out and her thumb rubbing circles in her fiancés hand.

The four cousins jumped and yelled "I knew it" at the same time, the room erupted in laughter as their parents joined in. Mary Margaret look like a deer in headlights as she tried to formulate a sentence and when she could, it wasn't what Emma expected at all.

"Oh honey! I'm so happy for you" she stood up and embraced the couple "May I see the ring?"

Regina excused herself as everyone embraced Emma, she went to the foyer and grabbed the ring from her purse, she placed it on her hand and walked into the dinning room again. The beautiful blue stone shinning in the candle light, Kat and Mary Margaret gasped as the brunette approached her fiancé. It was such a beautiful ring, a single topaz in a platinum band that a slight curve at the end holding the gem in place. Emma had her arm around Regina's waist as her cousins congratulated them. David took out a champagne bottle and opened it to toast on the happy couple.

"Emma, sweetie, I couldn't be happier an prouder you have made something of you by yourself, yes, you left and we were very sad about it, but you needed it, you needed time by yourself to discover the magnificent person you have become. I'm so thrilled that you found your one. Regina, welcome to the family. To the happy couple" David said as he raised his glass as everyone followed suit.

"To the happy couple"

Everyone sat down again as dessert was served and chatter began easily flowing again between everyone.

"How did you two meet? If you don't mind me asking" Kat said as she looked at her niece.

"Well, you know how I sucked at being right Aunt Kat?" the blonde said matter-of-factly and everyone laughed and agreed with her

"Ok, so in my third year over in France I entered a patisserie diplomaed, so imagine me, little Emma with no knowledge at all entering a room full of excited people talking about techniques and what they wanted to do and I was blank. So I just walked to and empty station and sat there. In a matter of minutes the most beautiful woman I have ever seen entered the room and took the place beside my. I remember Regina introducing herself before class began and when it started it was a total disaster. My dough was bland so I did it again, my cupcakes undercooked and burnt at the same time it was awful but then Regina starts laughing like blown out full on laughing and while it was kind of annoying being laughed at it was just so good to hear her laugh it was such a difference from the stoic woman that entered the room and oh my god, the sound, it was such a pretty sound I just wanted to be the reason behind it again. So I asked her out and we've been together ever since"

Emma finished with a dopey smiley as she looked at Regina, the brunette smiled back and placed a sweet kiss to her cheek and a soft I love you to her ear.

No one had seen Emma this way ever and now they knew why, she wasn't being who she really was and while it was shocking nothing was better than seeing her this way.

FIN

A/N: I'm such a sucker for fluffy fics I had to make one, I really hope you enjoyed it as I enjoyed writing it. Don't forget to R&R it's the best way to show me love! M -xo