She stood with her back to the celebrations going on in the room behind her, Granny's truly was full of joy tonight yet all the brunette could feel was an almost suffocating sadness.

She could hear her son laughing to another of Miss Swan's jokes that had surely been memorized from years' worth of cheap Christmas crackers, they were terrible yet the sound of Henry's happiness made it impossible for the scowl to fully reach her deep brown eyes.

The room had been decorated in a moderately tasteful fashion, white clothed tables were adorned with bowls filled to the brim with a variety of nuts and chips, dips laid neatly beside awaiting hungry guests to feast on throughout the night. Gold and red seemed to be the theme as mile long banners decorated every wall and door wishing all patrons a 'Happy New Year!'

The party had been a tradition even from the first year in which they had been cursed, 28 years later and here they were. Everyone now realized who they were but couldn't help sticking to some parts of their old lives, it allowed them to hold on to some sense of normalcy in a world currently upside down.

After filling her empty glass with some of Granny's 'special' fruit punch, reserved only for the adults with strong livers, she slowly turned to survey the scene before her. Many tables had been moved in order to create a makeshift dance floor in the middle of the diner which, surprisingly to Regina, was currently occupied by the dwarf known as Grumpy and his true love Astrid. Regina smirked at the obvious irritation on the usually cheery Blue Fairies face; although she would never admit it out loud she silently cheered the pair on. Whilst Grumpy had been somewhat less than cordial when addressing the former Evil Queen she could identify the source of his rage for she had cast a curse in retaliation to losing the one she loved forever.

Snow White and her insipid husband were practically eating each other's faces in a dark corner of the room, bile rose in her throat as she watched the 'golden couple', it was made worse when she noticed the looks of awe radiating from her idiotic best friend and Granny. It was a vile display and she wished for nothing more than another sleeping curse in that moment to spike Snow's drink with.

Tearing her eyes away she found her son once more to be sat with a group of his classmates but no Emma Swan...that's funny, she could have sworn the woman had been there only moments before she had turned for a refill. Scanning the room quickly she found the woman to be missing as the bellowing voice of David Nolan could be heard travelling across the room and louder than the current headache inducing song that Ruby had put on.

"Okay everyone, here is your ten second warning, grab your partner for the traditional New Year's kiss," Regina almost vomited in her mouth when she noticed the sickeningly sweet way his arms wrapped around Snow White before nuzzling their noses together...disgusting.

This was the part of the night that saddened her the most, she would watch as the townsfolk would couple off ready for the countdown. Even before the curse broke she had never experienced the sheer joy that seemed to emanate from bringing the new year in with a kiss, it was something she loathed to admit but longed to experience.

Looking around again at the displays of affection before her she couldn't help but somehow miss the shock of unruly blonde curls that had become a permanent fixture in her life now, where could she be?

She hadn't heard the movement from behind her and barely registered the pair of strong arms that trailed around her waist to interlock conjoining hands. What she did recognise though was the absolutely intoxicating scent of Emma Swan, turning slowly she found herself to be lost within forest green eyes.

"Wh...what are you doing?" the question came out as a breathy whisper as she realised just how close the blonde was to her, a slight upwards turn of her face would surely result in their lips brushing together. The sheer close proximity of the younger woman was causing her brain to short circuit as her hands rose of their own accord to clutch shapely arms.

Emma simply smiled in return as the countdown started.

"10...9...8...7..."

"I'm doing what someone should have done a long time ago Madame Mayor..."

"4...3...2...1..."

The sound of rapturous applause and cheers of 'Happy New Year' was lost on the unlikely pair as their lips joined together finally after months of subtle glances and lingering touches, Regina felt as though she was floating above the ground. Their lips never moved but it was absolutely perfect and completely breath-taking.

Reluctantly the blonde pulled away with a smirk as she began to sink into the shadows once again, leaving a parting "Happy New Year Regina..." and then she was gone.

"Happy New Year Emma..."