Prompt: Swan Queen proposal
The sun shone bright through the crisp morning air as Regina walked hand in hand with her girlfriend down the main street of Storybrook towards Granny's and their usual morning coffee stop. She looked down as she felt a little body thump into her legs.
"Regina!" an equally little voice chimed, and shining smile spread across Regina's face at the sight of little Roland's beaming face that was peeping up at her through his vice like grip on her legs.
"Hi Roland," Regina smiled down at the boy. "Where's your daddy sweetie?" The little black haired toddler looked around and pointed and both women looked up to see Robin running towards them, pushing a stroller in front of him, a sheepish and apologetic grin on his face. Regina felt the blonde's hand tighten slight around her own as her smile tightened.
"Sorry ladies," Robin smiled. "He saw you Regina and kind of just took off when I wasn't looking."
"You should keep a closer eye on him," Emma said, but her shadowy tone went unnoticed by either adult as Regina just chuckled besides her.
"I saw you, and I missed you so I wanted to say hello and surprise you," Roland grinned up at the brunette, his arms still hugging her tight.
"Well I miss you too sweetheart. It was certainly a lovely surprise." Robin detached his son from the mayor's legs and the little five year old looked up at her, frowning.
"If Mommy is gone," he said, "does that mean you and Papa are going to be happy with each other again?" he asked. The smile slid from Regina's face and she felt Emma stiffen besides her. Despite the fact that they had been together ever since Regina and Henry had saved her from the darkness, Emma had never felt her relationship was more vulnerable than when Robin and Roland showed up, despite all Regina's declarations that she had nothing to worry about.
"Roland, you shouldn't go asking questions like that," Robin said. "Regina I'm sorry. He still doesn't really understand and…" Regina waved away the rest of his apology and released Emma's hand so that she could lower herself to the child's level.
"Roland honey," she said, a sad little smile on her face, "just because your Mommy is gone, doesn't mean your Papa and I are going to be together. Your Papa has you and your baby sister to worry about and I am with Emma now." Roland's frown only deepened.
"But, you and Papa love each other. And you both love me. Doesn't that make us a family?" Regina sighed.
"We do both love you honey. A great many people love you. But I have to look after my own family. I have to look after Henry and Emma just as your Papa has to look after you and your sister. But we can still be friends, okay?" Roland seemed to consider this for a moment.
"Promise?"
"I promise." Roland launched towards her, wrapping his little arms around her in his best imitation of a bear hug considering his size, making the woman chuckle.
"Come on Roland," Robin said once his son had release the woman. "Let's leave these two lovely ladies to their day." With one last cheeky grin and a big wave, the outlaw family were gone.
Emma remained rather quiet for the rest of the day, something that did not go unnoticed by either her girlfriend or he son. After repeated claims that she was simply tired, Regina let the subject drop, knowing that pushing the blonde into giving up more information than she was ready to would only cause her to snap and lash out, before withdrawing even further into her walled off little hole that seemed only to have deepened ever since she had become the dark one. Even though it had been over a year since they had saved her, that dark little impenetrable hole was a place she still retreated to when hurt. They sat on the couch after dinner, Henry upstairs no doubt buried in his latest comic or texting Ava as he did most nights these days, and as usual Regina opened her arms to the blonde for her to settle herself into them as they watched the latest episode of Orphan Black. Emma proffered a half hearted smile and sat next to her, making the older woman only frown and place her hands down neatly in her lap. As Emma flicked on the TV and proceeded to search through the viewing programme to find BBC America Regina took the other woman's hand in her own, figuring that if she couldn't have her girlfriend in her arms, she could at least have her hand in hers. After a few minutes however, Emma removed her hand, making a show of scratching her nose and then placed it primly back in her lap. Regina's frown deepened. Emma was usually a fan of physical contact, so much so that Regina had, after they had come out as a couple, had to set a few boundaries in place regarding public displays of affection. This need for human contact was only ever amplified when the blonde was tired or upset; the only thing she would want was to curl up in the brunette's arms and doze, comforted by the feeling of her light fingers trailing through her hair. The only time she withdrew like this was when Regina had done something wrong.
"What have I done?" Regina asked, her voice uncharacteristically small. "I've upset you," she said as Emma looked round frowning at her. "What have I done wrong?"
"You haven't done anything wrong," Emma said, a forced smile pulling itself across her face.
"Emma, please don't insult my intelligence by lying to me," Regina snapped, a steel edge seeping its way into her voice. Her expression softened slightly and she smiled sadly. "I can only fix it if you tell me what it is that I have done wrong you know." Emma looked down at her hands.
"You're going to be annoyed at me," she mumbled.
"Emma, please," Regina said, tucking a strand of gold behind the woman's ear. "I don't like seeing you upset." Emma looked up at eh other woman's touch.
"Do you still have feelings for Robin Hood?" Regina frowned, her hand dropping.
"Of course not," she scoffed. "Would I really be here if I did? Would I have asked you to move in with me if I had feelings for Robin?"
"You told Roland that you missed them both," Emma said, ignoring the brunette's assurances. "Now that Zelena is gone and there is no Marion isn't there some part of you that thinks it would be easier, would be better if you were with them? He is your 'soul mate' after all." Regina rolled her eyes. They had been over this more times that she could count since they had started their relationship after Regina had helped her recover from all that had happened whilst she had been the dark one. Saving Emma, thinking she might loose her son's other mother forever, and helping her trough the aftermath of all that had happened had made Reina realise that her 'happy ending' had been staring her in the face for years now. It had taken nearly loosing it for her to see that.
"For God's sake Emma we have been over this," Regina sighed. "No, I do not want to be with Robin Hood. I want to be with you. Fate, soul mates, other people's predestined plans for me, that is what has been persistently screwing me over my entire life. I don't choose him Emma, I choose you."
"Perhaps you should have chosen him," Emma grumbled. "The honourable thief would be better for you than the dark swan."
"Believe me Emma, I have no desire to live in a tent in the middle of the forest. I am a queen, and a little more refined. I am quite happy in the Mayoral Mansion thank you very much. And as for the 'Dark Swan', frankly my dear, nothing she did, I didn't do or dream of doing and it all pales in comparison with what Rumple did."
"You still said you miss them," Emma said quietly.
"No," Regina snapped, frustration simmering in her chest, coming incredibly close to boiling point in her chest. She pinched the bridge of her nose between her forefinger and thumb, taking a deep breath in an attempt to lower the heat simmering inside of her.
"I told a confused and traumatised five year old that I missed spending time with him because he ran up to me and gave me a hug. You are reading far too much into this Emma."
"And what about those doe eyed looks Robin shoots you when he thinks I can't see at Grannies? Am I reading too much into those?" Emma snapped, her voice raising with her temper.
"A look means nothing if it isn't returned."
"Well how do I know you don't return them when my back is turned?"
"Because I want to marry you, you idiot!" Regina shouted. Emma simply stared at her, gaping. Regina sighed heavily and ran a hand over her face. "This was not how I had planned on doing this," she mumbled. When she looked up however she was smiling all the same, that little disbelieving incredulous smile that she did whenever Emma surprised her, or when she acted like an excited toddler. It was a smile that only Emma and Henry were privy too, a smile that conveyed one thing and one thing only, pure, unadulterated and unconditional love.
"Emma, when I say that I choose you, I mean it. I choose you, if you'll have me. Fate, pixie dust, soul mates, they have all screwed me over more times than I can count." Regina's eyes shone as she struggled to hold back the tears that were begging to be shed as she took the still silent blonde's hands in her own. "You are the only one who has always had my back, who has always believed in me, even when I am not sure I deserved it. You do and always have seen me only as Regina, not as the Evil Queen. I trust you. You make me feel loved and needed and safe and like just maybe I am not as damaged as I have always believed myself to be. So yes. Even though it isn't how I had wanted to do it, I am telling you right here, right now, that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So, Miss Swan, will you marry me?" Emma laughed, tears falling freely down her cheeks. It was all she could do to nod, as she found her voice seemed to be caught in her throat. She took Regina's face in her hands and pulled her towards her. Their kiss tasted like salt water, and was all smiles and sweet gentle caresses between soft wine soaked lips on soft wine soaked lips. When they finally pulled back both women were crying, smiles stretched across their tear stained faces.
"I think it's not official until you say the word Miss Swan," Regina smiled, making Emma laugh again.
"Yes," she laughed. "Yes, Regina Mills. I will marry you."