"This is so awesome!"
"Look at this! Best Christmas ever!"
Regina can hear the cheerful voices from the living room. She can't tell who's more excited about their Christmas presents - her 14 year old son, or her grown up lover. Regina smiles to herself. Emma can be such a big kid sometimes but she loves it nevertheless.
Emma and Henry are still ooh-ing and aah-ing over their gifts while Regina fixes the three of them hot chocolate with whipped cream - and cinnamon on top of course. Regina didn't understand Emma and Henry's obsession with cinnamon, but since they finally convinced her to try it, she's been refusing to drink her chocolate any other way.
It's a calm Christmas morning, just like she had asked for. Regina loves Snow dearly but she isn't sure if she would have survived the whole Charming family at once, that early in the morning no less. So they've decided on lunch at the Charmings'; that she can live with.
She carries the three mugs with both hands (and remarkable ease) to the living room and sets two of them on the couch table, right next to where Emma and Henry are sitting on the floor, before setting herself on the couch, hands wrapped around the warm mug.
Emma looks up and smiles broadly when her eyes meet Regina's.
"I've made you some hot chocolate," Regina says with a smile of her own.
"Awesome! Thank you," Emma tells her while turning to look at the mugs. Her smile becomes wider when she notices the cinnamon. She nudges Henry's shoulder.
"Hey kid, do you notice anything different with our chocolates?"
Henry tears his eyes from his present and looks first at Emma, then at Regina, before he sees the mugs on the table. His lips curve in a smile, a bright one that reaches his eyes.
"Mom, are these cinnamon hearts?" he asks sheepishly.
"Maybe," Regina mumbles, bringing her own mug to her lips, purposely avoiding their eyes.
"I think they are, Henry. Your mom's so cheesy." Regina can hear the smirk in Emma's voice and she rolls her eyes.
Henry moves from his place on the floor and sits down next to Regina on the couch. "We love you too" he says and plants a kiss on her cheek.
Regina feels the couch dipping on her other side of her as well and then Emma kissing her other cheek. "Very much."
They sat there for a few moments, Emma's and Henry's heads resting comfortably on Regina's shoulders, enjoying each other's company. They feel happy, complete.
Suddenly Henry's head jerks up, startling both of his mothers.
"Mom! You haven't opened your present yet!"
That's true. The excitement the two of them - her two kids - had when they opened their presents was enough to make her heart flutter with happiness and she didn't even think about her own presents.
Henry gets up to retrieve a little flat box from under the tree and hands it to his brunette mother. Emma sits back a little. She glances at Henry, looking nervous.
Regina chuckles. "What's in that box that makes you this nervous, dear?"
"Just open it, will you?" Emma urges, looking at Regina intently.
"Okay, okay." Henry's still standing in front of them, watching as Regina unwraps the box and opens the lid. She slowly pulls out what first looks like a necklace. It has a pendant with a heart on it.
"We can do hearts too" Emma chuckles nervously.
"Emma, is that what I think it is? Is this a collar? For a - "
She doesn't get to finish her sentence because there's a knock on the door. Henry jumps up with an "I'll get it" and "Mom, you'll love her."
Regina raises an eyebrow, looking questioningly at the blonde who shrugs and motions to the door.
"Let's see who's at the door, shall we?" Emma passes Regina, avoiding eye contact. Regina follows her family to the front door, holding the collar that looks like it could belong to a dog.
Standing on the front porch are Snow White with a smiling baby Neal in her arms and her husband David - in his arms a small grey and white ball of fur with bright blue eyes.
Regina is stunned. She opens her mouth to say something but words won't come out.
"Regina," David starts, "this is Apples. Someone left her in a box on the steps of the pet shelter. She needs a home and Emma and Henry thought - "
" - the Swan Mills house would be a good idea," Regina finishes, still surprised, but suddenly feeling protective of the small dog. Her arm works on its own accord when she holds her hand out to it - to Apples. Apples takes the opportunity to sniff at her and then decides that there's no danger, she licks at her fingers.
Little Neal claps his hands and Snow excitedly says "She likes you, Regina."
Ignoring her former stepdaughter, Regina stretches both arms towards the dog. "Come here," she says and Apples goes willingly into her arms, looking content to stay there. "Let's get you inside, shall we?"
She turns and walks back into the house. The others exchange a curious look, clearly not having expected that.
Regina sets Apples down in the living room, the small dog immediately looks around in this new foreign environment. Regina kneels in front of her. "I guess this belongs to you," she says, holding up the collar.
Emma is on her knees next to Regina. She touches her arm carefully. "You're not mad?"
Regina looks up and questions "Why would I be mad?"
"Well, you know, for starters you didn't know about it and we didn't talk to you first and I know you don't really like surprises and I wasn't sure about how you feel about pets but Henry said you would be okay with it in the end and - "
Regina's lips are suddenly on Emma's with the intention to make her stop rambling. It works like a charm.
"So you're not mad?" Emma asks after they part.
"No," Regina says softly. "How could I be mad at such an adorable puppy?"
"Why do I have the feeling you don't mean the dog?" Emma smirks.
The brunette laughs lightly and pets Apples' head. "See, the moment David said this poor puppy," she says pointedly looking at the dog in front of her this time, "was found in a box all alone, and needed a home, I knew I couldn't be mad at anyone."
Emma looks at her in wonder and love, so much love.
"Thank you," she whispers affectionaly to Emma and then looks up at Henry who has followed them inside and repeats "Thank you."
The Charmings smile at the scene in front of them. Regina slides the collar around the dog's neck and gives her an extra pet.
"Merry Christmas. And welcome home, Apples."