Day 3 of 12 Days of Charming Family Christmas. I decided to a Scrabble future shot, mostly to show you that these two idiots will end up together at some point.
Emma's first Christmas hadn't been what they imagined. Between moving into their new house and Emma being so small, they were so busy. They barely managed to get up a small tree and exchanged gifts, but it had honestly been like any other day.
Her second, however, was different. Things had settled down, all of the boxes were unpacked in their house. Emma squirmed in her mother's arms as they picked out their tree together as a family. She was just over a year old and was very active. From the moment she was born, she was wiggly and quick, that only got worse once she learned how to crawl and she was now learning to walk as well. She kept reaching for the different trees, obviously planning on scaling the first one she could get her hands on.
"No, no, Emmy," Mary Margaret said, adjusting her in her arms.
"No," Emma repeated.
"Clever girl." David grinned over at his daughter and kissed her nose.
Emma smiled and reached her arms out for him. "Da-dee."
"Right here, princess." He took her into his arms and Mary Margaret shook her head, though a smile remained on her face.
"She is such a daddy's girl," she said.
"That she is. My little partner in crime."
"How about you and your partner in crime pick out a tree?"
David's smile remained and he wrapped an arm around Mary Margaret's waist as they surveyed the lot. Growing up, they would've just chopped down a tree on the farm. However, he didn't feel there were any good enough on their own farm. Besides, Mary Margaret had fond memories of going with her parents to pick out their tree, before Eva died.
Eventually, they walked past a tree they both agreed was beautiful. It was full and would fit the ornaments they had collected along the way. David leaned in close to inspect the inside and Emma latched onto a branch.
"Emma," he tried to give her a serious look and she gazed up at him with her big green eyes. "Hey now, those aren't fair, little missy." He managed to move her tiny hand from the limb and before she could fuss, Mary Margaret placed her favorite stuffed lamb in it.
Once they had paid, they were able to bring it home and settled Emma in her playpen. Mary Margaret opened the lid of decorations and grinned when she found the most recent ornament she had received, last year. While it had been lowkey, she and David had exchanged presents. He had the photo ornament made up for them, including a picture of the three of them. They stood in front of their snow covered house, Emma snug in her arms, wrapped up in her baby blanket.
"Can you believe she was ever that small?" She asked, showing it to David.
He shook his head. "She's grown up so fast, this past year has been such a crazy ride."
"Would you change anything about it?"
"Of course not." He pecked her lips. "I'm just glad we can actually enjoy the holidays this year."
They continued to decorate the tree, most of Mary Margaret's ornaments were the proper ones you'd expect. David's were homemade for the most part and came in a tiny box he had kept from his childhood. George had attempted to erase many of the evidence of their old life when they moved to Storybrooke, but he had hidden it from him. There was no way he would let him take away the few good memories he had left of his parents.
When they were done and the lights were plugged in, Mary Margaret lifted a half-asleep Emma from her playpen. They stood back, staring at in awe.
"It's empty for now," David said. "But in a few weeks, it'll be filled with presents."
"Definitely." Mary Margaret kissed his cheek. "For now, let's get this little sugar plum off to bed and we can do a little early celebrating of our own."
A twinkle fell over David's eyes. "Sounds good to me."
David was right, over the next few weeks, presents gathered beneath the tree. Despite Emma not being old enough to get Santa, they had decided to wait to put out her presents until then. It didn't stop from other people delivering their presents so Emma could open them the day of. A large portion came from Regina and Mallory, though there was quite the chunk from Gold and Belle as well. They didn't have any blood family to speak of, but Emma didn't lack for love, not even a little bit.
Christmas Eve, David came in from the fields to find Mary Margaret decorating cookies with Emma sitting next to her on the counter. The baby was wearing a Santa costume, complete with a little hat. They knew it was cheesy, but they were doing all they could to get in the Christmas spirit. David chuckled when he saw the cookies she had made. They were in the shape of Mickey Ears, being decorated in Christmas colors. Emma was distracted by nibbling on a cookie of her own that Mary Margaret had given her.
"These are so cute," David said.
"You know Disney is one of my favorite places. I can't wait until we get to take Emma."
"Maybe next Christmas."
Mary Margaret's eyes lit up. "Really?"
He shrugged. "Why not? Me and my girls, in the most magical place on Earth." He pulled Mary Margaret closer to him, making sure he also had a grip on Emma, as he kissed her.
She smiled. "Can you take her? I have to finish these up before I start getting my sides ready for tomorrow." They were all due to go to Regina's, where their makeshift family would all celebrate together after opening presents with their respective ones.
"Sure. I need to wrap one last present."
He winked, which just made Mary Margaret sigh. Every year, it was tradition that he and his brother would open one present Christmas year. Typically, they were holiday themed pajamas. It was a tradition he was keeping up with Mary Margaret, one she anticipated, but she hated the suspense of not knowing what he got her. Any other time, he would've dropped hints, but this Christmas was different.
Picking up Emma, he carried her upstairs. Technically, the present wasn't anything he needed to buy. It was something he kept in his sock drawer, just as he had in any other place he had lived. Lifting it out, he flipped open the lid and smiled at the emerald stone.
"What do you think, Ems?" He asked, bouncing her a bit. "Think Mommy will say yes?"
"Mama," Emma babbled, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I think I'll be lucky if she doesn't think I'm crazy for waiting so long."
Many people had questioned his sanity on that one. They had gotten together before Emma was born and it had been over a full year since. It wasn't as if they needed time to get to know one another, they had their entire lives. There was no doubting that they shared love. Yet, he wanted to wait for the right moment. No matter how he tried to plan it, nothing worked.
He couldn't wait anymore. He wanted to get married, he wanted to start that next step. They already had a daughter, a house, there were talks of a dog. It was finally time to walk down the aisle.
Later that evening, when a fire had been lit and Emma was changed into her early present (a pair of candy cane pajamas from Ashley), David and Mary Margaret sat on the couch together. She handed him a medium sized box, neatly wrapped in silver paper. He removed it and opened the lid, smiling at what was inside, a navy blue, fuzzy sweater.
"Mary Margaret, I love this, thank you." He always ran cold and tended to wear lots of layers.
"You're welcome, I saw it and thought of you."
He slid the sweater over his flannel shirt and passed her his gift. He wasn't the best at wrapping, but he had tried. So she wouldn't be suspicious, he had chosen elf giftwrapping. "Your turn."
She carefully unwrapped the gift, clearly intending on saving the paper. She raised an eyebrow when she saw the velvet box, it looked a little familiar. Flipping it open, she found Ruth's ring inside. A gasp escaped her lips and she looked up at David. He smiled and got down on one knee in front of her.
"Mary Margaret, I love you, I've been in love with you for years, I was just too silly to realize it. You have given me everything I ever wanted and more. We have a beautiful daughter, an amazing life together. There's just one thing missing," he tilted his head to the side. "Us finally being married." Her mouth was still open, staring at him with tears in her eyes. He took the ring from her. "You tried this on, when I moved into your loft. Now, I never want it off your finger." Slowly, he let out a deep breath. "Will you marry me?"
Mary Margaret slowly held out her hand and he raised an eyebrow. She hadn't answered him yet, had he? Had he somehow missed it? Even so, he slid it onto her finger and she held up her hand, smiling in spite of her tears.
"What do you think?" She asked. A wide smile went across his face and she pulled him up so she could cradle his face in her hands as they kissed. He moved so he was back together, his arms around her. "I love you, David."
"I love you too," he whispered, caressing her chin. "Always have, always will."
She gazed up into his eyes. "So, why wait?"
"Huh?"
"6:00 mass probably just let out, Archie would be free. The Golds, Regina and Mal didn't have any Christmas Eve plans." She shrugged. "Let's do it now, get married."
"We can't plan a wedding in 15 minutes."
"So, we'll have a bigger party later. I don't want to wait any longer. All I want for Christmas is for me to be your wife," she tilted her head to the side, just as he normally did. "What do you say, David? Will you marry me, tonight?"
He grinned. "I'd love to."
Making quick calls to the minister and their friends, they rushed around to get married. Mary Margaret had lost a majority of her baby weight, but didn't exactly have any white dresses that were fit for a wedding. She found the wine colored dress she had been planning on wearing to dinner the next evening and decided it'd be perfect. It wasn't as if her wearing white meant anything. David got himself ready in a navy blue button down and black slacks.
Then there was the matter of Emma. Every time they tried putting her in a dress, she threw a massive tantrum. Looking at each other, they could tell they were thinking the same thing. Why couldn't she wear her Santa costume? It was their wedding, whatever they wanted, went.
Regina managed to get the marriage certificate while Mal was in charge of flowers. David venmo'd Gold money to bring rings from his shop and Belle picked out passages for Archie to read. Henry, Baelfire and Gideon were also in tow as they showed up at their house. Everyone was wearing what they had before, nothing too fancy. David slid on his coat, standing next to Archie outside under the fairy lights they had strung at the beginning of the holiday season. Everyone else was gathered in chairs, Emma in Regina's arms. Mal reached over, pressing play on her phone so a soft instrumental song would play.
The French door opened and Mary Margaret walked out of the house. Her pea coat nearly matched the color of her dress and she was wearing her usual black beanie. As she walked across the snow covered grass, a bouquet of snowbells in her hands, David realized he had never seen a woman look as beautiful. His wedding to Kathryn had been too hectic for him to enjoy. This was relaxed, this was all about love.
She reached him, taking his hand and looking into his beautiful blue eyes. Archie smiled at the two, adjusting his notebook in front of him.
"Shakespeare says "Love is not love, which alters when alternation finds." It reminds me of one of my favorite bible passages. 1st Corinthians, chapter 13, verses 4 through 8. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails…And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. That is what we are here to celebrate, a love that has never altered or faded, one that was patient and waited until they were ready." Archie pushed his glasses up on his face. "They've had quite the road, but they've gotten there together."
David swung his and Mary Margaret's hands as she mouthed "I love you" to him. Archie said more and they were fairly certain that Regina was actually tearing up in the front row, but they seemed to only be able to pay attention to one another, until Gold stepped forward, handing Archie the rings.
"David, do you take Mary Margaret to be thy wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?" Archie asked.
David smiled, the answer was the easiest he had ever given, sliding the ring in front of the engagement one he had put on just an hour prior. "I do."
"Mary Margaret, do you take David to be thy wedded husband..."
It was the longest few seconds of her life as she listened to him repeat the same speech. "I do," she said, once it was over, sliding the ring onto David's left ring finger.
"By the power invested in me, by the state of Maine, I now pronounce you husband and wife."
"Can I kiss my wife now?" David asked.
Mary Margaret beamed. "You better."
David pulled her into his arms, kissing her passionately. Their friends stood up, clapping. Even Emma did, though she didn't know what she was clapping over. Regina carried her over to the newly married couple, placing her in their arms. She pulled out a camera, laughing slightly.
"About time, idiots," she said, snapping a picture.
Mary Margaret laughed while rolling her eyes, leaning into David. She gazed up into his eyes.
"Merry Christmas, David," she whispered.
"Merry Christmas, Mary Margaret." He kissed Emma's beanie clad head. "And Merry Christmas, Princess."
Through the years we all will be together
If the fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest place
So have yourself a merry little Christmas