Title: Modern Royals
Rating: T, could possibly change to M!
Pairing(s): Emma/Regina (viva la Swan Queen), Snow/Charming, Rumpel/Belle. Others to come. They will be showcased rarely, just in interviews surrounding our little SQ family.
Show/Fandom: Once Upon a Time (a hint of Modern Family)
Author's note: Basically this is an idea I've had for a while. The idea of cameras, Modern Family style, following around the "Royal Family" was too good to pass up. It will feature other characters, like you'll see below in various interview type scenarios. But the story is all Swan Queen. And it will run for five(?) or so chapters. I'll see where my muse takes me. This is my first official and proper time writing for OUaT and SQ, so, here we go...
Here's a disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own anything but the writing. This is just for fun.
Summary: Emma and Regina decide to have their lives documented by a film crew.

CHAPTER ONE

Regina scowled at the various men and women who had crowded her home, each holding some piece of equipment she didn't care to name. Wires, cameras, extension cords - everywhere, her expensive hardwood floors were becoming scratched and it caused a tingling sensation to buzz at her fingertips.

"Just put that there," a voice - Emma's, guided. "Yeah, woah, woah! Watch the crystal! There- there you have it!"

Descending from the staircase Regina focused her death glare on her wife, the blonde turning with lips twisting knowingly.

Emma approached and laid a hand on Regina's arm, pleased when it wasn't pushed away. "So, we are really doing this, huh?" She asked with that exhaling laugh and quick smile that made Regina's insides melt, her thoughts momentarily distracted from what was going on around them.

However as the clank from yet another box grabbed her attention, her lips curled downward. "Yes," she answered, musing, really, "I suppose so."

~ Four hours later ~

The Swan-Mills Residence
Emma and Regina

On the couch within the mansion's main living room, Emma sat slouched with Regina, as regal as ever, sitting beside her. Opposite them stood a large camera, behind it a balding middle-aged man, and beside him, a blonde woman with a pen and notepad and a phone pressed against her ear.

"Sit up."

Scrunching her eyebrows, Emma pulled herself up somewhat. "What?" She asked and mimicked Regina's whispered tone. What, they couldn't talk aloud now?

"I said," Regina began, lips held tight, as if she wasn't speaking at all. "Sit. Up."

The sternness in the voice that was once only used as the Evil Queen, had Emma sitting up, a look of protest and annoyance coating her features. "This is my house, I thought I'd be allowed to sit however the hell I like." She muttered while shifting her weight from one side to the other and then finally settling in an awkward medium.

Regina's lips tightened even more but there was no hiding the amusement dancing in her eyes. "Dear, this will be broadcasted to a lot of people, I don't want them to think I married a slob."

Momentarily taken aback, Emma grumbled. "Fine, well…" She wracked her brain for something to toss back but instead her eyes found Regina's cleavage, which she found showed far too much for her liking. Especially if they were going to be on TV in front of untold millions.

"Hey!" Regina yelped and caught the attention of all those in the room.

Emma had launched herself across her lap in attempt to button at least two of the buttons that were currently open and revealed more than what she was comfortable with. Certain assets were not for an audience.

"Hey yourself," came Emma's hiss. "You may have married a slob but I did not marry the Evil Queen, I married Regina." Gesturing to Regina's chest, she huffed loudly. "Put those away!"

The blonde woman, catching the interaction before her, hung up mid-sentence and grinned as she leaned in towards the cameraman. "Start rolling."

Interview:
The Charming Residence
Snow and David

Sat timidly at the kitchen table within the loft, Snow offered a terse smile at the camera being pointed in her direction. Beside her Charming reached a hand across in attempt to soothe her nerves. It did little, but it did have a calming affect and she found herself shaking a little less.

"So," the authoritative blonde beside the cameraman spoke, "how long have you two been married?"

"I…" Charming murmured.

"Well…" Snow uttered around the same time.

The pair turned to look at one another with looks mirroring the other's; confusion.

Interview:
The Swan-Mills Residence
Emma and Regina

"How long have you two been married?"

"Almost a yea-"

"About eight months," Emma butted in, body slouched forward and hands clasped against her knees.

Regina turned with a look that made Emma feel like she should have left the buttons on her shirt open, because she was damn sure that was all she was getting for the next few months.

"Almost a year." Emma corrected, swallowing hard as Regina folded her arms and looked ahead with a cold stare.

Interview:
The Charming Residence
Snow and David

"There was that almost year before the curse." Snow pointed out in memory.

Charming nodded in agreement. "And the twenty-eight years within the curse," he added.

"How long has it been since the curse broke?"

"Uh… almost three years?"

Both turned back with eyes facing their audience.

"About thirty or so years." Charming informed the blonde woman sheepishly whereas Snow kept eyeing the camera curiously.

With an arched brow the blonde lowered her gaze to the notepad on her thigh and with her pen crossed out what she had originally written.

Interview:
The Swan-Mills Residence
Emma and Regina
Married One Year

Regina, still miffed that Emma had remembered their anniversary incorrectly, avoided all and any little touches her wife threw her way. From the hand on her thigh to the scooting closer, she rebuffed them all. Which only left Emma frustrated, Regina knew she wasn't good with dates!

"Regina…" Emma began, exasperated if anything. And she kept glancing towards the camera, too, knowing it was all being picked up and feeling nervous that it was, but the blonde lady - whose name was apparently Leah - insisted she act as if they weren't there.

Before Emma could embarrass herself further, Regina gave Leah her best one thousand watt, dazzling smile. "Next question."

Interview:
The Charming Residence
Snow and David
Married thirty or so years, give or take a curse

"Gosh, our favourite activity to do together?" Snow repeated Leah's question with eyes lighting up at all the possibilities that came to mind.

Charming was content in just looking at his wife, smiling from ear to ear, with an answer on how merely being around her was enough for him at the tip of his tongue.

Interview:
The Swan-Mills Residence
Emma and Regina

Mulling over the latest question, Emma quirked her eyebrow and leaned forward with a curious and genuine expression. "What's this thing rated?"

"Oh, for the love of-"

"What?" She snapped back up in time to watch Regina remove her microphone and slip angrily out of the room.

The slamming of the door made all three jump and with a wince, her face contorting as if she had been caught between the doorframe, Emma gestured to the notepad and cleared her throat. "Next question."

Interview:
The Charming Residence
Snow and David

Snow was the first to answer, after a long moment of being silent and thinking. "We like taking walks," she offered, smiling fondly.

"But taking back kingdoms and going up against evil queens is kind of our thing."

"Oh, yes!" Snow's eyebrows rose significantly at her husband's words and she pointed to Leah's notepad. "Write that down."

Interview:
The Swan-Mills Residence
Emma

"So, how are things between your wife and mother?"

Emma exhaled a gust of air, now that was something that was still being worked on. Even after eight- almost a year! of marriage. Unlike the other questions it made Emma stop and think. Really think.

Interview:
The Charming Residence
Snow and David

Snow smiled as a freshly made cup of cocoa was set on the table in front of her. In thanks she kissed David and then wrapped her fingers around the delightfully warm mug. The question that came, however, had her stopping just before she was about to drink the liquid.

Interview:
The Swan-Mills Residence
Emma

"Better," Emma finally answered. "I mean, we all had a family dinner not too long ago and no one was cursed, so I'd say that was a good day."

"What was that like?" The voice beside the camera asked - Leah.

Now that Regina wasn't around to reprimand her, Emma got comfortable and sat back with an arm resting lazily against the side.

"Uh…"

Interview:
The Charming Residence
Snow and David

"It was pretty good, actually. Regina's a great cook, I've always been fond of her lasagna."

"You never say that about my lasagna."

"Huh, what?" As if he had been in a daydream, Charming snapped out of his thoughts and instead focused on Snow. Then, remembering what he had said, furrowed his brow. "No, I love your lasagna."

Not believing him, Snow gave a look that said as much and then once again returned her gaze towards the camera. "Yeah, it was nice. The whole family was there." She smiled in memory but the grip on David's hand had tightened.

Interview:
The Swan-Mills Residence
Henry

With his feet stretched out on the coffee table in front of him, Henry, having just hit fourteen, sat with arms crossed, head comfortable against the back cushion, and his face on the woman asking the questions. Looking thoughtful, he began to voice his thoughts.

"Well, I saw Mom trying to put something into Grams' soup," he explained. "And it wasn't salt."

~ Three days before ~

The Swan-Mills' home was packed, or at least as packed as it could be when usually it only held three residents. Tonight it held many. Snow and Charming. As well as Rumpel, Belle and Neal.

The dining room had each sitting, all talking animatedly while Regina stood in the kitchen preparing the starter meal - vegetable soup.

But for Snow White, well, she had other plans.

Unknown to her Henry stood at the kitchen's entrance and when his mother retrieved a vial from her apron pocket, he gestured for his other mother to come. And quick.

"Excuse me." Removing herself from the table and walking with little grace to where her son stood, Emma rolled her shoulders. "What's a matter, Kid?"

After pointing inside the kitchen Henry watched as Emma, wide-eyed and in a state of panic, raced inside and replaced the vial of purple glowing liquid in Regina's hand with the salt shaker.

"No curses tonight," she whispered loudly, "seriously."

She could only guess as to who Regina had planned on using it on.

Interview:
The Swan-Mills Residence
Emma

"Like I said," Emma sat up a little straighter, fidgeting, "no one was cursed."

Suddenly Emma felt the weight of a thousand pairs of eyes on her and as if Regina was sitting beside her, sat up even straighter with her hands folded on her lap politely.

"Regina was well behaved, she didn't eye the sharp utensils once."

Interview:
The Swan-Mills Residence
Regina

Throwing her eyes up at the memory, she shook her head and neatly crossed one leg over the other.

"I had to hide the fireball under the table."

Emma shimmied out of her jeans with a yawn and left them on the dresser. While looking in the mirror, Regina's form visible behind her as she laid in bed with a book, she watched her for a moment. It was in those moments, where Regina was merely Regina, that she loved her the most - in a silk pyjamas with glasses on her face and deeply engrossed in the literature she held.

She was exhausted. The past week had weighed on her heavily as she wondered if she wanted to document her family's life in the form of a TV series titled Modern Royals. It had been a week of back and forth and back and forth until eventually it was agreed upon.

Emma had to admit - it did make for interesting television.

Down to her boy shorts and tank top - she had made sure to remove the bra - she pulled back the duvet and climbed into her side of the bed. Another yawn rolled off her lips and with her side too cold for her liking, she moved in towards Regina who, other than a quiet exhale, made no attempt to even acknowledge her presence.

So Emma stretched out, laying almost diagonally with an arm around Regina's thighs and her head on her lower abdomen. Her wife had to reposition her arms and book and after a moment of moving, it was still. It was comfortable; familiar.

Emma drew lazy circles on the side of a silk covered thigh and with eyes drooping, murmured, "you said I was a slob."

The statement was hardly a jab, just a comment. But it was said in such a small voice that Regina peered over her glasses and down at the almost sleeping beauty. "I did," she agreed. "But you also assaulted me over cleavage."

Usually Emma would have made an argument, turned around, looked up and protested, but she couldn't find the strength to. She sighed against her stomach instead. "You stormed out."

Now closing the book, Regina discarded it along with her glasses onto the bedside table. She had it in her mind that she would avoid Emma and teach her a lesson about sharing their intimate activities to strangers, and on TV no less. But instead she found her fingers had nestled in blonde hair and were stroking soothing patterns that had evened out her partner's breathing.

"I didn't appreciate the rating comment. What we do in our bedroom is only for us to know."

Emma used the arm wrapped around Regina to give a gentle squeeze. The repetitive pattern of fingers in her hair made it almost impossible to open her eyes. They were heavy, like an anchor pulling her into the lull of sleep. "You knew that I didn't have a filter when you married me," she mumbled through the pull of unconsciousness and planted a lazy kiss to her clothed stomach.

Regina smiled. She wouldn't admit it, but Emma's… colourful, vocabulary, was one of the traits she adored about the woman. Like Emma herself it was so rebellious yet surprising. And sometimes, downright stupid.

When Regina didn't answer, Emma poked her head up, eyes staring at her through narrow, sleepy slits. "You still mad at me?"

Regina guided Emma's head back into place and resumed the action of running her fingers through her hair. "Not entirely, no." She answered truthfully. "But you seem very tired so perhaps I'll be mad tomorrow instead."

"Tomorrow is good." Emma was fading. Fast.

"But we do have that appointment tomorrow," Regina reminded her.

As if Emma could even forget such a thing. She may be terrible at dates but she would never forget that date.

"Right," she agreed sleepily. "The day after tomorrow? We can schedule you to be mad at me then."

Regina pondered the idea and then pulled a few strands of hair away from Emma's forehead. There she rubbed her fingers affectionately across the skin. "We can put it on the calender." A smile in her voice, she nodded among herself.

Emma nuzzled her face against Regina's stomach yet again, though this time her own harboured butterflies. She pressed another kiss, still lazy, to the fabric, and then used the last of her strength to move off her wife and instead pull her into her arms. She spooned Regina and they both laid there comfortable in the silence as two hearts beat as one and sleep claimed them.

While, through the door's tiny open space, the cameras were all too happy to capture the tender moment between Storybrooke's Saviour and reformed (almost) Evil Queen.