Happily Ever Afters
The warm spring breeze whispered through curly blonde hair bringing the smell of the salty sea air with it as Emma Swan strolled down the boardwalk by the dock. She dumped her paper mug in a trash bin having finished the hot chocolate with cinnamon that Ruby had so graciously made to go. Emma liked her walks alone. They gave her time to think. Tonight felt particularly peaceful. The town was back, and they'd defeated the Wicked Witch.
Emma was getting ready to head back to the apartment when she heard a long, deep sigh. She turned her head back towards the dock and saw none other that the mother of her son. Regina was staring out over the water, the moonlight reflecting off her hair. Emma walked toward her smiling, until she saw Regina's face. It conveyed an emotion Emma knew Regina had felt all too often in her life: disappointment. Emma's face fell.
The two women had become more than allies while co-parenting their ever growing son. They'd become friends. Maybe not best friends, but friends surely. They had always had to team up to defeat the bad guy, united by the one thing they'd always had in common: their son. And, no doubt, they'd team up again whenever the next catastrophe presented itself. At this thought, the corners of Emma's mouth coiled up, unable to stop the momentary happiness at the progress her and Regina had made.
Regina noticed as Emma walked up to the bench where she sat, brown eyes meeting green. Regina offered an unconvincing smile in greeting that Emma saw past in an instant. Emma sat down next to Regina and smiled gently back.
"Ok, what happened?" Emma asked, giving that smirk reserved especially for Regina. Regina turned, looking slightly offended. Emma knew it was half-hearted.
"Hello to you too, Emma. What would make you think something's wrong?" Regina replied, once again not convincing Emma in the slightest. Emma shot her a "really?" look, and Regina sighed.
"Come on! Out with it, Mills," Emma said, smiling and nudging Regina with her elbow. Regina chuckled.
"If you must know, Ms. Swan, I was on a date. The man was supposedly of noble birth in the Enchanted Forest but you wouldn't know it by his manners and crass attitude," replied the Queen, smiling sadly. Emma frowned.
"Why? Did he try anything funny?" Emma asked tensing. Regina lay a hand softly on the red leather clad arm.
"Easy there, Savior. No, he didn't. He was less than appropriate though. Hardly enough for a harassment claim, but deeply unpleasant nonetheless," said Regina. Emma relaxed but the frown remained on her face. Regina had gone on a few dates since things had quieted down and all of them had been less than satisfactory.
"I'm sorry, Regina. That's rough," Emma said, sighing. Regina grinned slightly at the blonde's pathetic excuse for a comforting statement.
"Maybe I should stop," said Regina after a moment's silence.
"What do you mean?" asked Emma.
"Perhaps Henry's the only happy ending I get. After all, Daniel's long gone. Maybe he was my True Love and now…" Regina was cut off.
"Don't talk like that!" interrupted Emma to Regina's surprise, "You deserve a happy ending as much as anyone else in this god damn town. In fact, you probably deserve it more than some, because you haven't just become not evil, you've become a hero and proven that on multiple occasions. Your happy ending's out there somewhere, Regina, you just gotta hold on long enough to find it." Regina smiled that soft smile, the one that came with that look only ever given to Henry and Emma. It used to be only for Henry until Emma wormed her way into the Evil Queen's stone-cold heart.
"I'm scared," came the whispered reply.
"There you go, telling the truth again," replied Emma, the two women grinded widely at each other.
"What about Robin?" asked Emma after a moment. Regina rolled her eyes.
"What is with the Charming women suggesting Robin Hood for me? If you like him so much, you go after him!" said Regina.
"Eh, not my type," said Emma flatly.
"What is your type then?" Regina asked, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow, "Glorified sperm donors? Oh no! How about flying monkeys!" The brunette's laughter filled the night air.
"Really? The only way I can get you to feel better is at my expense?" said Emma good-naturedly. Regina's laughter faded.
"You should know by now that jokes at your expense always make me happy, dear," replied Regina, chuckling.
"Ok, ok! Haha," Emma said, rolling her eyes, "Common, I'll take you home." Regina, still giggling, took the arm Emma offered and allowed herself to be walked home, her mood significantly lightened compared to the end of her unfortunate date.
Two weeks later, Emma found herself bored. It was only 9 o'clock so she grabbed a bottle of wine from the kitchen and made her way over to Mifflin Street. As she walked, Emma smiled. She realized she was actually willingly going to see Regina and she was happy about it. Not only that, but Regina would be happy to have her. Emma had never really had a real friend, and she figured Regina hadn't either. It was a nice concept, knowing that if she was bored she could just pop over to Regina's and chat.
The thoughts flew away when she turned up the walkway and saw Regina sitting on the stoop. She was wearing a dark blue dress with a gold necklace and heels. Her legs were stretched out in front of her and crossed at the ankles. She was staring at the ground. Emma slowed her pace, allowing Regina time to notice her. It was one of Emma's many skills, reading Regina. She knew the brunette couldn't be pushed or rushed into talking. She had to let Regina decide when. Sure enough, the not-so-Evil Queen looked up and wordlessly offered Emma the spot on the stair next to her. Emma plopped down unceremoniously.
"What's up?" Emma asked tentatively, earning a shrug in response, "Hey. How 'bout we crack this open and talk inside?" Emma suggested showing her the bottle of wine. Regina nodded. Emma got up and offered Regina a hand up. She took it and let herself and Emma into the house. After pouring the wine and sitting at the island in the middle of the kitchen Regina finally spoke.
"I had a date with Mr. Hood this evening," she began.
"Oh no, Regina. Did it not go well?" asked Emma, concern taking over her features. Regina fell silent again and sipped at her wine, as if formulating her answer.
"Actually…it was lovely. Perfect by most people's standards," replied Regina. Emma paused.
"Well, great. Why do you seem so down then?" asked Emma, clearly confused.
"Because it was perfect," Regina said.
"Uhhh, you do know the definition of the word perfect don't you, Regina?" said Emma. Regina's face hardened with annoyance.
"Yes, I know what is means, Emma!" she said, swatting the blonde's arm.
"Ow!" chuckled Emma, "Than what's the problem?" Regina swallowed the remaining contents of her glass and Emma went to refill it. There was another moment of silence as Regina swirled the wine in her newly refilled glass.
"…Because maybe I didn't want it to be perfect…" began Regina, "Maybe I wanted him to be just as bad as the rest…"
"What?" asked a flabbergasted Emma, "Regina, you're not even making sense. Why would you go out with someone just to find flaws in them?"
"Because maybe…maybe I was comparing him to someone else…" whispered Regina.
"Oh, great! Who is he?" asked Emma.
"He," repeated Regina, shaking her head.
"She?" said Emma, getting no reply, "Ok…who are they?" Regina turned to Emma, tears in her eyes. Concerned, Emma wrapped her arms around Regina.
"Shh, it's ok," she cooed, leading Regina into the living room and onto the couch. Regina curled into Emma's side, crying.
"Someone I know doesn't want me like that," came the muffled reply. Emma furrowed her brow and picked Regina's shivering form off her shoulder. Regina sat up and Emma got off the couch, getting on her knee in front of Regina. Emma took Regina's hands in her own and looked the brunette square in the face.
"Who in this whole world or the other would be so incredibly stupid to not want you?" Emma asked slowly.
"Careful what you say about said person," Regina replied cryptically. Emma shook her head, squeezing Regina's hands.
"Regina, listen to me. You are smart, beautiful, loving, and yes, you are good. No matter what anyone says. You are an amazing friend and an even more amazing mother. Anyone, and I mean anyone, would be so insanely lucky to call you their own. Now who's hurting you?" Emma whispered the last part. Regina hurting hurt her too. Regina's eye's moved from their joined hands to meet Emma's deep green eyes. Blood red lips parted.
"You are," they whispered. Emma blinked, not sure she heard Regina correctly.
"I am?" a nod, "You…you have…feelings for me?" Regina dropped Emma's hands, getting up and moving to leave to room.
"I can't…" she started, "I'm sorry, I can't watch you leave me." Emma raced after Regina. She caught her by the wrist at the bottom of the stairs.
"No! Regina, I'm sorry. You misunderstood me. It just caught me by surprise," Regina turned to face Emma, tears once again in her eyes.
"Don't you leave me too," Regina all but whimpered. Emma's heart broke at those words and her hand came up to cup Regina's cheek.
"Never." Replied Emma confidently, "Regina, I had no idea, but if I had, do you know how long ago I would have made you mine?" Regina sniffed but managed a grin.
"Emma?" Emma placed a finger to Regina's mouth, effectively shushing her.
"I have known from the moment I met you, and I said to myself that one day, if even for a moment, you'd be mine. Regina, you're my happy ending. You and our son," said Emma. Regina was so overcome with emotion that all she could do in reply was answer with a sweet kiss. Emma reciprocated, her arms snaking around Regina's waist, smiling all the while. Emma opened her mouth to speak, but this time Regina shushed her.
"I know. You don't have to say it. Tell me in a thousand kisses," smiled Regina, allowing her arms to encircle Emma's neck. Emma kissed her again, reveling in the feeling.
"Oh no, Ms. Mills, you'll be getting far more than a thousand," replied Emma, pressing their foreheads together.
"Good."