To my dear readers,
I know many of you have been waiting for me to update 'The perfect life'. As you might've noticed, I all but abandoned that story which I am really sorry for. I wasn't content with what I'd written and felt bad about the unused potential. So, instead of giving you an update, I decided to rewrite the story. Most things will still happen as they did in the old version but you will see - and hopefully like - the differences I've made. I also decided not to have Henry adopted by Regina and Snow - I think it would've caused too much heartache and confusion, him having three moms, one of them his grandmother.
To the new and first readers of this story: You needn't bother about the paragraph above, just enjoy.
Here goes. Let me know what you think.
Yours, np
The cry of a small baby disrupted the quiet of the night, dark eyes immediately fluttering open at the still unfamiliar sound. She'd brought little Alexandria home only a few days ago and while these days surely belonged to the most exhausting of her whole life, until this very moment she'd also never been happier. She had a beautiful wife, and now a beautiful little family.
"I'll go," Regina tiredly murmured to the woman lying next to her, pressing a soft kiss to her pale cheek before stumbling out of the bed.
"Hey little princess," Regina cooed, looking at her daughter's crying face. Carefully – she still feared she would break the tiny human being she was responsible for – she took her into her arms, lightly rocking her back and forth. She knew the little one was neither hungry nor did she need her diaper changed for she'd done both a mere hour ago. "Are you feeling lonely?" The baby's tears had subsided and she was now curiously studying her. Slowly, Regina began to dance around the nursery, swaying Lexi in her arms and singing 'Rockabye baby'. Soon, she saw her eyes fall shut and her breathing slow. Smiling to herself, she basked in the moment for a short while before she laid her back down in her crib. With a last loving smile, she turned around to go back to bed when she noticed her wife's form in the doorway.
The full moon shining through the windows allowed Regina to see the look in her wife's eyes, a mixture of love, awe and lust.
"Thought I told you to get back to sleep," Regina mumbled, walking the few steps separating her from the love of her life.
"I know," the pale woman with the jet black hair replied, her green eyes looking magical in the moonlight. "I tried to. But then I heard you sing–"
"I'm sorry, I probably should've closed the door," Regina gave her wife an awkward smirk. "I know I'm not a great singer, I've been wondering why it seems to calm–"
Her words were cut off by lips softly brushing against her own.
"I find it terribly sweet, Gina. And so so sexy… I love your voice and I love it even more when you sing our daughter to sleep." Another kiss to Regina's lips, this one lingering – promising.
"Take me to bed?"
And instead of an answer, a pale hand caught hers and she found herself being pulled through the doorframe and back into their bedroom. Life was perfect.
3 years later
"Are you picking up Lexi later or do you want me to go?" Regina asked her wife during breakfast. Alexandria had started kindergarten a few weeks ago and was currently in a phase where she liked to pick out her clothes herself. And Regina and Snow – although sometimes quite horrified at their child's choices – usually let her. Currently, they were enjoying a typical Wednesday morning breakfast, just waiting for their little one to climb down the stairs.
"That would be great," Snow smiled at her wife. "We have a conference after school so I might be a little late. I'll come by your office as soon as I'm off?"
"Sure," Regina grinned mischievously, making the younger woman nervous.
"Why are you grinning at me like that Mrs. Mills?"
"Nothing, Mrs. Mills," Regina tried her best innocent look. "Am I not allowed to stare at my gorgeous wife?"
"You're up to something, aren't you?"
"Me? Never. You know me, love."
"Exactly."
They exchanged loving grins when Lexi bolted into the room.
"Did you pick your outfit for today, Lex?" Regina raised a brow at their three-year-old daughter.
"I did mommy. Come help?"
"Sure, I'll be up in a second, baby." Regina got up from her chair, Alexandria already thundering up the stairs again. She walked around the table and wrapped her arm around her wife's shoulder. "You got some jam on your nose," she stated, pointing at the beautiful pale face in front of her.
She watched as Snow rubbed her nose. "Better?"
"Not quite," Regina touched her pinky to her wife's nose and grinned.
"Oh no, you didn't," Snow looked at her wife with mock shock and anger. Regina had smeared jam all over the tip of her nose. "Wait till I get you!"
Laughing, Regina ran out of the room and up the stairs. "I could always kiss it better," she called back, Snow's laugh following her through the house. How she loved that laugh.
"So, what are we wearing today?" Regina, still grinning from ear to ear, stepped into her daughter's room. There, laid out on the bed, was Alexandria's favorite yellow dress, paired with pink rubber boots and a navy blue jeans jacket. Sometimes, she really wondered if their daughter was color blind.
"What do you think, mommy?" Lexi was sitting next to her creation, her legs dangling over the frame of her bed, a big toothy smile on her freckled face.
"I think you got your great fashion sense from your momma," Regina bent down in front of the little redhead and started helping her out of her pj's. "Just don't tell her I said that."
"Madame Mayor?" Pam Forbes, Regina's longtime secretary, cautiously stepped into the room. She knew her boss had had an exhausting day so far and the news she came with would only make it worse.
"What is it Pam?" Regina sounded tired and just a little snappy.
"Ms. Darling from the kindergarten called. Apparently Alexandria fell from the monkey bars and hit her head."
The mayor had rounded her desk in the fraction of a moment, her dark eyes panicky.
"They brought her to the hospital," Pam hurried to say. "She's fine but probably needs stitches."
"Stitches," Regina uttered, her face suddenly very pale. "I, I'll have to go. Cancel my appointments for the day?"
"Done," Pam said, pushing the mayor's car keys into her hands as well as her jacket. "I'll take care of it. Tell Lexi to get better soon."
"I will, thank you Pam." And then Regina hurried out of her office, shooting her wife a text on the way to her car. Ms. Darling knew to call her with minor emergencies as her wife couldn't just leave the classroom in the middle of a lesson. Still, Regina knew she'd want to know.
R: Lex fell, probably needs stitches. Don't worry though, we'll be fine. On my way to the hospital, will text you once I get there.
"Mommy!" Lexi jumped from the plastic chair she'd been waiting in as soon as her mom walked through the double doors of the hospital. Tears were streaming down her beautiful face, her green eyes red and puffy. A red and angry gash was adorning her pale forehead.
"Hey baby," Regina bent down and picked her up, Alexandria immediately burying her face in her mother's shoulder. "I heard you fell off the monkey bars."
"I did," Lexi sniffed, her little fists bundled in the fabric of Regina's shirt. "It hurts mommy."
"I know baby. But it'll be better soon. And when we're home, you and I will have a princess day, how about that?"
"Can we watch Sleeping Beauty?" Lexi's eyes lit up at the thought of spending the day with her mommy, watching Disney movies. Regina had only recently increased her workload – as a mayor she had duties and she couldn't work from her home office forever – and her daughter still hadn't adapted to the change. It made her extremely clingy but there wasn't another choice really.
"Sure. And I'll even make some cookies."
"Cookies do sound wonderful, don't they Alexandria?" the nurse who had waited with the young girl had approached the pair, giving the mayor a friendly nod. "Hi, I'm Shauna." Regina shook the blonde's hand. "Regina. Nice to meet you. And thank you for sitting with my daughter."
"It was my pleasure, Regina," the young nurse batted her eyelids at the mayor. "She is a sweet child." The nurse blushed under the older woman's intense stare. "The doctor is ready to see you, follow me."
"Kathryn," Regina smiled at her best friend upon entering the examination room. "I thought you were off today."
Lexi wriggled in her arms until Regina finally set her down. "Aunt Kathryn!"
"I am," Kathryn bent down to hug Lexi, kissing her freckled cheek before brushing a few strands of hair aside to take a first look at the wound. "But I heard of Lex's little accident and immediately came here. Only the best doctor for my little love, right?"
"Thank you," the brunette gratefully smiled at her friend.
"This'll definitely need some stitches," Kathryn eventually stated, exchanging a glance with Regina. Then she looked at her nurse. "Shauna, would you go and get Dr. Bear?"
"Of course," Shauna hurried out of the room, her arm not so accidentally brushing Regina's on her way out.
"Regina, really?"
"What?"
"Do you really have to flirt with my nurses?" Kathryn rolled her eyes at her best friend.
"Flirt?" Regina's eyebrows drew together in confusion. "I am doing no such thing, Kat."
"Relax Gina, it was a joke," Kathryn laughed and started to gently clean the gash on Alexandria's forehead. "Although I think Shauna really took a liking to you."
"She's probably just being nice," Regina answered right as the nurse in question reentered the room, a stuffed teddy with a stethoscope in her arms.
Regina watched as Lexi happily accepted Dr. Bear and was starting to listen for his heartbeat.
"Is there anything I can do for you, Madame Mayor?" Shauna asked, her tone suggesting so much more than just getting her a glass of water.
Regina felt as the blonde's blue eyes raked over her body and her cheeks turned hot. "No, thank you, I am mar- I am fine..." Regina blushed even more at her slip-up and both the doctor and the nurse grinned at her. "Well, you know where to find me if anything changes," the nurse shot her a meaningful look and left the room.
"Just being nice, Regina, uh-huh," Kathryn chuckled, amused at her friend's blush. Sometimes, she wondered how Regina and Snow had ever gotten together in the first place. Regina was really daft in things concerning romance. It had probably taken more than a few subtle hints on Snow's side.
"So, all done," Kathryn finally announced, grinning at her godchild. "You were really brave today, little Miss."
Lexi looked at her aunt with disbelief. She'd been so engrossed in Dr. Bear, that she hadn't even noticed Kathryn approach with the needle. And Alexandria really hated needles.
"All done?" she asked with a small voice.
"All done," Kathryn confirmed once again. "You look super badass. Now go and take your mommy home, I heard there's a movie waiting for you."
"I'm home," Snow called out upon entering their house in the early afternoon. She took off her coat and set aside her bag, ready to see her two favorite girls. She was about to walk into the living room, when arms wrapped around her waist from behind. Smiling to herself, she turned around in the embrace and gently kissed her wife on the corner of her lips. "I missed you," she whispered, giving Regina another peck.
"Missed you more," Regina felt herself sink into the deep green eyes and pulled her wife ever so much closer.
"How is she?"
"Tired but good as new," Regina buried her nose in Snow's black hair, inhaling deeply. "She fell asleep during the second time of 'Sleeping Beauty', I just took her up to her room."
"So we have some time, huh?" The younger woman grinned at her wife before placing a few kisses on her neck, earning herself a small moan. "I think I should remind you whom you belong to, before you're running away with the nurse."
"She told you!" Regina groaned, her face once more blushing at the mere memory. "I thought she was my best friend."
"She also told me how you were completely oblivious, Regina," Snow continued kissing her neck.
"I totally prefer you making googly eyes at me," Regina breathed out, her hands sliding under her wife's shirt. "I'm blind to all women but you."
"So you're really adopting another one?" Belle asked, looking at her two friends. They were out having dinner at Granny's together with Ruby and Kathryn. A real girl's night. They usually tried to go out once a month but sometimes their jobs or kids came in between.
"We are," Regina said after exchanging a happy glance with her wife. "But you know how these things are. It took us two years to get Alexandria."
Belle nodded. "Still, I'm looking forward to another little one to spoil. I wish Robert would finally man up. He claims he doesn't feel ready for children yet. For god's sake, he is 42 already. How long am I supposed to wait?"
"I get you Belle, believe me. Frederick and I have been having this exact conversation for a year now. And we already have Lucy after all. Where's the problem with trying for another one?" Kathryn shook her head. "Men."
"Yeah, they really suck sometimes," Ruby chimed in. She'd just broken up with Michael – the third guy to get the boot in as many months – and thought about giving up on dating for the time being. "Maybe I should bat for the other team," she grinned at Regina and Snow, wiggling her brows. "What do you think?"
"Go for it," Snow chuckled before she wrapped one of her arms around Regina in a possessive gesture. "Just remember that this one here's already taken."
"Ah, damn. Way to spoil it for me, Snow."
The five friends laughed. All of them – save Regina – knew that Ruby had actually had a little crush on the mayor before Snow had started wooing her.
"Are Lucy and Alex still mad at each other?" Belle eventually asked, earning herself three tired eyerolls of Regina, Snow and Kathryn.
"They are," Regina shook her head. "I told Alexandria to apologize though and she promised she would. We'll see after tonight." The two girls were both staying with Ashley Boyd tonight, their all time favorite babysitter.
"What even happened?" Ruby asked, hearing of the girls' row for the first time.
"Lucy accidentally stepped on Alex's favorite barbie doll, breaking her neck," Snow grimaced at the memory. Their daughter had been distraught for more than two days and they'd had to organize a funeral for the doll. Luckily, Regina had found the exact same doll in the toy store. Alexandria had named her Annie the II. "Lexi didn't believe it was an accident so she cut off the hair of Lucy's favorite barbie in cold blooded revenge…"
"The drama," Kathryn added, smirking at their daughters' antics. "I really do hope they'll make up soon though; Lucy's a real brat right now."
"Amen," Regina said, thinking of Alex's behavior just yesterday. "Lexi too."
A few hours later they drove to Kathryn and Frederick's place where the two children had been staying together with their sitter. Frederick was still out with his friends so it was Ashley who opened the door to the three women.
"They fell asleep a little while ago," the young blonde said, motioning to the two girls sleeping on the couch. They were sleeping peacefully, their hands joined in the middle.
Kathryn, Snow and Regina felt a rush of warmth rush through their bodies at the welcome sight. Obviously, the two girls had apologized to each other and made up.
"They sat each in another corner of the room for an hour, staring at each other when they thought the other one didn't look," Ashley explained, indicating the living room. "Lexi apologized as soon as their eyes finally met and they've been playing with 'Annie II' and 'Cancer Sara' ever since. Annie II also declared Sara as healed and promised to make her a pink wig. I think the pink wig finally sealed the deal."
Each woman grinning, Regina approached the couch and carefully picked up her sleeping daughter. She and Snow whispered their goodbyes to Kathryn and Ashley and made their way back to their home. Tonight, life was good.
Four months later
When Regina came home late a few months later – how she hated those town meetings! – the house was dark and quiet. She checked her watch even though she knew it couldn't be that late. 8:36 p.m.. Neither one of her girls would usually be asleep at such a time. Weird.
With a shrug of her shoulders, she turned the hallway light on and climbed up the stairs. "Snow?" she called out but didn't receive it an answer.
She quickly checked Lexi's room and found it empty. Maybe they had gone out?
Wondering about her girls' whereabouts, she approached their own bedroom. She would try to reach her wife's phone but not before finally exchanging those suit pants for jerseys.
When Regina opened the door to the master bedroom she found herself unable to move, to talk, even to breathe.
All around the room candles were lit. Soft music was playing. And on the bed… on the bed was her beautiful wife, wearing a new set of black lace lingerie, a coquettish smile on her lips.
"Welcome home, baby," she whispered, holding out a hand for her to take.
Regina visibly gulped but finally found herself able to move. Wide-eyed, she took the offered hand, willingly letting herself be pulled onto the bed. Immediately Snow sat on her lap and met her lips with a passionate kiss.
When they had to come up for air, Snow must've read the question in her wife's dark eyes. Without a word, she reached for a piece of paper – a letter? – on her nightstand and held it out for Regina to take.
Curiously, Regina took the paper and started to read it, all the while deliciously aware of her wife's nearly naked body nestled up to her own.
'Dear Mrs. and Mrs. Mills,
We are happy to inform you that we have found another child ready for you to adopt…
…
Flores & Brooks, adoption agency'
Regina didn't even read the details. After the first few lines, she had tossed the letter aside and joined her lips with Snow's.
"Let's make a baby," she said with a breathy voice, cupping one of the younger woman's breasts.
"Let's," Snow echoed, feverishly starting to tear the clothes from her wife's body. Tonight, it was only them, an empty house, and the promise of another child. She had to feel her, flesh against flesh, lips against lips, fingers entangled in each other until they became one.
About 3 1/2 years later
Snow was sitting on a park bench, enjoying the first warm rays of spring and watching her kids. Currently, Lexi was helping her 4-year-old brother to reach the monkey bars and she couldn't help but think about the little incident over three and a half years ago. Hopefully, Matthew wouldn't share his big sister's story after today. She remembered how scared she had been upon receiving Regina's text and how relieved when she'd sent her a photo from the hospital, showing a band-aided Lexi with red and puffy eyes but a little smirk on her lips, Regina and Kathryn in the background, being silly.
Too bad she had to work today. It was a Saturday but sometimes, being the mayor, Regina had to go into the office on the weekends. Luckily, it didn't happen all that often.
"Momma, look!" little Matty called over to her, sitting atop the monkey bars, Lexi responsibly holding onto his leg, making sure he didn't fall.
"Wow," Snow grinned at her children even though her stomach was in knots at seeing her little boy this high. "You can almost reach the clouds baby. Just make sure you hold on tight."
The little brunette boy smiled and nodded, his hands securely attached to the bars. Where Lexi was wild and confident, Matty was shy and thoughtful. The two children couldn't be any more different than they were but they loved each other deeply, always sort of balancing each other out.
"Hi," Snow looked to her side to see that a woman had approached her. She was blond and wore a red leather jacket that Snow immediately knew Regina would disapprove of. A boy no older than ten was accompanying her. "I'm Emma Swan and this is my son Henry. We just moved to Storybrooke."
"I'm Snow Mills," Snow got up and took the woman's offered hand. "It is nice to meet you both, Storybrooke is a beautiful town for families. You made a good choice by moving here."
"Yes, that's what we hope," Emma said, giving her a somewhat awkward smile. Somehow, Snow felt as though she knew the other woman. But it couldn't be. She'd never in her life left Storybrooke's confines. Regina had brought both of their babies home.
"That book looks interesting, I'm quite a lover of fairytales myself," Snow motioned to the huge book she'd noticed the boy was carrying.
"They're not just fairytales," Henry said earnestly, strengthening his grip on the book.
Snow raised a brow but said nothing. Imagination was always a good thing for kids to have.
AN: Here we are. I hope you liked the introductory extra long chapter. Next chapter, the drama's slowly about to unfold, after all, we know what will happen now that Emma's moved to town. Also, I have a little question for you. Do you prefer Neal or Hook as the man on Emma's side?
Please Review, Follow & Favorite if you like the story. It's the only 'payment' I get for writing this - and I love it.