Emma sat fidgeting at the table in the Charming's apartment. She felt like she had never been so nervous before in her life. She had decided it would be better to confront her parents alone about her relationship with Regina, in case things went sour.
Mary-Margarette was busying herself in the kitchen preparing dinner for the trio, and David was due home from work at any moment. It had been his turn for a long shift that night.
"Emma!" Snow exclaimed, stopping what she was doing and staring at the blonde.
"Huh? What?" Emma snapped out of it. She had been lost in her thoughts for some time.
"Did you hear anything I just said?" Snow asked, her hands on her hips. Shit Emma thought. She was caught.
"Erm, sorry. I was just…thinking about…Henry?" She tried lying, unconvincingly.
"Are you ok, Emma?" Snow prodded, her voice full of concern.
"Uh.." Before she could respond the apartment door swung open and David walked in. Thank god she mused, letting out a sigh.
"Something smells great hun." David said, walking over to the table and taking a seat next to the blonde, ruffling her hair a little as a hello.
The three sat and ate the delicious pasta dish that Snow had made. David was making conversation and Snow was hanging on every word, responding and adding her input where necessary. Emma, however, remained quiet. She was entirely too nervous to make any sort of conversation. So she kept her head down, and ate. Quickly. She was the first one finished out of the three, grabbing seconds just so she had something to busy herself with. She valued her parents opinion. A lot. So it worried her what they were going to think about her and Regina. She knew their past with the former Queen was rocky, what with the Queen dedicating her life to killing Snow and all. She just hoped that they could get passed that, at least for their own daughters sake.
"Alright, spill." Snow said sternly. "You've been acting weird all night, and you haven't said a single word since dinner started." She finished. It was now or never.
"Fine. There's something I need to tell you both. You might not like it. But I need you to remember that this is about my happiness. My happy ending. Please keep an open mind." Emma took a deep breath and looked at the worried faces staring back at her. "Regina and I…We are…We're dating. Like in a relationship." She finished, waiting for one of them to say something. Anything. The radio silence was starting to kill her. Finally, Snow spoke up.
"You're happy with her. I've seen it. I've seen you change, Emma. You glow now. I knew it was someone making you this happy, but I didn't expect it to be Regina." She finished. Emma stared back, not knowing whether her mother approved of her relationship or not.
"Emma, we have all seen Regina change over the past years. She went from being on a mission to bring our family down, to becoming part of this family. Your mother and I are extremely happy for you two. And for Henry as well. Does he know yet?" David asked. Emma sat there, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't be happier that her parents accept her relationship. She had never felt more loved before.
"Yes, we told him recently. He is happy as well." She said, sniffling. She hadn't contemplated the possibility that her parents would actually be happy for her and her girlfriend. She thought the Charmings would be upset with the information. Their own daughter, the savior, dating the Evil Queen. Well, former Evil Queen anyways. She was so happy. Her family, the only family she had ever known, that she waited 28 long years to meet, accepted her. And that is all she ever wanted from anyone. Acceptance for who she was. She couldn't wait to tell Regina the good news. "Do you guys mind if Regina came over? I mean now that we are done with dinner? I just want to tell her the good news." Emma asked hopefully.
"Sure. We'd like to congratulate her as well." Snow replied, standing to clear their finished plates.
"Congratulate her?" Emma asked with a confused look on her face.
"For dating the most wonderful woman in the world, of course." David replied with a grin, ruffling the blonde's long hair.
"Well, I can honestly say that I am the lucky one, dad." Emma replied, taking her phone out of her pocket and firing off a quick text.
Told them. Come over? A few moments later her phone buzzed. She loved how quick Regina always was to answer her. When they were together, the brunette was almost never around her phone. But when they were apart it was like Regina was by her phone waiting to hear from the blonde.
Hallway. Now. The text read.
"Erm, I'll be right back." She smiled at her parents and made her way into the hall of the apartment building, closing the door behind her. Sure enough, Regina was there waiting. The remnant smell of magic still in the air from her poofing over right away. Emma smiled sweetly, her girlfriend never ceased to amaze her.
"Hey" Emma smiled, moving in to kiss Regina. The older woman placed a chaste kiss on pale pink lips and pulled back, disappointing the younger woman who was hoping for something with a bit more meaning.
"So? What am I walking into in there, Emma?" Regina was clearly worried. She looked so adorable when she was nervous. Emma chuckled.
"You're cute when you're nervous." Emma said, grabbing onto the darker woman's hips and pulling her flush against her.
"Emma, please. I've never had to do this before. I've never met someone's parents before." Regina pleaded.
"Gina, you've met my parents before." Emma replied.
"But not as your girlfriend, Emma." Regina sighed. Emma looked into her eyes and saw the worry there.
"You have nothing to worry about, they are happy for us. Really, they are." Emma beamed. Regina visibly relaxed at that.
"Really?" She smiled back.
"Yes, now lets go inside before they come out and we have to do this whole thing in the hall." Emma joked, pulling away and grabbing a soft, dark hand. She led the way back into the small apartment, closing the door behind them. "Mom, Dad," she started. "This is my girlfriend, Regina."
"Seriously?" Regina scoffed at her girlfriend as the Charmings laughed.
—
Six Months Later
"Can you please just tell me where we are going?" Emma pleaded. She woke that morning to the love of her life poking her in the ribs to wake up. They had been living together for about five months at that point. They came to the decision to sell Emma's house when she was spending every night at the Mayor's mansion anyways and her stuff started slowly accumulating there. So they came to the decision together, with Henry's approval of course, for the blonde to move in permanently.
"I told you, it's a surprise, dear. Now stop pestering me or I will turn this car back around and you won't find out at all." Regina threatened, her patience slowly dwindling with Emma's constant proving for information. Emma heard the Mayor's tone and decided to keep quiet for the rest of the ride unless spoken to. She wanted to know what was going on desperately, but she wasn't about to ruin it with her questions. A short time later, Regina's car came to a halt in what seemed like the middle of no where. Emma squinted into the distance and could make out a small shack looking thing on a hill. She looked expectantly over at Regina who smirked back. "Ready, dear?" She asked and Emma nodded with a smile, excited to finally find out what was going on. Both women stepped out of the car and Regina grabbed her hand, leading the way up the hill.
Once closer, Emma realized that the small building she saw wasn't exactly a shack at all, but a stable. Complete with horses and all.
"I never knew that there were stables out here." Emma said surprised. She looked to her girlfriend who was smiling sweetly.
"When I created the curse I made sure to bring them through too. I've only been here a handful of times since…well, since you came to town." Regina confessed. Emma felt a short-lived twinge of guilt at the confession before the feeling dissipated.
"So will we be riding today?" Emma asked, changing the subject.
"That depends, have you ever ridden before?" Regina asked, stroking a beautiful brown mare in one of the pens.
"Once or twice." Emma stated, remembering a time when an ex-boyfriend took her ridding. Their relationship was short-lived considering anytime someone got too close, Emma had the tendency of running away. She thought of Regina and how the woman was the first person she had romantically let in completely since Neal. She smiled at the thought of how she had given herself completely to Regina.
"Good, then we will ride." Regina replied.
—
Half an hour later the two women were ridding through the forest. She listened as Regina told her stories of her childhood in the Enchanted Forest and how she rode her own horse almost daily. Emma smiled at the thoughts of a younger Regina living her life in the Enchanted Forest before becoming the dreaded Evil Queen. She wished she had known the older woman back then, when she was young and innocent.
Finally, the two women made it to their destination. It was a circular clearing in the trees, covered in soft green grass and golden sunlight. A blanket was lay out with a basket sitting neatly on one side.
"What is this?" Emma asked with a huge smile on her face, looking over to the brunette who was smiling softly back at her.
"I thought you would enjoy a picnic of sorts." Regina said very matter-of-factly, dismounting her horse and walking over to help the blonde off of hers as well. Emma had never had anyone take her on a picnic before. Her heart swelled with happiness. The brunette tied both horses to a nearby tree so they wouldn't wander off and then took Emma by the hand and led her into the clearing.
"Wow, this is such a beautiful spot! How did you find it?" Emma asked, looking around and taking in the sights and sounds before her.
"If I'm to be honest, Henry helped me. He also set up for us too." Regina smiled. "Before we eat though, there is something that I need to say." Regina looked nervous, Emma could tell. Which in turn made Emma nervous as well. She cocked her head and her eyebrows furrowed as she gazed at the older woman.
"Emma, I have loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you, despite forcing myself to bury those feelings. You made me a better woman, and a better mother. I wouldn't be where I am today without you. You're an amazing mother to our son. And the most kind hearted spirit I know. I can't imagine going a single day without you by my side. So…" Regina crouched down and retrieved something small and square from inside the picnic basket. She turned back to Emma and placed one knee on the ground and opened the ring box showing a beautiful, sparkling white gold band with one diamond in the middle and a slightly smaller one on either side. Instantly, tears were in both women's eyes and Emma's hands flew up to cover her mouth in surprise. "Emma Swan, will you marry me?"
Emma's heart grew so quickly she feared it might burst. She had never before felt so loved in her life. She looked down at the woman kneeling before her, tears streaming down olive skin. This was it. This was home.This was how her life was always supposed to be. All of the terrible things she had ever experienced, she suddenly realized were worth it. Because they all led her there. To that moment. Being proposed to by the love of her life. And that made everything worth it. She removed her hands.
"Yes. Of course I will!" She exclaimed and pulled Regina up by her collar to crash their lips together in a kiss so passionate that she felt like they would melt together. They separated finally only when they both needed air. "I love you so much."
"I love you too, Emma." The brunette replied, placing the ring on a pale finger.
THE END
