If I had my life to live over again, I would find you sooner so that I could love you longer.
Regina looked in the mirror with a smile and couldn't believe how fast the week had gone, maybe it'd been the time she'd had with Emma and Henry. They'd gone ice skating and ended up having a sleepover at Regina's so that they could sit by the fire and have hot cocoa. They'd gone to the park when it had snowed and built snowmen, well she and Henry had built a snowman while Emma had built a snow batman logo. Regina had been impressed with her ability to sculpt and Emma had waved it off.
They'd gone on a second date (Emma considered cooking for her, and introducing her to Henry as the first one, not that Regina was going to object, that night had been perfect). They gone out to eat with a plan to take in a movie afterward but had ended up missing the movie because they were so content with talking and getting to know one another.
The following day, Emma had been called into work for a wedding party just before Regina was headed into work and ended up taking Henry with her instead of having Adam and Belle come pick him up. It was his first time back at the preschool since they told home that they were dating. He'd called her Mom when it was snack time causing a few of her staff to look her curiously but didn't say anything. It had been much to her surprise at the end of the day when Emma had shown up to pick up Henry. This led to interesting discovery that Mary Margaret and Emma knew one another.
Well more specifically, Emma knew Mary through David, who was Mary Margaret's boyfriend. They weren't the best of friends but they'd hung out a few times at cookouts they'd all gone to over the summer. Emma had taken Henry but not before leaning forward to kiss Regina goodbye saying that she'd see her later. Henry had insisted her get to kiss her goodbye which, in return had caused Mary Margaret to question her relationship with the blonde and her son.
Regina had found it rather easy to tell her nosy employee that they were engaged. Mary Margaret had tried to ask more questions but Regina has just waved off the pixie haired brunette telling her that she had paperwork to fill out from the last few days. That was the last time she'd seen both Emma and Henry together. She and Emma had talked on the phone every night, but it hadn't been the same as seeing her. Tonight she was getting to see them both, but she was heavily nervous. They were going to be meeting her parents for dinner in about thirty minutes.
Regina finished putting in her other earring as the door bell sounded. Regina checked her make-up once more before going to answer the door. "Mom!" Regina smiled as she looked at Henry who was immaculately dressed in a suit and tie.
"Don't you look so handsome!" Regina gushed as Henry stepped into her home smiling widely.
"Momma said I'll be the handsomest person there!" Henry beamed as Regina nodded looking to her blonde girlfrie—fiancée. She was holding Henry's winter coat while looking Regina up and down.
"You look beautiful Regina."
"Thank you darling, may I take your coat and see what's hiding underneath?" Emma chuckled hanging up Henry's coat before stepped out of hers.
"My tie matches momma's dress! See!" Henry held his tie up. Regina looked at the tie then back to Emma who was standing there with a smile. Regina could tell that Emma didn't feel completely comfortable wearing a dress.
"Wow, momma looks absolutely stunning doesn't she?" Henry nodded as Emma's smile widen. Regina stepped forward looking the blonde up and down before kissing her lips. "Loosen up, my parents will adore the two of you." Regina whispered as Emma exhaled kissing her once more.
"I've never had to meet parents before, well except for Adam." Emma breathed as Regina smiled.
"You have nothing to worry about, but I uh, have something to give you." Emma looked at Regina wondering where her nervousness had suddenly come from.
"Do I get a present?" Henry asked as Emma looked at her son who stood there innocently causing both women to chuckle.
"If you're on your best behavior tonight we'll get snowballs." Henry's eyes widen as he nodded.
"A blueberry one?" Emma chuckled as Regina reached out and grabbed her hand leading her into the living room. Henry followed them running past them grabbing the remote from the coffee table and jumping up on the couch.
"Henry this isn't the park." Emma reprimanded as Henry ignored her turning on the TV. Regina smiled as she reached for the little jewelry box on the coffee table.
"I uh, well, I hope you like it." Emma watched as Regina opened the small velvet box. Emma gasped as she looked at the ring. It was white gold band with a diamond in the middle surrounded by a circle of smaller diamonds. It was simply gorgeous.
"Regina, this is, this is stunning, I—I can't accept this." Regina blinked not understanding. It seemed in this moment that for Emma it became real, the truth of what Regina had been freaking out about when Emma had so readily agreed to do this. Emma knew that she had deeper feelings for the brunette woman. If she were to really look at it, in just short amount of time they'd been spending together Emma could say, that she was in love.
Maybe it was the stuff of fairytales, the love at first sight. But Emma knew deep down that she did truly love Regina. She couldn't let her do this to appease her mother, what if in the end that's all it turned out to be and they ended up hating one another because of it? Emma couldn't to that them, wouldn't do that them.
"What's wrong with it? I saw it and well, I thought it'd be perfect for you." Emma continued to stare at the ring.
"It is perfect, I just—" Regina shook her head silencing her.
"Emma, I'm going to be completely honest with you." Emma looked up from the ring into brown orbs. A part of her felt like she would have saw regret in them, but she did not even a hint of it. Regina looked down at the ring before meeting green-blue eyes. "This is going to sound crazy, and well, it's so easy for me to love you that it frightens me." Emma's eyes widened as a ghost of a smile appeared on Regina lips. "It's only been, at the most two weeks that we've really gotten to know one another and well I've never really been good at anything, but then again, I've never wanted anything as much as I want to hold you every waking minute and every night while I sleep." Emma took in a shaky breath blinking back tears that had sudden sprung to her eyes.
"This ring, well, when I stepped into the jewelry store, it had just been to pick something up that would appease those who we told the lie to. But as I continued to look around, it became more than that to me because you mean more than the lie this relationship seemed to take on. I care about you and Henry more than I ever thought possible in the short time we've known one another." Regina looked down at the small velvet box as she continued her speech. "This ring, to me, symbolizes more than the lie we started out on. I-I want you to have it, even if we don't end up working out." Regina blinked a few times taking in a shaky breathe as she slowly looked up at Emma. "The question has ceased to be 'how could I love you?' and has become, 'how would I ever stop?'"
They stood there for what seemed like hours looking at one another with unshed tears. Regina had a hesitant smile unsure of how Emma would take her probably too-soon confession of love. But Regina knew she had to get it out, had to let Emma know what she felt even if the blonde didn't feel the same. Regina opened her mouth to say something as Emma surged forward and kissed Regina not caring about their lipstick.
The kiss was subdued yet passionate at the same time. Regina responded wanting to put everything she had in the kiss. "Moms you being gross." Henry's words were like a splash of cold water over the women as they broke apart and started laughing. Henry just shook his head and went back to watching the TV completely ignorant of what the two women were sharing.
Emma still held Regina's cheeks as she leaned forward and gave a chaste peck to her lips. "I was afraid we grow to hate one another because of how this all started out." Emma swallowed before continuing. "I feel the same way Regina, it's crazy how fast I've fallen for you, but if you think for one moment that I am going to let you get away after that beautiful declaration of love you're insane. I love you and I want to be with you not until we feel the lie appeases its intended target but forever." Regina blinked as a tear slipped from her eye and slid down her cheek until Emma's thumb tenderly wiped it away. "I want you to know what I feel is real, and I'll let you know every minute of every day until I cease to exist. I can feel that without you, my life will be incomplete." Regina smiled widely as she leaned forward and kissed Emma.
"Hey mommas?" The women broke from the kiss and looked down at the toddler who was holding the ring. Regina blinked not even aware that she'd dropped it.
"Yes munchkin?"
"Can I has kisses too?" Henry asked innocently. Emma chuckled as she leaned down and pick up her son kissing him on the cheek.
"I thought we were being gross?" Emma asked as Henry just looked at her before his face broke out into a huge grin.
"Well I wants all the kisses too!" Regina poked his belly causing him to squeal in delight as she affectionately kissed his other cheek her lipstick leaving an imprint. Regina chuckled as Henry looked to her not understanding. "What's so funny?"
"You have lips on your cheek." Regina wiped at it only smearing it in the process. "Let's go get cleaned up so we can head to dinner, wouldn't want to keep the in-laws waiting." Regina winked as Emma smiled rolling her eyes as they walked back to the bathroom to clean up.
A/N: So, only one more chapter until the end of this story...
