Welcome to chapter 10! This is a double update so if you want you can go check out Chapter 9. Unless you skipped it on purpose for... reasons. In that case enjoy Chapter 10!

This was prompted by a comment by a reader. Your name now escapes me darling but thank you and I hope you all enjoy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

"Henry dear, can you answer the door please?"

"Regina I can't find the lighter! Can't you just fireball the grill?"

"Mom! Grandma and Grandpa are here! Where do you want the cake?"

The Swan-Mills household was alight with the happy bustling of a family-turned-town barbecue. The backyard was littered with tables and chairs, music playing softly as a backdrop to the lively chatter and laughter that rung out freely. The air was cool, the sun bright in the clear blue sky, and for once it was just another Sunday afternoon in sunny Storybrooke, Maine.

Emma jogged into the house, whistling along with the music and digging through one of the cabinets for a serving dish. Finding what she needed, she turned and smiled when she saw Regina holding a babbling Abbi.

"Look who woke up from her nap," Regina cooed softly, pressing a loud kiss to Abbi's cheek and making the baby giggle wildly when she blew a raspberry there.

"Mamma no!" Abbi squealed, tiny arms waving wildly as Regina continued her tickling. "Mommy help!"

"Here I come princess!" Emma announced as she rushed over and stole her daughter from Regina's arms, smiling warmly at her wife and pressing a kiss to upturned ruby red lips. "Hiya beautiful," she hummed happily.

"Hiya back," Regina murmured back with a grin, leaning in for another kiss.

"Kish mommy, kish!"

Emma pulled away from Regina and turned to her daughter. "You want kisses too?" she asked with a chuckle, pressing loud sloppy kiss all over Abbi's face until her daughter was giggling and wriggling her arms.

"Did you find the dish you wanted?" Regina asked, walking over to the fridge and pulling out a pitcher of her cider and another of lemonade.

Emma placed one last kiss on Abbi's cheek before settling her on her hip and turning to Regina. "I did, it was right where you said it was."

"Of course it was dear," Regina said with a shake of her head. Emma poked the tip of her tongue out at her wife, grinning widely when the brunette mimicked the gesture before turning and heading out to the backyard, pitchers in hand.

"Ready to go party sweet pea?" Emma asked Abbi as she grabbed the dish and followed Regina out.

"Pa'tea mommy!"

Emma grinned and took a deep breath of the fresh air as she walked into the backyard, handing the dish to her father and taking in the sight of the entire town eating and chatting and laughing in their backyard.

"Emma!"

Emma turned towards the familiar voice, smiling warmly at Belle, her eyes widening when she saw following Gold in... "Are you wearing jeans?"

The older man just grinned and shrugged. "You've seen stranger things I'm sure Miss Swan."

Emma chuckled and nodded in agreement, motioning towards the table with food so that Belle could set down the dish she'd brought. As the brunette walked away, Emma felt Abbi tug in her arms.

"What's up munchkin?"

To her surprise, she turned to find Abbi reaching for Gold, who by the looks of it, was just as surprised as Emma. This wasn't the first time Abbi had met Gold, but it was certainly the first she'd ever initiated any physical contact with him. Gold for his part had kept a respectful distance, even though he had been very generous with his gift for Abbi.

After a momentary pause, Gold stepped forward and took Abbi into his arms gently.

"Hi, I Abbi."

Emma just stared in shock as Gold's trepidation melted into tenderness. "Hello Abbi, I'm Rumple."

"Peas to meet you," Abbi responded politely, all of Regina's lessons coming to the surface. "We play?"

Emma was about to jump in and save Gold when he replied "I'd like that very much, if it's alright with your mother of course."

Sparkling green eyes met hers. "Mommy, may we play?"

Emma smiled, unable to deny her daughter anything that had the possibility of making her happy. "Of course sweetheart, have fun."

Abbi cheered and Gold smiled and then walked over to the playground Emma had built for the kids. Soon Gold was sliding down the slide and swinging Abbi on the swing and building castle's in the sandbox.

"Well now I've seen everything."

Emma laughed and turned toward Regina, wrapping an arm around her wife's waist as they watched Neal and Robyn join Abbi and Gold, as well as Henry and Belle.

"Our daughter has melted the heart of stone," Regina said with an incredulous chuckle.

"Well," Emma started with a grin. "She is rather charming."

Regina snorted and rolled her eyes playfully. "You are ridiculous."

Emma's grinned widened as she nuzzled her wife's ear, kissing the soft skin underneath. "And yet, you love me."

"Mmm," Regina hummed noncommittally, though the slight tilt of her head told Emma she was enjoying the attention.

Which, of course, gave Emma the most delightful idea.

"Wanna go make out in the den?"

Regina turned towards her then, brows raised incredulously, but the smirk on her lips told Emma all she needed to know.

"I'll leave first?" Emma offered with a smile.

Regina's smirked widened and her voice lowered to a purr.

"I'll be right behind you."

Later that night after the party had died down and most of the guests had left, they sat around a small bonfire Henry had insisted on because 'what's a barbecue without a bonfire?', the stars beginning to appear above them, the crickets chirping softly as the last bit of golden sun disappeared over the horizon.

Snow and Charming shared marshmallows and chocolate while Neal sat between them, nibbling sleepily on a graham cracker. Zelena had Robin cradled in her lap, mother and daughter smiling and giggling together quietly. Henry and Violet sat together, sharing a blanket (and a few kisses when they thought no one was looking).

Emma sat leaning back on her hands with Regina between her legs, her wife's head resting on her chest as she fed Emma pieces of chocolate. Emma turned her head slightly to press a kiss to Regina's temple, inhaling the comforting scent of Regina's hair.

"I think our daughter has a new best friend."

Emma chuckled softly and turned to take in the scene before her: Abbi sitting happily in Gold's lap, babbling on, with Gold and Belle hanging on her every word.

"Neal told me how good he was with him," Emma murmured. "You know, before.. everything."

"He always loved his son," Regina replied softly.

They sat in silence, watching their daughter interact with a man they never thought they would be able to trust with either of their children. Emma smiled when Abbi's green eyes found hers and watched as her daughter pointed in their direction.

Gold stood, scooping Abbi in his arms, and the tiny girl reached out for Belle, placing a kiss on her cheek before waving goodbye.

"Holá Mamá," Abbi said happily, though Emma could see that she was sleepy.

"Holá mí amor," Regina replied, sitting up and holding her arms open for Abbi, pressing a kiss to her hair when their daughter snuggled into her embrace.

"Thank you both very much for the invitation," Gold said softly, his gaze shifting from Abbi to Regina and finally Emma. "We've enjoyed ourselves."

"You're welcome," Emma replied with a small smile. "Thank you for... being so good with her."

Gold's smile turned sad. "Our children deserve for us to be our best selves for them, always," he replied softly, and Emma swore she saw him blink back a tear.

"Bye-bye Wumple," Abbi murmured, sitting up in Regina's lap.

Gold crouched and held his arms open patiently as Abbi crawled out of Regina's arms and made her way over into his. Emma watched with a smile as Abbi pressed a kiss to Gold's cheek and hugged him before returning to her mother's arms.

"Goodbye little Bae."

That night, when Abbi was tucked in and dreaming deeply, Emma slipped into her room, gazing down at her daughters slumbering form, letting herself revel in the love that she felt engulf her every time she saw that tiny face.

"You're pretty amazing munchkin," she whispered, gently brushing Abbi's curls off of her forehead. "Never change... no matter what." She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Abbi's forehead.

"I love you, princess."

Thanks for reading!

~ C.A.