A/N: To the Guest called swanqueen: YOU ARE TOO ADORABLE!

Please don't kill me for this... :)

x

When Emma had slipped out during the family viewing of The Addams Family Values it had been to make the final arrangements for her anniversary date with Regina that evening. Granny had been more than happy to agree to spend the evening with Cora, which had slightly surprised the young woman. Apparently they had quite a few arguments and rarely saw eye-to-eye, but both enjoyed their spats immensely. Emma had shrugged and exchanged a slightly perplexed look with Ruby, who was less than impressed that it meant that she'd have to work on a Saturday night.

Next she'd headed over to the Italian restaurant to make sure that they had complied with her very specific instructions. Emma had paid over the odds to rent out the entire back room which, now she was looking at it, wasn't as big as she'd expected. Not that it mattered, seeing as it would only be her and Regina in there. The blonde really wanted the evening to be perfect, to make up for everything that had been going on in their lives recently. She knew that Regina was more stressed out by certain events than she was letting on and was making it her mission to prove just how important the woman was to her.

Even though Regina knew exactly where they were going that evening, having overheard the conversation with their daughter earlier, she played along and allowed Emma to secure a length of fabric over her eyes and lead her to the car. The blonde laughed at her half-hearted complaints that they were travelling in the bug which, according to Regina, would ruin her outfit with its ingrained dirt and germs. She took a moment to admire the outfit in question – Regina's usual sophisticated black coat over a tight, low-cut, deep crimson dress which fell to just above the brunette's knees and high-heeled boots – before smirking appreciatively and reaching out to rest her hand on her girlfriend's thigh.

Only when they pulled up in the restaurant parking lot did Emma allow Regina to remove her blindfold and the brunette was able to get her first look at the blonde's own outfit. She breathed in sharply as her eyes travelled over the tight, navy blue mini-skirt which Emma had teamed with a white shirt and higher heels than the woman had ever seen her wearing before.

"You look… amazing." She breathed, unable to help herself wrapping a hand around Emma's neck and pulling her in for a kiss.

"You don't look so bad yourself." Emma replied, kissing her again.

"We'd better go in before I demand that you turn the car around and take us home." Regina sighed.

The blonde chuckled and pulled away to open her door. She was at the passenger side before her girlfriend had even removed her belt, holding the door open for her with a smile. "There's no way that's going to happen, babe. I've paid already, so we're damn well going in."

Regina chuckled as they made their way into the restaurant. She looked at Emma adoringly as she realised they were being taken through to a private room at the back of the building, delighted that it would just be the two of them. A pair of waiters held out the chairs for them to sit down, before handing them a menu each and waiting to receive their drinks orders. Emma asked for a bottle of champagne, winking at Regina and telling her that it was only the best for her girl.

Their evening passed smoothly, both women immensely enjoying the privacy and each other's company. It was a welcome change to forget everything else going on in their lives and simply concentrate on them and their relationship. Emma seemed to be battling nerves as they finished their deserts, Regina noticed, but she didn't mention it. Instead she smiled at the blonde, tilting her head to one side as the younger woman averted her gaze.

"Regina... I..." Emma fumbled with something in her lap and the brunette arched an eyebrow questioningly. "Oh, god... this is... OK..."

"Sweetheart?"

"So... You know how much I love you and that I never want to be apart from you. In fact, I think if we were separated for more than a day it might just kill me." Emma said, trying desperately to keep the wobble out of her voice. "You are everything to me, Regina. I love you more than I thought it was possible to love anything or anyone. I just want to be with you forever. So..." She slid off her chair and moved to kneel beside the brunette. "Will you marry me?"

There was a long pause. Then Regina sighed. She reached out and cupped Emma's face gently, pulling her closer so that she could kiss her.

"No." She murmured when they broke apart. Immediately Emma stiffened and tried to pull away, but the brunette stopped her. "Please... let me explain and then... if you want to leave me I won't stop you."

"Gina..." Emma was clearly scared by the thought of what her girlfriend was about to say.

"Emma. I love you. I love you so much that it terrifies me and thrills me in equal amounts. I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you. But... I'm just not ready for marriage yet." She admitted, looking down at her hands that were gripping Emma's as though they were a lifeline. "I know I've had almost forty years to get over my previous marriage and I know that being married to you will be nothing whatsoever like being married to Leopold. But I still... I..."

"I understand."

"No, Emma, please don't... let me... I have next to no good memories of being married. Even the word itself conjures up feelings of being trapped and lonely." She sighed and shook her head. "If I'd known you were planning on proposing I'd have told you how I felt. I never want you to feel like I rejected you, because I wouldn't."

"Gina..." Emma shuffled closer on her knees and pressed her hands to the woman's cheeks. "It's OK. We've never even talked about getting married before. I should have thought... but it's alright. Just... wear the ring on your other hand and think of it as a promise. I promise that I will never intentionally hurt you. I will never leave you. I will definitely never stop loving you. And if, in the future, you change your mind about marriage, I promise that I will marry you."

Emma's eyes widened as Regina let out a muffled sob. Immediately she gathered the older woman in her arms, holding her tightly and rubbing soothing circles on her back.

"I can't work out what I did to deserve someone as wonderful as you." She admitted once she'd calmed down a little. "I... after everything I've done..."

"Shhh... none of that matters now. I love you, Regina Mills. I love the Evil Queen and I love the Mayor. I love the mother of my children. I love all of you; every single part."

Rubbing her eyes, Regina shook her head in wonderment. "When did you get so... amazing."

"When I had someone to be amazing for." Emma shrugged, as though it was no big deal. Then she grinned. "Now that we're very happily not engaged, what d'you say we get out of here?"

"So we can re-enact our first kiss on the beach?" Regina asked with a smile, fastening the belt of her coat as Emma shrugged on her jacket.

"Except it will be so much more romantic this time." The blonde informed her firmly, as though she had no choice in the matter. "Moonlight, Liv not in a coma and not having to worry about someone seeing us."

Sighing happily, Regina linked their fingers and pulled Emma close. "Perfect."

Deciding that they had time for a couple of moments of distraction, the younger woman pushed Regina against the side of her car and kissed her deeply. She chuckled into her girlfriend's mouth as she slid her hand inside the brunette's coat and Regina squeaked in surprise at the coldness of her fingers against her own warmth. Just as they were approaching the point where they were both considering suggesting that they skipped the beach all together, Emma's phone began ringing in her jacket pocket. A second or two later, Regina's cell phone followed suit. Both women sighed deeply and pulled apart reluctantly.

"I suppose we'd better answer them." Regina sighed, resting her head against Emma's for a moment.

Two short conversations followed, before the couple turned to each other with similarly unimpressed expressions on their faces.

"You first." Emma prompted.

"That was Ruby… my Mother is drunk and causing trouble at The Rabbit Hole with Granny. The owner wants me to go and pick her up."

"Apparently Henry and Liv have had another fight and Liv's gone home. Mary Margaret thinks we should go and get Henry."

"So much for our romantic evening." Regina sighed, pushing her hands into her pockets and pouting irritably. "It just had to be tonight, didn't it?"

"I'll make it up to you."

The brunette shook her head. "It's not your fault, baby."

"I know, but I…"

"Let's just pick them up and get home. If I hear a peep out of any of them before tomorrow I won't be responsible for my actions."

Emma winked and opened the passenger door, before skirting round the hood of her car and sliding into the driver's seat. They went to The Rabbit Hole first, where Regina apologised profusely to the manager and various bar staff for the numerous things her mother and Granny had done in their intoxicated states. She was also mortified to be presented with a triple figure bar tab and a bill for the damage they'd caused, before half supporting, half dragging her mother out to the bug and pushing her into the back seat.

"You'd better not throw up in my car, Cora." Emma warned her.

"You're in enough trouble as it is for ruining my night." Her daughter snapped as the only response they received was an unintelligible mumbling and a thud as the older woman's head banged against the window.

"Our night." The blonde corrected.

Regina shrugged. "That's what I said, our night."

Emma chuckled and shook her head slightly as they drew to a halt outside her parents' apartment. Glancing quickly at her girlfriend, who sent her a small smile before leaning her head back against the headrest and clenching her jaw, the blonde got out of the car and made her way up the stairs. She knocked on the door, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for one of her parents to let her in.

"Oh, honey, you look gorgeous." Mary Margaret sighed, looking her daughter up and down with a proud smile.

"Thanks… where is he?"

"Playing video games with David." She turned and called her husband and grandson to let them know Emma was there. "So? Did you ask Regina?"

"Yeah… she said no."

Mary Margaret's face fell. Confusion and disappointment clouded her features as she stared at her daughter. "What? Why? You… you haven't…"

"No, we're still together." Emma assured her with a small smile. So much had changed in a year. The thought of Snow White being so worried about her daughter and the Evil Queen breaking up would have amused the blonde if she wasn't so pissed off about her evening being ruined. "It's my fault; I should have thought about how Regina might feel about the idea of marriage after… everything."

"My father, you mean?" While she still couldn't bring herself to think badly of the King, Mary Margaret had accepted that things went on behind closed doors in Leopold and Regina's marriage that she didn't know about. "Are you alright, sweetie?"

"I'm absolutely fine. I don't need a piece of paper to know that I love Regina and she loves me. When… if… she changes her mind, then I'll be here. But until then… just having her is enough."

"Hey, Ma. Liv–" Henry started, but Emma held up a hand to stop him.

"Save it, Henry. I'm not in the mood right now." She told him firmly, ignoring the frown that appeared on his face. "Mom, Dad… thanks for attempting to watch them… sorry for… whatever they did."

Sending her parents a weak smile, Emma turned on her ridiculously high heels and stalked down the stairs, not waiting for Henry. He followed her at a safe distance realising that if his more laidback mother was this irritated, Regina would be on another scale. The brunette didn't even look at him as he climbed into the back of the bug beside his grandmother, eyeing her warily.

"Why does Nana smell of alcohol?"

"Because, Henry, your grandmother is drunk." Regina informed him stiffly. "And tomorrow the staff of the bar that she terrorised this evening will be getting a full, heartfelt apology. Your mother and I will also be expecting one from her, you and your sister."

"What? I didn't–"

"Don't bother, kid." Emma advised him.

As soon as she parked on the driveway, Henry scrambled out of the bug and raced to stand on the porch. He shifted nervously from foot to foot as he waited for his mothers to escort Cora towards the house. The second Regina unlocked the front door and turned to help Emma manoeuvre her mother inside, Henry bolted up the stairs, closing his door with a bang.

"What's going on?" Liv mumbled sleepily, poking her head out of her room as they reached the landing.

"Your grandparents asked us to pick up Henry after your fight and your grandmother got kicked out of The Rabbit Hole for bad behaviour." Emma informed her, grunting as Cora unexpectedly slumped sideways and caught her off balance.

"It's wonderful to have a family who are so unselfish that they don't ruin the one night–" Regina started, before Emma laid a hand on her arm.

"I'm sorry… I was hanging out with Ruby and then she got a call about Granny and Cora…"

"Hanging out?" The blonde couldn't help her curiosity overriding her annoyance.

"Yeah… just hanging out."

"Like a date?"

Liv rolled her eyes. "No, like mates. Ruby doesn't–"

"Well I am not happy." Regina cut in, frowning at her girlfriend for getting distracted. "There will be some serious grovelling in this house tomorrow, not to mention punishments."

Her daughter winced. "Yeah… that's fair enough."

She retreated, quickly, allowing the couple to deposit Cora on her bed and shut themselves away to salvage what they could of their anniversary night.

Jerking awake, Liv knew instantly that something was wrong. It was still dark and the house was completely silent. Sliding her legs out from underneath the blankets, she crept to the door and opened it, peering out into the dark hallway. A strange feeling crept into her bones, chilling her and making her shiver violently.

Moving towards the window, the girl looked out over the town. A strange green haze was rolling towards the house, obscuring the view as it came ever closer. Liv didn't know what it was, but whatever the smoke was it couldn't be good.

"Mom?" She shouted, stumbling back away from the window. "Ma?"

Their bedroom door flew open at once and Regina shot through it, evidently wondering what had caused her daughter to call out in such a panicked tone, her anger from earlier forgotten for the moment. "Liv? What's–" As her eyes fell on the sight outside the window, her mouth dropped open in horror. "Henry! Emma! Mother!"

Almost in unison the three appeared in their bedroom doors in various states of dress and looking sleepy. Cora's eyes widened to match her daughter's as she realised why Regina had called them, but Emma and Henry looked totally confused.

"Rumpel?" The older woman murmured, her gaze fixed to the green smoke heading for them at an alarming rate.

Regina nodded warily. "He's reversing the curse… he's sending us back."

"Back?" Emma almost screamed. "Back… back to your land? But… that's not fair!"

"Sweetheart, we haven't got time for dramatics." Her girlfriend reminded her, reaching for her hand. "Everyone hold on tight… who knows where we're going to end up."

Liv found that she couldn't turn away from the green mist, but felt a hand clamp around her bicep, holding onto her tightly. She held her breath as the cloud engulfed the house; moving up and around the building and creeping in through the windows. Coughing as it entered her lungs, the teenager's head started spinning and an unpleasant pulling sensation seemed to drag her off her feet. For what seemed like hours she was buffeted around in a sea of green before, finally, she connected with something solid.

With her eyes still tightly closed, she ran her hand over the ground beside her and felt leaves and twigs. Frowning, she opened one eye and looked around. Liv realised that she was sprawled on a forest floor and groaned.

A little way off, another figure echoed the sound, sitting up slowly and clutching a hand to her head. Cora looked around, meeting her granddaughter's eyes and frowning. As the teenager jumped to her feet, the woman held out a hand and signalled for help to stand. Liv rolled her eyes, but did as she was bid.

"Where are we?" She demanded as Cora dusted herself off. "Where's… where are Emma and Regina and Henry?"

Realising that they were completely alone in the clearing, Cora shrugged. "I don't know."

"Great… so I'm stuck with you?" The teenager sighed. "Can't we just magic ourselves to wherever they are?"

Raising an eyebrow, Cora fastened a hand around her granddaughter's wrist and concentrated on transporting them magically across the land to her daughter's Palace. She knew that they would be unable to travel through the Dark Forest, but getting close would be a start. After a few moments she felt her feet touching ground again and opened her eyes, releasing Liv's wrist. A look around told her that something had gone wrong.

"They're here?" Liv asked in confusion, looking around at the dense forest.

"Clearly not." Cora snapped. "My magic isn't working properly."

"Let me try."

Not receiving any response, the teenager took Cora's silence as consent and wrapped her hand around her grandmother's arm. The ride was a little more bumpy as the teenager attempted to move them across the land towards wherever her mothers were. Both women ended up sprawled on the ground as the pink smoke dissipated, but they realised at once that they hadn't managed to reach their destination.

"Congratulations, that went well." Cora muttered sarcastically, dusting herself off and rolling her eyes at the teenager.

"Go on then, if you're so clever. What the hell is going on and what do we do about it?" Liv snapped back at her, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at the woman.

Cora thought for a moment, eyeing her granddaughter carefully. "First, my darling, we need to sort that out."

"That?" Liv frowned in confusion. "That what?"

"Your outfit."

"Well I'm sorry I didn't have time to change into something more formal before being ripped out of my world and dumped here." With Cora's scrutinising gaze on her pyjamas, Liv couldn't help feeling a little self-conscious. She tugged on the bottom of her top almost nervously.

With a sigh, Cora waved her hand in the teenager's direction and Liv was immediately engulfed in a cloud of purple smoke. Frowning, she wafted it away and looked down at herself. A strangled cry escaped from her lips as she took in the outfit her grandmother had created for her. The bodice was tight, crimson and made of some kind of stiff material that made it difficult for her to breathe. The skirt was long and full, made of black velvet, which would undoubtedly sweep along the ground behind her when she walked. Her hair had been lengthened and neatly curled so that it lay across her shoulders and down her back.

"Oh, hell no!" Liv exclaimed, shaking her head vehemently and making the curls fly.

"You look very regal; every inch the Princess."

"Don't even go there, Grandma. Change me back… or at least put me in some fucking pants."

Cora smirked. "No."

"I swear to god–"

"Do it yourself." The woman replied with a shrug, wrinkling her nose and waving a hand over herself. Immediately her pyjamas and robe were replaced with a deep blue gown, not dissimilar to the teenager's, but with far more embellishments. Her hair had been coiled into an elegant updo and she smiled triumphantly.

"I don't know how." Liv admitted reluctantly.

"Well you'll just have to stay like that then, won't you?" With that, Cora turned and started marching away through the trees, leaving the teenager to let out a loud growl of irritation and stamp after her angrily.