ADMISSIONS OF THE HEART

CHAPTER TEN (epilogue)

She had been here before, about a decade ago, stood in the same exact spot by the last row of pews watching her brunette wife say goodbye to one her parents. Emma's hand rested on the back of the wooden pew as she lowered her gaze to the floor and said her own silent goodbye to Cora Mills.

Stepping out of the church a moment later, Emma glanced around for her parents and her son, Henry. She eventually spotted them amongst the other guests who were lingering by the churchyard gates. Signalling to her father to give her a moment, she walked off in the opposite direction toward the small plot of graves. As she strolled down the path, her eyes drifted over the small sea of names etched on the gravestones until she eventually stepped off the path and onto the grass. As she did, her heels sunk slightly into the soft soil. Stepping onto the wooden planks that boarded the freshly dug grave, she peered into the hole. Henry Mills Snr mahogany casket stared back at her.

Looking to the gravestone, Cora's name had already been freshly carved out on the marble stone.

As she crouched down to scoop up a fist full of the freshly dug soil, she bowed her head out of respect for Henry Mills Snr. Standing, her pale lips formed a tight thin line as she let the dirt fall from her hand and onto her father-in-law's casket.

"I'll continue to keep my promise to you, Henry. Regina will be forever loved." She murmured to herself.

Moments later she was stepping away from the grave and back onto the path, to join her parents and son by the churchyard gates. Emma lay her hands on her son's shoulders as she glanced over to the open church door where her wife and sister in law were talking with the Reverend.

"Are we not waiting for Mom?" Henry asked as he glanced up to his blonde mother.

The blonde shook her head. "No, Mom and Aunt Zelena want to say goodbye to Grandma Cora in private."

Accepting Emma's reply, Henry glanced over his shoulder to his grandparents who were making their way to their car. Frowning slightly, he glanced to his blonde mother.

"Go with your grandparents, Kid. I'll see you at home in a few minutes." She kissed the top of his head and nudged him in their direction.

Emma's attention was drawn to the pallbearers as they slowly exiting the small church carrying Cora Mill's casket towards the freshly dug grave. Her brunette wife and sister in law followed closely behind. Drawing a cross over her chest, she bowed her head out of respect for Cora Mills.

~()~

Emma's gaze drifted to the brunette sitting in the seat next to her. Regina hadn't said a word for the entire journey from the churchyard to their home. Taking the brunette's hand, Emma gave it a reassuring squeeze. Finally, the brunette's hooded eyes lifted from her lap and fell upon the blonde next to her in the driver's seat. She replied with a sad smile.

"We're home darling." Emma murmured.

As they silently exited the Mercedes, Zelena's car pulled up behind them on the drive. The couple lingered beside the car and waited for Zelena before the three silently walked toward the side entrance of the house. Pushing against the white Georgian styled door, Emma held it open for the others to enter first. Allowing her sister to enter first, Regina pulled the door too and took her wife's hand. She needed a moment alone with Emma. Glancing over her shoulder and making sure that they were alone, she led her away from the door.

"Em, I couldn't have got through all of this without your support. Thank you." Regina could feel herself tearing up again.

The blonde softly smiled as she gently wiped the growing tears away from her wife's eyes and embraced her, the best she could. "Baby, it's fine. The last year has been very trying for both of us but more so, for you. I know it hasn't been easy. But I am so proud of you. Heck! I'm proud of us. We got through all of this together." Emma placed a chaste kiss on the brunette's cheek. "God! I can't wait till I can get out of these clothes." She chuckled to herself, rolling her shoulders and pulling at the collar of her buttoned-up black blouse.

Regina rolled her eyes as she gave the blonde a lopsided grin. "All in good time, my darling. We have guests." She pushed open the door and pulled the blonde inside.

The couple quickly made their way through the house to the formal lounge where their guests were. As they entered, a few people turned around, acknowledging their presence before tentatively deciding to approach the couple and express their condolences. Emma instinctively wrapped her arm around her wife's waist, as they together expressed their appreciation for their attendance. Together they stood united, supporting each other as they had done over the last year.

For the next half hour, the couple made their way around the room together, chatting briefly with each of their guests until Emma subtly excused herself and wandered off to the kitchen where their immediate family and close friends were. When she entered the kitchen, they were huddled around the island, chatting with each other. Mary Margaret was the first noticed Emma.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?"

Emma nodded as she went over to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. Twisting the cap off, she took a sip of the water. "I'm getting a little tired, it's been a long day." She shrugged.

Mary-Margaret smiled sympathetically and gestured for her daughter to come closer.

Emma sidled up next to her mother who instinctively wrapped her arm around the blonde's shoulders.

"It's nearly over." Her father said, stepping up behind her daughter and resting his hands on her shoulders. "I'm so proud of you, kiddo." He placed a chaste kiss on her cheek as he squeezed her shoulder simultaneously.

"Thanks Dad." Emma said.

At that moment, Regina entered the kitchen, her gaze sought out Emma. "Darling, Jeremy is leaving." She held out her hand for Emma to take.

Emma nodded as she stepped away from the island and took her wife's hand. Together they made their way to the foyer. A thirty-something-year-old sandy blonde-haired man was lingering by the front door, toying with his car keys in his hand as the couple approached.

"Thank you for coming, Jeremy." Emma smiled as she approached the man, giving him a tender but friendly hug. She stepped back as Regina approached the man.

"Yes, thank you so much for all your help. It's been most appreciated." The brunette said, stroking her hand up and down his arm.

"My pleasure boss." Jeremy smiled as he reached out for the door handle. "I'll see you bright and early Monday morning, Madam Mayor." He winked.

Regina smirked. "Not too early, I hope."

Jeremy chuckled softly to himself. "Anyway, I better be going. It was good to see you again, Sheriff. Take care of yourself and this one." He nodded to the brunette as he opened the door and let himself out.

Regina and Emma stood together in the doorway, watching Regina's assistant quickly walk down the paved path toward his car. Over his shoulder, he raised his hand and gave it a quick wave.

The women waved back before shutting the door softly. Turning to each other they both sighed deeply.

"Are you ready to return to work, sweetheart?" Emma asked.

Regina pursed her lips together and hummed in thought before answering. "I am actually. But I admit I am a little nervous. I hadn't been there long before I took the sabbatical. It kind of feels like I'm starting again." She shrugged.

The blonde understood what her wife meant. "I get that. But knowing you, you'll have the place ship shape by the end of your first week." Emma stated.

"Week? Try the first day…" Regina smirked as she took her wife's hand and kissed her knuckles tenderly. "You look tired, my love. Why don't you have a lie down for a while."

Leaving Regina downstairs with the other guests, Emma ascended the sweeping staircase, heading directly to the master bedroom. As she pushed open the door, an image from six months ago thrust its way to the front of her mind's eye. And if she was completely honest with herself, it still caused her a certain degree of distress.

When she entered the room, Cora wasn't where she expected her to be. Laid up in bed, resting. Like how she was when she left for her shift the night before. The details of the incident that had been relayed over sheriff's cruiser radio had been vague, to say the least. This would be something she would address to the rest of her team when she had a chance. But first, she needed to deal with the scene before her.

Zelena was stood in the middle of the room, hugging herself with a worried look on her face. She pointed toward the ensuite.

Emma set her first aid backpack down on the floor and entered the ensuite where Regina was hunched over her mother, stroking her hair and sobbing softly.

"Gina, baby, I need to assess your mother's wound." Emma murmured.

Regina glanced to her wife and stopped stroking her mother's hair. She sat up on her knees, nodded solemnly and shuffled away, giving the blonde space.

As soon as Emma removed the cold compress from the open gash to Cora's forehead, she instantly realised the seriousness of the situation. Cora was cold and pale, barely conscious, her pupils were fixed, breathing was laboured. Placing the compress back over the wound, she unhooked her walkie-talkie from her belt.

"ETA Emergency Services Mifflin Street. Over."

A crackling reply of 'five minutes' resonated through the walkie talkie. Latching it back to her belt, Emma glanced to Regina who was sitting on her haunches, her hand was covering her mouth as tears streamed down her face.

"She's going to be fine, Regina. EMT's are on their way."

The brunette's gaze shifted to the blonde who gave her a reassuring smile. Even though Emma realised that Cora's condition was extremely serious. She didn't want to panic the woman any more than she was.

"Zelena!" Emma called over her shoulder. The red-head appeared in the doorway. "I need a blanket, pillow too. Something to cover your mother and make her more comfortable."

The redhead disappeared and retrieved the items, returning a few moments later. Emma carefully placed the pillow under the older woman's head. Although the likely hood that Cora had a spinal injury was very low, she didn't want to take any chances. Covering Cora with the blanket, she looked to Regina again.

"Gina, I need you to stay with her, I'll be back in a minute. I am going to meet the EMT's." Emma stood and disappeared out of the bedroom.

As she reached the open front door, Emma noticed the EMT's pulling up behind her cruiser. The small crew of three jumped out of the vehicle and gathered their equipment from the back.

"You'll need the stretcher." Emma called out from the front porch to the small crew.

Within a matter of minutes, the crew were pushing the stretcher up the paved footpath toward the house as Emma relayed the relevant information to them as they entered the house. Leading them up the stairs and to the bedroom, Emma pointed toward the ensuite, where Regina was still kneeling beside her mother murmuring softly into her ear.

Immediately the small crew of EMT's crowded over Cora and started to perform their tasks. Regina reluctantly moved away from her mother and joined her sister at the end of the bed. Together they watched in awe as the EMT's commanded the situation with such professionalism.

Within minutes, Cora was placed on the stretcher and wired up to the portable ECG machine. An oxygen mask was placed over her mouth and nose and she was been stretchered out of the bedroom, with Emma following behind, carrying the crew's equipment.

The blonde returned to the bedroom a few moments later. Regina and Zelena were huddled together at the end of the bed. They were softly soothing each other.

"Gina. Zelena. I can give you both a lift to the hospital." Emma murmured.

The sisters turned their attention to the blonde and nodded.

"Okay, I'll be downstairs waiting."

Cora would never return to the house on Mifflin, having been admitted straightaway onto a specialist ward at the hospital, where she was monitored closely for the next two weeks until it was decided in her best interest that she be transferred to a hospice for her continued care.

She had passed away in her sleep just over a week ago.

Kicking her heels off by the foot of the bed, Emma padded barefoot over the soft carpet toward the walk-in wardrobe. Slipping her full-length black military styled coat off her shoulders, she hung it up immediately and turned toward the full-length mirror at the end of the wardrobe. Her hands immediately covered her stomach as it strained against the tight-fitting black blouse. She unbuttoned her black trousers and shrugged them over her hips, letting them slide down her pale legs and pool around her feet before stepping out of them. Pulling out a pair of loose grey track pants, she slipped them on quickly. Catching her reflection in the mirror, she tilted her head to the right and realised at that moment how much fuller her breasts were starting to look. Unbuttoning her blouse and letting it slip off her shoulders, she discarded it with the trousers. She then plucked her loose-fitting Boston Red Sox jersey off its hanger and slipped it on over her head before smoothing it over her extended stomach. Ruffling her shoulder length blonde tendrils from under the collar, she then stared back at her reflection in the mirror for a moment.

She was tempted to leave her discarded clothes in a pile on the floor, but she knew her wife would have something to say when she found them. Glancing away from her reflection, she groaned as she bent down and scooped up the clothes and dropped them in the laundry basket on her way to the bed. Pushing back the covers, Emma slid into the bed, immediately turning onto her side toward the centre of the bed. Reaching out for Regina's pillow, she positioned it snuggly against her stomach. Sighing deeply with content, her eyes fluttered shut and not before long her breathing evened out. She was asleep.

~()~

With all the guests now gone, Regina couldn't help but suddenly feel relieved. It was over. The events of the last year were finally over.

Frowning to herself as she pinched the bridge of her nose, she wondered if it was okay for her to be feeling like this?

She had just said goodbye to her mother for the final time.

She rationalized that she should be feeling a sense of grief, sadness and loss. Because that's what she had felt when her father had passed away, all those years ago. There was never a sense of relief. Pursing her lips tightly a sense of guilt crept over her as she stared out the kitchen window, it suddenly dawned on her, that she had already felt those emotions. The process had started a year ago when she had returned to Storybrooke. Her mother's death hadn't been anything like her father's.

His was sudden. A shock.

But Cora's had been drawn out and as the months went by, as her mother's condition worsen, she had experienced those familiar emotions. She realised that she had nothing to feel guilty about. That's what she told herself. Because this was the end.

She was ready to move on with her life.

Pushing herself away from the sink and silently retreating from the kitchen, she stepped into the main corridor of the house. Glancing to the right, toward the sweeping staircase, where her wife was upstairs, resting. She was tempted to join Emma upstairs but decided against it. She had one last thing she needed to do.

She stepped to the left and slowly made her way down the corridor, her gaze falling upon the many photographs that adorned the walls. Her life's work on display. She stopped before what she would always deem as the most important one. Her fingers traced lightly over the image.

The beauty within

An accidental moment captured that would change the course of Regina's life.

As she smiled fondly to herself, she was reminded of the significance that the memory connected with the photograph represented. The beauty of life is within the detail. After a moment, she slowly stepped away and continued to the cellar.

Unlocking the door and descending the stairs slowly, she tugged on the pulley light switch and made her way over to the small 'dark' room. Disappearing inside and shutting the door firmly behind her, she glanced to the glimmering 'red light' casting just enough light for her to see. Just above her head and hanging the length of the room was a series of photographs. Touching the bottom corner of each until she found the one, she was looking for; she smiled to herself as she plucked it from the line and exited the room. Placing the photograph down on the metal workbench, she studied it.

The image was that of a portrait. Well, to be honest, it was a family portrait.

The brunette blinked rapidly as she looked through the viewfinder of her camera. Brushing away a loose tendril, she tucked it behind her ear. She narrowed her eyes and studied the scene before her again. Lifting her head and focusing her gaze upon the blonde and her son, she gave them an apologetic lopsided grin before glancing back into the viewfinder. She motioned for Henry to move slightly to his left. He moved half a step and turned slightly into his blonde mother. His gaze fell directly at the camera. Giving him a thumbs up, Regina was finally happy with the shot. She lifted her head, stepped away and took up her position next to her wife.

Smiling to herself, she liked the sound of that. Emma Swan, her wife.

Only an hour ago she and Emma had got married. For the second time. But this time it was very different from their first wedding. This time it was a small intimate affair in the Registry Office at the Council Offices of Storybrooke. Witnessed by their son, Emma's parents, Regina's mother and sister.

Regina slipped her left arm around her blonde wife's waist and held her close. She turned into Emma as he right hand instinctively cradled the blonde's stomach, softly stroking it.

That was another revelation, which had come to light after their small ceremony. They would be having another child in nine months' time.

Regina glanced to Henry, his smile beaming. She looked at Emma, her smile beaming and then she turned her attention to the camera, her smile beaming as the flash of the camera lit up the immediate area.

That was three months ago.

For Regina, it was funny to think that her life had started with a simple photograph all those years ago. That photograph would not only shape the impressions but the moments and the admissions of her heart. And now years later, it was as if history was repeating itself. Well, that's what she hoped anyway.

Because sometimes one will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.

THE END.