As promised... the epilogue. I hope it brings you some closure and answers some questions many have asked.

Epilogue

"Emma…" Regina whined, her hands pulling the blonde back into bed.

"Baby, we have to go or we are going to be late." Emma giggled as she half-heartedly tried to fight off her advances.

"We won't be late if you stop resisting. You know I'm going to win." Regina pulled her further back, kissing along her bare shoulder.

Emma glanced at the clock on the nightstand. They really were in danger of being late. "Gina, please. We have to be there on time."

A warm tongue lapped against her neck and a husky voice whispered, "Please, Emma…"

The blonde fell back at the sound with a groan and forgot time altogether. She never was very good at denying Regina what she wanted… especially when what she wanted was to make Emma's body sing with pleasure.

"Ok, but we have to hurry." Emma said between kisses, as Regina positioned herself above her.

Regina merely nodded and silenced any further protests with a searing kiss and a downward press of her hips. Oh, how she could make Emma's body sing.

~ (SQ) ~

The drive into Boston was a quiet one, both women deep in thought. Emma gripped the steering wheel of their new SUV a little more tightly than was strictly necessary, allowing her mind to wander over the last few years. It had been a wild ride… but it had been worth it. So many changes, but all for the better.

Like this car, for instance. She hadn't wanted to retire the bug, but it had been a necessary evil for many reasons. When she had graduated college and started work as a social worker, the bug had been fine. No complaints from anyone even though it wasn't very professional. But some life changes were bigger than others.

So the bug had been retired. Not sold. Just parked alongside Regina's black Mercedes in the garage, only brought out for special occasions now. But it was totally worth it.

She glanced over at Regina and smiled. She was so proud of her. She had completed her degree more than two years before Emma and was putting it to good use. Her art was selling well and the farm was an unwavering success. They had added an apple orchard to the south field last year and it was coming along nicely under Regina's watchful eyes.

Life was good.

Regina laid her hand on Emma's thigh and squeezed. "Are you alright, darling?"

Emma hummed the affirmative. "Couldn't be better. Are you?"

The brunette was quiet for a moment, contemplative. "Yes. I admit I am nervous but I think we are making the right decision."

Emma nodded and for the rest of the drive, they were quiet, Regina's warm hand still atop Emma's thigh.

~ (SQ) ~

The outer office they were sitting in was nothing special. Regina glanced around and thought of all the ways she would change it to make it warmer, friendlier. For the sort of things that usually happened here, it would seem reasonable for the office to feel happier than the people who passed through it. Cheerful décor might help lift their spirits.

She sighed. They had not been late, as Emma had worried they would be. In fact, they were early and his flight was late. That was the reason for the prolonged wait. The brunette slipped her hand into Emma's and felt a gentle squeeze in response.

She knew Emma. Knew her in a way she didn't even know herself. And she knew that Emma was nervous, excited and a little frightened by the next phase of their lives together.

After that night, when Emma had asked her to take her home, things hadn't just magically gotten better. It had taken time, and work, to get to the place they were today. But it had been worth it. Regina could say with honesty she had never been more in love with Emma than at this moment.

"Would either of you like a water or coffee while you wait? I may be able to round up a soda if you like." A young woman with short dark hair stuck her head in the door.

"No, thank you. I think we are good." Emma said with a smile.

Regina nodded her agreement.

The girl smiled warmly and closed the door.

"She reminds me of Mare." Emma wiggled in her seat, unhappy to be sitting so long but unwilling to pace the floor.

"I thought so too." Regina said easing her fingers under the back of Emma's blonde locks, scratching her fingernails gently at the base of her skull, soothing her.

Regina hadn't expected to ever have Mary Margaret in her life again after she divorced Leo but life was strange. Once the younger brunette had begun to see her father in a new light, she had seen her former step-mother in a new light too. It had been rocky at first, and still Regina wasn't ready to just forget the past, but they had come to an understanding.

Davy was the best part of it all. Regina loved the boy to distraction and he was crazy about his Auntie Gina. The love of a child was worth a lot of heartache, at least that was what Emma would say. So, if for no other reason than for Davy, they had all long ago buried the hatchet and moved on.

Emma rubbed her hands on her pant legs. Regina wrinkled her nose realizing how Emma's nerves must be making her hands sweat. "Darling, relax. Everything will be fine."

"I know," Emma said, standing now and walking over to the window. "I'm just… so emotional about all this. I'm happy. And scared. And nervous. I just—"

Regina stood and pulled the woman to her. "I know. I am too. But I love you more than anything in this world… or any other. And I want this. We want this. Right?"

Brown eyes searched green for confirmation. "Yeah. We do."

They sat again and waited. It wouldn't be much longer now.

~ (SQ) ~

Emma tilted her head back and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and her nostrils filled with the scent of office furniture, paper work, stale coffee and Regina. That last note stayed with her the longest. There was something about the brunette that relaxed her, so she took another deep inhale, seeking out her scent in the air.

Albert Spencer had called a few moments ago to apologize for the delay. He was on his way and then… then everything would be legal and binding and permanent. Emma's heart raced at the thought. Forever was still a scary word for a former foster kid with no family of her own.

You have a family now, Emma.

She looked to her right at Regina, flipping slowly through a far out of date interior design magazine. She held up a page with an awful mauve living space and wrinkled her nose. "He needs to update these."

Emma smiled and nodded her agreement. Albert Spencer had become more of a part of their lives than she had ever dreamed. When his wife, Bitsy, had passed away about two years ago, Cora had been there to console her dear friend. And no one was surprised when they had married less than six months later. They were a good match though.

Emma couldn't be angry at anything either of them did or had done in the past because of one thing they got right. Leo Blanchard.

For reasons that they had never questioned, once Cora had the security and power of the Spencer name (and wealth) to back her, the woman had unleashed an all-out attack on her former son-in-law. Regina refused to believe it was because her mother actually did love her and was trying to make up for years of proving the opposite, but Emma liked to think that was it in a nutshell.

Cora loved her child and she wanted to do right by her. That was the only explanation that made sense. So, the older Mills had taken after Leo like a dog with a bone. And it hadn't taken long for her to hit pay-dirt.

Emma smiled remembering the day barely 9 months ago when a special unit from the IRS in conjunction with the FBI had raided the offices of Blanchard Enterprises Inc. and taken control. Leo had taken a plea bargain and was now serving his first month of a fifteen year sentence for fraud, tax evasion and embezzlement.

Poor guy.

Mary Margaret and David had moved back into the house with his mother but neither of them were complaining. Domesticity, simple and unvarnished, was something no one had dreamed would appeal to the once spoiled and pampered Mare. But it fit her like a glove.

"What are you grinning about?" Regina said, kissing Emma on her cheek.

The blonde just grinned wider. "Wouldn't you like to know? Have you always been this nosey, Mrs. Swan-Mills or is this a new development?"

Regina giggled and snuggled as close to Emma as the waiting room chairs would allow. "What can I say? I like knowing what puts a smile on my wife's face."

"Well, I can assure you, nothing and no one puts more of a smile on my face than you, babe." Emma looked down into chocolate eyes peering up at her. "I love you, Regina."

"And I love you, Emma." Regina said, tilting her chin up to connect their lips in a soft kiss. "Who would have thought six years ago that we would ever be here?"

Emma laughed. "Well, definitely not me."

Regina's reply was interrupted by the opening of the door. Albert stepped in the room with an abnormally bright smile on his face.

"Well, my dear girls. I apologize for the wait but our flight was delayed. Nevertheless…" The man stepped fully into the room now, allowing his assistant to come in, the carrier in her hand swinging into view. "Are you ready to meet your son?"

In a moment, both Emma and Regina were on their feet and across the small space. They peered into the carrier at the red, wrinkled newborn, wrapped tightly in a warm blanket. A soft tendril of dark brown hair stuck to his forehead from beneath the little knit cap he was wearing.

Emma stared in awe. This was her son. She reached out a shaking finger and caressed his cheek lightly. "Hey, kid."

Regina couldn't stifle a sob as she knelt down by the carrier on the floor, caring nothing for what other people might think. She pulled back the blanket and inspected his small body, her hand on his round belly. She was breathless. "Hello, Henry."

She carefully lifted him from the carrier, pulling him close to her chest. Henry grunted and jerked a bit in protest before snuggling into her soft breasts, rooting and nuzzling against her. Regina smiled up at Emma and the blonde kissed the baby gently on his cheek before kissing her wife just as softly.

They shared a secret smile, full of love and promise. "Our son." Emma whispered, allowing his tiny hand to make a fist around her index finger. "Our beautiful, perfect son."

"Well," Albert said, clearing his throat. "I will leave you three alone for a few moments and when you are ready there are still a few papers to sign and then… you can take your boy home."

Regina looked into tear filled green eyes and smiled. "Home."

Emma nodded. "Yeah. Let's take our son home."