Summer days in Virginia were a crapshoot at best and a swampy, muggy nightmare at worst. Regina stood at her bedroom window, staring out at the sun-drenched tents lining the backyard, praying that the weather would cooperate. An outdoor reception in June, she thought, shaking her head. Mary Margaret was too damn optimistic for her own good.
She trudged down to the kitchen, only to find a very disgruntled Emma, hair wrapped in curlers, sullenly pushing cereal around the bowl with her spoon. "What's gotten into you?" she asked as she pulled the gallon of milk from the fridge.
"Your mother," Emma replied. "She woke me up bright and early to do my hair. Apparently she doesn't trust me to be able to look presentable on my own."
Regina laughed at that, largely because she had the same concerns. Emma was a jeans and ponytail kind of girl, not a strapless satin dress and earrings girl. "What was it you said to me last night? Suck it up, buttercup?" She poured herself a healthy serving of cereal.
Emma let out a loud hmph and dropped her spoon. "I am perfectly capable of sucking it up, just not at 8:00 in the morning." She shoved her bowl aside. "Speaking of last night, how are you feeling today?"
"Better," Regina said with a shrug. "Not great. But I'll be fine. Just as long as Mother stays far away from my hair."
"What are you going to do?" Emma asked, and Regina sighed as she rested her elbows on the counter.
"I'm going to put on that tasteful dress that I picked out, smile during the ceremony, keep an eye on Mother so that she doesn't get lit up on champagne, and then come home and pass out. And tomorrow, I'm going to drive home with you and Henry, and get back to my life. That's what I'm going to do."
"All good plans," Emma said, just as Regina's cellphone buzzed with an incoming text. She snatched the phone off the counter, hoping to see Robin's name on the lock screen.
No such luck. It was a text from Mary Margaret. Get up here now - your mother wants to cut my hair. She sighed and put the milk back in the fridge. Breakfast would have to wait. "Come on, Emma," she said. "Duty calls."
When they finally left the house, Regina was relieved to discover that the stifling humidity from the day before had dissipated. She took a deep breath, inhaling the cloying scent of her mother's gardenias, and sent up a quick thanks that the weather chose to cooperate. Emma came stomping out the door behind her, still a little disgruntled that Cora had spent half an hour wrangling her long blonde hair into a fancy updo. Regina shot her a look that clearly said smile and get over it. A little hair-pulling was more than worth keeping the peace, especially when it was Emma's hair being pulled, not hers.
Henry Sr. held open the doors to his Cadillac, ushering the bride, his wife and Henry into the car. Regina and Emma hopped into Regina's Mercedes. The dresses were stored carefully in the car's trunks, the flowers would be waiting for them at the church, and both Henrys were already impeccably dressed in their wedding finery.
"Nothing to do now but get this show on the road," Regina muttered as she started her car.
"I told Mary Margaret it wasn't too late to run," Emma said, and Regina laughed. "How did she take that?" she asked.
"She told your mother she missed a spot at the back of my head. Just a guess, I don't think she liked it," Emma admitted ruefully.
"Well, your sense of humor leaves a little to be desired," Regina pointed out. "Much like your fashion sense."
"I'm much funnier than you people give me credit for," Emma said primly. "Killian always laughs at my jokes."
"Killian is a sucker. Did you talk to him today?"
Emma nodded. "He asked me to put Mary Margaret on the phone. I'm pretty sure he gave her his best wishes…but you never know."
Regina rolled her eyes. "If there's one thing I know, it's that the two of you are well matched. Neither one of you should be let out in public unsupervised." She paused for a second, then added, "I don't suppose you told him that there's still a seat available if he can make it out here today?"
"He can't," Emma said. "They're clearing away the burnt parts of the docks so that the construction crews can start rebuilding on Monday. Besides, I'm not sure that there is an empty seat available. Just because you've given up on Robin showing, doesn't mean I have."
Regina sighed. "I admire your optimism, Swan, but I'm pretty sure it's misplaced. But thank you, nonetheless."
Emma shrugged. "That's what family is for. To believe, when you don't believe yourself. You always believed in me. Now I'm returning the favor."
She couldn't help the tears that started to well in her eyes. Barely ten o'clock, and she was already getting emotional. This day was going to be a tough one, no doubt about it. She reached over and tugged one of Emma's curls. "You're not so bad, Emma. No matter what Mother says about you."
Emma laughed at the backhanded compliment. "Likewise, my dear. Likewise."
The church was empty when they arrived, save for the florists who were hanging bouquets on the pews and the photographer who was waiting patiently by the bride's room to start snapping photos. Regina eased herself into the pink satin gown, being careful not to muss her hair or smudge her makeup. Everyone's attention was focused on Mary Margaret, so she took a moment to tuck herself into the window and try to shake off her feelings of dread. She was happy for Mary Margaret, truly; she didn't want to be the sour face in the photos, no matter how much her heart wasn't in celebrating. As Cora posed to take the traditional shot of the mother of the bride adjusting the veil, she eased herself out of the bride's room and down the hallway to the doors that led to the small courtyard. She leaned against the heavy wooden doors and took several deep breaths.
"I was wondering if I'd catch you," she heard, and her throat clenched. Daniel. She closed her eyes and steeled herself.
"You look beautiful," he said. "That color suits you."
She nodded impassively. "Thank you," she said.
"Listen," he said. "I was hoping to catch you before the ceremony. I'm sorry if what I said last night came out of left field, but I meant it. I really do want a chance to make it up to you. All of it, if you'll let me."
She studied him , his lopsided grin, his cold blue eyes and dark brown hair that even after all these years still fell in his eyes. She remembered brushing it aside as a teenager, remembered holding his chin in the palm of her hand. Remembered how dead his expression was that day in the hospital when he told her they needed time apart. That was it, she thought. That last moment, when he walked away from her after the worst experience of her life, that was the legacy he would always leave her.
After 14 years, she was relieved to realize that she had nothing left to give him. She said goodbye to that small, dark place in her heart that still cherished the thought of a happily ever after and let it go, feeling it floating away, feather-light, into the warm June sunshine.
"Your family is waiting for you," she said softly. "You'd better go find them."
He took a step toward her and reached out a hand, but she sidestepped him. "No," she stated. "No. It's done. I'm done. Thank you for your apology, but that's all I need from you now." She turned and pulled the heavy door open, leaving him staring open-mouthed in her wake. Once inside the rectory, she took a handful of deep breaths. It was done – Daniel was in the past, and she was going to leave him there where he belonged. She let out one more exhale and walked down the hallway to rejoin her family.
The opening notes of Pachelbel's Canon filled the church as they lined up in front of the sanctuary. Daniel's girls were to lead the procession, followed by Henry and the bridesmaids. Regina nudged an errant curl back into Emma's elaborate updo, earning her a swipe and a glare from Emma. "What?" she whispered. "You keep messing with it. Leave it alone or Mother will kill you."
"Piss off," Emma shot back in a stage whisper, and Regina couldn't help but laugh. Well, if lighting hadn't struck Emma when they first walked into the church, it wasn't likely to happen now. Ruby began her march down the aisle, and Regina took her place in the doorway. She took slow steps, a steady smile fixed on her face, and focused on the altar in front of her. One foot in front of the other, and keep smiling, she thought. She took her place at the foot of the altar and turned back as Emma was halfway down the aisle, looking as uncomfortable as she could be. Regina shot her a cheesy grin, and Emma's face relaxed in some semblance of a smile. She took her place next to Regina; both turned to the doors to watch Mary Margaret make her entrance.
Oh, she was beaming on Henry's arm, and Regina felt a shadow of envy pressing into her chest. She shot a quick look at David, and sure enough, his eyes were wet with tears. Emma nudged her and winked, and she leaned into her with a small sigh. At least one of them had gotten it right. Her eyes drifted over the congregation – people she had grown up with, people that had known her parents, people whose children were Mary Margaret's students. All of them turning out on a Saturday morning to witness this event.
She froze. Six rows back, on the outside of the pew, an unmistakable head of sandy blonde hair. Robin. Her breath caught in her throat. Every face in the church was turned to watch Mary Margaret walk down the aisle, but his eyes didn't leave her face. Her breath caught in her throat – she didn't expect to see him here at all, and most definitely didn't expect to find him looking at her with such an intense look of longing. For a moment, she didn't know how to react.
Emma's words echoed in her head. You're the most decisive person I know. She made a decision – this is what she wanted. He was what she wanted. Her lips curled up in a small smile, and he answered with his own. She held his gaze until the minister began the ceremony and she reluctantly turned to follow the ceremony. She tried to keep her attention on what was going on at the altar, but her eyes kept wandering back to the pews, and every time, Robin met her gaze. Every nerve ending in her body tingled with the awareness of his eyes on her, even when she wasn't looking. By the time the minister pronounced David and Mary Margaret husband and wife, Regina was afraid that she was seconds away from bursting into flames. She followed Emma down the aisle on autopilot, fighting against every instinct that screamed for her to turn back and grab Robin, kiss him and never let go.
Later. There would be time for that. He was there, after all, there just to be with her. Her heart beat faster at the thought.
She stood arm-in-arm with Graham, David's partner at the station, waiting to be introduced as a member of the bridal party. As the emcee called out their names, she let Graham lead them into the tent and twirl her around, enjoying the cheers and applause as he dipped her and kissed her cheek. Graham pulled her back up and twirled her to the side of the dance floor, linking his arm in hers. She did a quick sweep of the tent – she caught Daniel's sour expression, but no sign of Robin. There's still plenty of time, she thought, trying to stifle the bit of panic she felt. The emcee introduced Emma and the best man, and then the crowd hushed as they waited for Mary Margaret and David to make their entrance. As the tent flaps swept aside and David ushered Mary Margaret inside, Regina felt a tug on the back of her dress. She turned around, at first thinking it was Henry stepping on her dress.
Robin.
He pulled her back from where she stood, into the darkened corner of the tent. "Forgive me, love," he whispered, "but I just had to tell you that you look stunning."
She wanted to come up with a clever response, some idle flattery or quick quip, but the words died in her throat. Instead, she grabbed the lapels of his suit jacket and pulled him to her, pressing her lips to his. Caught by surprise, he hesitated for just a second, then his arms circled around her waist and pulled her tightly to him. She traced her tongue against the seam of his lips, and he parted them for her with a tiny moan, barely enough for her to hear. Her hand drifted up to the base of his neck, and she raked her nails through his hair as she traced his perfect teeth with her tongue. This, she thought. This is what I want.
He pulled back, struggling a bit for air. She brought her hand around to his face and traced his cheekbone with her fingertips. "You," she whispered. "I choose you." She cupped both of her hands on his face, laughing at his slightly dumbstruck expression. "I choose you. So you'd better be planning to stick around."
He smiled down at her, finally. "I'm not going anywhere," he said. "And I expect you to save me a dance."
"Every dance," she promised, and reached up to kiss him again.
The reception passed in a blur of well wishes, toasts and cheers for the bride and groom. For the first time since she'd left Storybrooke in college, Regina finally felt like she could hold her own. She had a life that she loved, a career that brought her success, and a man on her arm that saw her for who she was and wanted her the more so for it. She raised her glass with every succeeding toast, and her eyes grew misty as Emma promised that she and Regina would strive every day for the happiness that Mary Margaret had found with David. When the time came to throw the bouquet, Emma dragged her out of Robin's arms and on to the dance floor. "If I have to suffer, so do you," Emma whispered as she positioned herself squarely behind Regina.
Not so much, Regina thought with a smile as she caught Mary Margaret's wink. Like a shortstop throwing out a runner at home plate, Mary Margaret turned and whipped the bouquet straight at Regina, laughing as she ducked at the last minute, forcing Emma to either catch it or wind up with a mouth full of roses. Emma stared horrified at the boquet. Regina laughed and said, "Guess Killian had better show up at the next wedding, since it looks like it's going to be his."
"I'll never forgive you for this," Emma hissed, and Regina smirked as she told her to add it to the list. Henry approached his mother, looking far more grown up in his tuxedo than he had any right to be, and asked her for the honor of a dance. Regina bit her lip as she watched mother and son take the floor, and her heart soared as she realized how fortunate she was to have them sharing her life.
And how fortunate she was to have met Robin, whose chest was suddenly radiating heat against the skin exposed on her back by her bridesmaid's dress.
"I hope you're not too distressed by not catching the bouquet," he whispered into her ear.
She leaned back against him, curling her head into the warm groove of his neck. "Not at all," she said. "I already have everything I want right here," and she led him out on the dance floor for the last dance of the first night of the rest of their lives.
Thank you all for reading, and for your feedback and reviews. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I loved writing it! Sorry I couldn't include any Dimples Queen, but it would have been the height of rudeness for Robin to bring an uninvited guest Seriously, though, I am so grateful for everyone who responded positively to this story. It means more than you know.