AN: Less than half an hour 'til xmas day and I'm managing to post my 12th story chapter in 12 days as planned. Seasons greetings everyone, whatever you're celebrating, have a great day. Enjoy and review if you can (reviews are better than presents) :)

Emma was fidgeting in the doorway, standing between Henry and her mother, as they waited for Regina to let them in. Remembering Regina's words, she had worn one of her smarter outfits – okay, so the shirt was one she had borrowed from Regina's wardrobe after they finished unpacking the shopping – hoping the effort would be appreciated. Henry was acting completely naturally, as though he wasn't worried about the outcome of the meal. He probably wasn't, Emma knew his grandparents would continue to love him no matter what. She just wished she had the same confidence.

"Welcome. Come on in." Regina held her hands out for their coats, raising an eyebrow at Henry when he kicked his shoes off instead of putting them neatly with the adults.

Emma smiled at her as Henry went to pick up his shoes and passed Regina her jacket. Her mother began the conversation, asking how she was finding her job. Regina replied, trying to draw Emma into her answer, but she just nodded in agreement. Henry coaxed David away, wanting to test his grandfather's skills on a new computer game up in his bedroom. Regina let them go, smiling at the way David seemed just as excited as Henry.

Snow hovered in the kitchen with Emma as Regina put the finishing touches to the meal. Emma had to remind her not to discuss work, but was too nervous to talk more. They were going to tell her parents after the meal, but suddenly that seemed too far away. Regina poured their drinks and began loading the dishwasher with the various utensils she had been using to cook.

"Why don't you go check on the boys?" Regina eventually suggested, looking at Emma who had been tapping her feet nervously. "Dinner will be ready in ten minutes."

"Me? Why don't you go, mom?" Emma passed the request on to her mother. "If I go I'll end up playing."

Shrugging, Snow agreed, leaving Regina and Emma alone. Emma moved around to the other side of the counter, wary of getting too close in case Snow returned.

"Maybe we should sit them down and tell them now?" Emma asked.

"And waste all this food? Once they know, sitting down to eat might be the last thing on their minds."

"It's just food."

Regina reached out and took hold of Emma's hard, giving it a comforting squeeze. "I want to show them that we can all be civilised and get along. If you like, we can tell them before serving dessert?"

Emma laughed. "Hey, no fair!"

Regina watched as Emma's face fell again. Nodding as she made her decision, she reached over and switched off the cooker.

"Come on," she led Emma by the hand out to the hallway and called up the stairs for the others to come down.

"Really? We're doing this now?" Emma looked amazed.

"We'll just pour them a large alcoholic drink and sit them down. Maybe Henry should stay in his room?" Regina looked up at the sound of footsteps.

"Yeah, good idea."

Emma quickly called up to Henry who was standing at the top of the stairs, explaining that they just wanted to talk to Snow and David. They seated the happy couple in the front room. Regina sat opposite them and Emma went to sit next to her.

"Would you like a drink?" Regina asked.

"Do we need one?" David replied, looking at the guilty expression on his daughters face.

Emma decided to tell them outright, wanting to get it over with. "I'm in love with Regina."

"And I'm in love with Emma," Regina added, as if to reassure them.

Snow and David sat on the sofa like a pair of startled rabbits caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. Their mouths opened and closed, once, then again. Emma sidled closer to Regina, taking her hand.

"Mom? Dad?"

"How long?" Snow finally asked.

"A couple of months."

"Who else knows?"

"Henry…"

"Of course."

"And Archie. I've been talking to him since you made that part of the conditions for making me Sheriff." Regina explained, before being interrupted by Emma.

"But we only just told him about us. I want to make this relationship work and we know we'll need his help…. Dad? You haven't said anything yet."

"It's a lot to take in."

"I get it." Emma looked down at her hands.

"Honey, you have to understand…" Snow paused as she heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Have you told them?" Henry peered into the room from the doorway. "Can we have dinner now? I'm starving."

"Henry…" Emma started to ask him to return to his room, but Regina shook her head.

"You're right, it's time to eat. Snow, David, we'd love it if you would stay for dinner but we'll understand if you need time to think."

"David?" Snow looked to her husband for the answer.

"I… I guess we could stay. If that's okay with you?"

Snow nodded. "But that doesn't mean I can just accept… this…the two of you…"

"They're in love," Henry told them. "What's not to accept?"

"Why don't you help me with the dinner," Regina suggested, wanting to draw him away and give Emma some time alone with her parents.

He agreed, if only to get a chance to nibble on the food before it was ready to go to the table.

Regina watched Emma unwrap her robe and hang it on the back of the door. They had managed to tell Snow and David about Emma and Henry moving in without too much drama. Emma's parents were still too shocked to say much about the relationship and Henry's presence had kept their thoughts in check.

"So, now that I live here will you make me a packed lunch like you do for Henry?" Emma asked as she lay down beside Regina in the bed.

Their bed. Emma smiled at the thought.

"Perhaps you could take turns making his lunch?" Regina teased. "Of course, you'll have to promise to only pack healthy food."

"Maybe we should go shopping together and re-stock your shelves with the essentials. You seemed to be low on everything containing sugar."

"For good reason. Nothing comes over that threshold without my approval, dear."

"There must be something I can do to change your mind…" Emma whispered reaching out to stroke Regina's delicate skin.

"Not with Henry in the house," Regina reminded her.

"He knows to knock first."

"And if he hears what we're doing?"

"You could teach me to use my magic to soundproof the room," Emma moved to position her body over Regina's, noting there was no request for her to stop.

Regina moaned softly as one of Emma's hands roamed down between her legs, "We should talk…"

"I'm more of a doer than a talker," Emma reminded her.

"Now your parents know about us…"

Emma's hand quickly abandoned its position and came to rest on Regina's stomach. "Really bad timing."

"It's important." Regina rested her hand on top of Emma's. "We have to be prepared for tomorrow."

"And the next day, and the day after that. Look, I don't care. I have you and Henry…"

"They're your parents and you love them, don't deny it. Their reaction is important to you."

Emma shrugged, "they won't be the first parents to reject me."

"This is different and you know it. We're over the first hurdle; telling them. Now we have to show them that we love each other."

"Which we do."

"We do," Regina agreed with a smile.

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Emma lifted herself off Regina and lay back down beside her, keeping one hand under Regina's.