"Wake up, wake up!" I shout at Regina. She groans and pushes her pillow over her head. I giggle and slap her bare ass harshly.
"Oh!" she shouts as she immediately turns over to protect herself. "Emma!" I giggle again and clamber into her now exposed lap.
"Hi beautiful," I murmur. I kiss her gently, running my fingers through her hair.
"Emma," she purrs.
"Yes?"
"That kind of turned me on." I feel my eyes widen in surprise and I can't help but smile.
"Oh I'm sure it did, my love." I cup a breast as I speak and her eyes close as she groans. "It's Christmas day, baby. We're going home in a few days."
"We're going to Cancun in a few days," she corrects me. "And then I can fuck you senseless while you scream for release." Her voice is hot and heavy in my ear. It's been a week and a half of teasing, both of us unable to be quiet enough with my parents just down the hall.
"Hush, or I'm going to break the record we've been setting right here and right now."
"Oh how I wish you would," she says as she bites down on my earlobe. I scoot away from her and we both make eye contact and laugh.
"You're such a tease," I smirk after our giggles die down.
"Come on, it's nearly ten. We don't want your mother busting in on us again." I laugh at the memory of Regina and I curled into each other, asleep in only our underwear. Mom looked like she was going to flip her lid, but she never mentioned it again.
We meander downstairs, fingers wound tightly together.
"Morning," we murmur simultaneously. Mom and dad are sitting at the table while Neal plays in his pen on the floor. I move to the coffee maker and pour both of us our cups of coffee.
"How did you sleep?" dad asks. Regina and I share a knowing smirk as I pass her her coffee.
"Fine, thanks." I smile as Regina takes a sip and moans.
"You are so good at making this for me," she says with a smile. I kiss her cheek. Out of the corner of my eye I see mom look away and sigh.
Clearly she's still working on this, I think to myself.
"So what's the plan for today?" I ask as I pat mom on the head and sit down next to her.
"Well, we made reservations at your favorite restaurant."
"No way! How did you get a reservation?"
"We called months ago and they were very accommodating." I squeal in delight and kiss her cheek.
"Gina you're gonna love this place, I promise!"
"What kind of restaurant is it?"
"Italian!" she laughs and I quirk my eyebrow. "Why are you laughing at me?"
"You're just so cute and predictable," she says with another low chuckle. I huff. "It sounds wonderful, my dear. And if you all love it, I have no doubt I will as well."
"What else is on the list?" I ask. Christmas is always a big day out for us.
"How about ice skating and a movie?" I smile and nod enthusiastically.
Several hours later, after a light breakfast and a movie, Regina and I are skating circles around my parents.
"Mom, come on!"
"It's been quite a while since I've skated, Emma! Don't make fun of me!" I laugh as I see her knees shake quickly before she rights herself. Regina releases my hand and skates over.
"Take my hand," she says with a cautious smile. Dad looks up in surprise, as do I.
"Oh, Regina, I'm really quite bad." I smile as Regina shakes her head.
"I was terrible when Emma taught me. Trust me on this." I watch in amazement as mom takes Regina's hand and they slowly make progress across the rink. Dad skates over to me and swings a gentle arm around my shoulders.
"She's getting there," he says quietly. I know we're not talking about the skating.
"She better hurry," I say with a sigh.
"It's going to take some time. I'm a little shocked too, pumpkin. She's a lot older and- not to say you're not mature- but she's very mature. I guess I just wouldn't have picked her for you. But you seem happy, Ems. I can't punish you for that."
"Mom can." I hate the way my voice cracks. I smile as mom falters and Regina grabs her elbow and gives her an encouraging pat on the shoulder.
"She's not trying to punish you."
"I know, I really do. But it's hard when she seems so reluctant to get to know Regina."
"Just give her time. This is an adjustment. You're not our little girl anymore, Emma."
"I love her, dad. My hands still shake sometimes when she looks at me." He smiles down at me and then we trail after mom and Regina.
"Emma, look I'm getting it!" mom shouts as she slowly skates a few feet away from Regina on her own. I grab Regina's arm and smile at her, desperately wanting to kiss her but knowing this isn't the place.
"You're doing great, Mary Margaret!" Regina smiles after her as dad picks up the slack and they begin slowly skating together.
"You're amazing," I say as I wrap an arm around Regina's waist.
"Why do you say that?"
"You know exactly why I say that. I love you, baby. I know how hard you're working to get my parents to like you, and I promise it's coming." She blushes and glances down as we skate.
"Thank you, Emma." I glance over to see my parents watching us, but I shrug it off and stop Regina mid-stride, wrapping her in my arms, and kiss her slowly and gently.
"I love you," I murmur against her lips before kissing her again. She sighs happily and I feel her melt into my arms.
"Babe, come on we gotta go!" I hear Regina shout downstairs. It's time for dinner, and as usual I'm running late. I come dashing down the stairs, boots in hand. Mom, dad, and Regina are waiting for me at the front door.
"I'm sorry!" I huff, tugging on my boots.
"That's it, we're leaving," Regina says with a chuckle as I'm suddenly lifted from the ground and thrown over her shoulder.
"Oh my god!" I shriek. Mom and dad are laughing hysterically, dad picking up my other boot as he opens the front door. "Regina! Put me down!" I kick and yell, but she just makes her way out to my parent's car.
"Watch it, Ms. Swan, or I'll throw you in that pile of snow over there!"
"Don't you dare!" I shriek again. As everyone piles in the car, dad opens the back seat for Regina and I and she gently deposits me in the back before nudging me. I slide over and she gets in, closing the door behind me.
"I love you," she murmurs as she kisses my cheek. I huff and cross my arms over my chest.
"Oh Emma," mom sighs, "don't be such a sour puss. Here," she says as she throws my other shoe into the backseat, "put this on." Dad laughs as well as I slip on my shoe, still feeling mildly disgruntled.
When we arrive at the restaurant, I give Regina a pointed look. "I can walk into the restaurant myself, thank you dear," I say with a smirk.
"What a relief, I think I threw my back out," she teases.
Inside the restaurant, I take a deep breath. When I was younger, my parents used to save up all year to take me here for Christmas. It still smells as delicious and familiar as I remember it. I smile at Regina and she winks at me, linking her fingers with mine.
"Good evening," the host greets us. He eyes Regina and I see his gaze linger just a little too long. I wrap a possessive arm around her waist.
"Hi, we have a reservation under Mary Margaret." He smiles and checks the list before compiling menus and leading us to our table. I'm relieved when I see it's a booth so I can sit close to Regina and hold hands under the table.
"Enjoy your meal," he says after we're all seated with menus.
Conversation lulls as everyone peruses the menu. I already know what I want, so I use my time wisely and tease Regina, running my foot up her bare leg. She jumps at the contact, but nobody but me notices. She doesn't look my way, just narrows her eyes at the menu.
"Everything looks good," mom murmurs.
"It does," I agree, my eyes locked on Regina. I watch her turn a deep shade of red.
When dinner is over, mom and dad insist on dessert.
"Guys, I'm so full," I groan, rubbing my stomach. Regina chuckles and laces her fingers with mine.
"Emma, it's Christmas! This is tradition and we always have chocolate cake for dessert." Mom is starting to get huffy, so I throw my hand up in surrender.
"Okay, okay!"
"How did you like dinner, Regina?" dad asks with a smile.
"Oh, it was delicious. This is a lovely restaurant. How long have you been coming here?"
"Oh, fifteen years at least. Since Emma was young enough to demand we eat somewhere specific," mom says with a laugh and a wink in my direction. I blush, feeling a little guilty that my five year old self demanded my parents take her to such an expensive place.
I see our waiter come around the corner with a plate of chocolate cake and several forks in his hand. I grin at Regina.
"This is like the richest chocolate cake you will ever eat, I swear." She grins, biting her lip anxiously. When I turn back, the plate is being set down in front of me, instead of the middle of the table, and the waiter turns the plate slightly.
I gasp, my eyes moving from the ring on the plate to my parents and then finally to Regina.
"Regina?" I murmur.
"Before you panic," she murmurs, "this isn't an engagement ring… yet." I look back down at the ring. It's beautiful, of course, with a crown-topped diamond. The band is arms with the hands coming to showcase the heart.
"Regina," I whisper as my eyes involuntarily fill with tears.
"Don't cry, mon amour," she says as she cups my cheek. "This is a traditionally Irish ring, used to symbolize every stage of a relationship." I watch as she picks it up and holds it out. "If you wear it on your right hand with the heart pointed out, you are single. With the heart pointed in, it means you're in a relationship. I love you very much, Emma, and I want you to know I'm all in no matter what. All in, and all yours. I promise to give you every piece of me, and to be yours just as much as I would like you to be mine."
I hold my hand out, a clear quiver spreading through my limbs. She smiles at me and slips the ring on my right ring finger, heart pointed in. She kisses my knuckles one at a time.
"I love you," I whisper quietly, so quietly I fear she hasn't even heard me. Her eyes are turned down, staring at the ring on my hand. When she looks up again, after what feels like forever, she leans forward and plants a kiss on my forehead.
Only then do I remember my parents are just across the table, and I close my eyes as I hope my mother isn't seething. When I turn to look at them, I'm floored to find mom with tears in her ears.
"Did… You guys know about this?" I ask in disbelief. They nod simultaneously.
"That night the three of us spoke privately, Regina told us what she planned to do. It's been impossible to look at her and not see how much she loves you, Emma."
"I can't believe you're saying all this." My cheeks are flush with excitement. "Thank you," I whisper, my gaze landing on mom and lingering there.
"I love you, Emma." It feels like it's been so long since she's said that and I feel it radiate in my bones.
I turn to Regina with a squeal and throw my arms around her neck. I feel her fingers dig into my back and I smile, laughter and tears spilling from my body.
"I never thought it could be like this," Regina murmurs into my neck.
A/N: Hey y'all! Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please don't forget to review; I so desperately need them to feed my writer's ego! Next up, our lovely ladies jet off to Mexico! xx
