A/N: I know, I'm late. Sorry! Yesterday and all day today became pretty busy for me, but because of my tardiness in updating yesterday as I promised, here is the new update which is longer than I thought it would be and it also didn't turn out the way I expected it to. It was better! ;) Happy reading! I hope you all keep enjoying.

Emma closed the door to her beloved yellow beetle, her hands on the steering wheel as she turned the key in the ignition. A smile appeared on her lips once the car roared to life. It never failed her.

"It's good to see you too. How about a drive?" Emma smirked as she stepped on the gas pedal. That was always her playful way of making the car respond to her.

She soon drove off towards her destination. Which wasn't far, given that this was a small town. She could have easily arrived there just by walking, but she missed driving dearly.

She made her way out of the car, holding onto her cane as it was placed firmly on the ground. Her eyes focused on an older man who stood up from his rocking chair that was placed on the outside of his shop and also home. Emma shut the door to the car as she took three steps forward as the older man met her halfway while he stepped off the front porch.

He removed his hat as he now stood before the young soldier. His smile a sad one, but friendly. "Emma." His voice filled with emotion to finally seeing his son's friend standing before him. His Italian accent thick, just as August had once described to her.

"Good morning, sir." Emma nodded, "I'm here for that job, if you still need the help."

He nodded, "Help is always needed. Especially when it's someone my son trusted with his life." He smiled again, patting her arm gently, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"It gives me great pleasure to meet you, sir." Emma smiled.

"Please, call me Marco. Everyone does."

"Marco." The blonde repeated.

"Come, allow me to show you around." Emma followed the gray haired, bearded man into his home, feeling pretty excited to being put to some good use after what felt like an eternity of not doing anything constructive.

A soldier collapsed in his room after he had been allowed to walk around. Regina and Kathryn along with another nurse were right there to aid.

Kathryn took her stethoscope, placing the diaphragm to the bare man's chest, her eyes focused on Regina, "His lungs are collapsing!"

"I'll get Dr. Whale!" The younger nurse ran away from both women immediately as Regina placed the eartips of her stethoscope to her ears, listening on her own to the man's breathing.

"The air is escaping into his chest," she quickly removed her eartips from her ears, holding out her hand, "Hand me that syringe." She ordered Kathryn.

Kathryn grabbed a hold of a syringe that was near, big enough to put an animal down, her eyes wide, "Regina, we really should wait for Dr. Whale."

Regina snatched the syringe from her friend's hand, "There's no time to wait, we have to do this now." She removed the cap from the needle, plunging it into the man's chest as she pulled back on the plunger until it popped out of the barrel, air hissing loudly. Followed by the soldier gasping back to life as his eyes opened wide as if his soul had just re-entered his body.

Both nurses exchanged looks, Kathryn smiling with admiration towards the brunette's immediate action. Not that Regina minded taking time off from work to had been with Emma on her last days in Germany, but being back now made her see how much she missed the sensation of being able to help those in need.

Time passed as Regina kept working as hard as ever in the hospital, same with Emma helping Marco. The brunette dealing with stitching patients up to popping back a soldier's dislocated shoulder, to dealing with uneasy and restless patients. While the blonde learned it all from Marco, to every type of tool there was for wood cutting and carving. It was relaxing work to her surprise and she loved hearing stories about when the man immigrated from Italy back in the day and joined the war, leaving little August alone with his mother. Along with endless stories about August growing up that Emma loved listening to.

Many emails were exchanged to say the least between the two women as days and or weeks passed them along.

My Darling Emma,

Another hard working day at the hospital, I'm afraid. We had to sedate a patient today, as he was being extremely difficult when trying to help him. Poor Kathryn even got bit. She's fine however, nothing serious.

I'm truly sorry that my emails have been sent out so late at night. I can't tell you how much I wish we were together and we would be planning on a date, enjoying a nice walk along the park with some red and yellow M&M's to exchange.

It'll be my birthday soon and if there was anything I would wish for, it would be to finally be back home so I could look upon your green eyes and get lost in them. See what you have done to me? Before I was fine with being away from Boston but now… it's agony. I've become addicted. I admit it.

But enough about that. How is work going for you? I'm glad you have been feeling useful while back home. I can't wait to hear all about it.

Love,

Regina

My Dearest Regina,

I certainly hope Kathryn is doing better. Days get though, but if anyone can handle them in the end, it's you. You are capable of more things than you realize. Hang in there! We will be together soon and I will kiss away all those headaches, frustrations, stressing days you have had to go through while we've been a part.

It's been agony for me too. I had some M&M's the other day and found myself separating the red ones from the rest. I even gained a weird look from Ruby.

Another walk with you sounds about right. Anytime you have another hard or long day at work just close your eyes and picture us walking along that bridge in Vienna. I do that every night I'm restless. The only time I ever got any good enough sleep was after we had made love and fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms. God, I miss that…

But before I turn this email into a triple X rating, let me talk about work for me. It's been going really well, keeps me busy but I've learned a lot in a short amount of time. Marco is an excellent teacher, very patient. He is teaching me more into carving and can you believe it, he has turned me into a 1940's girl. Anytime we are working in his shop, I find myself enjoying the soothing voices and jazz melodies of Doris Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra. I actually heard a song the other day that I believe was made especially for you. I will share the link to it for you to have a listen.

It'll be your birthday soon, huh? Just kidding! I remembered. I could never forget the date where you graced the world with your presence.

Love,

Emma

Trumpets and piano melodies along with Ella Fitzgerald's voice began to play out of the brunette's laptop as the song All The Things You Are played out. As every loving gesture the blonde had towards her, it made her smile grow, forgetting all about stressful days. It wasn't Emma physically, but the thought of the soldier taking a bit of her time during a busy day to send her a song was more than she could ask for. No one had ever done that for her before.

She loved the song immediately, of course and would hear it every night before going to bed. It would make her nights more relaxing after challenges day at work, as well as hearing from Emma from endless back and forth emails.

More days passed and only Regina would be working on her birthday. But work was the only thing that made her not go crazy from missing Emma so much. Still, on those lonely nights the nostalgia would hit her once she would arrive home or be in bed. She could only imagine how Emma was feeling as well.

"That's a unique necklace." Said a soldier, his arm bare as he sat on an examination table, while Regina stitched his forearm back up.

While her eyes were focused on the cut he had suffered after an argument between him and fellow soldier took place. His eyes were focused on the swan pendant necklace that hung on the brunette nurse's neck.

Regina shook her head as her hand moved with swift motion as the string went right through his arm, "Why you two insists on acting like two little boys is beyond me."

"Here's that bandage you asked for." Kathryn came into the curtained area, placing a perfectly new bandage on the tray beside her.

"Thank you."

The soldier's eyes were focused on the brunette as she kept her focus on his arm. "It was over you, you know. The fight." He said, while Kathryn discreetly looked over her shoulder, as Regina's eyes looked up at the soldier's before her, but remained focused on finishing the stitches on his arm, taking a pair of scissors as she cut the string.

"I can't possibly see how I would be the cause of a fight between two grown men such as yourselves." Regina raised his forearm gently, her hands working with ease as they wrapped the bandage around it where the stitches were.

"Well, we had a card game going, the winner was going to have the chance to take you on a date. Of course I won, but he accused me of cheating and everything just happened from there." He paused, taking notice at the smirk on Kathryn's lips.

"All done." Regina placed his arm back down, while she and Kathryn gathered the supplies, disposing of bloody gauze's and cotton balls. "As much as I love my job, please try to stay out of more fights with your roommate."

"Yes, ma'am." He smiled, watching as Regina was getting ready to walk away, "So how's about that date? I did win."

Regina looked over her shoulder, letting out a tiny chuckle, "I'm not a prize. I'm afraid I can't accept that date."

"What, are you with someone?" He asked, his smile gone.

Regina looked over at Kathryn, ignoring the man's question, "I'll see you at lunch."

Kathryn nodded as Regina walked away, while Kathryn placed the rest of the supplies inside a tray to take them to be disinfected. "Up you go, soldier." She began disinfecting the examining table as the soldier hopped right off of it.

"Is she really with someone?" He asked the blonde nurse.

Kathryn chuckled, "You're surprised by that? Really?" She patted his shoulder, "I would start betting your card games on something else if I were you."

His eyes looked over the blonde nurse's figure as she began to walk out of the small area, "How about you? Fancy a date?"

Kathryn turned, supplies in her hand, "I'm here to work, soldier. Not to date. Excuse me." She walked away, rolling her eyes at the man's nerve. She wasn't against dating anyone, but she liked the idea that it would be love at first sight whenever she met the right man. Not someone who was just desperate to get somewhere with the first pretty girl that crossed their path.

Kathryn locked arms with the brunette as they walked out of the hospital once their shift was finished, "Only you would work on your birthday." She smiled, "So, how does it feel to turn twenty-six?"

"I feel the same way I did when I was twenty-five." Regina joked, sighing as she rubbed her neck from feeling utterly exhausted, "I am just ready to go home and have a nice birthday dinner with you."

"I'm afraid dinner will have to wait." Said Kathryn, grinning widely as Regina gave her a questioning look, "Emma emailed me and I have specific instructions on where to take you first. Who knew the soldier had a few tricks up her sleeve even while being halfway across the world?"

Regina smiled at the very thought that even at a distance, Emma continued to surprise her. "And where exactly are we going?"

"That's the surprise." Kathryn tightened her grip on the brunette's arm as she rushed her towards an incoming taxi, "Now, come on. She was very specific about the time frames and I don't want to let her down."

By 7:15 both women entered a flower shop that was nearby both the hospital and park where they had their first date. Regina was given an arrangement of exactly 26 white and red roses as soon as they walked in. The florist had been given specific instructions on what needed to be done. The order of flowers already being paid for.

"Hang on. There has to be a note," Kathryn looked in between the flowers for the note, careful not to cause any damage to them, "In her email, Emma said there would be a note for you. Ah-huh!" She grinned, holding the note in between her fingers proudly, "Here it is… just like she said it would be," She unfolded the small piece of paper, reading out loud for Regina to hear.

Twenty six roses for your twenty six years of life. I had the most beautiful ones picked out for you, although none of those flowers could ever bypass your beauty. Your next stop is to go to the park where we had our first date. Kathryn will know what to do from there.

Regina chuckled, "I can't believe Emma put you up to this."

"Oh, I volunteered. Now, let's go! You still have a few more surprises." Kathryn smiled, handing the note over to Regina, which she tucked into her scrubs pocket as the left the outside of the flower shop and headed towards the park.

Once they arrived at the park and both women neared the same tree they had been under, the first thing that came into view for the brunette nurse was a birthday balloon floating in between two big branches. At the end of the blue string of the balloon was an entire glass jar filled with only peanut red M&M's. Regina's smile only grew as she turned to look at her best friend. It was little things such as remembering her favorite color of chocolate that made her heart leap right out of her chest with all the love in the world for the blonde.

"Regina, if you don't end up marrying this girl, as God as my witness we are done being friends and I will marry her myself." Regina couldn't help but laugh to what her best friend said.

"Isn't it too soon to be talking marriage, Kathryn?" She asked.

"Not when you have a girl who has these types of gestures with you, it's not," Kathryn chuckled, "Oh! This is the most important gift of all…" She searched within her scrubs pockets while Regina's eyes grew wide in surprise.

"There's more?"

Kathryn pulled out a printed out ticket that she got off the internet, handing it over to the brunette, "This one I had to print out but it is strictly from her." She explained as Regina studied the piece of cut out paper in the form of a ticket.

Regina raised a brow as she looked at her best friend, "She doesn't secretly own a chocolate factory and is now leaving it to me, is she?"

Kathryn rolled her eyes, "It's not a golden ticket, Charlie. Didn't you hear? There aren't anymore. Now, read it."

Regina smirked, her eyes reading the inscription written on it in black fine lettering, while on one side of the ticket were drawn out pictures of a bottle of wine and a plate of spaghetti.

Ticket for Dinner. 8:30pm | Admit one | July 17

"Dinner?" asked Regina, her eyes looking into her friend's before her only to see Kathryn nod in confirmation.

"She booked us dinner at a very fancy place. 'Suitable for a queen,' she said. And she included me so you wouldn't be alone tonight at all cost."

Regina's lips parted in surprise, unable to believe that the soldier spend a lot of money on all these lovely gestures. Plus an expensive dinner? Sure, Regina grew up around money all her life, thanks to her parents always living well, but she was never one to enjoy the riches she had. Except for her car and her horses. The brunette was always more humble, just like her father. Not flaunting how much money they had around anyone else.

"I don't even want to know how much she spent on booking us this dinner." Regina shook her head, holding the ticket within her hands.

Kathryn shook her head, waving her hand, "Don't worry about it. It's your birthday. She wanted to do something extremely nice for you given that she can't be with you on your special day." She smiled, "This one is definitely crazy about you."

Regina chuckled, her cheeks pink, "I honestly don't know why."

Kathryn raised a brow, "Because you're you, Gina. Now, come on," She rushed towards the jar of M&M's, grabbed it and took her friend by the hand, "I believe you have a dinner reservation for 8:30. You don't want to be late."

Once they arrived, Kathryn now guided Regina out of the cab they had taken as they arrived right in front of their apartment complex. During the ride back, the brunette had been blindfolded so she wouldn't see where they were.

Kathryn pulled open the door, quickly holding onto her as she guided her towards the elevator this time, instead of using the stairs.

"Where are we? It doesn't sound like a restaurant." asked Regina, unable to see a single thing.

"No peeking." Kathryn grabbed a hold of her best friend, guiding her down the hallway until they arrived in front of their apartment door. As she took out her keys and parted open the door, she guided her inside.

"Alright, now I know we aren't at a restaurant. Where are we?"

The blonde removed the blindfold away from Regina's eyes, as her eyes widened in amazement. Soft music was playing in the background, the lights were off in the entire apartment. The only illumination providing a delicate source of light were strings of white Christmas lights that hung through the entire top part of the wall. Plus some candles that were set up around the living room area. She noticed the center table in the living room had been moved. As she looked over to their breakfast table, it was now covered with a white and red checkered cloth, while a slim vase rested right on the center with a single red rose. Plates already set in their places, right across from each other with freshly made dinner, already served.

Regina was taken aback at how lovely everything had been set up just for her birthday. She looked over at her best friend in amazement, "When did you do all this?" Her question remained unanswered as then, her cell phone rang. She quickly answered as soon as Emma's name appeared on the screen, "You are sneaky. I'll have to watch you closely, soldier."

"So, you liked your surprises?"

Regina smiled at the familiar sound of the blonde's voice on the other end of the phone, "I loved my surprises. However, you didn't have to go through all this trouble just for my birthday."

"You deserve nothing but the best on your day. Besides, I had big help from Kathryn. You still have one more surprise."

"Another one?" A laugh escaped her, "Emma, you've given me enough already."

She could hear the smile in the blonde's voice through the phone, "This one isn't from me. It's from Kathryn."

The brunette looked over at her best friend who was holding a slice of cake with a candle already lit.

"Don't forget to make a wish." said Kathryn, holding up the cake for Regina as the brunette blew out the candle.

"What'd you wish for?"

Regina chuckled, "If I tell you that, then it won't come true."

"This one just might."

Regina suddenly turned around to the direction of her bedroom, gasping as before her stood Emma, removing her cell phone from her ear as she looked upon the brunette with a pearly white smile. Regina couldn't help but freeze in place, her phone clutched in her hand until it dropped. She looked over at a grinning Kathryn before taking off running across the room, crashing into the blonde soldier's arms causing a grunt to escape her. Emma's eyes closed as her arms wrapped around the brunette's form. Her cane dropping to the floor with a clank.

The brunette soon broke their hug, but still remaining in the blonde's embrace, her hands cradling the sides of her face, her cheeks hurting from smiling, "You're really here?"

Emma nodded, her smile mirroring the brunette's before her, "I'm really here."

"How?" Asked a still surprised Regina. Her eyes glossy from unshed tears.

"I got her on a flight here." Kathryn smiled proudly, "All expenses paid for. Out of my own pocket."

Regina couldn't help but leave Emma's embrace to hug her best friend next. This had truly become one unforgettable birthday. Worth the celebration, given that she never truly celebrated a single one. Except for when she was a child and in her teen years because her father always insisted on giving her the best birthday ever. But her last celebrated birthday was a year before his passing, which was at age sixteen. Now, to have the woman she dearly loved here with her on her special day, (because this had become a special day) meant the world to her.

"I don't know how to ever thank you." Regina shook her head, her eyes focused on Kathryn's blue ones.

Kathryn shook her head, a warm smile to her, "Just go be with Emma. You two have a dinner to attend to."

"You aren't staying?" Asked Regina, following the older blonde as she began making her way into her bedroom.

"This is your night. Enjoy it. You've spent enough birthdays with me before. We'll have plenty more, I'm sure." She paused, looking at both women, "Besides, Emma traveled across the globe to be here with you. I'm not ruining it by being a third wheel. So, I'm heading to bed early, you two do what must be done." Her head peeked back out from around the corner of her room, "Although, I do ask that you keep your noise level at a minimum. Unfortunately these walls are thin and I do have work tomorrow morning."

Both Emma and Regina couldn't help but break into laughter, Emma's cheeks still filled with a shade of pink at the thought that she would actually hear them.

"Good night. Oh, put this down." Kathryn took the jar of M&M's from the brunette's hands placing it by the kitchen counter, she waved them off, smirking as she closed the door to her bedroom to give the two women some privacy.

"Whoa!" Emma was all smiles, her arms wrapped around the brunette as she threw herself towards her again, this time their lips meeting in quick peppered kisses. She chuckled, "I can't imagine what would happen if you missed me." She joked.

"Shut up." Regina kissed her again, several times after letting her go so the blonde could catch her breath. Her eyes looking at the table before them, "I can't believe you did all this."

"Friends in high places." Emma pulled the chair out for Regina as the brunette took a seat, taking a seat across from her. She uncorked the wine bottle as she served some for the brunette, placing it back on the table.

"Thank you." Regina took a sip, her eyes never leaving the soldier before her. "I can't believe you are actually here."

Emma smiled, "Just for tonight and a little while tomorrow. I have to fly back, I'm afraid."

Regina paused as she was about to take a bite of their main course. Her brows raised to her hairline, "You flew seven hours from Boston just for my birthday?"

"I guess I couldn't stay away from you any longer." Emma shrugged, taking a sip of her water. Her green eyes being the most beautiful Regina had seen in the dining candle light.

Regina's hand moved its way across the table, taking the blonde's hand into her own, their eyes never leaving one another. "You are something else, Emma Swan. Just when I think you can't possibly surprise me anymore, you prove me wrong."

Emma looked over to the stereo that continued to play soft music after both women had converse all about Emma's life in Boston and Regina's life in Germany and more about themselves during their romantic dinner, both constantly sharing lustful and flirtatious glances. Everything by Lifehouse started playing as the violins in the beginning of the song sounded. It made the blonde smile as she looked back at Regina.

"Would you like to dance?" asked Emma, standing up as Regina wiped the corners of her mouth delicately with a napkin and stood to her feet right at her offer. She walked the brunette to the center of the living room as their arms cradled each other in a loving embrace, their feet slowly swaying from side to side with instinct. Their eyes never leaving one another.

No words were needed for the moment they were now sharing. Regina wrapped her arms around the soldier's form, embracing her in a hug as her head rested on the blonde's shoulder. The scent of leather radiating off of her red leather jacket. Her eyes closing as all she could do was savor the moment she had the privilege of having with the woman who slowly stole her heart in that hospital. As for Emma, the scent of Regina's perfume was everything she needed to give her her fix of the older woman. She was happier than ever to be able to be here. Embrace her. Kiss her. She knew by the feel of their embrace that Regina needed her just as much as she did. There was nothing now that could tell Emma any different, or make her believe that Regina did not love her. Because she did. She did.

"I missed you." Regina whispered, facing the blonde again as their eyes instantly met.

Emma's lips tugged into an immediate smile, "Did you miss me? I couldn't tell." She joked, breaking into laughter as Regina playfully slapped her arm. "I missed you too." She replied, tightening her hold on the brunette's form. "I wouldn't of flown halfway across the world for just anyone. Even if it's just for a while."

Regina's eyes locked on the blonde's green ones, "Then we should make the hours we have left count." As Emma raised a questioning brow, she took her by the hand, forgetting all about their dance as she lead her into her bedroom. Stopping midway, as Emma pulled her back.

"Are you sure? We can go somewhere else." said Emma.

Regina closed the very little distance that was between them, her lips meeting thin ones that when she kissed them with all her passion, she felt her very life return to its rightful place. Emma's eyes opened up slowly as they finally parted, "I don't know how I'll be able to go on once you have to leave again by tomorrow." Regina whispered, "I need to be in your arms, Emma. All night. Unless you don't want to."

"I'll always want you, Regina. Always. I've been going crazy without feeling your body next to mine." Emma's arms suddenly tightened around Regina's form again, her hands suddenly moving their way down past her butt cheeks, stopping right at the back of her thighs. It was a touch that sent shivers up Regina's spine, a gasp finally escaping her as she felt how quickly Emma lifted her entire body up in the air right by her thighs. The brunette's legs indistinctly wrapping around Emma's waist as she slowly moved her into her bedroom, shutting the door in place with a swift kick of her foot.

Maybe it was her desire she felt in that moment for Regina, but even her leg wasn't a bother to be able to lift the older woman up in her arms as their lips met in yet another hot and passionate filled kiss.