Hello! I hope you have a nice Sunday everyone!

I'm sure you'll like this chapter!

Enjoy!

The four riders have been enjoying their break for a good half hour now. The sheriff was lying, his head on one of the backpacks. Regina was sitting cross-legged watching the sea and the children who were taking care of the horses. Henry was happy to show Matthew everything he knew about these animals: how to care for them, feed them, wash them … He taught him the different parts of their bodies, the names of the different sort of harnesses. He was really in his element.

For a brief moment, Henry's gaze misted over. Matthew noticed it immediately.

"Are you okay, Henry? What's going on?"

"Yes, I'm okay. It's just that ... I really wanted Emma to be with us today."

"Me too." He sadly replied. Then with a little more enthusiasm, he proposed. "What if we send her a picture of us?"

Henry received his idea with joy and called his mother for her to appear on the photograph. Delighted with the idea, she instinctively placed herself between the two children.

"But who's going to take the photo?" One of the brothers worried.

"I know exactly who." Regina smiled. "Graham! Can you come for a moment, please?"

Graham got up from his nap with difficulty and approached the little family. Regina kindly asked him to take a picture of the three of them, which he did without much enthusiasm.

"Great, thanks Graham." Henry said when the sheriff handed him back the cell phone. "Emma will be happy to see us!"

*So this photo is for Emma, but why did Regina need to pose with them?* He thought, fulminating against this thing that was settling in this family and that he did not understand.

Emma's phone beep suddenly pulled her out of her research. She had not looked up from the Storybrooke Daily Mirror for several hours now, she accepted the break fortuitously offered by her phone with relief.

~ We think of you, mom! We're having fun and we hope you're not too bored without us! Big kisses from the three of us!

Then she opened the attachment and her heart started to beat wildly. In front of the horses grazing peacefully in the background, there were her children and Regina between them, surrounding them with her protective arms. All three had a beaming smile that warmed her heart. She could not contain a soft moan, which made Belle's head lift up.

"Some good news?"

"Yes, Yes, it's a MMS from Regina and children." She replied without looking up from the screen.

Belle said nothing. There was nothing to say. Just the way the young woman looked at her phone, she understood that nothing and no one could separate them much longer.

The walk of the four riders had resumed a good hour ago now. From time to time, Henry and Regina let the horses speed up and they rode side by side at a gallop. Their cries of joy betrayed their happiness. They were free! To tell the truth, it was only on horseback that Regina felt really free. On her mount, her mother and Gold were far away and all her worries were forgotten.

But most of the time, they walked or trotted gently alongside Matthew. The young boy was a little crossed with himself. He could see that his low level prevented them from galloping as much as they wanted. But Regina has repeatedly argued that 'happiness is not about doing things on your own, but about sharing them with the people you love', so he felt less guilty and very happy.

Although he was a beginner, the boy was progressing rapidly and he was now able to hold onto his horse at a sustained trot. On the other hand, another beginner did not go beyond the trotting stage. To tell the truth, Graham did not even make the effort to try to progress and let himself be lamentably carried by the poor horse forced to make the whole promenade at a walking pace.

It was the time for the last break. The horses had to rest one last time before returning to the stable. Regina then led the group to the banks of a river, where the animals could quench their thirst. Everyone was starting to get really tired. Despite the fact that the children were still smiling, Regina knew they would have to go home soon.

When they got to the edge of the river, everyone got off their horses. Even experienced riders were starting to feel tightness in the lower back and the future stiffness of the next day.

Completely dull, Graham let himself slip nonchalantly down his horse. But when he got to the ground, he was surprised by a strange sensation. Instead of a hard, stony ground which he had rightly expected, he felt his foot sink into squashy, warm material. A squelch accompanied his action. Dreading with horror what he was about to discover, the sheriff lowered his eyes and cried out again. A cry of rage this time, which made the three others turn around.

"Aaaaah fuck! Why do I have to endure this shitty day?!"

"GRAHAM! Watch your language, for God's sake!" Regina shouted, turning to him.

It was at this moment that she noticed his right foot, sunk up to his ankle in a large heap of dung. She could not suppress a mocking smile. The twins, on the other hand, took much less precaution to spare the sheriff's susceptibility and burst out laughing. Their laughter became even more loud when they saw Graham struggling to remove his foot from the heap of excrement, and after a few moments of struggle he managed to get his foot back ... but without his sneaker, stuck in the middle of the feces.

"WHY DOES THIS ONLY HAPPEN TO ME?!"

"Look, Graham, there's the river right behind you. Go wash your foot in it." Henry proposed between the bursts of laughter.

"Yeah, go on, laugh, laugh … I'm fed up of this day. I'm aching all over, I have to carry stones, and now I put my feet in fresh dung ... Roll on bedtime, really ..."

Graham continued to grumble while plunging his foot into the cool water of the running stream. Matthew felt a little uncomfortable for poor Graham. It really hurt a little his feelings to see him go through this all along the day. So he decided to help him a little. With the help of a stick, he succeeded in removing his shoe from the dung. Thinking Graham would probably like to clean it up a bit before slipping his foot in again, he approached him, the shoe still hanging on the end of his stick.

Unfortunately, too busy rubbing his leg up to the knee with disgust, Graham did not see the boy approaching him behind his back. When Matthew asked him to turn around, he found himself face to face with his smelly sneaker. Surprised by the vision, he stepped back abruptly, slipped on a wet rock … and found himself on his buttocks in the middle of the running stream, soaked up to his waist, glaring.

"Belle, come see this!"

Emma and Belle had carried out nearly eight hours of relentless research, sometimes interrupted by vain joys or moments of discouragement. They were too tired to think straight and their heads were spinning. However, while they were preparing to put away everything that had piled up around them since morning, Emma had taken a last look at the section of civil status. Although tired, her eye was drawn to the name of the Mills spreading in the middle of the page.

Belle came like a whirlwind and read the article.

"Wedding of Cora Mills and Rumple Gold!

It is with unconcealed joy that the dear mayor of Storybrooke got married with her long-time friend this afternoon, the antiquarian of the town Rumple Gold. Since the tragic death of her beloved husband five years ago, the Mayor has lived a lonely life, courageously raising her only child, little Regina Mills, now eleven years old.

In adversity, the two friends decided today to exchange their vows. There is no doubt that the late Henry Mills would have given his blessing to this union. Determined to help his now extended family and faithful to his customary goodness, Mr. Gold expressed the wish to adopt the daughter of Mrs. Mills. We wish all the best wishes for their future to this new family which, without a doubt, will live beautiful moments together.

The sober but majestic ceremony took place…"

Belle interrupted the reading, her voice broken.

"He is married … Gold is married ..."

The news had been like a stab in the back for her. The man she loved, the one with whom she had thought to share everything for several years, was in fact married and she knew nothing about it. She felt tears forming in her eyes but she forced herself to hold her head high, proud and determined.

Emma, by her side, had really felt the pain of her friend. She had wanted to do this research for herself and Regina but had never thought of the consequences that it could have on her friend's relationship. She was embarrassed and felt guilty. Once again, she had acted without thinking about the consequences and she was angry for that. So, with a small smile that she wanted comforting, she turned to Belle and said with a soft voice.

"I'm sorry, Belle. I didn't mean to put you in this situation. It's all my fault and I feel bad-"

"Stop, Emma. I launched into this research with you because I felt that Rumple was hiding something from me. I insisted that we discover together what was hatching. I came here alone this morning hoping to find out what was going on. If anyone has to apologize, it's not you."

"Don't exact him a heavy price, Belle." Emma retorted, knowing who Belle's anger was aimed at. "He probably has good reasons for not telling you."

"He probably has good reasons, and I can assure you that he'll give them to me." The librarian was glaring and her face was impassive. A determination that Emma did not know about her shone on her face. She continued, a little more calmly. "You know, I'm glad we found something about Regina. It's not much, but I hope it will help you … I knew that by beginning this research, I was likely to come across bad things. I knew Rumple did not have a very clear past. And I was ready to face this past, to understand it and save my relationship, but also to save yours."

"If I had known, I-"

"Emma." She interrupted her. "You deserve to be happy together. I don't want your future to be ruined by unconfessed secrets, as is the case for Rumple and I." She said, sadly.

"Thank you."

Emma could not say more. She was breathless in front of the strength of her friend who had been ready to put her relationship in danger, out of friendship for her. No one had ever shown affection for her in this way, no one had ever took the risk to be in such danger to her. An immense gratitude immediately emerged in her. She hugged her friend, tacitly thanking her for her sacrifice and friendship.

"I'm sure he pushed me on purpose!" Graham roared, getting up not without difficulty from the running stream, soaked and angry like never before.

"No, no, I swear, I didn't do it on purpose!" Matthew held his own.

As if to prove his bona fides, the boy held out his hand to the sheriff to help him get up. But Graham ignored the extended hand and rose furiously out of the water, not without splashing the children on his way. Once on the shore, he headed straight for Regina. For a moment, she thought he was going to throw her into the water, mad with rage, but he stopped a few inches from her and stared her straight in the eyes. Anger was glowing in his eyes, a towering rage was distorting his features and he was dripping everywhere. The kind Graham that Henry knew was no more than a shadow of his former self. In front of Regina was now a pitiful, drenched man with a missing shoe. He was no longer this proud sheriff. He was a humiliated man. Humiliated by children who tormented him, humiliated by his woman who let them do it. And then, humiliated by a young stranger who was gradually stealing Regina's heart.

Normally, he would have laughed at the fall in the water. A few months earlier, he could have been with Henry and Regina, all three. They would have laughed together about his misadventures, and he would have had a great day. But today, something had changed, he knew it. His anger was not due to his fall, his foot in the dung, or even the stones in his bag. No, his anger was only due to this Emma Swan.

He was going to get to the bottom of this. His eyes still staring at Regina, challenging her to meet his gaze, he spoke, determined.

"I've had enough, Regina. Since they both met, I no longer exist for you. We don't see each other anymore, we don't fuck anymore-"

"Graham!" She shouted, shocked at the vocabulary used in front of the children by the sheriff who was now red with anger.

"Shut up, Regina! You ignore me, you don't call me anymore. When I make the mistake to spend time with you, everyone makes me feel that I'm too wanted, not to mention all that the children put me through! No, don't say anything! I know it's all their fault! Only ... those little sweethearts are probably too well-mannered for you to even consider it! And that Swan-"

"What does Emma have to do with your little fit of jealousy worthy of a preteenager?" She sarcastically asked, not without a hint of concern about what Graham was about to say about Emma.

"Ah, so it's 'Emma' now? No longer 'Miss Swan'? Anyway, whatever you tell me, I feel that there's something unclear between you two!"

The twins, who had stayed away from the pair since the start of the quarrel, were now a little advanced and discreetly pricked up their ears. The discussion was starting to be really interesting.

"Graham …"

"No, I don't want to hear this pitiful 'Graham'... Listen to me carefully, Regina, I'll be very clear…" Graham took a deep breath then, still staring straight at Regina, he said: "It's me or them."

"It's them." She replied in a very straightforward way, without even taking the time to think about it.

Her heart had spoken before her reason. At these words, the brothers looked at each other in disbelief, bubbling with intense joy. They wanted so much to express their happiness, to throw themselves into Regina's arms, to announce it to Emma … So much things that they could not allow themselves to do at the moment.

"What?!" He screamed.

Graham was incandescent with rage. If his eyes had had the power to shoot lightning, Regina would have been struck down on the spot.

"It's them." She repeated in a more assertive tone, supporting his gaze. "It's them and it will always be them, Graham. It's Henry, Matthew and Emma. They are my family."

The cry that Graham shouted at that moment made the horses raise their heads and Henry could even have sworn to have seen some birds flying away in fear a few trees away. As for the children, they were exulting for good, jumping for joy and hugging each other. Regina's confirmation had just made their hearts race. They were her family.

She is my family … Matthew seemed to understand everything that this simple sentence had implied. Regina had just dumped Graham for them. For Emma and him. She had just left her boyfriend for his mother. Since their arrival in Storybrooke, Matthew had provoked, encouraged and even imagined the relationship between his mother and Regina. But it had remained in his mind just a simple dream, a fantasy that was ultimately unlikely to come true. From the start, even if he wanted to believe it, the Operation Lovebirds was just a game. A game on which he had bet big, but a simple game anyway. But this afternoon, in this forest, near this river, the whole reality of this game became quite obvious to him. Regina and Emma loved each other, and the four of them would finally live like a real family.

Usually not very emotional, he felt tears forming in his eyes with surprise. Without taking his eyes off the adults, he took his brother's hand and the boy held it tight. Henry had understood too. Tacitly, without looking at each other, their clasped hands sealed the moment. Tacitly, without looking at each other, their squeezed hands sealed the moment. Never again would they leave each other.

"Now, Graham, you're going to calmly get back on this horse. We're going back to the stable, I'll drop you back home and you're going to rest."

But he did not seem to want to end this conversation, so he continued with a contemptuous tone.

"Are you dumping me for a woman? Since when you're a lesbian?"

"I'm not leaving you for a woman, Graham. I'm leaving you because I don't love you."

"Do you love her?"

"In a few days, she set my heart aflutter more than you in several months."

Regina could not hold back those words. But it was the simple truth. It was by no means hurtful for Graham. Regina did not make a comparison. It was a simple observation: she had simply fell in love with Emma, much faster and much stronger than she might have thought.

"In any case, know that when you'll have had enough of your little whim, I will not be there to get you back …"

"I ask nothing of you, actually."

In truth, Graham had been hurt in his male pride. What hurt him most was not to be left, but to be dumped for a woman. After all, what did this Emma have that he himself could not give her? He was disappointed to have believed that he could have save his relationship with this day, he got back on his horse without looking at the three other riders. Right after getting in the saddle, he hit the sides of the animal to gallop away.

Regina reacted immediately by mounting as fast as possible on her horse in turn.

"What an idiot! He doesn't know how to ride, he'll kill himself!"

A quick race allowed her to catch up with the sheriff. She grabbed the reins of his horse and brought back the two animals at a walk pace within moments. When she finally turned to him, she noticed that he was looking at her softly. The race seemed to have brought him back to reality, and he had regained his usual sweet look. However, Regina noticed a hint of sadness in his eyes. She spoke kindly with a knowing smile.

"We were not in love anyway. We used to say it regularly, remember …"

"I know, Regina … But getting my woman pinched by another woman, well you see, it's not super flattering for a man. "

"Graham, you're a great lover, you know, don't question your capacities. But it's different with Emma. When I'm with her, I feel … how to say? … where I belong. I feel good, safe, protected. I feel that nothing can reach me, nor hurt me. I care about her, she makes my heart beat like no one before her. And ... she's so beautiful. I feel myself melt by her side. I just want to snuggle in her arms and forget everything. Do you understand? With you, it was good, we had a lot of fun, but I never felt that. And I know you don't either …"

"You're really in love with her, aren't you?" He asked gently.

Regina just nodded, with a shy but sincere smile.

"Then go …" He simply said. "After all, I can't win against a beautiful blonde … You're free to risk your reputation and your position as the mayor. And me? Well I'll get over it with my whiskey buddy, dreaming of your gorgeous body in the arms of this Miss Swan …"

He was teasing. The storm was over.

"Graham, don't say stupid things." Regina replied, laughing slightly.

'Seriously Regina, since you decided to finally live fully, go ahead, love her."

"Really? Do I have sheriff's permission?" She joked.

"I'm serious, Regina. I know you have a dark side. I never tried to discover it. But if you're ready to show her, and if she's ready to accept it, then go ahead, don't waste time … Live your life …"

"Thank you, Graham." She said, grateful.

If only she could … If only … It was so much easier not to love.

When they got to the stables, everyone cleaned and groomed their horses. Then a few minutes later, the four of them headed for the car.

It was then that Regina noticed, parked next to her big black sedan, a dented small yellow car. Her heart started to beat wildly in her chest and she internally cursed herself for reacting like a teenager. What state did she put herself in for a simple car? But if her car was there, then Emma too? Where was she? And above all, why did she come to find them here?

What she did not know was that during her long discussion with Graham, Henry had called his mother, asking her to join them at the stables. He knew that if he did not take the initiative again, these two bumbling women would have trouble finding each other. He had just forced the destiny a bit by causing their reunion.

Seeing them go towards her, Emma got out of her car and smiled warmly at them. Regina and the boys walked over to her. Graham, meanwhile, remained slightly behind, aware that he no longer belonged to this family.

"So, darlings, was it good?" She asked, looking at the three of them.

A heat wave invaded the brunette at these words. This 'darlings' was perhaps not directly intended for her, but she could never get tired of it.

"It was awesome, Mom, very, very good! Regina taught me to do lots of things, now I can even trot and gallop a little and I'm not even scared, and my horse was very kind and-"

"Wow, save some for later, son." She said to him, laughing. "Let your brother speak. What about you, Henry, did you have fun?"

"Oh yes, very much! But it would have been even better with you." And with these words, he hugged Emma, who was very moved. In order to hide her confusion, she pretended to struggle, laughing. "Ahh nooo! You're going to put mud on me! My jacket will hate you forever!" Then she turned to Regina who had not uttered a word yet. "What about you, Regina, did you have a good day? Wasn't my son a pain in the neck?"

"Oh no, he's a lovely boy!" She refrained from adding: *Just like you.* "This day was … instructive."

"Instructive? What do you mean? Has he told you all of our secrets? Has he betrayed me? Matthew, come here, you traitor!"

Emma smiled happily while running after her son. Her headache from being trapped with the musty smell of the archive room disappeared as soon as she joined her family. She no longer even felt the fatigue. She was just happy to have found them. Regina watched Emma run after her son, catch him and smother him with kisses. Once calm, she returned beside the brunette who looked at her with an inscrutable look.

"But ... when you say instructive, what does that mean then? Torture was not effective with Matt, he certified me to have kept silent about my constant craving of Nutella and the fact that I speak while sleeping …"

"Let's say I learned a lot of things … Especially that this sheriff you see over there is not the right man for me … Or that this same sheriff is jealous … And he can't stand being left …"

Emma looked up when she finally understood what Regina was trying to tell her. Would that be possible…?

"You have-"

"Yes. Graham is not my boyfriend anymore."

Emma was speechless. Regina had made the first move. It was probably the most difficult, but she had made this first move. She was ready.

Regina took her hands and slowly went up her forearms, caressing her gently through the leather.

"Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"

That's all for today! I'm going to start the translation of the next chapter after the posting of this one ;) I hope I'll be able to post it soon!

Don't hesitate to leave a review to give me your opinion!

See you soon!