A/N: Thank you all for your daily reviews. They are what keeps a writer like me going and inspired. I really hope you enjoy this next update, it is filled with surprises and the next chapter, which I am working on after I post this one and will update tomorrow- an even bigger surprise is in store. Happy reading! :)
Regina wakes up to a brand new morning. Her birthday. She wakes warm and unbelievably comfortable in clean, crisp sheets. And as her eyes slowly part open to a brand new day, she is overwhelmed by a familiar sense of deja vu.
"Shit! Daddy!" She gasps out loud, sitting up in bed in alarm, her gut twisting inside-out.
"Hey." Emma is sitting on the edge of the bed. She strokes her wife's cheek with her knuckles, instantly calming her. "I called the ICU this morning. Henry had a good night. Everything is good," she says reassuringly.
Regina sighs with relief. "Good. Thank you."
Emma leans in and presses her lips to Regina's forehead. "Good morning, Gina," she whispers and kisses her temple this time.
"Good morning, Emma," Regina mutters. Her eyes feast on her wife, dressed in a black long sleeve shirt and blue jeans. Her sleeves casually rolled up to her elbows. Her hair loose, shining beautifully to the beam of sunlight entering the window. It takes her back to when she saw her again in the Hardware store. How could she possibly look good wearing the simplest of clothing? It was clearly only an Emma thing.
"Hi," the blonde replies softly, her eyes soft and warm. "I want to wish you a happy birthday. Would that be okay?"
Regina smiles tentatively and caresses her cheek with the palm of her hand. "Yes, of course. Thank you. For everything."
Emma's brow furrows. "Everything?"
"Everything."
She looks momentarily confused, but it's fleeting and her eyes widen with anticipation. "Here." She hands Regina a small exquisitely wrapped box with a tiny gift card.
In spite of the worry Regina feels for her father, she senses Emma's anxiety and excitement, and it's infectious. In fact, Emma's heart was pounding inside her chest at this very moment. She was never the hearts and flowers type. She had zero experience with romance, and then this woman. Regina Mills walks into her office one morning and completely shatters everything she had grown. She was never like this with any of her other submissives, but Regina completely changed her way of looking at life, living it, feeling it. And she wanted more of it.
All she wanted was to make her happy and yes, she would feel as anxious as a teenager when giving Regina things. Hoping, praying- if she even knew how to do such a thing- that her lover, her wife would love everything that was given to her.
Regina reads the card.
For all our firsts on your first birthday as my beloved wife.
I love you.
E x
Regina's heart explodes inside her chest. How sweet was this? "I love you, too," she murmurs, smiling at the blonde.
Emma grins. "Open it."
Unwrapping the paper carefully so it doesn't tear, Regina finds a beautiful red leather box. Cartier. It's familiar, given that her earrings and her watch gifted to her by Emma on their honeymoon were from the same brand. Cautiously, she opens the box to discover a delicate charm bracelet of silver or platinum or white gold- she wasn't quite sure which, but it was absolutely enchanting. Attached to it are several charms: the Eiffel Tower, a London black cab; a helicopter- Charlie Tango, of course; a glider- the soaring, a catamaran- The M.M.; a bed; and… an ice cream cone? This makes Regina's smile grow out even further, her eyes look up at Emma, bemused.
"Vanilla?" Emma shrugs apologetically, and Regina can't help but laugh.
"Emma, this is beautiful. Thank you."
The blonde grins.
Regina's favorite charm is the heart. It's a locket.
"You can put a picture or whatever in that."
"A picture of you." Regina glances at her through her lashes. "Always in my heart."
Emma smiles her lovely, breathtakingly shy smile.
Regina fondles with the last two charms: a letter E- being her first girlfriend to use her first name. The thought makes Regina smile even more. And finally, there's a key.
"To my heart and soul," she whispers.
Oh my. Regina can't hold back the tears anymore. Between her father's accident, and now this beautifully shared moment- how could she? No hearts and flowers?
Swan, you are pathetic putty in this woman's hands. Emma's heart flutters all the more at the thought. Because, yes- she had gladly become Regina's love slave, after wanting to have all the control. And Emma was fine with that.
Regina launches at her wife, curling her arms around her neck and setting into her lap. "It's such a thoughtful present. I love it. Thank you," she murmurs against Emma's ear. Oh, she smells so good. Like Emma and home.
Emma's arms tighten around her wife's body, her sex throbbing simply from hearing Regina's voice tickle away at her ear. But right now wasn't the time. Not yet.
"I don't know what I'd do without you." Regina's voice breaks as she tries to hold back the overwhelming swell of emotions.
Oh, Gina. What, oh what did I ever do right in between my fucked up ways to deserve you? Emma's eyes closed, swallowing hard the lump that formed in her throat. "Please don't cry."
Regina sniffs. "I'm sorry. I'm just so happy and sad and anxious at the same time. It's bittersweet."
"Hey." Emma's voice is feather soft. Tipping the brunette's head back, she plants a gentle kiss on her wife's lips. "I understand."
"I know," she whispers. "I just wish we were in happier circumstances and at home. But we're here."
Emma shrugs apologetically. "We will be." She places a kiss on her wife's forehead. "Come, up you go. After breakfast, we'll check on Henry."
Once dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, Regina's appetite makes a brief but welcome return during breakfast in their suite. She knows Emma is pleased to see her eating her granola and Greek yogurt.
"Thank you for ordering my favorite breakfast."
"It's your birthday," Emma says softly. "And you have to stop thanking me." She rolls her eyes fondly. "After all, it's what I do."
Her voice is serious. Emma in command and in control. Of course. Regina wouldn't want her any other way, if she were being honest.
She smiles. "Yes, it is."
Emma gives her a puzzled look, then shakes her head with a tiny smile of her own. "Shall we go?"
Regina nods. "Please."
Emma smirks. But why was she smirking?
Emma takes her wife's hand and heads out the door, but not before reaching for her favorite red leather jacket. She quickly places it on, and holds onto Regina's hand again. She brings up her wife's hand near her lips and places a kiss against the woman's knuckles. Her thumb brushes against Charlie Tango on the bracelet. "Do you like it?"
"More than like. I love it. Very much. Like you."
Regina watches as Emma brings her knuckles up to her lips again, placing another kiss against them. She feels lighter today, happier. Happier that her wife has been a world of love and support toward her and happy that her father is in better condition.
Regina glances over at Emma as they enter the empty elevator. Emma's eyes flicker quickly down to brown ones, and she smirks.
"Don't," the blonde whispers as the doors shut.
"Don't what?"
"Look at me like that."
Regina chuckles. "Fuck the paperwork," she mutters, grinning, the memory of their first shared kiss in this very elevator coming to her mind.
Emma laughs, and it's such a carefree, infectious sound. She tugs Regina's body into her arms and tilts her head up. "Someday, I'll rent this elevator for a whole afternoon."
"Just the afternoon?" The brunette's eyebrow arches up.
"Mrs. Swan, you are greedy."
"When it comes to you, I am."
"I'm very glad to hear it." She kisses her wife gently.
Regina isn't sure if it's because they find themselves in this elevator, or because Emma is her intoxicatingly hot wife, or maybe because she hasn't touched her in more than twenty-four hours, but desire unwinds and stretches lazily deep inside her belly. She can't help to run her fingers through those loose golden locks, her lips deepening their kiss, pushing her against the wall and bringing her body flush against Emma's.
Emma groans into Regina's mouth and cups her head, cradling her as they kiss- really kiss, their tongues exploring the oh-so familiar but still oh-so new and exciting territory that is the other's mouth. And for Emma, to feel her wife's sweet, soft hands caress the sides of her face becomes her undoing. Oh, she wanted her. She couldn't go a day without making Regina scream her name or begging for more. It's what she lived for.
"Gina," she breathes.
"I love you, Emma Swan. Don't ever forget that," Regina whispers, gazing up into dark green, almost gray eyes.
The elevator comes smoothly to a halt and the doors open.
"I love you, too. Now let's go and see your father before I decide to rent this today." Emma kisses her quickly, takes her hand, and leads her into the lobby.
As they walk past the concierge, Emma gives a discrete signal to the kingly middle-aged man standing behind the desk. He nods and picks up his phone. Regina glances questioningly at Emma, and the blonde gives her her secret smile in return. Regina frowns at this because for a moment, Emma looks nervous.
"Where's Gold?" Asks the brunette.
"We'll see him shortly."
"And Jones?"
"Running errands."
Emma avoids the revolving door, so she wouldn't have to release her wife's hand. Tragic turn of events or not, it was her wife's birthday and damn it, it would be made special for her. At least she hoped.
Outside Regina glances around, looking for one of the SUV's or maybe her wife's yellow Audi- maybe that's what Gold went to get- but no vehicle, no Gold. Odd. She looks up at Emma, who's hand tightens around hers and her green eyes look anxious.
"What is it?" Regina finally asks.
Emma nods her head straight ahead as the hum of an approaching car engine distracts Regina. It's sound familiar. As she turns to find the source of the noise, it stops suddenly. Gold is climbing out of a sleek white sports car parked in front of them.
Oh, no way! It's a white Audi R8. Regina's head whips to look back at Emma, who's watching her warily. 'You can buy me one for my birthday… a white one.' Regina recalls her once words spoken to her wife when Emma allowed her to drive her yellow R8.
"Happy birthday," says Emma, and all Regina can do is gape in her direction. Emma holds out a key.
"You are completely out of your mind," Regina whispers. Her face splits into a huge grin, and she can't help but jump for joy, leaping into Emma's arms, who pick her up and swing her around. Emma's expression matching her wife's. "You have more money than you know what to do with!" Regina turns to stare at the beautiful car. "I love it! Thank you."
Emma stops and takes the brunette completely by surprise as she dips her low, startling her, so that she has to grasp her upper arms. "Anything for you, Mrs. Swan." She grins down at Regina, giving her a look that becomes Regina's undoing. She kisses her quickly before standing her up again. "Come. Let's go see your dad."
"And I get to drive it?" Regina asks with a big grin that hurts her cheeks.
Emma grins down at her. "Of course. It's yours." She releases her and watches as Regina moves around the driver's side door.
Gold opens the door for the brunette, smiling broadly. "Happy birthday, ma'am."
"Thank you, Gold." She startles the man by reaching over and giving him a hug, but she doesn't care. She sees his cheeks turn a slight pink as he closes the driver's side door once Regina finds herself inside.
"Do take it easy this time, Ms. Race-Car-Driver. Nobody's chasing us this time." Emma smirks, her sunglasses matching her face beautifully.
Regina chuckles, reaching for her wife's sunglasses and placing them on herself instead. She turns the key in the ignition and drives off.
Regina sits with her mother and father in the room of the hospital. Emma is in the waiting room making phone calls, giving her wife all the privacy she and her mother need. The nurse hovers over Henry, writing down his vital signs.
"All of his signs are good." She smiles kindly.
"That's very encouraging." Says Regina, giving her mother's hand a reassuring squeeze.
A little later Dr. Crown appears with two nursing assistants and says warmly, "Mrs. Swan, Mrs. Mills, time to take him up to radiology. We're giving him a CT scan. To see how his brain is doing."
"Will you be long?" Cora asks.
"Up to an hour."
"We'll wait. We'd like to know." Says Regina.
"Of course." He smiles and both nurse assistants wheel Henry out of the room.
Once Cora and Regina make their way into the waiting room, Regina spots Emma, who is pacing back and forth, still on the phone and looking angry. She joins them as green eyes spots them, but continues to speak over the phone.
"How far above the limit?... I see… All charges, everything. Gina's father is in the ICU- I want you to throw the fucking book at him, dad… Good. Keep me informed." She hangs up, looking at Cora rather apologetically.
"Drunk driver?" Regina asks.
Emma nods, her eyes fall on Cora. "Not to worry. My father will make sure he spends some time in jail for what he caused you and Henry."
Cora gives her a small smile.
"What's wrong?" The blonde asks, eyeing both women.
"Nothing." Regina speaks. "He is being taken into radiology for a CT scan to check the swelling in his brain. We'd like to wait for the results."
"Okay. We'll wait." Emma holds out her arms, which Regina welcomes herself in pretty quickly.
"I'm going to get a cup of coffee. Would you like some, dear? Emma?" Cora asks.
"I'm fine." Regina shakes her head.
"Thank you, Cora. No."
As Cora leaves them to their privacy, Emma sits on a chair, cradling her wife in her arms again, up on her lap.
"This is not how I envisaged spending today," Emma murmurs into her wife's hair.
"Me either, but I'm feeling more positive now. Your mother was very reassuring. It was kind of her to come last night."
Emma strokes her wife's back and rests her chin against her head. "My mom is an amazing woman."
"She is. You're very lucky to have her."
Emma nods.
Suddenly Emma's phone vibrates, and Regina wants to stand to give her some privacy, but Emma's arms tighten more around her wife's form, not allowing her to stand from her lap as she fishes for her phone inside her jeans pockets.
"Ingrid," she snaps into the phone, while Regina's eyes close as she listens to the vibrations of Emma's voice within her chest while she attends to her conversation. "Good… ETA is what time?... And the other packages?... Good… Yes. It can hold until Monday morning, but email it just in case- I'll print, sign and scan it back to you… They can wait. Go home, Ingrid… No, we're good, thank you." She hangs up. "Sorry, baby."
"Is everything okay?" Regina asks.
"Yes, everything's fine."
"Why do you do it, Emma?"
"Do what?"
"Work the way you do."
"A woman's got to earn a living." She sounds amused.
"Emma, you earn more than a living." Regina's voice is ironic.
Emma remains quiet for a moment, which makes Regina think she won't speak of it, but then she does. "I don't want to be poor," she says, her voice low. "I've done that, I'm not going back there again. Besides… it's a game," she murmurs. "It's about winning. A game I've always found very easy."
"Unlike life," Regina murmurs to herself, but Emma is able to hear her.
"Yes, I suppose." She frowns. "Though it's easier with you."
Regina hugs her wife tightly. "It can't all be a game. You're very philanthropic."
Emma shrugs. "About some things, maybe," she says quietly.
"I love philanthropic Emma," Regina murmurs, her fingers playing with one of her locks that made its way over her shoulder. Her finger curling it around itself.
"Just her?"
"Oh, I love megalomaniac Emma, too, and control freak Emma, sex-goddess Emma, kinky Emma, romantic Emma, shy Emma… the list is quite endless."
Emma smiles. "That's a whole lot of Emma's."
"And they're all mine." Regina tightens her hold on her wife. She looks up to find Emma's eyes looking down into her own.
"Yes. Yours." Emma leans down, placing a sweet kiss against Regina's lips. "Shall we see how your dad is doing?"
"Okay."
Regina spends all day by her father's side. Until night time rolls around, Emma takes her back to the Langham hotel so she can shower and get ready, as she reserved a private room downstairs to have dinner.
"We aren't having dinner in our suite?" Regina asked.
"I thought we'd dine downstairs this time," Emma says, a gleam in her eye as she holds open the door to their suite.
"Emma, I don't have anything classy to wear."
The blonde smiles, holds out her hand, and leads Regina into the bedroom. She opens the wardrobe to reveal a large white dress bag hanging inside.
"Did Gold choose this?" She asks.
"Emma," the blonde replies, forceful and wounded at once. Unzipping the bag, Regina can see a navy satin dress and she reaches for it as Emma eases it out of the bag. It's gorgeous, very fitted, with thin straps.
"It's lovely. Thank you. I hope it fits."
"It will," Emma says with confidence. "And here-" she picks up a shoe box- "shoes to match." She gives Regina a wolfish smile.
Regina smiles. "You think of everything. Thank you." She places a kiss against thin lips.
"I do." Emma hands her yet another bag.
Regina gazes at her wife quizzically. Inside is a black strapless bodysuit with a central panel of lace. She feels Emma caress her face, tilting her chin, and her lips find hers again.
"I look forward to taking this off you later."
They step into the elevator on their way to dinner, they aren't alone. Emma looks deliciously attractive in her signature white crisp shirt, black jeans and black suit jacket. No tie. The two women inside shoot admiring glances at her and less generous ones at Regina. The brunette hides her smile. That's right. Eat your heart out ladies, she's mine. Emma takes Regina's hand and pulls her close as they travel in silence down to the mezzanine level.
It's busy, full of people dressed up for the evening, sitting around chatting and drinking, starting their Saturday night. Regina is grateful to have Emma by her side, otherwise she would feel like she wouldn't fit in. The dress hugs her, skimming over her curves and holding everything in place, Regina has to agree to feeling attractive wearing it. She knows Emma approves and would agree.
Emma leads her past a doorway and on to the far end, where she opens the door to another wood paneled room.
"Surprise!" Everyone shouts, smiles on their faces. Cora, Ruby, Belle, Daniel, Ivy, Ella and even Mr. Colter, Mary Margaret and David find themselves there. Drinks in hand.
Regina is dumbfounded, staring at Emma who smiles, placing a delicate kiss against her knuckles.
Cora steps forward towards her daughter, hugging her tightly. "Darling, you look absolutely beautiful. Happy birthday."
"Thank you, mother." Regina smiles, tears streaming down her eyes, her arms wrapping around her tightly as they both sob together.
"Oh, darling. Don't cry. Not on your birthday. Your father will be fine, dear. He is, after all, as stubborn as you." Her voice cracks, but she maintains her composure. She grabs her daughter's face in her hands, wiping away her tears with the base of her thumbs.
"I thought you had forgotten." Said Regina, smiling from ear to ear.
"Oh, darling- no. Seventeen hours of labor isn't an easy thing to forget." Cora chuckled. "Emma practically begged us not to say anything, she wanted all this to be a surprise for you."
Regina glances over at Emma, who is watching her.
"Dry your tears, darling. Lots of people are here to be with you on your special day." Cora smiled. "Emma is really crazy about you, darling. I can see it."
"And I love her, too, mom." Regina smiles.
"Then, be sure to tell her that, everyday."
Mary Margaret steps in to greet Regina next, giving her a kiss on each cheek. "Regina. Happy birthday, sweetheart. And don't worry about your father. He is doing very well."
"You cry all you want, Gina- it's your party." Daniel cuts in, pulling her into a tight hug.
Regina's eyes momentarily move toward Emma, who's eyes are watching Daniel carefully.
"Happy birthday, Gina!" Ruby cuts in, pulling Regina into a hug. "Your dad will be fine."
"Thank you, Ruby."
"Okay." Emma cuts in, taking her wife's hand, pulling her away from Ruby's embrace. "Enough fondling my wife. Go fondle your fiancee, Rubes."
Ruby grins wickedly at Emma and winks at Belle.
A waiter comes by, presenting Emma with a glass of champagne- pink champagne- she clears her throat, which gathers everyone's attention.
"This would be a perfect day if Henry were here with us, but he's not far away. He's doing well, and I know he'd like you to enjoy yourself, Gina. To all of you, thank you for coming to share my beautiful wife's birthday, the first of many to come. Happy birthday, my love." She holds up her glass.
Like a magnet, Regina walks over to her wife, her arms wrapping around her form. Her lips press against Emma's in a kiss.
Daniel turns away, sipping on his champagne.
"Let it go, son," Mr. Colter whispers. "Regina has found a fine woman. It just wasn't meant to be."
"I know, dad."
Finally, after everyone is gone, and both women find themselves alone in their suite once again. As Emma closes the door to their suite, she turns to face Regina.
"Alone at last," she murmurs, leaning back against the door, watching her.
Regina steps toward her and runs her fingers over the lapels of her jacket. "Thank you for a wonderful birthday. You really are the most thoughtful, considerate, generous wife."
"My pleasure."
Regina chuckles. "Yes… your pleasure. Let's do something about that," she whispers. Tightening her hands around her lapels, she pulls Emma's lips to hers.
Once they return to the hospital that evening, Henry looks different. It takes Regina a moment to realize that they have removed the ventilator from his mouth. Henry is breathing on his own. Relief floods through her. She reaches for her father's hand as she sits beside him, watches him sleep.
Emma stalks off to find Dr. Whale or Dr. Crown for an update, while Regina stays with her father.
She had enjoyed a nice chocolate cake for her birthday and made a wish for her father to get better before blowing out the candles. Maybe her wish would come true.
Regina picks up the newspaper and begins reading the sports section to her father out loud. First she read on about basketball, then moved onto baseball. Unfortunately his favorite team had lost. Her eyes suddenly move from behind the newspaper to the feel of a warm hand grabbing a hold of hers. Her father's familiar eyes opening up, his lips dry and parted open.
"Hey, darling girl. We lost?" Henry rasps, and he squeezes his daughter's hand.
"Daddy!" Regina smiles, reaching over to hug her father, the newspaper abandoned on the hospital floor.