"The nerve of this girl. Touching Emma, whispering things in her ear and Emma not doing a damn thing! No, you get away from her you damn hoochie mama! " Regina thought in her head as she glared daggers at a Mals cousin talking to Emma at the drink table

"Regina darling are you okay?" her mother asked, placing a hand on top of hers.

She snapped her gaze to her parents, both looking at her worriedly. "Yes, why do you ask?"

Cora arched an eyebrow, "Because your magic is sparking from your hands and you are looking as if you are trying to roast some poor soul alive with just your stare alone."

Henry and Rumple followed the girls' gaze. They then looked at each other and chuckled.

Regina snapped her gaze back to Emma and raged as she saw a new girl wrapped around her arm and kissing her cheek. "Who. The. Fuck. Is. That?!" she screamed in her head.

"Regina darling. Why don't you come with me to the balcony, yes? Get some fresh air?" Her father asked getting out of his seat and offered his elbow to guide her.

She took one last glance at the trio at the refreshment table and followed her father out.

"What is going on my dear?" he asked as he leaned against the railing on the deserted balcony.

"Nothing father." she shrugged it off

"Clearly it's something to do with Emma. You two have a fight?"

"No. Not at all." she shook her head.

"Then what's wrong," he asked gently

She took a deep breath and felt her anger coming back, the image of girls running around Emma like sirens. "Emma has all these girls around her right now! I specifically told her not to get any other girls to fall for her! She's charming, I know she can't help it but she's also not pushing any of them off. And I just saw one wrapped around her as if it was her girlfriend. She's not hers! She's mi-!" she cut herself off and took a breath and let out a yell.

"Any other girls fall for her? What are you saying Regina?" he asked gently again. Urging the eighteen-year-old to admit something he already knew.

She looked at him with such desperation though, he pulled her into a hug and whispered to her, "My darling, I already know. When Emma left we saw how you were. You're imprinted with her. I, your mother, and Emma's parents were actually hoping you two end up together. Yes, you also have Mal but Emma and you always had the connection. You know it's always best friends' dreams for their children to end up together." she let out a wet laugh into his chest. "Besides this way, we don't have to go to those dreadful balls anymore for Kings thinking you could have a bond with their sons." she laughed again and pulled away. Looking up at him.

"Thank you, papa."

He smiled gently at her and nodded, "Go dance with your woman."

He watched her go back inside and smirked internally. David and Snow just lost the bet between him, Rumple and Cora, that this would be the celebration that pushed the two over the edge. He and the other two knew Regina was a jealous type, they bet it would be Regina to break first. Snow and David had to bet their daughter because she had been suffering the most. Jealousy won, he laughed.

As soon as she walked back through the door, she saw Emma with that petite blonde and a brunette leaning on her and rubbing her shoulders as they all smiled and laughed together. "No! No! No! That's supposed to be me, not you! She's Mine!" she screams internally

She charged up to the three girls and smiled to herself at the same horrified looks on their faces when they caught her practically running up to them.

"Emma!" she smiled wickedly, patting herself on the back at seeing the two blondes gulp at her sickly sweet tone. "Who's this?"

Though when she turned to the brunette smirking smugly to herself she paused. "On the contrary, who are you and why do you look like me?"

"Regina this is Roni, Roni this is Regina." Emma quickly introduced them

"An honor to finally meet you. I heard many stories of you when Emma stayed with us in Dunbroch." Roni reached out her hand to shake

"Hello, I haven't heard anything about you, but a pleasure to meet you. Now at least I can see what it's like for others to talk to me." Regina politely shook her hand and then looked in awe at the likeness.

Emma rubbed the back of her neck and cleared her throat, "Uhm, you actually did hear about her. This is the one who I spent most of my stay with, along with her being the one to give me my birthday present."

Regina did a double-take at that. Looking at Emma in shock before she snapped her head back to Roni. Roni looked to Emma with a wide-eyed look. At the blondes nervous shrug, she turned back to her look-alike and smiled nervously

Tink jumped to the rescue, stretching out her hand and bowing. "I'm Princess Tink of the Bell pack your Highness"

Regina hummed and looked to her instead, taking the girl's hand, pleased that she showed manners.

Roni took the distraction to elbow Emma, a silent "oof" emitting from her mouth, covered up by the music.

"Bell pack? You mean the werewolf clan of the Dunbroch Kingdom yes?"

The wolf nodded her head. There weren't a lot of things that frightened werewolves but the calmness that Regina was presenting right now was a show of the controlled anger underneath, in her books a calm witch in a situation of anger or jealousy was bad juju. "Yes your highness"

"Enjoying your time with my Emma?" She tugged Emma to her side and wrapped her arm around her elbow to keep her there. Making sure to send a glare towards Roni as well

Emma raised her eyebrows but didn't attempt to move.

Tink asked the question that showed in the eyes of the blonde "You're Emma?"

Regina nodded, "Yes. My childhood best friend, my escort, and my future knight, kingdom champion, and co-Queen. Mine" she growled.

Emma smiled like an idiot then, but wrapped her arm around the witch's waist to calm her when Tink looked at her pleadingly, "Regina, I know I still owe you a dance, but I was thanking Tink here because she had saved me from Lily."

"Saved you?" Regina glared

Tink piped up, "yes! You see my mate is currently dancing with some douche and so I needed a distraction because I didn't want to kill someone at your celebration, you understand?" Regina hummed, "I was going to talk to Emma, ask her to dance anyways to distract me from doing just that, given I saw she needed the same thing. Also, our parents told me and my mate to make other friends than just each other, again I saw Emma. Thought we could catch up since I haven't seen her since she stayed with me and my pack for the snow in but Lily was basically scaring the shit out of Emma, about to get her to dance, wanting more than a dance though. I claimed Emma as my mate because it's a known rule not to mess with a wolf's mate, I scared her off and pulled Emma away. I was only doing you two a favor. I didn't mean for you to think I was trying to steal your mate." she babbled, forgetting Emma said they weren't officially bonded. Whether they weren't together yet. They were destined together and Tink knew not to anger the witch.

Emma went to correct again that they weren't mates, but Regina interrupted her. Having relaxed and her jealousy eased. "Your mate?" she smiled and leaned into the blonde

Tink felt the tension melt away and smiled back at the mention of her mate. "Yes, your highness. Princess Merida."

Regina smiled, "you don't have to keep calling me your highness. You can call me Regina. I apologize for frightening you. I thank you for stepping in though, it was probably better you did rather than I."

" Well, I did say I was going to ask Emma to dance to make sure I didn't cause a death at your ball. Couldn't let you have all the fun in having you being the cause of one. Besides, you didn't frighten me, but I do know not to mess with a witch's mate. I've seen my own friends witch-lovers when that happens, I do not wish it upon anyone." Tink smiled

Emma went to correct her again, but again Regina interrupted her and turned her head to openly stare at her, moving a blonde lock of her hair behind her ear. "Yes. Well maybe if there's a next time, we can together be the cause of a lizard death. Have fun together. For messing with my mate" She quipped partially, her eyes locking on Roni's for the emphasis on the title

"Oh my God, I am so glad that it is over. Tink, babe, please dance with me so that I remember what chivalry is." Merida exclaimed in her rich Scottish accent and wrapped herself around Tinks' arm and laid her head upon her shoulder.

Regina and Emma swooned as Tink took the chance to kiss the top of the princess's head and nuzzle her nose in her tresses. Hearing her practically purr.

Merida looked at the two in front and furrowed her eyebrows, "oi I know I haven't had that much to drink but why are there two of Roni?"

They laughed but Roni spoke up, "This is Regina, Emmas best friend that she wouldn't stop talking about."

"You're the fire breathing chameleon?" Merida questioned

"No that was Mal, who's blonde by the way. This is Regina, the witch. My Queen." Emma chuckled

Recognition finally showed on the red-heads face, "ooooh the witch that ye said had the stars in her eyes and was-" Tink covered her mate's mouth

"Sorry about that, she really doesn't have a filter sometimes." she grimaced at Emma, seeing the blush at the tips of her ears

She took her hand away and Merida gave a guilty smile

Merida looked at both of them. "Yeah well, Emma never shut up about you and your adventures when she was with us. A story for everything. Ye said you've been together since birth yeah?"

Regina smiled "Yes we grew up together, inseparable until we had to start our missions."

Regina settled for just laying her chin on her shoulder and staring at the couple in front of them as one hand wrapped around the wolf's arm and the other played with blonde hair. Just like Tink was doing to Merida.

Regina turned to Roni, "It really is uncanny."

"Ya know, we could get into some trouble with this, confuse some people if you like. Emma is a great friend to me so I know that you and I could get along swimmingly from what Emma has told me about you." Roni set an olive branch out, not wanting to appear as a threat to the other woman since she already knew who Emmas' heart belonged to.

"You are welcome to stay here as long as you like. I imagine Emma has given her bedroom since she is practically moved in with me. We can spend some time together when she has her duties." Regina nodded and the rest of them blew out a sigh of relief, seeing the tension in Regina disappear.

"Well, I had asked Tink if you wanted to do a pack run while you're here."

"That way, later on, we can just communicate through mind talk instead of letters." Tink chimed in

"That's amazing! Become part of the pack. That'll be great when we are both Queens. Be able to update each other on our kingdoms. Well we'll talk later I am sure, but I'm going to get this one on the dancefloor." They smiled and waved to each other before doing just that.

The three stood there for a few seconds, watching the couple walk away. Roni said she was going to go get Elsa out of the chocolate fountain and then departed

"Care to dance my Queen?" Emma questioned and glanced at the shorter woman.

Regina smiled up at her, "I would love too."

Together they walked into the middle of the dancefloor, waving to their friends before canceling everyone else out.

Regin laid her head against her chest, listening to her heartbeat, comforted by the sound.

"You didn't correct Tink when she said we were mates," Emma mentioned

"You apparently couldn't shut up about me on your mission and kissed a woman who looks like me" Regina countered

"Because it was the closest I could have of you during that time. I missed you" Emma whispered as she spun her and pulled her back to her chest.

Regina looked up and saw the soft look on the woman's face.

"Emma.." she looked to her lips and back to meet her jade orbs

"Come with me." Emma stopped them and pulled them out to the balcony that was luckily still deserted.

"Emma, what's wrong," she asked worriedly when Emma paced and ran her hands through her hair.

She sighed and leaned up against the railing, "are you with Mal?"

Regina's eyes widened, "what?"

"Are you with Mal?" Emma asked with an almost defeated tone

"What? No, what makes you think that?" She exclaimed. Little did she know, that was all Emma needed to know.

Emma spun around and walked towards her with determination. She pulled the brunette by the waist and with her other hand, she cupped the back of her head and brought their lips together.

Regina let out a gasp before kissing back. Winding her hands through blonde tresses and pulling her closer so that their bodies were flushed together.

Emma whimpered and Regina moaned, they had waited so long for this moment that they didn't care about the noises they made.

When they pulled apart they brought the foreheads together, refusing to lose any more contact than that. They looked into each other's eyes as they panted, Emma closed her eyes for a moment, rubbing her thumb across her tan cheek. She then raised her head to kiss Regina's forehead, both eyes, both cheeks, her nose making Regina giggle and returning to her lips for a lingering kiss. She pulled away to look into chocolate orbs.

"Gods, I cannot even begin to tell you how long I have waited to do that."

Regina chuckled and turned into one of the hands to kiss inside her palm, "I can believe it being a long time."

"A really, really really fucking long time." she smiled.

"When did you know?"Regina looked up at her with tears in her eyes, when one of them escaped and Emma wiped it away with a question on her lips, she corrected the worry, "These are happy tears."

"I've been imprinted on you since I was six. I didn't know what it was until your mother gave us the biology class and described the feeling." she smiled and kissed her nose again.

"When did you know? " she asked nervously

"When we were nine, I had an attraction to you. You were always protecting me, calling yourself my savior. But it was when we were thirteen I felt the tug when mother did the biology tug of your imprint. But the day you and Mal wanted tattoos when I swatted at the bug. I realized that the flash and the light-headedness was my imprinting on you. And I didn't realize it until you were gone, I went crazy like mother said I would. And yesterday when you came back, it was like my whole being relaxed, felt relieved. I had my soulmate back, my true love." they looked at each other in the eyes, both crying happy tears.

"Regina I love you." Emma's voice cracked

"And I love you Emma." they tugged each other into a passionate kiss.

"Forever. I promise you here right now, forever. No matter what happens or what life we end up in. I'm gonna love you with all my heart and soul forever, I will find you in every lifetime. So you never have to be without a love that is as complete as the love I have for you." Emma promised when they pulled away, locking their eyes so Regina could see her sincerity.

Regina let out a sob of happiness and nodded her head. Emma nodded with her and hugged her, nuzzling her face into the woman's neck while Regina wrapped both arms around her shoulders. "Gods Emma I love you so much"

Emma kissed behind her ear and whispered, "And I you, my Queen. You have always and always will have my heart."

They stood together, soaking in all their emotions and the relief of what just happened until they were interrupted

"Em's where are you at? I want a dance to show these heathens how it's done." Killian called out

"Please, like you can outdo me and Belle. Not our fault you think you can keep up." Ruby taunted

Emma pulled back chuckling, "we should head in my love. It seems no one can behave themselves without us around."

Regina pulled back, smiling dreamily at her. "Who and what?"

"Killian wants a dance because Ruby is teasing him about not knowing how to. He's practically pouting right now." She shrugged

"So why is he asking for you? Surely he really wants me since I can show him how to properly keep up," she smirked

Emma gasped, "Oh you're going to pay for that."

"You are only mad because you know I'm right." Regina smiled

The blonde pouted causing Regina to chuckle, so she leaned up and kissed her.

After a few moments, Emma pushed forward, Regina pulled back.

"Come on, we don't need them coming to find us." she grabbed her hand and started for the door

"That was a pity kiss," Emma grunted

"Yes but I know we both thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm sure I am correct to suspect you will try to prove me wrong later on tonight."

"You are correct. I'm going to show you I got moves and can hold my own with dancing. Just you wait, after this dance with Killian, you're mine."

Regina turned her head towards her as she walked them through the door and led them to their friends. Her eyes sparkling as she said "I can't wait."

When they were separated by different dance partners, Mal stealing Regina away and Killian stealing her away, she wandered back to what Tink had told her. How even imprinted her and Merida had been able to hear one another. Feel one another.

She could confirm feeling Regina. She's felt her. Emotions and all since she was six. Even more so when she left. And she distinctly remembered hearing her name come from Regina's voice while she was gone. Asking if she was okay. But she didn't know how to respond.

Looking at Regina now. Knowing that they were both imprinted. What was the harm in trying?

"Regina?" She asked, focusing only on her. Closing the mental door to the rest of the pack while she did this. Just like her father said he was able to do with her mother.

Regina's head whipped towards her in confusion. She smiled and spoke again.

"Yeah, that was me. It's our bond. We can speak privately together. Just focus your thoughts towards me and speak."

"Emma!" Regina yelled

The wolf grimaced at the volume

"Maybe just speaking like an inside voice, love." She laughed.

Regina blushed and nodded

"Is this okay?" She almost whispered

Emma smiled, " better. Are you having fun with the flying iguana?"

She laughed when she saw the witch tsk and roll her eyes at her with a smirk.

"You know she's quite an excellent dancer. I might just dance with her all night instead." She teased

Emma looked at her with an expression of feigned offense, causing Regina to throw her head back as she released the beautiful laugh Emma adored.

Though when she looked to her future mate's dance partner, she realized Mal had been speaking to her at that moment and was smiling, thinking the laugh was brought out by her. She watched as the lovesick eyes rained down on Regina from the dragon. She sighed, realizing they were going to have to tell her. She just hoped it didn't break their friendship.