A/N: Forgive me, I know I left a message on my fb page stating that I would bring updates since Sat, but I was enjoying my weekend after a long week lol. Apologies, and to make up for that, I bring you two freshly new updates on this AU to one of my favorite Sandra Bullock films of all time. :) Happy reading! More updates will be posted later.


Regina released a heavy sigh as she waited for the elevator to open. What was she going to do? How would she get out of this sticky situation? She knew telling them the truth would be the right thing to do, but on the other hand, she also knew that if she told them, Graham's grandmother could die of a heart attack due to the lie alone. Besides, they all looked so happy to finally meet a girl in their son's life, she couldn't bear to destroy their hearts as well.

"Ma'am? Excuse me, ma'am?" A male nurse came rushing down the hallway over to the brunette, a box of supplies in his hands.

"What is this?" Regina asked, her eyes falling on the box of supplies. She could hear the elevator doors open.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Humbert. These are your husband's things." He handed her the box.

Humbert? Why would Graham's last name be Humbert and not Swan like his father? She didn't have time to figure that, not when she was groaning with annoyance and frustration that even the entire hospital staff apparently knew about her 'engagement' to the comatose man.

"He's not my husband!" She hissed through clenched teeth, stomping her foot against the marbled floor in aggravation.

"I'm sorry… Your fiancee." The nurse's eyes squinted as he handed her the box of supplies.

Regina whined, her eyes closing as she began to make her way into the elevator, only to be stopped by someone exiting the double doors.

"You're Graham's fiancee?" The younger man asked as he smiled at her. Apparently, he too was surprised that Graham would be engaged. He had slick black hair, well combed, clean shaved and handsome.

Regina released a deep sigh, leaning her back against the parted door in defeat. Why fight it? "Okay." She breathed.

"August W. Booth. Colleague of Graham's at Prescott Law Firm." He smiled proudly.

So, he was a lawyer. Regina smiled out of politeness. "That's wonderful. I have to go now. Excuse me." She moved into the elevator, only to be stopped by August's persistent conversation.

"You know, he's a great guy. He's had a tough year. You know with the accident last month and all." He nodded.

"Accident?" The brunette breathed out, not knowing anything about that. She didn't know anything there was to know about Graham, but if she could learn about him while pretending to be his fiancee, why not?

August on the other hand mistook her sharp exhaled breath as more of an accusation against him than a question. "Well, of course it was an accident." He chuckled, standing tall. "I mean it wasn't my fault- did he tell you it was my fault?" His voice raised a little, feeling angered by his friend blaming him.

Regina's brow furrowed, not understanding anything that was going on. Why was he so angry?

"We're playing basketball, alright? I carry a pencil- I'm a lawyer- I do that."

"Okay…" Regina blinks at his sudden outburst.

"Jesus, what-?" He scoffs, shaking his head, his hands placed on his hips.

"It's going to be okay," she murmurs to herself, deciding to stay and talk to the man to try and calm him down.


Regina needed to vent. And who better to vent with than her own boss who was always willing to listen. During their lunch break, they decided to hang around their favorite spot, stopping by the same hot dog vendor where Regina had filled the man in on the entire misunderstanding in just a matter of minutes.

"So, what's the big deal?" Sidney asked.

"What's the big deal? Sidney! They think I'm their future daughter-in-law. And the grandmother, she has this heart condition, and if I tell her the truth she's going to have a heart attack, she's going to die, and it's going to be on my head."

"Well, then go along with it. And when this Graham comes out of his coma, they won't care that you lied to them. They'll probably even thank you for it." He threw away a plastic knife after smearing a smudge of mustard on his hot dog.

"Just mustard." Regina glared at the vendor who rolled his eyes and began to prepare her another hot dog as she turned her attention back to Sidney. "Okay- what if he doesn't come out of his coma?"

"Well, then who's to know?" He shrugged.

"Oh, I don't know," the brunette grunted, already feeling a headache coming on.

"Listen to me. Regina." He looked at the brunette's eyes, "When my mother found out I was married to my wife her intestines exploded-" He saw the brunette chuckle in amazement at his words. "Now, if you tell them now, you may as well shoot grandma." He chuckled.

The more Regina thought it over, the more she was convinced that going along with pretending to be the fiancee to a man in a coma who had no idea who she was, nor that she even existed was a bad idea. But, Sidney was also right. She couldn't say anything due to Louise's heart problem.

When she arrived home that day, after tidying up her place a little and feeding Midnight with its favorite kibble and a bit of milk. Her head was wrapped up in a million thoughts, about how lonely her life has been. Because sure, she had friends, but at the end of the day- she was always alone. She would love nothing more than to meet the love of her life- have Graham wake up and fall in love with her like in a fairy tale, he would just glance up at her and fall in love. And he would gift her with his family and his love.

His family. Her eyes looked over to the business card David had handed her, which she kept against her fridge door, pinned with a magnet. She glances over at their address printed down below and their invitation comes to mind. Should she go? It certainly would look bad if she didn't. The last thing she wanted was for Graham's family to think that she didn't care to accept their invitation as part of the family.

Okay, so she wasn't family, but like Sidney said: 'go along with it.' What would it hurt?

Graham's family seemed kind hearted, and genuine, and their invitation into their home was heartfelt and sincere. And she did have one more family member to meet.


As the cab that dropped her off pulled over to the side of the house, Regina paid him her fare and thanked the driver before exiting the vehicle with a poinsettia plant held in the comfort of her arm. Her father always taught her to never show up to an invite of any kind empty handed.

The brunette's eyes trained on the Swan home. It was a two story house in a quiet neighborhood. Painted white from the outside with black shutters and a black door. It wasn't a mansion, but Regina was willing to bet that for this family- it was their own. There was a lit up Santa Clause placed on the porch by the door, while the rest of the house was decorated with a few strings of Christmas lights that made it pop out more from the rest of the homes around the neighborhood. And the snow that had gathered up around it tonight made it look like a home that you would only see inside of a snow globe. Regina smiled.

"What am I doing?" She frowned, turning on her heels, realizing that her being here- coming here to disrupt this family's happiness like this wasn't right. It would kill them once they knew she was not a member of this family. Because that was the truth. She wasn't, and she shouldn't be here.

"Regina!" Eugenia's voice startled the brunette, leaving her to match her smile as she walked up the sidewalk.

"Hi, Eugenia." Regina greeted the woman with a hug, unable to put her entire arm around the woman's heavy coat.

"You made it, huh? Ruby's inside, that girl loves getting ahead of me every time we are coming over here." Eugenia patted her back gently.

Regina sees the older woman pull out a cigar from inside her coat. It makes her think of her father a little bit. He wasn't a big smoker, but whenever the cold would stick to the ground like tonight, she would never fail to see him stand outside their decorated home enjoying a cigar.

The older woman nods toward the porch. "Come on, keep me company for a while, I don't like to smoke in the house." She says, guiding the brunette to sit on the step of the porch.

"Okay." The brunette has a seat, instantly picking up the scent of the familiar cigar as the woman lights it.

"They don't bother you, do they?" She asks, getting ready to put it out.

"No, no, I'm fine." Regina shakes her head, giving the woman a warm smile.

Eugenia delightedly took another puff of the cigar before she spoke again. "Did you know that I was Graham's godmother?" She asked the brunette.

"Really?" Regina's head tilted in curiosity, watching Eugenia nod.

"I watched that boy grow since the day he was born." She smiles at the memory. "Him and Emma. They were lucky to have found a family that loves them both so much."

"Found?" Regina's brow furrowed.

"Adopted."

Oh. Regina decides not to ask anymore. It's not her business, even if she was Graham's fake fiancee.

"Yeah," Eugenia breathes out a bit of smoke from having taken another puff of her cigar. "David and Mary Margaret could never have kids of their own. I was with them through the whole process, and my granddaughter Ruby became like another sister to them."

Regina smiled, "You're good friends?"

"The best. It was important to David and Mary Margaret that Ruby and I stuck around, practically made us a part of the family." There was a glint in the woman's eye. She heard an approving, content hum escape the brunette's throat.

"Well, you're lucky. It's really important to have family around this time of year." Regina breathes, feeling the absence of her father and mother.

"Are you… I mean, are your parents with you?" Eugenia asked, curious.

And with that question, the brunette's heart tightens. "No, um… My mother died when I was really young. And a couple of years ago my father got sick. And then we moved to Indiana from Chicago so he could go to a research hospital."

"Research." Eugenia repeated. "A medical term for very expensive."

Regina chuckled, her voice sounding a little sad. "Yeah, exactly. I had to quit school and then I began working for the CTA, and about a year later he decided he had had enough research and he passed away."

"My husband of fifty one years passed away, two years ago, February the ninth." She joined in the brunette's sorrow.

"I'm sorry." Regina murmured, knowing well what it was like to lose someone she dearly loved.

"It was a rough time for me, and Ruby, but David and Mary Margaret got us through it. Just like my husband and I took in Ruby and got her through her parent's deaths."

Regina's eyes locked on Eugenia's as she felt the woman's hand make her way into her own.

"Regina, the Swan's… They took me in as part of their family." She paused, looking into the brunette's eyes. "I'd never let anyone hurt them."

"Neither would I." Regina murmured, seeing the kind soul inside of Eugenia sparkle through her eyes. Just like Eugenia was able to see Regina's sincerity through hers.

"I believe you wouldn't." She smiled.

"Regina?" Their heads turned to Mary Margaret's welcoming smile as she stood before them and made her way through the opened door. "You came! Hey, Eugenia- this is great!" She clapped her hands with joy, rubbing down her own arms to protect her from the freezing cold. "Come on in you two, it's freezing out here. Louise made her eggnog." She whispered in secret before announcing Regina's presence to everyone in the house. "David! Ruby! Come in here, Regina came!"

"A word to the wise, drink soda." Eugenia whispered over to Regina, warning her not to tough Louise's eggnog.

Regina chuckled, standing up with Eugenia, who was greeted with warm hugs from David.

"Regina!" Ruby rushed over to the brunette, pulling her in a friendly hug that Regina couldn't help to return back.

"Hi, Ruby!" She said, being pulled in by her into the house where David was the next one to pull her into a fatherly hug.

"Regina, it's so great to see you. Thank you for coming." He smiled.

"Thank you for inviting me." Regina turned to Mary Margaret and handed her the Christmas plant, which the woman took with delight.

"Come on in, dear! Dinner is all ready!" Louise smiled after embracing the brunette in a tight hug.

"Here, let me take your coat." David helped her out of her coat and hug it on the rack by the door.

"Thank you. It smells so good. Your house is so beautiful." She smiled, feeling more than welcomed already.

Eugenia was left to shut the door, but not before she placed her put out cigar on top of Santa Clause's head