A/N: Okie so I got this idea when I read something a bit similar a long time back and finally managed to write it for SQ.

The chapters are short and (hopefully) sweet and it's all already written out so I'll post every Monday and Wednesday.

A big thanks to Sara for reading through and reassuring me that it's decent. I hope you all enjoy 😊

...SQ...

Emma sighs in bliss. She doesn't think she's ever been this happy in her life. They're at Granny's, her little family huddled around a table having dinner together. Snow had wanted to celebrate. What exactly, Emma has no idea. But it meant dinner with Regina and Henry and her parents and okay fine Zelena too, which she's quickly warming up to so yeah she's happy to celebrate whatever.

She rolls her eyes in amusement for the umpteenth time that evening. Unable to help the chuckle that bubbles up out of her as Regina taps yet another fry against her plate to "get rid" of the extra oil. Zelena snorts, mumbling something to Henry; they both share a mischievous look before tossing a couple fries Regina's way. She expertly dodges them smirking at them both, when Emma picks one up and hits her square in the forehead.

And oh Emma's in for it now.

Regina glares at her, beautiful dark eyes sparkling with mirth and Emma wiggles her eyebrows at her, feels her face ache from smiling too much. Regina picks up a fry, makes a show of aiming it for Emma's forehead, holding it up like one would a dart and—

It bounces off of Granny's chest—she's come over with Snow's tea—landing onto the table just beside Emma's plate. Granny raises an eyebrow at Regina and Regina's eyes widen, caught. She looks at Emma, adorable pout at her lips and Emma is helpless against that look, simply wanting to kiss it off. Instead she quickly scoops up the fry shoving it into her mouth. "My bad," Emma mumbles around the fry and Regina throws her a grateful smile. Emma melts at that, almost choking.

Granny rolls her eyes placing the teacup down on the table. Snow throws her an apologetic look at having to have it reheated a third time tonight since she's been unable to stop laughing long enough to drink it before it gets cold. Granny simply looks around the table shaking her hand and sighing loudly before she turns away, but not before Emma spots the smile pulling at her lips.

"We should take a selfie," David says, pulling his phone out and getting them all to fit in the shot. It takes a good few tries to get it right, David's thumb covering the lens, someone being cropped out etc., etc. Once they're finally done he flips to the album to see his handiwork, Snow sipping her tea as she leans in closer to see. She's snorting the next second, tea spewing out onto the table.

"Snow!" Regina cries aghast, dabbing at the mess with a tissue while Snow hacks her guts up unable to contain her laughter. Emma pats her mom's back trying to calm her down. It's not until David turns the phone around to show them the picture that she understands.

After the painstaking effort to get the perfect shot, it comes out blurry in the end. Soon they're all laughing and Emma feels something swell in her chest making her feel giddy as she looks around the table, her eyes land on Regina and stay there.

Regina's shaking her head, little tufts of hair bobbing from side to side and Emma watches awestruck as the glow of the overhead light glints off of her features.

It's then that she notices it.

Regina brings up her left hand to push the stray strands behind her ear and—how had Emma missed it until now? She covers her eyes in an attempt to protect them from the blinding light flashing off of the large diamond set in a silver band on Regina's ring finger. Squinting for a couple seconds until Regina moves her hand.

Regina watches her for a minute, licking her lips nervously before clearing her throat. "I have an announcement to make," she says. Emma feels something tighten in her chest. "I'm getting married."

Emma's eyes widen at that, feels the world shake and fall slightly off balance. She eyes the ring in trepidation, unable to make sense of what's happening right now. Her family are cheering before she knows it, each taking turns to get up and hug and congratulate Regina.

Baby Neal makes a gurgling noise, smiling and clapping as he looks up at Regina from where he's sitting in the highchair. Regina picks him up, holding him close. She fusses over him, soft eyes and smile on her face, a look she only reserves for kids and on the rare occasion Emma too. He babbles something unintelligible, looking up at her adoringly from where he's perched on her hip and Emma gets it, because she's also unable to resist the charms of this magnificent woman.

"This calls for a round of drinks," David says squeezing Regina's shoulder, taking Neal from her and moving to the bar area. Snow and Zelena share a glance with Regina before following. "Um, juice for you Henry," David says, winking at Henry from across the room. Henry rolls his eyes fondly before giving Regina one last hug, a small smile to Emma and making his way over.

It's not long until they're alone in the booth and Regina's eyes are on her, watching her expectantly. She has the sudden urge to poof out of there and over the town line never to return. Instead an awkward laugh escapes her lips. "Wow... I-I don't know what to say Regina. You're engaged? I didn't even know you were dating someone!" she tries for cheerful, knowing her enthusiasm sounds slightly faked even to her own ears.

"Yes, well," Regina says looking down at the ring, "She and I have... we've been together since we met—never in any official capacity of course, but there has always been something... unspoken between us. A certain spark one might say. Marriage seemed like a natural progression."

And Emma feels something flare inside. Something angry and hot poke at her at the thought of someone else having a secret relationship with Regina. Someone other than her. She'd always felt there was something unspoken between them. Something that was much too complex and meaningful to be put into words, but rather shown through their behaviour and actions towards one another. Hadn't they each constantly sacrificed and fought to keep the other safe? Didn't that mean something? Anything?

She's broken out of her thoughts when she feels Regina's gaze burning into her, swallows down the lump lodged there and forces a smile that she knows doesn't quite reach her eyes. She hopes Regina won't notice, although Regina seems to notice everything about Emma.

"I'm happy for you I really am," and she doesn't know who she's trying to convince, Regina or herself. "Whoever she is... she's the luckiest girl in the world."

Regina gives her a look of irritation mixed with amusement and Emma becomes slightly confused. "I'm the luckiest girl in the world," Regina says, her brown eyes turning wistful and Emma feels it stab straight through her chest. "Well, I will be if everything goes to plan."

Emma frowns at that, "What do you mean?"

Regina clears her throat, speaking hesitantly, "My... betrothed is currently away taking care of some personal matters. She'll be unavailable until the wedding day."

"What?" Emma asks, taken aback. Now Emma's never been married before, and the only real example she has to look at is her parents who are the literal epitome of true love, but she's quite sure disappearing immediately after getting engaged isn't the best way to enter a lifelong commitment. "Well is it that important that it's going to take her however long until the wedding? When is it? A couple months? A year?"

"We're getting married this Friday."

One time a few years back, Emma had worried she was having a heart attack after consuming something called The Extreme Diabolical Monstrosity. Aka a giant 30 pound burger, two large portions of fries and an ultra large milkshake in one go—she'd won a cool shirt and got her picture taken and put up on the wall of fame at her favourite steakhouse grill—turns out she'd just eaten too much. Which... fair enough, understandable. Now though, as she feels something twist in her chest at Regina's words, slowly crushing the hopes and dreams within, she worries it might actually be happening.

"This Friday?" she asks, feeling faint. That's what? Six days? "What's the rush Regina? Wouldn't it be better to wait?"

Regina's eyes turn dark then and Emma knows that was the wrong thing to say. "Ms. Swan is there a problem here?" And yep, definitely the wrong thing to say. "Is it because I'm marrying a woman?"

"No!" Emma cries, "Of course not. It's just very sudden," she says looking around, noticing her family glancing over at them from across the room. Their faces watch her expectantly before turning back to whatever they were doing. She sighs, "It's just unexpected that's all."

"Time makes no difference when love is involved dear."

And Emma feels something shatter inside. Of course marriage means love, well not always, but knowing who Regina is she would only marry again if it was for love. And to hear Regina speak about it so easily and out loud, it snags on something inside Emma, pain blooming throughout her body. A pain as constant as breathing.

"Yeah... I suppose not," she says resignedly.

Regina watches her then. Tilts her head as she observes Emma and Emma flushes under the scrutiny. Uncertain.

"Since you seem so concerned, perhaps you'd like to help me?"

"You want me to be your maid of honour?"

"Well I'm afraid Snow already beat you to that," Regina says. "But you're my... Emma, I could never do something as meaningful as this without you by my side. What do you say?" And despite trying her very best not to, Emma gets lost in Regina's hopeful look.

"Of course I'll help," she manages, attempting to silence the screams inside telling her to run instead.

...SQ...

I'd love to know your thoughts! Thank you for reading; the next chapter will be up on Monday 😁