Part of me feels it is too soon to be writing again, but part of me wants to, it's the only thing that I actually feel in the mood to do. The events in Manchester on the 22nd seems to have affected me more than others have previously, especially after yesterday, there was related issues in my home town. I check the news every morning and evening and am focusing on remembering the victims, rather than focusing on the perpetrator.

However, like has been the case since September, when I started writing In My Arms (then ABSC), writing is the only thing that really gives me any semblance of joy at the minute (apart from my upcoming America trip) and so I just have to keep at it.

So… how does Emma react to Regina's proposal?


April 2nd 2017

From: reformedevilregal (Mills, R.)

To: uglyduckling83 (E. Swan.)

Date: 02/04/17 10:13

Subject: Emma?

Emma, it's been 24 hours since I last saw you, or heard from you. I'm beyond getting worried, I am close to reporting you as a missing person, but as you are sheriff, I highly doubt that would be effective.

Why haven't you answered any of my calls or responded to any of my texts? I understand that what I said yesterday was too soon, and I apologise for that. I am not mad that you ran, I just want to speak to you.

Emma please, just contact me so I know you're ok.

Gina.

x x x

Gina… what can I say?

It's been a little while since I last wrote to you this way. I think if I'd have kept it up, I wouldn't have freaked out on you the way I did yesterday.

I see the notifications from you popping up on my phone, in fact as I write an email from you has just hit my inbox.

You have no idea how much I want to respond. I saw your text about Buddy, I'm sorry I'm not there to help you with him, but you raised a baby Gina, you can manage a puppy. I just need to clear my head.

I just want to tell you… the reason I ran is not because I don't want to marry you. It's because I do.

Em.

x x x

From: reformedevilregal (Mills, R.)

To: uglyduckling83 (E. Swan.)

Date: 02/04/17 13:31

Subject: Please, Em.

I already said I am not mad at you. I can't speak for Henry though. He came home from soccer practice and found his mother upset, and… he knows what I did and how you reacted.

I didn't do it to get back at you, I just won't lie to him Emma, he's our son and he deserves to know when his mother goes off the grid.

Just come home and we can discuss this like adults. Buddy misses you. Henry misses you. I miss you.

Regina.

x x x

Gina,

Do you honestly think I ran because you proposed to me? Well, technically I did but…

I have spent the past 28 hours thinking about you, about us. I haven't slept, have barely eaten… you have consumed my every thought.

You have been married once already, and that wasn't your choice. Part of me can't help but feel that you are settling… before you start yelling, let me explain.

You are an intelligent, successful, beautiful, kind-spirited, warm-hearted woman who is in charge of this whole town. You raised my son, our son, to be the best man he can be, you've saved the lives of me, and everyone in this town on more than one occasion. Whereas I am a former orphan, ex-con who gave up her son and only got her job on a fluke. You deserve so much better than me, and if we get married, it will be more difficult to deal with when you finally realise that.

Do you realise I have been thinking about marrying you for months? I've been in this for a lot longer than you have, and I've known at least since Valentine's how deeply I am in this. I think it just came as a surprise to me that you might have been feeling it too.

I just want to tell you this here, because I know exactly how you would react if I were to say it to your face.

Emma.

x x x

From: reformedevilregal (Mills, R.)

To: uglyduckling83 (E. Swan.)

Date: 02/04/17 17:53

Subject: I'm not going to beg.

Emma

You know what, I'm not going to beg you to come home. I get it, you don't want to marry me, that is fine, but I am not ready to give up on us as fast as you are.

Henry and I are going to order pizza and watch a movie. Tomorrow, when he goes to school, I am going to get Buddy registered with the vet, make sure he has all his shots. You are welcome to join us tonight, or me tomorrow.

If you decide to stay off the radar and not contact me or your son, or even your deputy by this time tomorrow, I will take that as you giving up on us, and it will be up to you to explain that to Henry.

I'm not kidding anymore Emma, I love you, but this family has been through far too much for you to walk out on us, on our son again.

Regina.

x x x

Sighing, Regina pressed send on the email and closed her laptop, standing from her study to go and find her son. He had ordered the pizza and chosen a movie and was waiting for her with a bowl of popcorn.

She noticed the look of sympathy on his face and frowned, trying to hold back the tears as she realised the relationship with her sons other mother was probably over. It took a few seconds to compose herself, but then the brunette composed herself and settled on the other end of the sofa from her son.

The teen had picked Doctor Strange to watch, apparently the most recent of the Marvel movies he seemed to be obsessed with, and while the opening credits of the movie played, he talked about the new one, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 that was due to be released in a few weeks. Personally, Regina could not picture how a talking racoon and a dancing tree could make a movie, but according to Henry it was one of the best.

The doorbell rang as Henry gasped, having just seen the main character have a car accident. Leaving the teen to his movie, the brunette stood and picked up her purse, for once looking forward to the cheesy, vegetarian pizza Henry had ordered for her. She had turned her nose up at his meat feast, heart-attack-on-a-plate (or in a box) and had asked him to pick her something mildly healthy. He had grinned at that, and informed her that pizza was not meant to be healthy, and Regina had smiled for the first time in almost two days.

She pulled a few notes out of her purse, along with a tip and opened the door with her other hand. The notes fluttered down, and her purse hit the ground with a thunk, coins rolling out as she noticed who was standing on the other side.

The brunette blinked at the blonde who was stood, holding a single purple hyacinth flower, an apologetic look covering her face. She seemed unable to move, or speak and simply stared at the woman who not 48 hours ago she'd been picturing marrying.

"Hi."


So it took me a few hours, but once I started writing this chapter I couldn't stop. I had help working out how Emma would react to a surprise proposal so if you don't like it, blame the help. I kinda have an idea of where it might go from here but we'll see if that changes with my moods.