Well... shit. This is awkward. It's been almost 3 months. I would like to give y'all my deepest apologies. I had surgery then went out of country then there's school. I know excuses, excuses. But this chapter does have the proposal so... forgive me?

Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT (If I did 3x12 would have gone slightly different)

"Now that, Mr. Cassidy, was unbelievably stupid." Then all hell broke loose.

An explosion sounded as Neal was suddenly flung to the wall at the end of the room, the room shook at the impact. Emma shot to her feet and stormed toward the man yelling, her fury almost tangible enough to choke him.

"You fucking moron! You had absolutely no right to bring up our relationship!" She was face to face with him, her eyes narrowed and voice low. "I'm going to kill you. Do you understand me? If Regina gets hurt in any way because of this I will not hesitate to make you suffer, trust me on that."

Regina stood slowly, her eyes not wavering from the man who was struggling against her knight's magic. She didn't notice the nervous glances of the other two men, or the growing smirk of her former friend's face, or the rage clouding her wife's eyes. She took slow measured steps, the only sound throughout the entire dining hall were her footfalls. Emma had taken a few steps back upon hearing Regina walking in her direction. She came to a stop in front of the man and sighed in disappointment.

"I honestly don't know how many times I've told you to not say stupid things, boy, yet you continue to and it is absolutely baffling, to say the least." She ran a fingernail down his cheek, making him shiver.

"I-I'm s-sor-"

"You will not speak! You will not breathe unless I say otherwise. If your stupidity causes me any trouble you will not enjoy the outcome." Neal gulped at her words, trying to find his words.

"Y-you c-can't do that. We h-have a contract. I have immunity." He tried to say confidently but his voice cracked several times. Regina laughed long and hard, making Emma's scowl lessen at the sound.

"Oh you naive little man. Do you know nothing about contracts? You didn't even try changing anything. Instead you foolishly accepted and now your idiocy is going to be your downfall." Regina turned to her wife who was glaring at the lose-lipped man. She waited until green eyes met hers before giving her a smile and reaching out to touch a pale cheek. All the tension immediately left the blonde as she leaned into the hand.

"Have fun with him, my love. Do keep in mind he needs to be kept alive for the next 27 days." She couldn't help but smirk at the excitement that entered Emma's eyes. She walked toward the other blonde who was watching on with a look of fascination and, very off-putting, glee. She stopped beside her two guards.

"One of you stay and make sure she doesn't kill him, the other follow me. Come, Maleficent. It seems we now have much to talk about." As the queen made her way out followed by Maleficent and Killian she smirked, hearing a scream right as the door closed.

…

Emma saw her wife turn and walk out and stalked over to the man who was staring at her with wide, fearful eyes. Her hand shot out and Neal collided with the wall again, letting out a yelp of pain.

"Y-you can't do anything to me! We have a deal!" His voice quivered as he spoke.

"Maybe you should have thought over all of the conditions of the contract before you blindly agreed to it. It stated Regina couldn't torture or kill you. It says nothing about me, or anybody else for that matter. You could have negotiated the contract before binding yourself to it, you blubbering fool!" She flung him to the other side of the room and walked slowly toward him as he attempted to get up. She grabbed him be the neck, putting her face so close to his their noses almost touched.

"Do you have any idea what you've just done?" She said through gritted teeth. "Maleficent was not supposed to know we were married! Why do you think Graham, Killian, the queen and myself didn't mention it? Why would we act the way we did toward each other? You've ruined everything! If my wife suffers in anyway because of you, I will make you wish you were in the lowest circle of hell instead of up here with me." Emma dropped him, seething. She clenched and un-clenched her fist as she thought. What if Maleficent does really knows how to contact Regina's mother? I will not let that happen. Regina would be beside herself, I know that much. She turned to Graham who was a few feet behind her with his sword unsheathed. A smirk slowly made its way across her face, and she conjured several daggers.

"How about some target practice?"

…

The three walked in silence to the queen's study. Regina's mind was going in a million different directions as she thought of what she would tell the woman. This is not going to go well. She knows! Show knows about my Emma and she will make sure I suffer, just like she promised. NO! I will not let that happen. I will protect Emma from everything and anything. Nothing will touch her. If I have to kill this woman then so be it, but nobody will take my wife from me. They'll be dead before they can beg for their lives.

…

"Charming! Is everything ready? Have you sent the package to Neal?" Snow asked her husband you just entered their chambers. He smiled at his wife's enthusiasm.

"Yes, Snow, everything's been arranged. The messenger is making his way to the Evil Queen's land as we speak. The package should arrive in a few days." Snow smiled, feeling quite giddy.

"This is it, Charming. We're finally going to find our Emma, now that we know she's alive, and when we do we'll rip her right from the Evil Queen's grasp. We'll finally have her back where she belongs." Charming swallowed thickly and glanced over at his wife with a worried look.

"W-What do you thinks she's been doing all these years? With Regina no less."

"I don't even want to think about the despicable things that woman has been doing to our daughter!" *Oh boy are you right about that ;)*

"I can't even imagine what…" He stopped, his eyes starting to water. "We could have saved her years ago, Snow. She could have been back with us nine years ago." The king chocked on his words. Snow stood there, letting the truth of his words sink in. Nine years. She's been with Regina for nine years. Gods, the things she must have gone through. No matter. When we get her back I will make us a family again.

"We will find her. Of that I have no doubt." Snow said quietly.

"But in what condition?" her husband questioned. Snow took a deep breath.

"We will help her Charming. We will save her and stop Regina and her White Knight from whatever evil they are causing. We will have our Emma and her Savior will be no more."

…

Regina walked into her study and sat in a large chair next to the fireplace. She flicked her wrist, lighting it and motioned for Maleficent to take the other seat.

"Speak. I know you've been waiting to ask, so go ahead." Regina spoke but her gaze never wavered from the flames in front of her.

"So you've married? I never pegged you as the type, Regina. You would wed a lowly, albeit beautiful, knight instead of me? I would say you made the wrong choice there, darling." The blonde smirked as she studied her old friends face. Regina remained stoic as she thought.

"Even after all these years you can't help but act petty. Are you jealous, dear?" She turned her head to look at the other woman and cocked an eyebrow.

"Hardly. I just don't understand why a powerless knight was a better decision than me. She is exquisite, I'll give you that, but I have magic, I can turn into a dragon, I have a kingdom. You're choice holds no logic behind it."

"Yes, well, my wife is extremely powerful in her own right. I know you saw her use magic only moments ago as she threw that pest against the wall. She has never been beaten in a fight, she's my best knight without her magic. I do not need another kingdom, I do not need a dragon. She is just as fierce and powerful as a dragon and more skilled than any man in any army. She's also impeccable to look at." Regina finished with a smirk.

"That she is. But if you recall I did say I would make you suffer for what you did. Your wife will pay, Regina. One way or another." Maleficent found herself being flung backward with a furious queen walking toward her.

"You. Will. Not. Touch. Her." Regina said with an eerily calm voice. The look in her eyes was one of a person afraid of losing the one thing they cared about and willing to do anything to protect them. Maleficent saw this, she could feel the magic filling the room, so much so it was almost suffocating.

"If you lay a finger on her I will kill you without a second thought. Do not even think about it or I swear to you, you will regret it. She is not yours to take revenge on, I am. But be warned, dear. I am much more powerful now than I was then, you'll find it much more difficult to overpower me. And if you even consider bringing my mother here I will wipe every memory from your brain and leave you as a vegetable to rot." The malice and power the queen radiating was surprising to say the least. She didn't remember the woman's magic being so potent. The room was filled with a bluish/purplish haze. She looked into the eyes of the queen surprised to see they were swirling purple orbs. She knew everything that she had just been told was 100% the truth. She could see, feel, and almost touch the proof.

"Do you understand me?" Maleficent swallowed. She had not heard from Cora in longer than she had seen Regina. Honestly she hated Cora, always did. She would never associate herself with that woman though she did know someone was starting to ask around about where Regina's castle was so she figures it might be Cora. She also was seriously reconsidering trying to get revenge on Regina. The woman's magic was crippling and it wasn't even being directed at her. But that knight of hers is absolutely divine, and she couldn't help but be jealous.

"Fine. I won't touch your precious wife." Regina studied her for a moment before stepping back. The magic around them immediately began to dissipate. The brunette returned to her seat in front of the fire.

"I am so glad we could come to an agreement, Maleficent. Now will you continue to reside in my palace or are you going to return to your own? Honestly I'm hoping for the latter." She knew she wouldn't get rid of the woman that easily but she could hope.

"No I will continue to stay here I think." The shape-shifting woman said taking a seat.

"Oh joy. Don't you have anyone else to go annoy? Like Ursula, perhaps? You two were quite chummy if I remember correctly. Pun not intended."

"Hm, yes you would be right but Ursula and I had a falling out a while back."

"Pity."

"It is." The two women sat in silence until Maleficent spoke again.

"So how is it you met your knight anyway? That piece of coal you call a heart was incapable of any kind of affection if I remember correctly. Excuse me if my memories are a little fuzzy." She said glaring at Regina who just ignored her look.

"Well not that it's any of your business, but since I have to wait for her to finish with that insipid man before I can proceed with my day I will tell you." Regina began to tell her old friend about how she and Emma met, leaving out the part about her running from Snow White and being her enemies' daughter. Regina was surprisingly glad they were getting along. It meant that Emma was at less risk and that's what mattered most so if she had to deal with a pestering Maleficent then should would 100 times over if it meant Emma wasn't in any danger.

"Well that sounds like quite a tale. I don't suppose it was you who proposed?" The blonde was incredibly curious about how this marriage came about. Regina laughed hearing the question.

"No I was definitely not the one to propose. I suppose I should tell you that story as well then. She needs to quicken her torture, I'm growing tired of this idle chit-chat." Regina sighed. "Well then I suppose it started when she asked if I wanted to take a ride…

"Gina! Babe, where are you?" Emma walked into their chambers, not having found her girlfriend anywhere else.

"There is certainly no reason to shout, I'm right here, dear. What is it you wanted?" Regina came out of the bathroom in a very impressive looking dress that Emma couldn't help but drool at. Regina sighed and walked up to the gaping blonde putting a finger under her chin, shutting her mouth.

"I don't understand how you are distracted every time you see my cleavage. You've seen me naked, almost every day in fact, yet you gape at me like you've never seen a naked women in your life." Regina rolled her eyes acting annoyed but honestly she loved when Emma looked at her like that. It was rather flattering.

"Yeah I know but you're really sexy so I can't help it. And I wanted to know if you wanted to go for a ride with me?" Emma looked nervous but Regina didn't take any mind of it.

"Why do you want to go for a ride? You are usually reluctant to go riding with me." Regina had a slight frown on her face.

"It's not that I don't like riding with you, I just don't like riding in all my armor cause it kinda hurts when the horse goes really fast and my crotch usually hurts afterward. But I do honestly love it when I'm with you." She gave Regina a cheeky smile. "So what do you say?" Regina couldn't help but chuckle at her girlfriend's whining.

"Of course I'll go with you." She snapped she fingers changing herself and Emma into comfortable riding gear. Emma smiled wide and ran out of the room shouting back at Regina.

"Sweet! C'mon!" Regina shook her head a poofed herself to the stables. She was always astounded at Emma's ability to forget she could use magic and rather well at that. A few minutes later she saw Emma walking up to Regina with a frown on her face.

"You cheated." She said crossing her arms.

"I did not cheat. You just forgot about your magic. Again. I honestly don't know why I even bothered teaching you." Regina walked toward the stables with Emma in tow. Ever since Emma had come into her life being at the stables, thinking about Daniel, it didn't hurt as much. She loved him, yes, he was her first love, there would always be a place in her heart for him. Emma was like the best medicine. She made Regina feel better than she had ever felt. She was her True Love and Regina would be forever grateful to Emma for running into her that night. She was pulled from her thoughts when she saw Emma sitting on her horse next to her, holding out a hand. She raised an eyebrow but took the hand anyway, mounting Ignis, Latin for lightning who was obviously named by Emma, and wrapped her arms around the blonde. She once again marveled at the muscle the blonde had. She may be skinny, despite her eating habits, but the amount of muscle the blonde had was impressive.

"You ready?" She heard from in front of her.

"Whenever you are, dear." With that Emma kicked Ignis' sides and they were off. Regina moved closer to Emma, her arms tightening around the woman's waist. She sighed and rested her head against the blondes shoulder. Regina could never deny how much she loved the blonde. After the whole magic fiasco she hadn't been able to deny her feelings. Not for a second. The sun had started to set so Regina closed her eyes and waited for them to stop.

To say Emma was nervous would be the understatement of the century. She was going to propose. To Regina. Tonight. Gods, she was nervous. She was using magic tonight and had been practicing twice as hard, paying attention to her lessons without so much as a joke. She had already set up a few things before she went and got Regina. Her hands were sweaty and she was clutching the reigns like they were a life line. She loosened her grip when she felt Regina lay her head against here shoulder. Smiling, Emma lead them to where it all began. When they stopped Regina was about to open her eyes when she felt a hand covering them.

"Don't look! It's a surprise!" She smiled at that. Of course Emma had something planned.

"Okay I won't look. What is this surprise?"

"You promise you won't open your eyes till I say?" Regina sighed.

"Yes, Emma, I promise." She felt Emma dismount and then two hands appear at her waist, picking her up off the horse. Regina yelped in surprised. Emma's strength never failed to astound her. She felt Emma leading her with her hands on her shoulders. When they stopped Emma took Regina's hand in hers and swallowed nervously.

"Okay, you can open." Regina opened her eyes blinking a few times then gasped when the view in front of her came into focus. She looked around with tears in her eyes. They were in the middle of a field with red roses around them in a perfect circle. She looked up and noticed floating balls of light that continued moving, she figured must have been Emma's doing, lighting the area they were in. She turned in a circle, gasping again when she realized where they were. It was the same field Emma had run her over in. She glanced over at Emma who was looking at the ground sheepishly. She slowly walked towards her and brought her hand under her loves chin.

"Emma. This is… I have no words. Why did you do this?" She looked into green eyes who were also filling with tears.

"Regina, I just love you. So much sometimes it hurts, I mean literally, we've seen it. Today is the day that I almost knocked you the hell you because I wasn't paying any attention to where the hell I was going. I know you don't do relationships, at least that's what you told me, and you're scared that something might happened to me one day but Regina I swear to you I'm not going anywhere."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, dear." She spoke softly but Emma still heard her.

"I don't." Emma said as she walked around the field. It was now nighttime and Emma was walking around looking at the roses and picking one a random. She looked back up at Regina smiling.

"You know you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life. Like if each person was a different flower you'd be a rose and I know how corny that sounds but it's true." Emma began slowly making her way back to Regina. "Regina, I love you. You are my True Love and I feel it every day, with every breath I take. I know we are going to be together forever. How do I know that? Because there is no circumstance which would cause me to not love you with every inch of my crude, childish, uncouth, extremely sexy heart." Regina couldn't help but laugh at that through her tears. Emma had stopped a few feet in front of her and snapped her fingers, making her armor appear in a cloud of blue smoke. Regina raised an eyebrow, impressed.

"You've been practicing." Emma just nodded and kneeled with the rose still in hand. Regina's eyes widened but she said nothing.

"I know you're freaking out right now. I can see it in your eyes, but just don't say anything until I'm done." Regina nodded and Emma took a deep breath. "Regina, my queen, I am on my knees here, today, giving myself to you in every other way I see possible. I am completely yours, Regina. I will always love you for as long as I live and even beyond that. You have my heart, my loyalty, my love. I will be whatever it is you want me to be. Your knight, your friend, your lover, your girlfriend, but right now I'm hoping you will allow me to be your fiancé and later on your wife, if you'll have me. Will you marry me, Regina?" Regina stood staring at Emma, tears running down her face. She never expected this, in all the years she'd been alive, to have her True Love proposing to her in the most amazing way. Before she could say yes, though, a raven swooped down landing on Emma's shoulder. Both women froze until Regina laughed out loud. New tears were streaming down her face as she saw Emma's face. Regina was laughing so hard she was bent over at the waist breathing heavily. When she finally calmed down she looked up to see Emma scowling at the bird that had landed on her shoulder, ruining the moment.

"Emma dear, it seems you've inherited your mother's ability of attracting birds. Congratulations." She chuckled again as Emma looked up at her.

"You think this is funny? I'm down on my knee trying to romantic and this damn bird ruins all my hard work. This is bullshit! Get it off me." Regina began to shoo the bird but it flew off Emma's shoulder taking the rose in her hand with it. Emma shot to her feet running after it.

"Oh you son of a bitch! Get back here! Fuck! Dammit!" Emma cursed as she ran after the bird who landed on a nearby branch. Regina watched her wide-eyed.

"Dear, why are you chasing a bird for a rose? There are hundreds around here." She heard Emma mumble something as she stared up at the bird. "Do speak up, Emma, I don't speak mumble."

"I said the rose had your damn wedding ring in it. The fucking bird has the ring!" Regina's mouth dropped open at both Emma's sweet gesture and the surprise that her wedding ring was now being held captive by a raven. 'Oh hell no…' she thought walking to stand next to Emma.

"That bird has my wedding ring? Why aren't you climbing the tree? Get it!" Emma whipped her head around and looked at Regina who gave her a 'queen' look. Emma sighed and grumbled as she began climbing the tree.

"You are so lucky I love you." Emma reached the limb the bird was sitting on and stopped. "How the hell do I get to it?" All of a sudden a net was in her hand. "Er, thanks, babe." Emma kept the net from the bird's view, right as she brought it down the bird flew off again. Emma jumped from the tree trying to catch it in time. She landed on the forest floor with a thud. "Motherf-," she weezed.

"Are you alright?" Regina was knelt next to her, Emma focused behind her and saw a rose lying behind her. She looked back to Regina and smiled before dragging her self, painfully, to where it fell. She sighed in relief when she saw the ring was still under one of the petals in the rose. She held it between two fingers and looked up at Regina who was still kneeling over her.

"I don't remember ever getting an answer to my question." Emma gave her a small smile. The brunette shook her head, chuckling at the woman who had just fallen from a tree and possibly broken several bones.

"Well maybe you should ask me again." Emma sat up, not without some help, and was looking directly into Regina's eyes.

"Will you, Regina Mills, marry me, your idiotic knight?" Regina held out her hand and smiled.

"I would love nothing more."

"So there it is. It was quite an eventful day, if I do say so myself." Regina looked over at Maleficent who was staring at her through the duration of the story.

"Yes, it sounds like it. Your knight is something else." Regina smiled fondly.

"Yes she is. Speaking of, Killian will you please go tell her that's enough. I forgot to take into account that she could heal him and continue what she was doing." As Killian turned toward the door it opened revealing a bleeding Neal, an annoyed looking Graham, who was half carrying him, and a very happy looking Emma.

"Ha! Like I would ever heal him. So is everything… good? No threats?" She asked eyeing the older blonde with distrust. Regina spoke first.

"No it is taken care of for now." Emma came to a stop between Regina's and Maleficent's chair still not trusting her while Graham stood by Killian dropping the other man to the floor muttering a quiet "Wanker."

"Yes, I was just told about how you proposed." Maleficent said eyeing the blonde.

"Ah yeah. What a day. That fall hurt like a bitch but it was totally worth it. Been married almost 7 years." She said with a proud smile.

"Yes well, it's time for court, dear." Regina said standing. The study door opened revealing a knight with his head down.

"My queen, there's a problem." Regina sighed.

"Of course there is. What is it?"

"A group of men was just caught setting fire to some of the houses in the kingdom."

"So just send them to the dungeons." She growled, annoyed at being disturbed.

"There's more, your majesty. They say they have a message from Snow White."

yeah... there ya go. Charmings are still pretty clueless. Mal and Regina are being friendly-ish. Emma's an idiot but she loves Regina so it's okay. And no, the group of people with the message is not the guy with Neal package.

*Announcement*Should Mal and Regina become friends again? Who do you think the group is? Who's in it? How should Neal find out our White Knight is also the long lost princess?

Y'all let me know and if you have anymore suggestions, or questions b/c I do answer them, let me know I'll try putting them in the story.