Epilogue

-.-.-.-.-.-Six Months Later-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Emma stood stiffly just to the side of the grill. The smoke was light and the burgers smelled delicious. By Regina's apple tree Henry was playing a hand game with Evan. The sun was shining and the air was cool. There was a nice breeze that blew the apple blossoms around the yard making it look magical. Emma couldn't help but breathe in deeply as she let herself feel the tranquility of the moment.

Today was just about having a good time with friends especially after all of the crap that they had gone through in the last few months. Rumple coming back from the dead only for Neal to die. Henry had taken that very hard but surprisingly Rumple was being very helpful. Henry and Rumple were dealing with the loss together. At first both Regina and Emma had been slow to even let Rumple have time with Henry unsupervised but when Rumple had put his life on the line to save Henry's from an enraged Queen Elsa of Arendelle, Emma had reconsidered their stance on Rumple. Now twice a week Henry spent time with Gold. They hadn't made it to allowing Henry to spend the night with Gold and Belle, but Emma knew they were getting closer.

There was to be no magic today. There were people visiting from out of town who did not need to know that magic really existed in this little town of Storybrooke. Emma and Regina had thought it might be good for Henry to see some of the people he'd come to know while he and Emma were in New York. And Emma had missed her friends. So after dealing with the barrage of questions and accusations from Snow, Charming, and Blue Fairy, Emma had put her foot down and threatened to pick up and leave Storybrooke with Regina and Henry and leave her paranoid parents and their new baby behind. Blue Fairy was still unhappy with the situation but Snow and David were a little more understanding.

"Don't look now, but I think we're being watched." Natasha whispered conspiratorially as she nonchalantly looked over her shoulder. Emma followed her friend's gaze and saw Regina standing off to the side with Janice. Each woman held a glass of Regina's famous apple cider in hand. They were both doing a grand job of pretending not to look at Emma and Natasha.

Emma knew how jealous Regina could become, not that she had any reason to be, but after the last three months she had hoped the older woman's fears would have been eased just a little. Emma was the one that had walked in to find Robin Hood kissing Regina in his effort to convince Regina that they were meant to be together—twice. Regina had made it clear to the man that if he tried that a third time she would have Emma arrest him for sexual assault. He needed the time to adjust to the situation, or so Regina said. That didn't help Emma's anger and distaste for the man.

It had been nearly six months since they found Zelena locked away in Pandora's box and freed Gold from it. Six months since Emma and Henry had moved into the mayoral mansion with Regina. Though Emma was still working towards convincing Regina to move to New York with her and Henry so they could have a fresh start away from all the drama and mishaps that living in Storybrooke Maine brought them.

She hadn't succeeded yet, but she hadn't given up.

As it were they were finding a new normal with each other. One that was even better than the fake memories Emma and Henry shared.

"Yes, it looks like we have." Emma smiled at her friend and the glow around her.

Natasha and Janice were expecting their second child. This time Natasha was carrying the baby. She wasn't very far along, but this weekend getaway was to help both women celebrate. Emma was thrilled for them both. Evan was turning three next month and from what Natasha said, was happily expecting his younger sibling. Emma wished she could say she had happily accepted her own little brother, but relationships with David and Snow were strained over the baby.

"What should we do?" Natasha asked, still speaking through the side of her mouth.

Emma took a sip from her beer bottle, "Divide and conquer."

"Ohh…I like that plan!" She nodded quickly, "Good plan. I knew there was a reason I kept you around, Birdie." Natasha joked as she pushed against Emma's shoulder playfully.

"And here I thought it was just my amazing pecs and big blue eyes."

Natasha laughed as she took a step away from Emma and towards her wife. "Yeah, well go bat those big blues at someone else. I've got my own green eyes to admire."

Emma grinned as she followed Natasha across the lawn towards Regina. Natasha was quick to stand beside Janice and kiss her on the cheek as she arrived. Emma wasn't as quick to do so with her girlfriend. Instead she smiled and stood just behind Regina, her arm brushing against the brunette's shoulder. Regina didn't like public displays of affection. Especially in front of people who were as good as strangers to her.

It wasn't until Janice and Natasha walked away that Emma wrapped an arm around Regina's waist from behind and kissed her neck.

"Having fun?" Regina's tone gave nothing away. For all Emma knew she was dreading all of this.

"I am, actually. They're doing well. I'm happy for them."

"Mmm…" Regina hummed before taking a sip of her cider. "They are pleasant enough."

Emma smiled, that was good. That kind of compliment meant that Janice had won Regina over. Just like Emma knew she would, which is why Emma had stolen Natasha to give Regina no choice but to talk with Janice. Who was the chief of staff to an up and coming politician in New York. Emma knew that they would be like two peas in a pod. Just like her and Natasha were. "I knew you'd like them."

"I said no such thing." Regina corrected quickly, tensing in Emma's arms.

"It's okay to like them Regina. They're good people. Both of them. And Evan is very cute too."

Regina sighed, "Very well. Perhaps I do….like them. You were." Regina swallowed, suddenly having trouble speaking.

"I was…" Emma probed internally thrilled with what was about to come.

Regina rolled her eyes, "You were right."

Emma smirked and kissed the side of Regina's neck once more. "I know. I often am whether you like to admit it, or not."

Regina chuckled, "Cocky."

"Not if I'm right."

Regina turned her head and stared into Emma's eyes. She sighed softly as her facial expression softened almost immediately at seeing Emma's smiling face. "I love you." Regina found herself breathing out the admission freely.

Emma's smile, if it were possible, widened tremendously. "And I, I love you, Regina."

Regina stole a brief kiss before she walked away from Emma to check on the food they had cooking in the kitchen. Emma watched her go until she couldn't see her anymore.

Henry was chasing Evan around the yard smiling. Emma was happy to see the boy smiling. Smiles were hard to come by these days. Emma couldn't blame the boy. They had all been through a lot and they were all dealing with things as best as they could.

They were all seeing a therapist. Though, Emma preferred to see a shrink that actually had a degree, not one given to him by a curse. Besides, it wouldn't do for Archie to see all of them, and as Regina and Henry were already his patients, Emma didn't mind taking the three hour drive into Boston to see a new psychiatrist once a week. Even though she was weary of doctors, she'd done her research this time and the doctor she was seeing wasn't a flying monkey planted in her life by the Wicked Witch. Her parents had no reason to be paranoid. They hadn't had to deal with as much subterfuge as her in the last few years. They should really take notes from how she handled things.

Emma's doctor was just a regular psychiatrist that was helping Emma get passed her PTSD. Finding appropriate substitutes for the situations that Emma had lived through with her new shrink was tough, but it was great when she could use analogy's that were spot on to the truth and her poor doctor wouldn't know the difference.

After six months of being back in Storybrooke, evil apocalyptic drama free, she had broached the subject to Regina about having a few friends of hers from New York stay for a weekend. At first Regina had been reluctant but eventually she had caved. Emma had ways of making her girlfriend cave now. Ways that she wished she'd been aware would work when she'd first met Regina and could have used them to save herself a few headaches.

Regina, believe it or not, complained when they first started 'dating'. When things became sexual it was very clear that the memories Emma had of how to touch Regina and make her feel pleasure the likes of which even the Evil Queen herself hadn't known existed, were based in fact. Emma knew just how to touch Regina to give her pleasure. She didn't have to 'learn' her lover's body the way that Regina had to learn Emma's. She had a foot up in the 'game'. Emma had a foot up in most areas of their relationship. But that advantage often worked well when times arose that Regina wanted to close herself off to Emma and just give up on what they had built together.

Emma knew how much Regina wanted her, needed her, and she knew just how to reassure her that everything they were going through, they were going through together. Emma knew how to touch Regina from those memories, but it was all fake before. She'd never actually touched Regina' skin with her lips the way she did now. She'd never openly and willingly touched the parts of Regina's body that she did now unconsciously. It was all new. Whether Emma remembered things or she didn't.

Besides, when Emma couldn't solve things on her own, Henry was used as a buffer.

They were doing okay. Their little family of three was going to be just fine. Emma was sure of it and as she stared at Evan and the way that Henry lit up around him, and the joy Natasha and Janice obviously felt, she pondered what it would be like if their family of three became a family of four.

That discussion would come much, MUCH later.

For now Emma could wait. After all they were still alive, and together, which she couldn't say for everyone. They were living a life together raising their son, just like in the fake memories. Except now they knew who they were. They knew their real pasts. They accepted each other for exactly who they were.

It was a work in progress that was going well for them all.

After all they were still learning how to be together in this reality, and Emma was loving every second of it.

THE END

Author's Notes: And that's all folks! I hope you enjoyed the ride. Thank you for all the reviews, favorites and follows. I should be back to updating my other stories soon.