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The three women quickly left to prepare the unplanned dinner. In the end it was clear that Regina would do most of the cooking because she was the only one with experience in handling this realm's cooking devices. When Zelena was younger, she'd always have to cook for her father after her mother had deceased. But obviously they did not have much more than a pot over a fire. On their way to the supermarket to buy all the ingredients they would need they were trying to decide on what to make. In the end they decided to have soup as an appetizer, of course lasagna for main course with a green salad as side dish and apple turnover for dessert.
They reached the supermarket quite quickly but it took them very long to buy everything because Zelena and Regina started bickering about whether to buy green apples or take those from Regina's apple tree. Finally they agreed on making it half-half meaning that one half of the turnover would be made out of green apples and the other out of red ones.
As soon as they had reached Regina's mansion they started preparing dinner which was much more fun than expected. Cora's only task was to chop vegetables and clean the salad due to her lack of cooking skills, Zelena helped both her mother and her sisters because she had some experience with flavoring and Regina prepared the dish that she had perfected in the last twenty-nine years. Without any major incidents the lasagna and the apple turnover ended up in the oven and the three ladies went upstairs to get themselves ready for the evening.
An hour later the doorbell rang. Zelena who surprisingly was the first- and only one- being ready opened the door and greeted her father and brother. She led them to the living room. They'd brought an exquisite bottled of red wine that Zelena accepted with a smile and a thank you. Cora was the next one to come downstairs and Regina the last. Zelena helped her sister in the kitchen and Cora kept Rumpel and Neal company in the living-room.
"okay everybody, dinner's ready!" Zelena said as she entered the room. Smilingly Neal, Cora and Rumpel followed her to the dining room where Regina had already set the table. They all settled around the round table. Zelena sat right between her two siblings across from her parents. A family dinner. Of course she had dinner with her adoptive father and mother back in OZ but they never felt like family dinner. It was nothing in comparison to the feeling she was having in this moment.
"Honey, why are you smiling like a Cheshire cat?" Cora asked and tilted her head to the side.
"I am just happy to have you all here tonight." Zelena answered. Regina pulled her in a quick hug and placed a kiss on the side of her head making Zelena blush slightly.
"We are also happy to have you here." Cora answered chuckling quietly when Zelena's eyes shone happily.
They had some light conversation over dinner which by the way was excellent according to the continuous praise of their two male guests. Afterwards they moved over to the living-room again.
"So Zelena what do you intend to do now with your new life in Storybrook?" Her father asked Zelena.
"Well, I want to have a normal life with my family and a job. I don't know exactly what kind of job but I definitely need something to do. And then well, I have to apologize to Snow and Charming some others too and maybe after that I can make some friends, I don't know. We will see, this is all new to me. I never had a perspective in life or a positive goal, I mean enacting a curse to get revenge on you was not a positive goal I would say. I think everything will play out all right in the end." Zelena said and shrugged. Cora took her daughter's hand and squeezed it gently.
"And from now on you will always have a lot of people to rely on. We will help you honey, no matter what." Cora promised making Zelena smile at her gratefully.
"Yes, sis, she is right." Neal said and lifted his hand for a high five. Zelena stared at him in confusion.
"What am I supposed to do?" Regina showed her how a proper high five was done and Zelena imitated her action.
"I think dear you really should apologize to the Chramings sooner rather than later. If they accept your apology everything will be much easier for you here." Rumpel explained but Zelena shook her head.
"I don't want to apologize because it makes things easier for me but because it's the right thing to do. I wronged them and they deserve an honest apology."
Rumpel nodded proudly not doubting that her daughter's future would be great without having to use his power of foresight. She had been misguided in the past. Many people had wronged her without them ever apologizing to her and to his mind it showed the good in his child that she was able to be big and admit that she had made a mistake.
"I'm proud of you, my child." Rumpel said and caused tears to rise to his daughter's bright blue eyes. Cora nodded in agreement. "Yes, me too."
Then the older woman looked at her other daughter and even at Neal and added "We are proud of all three of you."
"Okay, everybody I want to say something cheesy too before the moment is over and it all sounds like out of a soap opera. Anyway, I want to tell my dear little sisters that I always wanted to have siblings, someone to protect when I was a child- of course back than I always imagined a little brother but that is irrelevant now. For a long time I've forgotten about this wish but now having the two of you here, yes Regina the two of you, you are my little sister's sister so that makes you mine too if you want it or not…so where was I…oh yes, now I remember this wish and I just want to tell you how good it feels to have this wish granted. I promise I'll protect and support you! So, I believe the moment is over and we should talk about something else." Neal cleared his throat and blushed at his confession.
"One moment!" Zelena said. She and Regina stood up and place a quick kiss on each of Neal's cheeks making his face even redder. Cora and Rumpel laughed wholeheartedly.
It truly was an excellent start into their happy ending.
Okay, everybody that's it! I want to thank every single one of you reading this for sticking with me throughout the story. All your reviews have been a great inspiration for me and kept me going. I intend to write some one-shots for the Mills-family in the future so this is far from over ;)