A/N: Just a note that I'm going on holiday in a couple of days for about just over a week. Hopefully, I get the chance to update while I'm away (I have the next few chapters prepared), but if not, I apologise for the delay and will update the moment I get back! Loving the reviews and messages, so keep them coming! Thanks for reading!

Chapter 13.

It was still the early hours of the morning and Emma had fallen back to sleep watching, but not really watching, the television. It was this sight that greeted Snow, Charming and Regina as the door opened. Snow stared at the young woman as though transfixed, not even feeling Charming squeeze her hand as she laid eyes on her daughter for the first time, really, in twenty eight years. She took a step forward, but Regina put out a warning hand.

"Let me," she ordered, "You can't just wake her up and try to tell her you're her mom. Just let me talk to her, you can wait in the dining room," she waved a hand in the direction of the dining room.

Charming took a step forward this time but Snow held him back, "She's right," she said quietly, "She's asleep. We don't want to scare her off. She already knows Regina," this last sentence was filled with a mix of fear but reluctant acceptance. Charming nodded and grudgingly followed his wife through the halls of the mayor's mansion.

Regina knelt beside Emma, running a hand through her blonde mane as she stirred slowly.

"Regina," she mumbled, "Hey," she began to sat up.

"Hey," the brunette smiled sadly, "I'm glad to find you still here."

Emma nodded, "I do trust you," she rubbed her eyes as she yawned, "I just…I don't know about all this Snow White being my mom stuff, it's – "

"I know… It seems crazy to you, i shouldn't have sprung it on you the way I did. It's just…you asked me about why she recognised you and I…" Regina paused, screwing her nose up slightly, "I don't like to lie to you," she finished quietly.

Emma smiled as she put a hand on Regina's cheek, "You're sweet," she whispered.

Regina bit her bottom lip, "Not a word most people would associate the evil queen with," she responded.

"You're not the evil queen anymore though," Emma protested and stopped suddenly, listening attentively as she turned her head, "Is there someone here?" she asked, turning back to the mayor.

Regina took a deep breath, "I…I broke the curse," she stuttered, annoyed at herself; she never stuttered, "To…to prove to you that your mother…"

"Is Snow White," Emma finished the other woman's sentence, wide eyed, "You…you broke the curse? So everyone remembers…everything?" her eyebrows met as she came to a realisation, "Hang on, is that…Is she here?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

Regina nodded and put a hand on the younger woman's jawline, stroking it slowly, "Yes. Your mother and your father – "

Emma stood up and felt the blood rush through her body, "Regina, I can't…" she trailed off for a moment, "You said, before, you could prove it?"

Regina nodded and held her hand out to the blonde, "Are you ready to meet your parents?"

Emma looked apprehensively as she chewed the inside of her lip, staring at the woman in front of her. Regina really believed what she was saying, she wasn't making it up and Emma knew she would never outright lie to her. If the curse was broken…maybe there was something to this. She looked into Regina's misty eyes, blinking slowly before she put her hand in Regina's, who curled her fingers around Emma's and began leading her through the mansion but Emma tugged at her hand.

Regina turned around, questioning in her eyes that was quickly answered when the younger woman threw herself into her chest. Regina rested a hand in her hair; of course, she realised how huge an event like meeting your parents for the first real time was, and this situation? With the magic and the complications, it must be almost impossible for Emma to get her head around.

"Are you okay?" she whispered into Emma's hair.

Emma nodded as she disentangled herself from the older woman, "I don't know," she replied honestly, "Just stay with me, please?"

Regina nodded, "Of course, dear."

Snow and Charming both stood as Emma entered the room.

"Emma," Snow breathed, approaching the young woman.

Emma took a step back, "Hi," she said, "Look this whole thing – "

"Must seem crazy to you," Snow said gently, "But twenty eight years ago Charming and I," she gestured to her husband and held out her hand, which he took as he stepped forward, "put you in a magical wardrobe that transported you to this world…to escape the curse," her eyes flickered over to Regina who was unusually quiet, "Here," she handed Emma a blanket.

Emma frowned and turned the blanket over in her hands, her eyes widening as she saw her name Emma stitched into the material. She ran her fingers lightly across the lettering before looking up at Snow. Her face really did seem familiar, more so with the longer she stared.

"Mom," she half choked on the word as the other woman pulled her into her arms, feeling Emma shake beneath her. Charming put an arm around the two of them, planting a kiss on top of her daughters head for the first in decades.

"Honey, we are so sorry. We thought it was for the best," Snow whispered as their embrace ended, "The Evil Queen…Regina," again her eyes flickered to the woman standing in the corner of the room, "She put a curse on us. The only way you could escape it – "

"Was to send me away… I know all about the curse," Emma interjected, looking over her shoulder at Regina and giving her a small smile.

Snow and Charming exchanged worried glances.

Charming took charge this time, "Emma, I don't know what she has told you, but back in our land she was – "

"The Evil queen," Emma interjected again, "I know. And I know what she did to you," she said to Snow, "And to all the people in the Enchanted Forest. I know she was some kind of…tyrant or whatever, but she's not that here. It's been twenty eight years… She's a good person. People change."

The couple couldn't pretend not to be taken aback by their daughter talking about the Enchanted Forest.

"You know, " Snow started, "I have a spare room at my loft…"

Emma shook her head, taking a step backwards, "No. No. You haven't been in my life for twenty eight years, for whatever reason, you can't just come in now and … I'm raised. I'm twenty eight, I don't need… I have somewhere to stay. With Regina," she gestured to the woman beside her.

Snow shook her head, eyeing Regina off with a look that could kill, "What have you done with her? She would never be interested in a monster like you of her own free will."

Emma rolled her eyes, "She hasn't done anything to me. I mean, other than take care of me and break a curse I don't think she ever planned on breaking so that I could meet my…you," she shrugged.

Snow squinted at the other woman; it was true, Regina had broken the curse for seemingly selfless reasons, "It can't be that simple," she said slowly, looking at her husband, "She never does anything without selfish reasons."

Regina cleared your throat, "You're right," she finally entered the conversation as all three turned to stare at her, "I suppose it was selfish," she continued, "Emma might have left this place if I hadn't told her that her parents were here… and now I suspect she will stay, and I hope…that she will stay for more than just…you," the older woman shifted uncomfortably; not at all used to baring her soul the way she just had.

Emma bit her bottom lip for as long as she could before she approached the brunette, "I want to stay," she whispered.

This time Snow cleared her throat, taking a step towards the two women now standing together, "Emma, why don't you stay with us, just while we…figure things out?"

Emma didn't get to reply before she felt Regina's arm around her shoulder and her cold voice echo into the room, "She will stay here, it's what she wants."

"We know the real you, Regina," Charming spoke up, "And if you think we're going to let her – "

"She's twenty eight, dear and she doesn't even know you."

"And how long has she known you for?" Snow snapped back.

"A little over a month, which is a long time in comparison to two weeks as a baby," Regina spoke icily, tightening her grip on Emma's shoulder.

Snow frowned; their daughter had been in town for over a month; then why did they only meet the other day?

"We're her parents, Regina," Charming asserted.

Emma shrugged Regina's hand from her shoulder and said in anger, "Guys, I'm right here," stopping the three arguing parties as they stopped and looked at her, slightly ashamed, "And Regina's right, I'm twenty eight, I don't need you, or her, or anyone making decisions for me. Snow White," it felt weird to say but not as weird as 'mom' would sound, Emma figured, "and…Charming," she muttered, feeling stupid, "or whatever you like to be called, you're my parents. I understand that…and I accept that.

Kind of," she shook her head, "But I'm with Regina, and I'm going to keep staying here. I mean, it's not one or the other, is it? Because you're my parents and I want to spend time with you… but you don't really have the right to tell me who I can and can't see. I mean," she turned to Regina, "Is it the gay thing? Because, it's not that unusual here – "

Snow held up a hand, "No, honey, it's nothing about sexuality. That exists everywhere, including the Enchanted Forest," she shook her head, "It's a non-issue. It's just," she thought about continuing to fight but she could see it wasn't going to get her anywhere, not right now anyway.

She sighed, "You're right. You're a grown woman, and I am so sorry we didn't get to see that happen. You stay wherever you want, and when you want to talk, you just let us know," she finished gently, "We love you," she stepped towards the blonde tentatively.

The blonde nodded; glad she could stop fighting and stepped forward into her mother's waiting arms, "I know," she whispered, "I guess I spent a lot of time hating you," she replied honestly, seeing the other woman flinch, "But now… Well, I guess we all get a second chance," she attempted to smile.