Getting Regina actually out of her home, proved to be another challenge. When she saw Charming and Hook standing at the tree line, waiting for them, she instantly retracted from Emma.
"You didn't tell me the whole Royal family was joining us." Her voice is hard, but Emma picks up a small traces of fear.
"Don't worry Regina. I promised you they accepted this." Emma lightly places her hand on her back and leads the women out of the door.
"But they didn't trust me enough to let you do this alone?"
Emma shakes her head and smiles slightly. "No, I think my father wanted to keep an eye on Killian." She connects eyes with the man she loved, and he instantly smiles.
"Oh right, I forgot about your true love thing." Regina scoffs and rolls her eyes.
"Don't act like that." Emma tries to sound encouraging. "You will find your true love as well." Even as she speaks, Emma doubts. She had one miniscule detail about this man; how was she to find him? He could be anywhere in the kingdom, or maybe he's moved on to another kingdom. Or maybe he is dead. In her mind, she schemed of all the different ways she could try to find him.
But she was only left more discouraged.
When they docked back in the kingdom, Snow White was waiting for them. She smiled at her husband and daughter, hugging them both. Surprising Killian, she hugged him as well. Emma grinned when he pulled away, and stood next to her, his cheeks mildly pink. Then Regina walked off the ship, in one of her dark ensembles, and the air seemed to shift. The woman was clearly trying to keep her emotions stoic, but her fear was slipping through the cracks.
"Regina." Snow steps away from her husband, and kept a distance between her and her stepmother.
"Snow." Regina nods, and her eyes flash to Emma. The Princess kindly nods at her, encouraging her to embrace her second chance.
Snow smiles and reaches her hand out to Regina. The older woman studies Snow for a moment before taking her hand. "Welcome home."
Emma escorted Regina to her wing of the castle. "I was going to tell you all the things about this part of the palace that the historian first told me when I visited here, but I realize this used to be yours." She smiles back at Regina, who has taken to slowly walking, and examining everything.
"It's almost exactly how I remember it." The Queen looks around. "Other than what your parents changed when they moved in." Her tone is almost bitter. But then she sighs. "It was Snow's to claim though. And I don't blame her. Nothing can beat this view."
Emma smiles when she sees the Queen stop at a balcony and look out upon the kingdom. "I know it's not going to be the same." She takes her position next the older woman. "But at least there is some familiarity to it."
After a few quiet moments, a bird lands on the railing. Emma lays her hand out like her mother taught her, and the bird jumps into it. She softly caresses it, and smiles up at Regina. Regina stares at the bird for a moment, until Emma motions for her to hold out her hand. Slowly, Regina unfolded her hand near the bird. A few quiet seconds go by, and the bird doesn't move. Regina begins to feel hopeless, but then the small animal jumps into her hand, and starts singing a song. Tears blossom in Regina's eyes as she is filled with joy.
Emma is happy to see the woman slowly dropping her facade, but she continues to worry that she has given the brokenhearted woman false hope.
That night, Emma finds herself pacing the courtyard. Her doubtful thoughts had begun to consume her mind.
"Hello love," Killian sneaks up behind her and carefully wraps an arm around her. "You have been very quiet since we left the island, is everything all right?"
Emma sighs, and the couple fall onto a bench as she leans her head on his shoulder. "I'm worried Killian."
"About what love?" His voice is soft as he brushes hair out of her face.
"What if I can't find Regina's true love?"
"True love? Are you playing matchmaking with the Evil Queen dear?"
Emma sits up and looks Killian in the eyes. "If she has a chance a new beginning, we need to stop referring to her as the Evil Queen." Her voice is stern, and Killian quickly nods in agreement. "She has a true love. She told me that a fairy led her to him once, long ago, but she had been too afraid to meet him. Now, if I have any chance at helping her, I have to find this man."
Killian's eyebrow lifts as he studies her. "If she never met him, how are you to find him?"
Emma nods her head, and looks down to study her hands. "That's the problem. The only thing she knows about him, is that he has a lion tattoo on his arm, and I'm worried that won't be enough."
Cupping her chin in his hand, Killian lifts Emma's eyes to him. "Love, if anyone can do this, you can. But I'll ask around as well, and see what I can find out."
The Princess smiles. "Thank you Killian." She wraps her hand around his.
"You know dear, while you were speaking with the Evil...I mean with Regina, your father and I had quiet the talk."
"Oh no..." Emma's eyes flash horror as she studies the man. He chuckles and grins at her.
"It's nothing bad darling. We just got to know one another, and he threatened to kill me if I hurt you. You know, typical father and suitor things."
Biting her lip to keep from laughing, Emma raises her eyebrow. "Suitor?"
"Yes my love, am I not your suitor?" His voice takes a serious turn as he studies her.
"Well, I guess you are." The Princess answers slowly. "But I just hadn't thought of you that way."
"How do you think of me?" Hook adjusts in his seat and focus on Emma.
"As the man I love, and who I want to spend the rest of my life with."
A smile instantly forms on his face. "Then how about we make it official?"
"Official? Official how?" Emma questions as Killian searches his pockets.
"Aha!" He exclaims as he pulls a small object from his pocket, and then turns his face back to Emma. "Emma, my dear, I love you more than I love anyone, or anything in this world. No one has ever made me as happy, or made me feel like I found my home like you have. My love, if you'll have me, I want to spent the rest of my life with you."
Emma's eyes widen as he reveals the ring that belonged to her mother's mother. "How did you..."
"Your parents gave it to me."
"My parents?" She wipes away a tear with a smile.
"Yes dear." Killian winks. "They approve of this union."
Emma swallows suddenly as she realizes what this meant, and that though she knew it was inevitable, it still terrified her. But she loved Killian; she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, did she not? "I do as well." She smiles and Killian's face shows his enthusiasm. Carefully, he slipped the ring over her finger.
"Now it is official my dear." He chuckles, and she kisses him softly.
"I love you Killian."
"I love you as well my Princess."