This thing ended up being so much longer than when I first started writing it. And, I may have gotten a little carried away ;) I hope it turns out to be an entertaining chapter and that you guys have as much fun reading it as I had writing it. I can't wait for your reactions!
Understandably, Mary Margaret was awake for most of the night researching dream bedrooms for little girls. Being Snow White, on top of being a grandmother, she had elaborate ideas for the new princess. Unfortunately for Mary Margaret, her husband felt the need to remind her that they were, not only, not millionaires, but they also had less than twenty-four hours to put this room together. It was hard for Mary Margaret to accept these limitations, but she remained unyielding where her granddaughter's bed was concerned, which required a special trip to retrieve it.
Upon reaching their destination, at the top of the stairs, both mothers' jaws drop at the sight of their little girl's recently transformed room. Leave it to Snow White to put something this exquisite together and in such a short period of time. She thought of everything.
The largest and most notable addition to the room is the four-poster, full-sized, canopy bed, with tied back curtains. Charlie instantly begins to squirm as she desires to jump out of her mother's arms at the thrill of seeing the new bed that she knows is just for her.
The brunette woman barely has time to set the little girl's feet on the floor before Charlie sprints over to the bed and jumps on it, simultaneously messing up the once neatly arranged stuffed animals. The little girl is overjoyed as she picks up each animal individually and smothers them with hugs while announcing "I love you," to each.
Matching her child's enthusiasm, Emma inquires about, what looks like, a brightly colored, child-sized desk, situated in the corner. "What is that?"
"This is something very special," Mary Margaret informs, walking over to the furniture in question. "Charlie, come here!" she calls to her re-energized granddaughter.
The tiny child's expression widens in both astonishment and exhilaration. The little girl trembles with glee and begins clapping her hands in approval.
"This is just for you, Charlie," the young grandmother explains. "It's an art desk of your very own."
"This is amazing," Emma remarks, taking in the details of the furniture. "Come here, kid."
The blonde woman understands how her daughter gets when she is this keyed up. Sometimes, she needs a bit of encouragement. The young woman crouches down to the level of the art desk that is just the right size for her little peanut. "Do you want to try your new desk?" When Charlie nods her response, Emma guides her daughter to sit in the chair that appears as though it was designed for her tiny princess. "Look at this," Emma announces, directing Charlie's attention to the light situated on the raised shelf above the dry-erase board that doubles as a work surface.
"And look at this Charlie." Mary Margaret demonstrates how to lift the dry-erase surface which is hinged to reveal storage space underneath. Apparently, the thirty-four year old blonde is equally blown away by the awesomeness of her daughter's new toy. "You can put anything you want in this hidden compartment," Mary Margaret informs. "It is just for you."
Charlie was already excited just by the desk alone. But, she quickly discovers the other treasures hidden in the many compartments of the desk. "Crayons!"
"Cool! New crayons. And that's a big box. Look at all the colors!" Obviously, Emma shares her daughter's passion for a brand new box of crayons. She rarely, or actually never, received new toys when she was growing up. Having a child of her own allows her to have a second chance to be a kid. She is content sharing this special moment with her baby as they enjoy some of the simplest pleasures in life. "And, look, baby-girl, markers!"
"Those are for your dry-erase board," Mary Margaret points out. She doesn't even try to disguise the fact that she is entirely pleased with herself for finding what has turned out to be the perfect gift for her special girl.
"I think she likes it," David whispers to his future daughter-in-law. They both remained standing in the doorway, content just to watch this adorable scene play out between their favorite people.
Regina had never seen her future wife or her daughter smile so lightheartedly. With unshed tears pooling in her eyes, the brunette woman whispers, "David, it's perfect."
The young grandfather goes on to explain, "She wanted it to be so much more. You should've seen what she found on the internet. It was a nightmare trying to convince her that it wasn't possible to build Charlie a four-poster castle bed, complete with a winding staircase, in less than twelve hours. She hardly slept last night."
The queen welcomes the image of her former nemesis agonizing over how to build her daughter a dream bedroom in less than twelve hours, as a light-hearted laugh escapes her. "I'm sure."
"You know how she is when she sets her mind to something."
"I know," she replies, casually wiping away tears of joy. "But, it's wonderful."
When David registers that the woman who has become his friend, and family, is crying, he wraps his arm around her in a show of support. "She wanted Charlie to be happy."
Regina welcomes the tender gesture and reciprocates the hug. "My baby girl is home. They're both home."
Charlie, Emma, Mary Margaret, and Neal continue to explore the art desk's many compartments, discovering a number of concealed treasures. Once Charlie is satisfied that she has checked every inch of her new toy, she turns to face her blonde mother.
"Mommy, thank you!" she exclaims, wrapping her tiny arms around her adoring mother's neck.
Of course, Emma always wants to be Charlie's hero, but she recognizes that her mother deserves the credit. "It wasn't me, kid. It was your grandma."
Even though the young grandmother knows that she made her granddaughter very happy, she still feels inadequate as family member for missing the first three years of this little girl's life. Timidly, she asks, "Do you like your new room, Charlie?"
Normally, the intelligent three-year-old is cautious with people she just met. However, her sensitive nature informs her of her grandmother's insecurity. Charlie smiles warmly at the woman she just learned is her grandmother and hugs her as if she had known this woman her whole life.
Emma watches this beautiful exchange play out. She has never been more proud of her baby girl. Mary Margaret's eyes reveal the relief that she feels at being accepted by her granddaughter.
"I love my toys," Charlie confirms, continuing to hug her grandmother.
Charlie hadn't even noticed the stocked bookshelf or the variety of decorations accenting the room. Nevertheless, Mary Margaret is content just having this little girl in her arms for the first of many hugs.
After some bonding with her grandmother, the enthusiastic little girl skips over to her brunette mother and takes her hand. "Mommy, come play with me!"
Regina didn't think that it was possible to feel more content than she already did, until her baby girl took her hand. Nothing had ever felt more natural.
"Oh, yeah, I want to see your new desk!" Regina responds with matching enthusiasm.
Charlie happily shows her brunette mother everything that she had discovered in her new desk as her blonde mother and grandmother catch up.
"I wish," Mary Margaret hesitantly begins. "I wish it could've been more. There just wasn't enough time."
At the sincerity in her mother's tone, the younger woman softens. She realizes the weight that those words hold. Her mother had missed out on giving her a childhood. She is trying to make up for that now with Emma's own daughter. In that moment, Emma lets go of any lingering resentment she may have felt toward her mother for not being there when she was a child and hugs her. "I love it, Mom. Thank you for making her so happy."
When they break the hug, Mary Margaret holds her daughter's face and gazes at her in adoration.
Fortunately, Emma understands the words that go unspoken between them. This happiness is what Mary Margaret desired to give to Emma before she put her in a wardrobe, to be sent away, as an infant. She is determined to make up for that now by giving everything to Emma's daughter.
Breaking the loaded silence, Mary Margaret announces, "Charlie, your moms have a surprise for you."
The little girl, who had been preoccupied with demonstrating for her mother how the new dry-erase board worked, suddenly becomes animated. "What is it?" she inquires to Regina.
This new information catches the queen entirely off guard, so she responds naturally, "If I tell you, it won't be a surprise, sweetheart." Next, she sends her favorite blonde a questioning look.
Emma responds by shrugging her shoulders, before turning to face her mother. "Mom, what are you talking about?"
Taking this as his cue, David excuses himself from the group, "I'll be right back."
Emma joins her equally confused fiancée, who is still stationed next to Charlie's favorite toy. "Regina?"
"I don't know what it could be," the queen responds honestly.
When the little boy, who had been patiently waiting for the big reveal, sees his father returning with a familiar cardboard box, he cheers, "I know what that is!"
Mary Margaret attempts to calm her very excited son. "Shhhh, Neal, it's a surprise for Charlie."
The little girl's expression widens again when she hears tiny, familiar sounds coming from within the cardboard box. David sets the object in question on the plush, dusty-rose carpet in front of the bed, another detail added by Mary Margaret.
Without prompting, Charlie approaches the box, trembling in anticipation, as it is slowly opened by her doting grandfather. "Kitties!" she shouts at the sight of two little black and white furry animals meowing up at her. She immediately runs over to her parents. "Mommy, Mommy, thank you!"
Naturally, both mothers are stunned by this new information. Despite the unexpected reveal, Regina automatically responds, "You're welcome, baby."
The little boy who had been waiting patiently to play is now being guided over to the box of kittens by his mother. Now that Mary Margaret is supervising the children, David returns to the pair of stunned women.
"So…" he begins, with trepidation in his voice. "I may have agreed with Mary Margaret that kittens would suffice in place of the dream bedroom she wanted to give Charlie."
"Excuse me." Regina is obviously having trouble wrapping her head around what she considers such idiotic reasoning. "Kittens were your solution?"
Evidently, David is starting to realize his mistake. "Maybe that wasn't such a good idea."
Once again, Emma comes to the rescue. Lightly taking Regina's hand in hers, she wordlessly communicates her understanding. The older woman nods her head in agreement and both women approach their very happy little girl.
Emma is the first to break the awkward silence. "They're so tiny," she comments, kneeling down to pet one of the kittens inside the box. "Hey, little guy."
"Can I hold him?" the eager three-year-old inquires. She knew that it would be better to wait to ask for one of her mothers' permission than to grab a kitten by herself.
"You can hold him," Emma responds, carefully lifting a frightened, protesting kitten out of the box. "But be very careful, he's just a baby."
Regina can sense her own baby's anxiety as the conflicted child reaches for the tiny animal. "Here sweetie, we can hold him together." Regina settles herself in the space next to Emma, sitting with her legs crossed underneath her and gestures for Charlie to sit in her lap. Charlie happily accepts the offered seat and both mother and daughter cradle the kitten in their joined hands.
The queen wonders how this is even her life. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that she and Snow White would ever be friends, let alone that she would one day marry Snow White's daughter. But, now, her life with the Charmings is so blissfully domestic. With her baby girl, in her lap, and new family pets, hopefully she will get used to that one, the queen sighs in contentment. The only thing that matters is that her family is together and that they are happy.
"They're both girls; litter mates," Mary Margaret informs.
"That means they're sisters," Regina clarifies for her three-year-old. "And they're yours." She only hopes that if she says it enough that she will grow comfortable with the idea of allowing furry creatures to live in her home. Honestly, there isn't anything she wouldn't do for her daughter's happiness.
In that moment of family bliss, the two mothers lock eyes. Emma smiles warmly when she realizes what Regina's words to their daughter mean. Regina returns the smile, confirming what Emma already knows to be true.
"You're my kitty," Charlie informs the now quiet kitten in her arms. She then directs her attention to the kitten currently nestled against her blonde mother's chest. "You're my kitty too."
"Hi, baby," Emma giggles when the tiny animal rises up and the kitten's whiskers tickle her ear. "I like your collar," she adds, playing with the tiny bell attached to the furry creature's pink band.
"I got them both collars with bells on them, so you could find them more easily in such a large house."
"That was good idea, Mary Margaret. Thank you." Whatever bitterness she felt toward the younger woman for not telling her about her baby after Emma left has suddenly dissipated. Her family's happiness is the only thing that matters right now.
"We put a litter box in the bathroom up here and there's another one in the laundry room downstairs," David informs, hoping to smooth things over with his friend.
Luckily for David, Regina expresses her sincere gratitude. "Thank you, David."
"Mommy, she likes you," the little girl cheers, as the tiny kitten in Emma's care climbs up and perches on the blonde woman's shoulder.
The playfulness of this kitten makes the young woman laugh with delight. It had been so long since she had a pet. "I like her too."
The noticeably bold kitten's next goal is to tackle the blonde woman's head. "Apparently, this one's a climber," Emma comments, earning her a giggle from her adorable fiancée. "Hey, that's my hair!" Honestly, little claws are sharp. The blonde woman carefully removes the climber from its current position, though the kitten takes a mouthful of blonde strands with it. As Emma carefully removes tufts of hair from the kitten's mouth, she playfully scolds, "Why are you eating my hair?"
At that, Charlie and her brunette mother begin to laugh in unison at the adorableness of Emma vs. a kitten.
"They're probably hungry," Mary Margaret informs.
"Why don't we take them downstairs so you can feed them, Charlie?" David suggests.
Charlie naturally looks to her brunette mother for approval.
Understanding her daughter's unspoken request, Regina makes a suggestion. "We should get these kitties back in the box so your grandpa can carry them downstairs."
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The Charming family is currently occupied with the task of wrangling and feeding the kittens in the laundry room. They thought it would be best to designate a smaller space for the tiny animals until they get a little bit bigger and more comfortable with the large mansion.
Obviously it doesn't take an entire family to feed a couple of kittens, so Mary Margaret uses this as an opportunity to have a heart-to-heart with Regina.
"I know I should've asked you first—"
"No." Regina interrupts, before Mary Margaret has a chance to say anything else. "It's wonderful." Though she is still hurt that her best-friend would keep her daughter a secret from her for four years, Regina focuses on the only thing in her world that matters. "I've never seen them so happy," she explains as she gazes at her beautiful family, preoccupied with the new pets.
"Your family is home," Mary Margaret confirms. She knows all too well what her friend has endured in the time of Emma's absence and understands what having her back means to the older woman.
Because Mary Margaret knows everything that she has been through, the queen suddenly feels vulnerable and removes herself from any further discussion of the past. She approaches the figures crowded around, watching the tiny kittens as they gobble their food. Regina crouches in the space between her future wife and her child. She wraps one arm around the blonde woman who responds by placing a soft kiss on Regina's cheek.
As Regina pets her child's mane with her free arm, she proposes, "You'll have to think of names for your kitties."
Of course, the remarkable three-year-old had already given some thought to naming her new pets. "That one's Squeakers," she responds confidently, pointing to the kitten that she had held with her mother.
"Squeakers? That's a great name!" Regina encourages. "What's this one's name?" she asks, pointing to the kitten that tried to eat her favorite blonde hair.
At that, Charlie requests her younger mother's attention. "Mommy?"
"What's up, kid?"
"You can name a kitty."
"I can?!" That reaction was sincere. Emma had never had her own pet. Well, not really. She considers the cat-friend she made in her first foster home to be her pet. But, honestly, she never had one of her own. The thought of being able to name one of the new family pets fills the young woman with childlike exhilaration.
"That one." Charlie points to the kitten, with the pink collar, that had previously tried to climb onto Emma's head.
"Okay." They young woman pauses to reflect on what little information she has about the new kitten. Considering all evidence from their previous interaction, she comes up with a name. "How about Munchkin?" As soon as she says it, she recognizes her error. But, it's too late. Her three-year-old is already on board.
"Munchkin!" the little girl cheers.
Emma turns her attention toward her conflicted fiancée and sends her a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry. I forgot." She tries awkwardly to explain, "I just thought because she was munching on my hair earlier…"
Regina gently stops the younger woman, recognizing that there is no need for an explanation. She accepts that at some point she has to let go of her own prejudices. "Munchkin is a good name."
The younger woman breathes a sigh of relief. When did my wife get so cool? She wonders. "Are you going to let her keep them?"
"How could I say 'no,' to something that makes my daughter so happy? That makes you both so happy?"
Grasping each other's hand, both women stand to exit the room for some much needed time alone. And, for a moment, they rest in each other's embrace.
"I never knew I could be this happy," Emma whispers.
The older woman continues gently rocking the woman she loves, searching for the words that will reflect the gratitude in her heart. "You're home now, Emma."
This conviction motivates Emma to meet warm brown eyes, as her expression reflects the contentment she feels. Emma Swan has finally found her place in this world, the place where she belongs, where her soul feels right. "I know."
Not desiring an audience, Regina manages to keep the kiss PG. But, when she notices the younger woman wince, the queen is instantly concerned. "Are you alright?"
"I just need to sit down for a minute," Emma responds, taking a seat at the dining room table.
"Is it your head?"
"Actually, it's my neck," she informs, at the same time massaging the spot that is causing her pain. "I think that maybe I slept on it weird or something."
Regina is only too eager to ease her beloved. "Let me see if I can help."
Now that they have returned to a town with magic, Regina welcomes the sparks of healing energy that flow to her fingertips as she massage the woman she loves.
"Mmmm…that feels incredible, Regina." She didn't really care if Regina was using magic or not. All that the younger woman knows and all that matters is that she is being touched in love, by someone who loves her; she is safe. "I didn't realize how tense I was."
"You are tense," Regina notices. "Just relax, my love. You're home."
Home, Emma thinks. That word finally has meaning. With Regina she has always felt a sense of home. Never had she felt more comfortable or made more sense than when she was with Regina. With Regina, the world isn't a scare place; because they are together. "I still can't believe it. I mean I dreamt of this for so long…" The younger woman decides not continue for fear of upsetting the woman she loves.
"I know." Regina always did understand the words unspoken between them and still feels a tremendous amount of regret for not giving Emma the life that she deserved sooner. "How are you feeling now?"
The younger woman stretches. "My neck feels so much better. But, I still can't relax. I wish I could." If she is being honest with herself, Emma is incredibly nervous about telling her parents what happened during the years that she was away.
Understanding the source of her lover's anxiety, Regina decides to take Emma's mind off of what is bothering her. "You know," the brunette woman begins, bending down to whisper the rest in Emma's ear. "I could give you full body massage, if you'd like." For a moment, she deliberates. Maybe this isn't the time, or, then again, maybe she doesn't care. She continues with the proposition, "But, it would be easier if you're naked." Her voice is practically dripping with lust as she emphasizes that last word.
A sudden shiver is sent up the blonde woman's spine. She has to clear her throat, which is suddenly very dry, before speaking. "By chance," she hesitates, unsure if she is ready to hear the answer, "would you be naked too?"
"Completely," Regina articulates.
With each syllable that passes the older woman's lips, Emma can feel her walls starting to contract. "That sounds amazing."
Regina knows that Emma is already at her mercy, but the queen decides to seal the deal with one last erotic image. She whispers in her lover's ear, "And, you know, I still need to welcome you back properly."
"Uh-hu." It's all that Emma can manage. The pleasure that she is currently experiencing has rendered her entirely speechless. What kind of magic is this? How is it possible that this woman can give her an orgasm just by using her voice?
Recognizing her fiancée's dilemma, the queen decides to move things along and makes a suggestion. "Maybe your parents wouldn't mind watching Charlie for a little while."
"That's a good idea," the squirming woman whispers back.
Apparently, the queen approves of Emma's response and begins nibbling on the younger woman's ear. "Okay." Even though she is certain that her legs have turned to gelatin, the blonde woman rises to meet seductive brown eyes. She isn't sure if she'll be able to get it all out, so she rushes through her thought process. "Regina, you have no idea how much I want this to happen, but I'll be honest, I could really use a shower first."
The queen inches closure to the luscious blonde. When she is just a breath away she delivers her cool response. "What a coincidence." She pauses. "I could too."
"Mom! Dad!" She didn't mean to shout, but maybe its better that she did, since at least she was speaking. Regina noticeably blushes at the sudden outburst and hides behind the younger woman, lightly wrapping her arms around Emma's waist. At that, the younger woman's confidence returns, as she takes charge of the incredibly hot situation. "Could you guys watch Charlie for a bit? It was a really long trip…" She reaches her hands around to hold Regina, who responds by kissing Emma's adorable neck. "Regina and I…"
Thankfully, Mary Margaret interrupts, so her daughter does not have to finish that sentence. "We can watch Charlie."
"Thanks!" Emma shouts, as a huge grin spreads across her face. Immediately, the young couple races toward the staircase hand-in-hand. Upon reaching the landing, both women turn to face each other, instantly locking lips as if they were magnets. Regina takes this as her cue and in a puff of purple smoke, carries them upstairs.
The young parents, left behind, are slightly stunned by what they just witness. David is the first to vocalize the disturbing realization. "Did we just agree to babysit, so our daughter could have sex with Regina?"
Without missing a beat, Snow White confirms, "I believe we did."
"Okay. Just so we're clear on that." The whole situation is slightly awkward for David. He would rather live in the delusion that his baby girl never had sex, completely ignoring the fact that she managed to conceive two children. If he is being honest with himself, he is disappointed that his daughter would rather run off with her girlfriend than spend time with her father. "I really thought she'd be interested in spending some time with us."
Thankfully, Snow White is a realist. "They've been separated for four years." She may look innocent, but Mary Margaret understands a woman's needs and doesn't take the fact that her daughter ditched her personally.
"Yeah, well, we were separated for twenty-eight," her husband argues.
Though David tries to justify his stance, Mary Margaret is quick with her retort. "Yes, but for twenty-eight years we didn't even remember that we knew each other. Regina showed us that mercy when she cursed us."
Prince Charming is smarter than he looks, realizing when it's time to say the magic words every wife deserves to hear, "You're right." He continues, "I don't want to imagine my life without you, ever."
"You never have to."