"How does this always happen to me?" Emma snapped to herself in her new home office. Her hands practically clawed at the webcam on Regina's MacBook. Her cracked and sore fingers flicked at the tiny device before her image flickered on and off the screen. Emma had no idea why the woman insisted upon having some external webcam. Something about pixels and somewhere after that Emma stopped listening. Her image finally stopped fading to black and remained fixed on the screen. "There we go. So that was mildly embarrassing." She laughed.

"For me? No. You, always. I'm taking it that happened with you and Regina before?" August laughed.

"Yup. The first time we videoed. Feels like a lifetime ago. She had to coach me through my laptop settings to turn on my webcam." Emma laughed at the memory. "I somehow always excel at first impressions." She rolled her eyes at that. "This thing, I don't know how to work it." She said, fiddling with it some more noticing it wasn't fully clipped on to the laptop.

August segwayed the conversation, "So how's being a housewife treatin' ya?" He started mocking Regina in an overly high pitched tone of voice. "Is she like, 'Emma, darling, you need a new car. Here let me buy you a fully loaded black Land Rover.'"

Emma's cheeks turned rosy pink as she shook her head, "It's not like that. For the record, I told her not to buy it. She just wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Oh sure, who says no to a Land Rover? Next thing I'll know, you'll be on The Real Housewives."

Emma seriously responded, "You know me better than that, besides I'm not her wife. We aren't even married yet."

"When's the wife going to be home?" He neglected Emma's claims.

"August." She said, warning him before answering his question, "Not till later tonight. She left after lunch to run errands for Valentine's day. She was being super secretive. I touched her phone this morning to turn off her alarm and she freaked. She's got some huge plans, I can just tell."

He leaned back into his chair in his apartment. "Huh, got any ideas on what she's planning?"

Emma sighed, "Not a single clue. It's driving me mad. She's excellent at planning and I feel like this is where I'm falling short. That's why I called." She pointedly said.

"Okay, so you have no idea what to get her?" August said.

"Actually, not quite. So the other day I was exploring town and there's this little store on the corner of Main and I saw a ring in the window that I loved."

August clapped his hands. "I knew it!" He laughed. "Oh this too good, Ems, you're a u-haul lesbian."

"Whatever. You think you're so clever and funny. News flash, it's not funny if you're the only one laughing at your own joke." Emma snapped.

"Whoa, don't get butt hurt."

"I'm not. It's just not something to poke fun at, especially since I'm already having second thoughts."

"Shit, I'm sorry." August scratched at his head. "I feel like a dick now. So what's the problem? Are things not going good up there at the North Pole?" He asked, trying to feel out the situation.

"The opposite really. It's been... I mean, well there have been hiccups, but otherwise it's been too perfect."

August squinted his eyes and studied her image on screen. "What do you mean, hiccups?"

Emma nodded and laughed. "Weezy took some adjusting. He just hasn't been his normal self. If that makes sense? Can't exactly toss him outside to chill out when he's running rampant in the house."

"Why not? He's fluffy, probably a Maine coon, he's furry enough to be a mix."

"While that may be, he was raised in Florida. Snow is a foreign concept and tossing him into a yard full of it was a bad idea. Regina, she let him out and the little guy just looked pathetic. He started to literally howl, not meow. I heard it from the back of the house and of course investigated where it was coming from. When I found him at the back door, it was the most pathetic thing I'd ever seen. And then, he started to tap the snow with his paw. Somehow, and I don't know how, he lost his balance and fell into a big pile of it. He sprung up and bulldozed his way back inside, scampering his wet paws on the hardwood. He wouldn't go back out after that. The next morning, I heard Regina screech from another room. He'd peed all over her Jimmy Choos." Laughter cut Emma off.

"Wait, wait, wait." August held up his hands. "You're tellin' me that cat peed on some seven hundred dollar or more shoes? Oh man, that little guy just lost a cat life. If I were her, I'd skin him alive."

Emma cut her eyes at August and said, "I don't think I've ever seen her that angry before in my life. I mean this was worse than all the other times she's been angry. Anyways, I washed them, they still smell though. We got a litter box for him and put it in the garage. So far that's been the main hiccup. She gets how much I love him, but when he's peeing on the bed, in the sinks, or in her Jimmy Choos she just loses her mind. Her sassy inner Puerto Rican, or maybe Italian heritage shows."

"Has he stopped yet?"

"It's been about four days with no accidents." Emma said proudly. "Just takes some time getting used to a new home and not being able to just go outside."

"Yeah, he's probably in shock." August said.

There was a long pause. Static filled the void and August took that as an opportunity to pry. "So why don't you want to give her the ring you picked out?"

Emma sighed out long and hard. Her eyes fixated on the picture on the edge of the desk. It was the one of her and Regina at the Westbrook Christmas Tree Farm. The look on both their faces was nothing short of complete joy. Probably one of her most beloved memories, when it came to them.

"Well, I guess…" Emma stopped herself. While August was her best friend, she felt hesitant to share her feelings. She was afraid of voicing them because then it would make it too real.

"You don't have to tell me." He said, seeing the struggle written all over Emma's face.

"No, I called for a reason. I just, it sucks to talk about." She said. Those words were her ammunition to keep going. "It sucks August." She then looked back up at her friend. It wasn't sadness in her eyes. It was, rather, frustration.

"What sucks? I thought everything was fine."

"No, not that. It sucks being like trapped in this body." She said, motioning to herself. "The more I've been here, the more I've thought about it, and the more I want to change." She said. Her feelings were there, out in the open, finally. "I can't marry her like this. I, she doesn't care. She loves me all the same, but I don't. It's as simple as that and I just feel trapped. I want to give her the ring so badly. She already feels like a wife to me. We live together!" Emma yelled. "Knowing our families, I would expect them to start planning immediately and I'm not ready. Not until I can figure out how to move forward the way I want to." She explained. "I just don't want to get married like this."

"Have you thought that maybe you can just have a long engagement. People do that all the time. Especially up in the north. People are waiting to get married, you can do that too. I think you'd be crazy to not ask her if that's your only reservation." He stated and then added, "I do understand where you're coming from. Have you done any research? You've got to have the money by now?"

Emma nodded. "I'm just short of the cost and I'm taking some time before jumping back into work. I just don't know how I feel about dipping into my savings right now. It's just such a frustrating thing. I have the money, but not a job. I can't justify spending it all and depleting my savings account."

August then asked, the most obvious question, "So why don't you ask Regina? She's got enough money to buy a private island and her own football team." Which was true. She did. She struck gold with SMC.

"I can't ask her. It doesn't work like that. Her dad, he…" She stopped, trying to find the right words. "He said something about a friend that could, uhm, do it for me."

"Oh? You never mentioned that." August leaned closer to the screen, brows furrowed together.

"Yeah, because the last time I checked, Henry died. So there was no point in mentioning it." Emma voiced.

"No, not necessarily. What did he say?"

Emma nodded and started to explain the talk she had with Henry one day while she was on Christmas vacation.

"We've been teachin' ever since Regina has been alive. I actually remember Cora being pregnant while we gave lectures. She was the size of ah...ah...car. Barely could fit through the door of our classroom." His raspy voice echoed as they sat on the ski lift. "She had these big glasses on and the biggest hair." He gestured with his hands around his own head. "Back then, that was the style, ya know?"

Emma nodded as she listened along. It was later in the day and Regina had already headed back to the rental to warm up. Henry had convinced her to try out the black diamond with him. After a week of non-stop skiing, he thought she had the skill set to master the hardest slope at Sunday River. The lift took about thirty minutes to get to the top of the mountain and he chose that time to entertain Emma with more of his stories. She was sure this was a big mistake, but her nerves were calmed by Henry.

"Did Regina tell ya that Cora went into labor with her during the middle of one of our lect-" He was cut off by his deep cough that ricocheted through the air and shook the lift.

Emma found herself patting the older man on the back to help him catch his breath.

A few seconds had passed and he cleared his throat. "As I was saying, She went into labor during the middle of one of our lectures. Had half the class in utter shock. Her water had burst all over the tiled floor. Surprisingly, it's one of my favorite memories next to when that dildo caught on fire. Poor Cora was convinced she'd have Regina in the car on the way to the hospital. We still made it in time and that was the day my little Cherry Blossom came into this world. She's our everything." Henry smiled up at the snow covered evergreens at the memory.

"She was a fat baby too." He laughed. "Chubby cheeked thing. Had the biggest, angry scowl on her face. Sometimes, I can still see that look on her face. Especially when I tell my sex jokes. But, man when she was born did she ever scream when she came out. She was rather unpleasant for a few weeks while she adjusted. Anyways…" He drowsed off. "I digressed. We've been teachin' for sometime time at Brown. I've met a lot of people in my days there and I think that's one of the most rewarding aspects. Cora and I try to have several guest speakers come and talk about their field to our students."

Emma listened to his gravelly voice, one she had come to become very fond of over the course of her stay at Ski Esta.

"I guess what I'm tryin' to get at here is that, well, Cora and I, we're good people. We've made a lot of lifelong connections in the right places. I'd be happy to get you set up with one of our friends who's a surgeon, if that's what you want. He's a nice guy and internationally recognized for his research. He'd do it for me as a favor, that's if you want, to have SRS. I don't know your position or situation, but seeing that I have the means of being able to facilitate this, I'd like to." He said looking at Emma.

Her brain was trying to process everything. It, in a sense, was information overload. "I, don't… I don't understand." She stuttered out.

A gloved hand patted her on the leg.

"Are you serious?" She heard herself ask, now starting to catch up to the gravity of the conversation she was having with Regina's father. He nodded in response. It was too surreal and perhaps later she'd ask more questions. "Thank you." She looked at him. "I don't know what else to say. I'm… speechless."

"You don't have to say anything else." His old, smoke worn voice warmed her heart. "I want you to know though, no matter who you are Emma, we'll all love you just the same. You'll be the same person. You're a beautiful woman, who my daughter loves. I must warn you though. The surgery, it's not easy. It's a lifelong commitment. Cora and I have done a lot of research over the years and I admire anyone who does it. So think about what I said and if you think you're ready, talk to me. You'll need to do a lot of paperwork and psych evaluations. So think about it." He started to cough again into the crook of his elbow. "Sorry 'bout this cough. I can't seem to shake it. Just keeps gettin' worse. Cora wants me to see some damn doctor." He added.

The ski lift started to approach the end and dropped them off. Emma fell over from the sudden contact of her ski's against the ground. Henry, an excellent skier, was already swerving off into the distance yelling out, "Woooh Whooo!"

Emma admired the old man and how he had so much life in him.

"I take it that you never told Regina about any of this?" August asked.

"No, Henry told me to think about it, so I was. I was leaning towards moving to Maine sooner than later and figured that once I was settled that's when I'd talk to him about it. But before any of that, he died. I grieved with Regina over that and I just don't see how bringing it up would make any of this easier."

"Okay, I get that. But wouldn't her mother, Cora, have the same connections? I mean correct me if I'm wrong, but maybe you can talk to her?"

"I've thought about it. Just doesn't feel right."

"Well what are you going to do?"

"I don't really know. I just..."

"I think you should go with your gut and get the ring. Maybe talk to Regina and tell her how you're feeling. After all, if you're thinking marriage, then you shouldn't keep your emotions under lock and key from Regina. She will help you if you let her. Whether it's by talking to her mother, or finding you the resources to compensate for the surgery."

Emma sighed. "I'll think about it. I think I'm just overwhelmed right now." She emphasized by holding her hands in a defensive way towards the camera. "Which is exactly why I didn't take that job. Not yet at least."

"Just take it easy. Listen, I'm here if you need to call me. I do have a date tomorrow night!" He said enthusiastically.

"No way! With who? Do I know her?" Emma asked.

"Nope. I just met her. She's nice. I'm not sure if it's going to be anything yet, so refrain from twenty questions."

"Fine, but I want a status update soon."

"You've got it Swan. I'll hit you up later. I hope this call helped. I think you'd be crazy to wait, if the reason your waiting is because your afraid of your parents rushing things."

"Thanks August. I think I know what I want to do. Have fun and don't get into too much trouble."

"But, I always do." He grinned deviously.

"I'm hanging up on you now." Emma said, ending the call just as she promised.

She cracked her knuckles and stood from behind the desk and walked over to where Weezy was curled up on a pillow by the fireplace.

"Hey little dude." She said to the sleeping cat as her fingers played with his fur. "You've been so good these past few days. Maybe, just maybe I'll pick you up some Fancy Feast later. I know how you like that." She said as she admired his twitching whiskers, poor guy had been through so much change recently too.

Emma knew that while there were a lot of changes happening, the one thing that stayed constant was her love for Regina. August was right, she shouldn't wait if her reservations were because of their parents rushing things.

"Now this is a very rare ring. I remember purchasing this stone." The old man said. "It's become a trend recently amongst younger folks, colored stones that is. This one featured here is a beautiful very light peach/champagne natural, untreated diamond. It is clear and sparkling, as you can see." He held up the ring for her to take a closer look. He continued, "The diamonds size is 2.3 carats. It's a really good full size." He eyed the ring through a loupe to magnify the pear shaped stone. "It's set in yellow gold. Really makes the peach stand out. Can I answer any other questions for you?"

"What size is it?" Emma heard herself ask.

The older man pulled out a long Harry Potter-like wand from underneath the counter and measured. "It's a size seven."

"And if it's too big or small, then what?"

"Then just bring it back in and I will re-size it for no charge."

Emma nodded and looked at the glass case below. Her eyes caught something else that she liked. "Can I see that right there." She asked. The older man's hand moved into the case and started to gravitate towards the jewelry piece. "The one over from that one." She helped.

"This is another custom design of mine. I like the green hue. It's uncommon. If you're going for rarity, I'd say this would be a good pick" He showed Emma. "You've got quite the eye here. Whoever the lucky lady is will be very pleased."

Her eyes grew larger as she admired the piece. "It's beautiful." She commented.

"Thank you. I haven't seen you around town before. Are you new?"

"I just moved here in January. I'm from Florida initially."

"Well, It's not every day someone from Florida moves to Maine. Welcome!" He smiled. "My name is Mr. Gold." He brought out a hand to shake Emma's.

"Wait a second, I think I've seen you before. You dog sled right?"

"Ah, so you've heard the rumors around town I take it?" He slumped his shoulders downward for a split second.

"Oh, no. Not really. My first trip here was in December and I happened to go to the race. You won if I recall correctly." She added. Truth was, Jeff told her about how he was thought to have given his dogs steroids. Except, Emma wasn't about to bring that up in casual conversation over buying jewelry. That would be bad juju. Making a bad relationship over an engagement ring could bring bad luck, or so she thought.

"I did win. Mushing is a fun sport. I take great pride in my wins and dogs."

Clearly he was also humble.

"That's great. My friend gave me a test run. I enjoyed it. I wish I could have my own team of huskies like his. Regina, she's already having enough trouble adjusting to my cat, couldn't imagine her with a bunch of dogs." Emma laughed. "I can just see her freaking out over muddy paw prints, or her stepping in a pile of poo."

The man's quizzical look caused Emma's laughter to come to a halt. "Regina? That wouldn't happen to be the same Regina that runs the town by any chance?"

"Oh yeah, she's the mayor." Emma said. She was very proud of her girlfriend. Everyone that she came across in town loved her very much and only wished her the best.

"Well, in that case, a special twenty percent whatever you buy. She's a wonderful woman and I'd be honored for her to wear one of my custom pieces of jewelry." He said.

"You don't-" He cut her off.

"No. I insist."

Emma looked down at the velvety black mat and the options before her. "You know what. Ring me up." She impulsively said. "Why the hell not?" She then added.

"Right away, Ms?"

"Swan. Emma Swan." She proudly said.

The following morning, Emma sat across from Regina at breakfast. "Okay seriously, I can't wait any longer." She whined momentarily before shoving a fork full of eggs into her mouth trying to eat faster.

"We've been awake for less than an hour. And stop eating so fast, you'll get a stomach ache" Regina pointed out in a not yet caffeinated tone. Her voice still carried the weight of sleep and her face had the reddish indentions on the side of it from their blankets design. "Besides, I thought we planned on opening them after dinner?" She asked, her dainty fingers cupped a steaming mug full of black, Colombian coffee.

Emma rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh come on babe, can we please do it now?" Emma asked, with emphasis on please as if she were a five year old. "I don't see why we have to wait till dinner time? Unless, uhm, that's part of your gift because then nevermind I'm sorry. I'm not trying to spoil my gift or anything. I just… Want to give you my gift, that's all." Emma awkwardly spewed out a bunch of words that formed sentences that she wished hadn't. Sometimes, she felt like she buried herself under a pile of words that just managed to make everything feel awkward.

To Emma's dismay, Regina laughed. Somehow Emma was lucky enough to find a woman who thought her awkward tendencies were funny. "I can see that you hate surprises." Regina tenderly smiled. Still she didn't give Emma the green light to jump out of her chair to get her present. Inevitably, she squirmed with nerves.

"I wouldn't say hate. That's a pretty strong word. I'm just excited to give you my present, that's all." Emma defended. "Besides, afterwards we can relax and you know…" Emma winked across the table at her girlfriend, twice.

Regina's defenses were weakened by the flirtatious winks. "Fine." She said with a smirk. "I suppose we can open them now…." Emma shot out of her chair like a rocket before she could finish her thought. "...Seeing how you'll be nagging me all day if we don't do it now." Regina finished.

Ignoring Regina, she shoved two fork full amounts of eggs into her mouth, from the plate in her hands, causing her cheeks to pop out like a chipmunk. Not caring that her mouth was full of food, she said, "You won't regret this!"

Normally, Regina would frown upon talking with her mouth full, but this time Emma realized she said nothing. Instead, she laughed. "Go put that plate in the dishwasher. I need to run upstairs and get my gift."

Emma placed her dish in the dishwasher. Nervously, her legs steered her back and forth throughout the kitchen. She was trying to play it cool, but her nerves had made her an awkward mess. While she was very nervous, she also was excited. This day, Valentine's Day, would mark an new era for them, so she hoped.

"I'm ready." She heard from the other room. Emma paused and opened a drawer full of random nicknacks where two velvety black boxes sat hidden from Mr. Gold's Jewelers. Regina never opened this drawer, which was why it was the perfect hiding practically had the boxes hidden in plain sight really.

Emma popped open the first box and smiled. She had two options. Opening the first, Emma knew what her gut instinct told her.

She loved Regina with all her heart. No one could deny that. She'd given up everything to be with her, willingly so. Regina was the person of her dreams, the person she wanted to marry, someday.

"Are you coming?" She heard from the other room.

"Yeah, be there in a second." Emma yelled back. She leaned into the counter and looked into the box. She knew what she wanted. She snapped the small box closed, grinned, and walked to join her girlfriend.

Regina sat on the couch in her study and held a thin box wrapped in gold with a red bow. Emma sat beside her, with the small box behind her. Somehow she managed to sneakily keep it unseen from prying brown eyes.

"Okay, since you're so impatient, you can go first." Regina told Emma.

Emma grinned. "No, you."

"God, you're incorrigible." Regina shook her head as she handed her gift over. "I hope you like it." She said.

Emma pulled the red bow off the box slowly, "Ooo." She said. "I wonder what this could be." She slipped her unpainted fingernails beneath the folds of the gold paper and pulled it away. She worked open the tape that held the box shut. "Okay, seriously, I think you could have done without the tape." Emma laughed. When she finally got the top of the box open, she moved a thin sheet of paper and was met with a photograph.

Her jaw fell open as she turned the box horizontally. "No." She said, trying not to lose all self-control. "When'd you… How'd you… This is…" Emma jumbled her questions.

Regina smiled. "I take it that you like it? There's more below that one."

"There's more?" Emma sqeeked. Her sweaty fingers flipped through the lingerie portraits. "Oh my god." She gulped back.

"Oh yeah, that one, I was playing cupid." She laughed. "Silly really, but the photographer thought it was seasonally appropriate.

"Who is this photographer, I think I may need to bleach his eyes for seeing you like this."

Regina chuckled. "It's fine, he was one of Jeff's gay friends, Lance. He said at one point, 'Oh hun-nay you look diamond." Regina mimicked the photographer.

"Well, you look more than just diamond. These are stunning." Emma said, not able to take her eyes off the pictures in her lap. "I can't believe you did this for me. They're just… breathtaking." Emma was starstruck by the images. Her lips had even grown dry from her mouth being hung open for too long.

"I'm glad you like them. I thought it would be fun to do and something we could look back at when we're like eighty. I think it will be a nice reminder that I looked like this when I'm old and shriveled up. Besides, hopefully we'll have kids and they'll go snooping and find these and be emotionally scarred that their mom was a hot piece of ass."

"Did you just refer to yourself as a hot piece of ass?" Emma brought her hand up to Regina's forehead to check for a temperature. "Are you sick? What have you done with the Regina that I know who'd never say that?" Emma laughed.

"You think you're so funny, don't you." Her sweet husky voice caused Emma to shiver.

"I know I am." Emma laughed. She took a deep breath in and said, "Okay, hold out your palm and close your eyes." Regina followed her instructions.

Emma twisted, grabbed the small black box from behind herself. With an air of calm self-confidence that she so greatly lacked at times, she sat the box in the palm of Regina's hand. Emma knew, after talking to August, after thinking about Henry, that she had made the right choice.

"You can open your eyes now." Emma said with a smile.

Regina gasped and was paralyzed from the box that sat perfectly square in her hand. Emma smiled at her girlfriend's reaction and used her own fingers to prop it open, since Regina clearly was incapable of moving. When the box was opened, Emma added, "I love you, Regina Mills."

"That's for me?" She asked, looking at Emma questioningly.

Emma laughed at the stunned woman. "Yes. Do you like the green? The jeweler said it was rare. I just thought it was fitting. I think of you as a rarity." Emma confessed softly.

Regina leaned forward and brought her lips closer to Emma's. Regina clutched the box closer in the palm of her hand as Emma's tongue played with her bottom lip. She'd never grow bored, kissing the other woman. "So beautiful." Regina whispered in a heated breath in between their kisses.

Emma smiled causing their teeth to crash together mid-kiss. "Just like you are."

"Happy first Valentine's Day, my love." Regina said into Emma's ear, nipping at the sensitive skin.

She knew all of Emma's sweet spots and how to make her melt within seconds from one touch alone. "Why don't we take this... up...upstairs?" Emma stuttered, breathlessly. "Inquiring minds want to know, do you happen to have that cupid's outfit you wore in that picture?" Emma asked, cheekily as Regina's lips and tongue assaulted her neck in languid kisses.

Regina pulled back just far enough to stare into emerald green eyes that sparkled with lust. Emma watched as she bit her bottom lip and nodded in response.

That was all it took for Emma, who hoisted them both up and picked Regina up in her arms. She carried her up the stairs and into their room. They spent the better portion of their day making love. They'd paused for a break to eat some food, but even still they rushed through that to continue their sex-escapades. They finished everything up later in the evening with a bottle of Dom Perignon, in a bath full of bubbles, celebrating their love for one another.

It really was a happy first Valentine's Day. One well spent, just like them by the end of it all. They were fortunate that Monday was a holiday.