Sitting at the booth inside Granny's. Her family and friends surrounded her. Emma couldn't stop smiling and laughing as they talked. Tonight was going to be perfect. She had everything in place and the ring was tucked away in her pocket. Tonight was the night. After the year they have had, Henry bringing them together two years ago… Emma was excited to finally be ready to pop the question. Her parents and Henry approved, which was making her even more excited. She and Regina had been through so much and everything that had gotten in their way had only brought them closer together.
Staring out through the window she saw her. Regina was in her little black dress, with a long red coat to cover her from the cold. Chuckling she shook her head. Who wears a tight short dress in this winter weather she thought. Only to smile wider than the love of her life would. Regina walked inside and the bell chimed. Everyone turned to face her and Emma quickly moved towards her for a hug. "Regina! You made it!"
Regina's smile lit up feeling Emma's embrace. Her arms wrapped around her holding her tightly. Pulling Henry in as he approached. "Of course I made it, but you know me, I needed to make a late entrance for dramatics." She teased her. Her eyes shone brightly and yet her heart despite how fast it was beating it felt torn. Seeing everyone having eyes on her. She couldn't help but feel this wretched churn in her stomach. Something she could not shake.
Holding onto her hands Emma caught Regina's eyes shifting about. Clearing out her throat she swung their arms. "Regina," she chuckled at the woman's comment, "Thank you for coming and joining us because you are a part of this family. This community as much as anyone of us."
Brown eyes turned and beamed into Emma's yet a hint of sadness glossed over at her words. The churning in her stomach now knotting. Her lips quivered and smile faded from her the moment Emma lowered herself down to one knee. She wanted to feel lifted, happy, and finally her happily ever after was about to happen. But at the same time… she couldn't help but feel judged and unwanted.
"Regina Mills, from the moment I laid eyes on you I was breath taken. We fought and were enemies with an oddly common goal of wanting to be happy and make sure Henry lead the life we always wanted for him. Then slowly we became friends, co-parenting Henry and saving the town. Then the more we bonded the closer we became and soon we grew to love each other. Now, Regina, I ask you to continue to love me and share this life with me. Grow old with me." Emma pulled out of her sweater pocket a blue box with a rose-gold ring with small diamonds and a ruby apple in the center.
Her heart raced, pounding against her chest so hard that Regina couldn't see straight. Tears filled up in her eyes and her emotions became too much for her to handle anymore. Her mouth gaped but no words came out, only a choking whimper escaped her. Pulling her hand back, eyes all on her waiting for a response. She turned and ran for the door flinging it open and running back out towards the road. She couldn't do this anymore. She couldn't keep lying to herself. She didn't deserve a happily ever after.
Soon her smile faded the moment she saw Regina turn after reaching for the handle of the diner. Standing up she quickly moved towards the door, flinging it open, "Regina! Wait!" She called out. Her white sweater flowed with the wind as she made haste.
Regina stopped at the corner of the sidewalk. Her back turned to Emma. "This is a mistake, Emma." She sucked back tears, her voice shaking. Unable to face her.
Standing behind her Emma reached out to reach for Regina's arm, "Mistake? What's a mistake? I want this Regina, I want to marry you. Now come on inside. It's cold out here and you have to be freezing. Please, please come inside with me." Emma pleaded, the moment her hand touched Regina's elbow she tugged it away.
No longer able to help herself, Regina had tears streaming down her cheeks. "Emma, what if this a mistake? The two of us… we should just remain friends… continue just raising Henry like that. I could never truly make you happy and they would never really ever forgive me for everything I put them all through."
Sucking back a breath Emma tucked her hair behind her ear, rubbing her lips together while in thought. Shaking her head she tried once again to reach for Regina despite her stepping away from her. "Why would you ever think that this, that we are a mistake? You've done nothing but make me happy Regina. And everyone in there is rooting for us. You are one of them now. You may have been a villain when we first met. But Regina, you are a good person who just wanted to be loved and to love someone. I'm right here."
Wiping away her tears, trying to keep her make-up from running more than it already had. Regina finally allowed Emma to embrace her. The cold air caused her to shiver but she still couldn't face going back inside. "How can you say that so confidently? Villains don't get happily ever afters…"
Kissing her cheek Emma smiled, "But you aren't a villain, I told you. You have come so far and become a hero. You're even turning your own mother good. What type of villain turns another villain good? Only a hero could do that. We can finally be an official family and everything." Her thumbs brushed over the tears wiping some more away as they flooded down Regina's cheeks.
Letting out a small laugh she rested her head on Emma's shoulder, her arms now around her waist. "How is this possible?" She nearly whispered under her breath. "How do you know… that despite my— redemption — that you and I are each other's happily ever afters? My own mother who supposedly is good now… isn't even here."
"Well, it's just the long version of a fairy tale. And because we both experienced love and loss. Yearning to love and be loved only to feel betrayed by anyone around us. Then thanks to a clever little boy wanting to save people… and deep in his heart, even you. Brought us together. I told you this. So stop beating yourself up."
"And who says I'm not? You may like being fashionably late but I invented that move after all." Cora fanned herself as she approached her daughter and Emma. "Now, what is with all these tears? It's freezing outside and you're just going to turn yourselves into an ice sculpture." She huffed. "If Rumplestiltskin can find love why can't my own daughter? Even if she's Eva's granddaughter…" she mumbled towards the end.
"Mother…" Regina scowled swatting at her. Her eyes glanced between Cora and Emma. "Exsna–the haterade."
Rolling her eyes Cora brushed her hands over the front of her coat, "Well, are we going inside for the party or are we going to continue having pity on ourselves and freeze to death out here?" She rose a brow and strutted past the two women.
Emma couldn't help but shake her head and laugh. Turning to face Regina after Cora walked inside. "She has a point, I promised you once upon a time that I would do whatever it took to give you happily ever after. Now, here I am, holding out my hand asking you if you will share it with me." In the midst of her sentence, Emma entangled her cold fingers with Regina's. Her smile only grew brighter while she waited for a response.
A soft chuckle and finally a bright smile shone through past her tears. Holding onto Emma's hand tightly. "Let's go inside and let them know it's a yes." She kissed her cheek happily. "No more doubts. I promise."
Walking back towards Granny's Emma couldn't stop smiling, "Good, I don't want to hear any more crazy talk then." Opening up the door everyone silenced and stared at them.
"Sooooo?" Someone shouted from the crowd breaking the silence.
Regina laughed, "Yes, I will marry Emma."