This is a bit of a shorter chapter. There will be two more after this and then my first Wicked Swan fic will be done.

Chapter 8

Emma and Zelena let Ruby go back to sit with Mal as they knew she shouldn't have too many people there at once. Regina called a few times and was glad everyone was okay. "I'm sorry I couldn't come; Graham absolutely forbade me."

"I'm glad he did. You're pregnant and shouldn't be here." Emma said. "We've got it."

"Graham said to tell you guys to not do anything stupid."

Zelena rolled her eyes. "You tell Graham to mind his own. We're all adults."

"Just please be careful. There's already one of you in a hospital bed with a stab wound, we don't need another."

"Yes mother." Emma said with a chuckle. "We're just going to see if we can help the police find him, nothing more."

The two looked at local maps and places he may have gone based on the direction he went and when Ruby came back saying Mal ordered them to stay away until after noon the next day so they could all rest, the three headed out.

"Shut up. No fucking way." Emma said as they watched the man casually walking into a bar. "He's not even two blocks away from where it happened. The police here suck." She said as she got her phone out and went to dial the police. "I'm fucking taking the credit for this."

Zelena chuckled and nodded. "You should. We just need to make sure he stays there until they come."

Luckily for them, he did and when he was arrested, Emma called his parole officer. She hung up the phone and looked between them. "Well, we just made bank girls." She smiled. "And he's out of our way. I feel better about this now."

"It can't always be this easy." Zelena chuckled.

"Oh hell no. It's never usually this easy. I can't help but wonder if he had nowhere to go." Emma said, driving back to the hotel. "I think Mal and I need to have a discussion about which cases we take from now on. That was honestly the scariest thing I've gone through. I thought I'd lose her."

"I can't imagine." Ruby said softly. "It was bad enough for me and I wasn't even here. I've also not known her as long as you have. I want to ask you both to do something else, but you're so good at it, and I see how happy you both are doing it, so I won't. But yes, maybe talk about which cases you'll take. It'll make me happier."

"Me too. Emma, you better plan on staying home for a bit once Mal is released because I'm not letting you out of my sight for a long time."

Emma laughed softly and kissed her. "I think Mal and I will both take a much needed break. I feel bad because we just hired Chloe to be our secretary, but honestly, we can afford to give her paid time off too."

"I don't see why she'd complain." Ruby chuckled. "She's twenty and would love getting paid to not go to work."

The three made it back to the hotel and Emma smiled when her phone rang. "Let's see if she knows." She said, "Hey Mal, you're supposed to be resting.".

"And you weren't supposed to go after him! Emma, you promised."

"I didn't 'go after' him. I went with Zelena and Ruby for a drive, and we happened to see him going into a bar. We called the police, and our money will be in our account tomorrow. Which is good, because we've been ordered to take a vacation."

Mal sighed. "Fine. Fine. I'll let it go this one time, but I'd have been pissed if anything happened to any of you."

"I know and I am sorry. I am. I should have listened to you."

"Okay, I'll drop it. Emma, can you maybe come see me by yourself tomorrow first?"

"Of course, Mal. Call me when you're up and I'll come over."

"Great. I'll see you then."

The next morning, as soon as Mal had called, Emma made her way over. "Hey, you look better already." She said, seeing Mal sitting up.

"I feel better. It'll still take time to heal, but I am feeling better. I wanted to talk to you alone because I…I care about what you think."

Emma smiled and sat on the bed next to her, facing her. "Sure. What's up?"

Mal took Emma's hand. "I thought I was dying. I honestly thought it was the end. Emma, I need to know you're okay. If something did happen to me, would you be okay without me?"

Emma was a bit surprised and thought over her words. "I love you, Mal. I don't want to be without you, but god forbid, if something happened, I'd eventually be okay." She smiled softly. "But please don't let that happen any time soon."

"I won't, Emma. I also…is it too soon to ask Ruby to marry me?"

Emma chuckled a bit and kissed Mal's cheek. "I don't think I can tell you that. Only you know how you feel. I…I do think the stabbing may have you going fast, but you know what? You only live once. If you want to marry her, you marry her."

"What about you and Zelena? Have you thought about it?"

"Yes. But then I think we haven't been together again for that long. But then I think who cares and I just get all confused. But I do know I don't want to go anywhere, Mal. That urge I always had to keep moving is gone."

Mal stroked Emma's cheek softly. "I'm glad."

WSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWSWS

Once everyone was back home, things started getting back to normal. Emma and Mal took time off and when they restarted, they also included a bit of private detective jobs along with the bail bonds. That way, they could stay busy and stay local.

Mal had decided to wait a bit after she talked to Granny about her intentions with Ruby. The woman was happy, but she thought it was pretty fast, so Mal agreed to wait a bit. Emma and Zelena pretty much were in the same room and had turned what was Zelena's room into a guest room.

"Why is there a crib in the guest room, baby?" Zelena asked, sitting by Emma on the porch and handing her a cup of hot chocolate.

"For when we have your niece or nephew over." Emma said, taking the cup and blowing on it. "I figure it'll be a while before she's okay with us watching them, but once she is, I want that baby to have a place to stay."

Zelena smiled softly as she curled up next to Emma. "I love that you're just as excited as I am."

"I am. I never thought I'd see you all again, but here I am, and she wants me in her life. I'm going to love that baby so much."

Zelena smiled softly, her eyes sparkling. "Emma? Marry me."

"W…what?" Emma asked, trying to gauge if Zelena was being serious.

"I love you so much, Emma. I never want to be away from you again. I only want you, and to make you happy. Please, Emma. Please say you'll be my wife." She held out a ring. "This was my father's mother's ring. He gave it to me before everything went so bad. He said his mom didn't want Cora to have it, but to give it to one of his daughters. I want you to have it." She slid it on Emma's finger. "It fits perfectly. It's a sign."

Emma smiled, tears filling her eyes. "I'd love to, Zelena. It's an honor. I love you so much." She kissed her, not able to find another way to express her feelings. "Yes. The answer is a thousand yeses."

A few weeks later, they had an engagement party where they finally announced it to everyone. No one had dry eyes as they were both so happy for the couple. Mal pulled Zelena aside and hugged her. "I'm so happy for you two. You make Emma so happy and that's all I ever wanted for her."

Zelena hugged her back. "Thank you. I know what you think means a lot to her, so I'm so glad to have your approval. But this doesn't mean you get to go anywhere. Emma will always want you in her life."

"Emma can't get rid of me." Mal chuckled and then looked serious at Zelena. "You both deserve this, Zelena. I'm going to go a bit big sister here and tell you that you shouldn't take advantage of this. Emma gave you her heart, and that was hard for her."

"I know." Zelena said seriously. "Mal, I promise I won't do anything to hurt her. We'll fight, all couples do, but I'll always respect her and treat her as she deserves."

Mal hugged Zelena. "And she'll do the same with you."

Meanwhile, Regina was talking to Emma. "You're going to be my sister-in-law! I'm so fucking excited. I never thought it would happen." She said, rubbing her bump as she smiled. "You and Zelena will be godmothers, right?"

"You bet. Congratulations on a girl, by the way. That's so exciting."

"Thank you. I would have been happy no matter what, but I am excited to have a daughter. At least I know how NOT to treat her. My mom taught me that."

Emma smiled softly. "You're going to be an amazing mom Regina, and I can't wait to see it."

That night, Emma and Zelena lay in bed together, naked and wrapped in the sheet. "The school? Really?" Zelena asked.

"Think about it, Lena. That's where we met, where we were the happiest, other than your parents' house, but I think that's been tainted. Gina said we could even use the greenhouse since everything will be in bloom. Since we're keeping it small, I think that would work."

Zelena smiled and kissed Emma. "Then that's where we'll get married." She said, kissing her harder, pushing her back against the bed. "Now, where were we?"

WSWSWSWSWSWSWSWS

"I wish they'd tell us what's going on." Zelena said as she paced the waiting room.

"I know. This waiting is torture." Emma agreed as she sat by Ruby and Mal.

"I think she's going through a lot more than we are." Kathryn said with a chuckle. "I'm kind of surprised you're not in the room." She said to Zelena.

"She offered, but I think this is special between her and Graham."

Graham came out and smiled. "I have a daughter! Zelena and Emma, she wants to see you two first." As the two went back, he told the others everything.

Zelena smiled and kissed her sister's cheek. "How are you doing?"

"I'm on medication, so I'm good." Regina chuckled and gently handed her the baby in a blanket. "Meet your niece, Adeline Mae Mills-Humbert. And yes, you can call her Addie." She said with a chuckle.

Emma stood by Zelena and gazed at the beautiful baby. "Oh Gina, she's perfect. Look at those lips; they're so you. And your nose."

"Thank you. She is pretty perfect. I already love her so much."

"So do I, sis." Zelena said, sitting carefully on the bed. "Oh my gosh, you're a mom."

"I am." Regina said and took a breath before putting her hand on Zelena's arm. "Don't let me be like her, Zee. Please don't let me be like mom."

Zelena looked at Regina and wiped a tear away. "Mom wasn't all bad. She wasn't bad when we were younger, Regina. But, I promise, I won't let you make her mistakes. I don't even think you would, but if it seems like it, I'll tell you."

Emma smiled and sat by Zelena. "I will too." She joked. "But I don't worry about either of you being like that."

"And maybe one day, you'll give Adeline a cousin." Regina said with a wink.

Emma smiled. "Maybe. We have decided that we would foster once we both feel ready and that can always lead to adoption."

"Oh, that's perfect. You two would be great."

"Thanks sis." Zelena said, kissing Adeline's forehead and handing her to Emma. "This is your other Auntie, Emma."

Emma took her and smiled, kissing her forehead. "I already love you so much, Adeline. Welcome to this crazy family."