A/N: Well, we've reached the end of the story. Thank you for reading!
And now, the conclusion of "Love Always, Your Secret Admirer"
Epilogue
Two Years Later…
The smell of apples and vanilla slowly filled the house as Regina began cleaning up after her marathon of baking while the cookies cooled and her famous apple pie baked. It didn't take long for Emma to rush into the kitchen, her stomach in search of the treats.
"Mmmm…something smells good…" she said as she wrapped her arms around Regina from behind, nestling into her neck. "...and your cookies smell good too." Regina could feel Emma smile as she kissed her neck, knowing the exact spot to drive the brunette insane.
"That was cheesy, even for you," Regina said, turning around in Emma's arms, wet handprints appearing on Emma's shirt as she pulled the blonde closer, pressing their bodies together.
"You love me though," Emma said before she pressed their lips together in a deep and passionate kiss.
Things started to heat up as hands roamed under clothing to seek the warm skin underneath. Regina had managed to unbutton Emma's jeans and was just about to plunge her hand deep inside the tight fabric when a strangely deep voice interrupted them. "Ewww! Geez guys! If you're going to be gross like that, do it in your bedroom, away from innocent eyes," Henry said, covering his eyes.
"Henry, I'm sorry," Regina said, pushing Emma away as her face turned bright red. "I thought you were still out with Violet."
"I just got home." He uncovered his eyes long enough to snag a cookie from the plate while his mothers attempted to quickly fix their clothing. "Listen, I absolutely love the fact that you two are together. But please, keep the icky stuff to your bedroom…with the door locked…and maybe a silencing spell or something so no one else can hear you."
"Regina, I think our son is trying to tell us something." Emma laughed at the situation while Regina was completely mortified.
"Yes. Yes I am," Henry said, grabbing another cookie before Regina scolded him.
"Duly noted," Emma laughed, grabbing a cookie herself as Regina's face continued to turn a bright shade of red from embarrassment.
"I'm going to go take a shower before Christmas Eve dinner at Grandma's. Hopefully the hot water will burn the image of what I just walked in on from my eyes."
"Good. I'm going to continue kissing your mom for a few more minutes as soon as you leave." Emma winked, a shit-eating grin on her face.
"Eww, gross," Henry said, grabbing a fourth cookie and leaving the kitchen.
As soon as Henry was out of earshot Emma grabbed Regina and pulled her close again, gently cupping her cheek. "You're cute when you're embarrassed," she said before kissing her softly once again.
"I hate you," Regina whispered when she pulled away.
"You love me," Emma whispered before she kissed Regina's neck again, causing her eyes to roll to the back of her head.
"Not fair…I'm mad at you…" she tried to say, as she felt Emma's knee shift between her legs, making gentle contact with her core, causing her hips to grind against it as a reflex.
"You can be mad at me later. Right now just kiss me before Henry finishes in the shower and we have to get ready to go to my parents for the night." Emma's hand found its way up Regina's shirt to rest over her left breast.
"I can't argue with that…" she whispered, capturing Emma's lips in another deep kiss.
Things began heating up again as Regina continued to grind against Emma's knee, her hands once again unbuttoning Emma's pants, when the kitchen timer began to ring, alerting them that the pie was finished baking.
"The pie is ready," Regina said breathlessly, pulling her hand out from inside Emma's jeans, her fingers already moist with Emma's essence.
"I don't care…" Emma whined at the loss of not only Regina's hand, but her entire body, as she wiggled out of Emma's grasp to attend to her pie.
"The pie is going to burn."
"Let it burn," Emma said, wrapping her arms around Regina again, kissing her neck seductively.
"Later, my love. We have all night."
"I'm going to hold you to that, Miss Mills," Emma said, stepping away from Regina to allow her to pull the pie out of the oven.
"Go finish wrapping the gifts for your family, then take a cold shower while I pack these up," Regina instructed, trying to calm herself down as well.
"As you wish, Miss Mills," Emma said, kissing Regina on the cheek sweetly before racing out of the room to finish the task she was given. Regina's knees buckled as she watched Emma walk out of the room, forcing her to splash cold water on her face in an attempt to cool herself off after their intense make-out session. She counted the hours until it was socially acceptable to leave the Charming's loft and race home to spend the night with her girlfriend. Even though they had been together for two solid years, they still couldn't keep their hands off each other.
Two hours later, they piled into Regina's car and made their way to Snow and Charming's loft for Snow's annual Christmas Eve dinner. As always, they were greeted by a tipsy Snow White, followed by an equally tipsy Ruby, the two holding down their yearly tradition of drinking wine while cooking dinner. Regina had to admit that it was entertaining to watch the two old friends make fools of themselves over the course of the evening, and seeing their pained expressions the following day for her own Christmas celebration, made it all worth it.
"EMMA! You need to do shots with us! Have a shot with us!" Ruby exclaimed, rushing over to Emma with a shot glass, spilling half of it on her way over.
"Can't. I'm on call," Emma said, dodging her drunken godmother before she could spill the rest of the alcohol on her.
"Regina! You need to take your girlfriend's shot!" Ruby said, turning her attention to Regina.
"Oh no, Miss Lucas. I don't do rum," Regina said, rolling her eyes slightly.
"I'll take Ma's shot," Henry said, a little too eager.
"You will do no such thing!" Regina and Emma said in unison, causing an uproar of laughter from the drunken women.
"They're finishing each other's sentences," Snow snickered, rushing back to the kitchen when a timer went off.
"Thank goodness Granny is here to supervise," Regina whispered as she shed her coat and hung it on the wall.
"You're telling me," Emma laughed. "Can I get you a glass of wine, Miss Mills? I made sure to pick out the wine for tonight, so I know it's good."
"Sure. I'll have a glass, since you picked it out." Regina smiled as she watched Emma walk to the kitchen to find the wine and expertly pour a glass for Regina, resisting the urge to open a beer for herself.
The evening went smoothly, and Regina had to admit, she was really enjoying herself. Something changed inside her the first time she felt Emma's lips against hers two years ago, and suddenly Regina found herself truly happy for the first time in her long life.
She was truly and blissfully happy, and she owed it all to Emma Swan, and her belief that even she deserved a happy ending.
Just as Emma finished scarfing down her second piece of apple pie, Regina saw her reach into her pocket and tap on the screen, frowning as she read a message. "I'm sorry to do this, everyone, but duty calls," she said, as she stood from the table.
"Oh Emma, do you really have to go? We've only just begun dessert," Snow pouted.
"I am the Sheriff, after all. And someone has to be on call tonight," she said, winking at her father. "I'll see you all at our place tomorrow afternoon for Christmas dinner though."
"Let me walk you out," Regina said, following Emma the few steps towards the door, grabbing their coats on their way out.
"Let Henry drive home tonight. He needs the practice, and that way you can have some more wine," Emma said, wrapping her coat around her body to stay warm.
"I don't know about the wine, but either way I'll let him drive. Do you think you'll be home late?"
"I hope not. I'll call you if I think I'll be past midnight."
"Okay, be careful."
"I always am, Miss Mills," Emma said, kissing her girlfriend goodbye before turning and walking down the street.
"Hey! Do you want me to give you a ride to the station?" Regina said after watching Emma begin to walk away.
"Nah, it's okay. I'll walk. It's not that far. Let's be real, just about everything in Storybrooke is within walking distance."
"Very funny. Be careful. I love you."
"I love you too, Miss Mills! Now go inside before you freeze. I'll see you later," Emma said, turning around and walking away. Regina watched her walk down the street for a minute, eventually rushing back inside before the icy cold wind could creep into her bones, entering the loft just as the annual Charming family dance party began.
Snow and Ruby passed out around eleven, allowing Regina and Henry the opportunity to duck out and return home for the night. She handed Henry the keys as they rushed to the car to avoid the cold, when something stuck under the wiper blade caught their attention.
As soon as she was close enough she recognized the familiar stationery. "I think this is for you," Henry smiled, handing Regina the envelope. She opened it as fast as she could, pulling the familiar card out.
Meet me where it all began…
Regina smiled, her heart skipping a beat. "Henry…can you give me a ride somewhere?"
"Where to, Mom?"
"The trail to the Wishing Well," she smiled, climbing into the car.
"You got it!" Henry said, turning on the car and blasting the heat.
A second later she was climbing out of the car and rushing toward the snow covered trail. She didn't even notice that, instead of driving away, Henry parked the car and turned off the engine, as if he was planning on staying a while. She rushed through the forest until she felt something hard under her boot. She looked down to find a perfectly preserved rose pushed into the snow by the weight of her foot. She picked it up and continued to walk a little slower this time, making it only a few feet before finding another rose perfectly placed in the snow. She followed the trail, collecting twenty-four preserved roses, until the roof of the Wishing Well came into view.
Her heart stopped the moment she stepped into the clearing.
Nestled in the snow were tiny candles, which also lined the entire perimeter of the well, the light from the dozens of tiny flames creating the warmest atmosphere in the dark. Rose petals littered the ground, a beautiful contrast against the perfect white snow underneath. Although everything was beautiful, none of those things caused her heart to skip a beat and pound in her chest all at the same time. It was what was contained within the circle of candles and rose petals that caused her to nearly have a heart attack.
Kneeling in front of her in the snow was Emma Swan, a small velvet box held out in front of her, containing a diamond ring.
"Regina Mills…" Emma started to say. Regina gasped as her brain caught up with the situation and she realized what was happening.
"You are my best friend, the mother of our son, and the love of my life. I never knew true love until I met you. You are my soulmate, my true love, my other half. The only thing left is for you to become my wife. Regina Mills…" Emma said, pausing to compose herself for a moment. "...will you marry me?" Emma's voice shook as she said those four words.
Tears streamed down Regina's face as she stood rooted in place, staring at her girlfriend kneeling in the snow, looking up at her with equal parts hope and fear in her eyes.
"Yes…" she whispered, her voice so low that it was nearly inaudible.
"Yes?" Emma asked, as if she didn't believe her ears.
"Yes…Yes! YES YES YES!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing off the trees around them.
"YES!" Emma said, her eyes glistening with tears, as she leaped into the air and rushed towards her. Regina jumped into Emma's arms as soon as she was close enough and wrapped her legs around her fiance's body, holding her so close she could feel Emma's heart beating against her own chest.
Everything was a blur of emotions as her lips found Emma's, sharing in a kiss that put their first kiss to shame. Suddenly, her feet hit the snow once again as she pulled away, her eyes locking with Emma's. "Is this real?" she whispered, cupping Emma's face softly.
"Not until I give you this," Emma said, pulling the ring out of its box and carefully slipping it on Regina's finger. "Now it's real," Emma smiled, her eyes glistening from the tears that streamed down her face.
"I can't believe this is happening," she whispered.
"I promised you a happy ending. And I always keep my promises," Emma said, wiping the fresh tears from Regina's face.
"This isn't our happy ending, because then our story would be over."
"A happy beginning then?"
"No…a second chance. A second chance at love."
Henry was waiting for them when they emerged from the forest, their hands clasped together as if they were trying to seal themselves to each other already.
"So?" he asked, rushing over to them as soon their feet hit the pavement.
"She said YES!" Emma exclaimed, holding up Regina's left hand to show the ring that now resided on her finger.
"OH MY GOD!" Henry exclaimed, pulling them both in for a huge hug, cutting off their air supply with his suddenly strong arms. "I'm so happy for you both!" he said, squeezing them a little tighter.
"Henry helped me pick out your ring," Emma confessed when their son released them from his loving grip.
"And boy did she need help. She was like a lost little puppy in the jewelry store." Henry laughed, receiving a jab in the ribs from Emma. "What! It's true."
"You did an excellent job. Thank you," Regina said, kissing him sweetly on the cheek. Regina could feel Emma shiver next to her, causing her to instinctually wrap her arm around her fiance for warmth. "Why don't we head home and celebrate with some hot chocolate in front of the fire." Regina began to lead her family to her car, when Henry stopped short suddenly.
"I have a VERY important question!" he exclaimed. They waited with bated breath for their son's question. "Who will I be the Best Man for? I can't be the Best Man for both of you!"
"Sure you can. I don't mind sharing you with Emma," Regina answered.
"You did when we first met." Emma received an evil look, causing her to hold her hands up in surrender.
"Yes, well. I learned to share."
"Don't worry, I don't think you'll have to share Henry for our wedding. There's a good chance I already agreed to have Ruby as my Maid-of-Honor one drunken night many years ago. I remember something about her regretting missing crucial godmother years with me. The night is a blur, to be honest," Emma laughed.
"If not, I'm sure your mother will find a way to weasel herself into our bridal party," Regina said, causing a loud laugh from Emma.
"You're probably right about that," Emma said, shivering again. "Just make sure Ruby keeps her hands to herself. She gets handsy when she's drunk."
"Yeah…I know…" Henry cringed, running to the car to turn on the heat. "I saw Ruby grab Belle's butt at last years Christmas party. And I think Belle liked it."
The rest of the night flew by in a haze of excitement and emotions, and before she knew it, she was in bed with Emma, their naked bodies tangled up in each other. The light from the full moon illuminated the room, reflecting off the sweat on Emma's skin, causing her to glow.
"I think I might be dreaming," she whispered as her fingers gently twisted a lock of Emma's blonde hair between her fingers. Emma's eyes fluttered open, and sparkling green eyes locked on to her brown. "Because I've never been happier than I am right now."
"If you're dreaming, then so am I," Emma said, kissing Regina softly on the forehead. "You make me feel happier than I have ever felt in my entire life, Regina. From the moment I met you, I knew you were someone special. I had no idea you would one day be my wife, that was a surprise."
"That was a surprise to us both," Regina said, kissing Emma softly on the lips. They were both completely exhausted. "I love you, Emma Swan."
"I love you too, Regina Mills. And I always will."
Regina woke the following morning to the smell of breakfast cooking downstairs, mixed with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.
Emma was gone and in her wake lay a perfectly wrapped box and a single envelope, the very same envelope with a feather on it. She smiled as she opened it, tears welling in her eyes as she read the words on the familiar card.
Here's to our second chance at love.
Love Always, Your Secret Admirer.
The End
A/N: Thank you so much for reading this! I hope you liked it as much as I liked writing it! This one was so much fun to write, especially coming up with all the special and personal gifts for Regina. Let me know what you thought of it!
Once again, thank you for sharing in this adventure with me!
Until next time,
Jen